I have one in my 1290 Super Adventure. I got it because I have nerve and other damage to my hands and forearms. Slow to stop and go traffic in the city (I'm outside California) were causing a lot of pain and fatigue. The Rekluse allows me to better traverse the traffic pile ups without have to pull over and take breaks often. Then there are the advantages of it off road. Having that option to idle way down on such a big bike is great. Had it almost 5 years now, still runs great, and it takes the HP and torque of that 1301 V-twin with no problems. One of the best upgrades I've done.
A guy I've met who runs a motorcycle business out in Kamloops even dared to move his rear brake on the left handle. He swears by it... Imagine getting stuck up a hill and being able to come to a full stop, with both feet down.
That is far too radical thinking for mere mortals! Your Kamloops friend has a god complex and must stop this blasphemy at once! He'll upset the balance of nature with such heresy!!!!
Fantastic! I installed a Rekluse in a G310GS (which has about zero torque at low rpm); it absolutely transformed the machine for my wife. She is much happier and is learning to ride with confidence. So I agree, it is not an automatic. And it’s not easy. But a Rekluse is not just for pros and seasoned riders.
@@jothain But you learn and then you are no longer a newbie. But if instead you take the clutch out of the picture you don't learn. You will always stay the newbie. Sounds to me like people who never learned how to drive a manual car. Works great until you want to or have to drive a manual car. I wouldn't want to deliberately limit myself in the skills I learn.
@@Jehty_ You can learn manuals later. Like people forgetting the basic of riding is everything except tinkering with clutch. The principle of riding, traffic rules etc remains the same whether it's a scooter, a motorcycle, or abused e-bike. People using this argument against automatic motorcycle seems to act as if it was detrimental.
@@ZeroXSEED sure, but why? Instead of learning it once and be done with it, you would have to learn one way to ride a motorcycle. Build up muscle memory, get used to riding with the automatic. And then start over again when learning how to ride a manual. It just seems a lot more effort and a lot more time spend learning, for what?
But how many hours and in what conditions? Saying you ran it for 8 years is not a good measurement. I most likely don't put in the same amount of hours in a year as you or ride the same terrain. The clutch is going to see different amounts of abuse depending on those two factors far more than the amount of years it's been installed.
@@TheGameboy57 That bike doesn't have an hour meter but it got ridden a lot. I'd guess maybe 400-500 hours. Conditions were steep, technical, nasty, exhausting terrain. We ride the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.
Mine lasted around 6 years and at that point only stopped working correctly because the factory basket was notched. I put in a Rekluse basket, rebuilt the exp disk just because it was apart. I somewhat expect to get more life out of it this time with the more durable billet basket
I had a Rekluse Centrifugal clutch kit installed in my 2019 KTM 390 DUKE from the dealer when I bought it new as my first bike at 36-years-old and having never ridden before. It was great, especially for those in town commutes with a ton of traffic lights. It meant not having to shift into neutral when waiting; which actually saved me from what would have likely been a bad rear end collision that I saw coming in my mirror (dumb 20-something on her phone) and jumped into a gap - already in 1st and just twisted the throttle - before watching her smash into the car that was only a moment before in front of me. As for now, I'm on a larger displacement bike with a traditional clutch and haven't had any issues with it or managing the bike in slow speed maneuvers or when practicing riding skills. Ultimately, even for all on road riding, my experience with the Rekluse "auto" clutch was entirely positive and worth the money.
The only reason I got a Rekluse for my KTM 500 was to have a left hand rear brake (LHRB). Now I can easily modulate and lock the rear wheel with one finger. I've been mountain biking so many years that this was a natural choice. I'm very very happy with the setup. That said, although the autoclutch works great with no issues, it wouldn't be worth the cost for me if it wasn't for the LHRB.
@@DanDennedy Good point and I thought about it but it wouldn't work as well for wheelies since it's the same side as the throttle. Also, routing the front brake line to the left lever isn't ideal since it moves with the suspension travel. Doing long long wheelies is the main reason I wanted the LHRB. I'm already very comfortable doing long wheelies on my mountain bike so I wanted to shorten the learning curve of long wheelies on my dirtbike with the LHRB. For me it works great!!
it helps that they give the tongue-in-cheek "this is an ad" / "yeah but it's interesting" and then you get to watch the ad with the characters as part of the story
I had one in my xr650r and it caused me alot of issues. Mind you most if not all were my fault. The clutch did what it was supposed to do. In steep downhills offroad the engine rpm would drop below the grab point and suddenly lose engine braking which caused me to panic and snatch front brake. This caused me to lose front end and crash. Hard. Yes i know this is a me problem but thisvthing just masked my lack of skill. Until it didn't. Also another issue was it being installed on a bike with no neutral indicator. While attempting to kickstart my bike, I had accidentally put it in gear. The bike started in gear and I blipped the throttle, which promptly launched me end at the bike. I am fully aware that this is my fault.And I didn't take the proper precautions. But I figured it might be worth posting this for other people who have a lack of skill like me and or bad habits.
Just curious. What was pulling the engine rpms down while descending? If you're really just engine braking they should never drop. But if you mash on the rear brake and lock the rear, or pull the clutch in, that could do it.
I don't remember the exact rpms. It is entirely within the realm of possibility that I did hit the back brake on accident. I do not remember exactly.I just don't think I did. But I can tell you for fact that in other instances that did not result in me crashing, it did the same thing. And during those instances I know for a fact I hit neither brakes or clutch.
@@jonny4182 Then sounds like it needed to be adjusted to engage at lower rpm. If you're engine braking then it has to be pulling the rpms above idle, so your idle rpm shouldn't be relevant.
Having ridden one AND being someone who prefers manual trans in pretty much any vehicle, I did find a niche use for the Rekluse- Dad riding with kids. When you are riding your full size bike with your kids 50-125cc bike, and you need to follow them around, pick them up, guide them thru trails etc, the Rekluse is a great tool.
Amazing video! I'm not into motorcycling, didn't have a clue what an autoclutch is, still watched it. Great shots, good education and even the AD was on point.
I had the older version of this rekluse in kx250 for racing in the woods. I rode the bike like it had a normal clutch and used the rekluse as an anti stalling device, it worked great for racing where wasting seconds restarting the bike matters. I also own a dr650, it doesnt need a rekluse clutch full stop, it would prevent me from stalling the bike about twice a year lol.
Won't own another dirt bike without a rekluse. They're expensive but make riding so fun. Friends like to make fun of it until they try it and want one for themselves. Finding that "half gear" on tight trails without having to think and use the clutch is suuuper nice. People say it's cheating but I think they're amazing
I have one of these in my 2013 Suzuki hayabusa. I was so tired of big city stop and go traffic and the auto clutch made an absolute world of difference. Love it. Zero problems. 7000 miles on it. I don’t race the bike like a 19 year old dipshit but it has no problem doing 200 mph for 15 to 20 minute stretches. My wife also rides on the back and that extra 130 pounds makes no difference. I’d definitely do the auto clutch again. Original manual clutch that came with the bike shit the bed so I tried the auto clutch. No regrets so far. One big down side. You can’t put your bike into gear to hold the bike like a parking brake after installing the auto clutch. You gotta use the front brake lever locking bands that come with the auto clutch.
Some of downsides that 45 would have listed except he's being paid not too, 1) your engine will run a lot hotter in technical stuff often overheating.... 2) your oil gets dirty much faster, needs changed more often.... 3) steel disk can overheat and warp.... 4) clutch lever feel changes with different RPM's making it much harder to pop the front over a log or rock at speed........
@@shinyribs2178 Obviously you've never spent any real time with one nor do you understand how they work, I have spent hundreds of hours on them both racing and trail riding...
@@advridertim Claiming you are an experienced rider and racer is fine. Assuming I "obviously" don't know anything is also. The fact remains, of the multiple Rekluse clutches in my riding group, none have ever caused engine overheating or oiling issues. Ever.
I put a EFM Auto Clutch in my Wife’s Sportster! I love it, she can ride and enjoy the ease of the auto clutch and I can jump in her bike and use the clutch just as I have since learning to ride at 8 years old! Shhh I am now over 50!
I put one in a WR426. It was amazing. You could creep up a steep hill at walking pace, where normally you would need to use your clutch lever to let it slip some to go that slower-than-idle speed.
It's odd that it wasn't 4:3 as well. I realise the fiction is that we're watching a projection - but it's supposed to be videotape, which was usually shown on a big TV.
The production value of your work is always appreciated and as always the humor is on point. You guys and Letterkenny should grab a few beers and make a review or something…. Just throwing it out there
This clutch sounds pretty awesome. I’m a scooter guy and there is a ton of different clutches for the Minarelli based scooters. This sounds pretty cool.
I had a Rekluse for about 20k in my KLR before I sold the bike. Absolutly the best part I have ever installed on a bike. I could ride anywhere with ease. Such an amazing bit of kit.
I just wanted to come here because there are less comments and I hope you actually see this. Your most recent video was awesome and it earned a new subscriber. You were doing God's work in that video.
I love the Rekluse in my Husky 350. Let's me focus on picking my line, my balance, and other factors. It fits beautifully with the rocky Front Range mountains of Colorado.
I had the first Rekluse into my country for an F800, and did lots of 2 up riding on fire trails in the mountains near my home where the average adventure riders don't go. Actually had one pull up in a 4x4 and tell me he has the same bike as me and he'd never ride it somewhere like where we were and that I was insane for riding the trail at all on a bike that size, let alone with my wife on the back. In the kind of steep rocky washed out fire trails we were on, with the F800, the Rekluse was a game changer. It allows you to focus on other problems, rather than directing most of your attention to throttle and clutch. I rode in snow and ice with it, and on an ice surface I'd kick it up a gear and keep the revs in the slip zone and get far more traction that I thought possible, you match the torque limiting effect of the clutch with the level of traction you have and it's great. We rode steep mountain trails, and open desert, and it worked great at almost everything. I didn't like the teflon bushes in the version I had, and I drilled out the oil feed hole for the clutch to get more oil volume in there, which made a huge difference to longevity. From memory I did about 50,000kms on the Rekluse. Didn't like having no engine brake if I came to a stop on a steep slope, because 2 up and loaded you aren't keeping it there with your legs and the front brake, and you just can't risk trying to use the rear brake and have the lovely wife shift her weight the wrong way because she's nervous. If you suddenly plunge into cold water it throws the clutch slip zone out and produce stalls...which makes sense, the oil suddenly cools considerably. Going downhill at idle, occasionally the clutch would disconnect and you're freewheeling, so you just blip the throttle and the clutch locks up again until the revs get back down into the slip zone. To summarise, we did the kind of tracks solo intermediate riders on adventure bikes find challenging, and we did it 2 up and loaded for camping, hitting about 1000lbs. The Rekluse made that almost as easy as riding solo, add some expensive suspension work, and it really was far easier than it should have been. I described it way back then as a game changer, and it is. But I don't use one on the bike I single track. I need a higher more precise level of clutch control, and I don't know that the Rekluse can do it, or at least I can't with the Rekluse at my skill level. You lose the snap to an extent. Not completely, but it's not the same.
I bought a used KLX/DRZ110 for my son almost 20 years ago; he learned to ride motorcycles on that low-buck automatic. It's in a shed in Maine, used in Summer, we still have the thing- if an MC novice wants an introduction to motorcycling it gets pressed into service as a pit bike. We have an old KLR650 but I can't imagine shelling out money to convert it. Clutch work is a bit of a chore in technical terrain but not as physically demanding as all the peg-surfing as we head out onto the rocky snowmobile trails in the woods.
Try getting replacement parts for these things. The rekluse web site lists parts but no one stocks them. Rekluse dont answer emails. Ended up with the choice of whole new kit or going back to stock. Chose that at 1/3rd of the cost.
Ive had one on my FE350 for years, its awesome once you get it dialed in. It can be a bit of a process the first time, esp if you really use your clutch and rely on it in a trials-esque manner. But omce you get it to your liking, I dont know why youd go back. You still have all your modulation for double blips and the sort and it will hold slow wheelies on idle... If you set it up right.
You guys got me to watch an advertisement by pretending to skip the advertisement...the same advertisement that was interrupting the video which, itself, was an advertisement in disguise. Amazing.
Great content F9. I have 2021 T7 and I’m curious if the electrical system can handle the added demand from the newer USB-C power supply. I guess my question is…how much load can you safely draw from your motorcycle’s electrical system? ADV riders use a lot of electric gadgets. Heated garments, GPS, phone charger, heated grips, camera charging, etc. what’s too much?
My cousins 300exc has a recluse on it and I don't like it. It removes a facet of control over the bike without any advantage to me. Can no longer push start a bike if needed and compression braking is strange if it happens at all. His clutch is also ridiculously easy to use with an extended lever, so the recluse is unwarranted anyways. As always, your videos are the top of the notch. Always fantastic stuff! The amount of reverence shown to that bike shop in CA was beautiful.
Loved my Rekluse when I had my DR-Z. It helped me go on some trail rides with other riders that i had no business being on as a beginner. I had to sell the DR-Z, and now I'm worried that ive been spoiled and that I won't be able to ride without it.
10 years ago had one in an enduro bike a ktm 250 sxf it was a game changer because i was awful and kept stalling it. Made hill climbs and difficult situations less stress, and my inability to constantly use a clutch with my left hand meant i could ride all day without fatigue. Anti stall from rear wheel lock ups, this clutch helped me ride better as i had less to worry about. Better riders are available, i wasnt one, but it helped me no end. Awesome product. I sold the clutch after i sold the bike, so i lost just £ 200 ... amazing and easy to install even for a novice like me.
Holy shit this comes at a great time. Just got back into riding after a 9 year break due to a knee injury, but now I struggle with riding due to a hand injury from my youth. I absolutely need to invest into this
Don't know how you guys do it. The production quality is consistently bonkers-great. Well done. Suggestion for an episode : a bit out of the wheelhouse but its technical so it might be fun for you: hub electric motors (moped scooters, e.g.) are notoriously power-assy at their bottom and top ranges: why? ("motors always provide 100% of torque" which always sounded like grifter talk to me) And are there any solutions being developed to address this?
Ive always had a passion for trying out weird bikes or parts and trying to tweak them and master them. I'm totally going to invest in one of these for the experience. Worst comes to worst I don't like it and I just rebuilt the clutch OEM 🤷🏻♂️
I run the 3.0 on my KTM 500 exc-f (had it installed when I bought it) and it is great. In snotty trails, I don’t get the big bore 4 stroke flame out on obstacles so it's more like a 2 stroke. I can take off in 2nd, 3rd or 4th even for softer power delivery in loose stuff and not get caught up in gear changes and break traction. I'm a convert.
Great video! Rekluse would be nice for DRZ400s (that lacks a sixth gear). If you put a smaller rear sprocket to ride on the highway more comfortably and a reckluse cltuch, then you can still ride slowly in first gear without stalling. That would have been my last mod on the drz, but instead I made the sixth gear mod (Husqvarna 701).
I was born into single track riding in Idaho with a Rekluse on my KTM 300. It's like an AI bot in my clutch on switch backs! Oh yeah my Honda NC750x is Auto clutch too (DCT) haha. I love them both.
Have ridden bikes with various generations of Rekluse, but the magic combo is a Rekluse and left hand rear brake, which leads to an easy controllable stall free trip to that wonderful metropolis, "Back It In City!" Hacked out rear end antics aside, I don't run one on my 300 XC. A few friends have run the Rekluse in various generations, even the new ones, and they do seem to have to fiddle with them now and then, and they go through clutch plates every few years. Not sure if that is due to rider error or design of the system itself. Been riding dirt for 50 years and never had to replace a clutch, knock on wood... Auto clutches are expensive and I would rather spend that cash on suspension setup and tuning. Also, part of the appeal of riding a dirt bike for me is mastering the clutch. Have ridden on 5 Miles of Hell and tough stuff in Colorado where I live without one, while they are nice to have in sticky situations, don't really see the need for the auto clutch for an experienced rider. I value having a reliable e-start more in those really tight spots. One problem I have consistently seen is the auto clutch can be a "crutch" for newer riders, I suggest they really learn to use a clutch, and then get a Rekluse later if they want. I know guys who consistently abuse their Rekluse by riding in too tall a gear which causes it to slip. Having the auto clutch enables them to keep on sucking while they fry the Hell out of their clutch plates, which is bad on a 2T, and all that heat and clutch debris is potentially fatal for a 4 stroke.
I put a Rekluse in my DR-Z (left arm injury) and it has been pretty excellent really. Singletrack riding in the Cascades with that pig doesn't leave me as worn out at the end of the day, and once you get it all dialed in it's very intuitive and highly effective. Caveat: Be prepared to smoke a set of clutch plates if you're dumb like me and decide to test it on advanced terrain and gnarly hill climbs.
Great little review. I was surpricingly hooked on it until i realized i lost my deadman switch by stalling on a climb. Also, i kinda like this clone. Maybe we should give it a name?
I had a Rekluse core exp 3 in my last KTM 350. It was already installed when i bought it. I guess that one is different because i had perfect smooth engagement from low revs. Never had to modulate with the clutch lever at all. The traction when starting on a loose uphill was insane, i could just crawl over anything with just throttle control. Also lifting the frontwheel is not an issue with a bike like that, it has the power/weight to do it without clutching. Had it for 180 hours and never touched anything. It was just working.
Amputee here - No left arm. I don't use an auto-clutch like this. But, tempted to try it one day. In the meantime, I just relocate the clutch left over to the right hand side.
I'm a convert after having it on my MV, a much different application than you have offroad though - and the MV has a built in parking brake since you can't rely on the engine anymore on hills. Occasionally get too used to it though and stall my other bikes at the first stop.
So as i remember the first motorcycle with auto clutch was Jawa 350 in 1964:) It was interesting. Also there were semi auto clutch models(all models ):)
