Slipper clutch for R1200S

[Guest24]

If you don't have quick shift, there's no need for the slipper clutch. I could use it on my RT for going down mountains with decreasing radius turns.

[bradzdotcom]

my only experience with a slipper clutch was a single afternoon with a race prepped supermoto bike.
didn't like it at all.
a slipper clutch has a mission: keep the rear from hopping, due to downshifting too far for the ground speed you're traveling at.
my impression: it's NOT a performance product. it's an insurance product.
it reminded me of the rokon and husky automatic transmission bikes. with those bikes, when you let off the gas, the bike would coast or freewheel, just like if you had pulled in the clutch.
those automatics would "distance" you from the bike. they took over some basic functions that you relied on.
i felt that the slipper clutch was the same way. when you downshift too far, it takes over.
sure, it eliminates wheel hop and can possibly keep you from tossing it, but it's very difficult to master.
fer instance: a left hand corner that normally requires two separate downshifts. with a slipper clutch you can do the two downshifts immediately....but....you have to learn how to anticipate the exact spot where the slipper stops working and gives you back that direct connection. it's very, very tricky to learn how to anticipate "the spot" and get it right.
for pro riders who rack up hours of track time, it can possibly be a slight performance advantage...maybe. for street riding it can be insurance against wheel hop...maybe.
it's not going to save your butt, you're not going to go faster. for guys who can't count downshifts, it might help a little bit, but i'd be very surprised if it was used for even .001% of the bike's total lifespan. it's like the creams sold to teens to cover up acne: doesn't cure the problem just covers over the blemish.

i also found out that if you really thrash on it (hey, wasn't MY bike) it goes soft, just like when you abuse a standard clutch by fanning the blade.
so...if you're ricky racer in a tight points battle, and one wrong shift can translate to thousands of dollars in season ending points....it might make sense.
then again, guys in that position are getting the clutch for free anyway.
like i said, only have an afternoon of experience with one, but i put it in the same category as boost bottles on 2-strokes, pressure stabilizers for front forks, 20-inch front wheels and hex grips:
none were necessary, none really did much, but we all got on board because somebody created and made them available.

what's next?
don't tell anybody, but there's a bunch of heavily sponsored factory-type guys running around mx/sx tracks with tubeless tires to reduce unsprung weight. the funny part: they add a fakie valve stem to the rim, so it looks normal.

[Chris Hodgson]

Hey, the slipper clutch works great - and we have a demo to try! Come on down and ride it before you damm it, they are very good. That a slipper didn't do it for you on some MX bike does not mean it they are all bad...

Chris

[roger albert]

+1

If I lived close enough, I'd be all over it.

Fwiw, I've only ridden about 4 setups with slippers, but on 3 of the 4, re-engagement and engine braking right up to the point of slippage/hop-avoidance, was all but transparent.

I'm not saying they're my top-pick, but they're pretty damn nice when done right.

[bradzdotcom]

i didn't damm (or damn) it and it wasn't on some mx bike, it was on a national-caliber prepped factory backed supermoto bike...but like i said, only got an afternoon on it to form an initial impression.
maybe i'm confused about the reasons it exists. i assumed (could be my downfall), that it's a CYA product for experienced level riders who don't downshift correctly, or can't count how many times they've moved the shift lever.
racer dudes tell me they can get all that downshifting out of the way early and in one fell swoop, rather than downshift...wait...and downshift again.
i was also told that if they can learn to judge "the spot" where everything hooks back up, it keeps them on an even playing field with the other guys who are running them.
and there's the very big possibility that i'm just too slow/fat/old to really make the thing come to life.

what bike do you have it on chris?
does it void the bmw warranty if it's installed?

there's another variation out there called the rekluse z-Start Pro Clutch, which is basically an automatic clutch, designed (so far) for off-road and atv machines. the biggest advantage seems to be that the bike keeps running when you're at sub-crawling speeds, without having to mess with the clutch. haven't tried one yet and it doesn't seem to have any advantages for street bike applications.

[kocook]

Their straight clutch is a good option if you need a new clutch. Wouldn't replace the OEM one unless it is done. Don't think SJBMW is using the slipper version.

[Chris Hodgson]

The clutch is installed in a R1200 GS 2009, one of our long term bikes. As with any aftermarket part, the warranty is void on that part and anything related to it, but still valid on the rest of the machine.

Chris

[roger albert]

The Rekluse stinks in my opinion, but some guys I know who are better riders than me, like then. Yuck!

Worth keeping in mind on slippers, is that, like not using the back brakes much (which even some very good riders avoid) it is one less thing to worry about and that could trip you up, leaving you free to concentrate on the corner and the front end and traffic etc.

That they help keep a more novice rider out of trouble, is a separate, benefit.

In practice, I'm still with Brad, plus, I hop the back around plenty during some of my less slick braking/passing maneuvers and it hasn't bitten me yet. I bet when it does, I'll change my mind

[JonyRR]

the jury's out for me on a rekluse.
I rode a kaytoom 450SX with one for about 200 minutes but I needed tighter woods to really evaluate it; it was a very wierd feeling for me, as I'm used to having 2 fingers around the clutch lever at all times.

way back in the day I biffed hard on a 390 auto due to mental spaceout and no engine braking.

[wswartzwel]

OT regarding the Rekluse off road applications

Jony, I have spent some time with them... yeah you can lock up the rear wheel without killing the bike... You need to be in a gear up from normal, to get them to work well when going up hills... Kinda like riding a CT70... After years of using a clutch, I do not like the Rekluse... I like being in control, and feathering it myself when needed. After a hard day of tight woods when your hands are cramping.... I still like my clutch lever. Also be prepared to replace your disks both friction and steel more often, and change the tranny oil frequently too. All that slipping wears them out fairly quick, and blues the steels.


Edit,
On the new rekluse version you still have a useable clutch... But also the ability to slip with throttle/RPM's

[shreddr]

Originally Posted by Chris Hodgson

Hey, the slipper clutch works great - and we have a demo to try! Come on down and ride it before you damm it, they are very good. That a slipper didn't do it for you on some MX bike does not mean it they are all bad...

Chris

Are you running the slipper on your boxer race bikes?

[bradzdotcom]

the rekluse is really popular with the endurocross guys. they can get tangled in rocks and such, and the bike won't die. restarting hot 4-strokes without a magic button is tough.
a lot of the sx guys are sporting them too (though quietly) to eliminate stalling the bike in the tight corners.
jony: i was biffed at carlsbad on the husky auto on press intro day. slide came up in the carb, bike just took off. and you know how good husky brakes were....

[Chris Hodgson]

We kinda messed up our bike at Buttonwillow so we haven't put one in yet...
When it is back together there will be one in for sure. Biran has already tried the Honda version and loves it.

Chris

[roger albert]

Look forward to the feedback Chris.

[Joe the Viking]

I've tried a bunch of different supermotos with slippers and when set up right they allow you to get just the right amount of slip to slide the rear in a controlled way.
The thing is that you have to use the front brake enough to achieve the weight transfer that the clutch is set up for, if you don't it feels like you're riding an old automatic or a bike with a freewheel. Go in hard and it works, be gentle and it sucks.

When riding a BMW on track i rather like to step the back end out with downshifts and clutch work. I'm not brave enough to slide it all the way to the point of rolling on the throttle so i usually let it get back in line just before my turn point. Actively sliding the rear prevents wheel hop, looks cool and is cheap but I'd sure like to try out the slipper clutch just to see how I like it.

[bradzdotcom]

Originally Posted by Joe the Viking

The thing is that you have to use the front brake enough to achieve the weight transfer that the clutch is set up for, if you don't it feels like you're riding an old automatic or a bike with a freewheel. Go in hard and it works, be gentle and it sucks.

probably why i wasn't impressed. not only am i NOT jeff ward, but tossing someone else's race bike on a screw-around afternoon wouldn't win me friends. i'm sure i was too tentative and conservative. despite the fact that the thing was scary-fast, i wasn't slamming brakes and pitching it sideways enough. not my bike, not set up for me, plus not my bike, not my bike and not my bike (the mantra mumbled while riding the beast).

maybe jeff williams will get a slipper cluch on his/our husky supermoto. i have no quams about mashing brakes and tossing that thing to the fork lock....

[Steve Carlton]

Let's get Jeffie to try it on his HP2S. He'll try anything...

[bradzdotcom]

i believe you might find that jeffie's riding flair and style to be slightly subdued in the coming weeks...
...rumor has it he's headed for the principal's office for a financial hand slap and a stern talking-to.

on another note (ahem)....i hear that the magic box he got just the other day has considerably perked up his hp2s......and he has written/witnessed/signed proof from an outsider, an expert in estimating and establishing precise speed!

[zx9rmal]

I LOVED the slipper on my ZX-10R. That bike had vert tall gearing and banging down to 2nd at 100mph was a blast!

[wswartzwel]

Originally Posted by bradzdotcom

i believe you might find that jeffie's riding flair and style to be slightly subdued in the coming weeks...
...rumor has it he's headed for the principal's office for a financial hand slap and a stern talking-to.

on another note (ahem)....i hear that the magic box he got just the other day has considerably perked up his hp2s......and he has written/witnessed/signed proof from an outsider, an expert in estimating and establishing precise speed!

LOL!
Once again Brad proves to be a humorist, as well as Sidi Boot model, and internet guru...