Lil Indian Brake Lever Changeout

[jbrocks]

I was out riding the other night and almost became a 'mini mishap':scared: when a car shot out in front of me from the sushi place parking lot and I was forced to hit the brake hard. It pulled way too easy - and didn't stop me either - because the brake lever fell apart in my hand!:censure: I could see his headlights moving too fast and I was already starting to slow down but not enough to keep from wrenching the brake off the handlebars. Good thing fer them Flintstone brakes:laugh: that and I'm a pretty good minibike driver worse was the dead minibike push home:anon.sml:

View image in gallery​

View image in gallery​

Now I am no iron grip, in fact I got a bit of arthritis in me mitts, but this being the original brake lever from the year 2000 when I built it, the mounting screw finally stripped through just as doof nuts pulled out in front of me. This was the large brake lever sold as a premium upgrade when I bought my Lil Indian kits. I also had the standard Lil Indian brake levers and cables, which are smaller than the premium version, and which I used to replace the broken lever.

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Let me say that I wish I would have changed that brake lever years ago!:facepalm: It feels better, the smaller size is better suited for optimal positioning on the handlebars, it fastens more securely with a bolt and nut compared to threaded white metal which is prone to stripping and pulling through like I just did. The lever is closer to the handlebars, the premium lever sticks waaaaay out there and really hit my hand in the worst place for pain, this smaller one fits perfect. I'm going to swap out the other one tomorrow.

Happiness abounds:thumbsup:

 

[T-Town Mini]

"Good thing fer them Flintstone brakes"

That's why they call them Brake Shoes ain't it.

Glad you got away with that one and avoided the shunt. :wink:


I believe that brake lever is an Azusa product sold everywhere by everyone for mini bikes. I have one that was installed on the Bonanza when my Son and I built it years ago.

The lever works fine but, I've always been annoyed at it's positioning so far away from the bars. This requires a long reach in order to grasp it. Maybe, it's my small hands...I don't know...but, I think it sticks out too far. I've been wanting to try something else. I've thought of using something from a racing bicycle or even one meant for a motorcycle...anything would be better than that standard cheepo lever.

That replacement you installed looks fine on there.