Just wanted to start this topic and raise enough interested to get Rekluse into offering an auto clutch for F8GS. They already offer them for the ktm 950/990, so if they see enough interest from the F8 riders I am sure their R&D shop can make them. I already called them and was told there is a very small list of names interested, and it sounded like not enough for them to commit yet. My thought is maybe there is more interest than they are aware of, and this is the best forum to get one rolling.
No. For any serious offroading or technical riding, this unit will do all the clutch work for you. And auto clutch is very common on dirt bikes and trail riding. Here is the thread from the KTM boys to get an idea of it's purpose. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=748543
it allows you to idle over technical terrain with minor/major changes in throttle where necessary without the forearm pumping madness of clutch feathering. Additionally, since we have cable clutches and not hydro ones, auto clutches help resist clutch fade which is common when feathering and slipping the clutch over technical terrain for long periods of riding. If you ride a lot of technical offroad an auto clutch saves your ass, and much like a steering damper, they let you ride longer with less fatigue.
I'd be in for one, buy they told me that it isn't going to happen. They make them for bmw 650's, ktm's of all sizes, too bad they say there are "engineering challenges" with the auto clutch on the 800 Sent from my smarter-than-I-am phone using tapatalk 2
I spoke to them this morning, and was told there are only 6 people on their list of interest. So maybe whoever is really interested can call them and place your contact info....maybe that's how the ktm 950/990 clutch production began.
The oem clutch lever remains intact, and you can override the auto clutch by pulling the lever as you normally do now. In technical or offroad riding, however, you don't need to keep 2 fingers on the lever. I raced the F8 in a hare scramble race this past weekend which was pretty much a 4 mile motorcross course and 4 miles of single track course, and after an hour of constantly feathering the clutch I was wishing for an auto clutch.
Stop and go traffic would be another place I could see this being handy. No lane splitting here - not legally, anyway.
Think of it like an atv, rpm engages the clutch, so at closed throttle, no go, ease on the gas, and it kicks in. its nice and smooth, and the new ones have an override lock in so you can bump start the bike. I'll call them again to put my name on the list. I don't know why they told me they weren't even thinking of it. Sent from my smarter-than-I-am phone using tapatalk 2
Thank you. That was the Stump Jumper hare scramble in South Jersey. I would say 75% of the course was deep sugar sand with sand berms, and I struggling for traction most of the time. So an auto clutch would have made life much easier on that sand and even in the single track portion.
I've been calling Rekluse for about two years now and I get the same story each time which is "maybe". I'm really keen to put one on my wife's 650twin for our world tour but no such luck. Personally I think they are missing a big potential market with the new to riding female crowd (not that my gal is new to riding, she kicks ass). Would be a very nice feature to have on an overlanding bike, especially when you hit a congested city like lima etc. I've ridden a wr450f with the Rekluse set up and it was brilliant.
Well, I am going to call them again today and ask how we can get this ball rolling. Maybe whoever else is really interested can call them again to help with this process.
There is no doubt a Rekluse is an advantage in technical situations. Where you are about to kill your bike through say rocky sections. But I think it makes it easy for the unexperienced riders to jump on to an 'auto' bike. Mid lifers who jump from auto cars who have no idea on how to shift any manual transmission (I have a friend like that lol:-/). Sure it works for them, but they never really learn to use a manual tranny properly. If you learn to use your manual gearbox in stop & go traffic, you will also be better with your clutching (and gear selection) through technical off pavement. It could be a big seller, but it will (mostly) be bought for the wrong reason on the 658/800. I could enjoy a Rekluse I suppose on my 658, but I would rather have one on a dedicated dirtbike.