Slipping the Clutch

[XR400RMan]

This is probably a dump question but I thought I would ask it. On 250 and 125 2-Strokes I know just about everybody slips the Clutch to control the power of the engine but my questions are the following.

1. Doesn't the clutch get hot and wear out quickly?

2. Do you have to slip(or FAN)the clutch as some people call it?

3.Don't you guys on 250's,125's have to replace your clutch plates more often than say I would on my XR250R?

If I think of anymore questions I will reply to this post with them. Thanks guys and sorry for this stupid post. Matt

 

[TrackMaster]

Yep :)

its not a dumb question if you dont know the answer..:cool:

 

[MRKRacing125]

Feathering the clutch is the most important thing you can do on a 125. If you dont keep the bike in a certain rpm range you will fall out of the powerband and go pritty much no where! On a 250 you can feather it to get in and out of the powerband but with a 250 they have more low end grunt to them so they dont have to be blazing in the band 24/7 like the 125:) My .02 cents

 

[KDXDan]

XR400RMan

1. Doesn't the clutch get hot and wear out quickly?
Yes the clutch will wear out much faster than if you don't fan the clutch, however the benefits while racing are worth it.

2. Do you have to slip(or FAN)the clutch as some people call it?
My bike (99 KDX) needs the clutch slipped often when I race MX. It gets the bike out of the turns much faster. Whenever the bike is out of the power band its easy to get the bike into it.


3.Don't you guys on 250's,125's have to replace your clutch plates more often than say I would on my XR250R?

Slipping the clutch will wear it out. Your XR250R has a completely different powerband than most 2-strokes. If you have a pipe that gives the bike more power at higher RPM and you race fanning the clutch wll make you faster, however, if you bike comes off the bottom (low rpm) with good response slipping the clutch will not buy you much and just wear out the plates faster.

 

[XR400RMan]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I don't race my XR250R but I would like to race some Enduros on it sometime. Yeah I noticed one time I was coming up to this sharp left hand turn in the woods and I pulled the clutch in and locked the rear tire up and slid in the turn and reved the engine and let the clutch back out and then pulled it half way in and kind of worked the clutch and my bike blasted out of the corner pretty good then the next time I did I let my finger slip off the clutch lever and the bike shot out from under me(Ass hurt for a while). Anyways thanks for the replies again everyone. Slipping the clutch i'm sure is not as afective to me because my bike pulls from very low in the powerband and keeps pulling, But I noticed a pretty big speed bursts out of the corner so I know you guys on 125's and 250's use it to your advantage. Thanks again Matt

 

[94ruck]

Slipping the clutch on a 4 stroke will wear out the clutches much faster than a 2 stroke. I wore out 3 clutches in my yz 400 in 1 year trying to ride it like a 2 smoke. I rode for 3 years and never changed the clutch on my KX 250. Same ride and same areas.