Slipper clutch

[Paul G (BHT)]

Anyone else been caught out by the slipper clutch?

The tail end of the Yorkshire Dales run on Sunday saw Paul Young and I head off across one of Paul's 'spirited' run routes. It linked Skipton with the M6 using some fantastic 'B' roads.

We weren't hanging about and on a couple of occasions while coming down the box, normally on approaches for tight bends, I lost engine breaking.

As I had probably done over 300 miles that day I put it down to me starting to loose concentration and either not shutting the throttle off fully or not changing down correctly.

On Monday I didn't even know WTF a slipper clutch was...... but now I do:-

A slipper clutch is designed to partially disengage or "slip" when the rear wheel tries to drive the engine faster than it would run under its own power.

Aha that will explain it then

Not sure I like the idea though, I can appreciate the advantage of it kicking in if it means stopping the motor Red lining due to incorrect down shifting but, that certainly wasn't the case.

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

..............
Not sure I like the idea though, I can appreciate the advantage of it kicking in if it means stopping the motor Red lining due to incorrect down shifting but, that certainly wasn't the case.

It's mostly there to prevent numpties locking up the rear when changing down too enthusiasticaly and lots of bikes seem to be having them fitted as standard nowadays, especially sports bikes.

I've never ridden a bike with one either but have to say, in theory at least, I don't like the idea - I want to be able to dial in some heavy engine breaking and even a little lock-up at times.

Andres

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

It's mostly there to prevent numpties locking up the rear when changing down too enthusiasticaly and lots of bikes seem to be having them fitted as standard nowadays, especially sports bikes.

I've never ridden a bike with one either but have to say, in theory at least, I don't like the idea - I want to be able to dial in some heavy engine breaking and even a little lock-up at times.
Andres

+1...............bike in control and not the rider

 

[Wilsdorf]

It shouldn't be stopping engine braking. If it is it's designed badly and probably seen as a safety measure - balls I say.

Slipper clutches are great (should be great!), especially when you want to bang it into a low gear as reasonably high revs and get out of corners.

 

[Keith Chapman]

It shouldn't be stopping engine braking.

I have not ridden a bike with a slipper clutch, but, would the effect of the clutch slipping to prevent a locked rear wheel feel like lack of engine braking?

 

[Seamaster]

My Honda C90 has a slipper clutch to handle the immense power, or is that a clutch that slips.

 

[Engineer]

Slipper clutch (back torque limiter) is just there to stop the rear wheel skipping if it can't turn the engine fast enough when engaging a lower gear and releasing the clutch with unmatched engine/road speed.

If you have ever tried turning the engine over with the bike in a low gear by using the rear wheel you will now how hard it is, the higher the compression ratio, the bigger the pistons the harder it is.

The new GS has a higher compression ratio that the outgoing model, it is now 12.5:1 so there is a chance that you can lock up the rear if you bang down to many gears and dump the clutch.

I have never 'activated' it on mine yet - it should only happen when rapidly slowing and changing gear under heavy braking so don't see how it can ever be a problem.

 

[sycomoto]

My experience with slipper clutches

I used one on my motard race bike and they work best when braking. If you use one hoping that the engine braking will be enough you'll puts it past its engineered limits. They use a number of ramps with ball bearings on them and when the torque is reversed the balls slide up the ramp separating the clutch plates ( bit like pulling in the clutch abit) hense you loose some engine braking cos yer clutch is now slipping. I really don't understand why BMW bothered fitting one to the GS unless they were worried the driveline was at risk anyway my advise would be if your going to bang it down the gears make sure your using the brakes as well. The byproduct of this is you'll soon be able to back her into roundabouts like Thierry van den boshe

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

The byproduct of this is you'll soon be able to back her into roundabouts like Thierry van den Bosh

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/m8QCHQz-sLg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Paul G (BHT)]

.... I have never 'activated' it on mine yet - it should only happen when rapidly slowing and changing gear under heavy braking so don't see how it can ever be a problem.

When pushing along in tight twisties, I like to use engine breaking along with front brake when knocking off speed on the approach to a tight one, this also ensures the correct gear is already selected for exiting the bend.

To suddenly loose engine breaking at a point when I would rather it didn't, does induce sphincter twitching results.

In defense of the GS LC, this has only happened 2 or 3 times in 1,500 miles.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

When pushing along in tight twisties, I like to use engine breaking along with front brake when knocking off speed on the approach to a tight one, this also ensures the correct gear is already selected for exiting the bend.

You're used to the 11GS, which it's easy to do that on

 

[Paul G (BHT)]

.... my advise would be if your going to bang it down the gears make sure your using the brakes as well.

But what is the definition of banging it down the gears.... in my case it was 6th to 5th to 4th and the revs were nowhere near the point of compromising anything

If I was going from 6th to 3rd or 2nd then yes I would expect it to activate.

 

[Engineer]

But what is the definition of banging it down the gears.... in my case it was 6th to 5th to 4th and the revs were nowhere near the point of compromising anything

If I was going from 6th to 3rd or 2nd then yes I would expect it to activate.

I view 'banging down the gears' as doing a block down change of say two or three gears and dumping the clutch when braking heavily for a corner - the engine revs won't be able to rise fast enough so the back wheel would lock up - the slipper clutch stops this happening, wouldn't have thought that it would happen if changing down one gear at a time and releasing the clutch between changes.

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Knowing WBM the slipper clutch will be there as a 'safety aid' and very different from the after market units used on high performance/race bikes. As such it'll probably kick in 'too early' for somebody who wants to hoon or just make descisions as to how to ride the bike for themselves

Andres

 

[Fanum]

I have never 'activated' it on mine yet - it should only happen when rapidly slowing and changing gear under heavy braking so don't see how it can ever be a problem.

Big problem if you off-road and WANT it to lock the back up momentarily (going down a steep rocky trail for example, and you want to slide the back wheel around a rock or a corner using the clutch to lock the wheel up)....or as BHT wants, to use deliberately in a cornering technique on the road.

I wondered if the slipper is electronically controlled, and therefore subject to different tolerances in the other modes, but it seems from other replies that it isn't.

 

[DrAlf]

Pipe and slipper clutch

Think I need to test ride one of these for myself

 

[AberdeenAngus]

I have a Honda C90 and slippers

Fixed

 

[aspiring]

arn"t most slipper clutches mechanically adjustable to allow differing levels of slip? might be worth asking a dealer/technician about.if it isnt your riding style will probably adjust over time to allow for the different level of engine breaking

 

[Wrinkly]

+1...............bike in control and not the rider

Got to disagree with you there gentlemen.

If you lock up the back wheel through excessive engine braking (usually on the approach to a tight bend) then the bike really is in control.

There are four possible things you can do to regain control.

1,accelerate.
2,change up a gear.
3,wait for the gearbox to catch up to the final drive.
4,brake hard.

None of which you want to be doing on the approach to a tight bend.

Engine braking is good,especially on a big twin and it's nice to see someone executing a smooth ride without excessive use of the brakes,but to use excessive engine braking rather than using the brakes doesn't look good and is not good for the mechanical components involved,plus your not really in full control of the bike.

Just my opinion,feel free to disagree

Steve

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

5. Dip, feather the clutch.

Andres