Rekluse Core EXP

[hasslbri]

Rekluse finally finished the EXP clutches for the Gas Gas bike. I picked mine up from Gofasters on Monday. I installed it on Tuesday and rode that night.

I had the Z-start on my 06 300 and liked it. I took it off before the Six Days in Chile. I didn't want any chance of having to adjust it mid race or any possible failures with all the parts even though I had used it trouble free for 1 1/2 seasons. Since then I have gotten into trials bikes and started to use the clutch to conquer more and more obsticles. I really havn't been too interested in using an auto clutch until Rekluse came out with the EXP. It looked simple to install, easy to adjust, and it supposedly retained FULL lever feel. I pushed on Mark w/ Gofasters pretty hard to have Rekluse build one for gas gas.

When the clutches came in the boxes were quite large compared to the Z-start. You open the box and there are alot of parts and two manuals. I thought, what the hell did I get myself into....

After reading through the instructions I began the install. Basically, you remove your entire clutch including the stock basket. You install the new basket, spacers, inner pressure basket, rekluse metal plates, stock frictions, lining plate, rekluse pressure plate, and springs. Once the springs are tight, you adjust the gap using the dial-a-gap. Finally I put the cover on an did a break-in ride.

The first thing that amazed me was the lever feel. It might have been sligthly easier pull to it, but the feel is virtually identical to a regular clutch. Dinamite the brakes without pulling in the clutch and there was no stalling!!!

I rode back to the shop, let it cool and checked the gap. I managed to get 2 laps in on my 2 mile course that consists of lots of tight, technical off chamber, with rocks and log crossings. Unfortunitly it had rained so much I could not really push it to the limit but with the limited ride I was impressed. It felt as though I was running the stock clutch only there was no possibility of stalling. I could ride the bike however I wanted, with or without the lever. The engagment point seemed good with it engaging right off of idle. The only thing that was somewhat annoying was the chirp that I got from extremely low engagement. It is alittle more than normal. (I can get a stock clutch to chirp pretty good when I run it at super lower R's) I have my first race on it this weekend in Wisconsin. It is a very rocky place and there is a good chance it will be a mud race.

If anybody has any questions let me know. One thing I noticed with the installion is the instructions are for all motorcycles and there are a couple of Gas Gas specific parts that are included (thinner steel plate, thrust bearing, and washer.) Take your time and the install is super easy. Adjusting it is even easier. (No feeler guages!!!!)

Brian

[Skidad]

Ok this is great news, thanks. I have been waiting for this info on the new EXP for awhile (right Mark!).

Sounds like this weekends race will be a good test. Look forward to a more detailed review next Monday morning .

What bike did you install it on?

How did you find the engagement? Would it slip like a Pro or Z-start or was it kind of on/off abrupt?

There are different wedges available (light and heavy). Do you know what it has inside the pressure plate stock? Does it come with the different wedges? Comes with a new clutch cover also?

Pics, we need pics of the parts and install. This thing is huge money so I'm sure many would like to see as much as possible of everything involved before laying down the coin for it.

[hasslbri]

It is in my 09 300. The engagement is a touch harder than the z-start but not wheel spinning hard. I it better as you were never truely sure if the z-start was slipping too much or not. This is alttile more on and off (better for someone that wants complete feel of what the rear tire is doing.) I might be looking at a new 300, so if I transfer it to another bike I will do a step by step (photos) install. When you consider what is new in the kit, it really isn't that costly. You have a completely different basket, inner hub, metal plates, springs, pressure plate, outer ring, and billet anodized clutch cover. There is way more engineering that went into this than the z-start, yet there seems to me to be much less to fail. I bet you would spend that much just to replace the entire stock clutch and cover.

[aflica]

hasslbri

What about for the average guy that likes to ride tight and steep single track and just wants to have anti stall for when he's in the wrong gear at the wrong place and dosent want the fire to go out. Is this the clutch for him ? I ride tight , rooty , rocky trails , not much high speed , mostly 1st and 2nd , some 3rd when it turns into quad stuff , but mostly tight twisty single track. I just love using my clutch , but every once in a while i screw up and get caught in the wrong gear with no commitment and end up stalling in a bad place. Does it do the slipper thing and not stall ? And you can still use your clutch entirely like normal , like slipping it and shifting with it and starting off with it ? And did you have to space your brake pedal away for the new cover ? I'm thinking of this for the Namby , before i get too many hours on the clutch (BTW i agree with your findings on the TTX suspension , i love it )
Thanks with any answers here

[hasslbri]

It is excatly what your looking for. It for me is merely a stall preventer (I rarely stall my 300). I love to use my clutch and that is why I never went back to the z-start. The only real issue I can see that is a slight disadvantage is the fact that you cannot bump start the bike. Where I live the hills are ussually not big enough to bump a 300 anyway.

[Skidad]

Does it soften up the 300 any making it easier to ride?

[HuskyDude]

Originally Posted by hasslbri

It is exactly what your looking for. It for me is merely a stall prevent-er (I rarely stall my 300). I love to use my clutch and that is why I never went back to the z-start. The only real issue I can see that is a slight disadvantage is the fact that you cannot bump start the bike. Where I live the hills are usually not big enough to bump a 300 anyway.

This does seem the answer to all. I really like what I'm hearing.

Two other question please hasslbri... If you're on a uphill and you stall, there is no engine break right? It would be like being in neutral. And how about engine breaking going dwn hill? Can you start the bike in gear?....(OK three question)

[hasslbri]

Yes, you stall it on a hill and you will roll backwards. I raced it at a rocky wisconsin race this last weekend and it worked flawlessly. As I stated before, it engages just off idle. So there was no ackward on-off feeling in the corners or free wheeling on the long downhills. The race was about as bad as they get without being muddy. I probably only got to 4th gear maybe twice all race. It was all snotty granite rocks. I had now engagement issues, fading, or any other issues besides the low speed squak when I would feather the clutch. I am sold on it so far. If it proves to be as trouble free as the Z-start it will be on all of my big bikes from now on.

Brian

[aflica]

Originally Posted by hasslbri

The only real issue I can see that is a slight disadvantage is the fact that you cannot bump start the bike. Where I live the hills are ussually not big enough to bump a 300 anyway.

Man , where i live the hills are big enough to bump start a D9 Cat , but i rarely do a bump start , i dont like the feeling i get when i do it . Seems to me to be too hard on the clutch , and im not racing , so the only time i do that is when i have to to avoid whatever the alternative to not doing it would be , like getting run over from behind by your buddy on his KTM as that is the only way he's getting by your Gasser

[MikeID]

The Core EXP clutch works great on EC 300. It seemed to me clutch pull was heavier than stock, but not objectionable. The power was smooth, but you could still get great acceleration out of the bike.

The folks at Rekluse did some checkups on it and there were no issues. They were really impressed with the quality of the OEM fiber plates. One critical factor is the idle and also that the clutch lever adjustment so the plunger not be pushed in.

I wrote up a little review on the bike that is in this month's issue of Trials and Enduro News...it's actually on the cover.

http://www.tandenews.com

Mike