WHAT IS IT? It’s the next generation of folding levers. It not only folds outward in a crash, but pivots up and down.
WHAT'S IT COST? $199.95 (complete), $79.95 (folding lever only)—.
WHAT’S IT DO? You could be forgiven for assuming that the Sunline V-1 MDX lever is a spin-off version of the current crop of ASV and ARC folding levers, but nothing could be further from the truth! You may be surprised to learn that the V-1 MDX lever was designed and patented over two decades ago—which makes it the original folding lever. The creator was a SoCal pro rider named Vince Warren. Sadly, Vince succumbed to cancer and was never able to see his idea through to fruition.
Fast forward 25 years to when Sunline’s Eddie Cole discovered Vince’s patent buried at the U.S. Patent Office. Eddie did some research and found Vince Warren’s mother in Oregon, and on a whim he called her. When Vince’s mother answered Eddie’s phone call, she said she knew that someday someone would call about the lever. Vince’s mom had the single prototype that Vince had made before his death, and because she recognized Eddie Cole’s name from his racing days, she entrusted this prize possession to him. When it arrived from Oregon hand packed by a loving mother, Eddie quickly recognized the value of the design, and the rest is history.
The concept of the V-1 MDX lever is unique, yet straightforward. The clutch lever is free to pivot in either direction (as with the folding ARC and ASV levers), but thanks to a second hinge, the V-1 lever can also rotate up and down. This multitasking makes the Sunline V-1 lever capable of absorbing impacts in several directions. In a crash, most folding levers work on the principal that the lever will take the path of least resistance, despite the fact that the force of the impact may not be going in that exact direction. However, if no part of the force vector is in the same direction of the lever’s pivot, something has to give. Either the perch will rotate on the bars or the lever will break. Sunline’s slogan for the Vince is “You don’t crash in one direction, so why should your lever only bend in one?”
WHAT STANDS OUT? Here’s a list of things that stand out with the Sunline V-1 MDX lever.
(1) Pivot points. While the lever is kept from folding outward by a spring, it is held in place vertically by detents in the pivot. It takes a reasonably large impact to “break” the lever free from the vertical detents, but only a small force to move it back into place.
(2) Adjustment. There are two adjuster screws for hand position. The first changes the position of the lever in relationship to the perch and the second the lever’s distance from the handlebar. Additionally, there is a large on-the-fly clutch adjuster to take up cable free play.
(3) Fit and Finish. This is a very complex lever, but thanks to solid craftsmanship, everything fits together well and installation is headache-free. The lever, with all of its folding capabilities, can be purchased separately.
(4) Candy store. The V-1 MDX clutch assembly is available in black, gold, silver, red or blue. A hot-start lever comes standard and is easily removed for two-stroke guys.
(5) Backup technology. If the perch is the target of an impact, a Teflon liner between the clamp and the bars allows the perch to rotate.
WHAT’S THE SQUAWK? Sunline uses Honda’s leverage ratio for the V-1 MDX lever. Since the Big Four all use different ratios, with varying amounts of cable pull, the V-1 is optimized to work best on a Honda. Make sure that you order the correct model for your bike (especially Kawasaki owners).
