| Author | Message | ||
     Cheesebeast |
Howdy All, I read this term associated with the XBRR, but I don't know what a slipper clutch is. Thanks, Cheese | ||
| Mikej |
The clutch slips when engine braking. Allows you to downshift without the rear wheel locking up and stuff like that. | ||
| Cheesebeast |
Thanks! | ||
| Slaughter |
Also it's another piece of hardware that has to be setup and "tuned" to really be working properly. When setup, it's an awesome piece of machinery and can change the way you race and ride. Because of the increased wear, you're not going to be getting as much mileage out of the clutch between replacing disks. There's all sorts of rumors out there about an aftermarket slipper clutch being built (Germany??) which can be bought for less than $1000 (in the aftermarket, they are as much as $1500 for some bikes) They are a good thing but not a simple bolt-on and ride. They likely require setup for slip during certain circumstances (hard braking, light rear wheel hopping during turn-in) That being said, I want one! | ||
| Alex |
Germany is testing. Stay tuned........ | ||
| Sgthigg |
New o6 zx10 comes stock with one.. Pretty good idea...I think all of em willl come stock with one eventually. | ||
| Qball |
I believe the 50th anniversary Yamaha R1 does as well. In 2007 the stock R1 will also have this nice feature. | ||
| Surveyor |
After market slipper clutches are pretty expensive and I think you need to be a pretty "enthusiastic" rider to get much benefit from them other than on the track. I found that I locked up my Ducati 998 back wheel on the downshift under braking, on the track. When I switched to a 748r with a slipper clutch the problem was virtually eliminated. However I also use an XB9r on the track with no slipper clutch and have no problems with locking up the rear wheel. I put this down to the need to blip the throttle on the down shift in order to get a slick change out of the Buell. To my mind learning to blip on the down shift is a better bet than buying a slipper - unless of course you're some sort of track god - just my thoughts. | ||
| Dago |
I'm no track god. I know how to match revs with road speed (blip the throttle). IMHO, a slipper is plain and simply a thing of beauty to utilize. I've since started referring to my XB as having a sticker-clutch. I'd love to see one as a factory option. | ||
| Jackbequick |
Blipping and down shifting as part of the braking process is a hard habit to get out of. I've only recently come to realize how much the better hardware has changed the mechanics of riding. I started out on bikes where the downshift and engine braking were an essential part of the slowing down process. Blipped downshifts were what you did while you were waiting for the brakes to slow you down. The brakes are so much better now that you can't downshift fast enough to contribute much or anything. When I first started riding the Buell and practiced some hard stops, I'd wind up at a crawl with two gears left to go and the blip/shifts all out of whack with the forward speed. So now I just focus on the braking and catch up on the shifting when I get time. That Science Channel special on racing gave a brief description how the quickshifter on the Hayden boys Kawasaki racers works works to benefit them on upshifts. I'm sort of wondering how it is used on downshifting. Do they use it without the clutch there too and still do some RPM matching? Jack | ||
| Diablobrian |
JBQ, the set-up they showed was only a pressure sensitive switch that interrupts the ignition, or fuel flow. This only helps unload the transmission momentarily to allow clutchless up-shifts. For down shifts unless they have some really trick (and illegal) engine management software they are stuck using a clutch like us mere mortals. | ||
| Surveyor |
Jack, You're dead right about the blipping it's a habit once learned never unlearned (at my age anyway) and you're also right that once you've got used to a bike having no brakes after lap 3 you quickly learn how to use engine breaking. However I could never get used to relying on brakes alone and IMO the bike is much more stable and you can carry braking deeper into a corner when you also use engine braking too. It just seems to me that some bikes (Ducatis) need a slipper clutch for effective use of engine braking but the XB doesn't. We had a quick shifter on the ZX10r we were racing last season and that thing broke my heart. As Diablobrian described, it worked by momentarily cutting out the ignition to unload the engine and could be used for up and down shifting. However the dam thing was so sensitive (particularly after a small lowside) we eventually dumped it because it was causing the motor to cut out if you hit a bump or touched the gearshift. All this technology is fine if you've got a team of technicians to look after it. Bring back carbs and contact breakers !!(just joking) | ||
| Jackbequick |
Okay, thanks guys. I'll watch that show again and can focus on some of the details better. I thought that the quick shifter on the Kaw had some extra hardware around it that maybe even looked like a small hydraulic cylinder. But the clutch on that would be on the other side I think. They showed the telemetry setup they're using on those too. That was interesting. The Haydens are both very involved with that and use it to compare results and riding techniques. In the telemetry you could see where the front wheel speed dropped a little (bearing and brake drag?) on the power wheelies during heavy acceleration. I'd hate to see bike racing get so technical that it takes a lot of the fun out of it for spectators. Like it has in Formula 1 racing. But as long as the riders are out in the open, that is not likely to happen. Jack |
