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AnonymousSo what is an Auto Clutch?
Using an auto-clutch is like riding a postie bike. Start it in gear, turn the throttle and away she goes. Back off, shift and turn the throttle again. Sounds simple, doesn’t it. Well, it is. There is very little you have to get used to, but I am getting ahead of myself.
How hard is it to install?
When you order the kit from Sutto’s Motorcycle Supply you receive a box full of billet aluminium components, ball bearings, nuts, springs and washers. At first this seems totally alien to your average back yard mechanic. But after you have installed it once you could do it in about four cans!
The instruction manual is ok, but it would benefit from a better photographic parts list to make the shims, washers and small components easier to recognise to the untrained eye. The auto-clutch is of high-grade billet quality, however the screw and washers could come in for a little attention. Different size washers with smaller internal diameters would suit the clutch basket attachment better.
So what is like to ride???
It is hard to actually tell where the point of the auto-clutch engaging and disengaging. It is so smooth. Remember it is slipping the clutch at much lower revs than you do manually, so it does not heat up and wear like a lever operated one. If you stand on the rear brake the motor goes back to idle and the clutch disengages. It is great for sliding into corners and then getting back on the gas. You won’t stall it. You do have to be conscious of what gear you are in. If you are riding down the trail at 30klms an hour and you are in top gear, the clutch will be slipping, which is naturally not recommended. Blipping the throttle or lofting the front should be done with a few more revs than normal to ensure the clutch is fully engaged, but you can still pull the clutch in and drop it if you like, but I never did!
Down Hills
You do have some engine braking when you back off down hills if you want. On a big four stroke, the reduced engine braking makes the drive train a lot smoother than a normal clutch, as it slowly disengages the slower the motor goes. It does not give you that jerky feel of the big compression braking. Touching the rear brake going down hills will result in the motor going to idle and the clutch disengaging, even though you are still in gear. If you give the throttle a crack (make sure you are off the rear brake) it will re-engage giving you smooth engine braking. This is with out a doubt the hardest thing to get used to. Either stay off the rear brake until you are going slow in first gear or practise cracking the throttle before you go playing on hills
Uphills
This is where the auto-clutch has it over the average “manual clutch” bike! No run-up, steep hill, rocky ledges here we come. Start in second gear, roll on the throttle and you start getting traction. The auto-clutch does it’s magic until you are up to 3000rpm and it is fully engaged. When you get to a technical section; back off, steer, and ride away. If you find yourself hitting a ledge and coming to almost a dead stop, don’t worry about down shifting, just roll the throttle back on and the clutch progressively gives you smooth, intentional drive. It really is cheating and makes the average hill climber into a champ! One thing that is even better than riding past your mates stuck on hills is to stop next to them, say hi, then roll on the throttle and ride away to the top!
Maintenance
With the installation of any new internal component I drained my oil after the first ride. I continued to change my oil at 300klm instead of 500klm, but after a few times I realized I didn’t need to. The clutch slips at a lot lower revs than you can manually do it, so there is not so much heat causing wear. The harder you rev the bike, the more the clutch engages under the centrifugal force, throwing the ball bearings outwards forcing the auto clutch plate to grip the clutch pack tighter. More gas actually means the clutch is gripping better. You also have several different springs and washers to alter the stall speed of the Auto Clutch. Low for trails and enduro riders right up to high stall speeds for motorcrossers.
One final thought I will leave you with. Once you don’t need the clutch lever, how about hooking the rear brake up to it. Most stock hydraulic clutches work fine with Silicone fluid and a new braided line? I will save a description that little project for another time.
Rekluse base plate fitting to your modified clutch basket
Installing the heart of the Auto-Clutch
The high quality of the components is clearly evident
Anonymous
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