Chinese knock off brake and clutch levers?

Draeger

Draeger

Draeger

Soldato
Joined
4 Feb 2004
Posts
13,392
Location
Écosse
These are so cheap they must be made of chocolate or something?

eBay Link

£16 a pair? Opinions on these folks? Who has el-cheapo Chinese levers on their steeds? I'm assured that I will die immediately as soon as I fit these and sit on the bike.
 
Made from pot metal. Weak and very brittle. Put a pair on a very old XL 250 I inherited to get it back on the road. Snapped the clutch lever clean off at the pivot when it snagged on the garage door.

This was rolling the bike backwards on a level surface and the lever snapped so easily that it didn't mark the varnish on the wooden door...
 
I've had about half a dozen pairs of Chinese levers, used on the road and on track. All worked perfectly. The only downside was that one pair on my FZ6 started life as black but went bronze after a few months, all the others were fine. Dunno what it was about the FZ that was different.
The seller I bought mine from was called the2wheels or something if I recall correctly.

For comparison I've also had Pazzo levers on my ZX6R and there was no perceivable difference other than my bank balance.
 
Terminal_Boy said:
Made from pot metal. Weak and very brittle.
Click to expand...

They are certainly not made from pot metal. They are an aluminium alloy, though probably not a particularly high grade.

The main problems with them:

1) Fit/tolerance. Some of them are not machined very accurately, and either won't fit or (worse) fit but hold the brakes on slightly causing binding and eventually locking the front wheel.
2) No proper bronze bush for the pivot. The pivot bolts runs directly in the alloy, so they tend to wear fairly quickly compared to OEM levers.
3) The anodising quality varies greatly, the poor ones fade in sunlight very quickly. You'll see bikes with orangey/yellow levers that started out as black ones.

As always with these Chinese made items sold by numerous different vendors, the quality seems to vary greatly.

I have a set on my Benelli, and went for plain silver to avoid any issues with anodising dyes fading. They fitted well and worked perfectly. Personally I would avoid the folding ones, the design looks very weak around the pivot.
 
I've been using Chinese levers for years and never once had a problem. They are great quality and just shows how much the markup branded levers have. The Triumph branded ones for my bike, they have the Triumph logo on them and do look nice, are £150.

It won't be long and China made goods will have the same kudos Japanese made good have and remember, Japan was synonymous with tat for quite a while after WW2.
 
Another happy customer here. Had a set on my ZZR for about a year before I sold it and not a single problem.
 
I stuck Pazzo levers on my 1098S and my 748S, when you lined them up to cheap knock offs, you could instantly tell which one was cheap...
 
Terminal_Boy said:
Made from pot metal. Weak and very brittle. Put a pair on a very old XL 250 I inherited to get it back on the road. Snapped the clutch lever clean off at the pivot when it snagged on the garage door.

This was rolling the bike backwards on a level surface and the lever snapped so easily that it didn't mark the varnish on the wooden door...
Click to expand...

BS.

Had some on my CBR for 3 years, have a set on my R6 now... perfectly fine after you make sure the nuts are all tight.

First set were 22pounds, this set was $36... feel perfectly fine.
 
had a set on my bike nearly 2 years and never had a problem with them.

as for them snapping easy, I have had genuine Yamaha ones do that also, sometime its just how you catch them that does it
 
Last edited:
same as others, been using them for years and never had a problem.

As has been said "some" of the Chinese ones are a bit hit and miss with the tolerances.

I always get mine from "the two wheels" on ebay as they always got the best reviews.

I's say avoid the cheap cheap ones.
 
Dogbreath said:
The main problems with them:

1) Fit/tolerance. Some of them are not machined very accurately, and either won't fit or (worse) fit but hold the brakes on slightly causing binding and eventually locking the front wheel.
2) No proper bronze bush for the pivot. The pivot bolts runs directly in the alloy, so they tend to wear fairly quickly compared to OEM levers.
3) The anodising quality varies greatly, the poor ones fade in sunlight very quickly. You'll see bikes with orangey/yellow levers that started out as black ones.
Click to expand...

You missed out number 4 when other riders start pointing and sniggering between themselves when they realize you have Chinese levers fitted and when you walk over they pretend there interested and ask how much you paid for them but deep down they think your ****:D
 
.one. said:
You missed out number 4 when other riders start pointing and sniggering between themselves when they realize you have Chinese levers fitted and when you walk over they pretend there interested and ask how much you paid for them but deep down they think your ****:D
Click to expand...

and you walk away thinking what an idoit for paying £100+ for there over priced levers on there bike, where there paying for a name
 
ShakenNstirred said:
and you walk away thinking what an idoit for paying £100+ for there over priced levers on there bike, where there paying for a name
Click to expand...

My CRG levers wipe the floor with build quality and fitting compared to the Chinese levers the lad had fitted when I bought the bike.

But I am open to be proved wrong you show me yours and I will show you mine ;)
 
You don't really have a choice in Switzerland. If it's not an official part you have to pay to get it tested and approved, which is way more than the price of the official levers.
 
I ordered some Gold Levers & Bar ends off E-Bay that came today, Levers cost 15 quid, Bar ends were 8 quid.
Opening the pack I was well shocked at how beefy & strong the levers look & I'd think nowt about putting them on my old Shiver & using them.
For 15 quid it's well worth a look yourself but I tell ya I'm ordering some for my Trophy, Just got to decide what colour to get now. :cool:

I can link you up to the Supplier I got them from if anybody's interested, There only 15 quid a pair but they do take a fair while to come, Maybe 10 days, Can't remember but over a week.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom