Levers - Domestic or Chinese manufacture?

Montanarolo Posts : 20 Join date : 2015-03-11 Age : 45

While brosing the ol' ebay.ca for some shorter, adjustable levers for my bike and the price difference between domestically manufactured levers and Chinese ones is over a hundo smackers.

WTF?

So I asked around with some metal bashers at the hangar and it was explained to me that the Chinese levers, while toted as "CNC'd Aluminum" is not actually CNC'd from billet aluminum as are the domestic ones, but they are cast from powdered aluminum and then are "smoothed" by CNC for a few minutes.

So what's the big deal? Apparently these cast levers are prone to snapping under loads that are lighter than you'd expect.

What have you all heard/experienced? Is it cool to put $30 levers on my GRiSO or do I have to sell my body on the street to shell out for Pazzos?

Don Abbondio Posts : 240 Join date : 2014-10-07 Age : 61

Its a bit like tyres, they're they only things between you and the road, I'd go for quality or keep the stock items

Nibbio Posts : 855 Join date : 2014-08-18 Age : 60

I hear what you are saying, but i ran a ZZR600 for 6 years, ZXR750 for 4 years, Versys for 3 all on Chinese levers. Seemed fine. Held up to the stresses and strains of commuting and UK weather.

I like the idea of Pazzo's but they are bloody expensive!

Nibbio Posts : 528 Join date : 2014-04-10 Age : 70

Blue wrote:: I hear what you are saying, but it ran a ZZR600 for 6 years, ZXR750 for 4 years, Versys for 3 all on Chinese levers. Seemed fine. Held up to the stresses and strains of commuting and UK weather.

I like the idea of Pazzo's but they are bloody expensive!

Same here no issues with Chinese levers , I think it comes down to labour more that anything else .
the Pazzo are better finished though IMO

Don Abbondio Posts : 240 Join date : 2014-10-07 Age : 61

I've never had any, just going off GG 79's post.

Don Abbondio Posts : 6086 Join date : 2014-03-13 Age : 69

Beetle has em, I have em - chinese shortened levers - work well, great price

Grignapoco Posts : 102 Join date : 2014-11-29 Age : 50

Had them on the 1200 sport, on the Tuono and now on the GRiSO. Good quality for little money. I keep the originals as spare. Hope I never need them though.

GRiSO Capo Posts : 10712 Join date : 2013-05-29 Age : 67

I have more 'Conventional' length Chinese knock-offs on my bike. No problems with strength or finish but the span adjustment mechanisms are really crappy. Luckily I have mine set where I want them so if they seize up it won't matter to me.

Pete

GRiSO Capo Posts : 10200 Join date : 2013-09-30

GrisoGhost79 wrote:: So what's the big deal? Apparently these cast levers are prone to snapping under loads that are lighter than you'd expect.

Poppycock & horsefeathers!

Allow me to demonstrate:

A Chinese lever. From my GRiSO.

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Scratched from a battle with gravity. Where it did not disintegrate. Gasp! Shock!

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The test process:

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If you hit the deck fast enough to break the lever, I guarantee their demise will be the least of your worries.
Also, my span adjusters are just peachy.

cheers

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In GRiSO we trust!
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Tiradritto Posts : 328 Join date : 2014-01-02 Age : 56

Uumm Mark,
I just happened to noticed how your vice is attached!
Shocked

GRiSO Capo Posts : 1785 Join date : 2015-02-02 Age : 63

Horse feathers ? Nice bend in that lever Surprised

GRiSO Capo Posts : 10200 Join date : 2013-09-30

Ralf z wrote:: I just happened to noticed how your vice is attached!

Yes? Your point is? Razz

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Don Abbondio Posts : 6086 Join date : 2014-03-13 Age : 69

Chinese fasteners?

Sfregiato Posts : 467 Join date : 2014-06-13 Age : 74

I chickened out and bought the Pazzos. Had I previously seen this thread, I would still have bought the Pazzos. Most everything else I buy is Chineese though. Embarassed

Tiradritto Posts : 328 Join date : 2014-01-02 Age : 56

beetle wrote:

Ralf z wrote:: I just happened to noticed how your vice is attached!

Yes? Your point is? Razz

I thought you would of used colour coded screws!
What a Face

GRiSO Capo Posts : 10200 Join date : 2013-09-30

FYI I upgraded them to coach screws immediately before I bent the lever. Embarassed

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In GRiSO we trust!
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Tiradritto Posts : 328 Join date : 2014-01-02 Age : 56

Montanarolo Posts : 20 Join date : 2015-03-11 Age : 45

This is awesome!

Thanks for the visual Beetle, and your correct use of the term "Poppycock"!

I think I'll order some levers of the Asian Persuasion.

Thanks fellas for all the responses

Godfather Posts : 3154 Join date : 2013-05-28 Age : 59

I bought the Pazzo (Crazy) Racing levers back in 2008 because the cheapo Chinese levers weren't available back then. If they were, I probably would have bought them, but the Pazzo levers have been fantastic. I've had the same set of levers on all three of my GRiSOs. They even survived the 65 mph collision with the elk with nothing more than an unnoticeable scuff.

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2012 MOTO GUZZI GRiSO 1200SE

2013 MOTO GUZZI STELVIO 1200NTX - Orange Blossom Special

Tanabuso Posts : 80 Join date : 2015-03-30

I considered the Chinese sets but it came down to not wanting a potentially iffy part between my hand and ability to brake. I'm happy others have had such great success with theirs though. Also I liked the idea that the clutch half of my shorty set could be had engraved with up to 15 characters.

Pashnit

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