A common problem for women riders is getting the right fit. Not just our gear or the bike itself, but other things too, like the right seat, handlebar positioning, and yes even the hand control levers. Why? Because we are usually smaller than the average rider size that bike manufacturers are making them for. That includes our hands.

Having good control of your motorcycle levers for clutching and braking is super important! Since these are critical safety components they should fit properly and be comfortably accessible…Even if we have smaller hands.

The good news is that aftermarket levers are available for all types of motorcycles including cruisers, sports bikes, and dirt bikes.

Before buying my used BMW F650GS (photo above) I had gone on a test ride of a newer model with the stock motorcycle levers. Not only were they too big a reach for my hands, the clutch in particular was pretty hard to pull. Since I knew it was the bike I wanted, I went ahead and got one of those hand exercise thing-a-ma-jigs to strengthen the muscles in that area in anticipation of getting my new bike. Long story short, the wait to get my desired color was too long, so I opted for buying a used model found online.

Lucky for me the previous female rider of the bike I purchased had already installed the Pazzo aftermarket racing levers. Boy, was I surprised! They fit me so perfectly. And, the fact that they are adjustable—an amazing 6 levels of adjustment—just made me appreciate them all that much more.

Not only do aftermarket levers provide you with a better fit, they can be considered a fashionable upgrade for your bike.

Although Pazzo Racing has been around only a few years, they have become one of the world leaders for aftermarket levers. The quality of their levers is excellent, made of aircraft quality 6061-T6 aluminum, and they come in a variety of colors so you can match them to your bike. There are two different lengths to choose from (long and short) and are available for lots of different motorcycle brands and models.

Let’s face it: if you’re going to install a new set of levers, you may as well get something that looks cool. Check out the options for your bike at pazzoracing.com. Here’s what shows for my BMW 650GS:

Wondering if you need different levers? A poor fitting lever can include tingling, numbness, and fatigue in the fingertips and wrists, all the way up to the elbows, shoulder, and neck. This is all totally unnecessary. Your wrist should be straight in relation to the forearm. If your wrist is twisted in an odd position grabbing the levers repeatedly and for long durations, you could experience repetitive stress syndrome and possible carpal tunnel. Yikes! Who knew?

Getting your levers to properly fit is totally worth the time or expense needed for both safety and performance reasons. Why cramp up your hands when you don’t need to? Besides, they look good. Just make sure you get the right levers for your bike, including manufacturer, model, and year.

One of our FB fans posted here experience with these levers:

Your Turn

Do you have aftermarket levers on your bike? If so, how have they improved your ride? Tell us in the comments below.