Posts
9409
Joined
2/3/2010
Location
Lehi, UT
US
Edited Date/Time
3/22/2013 11:00am
I recently replaced the stock clutch on my 09 YZ450 with the Rekluse Core EXP 2.0. I'd heard good-and bad-things about this clutch...but most of the "bad" coming from the motocross side of things, and since I ride off road (Hare Scrambles and Hare and Hounds), I felt I'd roll the dice and drop the $899 (OUCH!) on one.
The UPS guy delivered it to me, and I took my bike up to the guy that does all the work on my bikes (from valves, to suspension, to clutches) and he put it in for me, and I got my bike back the day before I was leaving for a race (a GP-that ran the moto track down there) in Mesquite, NV. I got to Mesquite on Friday and went through the recommended break-in procedure (it took about 30 minutes). Let the bike cool, and made the recommended post break in adjustment to the "gap" to get the "free play gain" into spec (those are terms that were foreign to me prior to this clutch), and put it away.
Turns out, it rained all night long, and all morning long...and as I was going to the start line, it was STILL raining! The course was a 10 mile loop which included the mx track. The course was deep sand, and the track was a slippery muddy mess.
The clutch performed FLAWLESSLY! I honestly couldn't tell the difference in clutch feel...but it was there when I needed it (like when I tipped over). It was amazing! And if I didn't tell you there was a rekluse in my bike you'd never know the difference....simply in the fact that I didn't have to waste energy kick starting my bike mid race almost made the cost of the clutch worth it alone! But sand and mud isn't really where the clutch "shines". So the fact that I was happy with it there was a relief (I'd hate to feel like I wasted $900).
After the race, as I'm waiting in line to exit the course, my bike cooled down...and all the sudden, I couldn't get the clutch to engage (even with the lever pulled all the way in). I'd start it in neutral, pull in the clutch lever...drop it into gear and it would stall. That meant I had to push a 240lb dirt bike-with another 30lbs of mud back to the truck (after racing for an hour and a half in deep sand and mud)...I was ticked!
I got home, and called Rekluse...they said I probably didn't break it in thoroughly prior to the post break in gap adjustment and recommended that I do the post break in gap adjustment again, check the free play gain, and then see how it works.
It worked great...in my drive way.
With the cold weather up here, and my relatively busy schedule, I had no chance to ride the bike again until a hare and hound in St. George a month later.
We get to St George, and get to the race relatively early so I can at least ride it up and down pit row a few times to check it out...works fine.
This race was typical hare and hound...nearly 90 miles of wide open washes, trails, and fire roads...in between sections of sand whoops and very technical rocky sections (one in particular being Dutchmans Draw...which, in sections, seemed more like a trials course in that we were riding over/around/betwen Volkswagen sized boulders). And here is where the clutch REALLY shined. It the technical sections it was almost like I was cheating! Literally...it made those technical sections SO much easier not having to worry, at all, about stalling the bike. And, again, the energy/time savings of not having to kick the bike over mid-race easily improved my results by a ton!
It worked flawlessly...It was there when I needed it, and I didn't even know it was there when I didn't as I could still feather the clutch in corners-or anywhere-as necessary. Though I did find myself getting lazy and not using the clutch at all in most places-and that worked great too.
No more left arm pump (which I always struggled with). No more time and energy wasted kick starting the bike.
All in all, its a great product (just break it in properly
)! I'm absolutely surprised more riders don't use it in moto/supercross (I know a ton of privateers use it...but none of the top mx/sx teams are officially "sponsored" by rekluse-doesn't mean they aren't using it-or using their own version of it though and it wouldn't surprise me if they were...its that good).
I can recommend it to anyone!
The UPS guy delivered it to me, and I took my bike up to the guy that does all the work on my bikes (from valves, to suspension, to clutches) and he put it in for me, and I got my bike back the day before I was leaving for a race (a GP-that ran the moto track down there) in Mesquite, NV. I got to Mesquite on Friday and went through the recommended break-in procedure (it took about 30 minutes). Let the bike cool, and made the recommended post break in adjustment to the "gap" to get the "free play gain" into spec (those are terms that were foreign to me prior to this clutch), and put it away.
Turns out, it rained all night long, and all morning long...and as I was going to the start line, it was STILL raining! The course was a 10 mile loop which included the mx track. The course was deep sand, and the track was a slippery muddy mess.
The clutch performed FLAWLESSLY! I honestly couldn't tell the difference in clutch feel...but it was there when I needed it (like when I tipped over). It was amazing! And if I didn't tell you there was a rekluse in my bike you'd never know the difference....simply in the fact that I didn't have to waste energy kick starting my bike mid race almost made the cost of the clutch worth it alone! But sand and mud isn't really where the clutch "shines". So the fact that I was happy with it there was a relief (I'd hate to feel like I wasted $900).
After the race, as I'm waiting in line to exit the course, my bike cooled down...and all the sudden, I couldn't get the clutch to engage (even with the lever pulled all the way in). I'd start it in neutral, pull in the clutch lever...drop it into gear and it would stall. That meant I had to push a 240lb dirt bike-with another 30lbs of mud back to the truck (after racing for an hour and a half in deep sand and mud)...I was ticked!
I got home, and called Rekluse...they said I probably didn't break it in thoroughly prior to the post break in gap adjustment and recommended that I do the post break in gap adjustment again, check the free play gain, and then see how it works.
It worked great...in my drive way.
With the cold weather up here, and my relatively busy schedule, I had no chance to ride the bike again until a hare and hound in St. George a month later.
We get to St George, and get to the race relatively early so I can at least ride it up and down pit row a few times to check it out...works fine.
This race was typical hare and hound...nearly 90 miles of wide open washes, trails, and fire roads...in between sections of sand whoops and very technical rocky sections (one in particular being Dutchmans Draw...which, in sections, seemed more like a trials course in that we were riding over/around/betwen Volkswagen sized boulders). And here is where the clutch REALLY shined. It the technical sections it was almost like I was cheating! Literally...it made those technical sections SO much easier not having to worry, at all, about stalling the bike. And, again, the energy/time savings of not having to kick the bike over mid-race easily improved my results by a ton!
It worked flawlessly...It was there when I needed it, and I didn't even know it was there when I didn't as I could still feather the clutch in corners-or anywhere-as necessary. Though I did find myself getting lazy and not using the clutch at all in most places-and that worked great too.
No more left arm pump (which I always struggled with). No more time and energy wasted kick starting the bike.
All in all, its a great product (just break it in properly
)! I'm absolutely surprised more riders don't use it in moto/supercross (I know a ton of privateers use it...but none of the top mx/sx teams are officially "sponsored" by rekluse-doesn't mean they aren't using it-or using their own version of it though and it wouldn't surprise me if they were...its that good). I can recommend it to anyone!
They Core EXP is very pricey but If they make the exp 2.0 kit for your bike its not that bad $400 and it works exactly the same as the Core EXP.
For motocross I doubt I would spend the money on one but for offroad its one of the best aftermarket parts you can put on your bike. You save so much energy in tight technical riding.
Paid $550 for mine and absoutely love em. Plus, when you want to sell your bike, you can either sell it with the bike or take it out and get a pretty good price for it on ebay.
Awesome product.
I've had their products in my last three bikes and have had complete success with them. Had the Z-Start Pro in the first two and am running the EXP 2.0 in my current.
The Shop
Free shipping: VITALMX
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
been runningit since 08. it's in my 10 now.
A group of us mostly trail ride now, so I got the EXP 2.0, happy to say it's best god damn invention ever.
I've heard that with the Z start Pro, there is some mild hesitancy at lower RPS or other nuances you won't experience with a "standard" clutch...with the EXP Core...there is absolutely NONE of that, at all, anywhere in the power band! A hair less engine braking, yes, but no worse than a two stroke.
Pit Row
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