There's a new sticker on the 4-fiddy! Rekluse

[2strok4fun]

Well, my package did arrive from Rekluse, :yeehaw: but I prolly wont get to install until after next weekend.

I will give a install report as well as a ride report when I get it done.

 

[TM-Frank]

I got my z-start working now! :yeehaw:

Boy, what a project! I had to rework my clutch hub and the basket on the lathe and had to make a new throw-out and pushrod and thick spacer gaskets. Two days of hard, honest work, but today I did the first test ride, made some final adjustments and then it worked just great. About two hours of riding with no problems.
I will make some more test rides during the week to check if the performce of the clutch stays consistent and next weekend there will be its fireproofing: the 24h Enduro in Langensteinbach / Germany

 

[TM-Frank]

Test passed! We lost one bike shortly after midnight when the gearbox on the CCM of one of my buddies went to nirvarna. After that my TM with the Rekluse clutch had to work double-shifts. No problems at all!
My friend is so excited about the clutch, he will try to adapt one into his old aircooled Husky 510 Twinshock model!

 

[yzfspiro]

rekluse on a TM

I noticed you put a Rekluse on a TM it seems they don’t make a clutch for a TM.
I think that is why it took you two days to install. I have a clutch in my kxf250 and it only took me an hour to put in, sense then I have put in three others for friends and can now install it in less than 30min.
I also agree the product works great!

 

[TM-Frank]

Yes, you're right. There is currently no Rekluse kit available for TM. So I bought a GasGas z-start and fiddled it into my engine.

 

[Rich Rohrich]

I installed a Rekluse Z-Start clutch in my 2002 CRF450 SuperMoto bike last weekend. I know they are a sponsor but I want to make it clear that unlike the magazines I PAID for mine, and feel no particular compulsion to snuggle up to anyone just because they are kind enough to help out DRN.

This is just my evaluation as a paying customer, not a Mod on DRN. That said, here are my initial thoughts :

- Fit and finish of the parts is outstanding. First rate hardware throughout. The parts seem too pretty to hide behind a cover.

- The installation directions for the clutch were really good but needed LOTS MORE PICTURES to make things clearer for the average guy who doesn't have these things apart all the time. Some clear model specific pictures would put the directions in the EXCELLENT category. The install took about 20 -30 minutes and went along without a hitch. The little set screws they included to align everything sure made the install much simpler. I think almost anyone with minimal mechanical skills could handle this easily if they work carefully and closely follow the directions. More pictures would ensure a smooth go for the guy working at home.

- I also purchased the optional handlebar mount override/ adjuster. This is a $99.00 option that allows you to use adjust the stall speed from the bars and override the auto-clutch. The directions for the handlebar mount override adjuster were absolutely miserable.:yikes: The pictures were non-specific, poorly shot and there were only a few of them. The override installation instructions were hard to understand and just flat confusing. Hard to believe the same folks who wrote the great instructions for the clutch wrote this mess of words. :( I found it too annoying to properly evaluate so I set the adjuster to the side and will come back to re-evaluate them another day. Maybe I'm being too hard on them , so I'll look at them again from a fresh perspective and we'll see. Don't hold you breath expecting my thoughts to change though. The Rekluse guys need to do some SERIOUS work here.

Now that the boring stuff is out of the way, lets get on to the initial test ride.


All I can say is HOT DAMN, this thing is more fun than I could have ever guessed. I rolled it out of the shop and did a few strafing runs through the industrial park behind Forward Motion. Hammering through the gears downshifting into the corners and brake sliding on the asphalt was easy as could be. No stalling, no weird wheel hop and wicked drive out of the corners even if I purposely picked the wrong gear on the exit. For SuperMoto stuff this thing feels like cheating. I was whipping around the parking lots jumping off curbs, and having a grand old time acting like a 13 year old with his first bike. A perma-grin was plastered to my face. The coolest part was putting it into 3rd gear and launching it like my dragbike. It comes off so hard and smooth that Andrew Hines has nothing on me now. :)

After I was finished acting like a social deviant I put Eric Gorr on the bike. He was acting as goofy as me on it. Grinning and laughing the whole time he was riding it. When he got off the bike his first words were DAMN, I have to get one of these for MY bike . He especially liked being able to stop the bike in 5th gear have it sit there and idle and then roll away without shifting. While this may not be good for the clutch it sure as hell is good for grins.

In the next couple of weeks I'll get the chance to try it on a dirt track and an MX course and I'll update this.

Except for one area noted above Rekluse did a monster job with this product. It's inexpensive, easy to install and most of all it's a ton of fun.

I'll leave it to guys like AJ and Billy to tell you if it will help lower your lap times next Sunday at the local MX race. Frankly I don't care about that, what I can say without question is this feels like money well spent, and that is rare in the motorcycle business these days.

Excellent work Rekluse. :worship:

 

[yzfspiro]

Testing?

How did the track times turn out on Sunday for AJ and Billy?
Being a Mx racer my self, I am interested in the results and comments on track test day.

 

[JPIVEY]

Rich, thanks for your report on a SuMo application, I've been working on a 426 conversion and I was hesitant about going with the rekluse over the stm slipper.

I'm glad I found this report, just save a ton of $$$

Thanks guys

 

[Rich Rohrich]

JPIVEY - I like it so much I want to put one in my YZF444 too :) I guess I'll just have to sell a little more of my blood this month. ;)

 

[TM-Frank]

Questions to Honda CR450F owners with the z-start:

Is the CRFs' clutch basket equipped with rubber dampers/shock absorbers?