10 replies to this topic

[Outlaws Justice]

The first thing someone must master when riding is the clutch. If you come from driving a stick shift car or truck you may say no problem. While in some respects it is similar, in others it is different. First and formost many people try to operate the clutch by sight, They look at it to judge when it is engaging instead of by feel. First when you look at the controls you are not looking where you are going and second your control by sight is not as good as your sense of feel.

A major difference between bikes and cars is the type of clutch. When learning to drive a car people will tell you "Don't ride the Clutch" And while that is true for a car it is not for a bike. A bike (Unlike a car) has a Wet Clutch system. The clutch plates are inside the engine and lubricated with the engine oil. It is ok and necessary to master the skill of riding the clutch. Having good control of the clutch will enable you to start smoother, change gears smoother and control the bike better at low speeds.

With today's high speed and high power bikes if you do not have mastery of the clutch you will never be smooth and also not be able to make those tight turns or other necessary maneuvers. None of this is hard but without good clutch control you only make your riding more difficult than it needs to be. So Learn to ride the clutch, and learn to do it well. For practice you can sit in one spot and feed out the clutch until it engages and moves you forward a couple feet (Without fully releasing the clutch) then pull it back in. Do this over and over and get used to be able to hold the clutch at the point that it is partially engaged until you are moving smoothly enough to fully release it.

This will help you when starting, shifting and in tight slow speed maneuvers. You will also find that mastery of the clutch helps you when starting out on a hill. You really need that sense of feel so remember to always get used to the controls and operate them by feel. When you want to stop the car do you look down to the floor for the brake pedal? Ok then keep your eyes up and operate the bike by feel as well.

[Clutch]

i saw the words clutch control and thought it had something to do with me lol

[El-Bandito]

Clutch, on 16 February 2012 - 05:48 PM, said:

i saw the words clutch control and thought it had something to do with me lol

No!  We can't control you!  Goof!   We love you though.

Now back to your regularly scheduled program......   Thanks for the info Outlaw!  Good posts.

[Outlaws Justice]

just trying to contribute to the board and make people think a little in the process.

[ZAR]

Another good thread David! During the MSF class learning and using the "friction zone" on the clutch was one of those old habits that fell hard for me,growing  up riding in the "don't slip the clutch..you'll burn it out" era.

[Outlaws Justice]

Not easy for folks in the total control class either, when we get to working on throttle and brakes the light really comes on even for riders with 30 years under thier belts.

[GetNGhost]

Does shorter levers help or hurt?  I feel like my factory's have a throw like a swingblade.

[Clutch]

GetNGhost, on 23 February 2012 - 05:23 PM, said:

Does shorter levers help or hurt?  I feel like my factory's have a throw like a swingblade.

i've got shorties on my bike and i love them...

[Outlaws Justice]

It all comes down to a metter of feel and how good your sence of feel and control are, I get on any bike, a couple swings of the clutch and I am ready to go, just have to get used to the differance in each bike and feel it.

[El-Bandito]

Outlaws Justice, on 23 March 2012 - 02:28 PM, said:

It all comes down to a metter of feel and how good your sence of feel and control are, I get on any bike, a couple swings of the clutch and I am ready to go, just have to get used to the differance in each bike and feel it.

Yup!  That pretty much sums it up.

[Clutch]

i have to found 2 clutches the same