Tenere 700 Rekluse Auto Clutch!

[Tenerider]

21 minutes ago, Ray Ride4life said:

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?

Good point, on my last training I had to do exactly that: Steep downhill, 1st gear IIRC, clutch used for modulating the "brake".

I guess the Rekluse will automatically disengage?

[Windblown]

24 minutes ago, Tenerider said:

I guess the Rekluse will automatically disengage?

 

Yes.

 

Though fans of it will say that all you have to do is goose the throttle a bit to get it to re-engage. Of course that assumes you're not dead sticking or bull dogging the bike down some little intense piece of hell. You know, like real offroad, LOL.

[Hibobb]

I am guessing.... Is that the same for a bike with a "Slipper Clutch" (no engine braking)?

[Windblown]

23 minutes ago, Hibobb said:

I am guessing.... Is that the same for a bike with a "Slipper Clutch" (no engine braking)?

 

No. It takes a good deal of force to get a slipper clutch to slip.  Plus you can bump start a bike equipped with a slipper clutch but with a Rekluse you haver to get off the bike, re-configure the release point, climb back on and get the bike started, then climb back off and reconfigure the release point again.  It's not the end of the world though.

 

Auto-clutches have their place. I just don't subscribe to the blanket "It's better" mentality regardless of where it's being used.  I'm more along the lines of "it's a perfectly good alternative if the advantages make it worth the disadvantages to the rider. 

[Hibobb]

@Windblown Thank You, I have never driven a bike with a slipper clutch. 

[Windblown]

1 hour ago, Hibobb said:

@Windblown Thank You, I have never driven a bike with a slipper clutch. 

 

They can be pretty nice. Like most things they can make you a bit sloppy. With the slipper you can bang down gears almost as hard as you please even when on the brakes fairly hard and not have the rear end of the bike come unglued and start dancing all over the place. 

 

Since you haven't run a slipper then I'm sure you likely just ease out the clutch a bit slower on hard down shifts and perhaps blip the throttle a bit to bring the engine rpms up, both of which will prevent the rear from coming loose and doing the Cha-Cha.  I was riding a slipper equipped bike before I got the T700 and had gotten a bit spoiled by it without even realizing. The T700 quickly reminded me and set me straight.. Hahaha.

 

After a very brief adjustment period the old habits came back just fine. Now I don't even think about it.  A slipper is still nice but it doesn't do anything one can't do without it. 

 

A slipper clutch is the "ABS" of downshifting.

Edited March 16, 2023 by Windblown

[Wintersdark]

21 minutes ago, Windblown said:

 

I was riding a slipper equipped bike before I got the T700 and had gotten a bit spoiled by it without even realizing. The T700 quickly reminded me and set me straight.. Hahaha.

 

After a very brief adjustment period the old habits came back just fine. Now I don't even think about it.  A slipper is still nice but it doesn't do anything one can't do without it. 

 

A slipper clutch is the "ABS" of downshifting.

I feel this

 

After around 20 years of "normal" bike riding, I got my Tracer 900GT which has a slipper clutch.  I honestly didn't notice the slipper at first simply because I was so used to downshifting "properly," if you will. I wasn't even aware of how much I'd adapted to it until I bought the Tenere (and keeping in mind I rode a MT07 immediately before the Tracer; it's not like this is a new platform to me) and holy hell, I'd downshift and drop the clutch off way too fast all the time.  Felt like a raw newbie rider, it was really, really embarrassing.   Only took a short time to get back to good habits, though.

 

They're very cool, though, particularly for very spirited riding.  No risk of flubbing the transition from downshift to throttle and upsetting the suspension or kicking the rear loose.  

 

I feel they're a good comparison here.  They don't make you faster, they just make it a bit easier and prevent mistakes from being as punishing.  I can see the argument that that isn't a good thing, but really it's like anything else... I mean, may as well argue that we should go back to manual ignition advance controls on the handlebars instead of having an ECU handle it, right?  Everyone draws the line somewhere, and it's nearly always drawn at the point of advancement where that given person learned to ride

 

Likewise, I don't think a Rekluse is necessary at all.  It's simply a tool that can make some aspects of riding a lot easier, though with some inherent disadvantages.  I do object pretty strongly to the "REAL offroad" arguments - that way lies gatekeepery nonsense - everyone's physical capabilities are different.  For some, a Rekluse is the only way they CAN experience more technical offroad riding (or, in some cases, any riding), in others it just makes it more comfortable with the potential downsides of losing low speed engine braking, whether that's relevant to them or not.  Nothing wrong with wanting to be more comfortable and be able to ride longer!

 

Honestly, I'd love a Rekluse for my T7, just because I think it'd be a fun toy.  I ride off pavement a lot, but only rarely do "harder" offroad (trails) and almost never anything really crazy - I'm way too old to want to wrestle a 450lb bike over rock gardens on the daily.  It would definitely make me do that stuff a fair bit more than I do currently, as it would make a lot of it a lot easier and less tiring, particularly given the T7's reasonably hard clutch draw (and my OEM crash bars being in the way of a Camel lever extender).  

[Tenerider]

4 hours ago, Wintersdark said:

I feel this

 

After around 20 years of "normal" bike riding, I got my Tracer 900GT which has a slipper clutch.  I honestly didn't notice the slipper at first simply because I was so used to downshifting "properly," if you will. I wasn't even aware of how much I'd adapted to it until I bought the Tenere (and keeping in mind I rode a MT07 immediately before the Tracer; it's not like this is a new platform to me) and holy hell, I'd downshift and drop the clutch off way too fast all the time.  Felt like a raw newbie rider, it was really, really embarrassing.   Only took a short time to get back to good habits, though.

 

They're very cool, though, particularly for very spirited riding.  No risk of flubbing the transition from downshift to throttle and upsetting the suspension or kicking the rear loose.  

 

I feel they're a good comparison here.  They don't make you faster, they just make it a bit easier and prevent mistakes from being as punishing.  I can see the argument that that isn't a good thing, but really it's like anything else... I mean, may as well argue that we should go back to manual ignition advance controls on the handlebars instead of having an ECU handle it, right?  Everyone draws the line somewhere, and it's nearly always drawn at the point of advancement where that given person learned to ride

 

Likewise, I don't think a Rekluse is necessary at all.  It's simply a tool that can make some aspects of riding a lot easier, though with some inherent disadvantages.  I do object pretty strongly to the "REAL offroad" arguments - that way lies gatekeepery nonsense - everyone's physical capabilities are different.  For some, a Rekluse is the only way they CAN experience more technical offroad riding (or, in some cases, any riding), in others it just makes it more comfortable with the potential downsides of losing low speed engine braking, whether that's relevant to them or not.  Nothing wrong with wanting to be more comfortable and be able to ride longer!

 

Honestly, I'd love a Rekluse for my T7, just because I think it'd be a fun toy.  I ride off pavement a lot, but only rarely do "harder" offroad (trails) and almost never anything really crazy - I'm way too old to want to wrestle a 450lb bike over rock gardens on the daily.  It would definitely make me do that stuff a fair bit more than I do currently, as it would make a lot of it a lot easier and less tiring, particularly given the T7's reasonably hard clutch draw (and my OEM crash bars being in the way of a Camel lever extender).  

Off topic, but you know that Cory offers a modified version to work with the OEM crashbars? I'm running the "normal" 1 Finger Clutch lever in the first hole, it really helps.

[Guest]

Fascinating topic!  What an amazing engineering design. My first two thoughts are the more it “slips” the faster it wears, and would synthetic vs conventional oil make a difference? After reviewing the website and an install video, it seems like a very durable system and that the proper clutch adjustment is the key for longevity.

 

 I totally agree w @Wintersdark it seems great for technical off-road riding but also what an amazing tool for those of us that might have physical strength or mobility challenges in our hands, this could help extend the ability to keep riding! 

[AZJW]

12 hours ago, Wintersdark said:

 It would definitely make me do that stuff a fair bit more than I do currently, as it would make a lot of it a lot easier and less tiring, particularly given the T7's reasonably hard clutch draw (and my OEM crash bars being in the way of a Camel lever extender).  

Cory and company now offer a different version of the one finger clutch arm that's compatible with the OEM crash bars.

https://camel-adv.com/collections/yamaha-700-tenere-t7-parts-and-accessories/products/yamaha-700-tenere-t7-1-finger-clutch-kit

 

Hah, I see @Tenerider beat me to the punch!

[Ray Ride4life]

15 hours ago, Windblown said:

the rear end of the bike come unglued and start dancing all over the place. 

Isn't that one of the fun parts?

[Windblown]

23 minutes ago, Ray Ride4life said:

Isn't that one of the fun parts?

 

When doing it for fun with plenty of room to play, sure!

 

When you're  hauling down from 140+ mph after waiting until the last possible second to get out of the gas and hard onto the brakes in preparation to throw yourself and the bike into a 2nd gear corner the precious second or two required to get the bike back under control if it comes unglued as you tap down thru the gears based on a plan that didn't include those extra 2 seconds it pretty much sucks... LOL 

Edited March 16, 2023 by Windblown

[NeilW]

On 3/16/2023 at 9:27 AM, Windblown said:

 

When doing it for fun with plenty of room to play, sure!

 

When you're  hauling down from 140+ mph after waiting until the last possible second to get out of the gas and hard onto the brakes in preparation to throw yourself and the bike into a 2nd gear corner the precious second or two required to get the bike back under control if it comes unglued as you tap down thru the gears based on a plan that didn't include those extra 2 seconds it pretty much sucks... LOL 

The above brought me back to when I was 19- and that was 52 years ago. Now just reading it scares the heck out of me. 

[Windblown]

6 hours ago, NeilW said:

The above brought me back to when I was 19- and that was 52 years ago. Now just reading it scares the heck out of me. 

 

Been quite a while for me as well.  Just playing back memories. LOL. 

[Charles De Mar]

On 9/19/2022 at 4:12 PM, Capt_Gibbs said:

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.   

 

 

This is good info. However I have a Rekluse on my Yz250x. Now I don’t need to kickstart a bike that won’t stall. So no e-start needed.

 

I bought my T7 that was a demo for the regional Yamaha rep. I have met him a few times. I bumped into him at Yamaha the other day and told him I ended up with the bike. It had 2200 miles and the whole Ralley package. $9300 out the door. 
 

I now have 6400 miles on it. I have had a Rekluse on the shelf for my T7 while I have watched snow fall since October. I finally shoveled it out of the shed and spun my way out stalling a couple times. I pulled out the old clutch plates and they are torched. I have not torched a MC clutch in 40 years of dirtbikes. 
 

I can’t wait to have the Rekluse technology in my T7. It’s a great piece of Technology. It will do more for your joy of using a T7 than an exhaust. 
 

the old z-start pro Rekluse clutches didn’t require a clutch. You could replace the clutch lever with a left hand rear break. The t7 uses the expandable disk. It use’s centrifugal force to throw wedges outward that expands to engage the clutch. It still need to be used to engage gears. Unfortunately, due to the engineering and physics they work better at clutch modulation than a human. Some people are superhuman but they get paid to ride. 

Edited March 23, 2023 by Charles De Mar

[Charles De Mar]

The Rekluse clutch works perfectly. I would bet most people wouldn’t know it was even in there. No loss of engine braking. Easily come to a stop in 2nd gear and zip away from the stop without touching the clutch. I can not wait to get it on the trails. If you haven’t put one in YOUR bike, you don’t know what you’re missing. I’m surprised KTM hasn’t bought out Rekluse and made them exclusive to KTM. of course it would still be a piece of crap.