Musings on the Whooo-sa-berg FE570

[LILBIT]

Probably just puked some coolant on the header. A catch bottle is good to have to put it back when the bike cools.

Regarding my LHRB. It would be far better to have a clutch over ride for street down shifts. Down shifted half or more of the time clutchless in the dirt before the Recluse. I rigged my rear brake pedal to do just that but found that mineral oil is a no no for its seals. Haven't fixxed it yet. I'm afraid having two levers would be terrible to use. Difficult to brake hard into a corner and modulate the clutch lever with the same hand.

[CodeMonkee]

Originally Posted by LILBIT

Probably just puked some coolant on the header. A catch bottle is good to have to put it back when the bike cools.

Regarding my LHRB. It would be far better to have a clutch over ride for street down shifts. Down shifted half or more of the time clutchless in the dirt before the Recluse. I rigged my rear brake pedal to do just that but found that mineral oil is a no no for its seals. Haven't fixxed it yet. I'm afraid having two levers would be terrible to use. Difficult to brake hard into a corner and modulate the clutch lever with the same hand.

Now that's an idea - use the LHRB lever/master cylinder for the clutch (since it won't need much pressure and wouldn't be used very often) and use the existing clutch master cylinder for the brake - but I would want the dual action action so I can still use the pedal. I wonder how that DA action is valved?

[(sp?)]

Originally Posted by LILBIT

I rigged my rear brake pedal to do just that but found that mineral oil is a no no for its seals. Haven't fixxed it yet.

that's why I suggested using an older ilk master cylinder from a KTM. they used brake fluid in the days of yore (about 5 years ago), even for the clutch master cylinder. the rubber bits will work fine for brake fluid.

alternatively, you could source new rubber bits to use mineral oil, though it may be hard to find mineral-oil-compatible caliper components. there's a reason they use brake fluid in brakes (heat).

[LILBIT]

Originally Posted by (sp?)

that's why I suggested using an older ilk master cylinder from a KTM. they used brake fluid in the days of yore (about 5 years ago), even for the clutch master cylinder. the rubber bits will work fine for brake fluid.

alternatively, you could source new rubber bits to use mineral oil, though it may be hard to find mineral-oil-compatible caliper components. there's a reason they use brake fluid in brakes (heat).

My master reads"mineral oil only" but many have run brake fluid before me. One guy on the orange site had over 2 years on his. Not a problem. I think maybe the '06 '07 EXCs had brake fluid stock. My '05 and '00 was mineral stock. I need to find out which if any did use BF and get that clutch slave with this setup. I'm scared BF will ruin my seals and blow into the engine oil.

[PeteN95]

Originally Posted by LILBIT

Who ever told you a Recluse will work as a slipper on decel doesn't own one. Recluse would never claim such either.

I may have been the one to post that. And it certainly isn't exactly the same, but it does seem to work a bit like one. The reason I say that is I raced Supermoto with a Rekluse on my CRF450 and before I installed it, the rear wheel would hop on decel with the back brake on, much like most Supermoto bikes do. This is one of the issues a slipper clutch will cure. After installing the Rekluse, I could not get the rear wheel to hop no matter how hard I used the rear brake while downshifting.

I now only use the CRF for trail riding, but the Rekluse clutch makes it a decent trail bike. I have had the clutch for over 6 years now and look forward to getting one on my new XR650R DS bike. I also have the Rekluse rear hand brake (I have no clutch lever) and it is another great product, but it does take longer to get used to than the clutch.

[LILBIT]

Research reveals that the Magura clutch setups are mineral oil and Brembos are brake fluid. I found a few instances were some years had both installed. Beginning seems to be '05 on fours but earlier on two strokes. Magura was still used up until '06. I need to get a clutch slave from an '07 or '08 to replumb my rear brake pedel/clutch over ride.

[CodeMonkee]

Originally Posted by LILBIT

My master reads"mineral oil only" but many have run brake fluid before me. One guy on the orange site had over 2 years on his. Not a problem. I think maybe the '06 '07 EXCs had brake fluid stock. My '05 and '00 was mineral stock. I need to find out which if any did use BF and get that clutch slave with this setup. I'm scared BF will ruin my seals and blow into the engine oil.

You don't want to get brake fluid on clutch/brake linings (or anything painted) as it will soften them, so that is probably why they specified mineral oil for the clutch.

[CodeMonkee]

Originally Posted by PeteN95

I may have been the one to post that. And it certainly isn't exactly the same, but it does seem to work a bit like one. The reason I say that is I raced Supermoto with a Rekluse on my CRF450 and before I installed it, the rear wheel would hop on decel with the back brake on, much like most Supermoto bikes do. This is one of the issues a slipper clutch will cure. After installing the Rekluse, I could not get the rear wheel to hop no matter how hard I used the rear brake while downshifting.

I now only use the CRF for trail riding, but the Rekluse clutch makes it a decent trail bike. I have had the clutch for over 6 years now and look forward to getting one on my new XR650R DS bike. I also have the Rekluse rear hand brake (I have no clutch lever) and it is another great product, but it does take longer to get used to than the clutch.

Well, this is a different bike and maybe a different adjustment on the clutch setup, but the way mine is adjusted/setup the rear wheel still definitely skid or even hop if you downshift too harshly. It would be nice if it acted like a slipper in such circumstances, but on my bike at least, it doesn't.

[(sp?)]

Originally Posted by CodeMonkee

Well, this is a different bike and maybe a different adjustment on the clutch setup, but the way mine is adjusted/setup the rear wheel still definitely skid or even hop if you downshift too harshly. It would be nice if it acted like a slipper in such circumstances, but on my bike at least, it doesn't.

it may be that Pete's bike had a cush drive. our ilk of 'berg doesn't. that would soften the downshifts a bit.

the rear hub for the SM does have a cush drive.

[CodeMonkee]

Getting to like the Rekluse more and more. Getting used to it, but it has a few quirks that aren't really its fault I guess, just a side effect.

Today I went to Machias to practice some more and it was kind of wet out there so the trails were bit more slippery. The bike seemed to lose traction and then suddenly find it a lot, making it harder to control. It wasn't until I was practicing some hill climbs that it finally dawned on me that I was riding around in second gear on stuff I was used to riding in first gear on. The bike would actually spin the wheel more that way. When I re-rode the same trails and hills in first I wasn't spinning the rear wheel as much, even though I was going the same speed.

On the hill I think it was just that the bike had the low end power that it just muscled up the hill rather than bog down. That combined with the Rekluse just kept it going - between the power and the clutch, very forgiving, but I did notice the difference naturally.

Anyway, practiced some more climbing some small hills, even did some jumps off the top of one small one. That was fun, but I could tell the bike was not setup for my weight. If I did a big jump it would have been too much. Once I get the damper and ride a bit with that, then I will get the suspension reworked for my weight and style of riding.

[dirtyoffroad]

Did some riding on mine here in N.H. this weekend on some very rocky trails,3rd and 4th gear stuff.Muscles in my upper back are still sore from holding on.I still have not run the map switch on anything but standard.

[CodeMonkee]

Originally Posted by dirtyoffroad

Did some riding on mine here in N.H. this weekend on some very rocky trails,3rd and 4th gear stuff.Muscles in my upper back are still sore from holding on.I still have not run the map switch on anything but standard.

Mine is broken in now so I intend to install the switch and try out the different settings. Probably switch back and forth between 'aggressive' and mild for the technical stuff. I am thinking 'mild' will be good for the really tight trails.

I am also thinking I would like the Christini mod, but they are being conservative about new kits because of the economy.

[PeteN95]

Originally Posted by CodeMonkee

Getting to like the Rekluse more and more. Getting used to it, but it has a few quirks that aren't really its fault I guess, just a side effect.

Today I went to Machias to practice some more and it was kind of wet out there so the trails were bit more slippery. The bike seemed to lose traction and then suddenly find it a lot, making it harder to control. It wasn't until I was practicing some hill climbs that it finally dawned on me that I was riding around in second gear on stuff I was used to riding in first gear on. The bike would actually spin the wheel more that way. When I re-rode the same trails and hills in first I wasn't spinning the rear wheel as much, even though I was going the same speed.

Be careful about riding in the wrong gear, it is easy to do with the Rekluse, but will wear the clutch plates and make heat in the engine. You can actually be several gears up from where you should be and not realize it. Once you get comfortable with it, the Rekluse is wonderful. I just ordered mine for my XR650R today.

[CodeMonkee]

Originally Posted by PeteN95

Be careful about riding in the wrong gear, it is easy to do with the Rekluse, but will wear the clutch plates and make heat in the engine. You can actually be several gears up from where you should be and not realize it. Once you get comfortable with it, the Rekluse is wonderful. I just ordered mine for my XR650R today.

I don't think it was too much of a problem when I was climbing the hill because it was probably fully engaged most of the time while it was spinning the rear tire (the rear end noticeably moved around more), but on the part where I was going real slow I noticed that it seemed to be engaging harder, which maybe it was a little, but it also suddenly spinning the rear tire because it was in second.

I used to think it would do the opposite - that in a higher gear you aren't applying as much torque, right? But after thinking about it, if the engine can handle it without bogging, it is actually trying to spin the wheel faster. Of course, it depends on where you are in the power curve - I was just right off idle.

So yeah, I figured it would be just like slipping the clutch, only you wouldn't notice it as much because it does such a good job of it automatically.

I try to be in the right gear and not abuse it, plus IMO (and now experience) it makes the bike easier to ride when I am doing it right, but it is nice to know I can make mistakes and it helps compensate for them - to a degree - not near as much a problem as if I bog the bike and kill it. Overall I think the Rekluse is probably less hard on the clutch than I am when I flog it manually.

I do notice it when I am too many gears up, but sometimes I mistake second for first when putzing along.

[(sp?)]

Originally Posted by CodeMonkee

I used to think it would do the opposite - that in a higher gear you aren't applying as much torque, right? But after thinking about it, if the engine can handle it without bogging, it is actually trying to spin the wheel faster.

You're actually applying more torque. If you've ever set the valves on an R-type BMW, one often put the tranny into 5th or 6th gear to enable moving the engine by hand.

Our TDI Jetta can light up the front tires if my wife or I attempt to accelerate up the hill out of our neighborhood. It's especially bad in the wet. It will spin up in first, shift into second and into third - spinning happily the whole time. I just wish it had AWD.