Clutch Burn: How to Avoid this Easy Mistake
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- čas přidán 3. 11. 2019
- Burning the clutch on a motorbike is a surprisingly easy thing to do, especially on offroad motorbikes where people push themselves outside their comfort zones. Clutch plates wearing out is mostly driver error and can be avoided. Test driving clutch plate condition is easy. Clutch plates don’t really “wear with time” either, not in the context we are talking anyway.
Clutch plates have a sort of melting point, they get to a certain temperature and they give way. A clutch can take huge amounts of abuse, providing this melting point isn’t reached.
So how do we get to this melting point?
1. We get stuck in the mud and have no idea how to correctly get out.
2. We let the clutch lever position get too far into the finger tips which semi disengages it. ( no clutch play at all)
1. Stuck in the mud, driving like a retard and burn your clutch
What we are seeing here, is a half-engaged clutch, because the rider is trying to raise the RPM to keep the bike from stalling, in order to spin the back wheel to get out of the situation. Constant abuse like this will have the clutch fried in no time. It doesn't matter what the original condition was.
Slipping the clutch - or clutch feathering - is a useful technique to get out of a difficult situation in technical terrain. However, know when to stop, or you will risk burning the clutch. Try to get more traction by decreasing the psi, put more weight onto the rear tire, and keep the momentum going to avoid getting stuck. If nothing works, it is worth getting off the bike and push.
Getting stuck in the mud can quickly spiral out of control, desperation sets in and more and more aggression and heat is put into revving the bike to get out of the tight spot. Relax, and reconsider your approach.
If you are a warrior who likes the high rev chain saw approach, then at the very least give the bike time to cool down between your failed efforts to escape the mud.
2. Adjusting the clutch lever too far out can cause a clutch burn
Customers are often used to hydraulic clutches and dislike free play in the clutch. Cable clutches should have free play and adjusting the clutch to the fingertips can lead to a situation of a semi disengaged clutch. This will burn the clutch, especially at high speeds.
To setup the clutch positioning, make sure there is some free play. To do this, Screw in the clutch positioning on your left hand. If you are unable to screw in far enough to get some free play, go to a mechanic and they can adjust it for you. Clip of adjusting it
Adjusting the clutch lever too far out can cause a clutch burn
Customers are often used to hydraulic clutches and dislike free play in the clutch. Cable clutches should have free play and adjusting the clutch to the fingertips can lead to a situation of a semi disengaged clutch. This will burn the clutch, especially at high speeds.
To setup the clutch positioning, make sure there is some free play. To do this, Screw in the clutch positioning on your left hand. If you are unable to screw in far enough to get some free play, go to a mechanic and they can adjust it for you.
Clutch plates vary between 500k and 3 million VND. It depends on the quality of the part used and the model of the bike. Also, Some mechanics will just swap out the broken plate, other mechanics will swap out the entire set. Sometimes mechanics find other small damages within the system and will do quick fixes. It is best to just pay up and be on your way again! Clutch plates on these manual motorbikes is not a routine job for any mechanic in Vietnam so they charge what they feel their time is worth.
Things to take away from this
Clutches don’t randomly break over time. They fail rapidly, we are talking just minutes of bad driving to wipe out a clutch.
Test drive the bike at pickup, if the clutch is good, then it will last your journey.
When you get stuck in the mud and burn the clutch. Learn from the situation and try to avoid letting it happen again!
Keep an eye out on your clutch leaver positioning and don’t let it get too far into your fingertips.
www.tigitmotorbikes.com/burni...
if you have any immediate questions about your clutch burn while in Vietnam please message us on facebook: / chrunix
Cheers mate , thx for sharing
Awesome video! I learned about clutch slipping and how potentially dangerous in can become in the mud. Hopefully it'll save me from some unpleasant situations on and off-road. Thanks a lot!!
Glad you enjoyed the video
Pro tip for newb. DONT BE LAZY GOD DAMNIT. i see newb keep trying and trying and trying with a stucked bike they get have to drag it out anyways but they burn the clutch CLEANNN off
Well said... 👍
Continues to be a misunderstood problem at Tigit. Clients burning clutches and blaming the bikes.
I'm guilty as fuck of almost every mistake, except for the lever position...
I burnt my clutch plate like that exactly on a day it rained and the whole area is muddy and we're caught in a jam.
Was going up a steep sandy hill and well I was determined.. now im going to be replacing my clutch Sunday lol
It happens :)
How much? I burnt mine in the mountains
my son just did this. On a 125cc atv. This summer seems to be a game of fixing my sons and daughters atv. Replaced carb on sons and it was running great. On daughter atv replaced brake lever, battery and cleaned up carb because the needle was sticking. Hers is running and now sons burnt clutch out. 🤨 I also have spare sprockets and a new carburetor still sitting in the box that has disappeared.
Cheers mate..
No worries
Song name please??
How tall are you?
195cm
Aussie for sure
Wrong, Brit
Lesson of the day, just buy a hydraulic clutch lever kit, it feels so much better
Tell the Japanese motorcycle companies to produce them as stock please.