Product Information Retail Price ~$84.95 Shop Now Rating (1 review) Submitted August 19, 2016 Last Review August 23, 2016
Bryan Bosch 809 August 23, 2016 Report Share this review Bikes come from the factory with varying designs of perfectly functional clutch & brake levers and for many riders, that's good nuff'. And, the stock levers on my 2013 Triumph Tiger 800XC were no exception. As a long time off-road guy, I'm used to riding with a couple of fingers on the clutch lever and at least one on the brake at all times and I recalled how nice quality "shorty" levers felt and worked, especially off-road. I never really cared for the overly long Triumph levers, so I decided to see what the aftermarket offered. I found some nice looking options on eBay, but I typically like to stick with known quantities. I saw that Vortex made levers for my bike, someone that I know makes excellent aluminum sprockets, so I decided to give a pair of their 2.0 V3 Race Levers (short length) a try. Out of the box, I was digging on these levers! I've installed a lot of aftermarket motorcycle bits in my time and it's clear that Vortex cares about how their products are built and finished. Precise machining, no rough edges, laser etched logo, and a very consistent & rich black anodized finish (comes in Titanium as well). Definitely something that you'd be proud to bolt onto your bike; I was. Installing the product only confirms my observations with a spot-on, profanity-free, factory fit. The levers came without installation instructions covering things like moving over the brass pivot bushing from your factory levers. I didn't find this troublesome, but I suppose that someone with little experience might benefit from their inclusion. So, how'd they perform? First, let's talk about lever throw adjustment. The Triumph levers offer 4 positions while the Vortex levers offers 6. I never had trouble finding a comfortable setting with the factory levers, but the Vortex system was just as effective, offering up a bit more granularity. Considering the seemingly infinite number of hand sizes out there, I'd say that greater adjustability is all upside. Vortex uses a lever style adjuster vs. the Triumph wheel and while I like how it functions better, it is somewhat buried below the factory hand guards. But, it's far from impossible to adjust (just a bit more cumbersome) and it's not like you need to adjust your levers for every ride. Despite the shorter levers, clutch pull effort seems to be unchanged and the action is both precise and positive. On rougher terrain, the levers feel solid and don't chatter. How something feels is probably the toughest part of any review. What feels good to me might not to you. Despite this challenge, I'll do my best. First, the lever faces are a wider (taller) and flatter with smooth radius edges at the top and bottom. This design gives you a more comfortable and generous contact point for your finger tips. I also like how my index fingers sit where the lever begins to straighten out from its bend into the perch area. This creates a pocket or "sweet spot" that just feels positive. Vortex lists improved ergonomics as a key benefit of their 2.0 V3 levers and at least for me, vs. I'd say this is true. While I like these levers on the street, where I really appreciate their overall improvements is off-road. While not night and day over stock, I do feel some welcomed improvements in clutch lever modulation and braking feel. In terms of durability, I need a lot more time on them to say for sure. Vortex machines their beefy looking 2.0 V3 levers from much stronger extruded aluminum, so they are definitely an improvement over typical cast aluminum stock levers. With a good set of metal wrap around hand guards installed, I'd expect the Vortex levers to go the distance, even for hardcore off-road riders. So, who is the Vortex 2.0 V3 Race Levers best suited for? I think that the target audience is the performance minded rider who is riding more challenging terrain, has pretty solid clutching & braking technique, and wants control levers that will enhance lever feel, action, and ultimately control. Just don't get me wrong; these improvements are incremental, not "Wow, it's a different bike now!" But, they can be an improvement to your bike's overall system of controls that some riders (including me) will appreciate. More @ https://www.vortexracing.com/ Link to review Share on other sites More sharing options...
