Who uses the clutch for power?

[eric82930]

I'm guessing there is lots of people who think the clutch is only supposed to be used to start and stop but curious how many use it to make more power? I'm a 2 stroke guy and beat the piss out of my clutches but recently started riding a 450 and was surprised to find some free horsepower with my left hand.
Only down side is oil gets dirty quicker. My clutch plates are always purple but never gave out on me. I've only replaced a clutch because they were draggy for in gear starts and sometimes couldn't find neutral. The drag problems were never caused from my abuse its always been existing issue when I purchase a used bike.
I recently put a magura hydraulic conversion on my 450 and now can flick my left finger when the motor starts to bog and can save from having to down shift.

 

[M5-]

I do it sometimes, I don't ride the clutch but when I need to I will slip it, it doesn't work as well on my 450 as it did on my CR500 but it helps sometimes

 

[Allseasons]

Oh ya! Starts to bog down, pull in and get revs back up instantly, drop the hammer and off digging again. Even for turning in the real tight stuff. I’m a clutch abuser for sure.

 

[wwillf01]

I modulate both gas and clutch all the time... like an instrument good oil last way longer in that situation ... takes the abuse better..

Sent from my SM-F900U using Tapatalk

 

[needpowder]

On my CR 500 i used to climb hills with the clutch pulled halfway in the entire climb to hold third. On the 450 i just blip it now and then. Doesn’t have nearly the same benefit as a two stroke. Definitely helps sometimes though.

 

[eric82930]

On my CR 500 i used to climb hills with the clutch pulled halfway in the entire climb to hold third. On the 450 i just blip it now and then. Doesn’t have nearly the same benefit as a two stroke. Definitely helps sometimes though.

I do the half slip all the way up the hill on my ktm 2 strokes. Thats pure talent if you could do it with a cr500 cable clutch. I also forgot my buddy fried my clutch on a kx500 I owned briefly. The clutch got hot and the cable tightened and he kept riding it until it wouldn't go up hill anymore.... The oil looked like tar after that ride.

 

[powdermuncher]

That is a get you out of a bind maneuver only when you did not run the proper gear to start with -- If you need or use it any more than for the odd get me out of sh!!t move you should rethink your riding style -- thats is just my thoughts on it -- to each their own.

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

when you investigate the internals of a motorcycle clutch you see if was well designed to SLIP, I cut my teeth on bikes racing motocross in the late 60's when it was a brand new sport with real bad bikes, so blowing big tall sandy berms on my cz was a clutching art form ( they had horrible dry clutch's ), or second gear starts on my 125 DKW, my KTM 500 clutch thinks I 'm a mean owner.

 

[2-old]

I definatly slip the clutch for power and balance in tight spots also am an old motocross racer love the clutch would not consider a cvt set up on my snow bike

 

[Hawkster]

Maybe most CVTs' are missing something like a driven slipper clutch . It's a misunderstood set up . I've got my automatic transmission and the slipper does it's job when operator looses his mind . Proper set up belts don't blow .
My apologize for interjecting but someone said CVT , you can tell me where to go also I wouldn't run any of the clutches the sled manufactures are using on their big liters .

 

[HalfBrit]

Maybe most CVTs' are missing something like a driven slipper clutch . It's a misunderstood set up . I've got my automatic transmission and the slipper does it's job when operator looses his mind . Proper set up belts don't blow .
My apologize for interjecting but someone said CVT , you can tell me where to go also I wouldn't run any of the clutches the sled manufactures are using on their big liters .

INTERESTED! Whatcha got going on there?

 

[Hawkster]

Got tired of replacing TRA clutches so I went backwards and put a CVTech powerbloc back on , they where standard on the 600 and 503 but went to a TRA on the 800s . No one even asked why but the majority thought it was the better choice . Even the Yamaha turbos benefit from such a simple clutch . There are also many other manufactures that are running them and a few of the big four on the smaller units which makes no sense other than obligations under the table . Something has to give if your running CVTs , historically the cranks and chaincase/chains . Driven belts have no where near the faults of chaincases/chains but one of the manufactures completely bunged that up a few years back in the snowmobile industry . I think the last driven belt had 7 seasons . The kits running belts have a legit argument on performance . In a nut shell the CVTs are my automatic and the clutch pack pulley is my fail safe . Being aggressive and landing on the skid WO throttle it ratchets giving the clutches , drive train and engine some relief , there is no reason to ride like that but accidents happen . That Gates blower belt is around 110.00 , at least the last time I ordered one . I would like to find a Doo Guru because I'd like to pull the weight off the flywheel since I don't have a massive clutch hanging off the other end . The engagement is 2850 and it pings off of 8450 with the same HP as the 850s . You have to know how to cold start it , a little throttle and it walks away

 

[eric82930]

I keep preaching how well a stock 250sx works as a Snowbike but I've currently been riding a 450 and 380/360. Yesterday my buddy on a clapped out 08 250sx flat out passed my 450 on a hill cause I was being lazy and wasn't using the clutch. By the time I heard him it was to late to do anything about it. My 450 is an 08 kx though so not as wide as the fi power bands.