clutch stratigy

[Lorduss]

how do you guys work your clutches in races and such ?
i know some of you dont, so this doesnt apply to you, heh
i like racing around glen helen alot, and racing there has tought me alot about handling my bike, more so than desert riding,
i findmy self nearly losing grip on the bars sometimes, i grab the clutch with my entire hand. flying around the rutted and bumpy lose dirt corners of glen helen are hard, ive seen other racers in pictures using 1 finger,
how do you guys usually work your clutch ? how many figers?
i know if i had a smoother ride from shocks+arms it would help out a little, but i want to learn how to do it regularly.

i know the stell line for the stock clutch makes for a stiff pull compared to hydrualic, but for now no hydraulic clutches

[SGA]

Sometimes I run one finger on the clutch, mostly just to guide my fingers to it quick. I use my entire hand to pull it in. If i'm in rough stuff, I have my hand on the grip all the way. Hopefully I picked the right gear to go through, cause you're losing time having to shift and drop the power. I speed shift sometimes, mostly going up through the gears. I let off the gas, leaving the clutch alone and pull up lightly on the shifter. It goes into the next gear and i nail it. I never force the shifter though.

[Teufel]

On my R, I rarely use it unless to feather it in the rough. I use it more on the 400 as it does'nt shift as smooth and I have a tendency to stall

[Rastus]

Some people think you ALWAYS have to use your clutch.
Like ne of my freinds does that.it doesnt matter. Its like in the older days when the trucks had to double clutch to get the gears to drop-in. This pretty much applies here.All you have to do is give it alittle gas and it will drop in. Most of the time I use my clutch, unless im puttin around.

[Doibugu2]

So your telling you don't use your clutch most of the time. I know when I drive my car and I don't use the clutch if I am not going the right speed or the gear, then it won't go in. Is that the same for my quad? If I have it wound all the way out in 2nd and want to shift to 3rd, I can just shift with out the clutch?

Give me some more details about the way your shifting.

For the most part I only use my clutch to shift or when braking extremely hard to prevent stalling (turning the idle up some helps that too). However, when I have to slip the clutch a bit I use two fingers because I can pull it in plenty far enough to get my RPM back up and then release it. When I shift or need it while braking, I use a somewhat strange method; three fingers pulling the clutch, with my pinky curled up against the grip so the lever don't hit it when it comes in. Kinda strange compared to the two finger or four finger method used by most, but hey, it works:D.

[Razorback]

sometimes when i race, i don't use the clutch. it helps you go just a hair faster, especially if your going through a really rough section and need to change gears, but need to keep your hands fully on the bars. i ride with one guy who only uses the clutch to start and stop. i'm sure it causes damage over time, but occasional use probably would take a while to do anything bad.

when i need to ride the clutch out of a corner, i do what KY Woods Rider does. it makes you a little faster by using the engine to help brake, the with the rpms high, you can let 'er rip out of the corner.

[Nausty]

Originally posted by Lorduss
how do you guys work your clutches in races and such ?
i know some of you dont, so this doesnt apply to you, heh
i like racing around glen helen alot, and racing there has tought me alot about handling my bike, more so than desert riding,
i findmy self nearly losing grip on the bars sometimes, i grab the clutch with my entire hand. flying around the rutted and bumpy lose dirt corners of glen helen are hard, ive seen other racers in pictures using 1 finger,
how do you guys usually work your clutch ? how many figers?
i know if i had a smoother ride from shocks+arms it would help out a little, but i want to learn how to do it regularly.

i know the stell line for the stock clutch makes for a stiff pull compared to hydrualic, but for now no hydraulic clutches

do you ride a 4 stroke or 2 stroke because on a 4 stroke your not suppose to clutch it to much. Whichever you ride practice will make the biggest differance. I use 3 fingers when i'm not in any ruff stuff or am not about to hit a huge double or something out of a corner when you would hate to miss a gear and case a jump.

[Tommy 17]

on my 400 i fan the clutch outta must turns and i short shift the motor alot... i usualy am a gear to high in a turn but i just pop the clutch and it takes off like a rocket outta them...

r u guys serious ur not supposed to use the clutch to shift,,, wtf:huh :huh :huh :huh :huh

[SGA]

Forgot to add that I slip the clutch somtimes to build revs coming out of a corner. I try not to do it to much, its hard on the clutch. I read a article awhile back interviewing bill balance. he said if he goes in a tight section with a curve coming out, he pretty much holds the throttle almost wide open, uses the clutch to control speed, dumps the clutch coming out and blasts out of the turn.
Of course, he doesn't have to pay for clutches:D

[Razorback]

Originally posted by x20 400ex 02x
r u guys serious ur not supposed to use the clutch to shift,,, wtf:huh :huh :huh :huh :huh


we didn't say you're not supposed to, it's just that some people don't.

Originally posted by x20 400ex 02x
r u guys serious ur not supposed to use the clutch to shift,,, wtf:huh :huh :huh :huh :huh

Before I get started and everyone that shifts without the clutch and slips the clutch constantly on ther 4-strokes start flaming me, this is just my opinion, your quad is yours and you can ride yours any way you like. This is just my opinion and is how I ride my quad.

A lot of people don't use the clutch when they shift, but shifting under power on a 4-stroke is a good way to get to replace tranny parts sooner than expected. Bottom line, I gotta pay for my quad parts and I gotta fix it if it breaks, so the only time I shift without the clutch is when my foot accidentally hits it and knocks it into another gear.

Also, I keep hearing about everyone slipping the clutch on their 4-strokes out of every corner and I see guys at the race tracks doing it all the time. That is another thing that I disagree with. While slipping the clutch constantly is necessary when riding most 2-strokes, it is pretty much useless on a 4-stroke. One of the reasons a 4-stroke shouldn't be clutched out of every corner is because a torquey 4-stroke motor can eat clutch plates just about as fast as you can put them in (not to mention the more expensive parts that it damages). However, the main reason you shouldn't slip the clutch on a 4-stroke is because it actually slows you down. Yeah, I know it feels like you are flying when it suddenly leaps forward out of the corner after revving the motor and slipping the clutch, but despite what it feels like, you are more than likely slowing yourself down. The only time I recommend slipping the clutch on a 4-stroke is to get yourself out of a mistake you already made, such as going into a corner a gear too high and the motor bogs or you started a hillclimb in too high of a gear and you can't make a downshift.

Again, this isn't to ruffle feathers, it's just my opinion and everyone else is entitled to their own opinion.

[Juggalo]

i slip my clutch when i need to like if i shift wrong or somethin. i usually don't use it when i'm shifting but only when i'm takign off and stopping. i just bought an MSR raptor with a shorty lever because i discovered i like using 2 fingers on the clutch better. so far i love the new perch and lever.

[Punk13rym]

i remember reading somewhere that when you rev the motor while its in gear with the clutch pulled init can cause the clutch plates to fuse together (on the 400EX)

[Lorduss]

Originally posted by Punk13rym
i remember reading somewhere that when you rev the motor while its in gear with the clutch pulled init can cause the clutch plates to fuse together (on the 400EX)

fuse togeather? yeah if you LET GO of the clutch, if you pull the clutch in the motor revs freely, only thing thats gonna make the clutch plates go togeather is letting out the clutch

thanks for your reply guys

as much as id like to shift it in easy, whoops dont make it easy, it crams or it doesnt go at all.
i know shocks and that would help a little, but for now thats on the backburner.

i rember reading shifting without a clutch can eventually bend your shift forks.

for the most part i use the clutch, i noticed a couple times on the track i tryed to shift and it didnt click in, allthough it was so bumpy in the loomy dirt it was hard to tell if i nailed it right.

Originally posted by Punk13rym
i remember reading somewhere that when you rev the motor while its in gear with the clutch pulled init can cause the clutch plates to fuse together (on the 400EX)

You won't hurt the plates by revving the motor with the clutch pulled completely in. At least I've never seen or heard of that happening. When the clutch is pulled in completely (if everything is adjusted correctly) the plates shouldn't be rubbing against each other enough to cause any damage. When the clutch is let out completely, the plates hold against each other with so much pressure that they become one solid spinning unit which puts the engine's power directly to the drive wheels. Where you do damage to the plates is slipping the clutch (pulling it in just slightly to get the motor's RPM up) because the plates are grinding against each other without being able to lock up solid. The heat and friction developed from the plates grinding against each other at high RPM eats away the fiber material on the fiber plates and heats up the metal plates. The metal plates can get so hot from the friction that they discolor and warp slightly. eventually your clucth plates will wear so much that they are never able to lock up solid and need to be replaced; because when they are worn, you will rev the motor hard and accelerate very slowly. Also, when slipping the clutch, you can damage the cluctch basket and inner hub because the plates are not holding together solidly which allows then to twist slightly and rock back and forth under the engines power.

GODD INFO, THANX

[Lorduss]

come to think the clutch it self is as old as a working engine in a car, you couldnt have a car with a engine without a clutch.
so id trust by now they would have a extremly reliable working product,

personaly i dont use the clutch like that at all, i nearly pop it out as i enter a turn from downshifting, i dont feather it at all unless im taking off in 1st,

[Evan]

well one thing I have found that helps in sharp turns is if the track is slick and you spin out alot or feel yourself spining out, tap the clutch once rather than back out of the gas, this give the rear wheels a momentary brake in power and lets them get straightend and then you have forwrd traction. As far as using the clutch in the race, everyone has there preferences, I abuse my clutch pretty bad some races and it never went out, but I did replce it anyway with the 8 plate system. If you are haveing trouble wheeling off the line, as soon as you come off the line tap the clutch. hope this helps

[honda250xrider]

i think with out the clutch it makes u a little faster but thats just my opion

[JabberJaw]

A 400ex HAS GEARS?????? Wow! No wonder I am such a good rider, I never used the other 4 gears!

[airheadedduner]

Not using the clutch while shifting makes you more prone to miss shifts but I never had a problem, I don't most of the time. Using the clutch in corners is a time saver. It alows you to go in a gear high. You just slip it to keep the revs up and then you don't have to shift as soon coming out of the corner. It is also usfull on slick tracks. If you feel it start to spin the rear tires too much you can drag it a little. I use 2 fingers on the clutch but I run CR500 clutch springs. What I found works if you don't have a stock light\killswitch mount is to slide the perch in on the bars so just a couple fingers will fit on the lever. This allows you to just use 2 fingers on the clutch without taking your whole hand off the grip and gives you more leverage and a smoother action.