Tenere 700 Rekluse Auto Clutch!

[Luis Amorim]

Many thanks, mPatch

 

i did like you told me, everything is working properly now. 
 

but no free play gain 

the cable is to tight, no move at all.

what could be wrong?

Cheers
Luis

[mpatch]

45 minutes ago, Luis Amorim said:

Many thanks, mPatch

 

i did like you told me, everything is working properly now. 
 

but no free play gain 

the cable is to tight, no move at all.

what could be wrong?

Cheers
Luis

Unless mines set up wrong that’s just the way it is. Zero lever movement aka the cable is tight. 
Put some pressure on the lever and rev the bike and that’s how you are supposed to measure the free play. 
The lever should move back whatever the spec they give is. 

Edited September 1, 2021 by mpatch

[Luis Amorim]

Done. According your message. Many thanks.

 

 

[GoThere@50]

I Just wanted to say that I appreciated the comments in this thread from those that actually purchased, installed and took the time to learn how to utilize the advantages of a Recluse Auto Clutch. After several months of research, I ordered mine today. The current recommended model number for the T7 is: RMS-6307007A which is a Radius X model. After installation, tuning and a trip back to my favorite rocky uphill switchback section of the Rockies, I’ll report back on how it’s working on a T7.

[Firebolter]

2 hours ago, GoThere@50 said:

I Just wanted to say that I appreciated the comments in this thread from those that actually purchased, installed and took the time to learn how to utilize the advantages of a Recluse Auto Clutch. After several months of research, I ordered mine today. The current recommended model number for the T7 is: RMS-6307007A which is a Radius X model. After installation, tuning and a trip back to my favorite rocky uphill switchback section of the Rockies, I’ll report back on how it’s working on a T7.

Had mine on now for almost a year-Love it, especially in traffic!

[GoThere@50]

I’ve installed the Recluse Radius X Auto Clutch in my T7 and have ridden with it. Sticking to what I said I would do, here are some comments from a new Recluse user who has ridden on and off road for over 54 years. It took 7 weeks to arrive, but Recluse was quick to respond when asked about the order status. Documentation and included instructions are good and there are installation videos available. If you can change a clutch, you can do this install yourself. The components appear to be very well made.

 

What was lost:

$800 and about 6 hours of wrenching, counting adjustment after installation.

Ability to leave the bike in gear when parked with engine off (as a parking break).

Ability to stall the engine by forcing RPM to drop below idle while in gear with clutch out.

 

What was gained:

Ability to NOT stall the engine by forcing RPM to drop below idle while in gear with clutch out.

Rear tire skids without stalls.

1^st or 2^nd gear standing starts with left hand firmly on grip, twist-n-go through any terrain.

Stop, plant feet and re-start going up a steep section without touching the clutch or stalling.

Improved ability to up or down shift without clutch if desired.

 

False claims I’ve personally seen:

You no longer have a manual clutch:  Yes you do, and it works well.

You no longer have engine breaking:  Yes you do, right down to near idle RPM.

You can’t adjust engagement:  It has more adjustment and tuning features than the stock clutch.

 

Obviously you could add items to any of these categories, these are just my initial impressions after actually buying, installing and using one on a Tenere 700. I’m not trying to talk anyone into using one, just offering firsthand experience which many of the naysayers seemed to be lacking. I’ll be keeping mine, your results may vary.

 

[Redbikejohn]

Its always a laugh when guys that don't have something,  and don't want it,  say the item is no good or give advice on what it can and can't do!

Won't be fitting on to my 700 but raced a 450 and 250 2t for many many hundreds of hours winning a championship along the way with them fitted. One without a clutch lever but a lhrb and another with a lhrb and clutch override. 

[Colddog]

On 8/27/2022 at 7:45 AM, GoThere@50 said:

I’ve installed the Recluse Radius X Auto Clutch in my T7 and have ridden with it. Sticking to what I said I would do, here are some comments from a new Recluse user who has ridden on and off road for over 54 years. It took 7 weeks to arrive, but Recluse was quick to respond when asked about the order status. Documentation and included instructions are good and there are installation videos available. If you can change a clutch, you can do this install yourself. The components appear to be very well made.

 

What was lost:

$800 and about 6 hours of wrenching, counting adjustment after installation.

Ability to leave the bike in gear when parked with engine off (as a parking break).

Ability to stall the engine by forcing RPM to drop below idle while in gear with clutch out.

 

What was gained:

Ability to NOT stall the engine by forcing RPM to drop below idle while in gear with clutch out.

Rear tire skids without stalls.

1^st or 2^nd gear standing starts with left hand firmly on grip, twist-n-go through any terrain.

Stop, plant feet and re-start going up a steep section without touching the clutch or stalling.

Improved ability to up or down shift without clutch if desired.

 

False claims I’ve personally seen:

You no longer have a manual clutch:  Yes you do, and it works well.

You no longer have engine breaking:  Yes you do, right down to near idle RPM.

You can’t adjust engagement:  It has more adjustment and tuning features than the stock clutch.

 

Obviously you could add items to any of these categories, these are just my initial impressions after actually buying, installing and using one on a Tenere 700. I’m not trying to talk anyone into using one, just offering firsthand experience which many of the naysayers seemed to be lacking. I’ll be keeping mine, your results may vary.

 

Thanks for the update, I'm looking for this to be my last upgrade, (lol!, yeah roit!) 

I have talked to a few guys doing enduro and they are all using recluse products, call it an energy saving device!

[Capt_Gibbs]

There is a lot of bad information in this thread. I have been racing XC my entire life and have Rekluses on two 450 race bikes. A 14 kx450 and 18 kx450. I also have a yz250x but I don't run Rekluses on 2 stroke bikes. My 450s have them to prevent flame out and endless kick starting in the middle of a moto. For anyone coming across this thread looking for info on Rekluse listen to the guys who have actually been using them and totally disregard the info from the people who don't. 

 

A Rekluse is an AUTO CLUTCH. It operates the clutch engagement automatically. Nothing more, nothing less.  It is not an auto transmission so the guys comparing it to Honda CTs don't know what they are talking about. They are two very different things. You might not use the clutch lever but I wouldn't remove it. You will become a worse rider for it. Look at the Rekluse as an aid, not a crutch to constantly lean on. Plus the clutch lever is the only way to test if the Rekluse is adjusted correctly. I have had people ride my 450s and not realize they have Rekluses on them. The bike runs and operates the exact same way as stock if that is what you choose to do.  

 

If you cruise back roads only with the T7 the Rekluse will not benefit you. It will only benefit commuters where traffic/lights/stop signs call for a lot of start and stops. Then it will benefit off-road t7 owners that ride technical stuff.   

 

 

[TenereTragic700]

I thought I would add to this.

I do not have a Rekluse.

In the last 12 months I have ridden 4500 miles with two guys that do - all BDR type stuff.

One on a KTM 690 and the other with a DRZ400 - both long term Rekluse users.

I rode their bikes in mud and difficult terrain - magic.

The 2021 690 has 9000 miles on it with  that clutch.  In Colorado last month it started to slip so the owner reached out to Rekluse. 

@Cruizin he is also from Boise and had visited their business a few times with his 690 and 350.

Rekluse same day shipped a complete replacement to him - $0.  That is customer service.

I do not want to spend the $ - but they are as good as they say.

[TenereTragic700]

Follow up to the above.

A couple of days after replacing the Rekluse in the 2021 KTM 690 Enduro, the bike was losing power and eventually stopped.

He had to truck the KTM home.

I reached out today to see if diagnosed, here is what he said:

"Lobes on the cam melted - nearly gone.  Full engine rebuild required.  Suspected oil starvation.   Possibly due to smoked clutch fibers in oil passages."

Yes he changed the oil and filters when he replaced the clutch.

I am not slamming KTMs - I own one.  Just an observation.

[Redbikejohn]

Riding in too high a gear could be a cause. Rekluse will pull and go if you are in incorrect gear but it does so by slipping so could wear them.  Not sure how reliable the new ones are. I use the old z-start ones.

[TenereTragic700]

@Redbikejohn you got it in one.  Rekluse have a tech bulletin for the KTM690 stating that it is geared too high and they recommend one tooth down on the countershaft sprocket to avoid too much slipping in 1st gear.  Unfortunately my riding buddy had his installed before this advice came out and was not aware of it.

[Redbikejohn]

Guys would try out my 250xc race bike and say that it's not as hard hitting as I'd said. Then I'd check and they were in fourth gear!  The thing is a normal bike would just go uuurggggg and stop but the rekluse just slips and goes.  Good for ice covered roads for winter enduros though.

[Redbikejohn]

Lol. It was awhile ago. They'd never ridden rekluse and lhrb before. 

[Windblown]

On 8/27/2022 at 9:45 AM, GoThere@50 said:

these are just my initial impressions after actually buying, installing and using one on a Tenere 700. I’m not trying to talk anyone into using one, just offering firsthand experience which many of the naysayers seemed to be lacking. I’ll be keeping mine, your results may vary.

 

Nice concise overview.  I've ridden a couple of Rekluse equipped bikes and not found the advantages compelling.  Yet I appreciated the level headed nature of your review which probably did more to keep an open mind about in the future than most.  It's sort of like riding an electric bike (I rode an Alta dirt bike for awhile one afternoon).  As you mentioned, you can just concentrate on line, speed etc. It does free up and uncomplicate things.  It's pretty cool to just come up to something. untwist the throttle. sit there for a moment, and just twist the throttle and go when ready.  I'm at a point in my riding where a significant chunk of the fun is in orchestrating the symphony rather than just hitting the play button. 

 

But if I wanted to be faster with less problems getting from point A to point B  I'm sure I could be with a Rekluse, at the very least in some situations. 

Edited January 8, 2023 by Windblown

[disco2000]

Hi guys!

I have read all this thread but I would like some clarification or to point me to any YouTube video because my search was not successful. You mentioned several times about the clutch on the left hand but nothing about left leg (might have missed it though).

 

To cut the long story short, I recently suffered a medical/movement issue and my left foot (changing gears) does not lift up.

There is a plan to short it out in the future, but is another medical irrelevant topic.

 

So, having the Rekluse Auto RadiusX, will I have to use the left foot for shifting gears?

 

Have to try with my somehow stiff Alpinestars Tech 7 boots how will work changing gears (will take some time due to weather), as I am used to moving the whole leg and not only the foot, but I am considering the Rekluse, therefore my question.

 

thanks!

 

 

[Ray Ride4life]

50 minutes ago, disco2000 said:

will I have to use the left foot for shifting gears?

It's an auto clutch, not a auto shifter.
As far as i know the Honda DCT is still the only proper working automatic shifter for motorcycles that is available on several types of bikes.

[disco2000]

1 hour ago, Ray Ride4life said:

It's an auto clutch, not a auto shifter.
As far as i know the Honda DCT is still the only proper working automatic shifter for motorcycles that is available on several types of bikes.

 

Thanks for commenting.

I would like to avoid replacing my beloved T7, especially with a motorcycle (Honda CRF1100) I don't really like.

Therefore trying to figure out if this Rekluse clutch might work for my needs.

 

So, what you mean is that the clutch lever - left hand is not used. Still I will have to shift gears through the foot. Correct?

 

[Redbikejohn]

Yes you have to click up and down as normal. Most people will still keep the clutch. Being a cable clutch I'm not ccompletely up to speed on that as I've only used them on hydraulic clutch bikes.   Left hand rear brakes are great though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[roygilbo]

Fascinating thread.  Pros and cons.  Probably the older I get, the closer I would be to considering this.  Not like I haven’t already spent thou$ands on upgrades and farkles already.  

[mpatch]

If you don’t ride harder off road stuff and aren’t lazy like me an auto clutch is a waste on a bigger bike 

yes I have one on my t7, not sure id do it again and my main bitch is it’s not nearly as smooth at low speeds compared to my dirt bikes that have similar clutches.  

[Firebolter]

One BIG thing no one mentions, and this is only applicable to people who ACTUALLY ride these bikes off roads in real woods and trails, not fire roads- The amount of energy you save versus constantly using the clutch and getting arm pump. Auto clutches saves so much energy in the tough stuff, not only from arm pump (which will be greatly reduced), but from having to stop when you stall, restart and use more energy to get going again.

 

If you are a typical ADV rider, then yeah, not a big deal. But if you ride REAL off road and hard trails, it makes a huge difference in your endurance-I run auto's on my 300, my 500 and now my 700. And if you are a person who regrettably) spends alot of time in traffic on your 700, that's almost where I like mine the most!

[Windblown]

3 hours ago, Firebolter said:

One BIG thing no one mentions, and this is only applicable to people who ACTUALLY ride these bikes off roads in real woods and trails, not fire roads- The amount of energy you save versus constantly using the clutch and getting arm pump. Auto clutches saves so much energy in the tough stuff, not only from arm pump (which will be greatly reduced), but from having to stop when you stall, restart and use more energy to get going again.

 

If you are a typical ADV rider, then yeah, not a big deal. But if you ride REAL off road and hard trails, it makes a huge difference in your endurance-I run auto's on my 300, my 500 and now my 700. And if you are a person who regrettably) spends alot of time in traffic on your 700, that's almost where I like mine the most!

 

Awesome it works well for you.  Stalling occasionally doesn't bother me as I have a magic button and I'm not racing for time.  Curiously though most of the dirt guys I know don't run them and of the few A, & AA riders I know none use one. 

 

I'm just saying they aren't the end all/be all or the truly fast guys would all be using one to avoid being at a disadvantage but they aren't.

 

If I ever get to the point where using the clutch becomes a problem I'll get one for sure, or perhaps a DCT. 

Edited March 15, 2023 by Windblown

[Ray Ride4life]

4 hours ago, Firebolter said:

But if you ride REAL off road

When you ride real offroad you sometimes neet to stall the bike and use the gear as a rear brake, how does that work with a Rekluse?