Update on the Rekluse Clutch install

[NJtony]

The clutch is great , if you have trouble pulling the clutch lever, this is for you.

Pro:

Not having to pull the clutch lever in when you stop ( seems scary at first) but you get over it quick

Not having to use the clutch to down shift ( you can feel it when the RPM for the clutch is disengaged )

No worries of stalling at a light or on a hill

CON:

Price is not cheap ( about $1200 ) but better then a new bike

The clutch kind of slips at first when you first start out until the oil is nice and hot

The bikes don't come with this option from the factory

I have to say it is nice to have , I hated the clutch so much I wanted to sell the trike. Now I like the trike, I will keep it for a few years. All I can say If you can afford one , get it you will love it.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Good report Tony

I am not a big fan of the ( stock) slipper clutch on the Freewheelers

I do like the cable clutch, tho the factory plastic adjuster is JUNK

When it breaks ( it will ) I will replace it with this

 

[terebit]

Done it. Will do it again

I think that most people who look at these Rekluse clutch threads are trying to decide whether or not to go this route. If you're on 2 wheels the decision is harder because there are a couple potential got-ya's when using a centrifugal clutch. For most on this forum, on 3 wheels, I'd say go for it; you'll love it. I put a Rekluse on my 2012 Road Glide (2 wheels) while in Sturgis, dealing with stop and go traffic and a bike that just refused to go into neutral. There was a demonstration of the Rekluse at Black Hills Harley and I was sold. First I'll say, if you didn't know the bike had a Rekluse clutch you could just ride it like any other bike and would probably never have an issue (might never realize the centrifugal clutch was there). The only people who might have a problem are those who use very low RPM while doing slow speed maneuvers (parking lot stuff). If you're in that habit there's a chance that you won't be "up on the clutch" when you need it while letting the lever out. You say, why are you letting the lever out, I thought the Rekluse meant you don't need to use the lever at slow speeds? This is true, once the bike is warmed up, but you'll probably find that you still use the lever quite a bit for fine control, except while in stop and go traffic. Now riding a trike is a little different, where a fine balance between throttle, clutch, and brake are less critical at slow speeds because you don't have to worry about upsetting the left and right balance of the bike. You will probably use the capabilities of the centrifugal clutch more for starts and stops, and just use the brake and throttle for slow maneuvers. Perfect right? Well, there are still a couple got-ya's that will apply to trikes. First, you need a parking brake or you will need to strap your hand brake lever down when the engine isn't running. If the engine isn't running and the clutch isn't engaged, then there's nothing to hold the bike while parked (like being in neutral). Next, if you use engine braking during deceleration, you can't allow the engine to spool back too much before you let the clutch lever out. Otherwise, the clutch will release and it'll be like coasting in neutral. Then when you add throttle the clutch will abruptly engage. If you've downshifted a couple gears, this abrupt clutch engagement might be enough to break the rear tires loose (on wet pavement). I don't see any other problems with the Rekluse on a trike and I think you'd like it too. The ability to stop and start in first gear, without using the clutch lever makes riding in traffic or parading much more enjoyable. You can change gears while stopped with low RPM, but you still use the clutch lever for normal gear changes (upshifts and/or downshifts).

Edit: Oh, and never forget that your bike is still in gear and rev the engine, unless you're ready to go. Had a friend (not me) who lost control of his bike by accidently revving the engine when it should have been in neutral.

 

[NJtony]

I still use the clutch to shift up ( the trike does not like or let you shift up gears you feel resistance )

But down shifting you can actually feel the trike coasting in the upper gears, that is when you can shift gears down with no clutch and resistance.

Funny thing when I took the bike to the shop to get it installed they asked if I wanted the clutch lever taken off

He said the dirt bike guys do . Thankfully I told him to leave the clutch connected.