RTC
Racing Clutch Lever & Perch
9/12/03 - If you ride
for any extended period of time with any OEM clutch lever,
you will find it becomes very difficult to operate at the
end of the day. I spent a year experimenting with different
clutch levers to find the one that was the easy to pull.
After trying the numerous different “Easy Pull”
levers, CR250 lever, and XR250 lever, I finally tried the
RTC Lever. I was reluctant at first because of the $54.95
price tag, but once I installed it, I found out that it
was well worth every cent. The clutch pull was so easy that
it could be done with just my pinky finger
Construction and Features:
The RTC Clutch Perch and Lever are aluminum
like most levers, but the RTC lever has several advantages.
The thing I like the best was that the pivot section of
the lever that the mounting bolt goes through was thick
like factory ATV lever. Most aftermarket levers are very
thin there, like the CR250, and they break easily. Also,
the RTC Lever itself has crosshatching on the lever face
for improved grip. Finally, clutch adjuster is Star shaped
which allows for the clutch release to be adjusted with
you fingers and not the need for tools.
Installation:
Removing the old lever and installing
the RTC lever was very easy, and the clearly written instructions
and illustrations described how to properly install clutch
cable to the lever. I was able to remove the change the
lever in about ten minutes.
Performance:
WOW, the RTC clutch assembly is totally
amazing. RTC claims that it reduces clutch pull effort by
40-45% and I believe it. When I have other riders pull my
clutch to compare to theirs, they are amazed at how easy
it is to pull. One fellow rider had a Hydraulic clutch and
thought it was awesome until he rode my quad. The RTC clutch
lever assembly is hands down the best I have ever used.
I have been using the same Perch and Lever for over two
years and it is only now starting to show some wear on the
lever itself.
RTC
Racing Adjustable Brake Lever
When I first started riding, I always used
my rear brakes because I didn’t feel comfortable using
my front brakes for several reasons. First, I had to pull
brake lever almost to the grips to get them to lock up.
Also, the lever was angled to far out for me to easily reach
out and grab it in a hurry. Finally, I would have a hard
time gripping it on a muddy ride. Since, I liked my RTC
clutch lever so much, I decided to give the RTC brake lever
a try. Again, the RTC brake levers aren’t cheap at
$39.95, but there is a reason. The quality of the material
and design it well worth the expensive.
Construction and Features:
The RTC Brake Lever is made from aluminum
like most levers, but it is has several advantages over
a stock lever. First, the lever can be adjusted closer or
farther from the handle bars for riders with small or large
hands. Also, amount of pull can be adjusted for a faster
or slower brake response. The lever is shorter than factory
levers and has crosshatching on the lever face for improved
grip.
Installation:
Installing the RTC brake lever was extremely
easy with the clearly written instructions and illustrations.
I just removed the brake lever bolt and removed the factory
lever and installed the RTC lever in its place. The most
difficult part was deciding how close I want the lever to
the grips and how fast I wanted it to engage. The adjustments
were easy to make with a screw driver and wrench. The installation
took only minutes and the adjustment was easy, but I spent
about a while setting the lever at different positions and
pulls to see what felt better.
Performance:
The RTC adjustable brake lever has definitely
been a great improvement to my ATV. This past weekend, I
give credit to my RTC lever for enabling me to win a GNCC
race. The last three laps of the race I only had front brakes
on a very fast track and the lever worked flawlessly to
allow me to quickly and accurately control my front brakes
in the turns and on the down hills. I was able to easily
lockup my front brakes with out a lot of pressure, and my
hand didn’t become fatigued like it use too with the
factory lever. The crosshatching on the lever allowed me
to easily get a grip on it in the muddy conditions. The
RTC front lever is a must have for anyone serious about
racing or wanting very responsive and controllable front
brakes.
