The motorcycle clutch plates let the engine’s rotational energy go to the wheels. This only works for manual ones, since automatics don’t have a clutch. Instead, they have a shifter that lets you move between the park, reverse, neutral, and drive.
How do the parts fit together? Basically, the clutch controls the connection between the motorcycle’s engine drive shaft and the other drive shafts that go to the wheels.
The clutch is one of the most important parts of a motorcycle. Even though the engine is always making power, you don’t want it to always send that power to the wheels at the same speed.
Sometimes you need to change the speed or stop it completely without turning the engine off. If you do either of these, you break the link between the engine and the four wheels. And this is the main job of the clutch.
How Does The Clutch Do What It Needs To?
The main parts of your motorcycle’s clutch are the motorcycle clutch plates and the flywheel. When your foot is not on the clutch pedal, a set of springs keeps pressure on the clutch plate. Because of this pressure, the motorcycle clutch plate is pushed against the flywheel. This, in turn, connects the engine to the shaft that sends all that important turning energy to the wheels.
When, on the other hand, you press down with your foot on the clutch pedal, this moves a release fork. This fork releases pressure from the motorcycle clutch plates using a set of springs and pins. Because of this, there is no longer a link between the fast-turning engine and the wheels. This doesn’t mean that the wheels will stop turning, though. Most of the time, they will keep going on their own. But not connected to the engine when the clutch pedal is down. This lets you shift gears or put on the brakes.
How Can You Keep Your Clutch In Good Shape?
Because clutches have to deal with friction all the time, they tend to wear out on their own. A typical clutch will last around 60,000 miles, but some can last up to 100,000 miles and others start to fail at around 30,000. In fact, how you drive has a lot to do with how long your clutch will last. And replacing a clutch can cost hundreds of dollars, so it’s important to learn how to drive in a way that makes this important piece of equipment last longer.
It can be expensive to replace a clutch. As a result, many clutches are changed out far earlier than is strictly necessary. Simply utilizing safe driving practices and maintaining your clutch on a regular basis will allow you to get more life out of it. This will save you money in the long run.
Tips For Making Your Motorcycle’s Clutch Last Longer
The manner in which you drive your motorcycle can have an effect on the amount of time and use you get out of your clutch. In order to extend the life of your clutch and get the most use out of it, it is important that you follow these measures to decrease wear and strain.
- Never let your foot coast on the clutch. This causes the clutch to wear out far more quickly. Instead, remove your foot from the clutch completely whenever it is necessary to apply pressure to the accelerator.
- Do not utilize the clutch as a footrest when driving. When this is done, the bearings may become free.
- When absolutely necessary, you should engage the clutch. In the event that you come to a stop, shift the motorcycle into neutral and remove your foot from the clutch. When the clutch is not being used, keeping it depressed can increase the likelihood that it will need to be repaired at some point in the future.
- Utilize the parking brake on your motorcycle to its greatest potential. It’s possible that leaving your motorcycle in gear will stop it from rolling, but doing so will place a huge pressure on your clutch.
- If you drive a motorcycle with a manual transmission, you should avoid downshifting every time you have to slow the motorcycle down. To accomplish this, you should make use of your brakes instead.
Do Not Overlook The Importance Of Daily Maintenance
Even if you utilize proper driving skills, you might wear out your clutch if you do not maintain your motorcycle. The lifespan of each component, including your motorcycle clutch plates, is extended when the motorcycle undergoes complete maintenance. There are a number of things you can do to increase the longevity of your motorcycle, including the following:
- Pay attention to both the clutch and the motorcycle. At least once a week, give yourself the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the soundscape of your motorcycle by driving with the radio turned off. In this way, if you hear something that is out of the ordinary, you will be able to take it in to have it repaired or at the very least inspected.
- Ensuring that the fluids in your motorcycle are always fresh and clean. This involves changing the oil in your motorcycle on a regular basis to avoid any potentially dangerous accumulation that could force your motorcycle to work harder than it should.
- Change the transmission fluid as well as the filter. You should take your motorcycle to a shop that specializes in transmissions in Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, or Calgary every 40,000 to 60,000 kilometers. These are the recommended service intervals. Request that they inspect the transmission, replace any necessary components and change out the transmission fluid.
Problems With The Clutch: Additional Indicators
However, there are a few additional frequent indicators of a defective clutch that drivers should be aware of. It is important to be aware of these signs.
It’s possible that you have a slipping clutch, for instance, if your automobile takes a long time to start, looks sluggish while it’s driving, or even has trouble getting going. This indicates that the clutch is completely worn out, and the component that was formerly responsible for providing the necessary friction has become disconnected. As a direct result of this, the clutch is unable to adequately grip the flywheel, which means that the power generated by the engine is not transmitted to the drive wheels in the same effective manner.
If shifting through your gears is laborious, not smooth, or if it feels difficult to engage in particular ratios, you may have an issue with the linkages, or your motorcycle clutch plates may be damaged. Either of these problems indicates that your motorcycle clutch plate needs to be replaced. Also, if you hear annoying noises whenever you change gears, this could be a sign that your clutch is dragging, which means that it isn’t releasing completely even when the clutch pedal is depressed. It’s possible that all that needs to be done is a simple adjustment to the clutch pedal, but it’s also possible that there’s a problem with the release mechanism.
When you press down on the clutch, it should move smoothly, and when you let up, it should move smoothly as well. If, on the other hand, either of these motions feels more difficult than they normally do or if you hear a grinding noise while shifting gears, there may be a problem.
If you routinely hear an unusual noise when you put the motorcycle in neutral and the noise disappears when you depress the clutch pedal, you may have a worn input shaft. This can be determined if the noise goes when you depress the clutch pedal.
Do These Issues Indicate That You Need To Replace The Clutch Entirely?
Certainly not in every case. Because you’ve been reading this, you presumably already know that a clutch is a somewhat complicated piece of equipment that consists of multiple parts that are dependent on one another. For the clutch to be able to perform its function, each component—including the clutch disc, clutch fork, bearings, release mechanism, flywheel, cables, linkages, and pressure plate—must be in good operating order. The good news is that in most cases, rather than having to replace or repair the entire device, you may just need to replace or repair a single component. To one’s benefit, repairing or replacing a whole clutch can be a pricey endeavor.
Therefore, if you see any of the issues that we have covered in the previous paragraphs, you should take your motorcycle to a trustworthy technician and ask them to inspect it for you, stating in detail the issue that you have noticed. They should be able to determine what the issue is and either repair or replace the component at the lowest possible cost. Sometimes, rather than having to completely replace something, all that is required is a simple tweak.
Safer Driving—And Possible Savings.
When you first start out behind the wheel, it’s important to take good care of your motorcycle. After all, it is your pride and joy, and you will want to keep your costs as low as possible, especially considering how expensive it can be to live as a new driver.
