Classic & Vintage - Motorcycle Brake/Clutch levers on Bicycle?

Does anybody know if you can use motorcycle brake/clutch levers on a bicycle?
I am looking for a set of non aero levers that have nice clean lines to mount to a set of Lauterwasser bars in the lower (drops) position. I saw a set of french levers on Ebay a while back but missed the win. So, I was thinking, maybe something like this would work:

http://item.express.ebay.com/KNUCKLE-UL-PAN-45-REMAKE-CHROME-BRAKE-CLUTCH-LEVERS_W0QQitemZ330229544534QQihZ014QQcmdZExpressItem

I understand that I might have to do some shimming iin order to allow them to fit snug on the bars but asside from that you guys think it would work?

Thanks,
Jason

Does anybody know if you can use motorcycle brake/clutch levers on a bicycle?
I am looking for a set of non aero levers that have nice clean lines to mount to a set of Lauterwasser bars in the lower (drops) position. I saw a set of french levers on Ebay a while back but missed the win. So, I was thinking, maybe something like this would work:

http://item.express.ebay.com/KNUCKLE-UL-PAN-45-REMAKE-CHROME-BRAKE-CLUTCH-LEVERS_W0QQitemZ330229544534QQihZ014QQcmdZExpressItem

I understand that I might have to do some shimming iin order to allow them to fit snug on the bars but asside from that you guys think it would work?

Thanks,
Jason

Your drop bars will be somewhere between 23.8mm and 24.2mm, so you will be shimming to get to the 25.4mm (1") required on a Harley lever. The levers should take a typical barrel cable end. Otherwise, I see no barriers. They may be a bit heavy.

Early mountain bikes often used MC levers from Tommaselli or Magura for 22.2 bars.

British and Japanese motorcycles use 7/8" bars, which should work better. Keep in mind the cable, housing and barrel end are much larger on a motorcyle than a bicycle.

Mountain bike bars are the same as a 7/8" motorcycle bar at the grip end. The grips and levers will swap. Drop bars will be different.

British and Japanese motorcycles use 7/8" bars, which should work better. Keep in mind the cable, housing and barrel end are much larger on a motorcyle than a bicycle.

+1 on the size of cable, housing and barrel ends being much larger for motorcycles. I think you'll need a lathe to make inserts to shim-down the MC parts for use with bike cable and housing.

I think you'll find that MC levers are much more massive than bicycle parts. I actually tried going the other way (bike brake lever for a MC clutch lever) and the bicycle lever was too small in every way. This is probably doubly true if the levers you're looking at are for a Harley.

Ray

I've got two motorcycle bars sitting about - one with a lever. I'll photograph it next to a standard lever over the weekend to give a size comparison idea to those who have never seen the massive size difference.

-Kurt

Thanks for the replies guys. I went ahead and ordered some different mc levers with 7/8" bar clamp size. The bars that I have are 22.2mm so I think I'm in the clear as far as the clamp goes.


I've got two motorcycle bars sitting about - one with a lever. I'll photograph it next to a standard lever over the weekend to give a size comparison idea to those who have never seen the massive size difference.
-Kurt

Do you mean size difference with the entire lever set or the cable only?

Thanks again,
Jason