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I would say 99% chance he is using the clutch too much and frying it. The auto clutches CAN be used manually but they don’t like it. Didn’t max fry his clutch at PC within 3 laps at San Fran last year? I think in race situations he is leaning on his usual riding style which would burn up an auto clutch. I can’t help but think a thumb brake ala mick doohan would be a better setup option allowing him to run a normal clutch setup and be able to use both at the same time.
Im sure club will figure it out, some star 250 guys were running rekluse autos for mx at one point with no issues
I thought a thumb brake would be much better also. Can be modulated/dragged while on the throttle, good feel, and can use the clutch normally. I wanna know why they picked the hand brake over a simple thumb brake.
He said in an interview after the race he didn't use it in the main for this reason. Admitted he's using auto clutch and that this is the issue but didn't want to talk specifics, upset, sponsors, etc.
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I’m not sure either, maybe a thumb brake setup was not readily available or it wasn’t presented as an option? Full props to max for giving it a go but it seems more testing is needed, relearning how to use your rear brake is one thing but now sacrificing your clutch performance and riding technique to compensate for a negative seems a bridge too far.
Poor Max. No one can accuse him of giving up easily, but it appears that the nerve damage he did by dislocating his hip is just too much to overcome. That call to move up early to the pro team set off a chain of unfortunate events that will rob us all of the opportunity to watch Max achieve what he was once capable of. I wonder if he will try to finish the series. I also wonder if the auto clutch setup would perform better outdoors where the requirements for instant torque might not be as frequent.
I just watched that post race interview, I’m rooting for him so hard after that. It’s heartbreaking to know he has so much talent but is being held back every time he rides. I hope this break helps a ton with figuring out his clutch issues, If he breaks through and finally rides like we all know he can that’s gonna be one of the feel good moments of the year up there with Malcolm imo
Dude has some heart, that is without question! Good on him for doing whatever it takes to be out there!
I believe he used to ride a lot of KTM Freeride e bike with brakes similar to Mtb, so he’s very comfortable with it. Would be the logical move instead of a thumb brake. But hell it sounds complicated. Hope they can figure it out.
Flat Track riders used to have both shifter and brake (Only had a rear brake) on the right hand side. Might be an option
You wonder where him and AC would be if they didn't have nerve damage..
I think with a decent gate pick, he can pull off a top 5. As we all know, starting from the back is a real bitch.
He’s had 3 top five finishes in SX over the years, so it is certainly possible, but those were before the hip injury and nerve damage. I’m pulling for him, but I certainly wouldn’t put money on a top 5 finish in SX this year. I hope he gets through SX in one piece, because I think the auto clutch would be less of a disadvantage outdoors.
Someone please re-explain his feeling in his leg/foot problem.... Because I'd put his bike back to normal and I guarantee he'd be better off learning more roll speed instead of heavy braking. But what do I know, I'm sitting on a computer at work typing on a Motocross forum.
I dont know Max or the extent of his issues. But I can speak to nerve damage likely better than nearly anyone here. Why would he put his bike back to normal if he can’t feel his foot? From what Ive heard, he’s got little to no feeling in his right foot. So using the rear brake on the peg isn’t an option. You wanna go ride SX without a rear brake? I sure wouldn’t.
I'm not the guy riding supercross with 1 foot. These guys use roll speed a lot more than you think.
What's the real definition of "no feeling in his foot"? Can he move it, or not? Or are the nerves just dead and he has full mobility but can't feel when he's moving it?
Well I’m pretty sure he’s not doing this to make it more complicated to ride or to get attention so I’m assuming if he put the bike back to “normal” he wouldn’t be able to go race pace. You might be able to “roll” your corners around chicken licks but I’m guessing you aren’t go pro speed…
The foot condition is such that can’t use a traditional rear brake.
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Could the foot issue also impact the ability to brake tap in the air, not just roll speed in corners?
The thumb brake wouldn't be a good option due to less leverage/force he can apply from just the thumb vs using the longer lever with 2 fingers. In order to run the line from the bars to the rear brake requires a line from the bars to the master cylinder behind the footpeg, this means the brake setup is more sensitive to air in the line along with anything else, i believe the main issue before the clutch was that he couldn't get enough breaking force as it was and they finally got it good enough so they decided to go racing rather than see if the foot will get better first.
So his problem is roll speed? Stick to typing. The rear brake has many uses.
You guys aren't listening. I'm implying if he has to work on roll speed because he can't use the rear brake. Brake taps are another issue of course. I'm just saying, if it was me I'd rather ride with a normal bike and a dead foot instead of making a ton of changes to my bike and learning a new way to ride if its only temporary..
As a guy that has no feeling in their right foot, mostly due to not having a right foot. I am still learning to use my back break with my fake foot. People have mentioned using a hand brake, but I personally feel way more comfortable knowing that I will always tend to step on the brake pedal when in doubt. Adding in the hand brake while racing would screw me up because I would get lost in the moment and forget its up there. If he has movement in his ankle, if I were him, I would go back to the regular set up and get used to it.
Doohan won 5 straight 500cc world titles with a thumb brake, think of the braking force needed on a gp bike. I’m not suggesting it would be easy but learning one new technique would be easier than trying to change how you have always raced supercross with a compromised clutch setup as well as a hand brake. Mtb and free ride experience is apples to oranges when racing supercross, you need a fully functioning clutch.
Actually, almost no braking in road racing is done with the rear brake. The front brakes are so strong, it is tough to even keep the rear tire on the ground.
I’m curious in your situation is it a matter of running the pedal super high or super low to avoid the unwanted rear brake pressure? Would a longer brake pedal help? I just think max needs to simplify the setup to allow him to just focus on racing, too many variables at the moment.
From what I have found, leave it to what you have been used too. I rode for almost 30 years with 2 feet. It’s still my first instinct to go straight to the back brake with my foot. The last thing I would want to do on a sx track is have to take a second to think where my back brake is. Let your natural instincts kick in.
Post a reply to: Max Vohland