Bobcatpat Posted March 8, 2011 #1 Posted March 8, 2011 I am considering an EFM auto clutch for my 2008 rsv. Anyone have one on their rsv? Do you like it? Was it an easy install?
Sylvester Posted March 8, 2011 #2 Posted March 8, 2011 I have looked at these for a couple years now and find the mechanics of the clutch good. I would love to not pull the lever as often as I do now. The early Cushmans and others used the same philosphy. I just haven't gotten around to buying one, yet.
Seaking Posted March 9, 2011 #3 Posted March 9, 2011 Well isn't THIS the thing for people with arthritic hands! How would these perform for dragging the clutch in slow ride parking lot maneuvers I would wonder? I'm not sure if I understood their FAQ properly, do you still have to pull in the clutch to shift gears (they state it's a one finger pull on the lever etc) Interesting indeed..
flb_78 Posted March 9, 2011 #5 Posted March 9, 2011 I wish they show videos of it actually working instead of the fat guy doing burnouts.
bar836 Posted March 10, 2011 #6 Posted March 10, 2011 YEAH - they have to be the worst videos made as a sales tool. What the hell does that show you !?!?!
Squeeze Posted March 10, 2011 #7 Posted March 10, 2011 YEAH - they have to be the worst videos made as a sales tool. What the hell does that show you !?!?! Maybe, that the Clutch works from 0% (Standstill) up to 100% Lock Rate (just before Tire breaking free).
Seaking Posted March 10, 2011 #8 Posted March 10, 2011 YEAH - they have to be the worst videos made as a sales tool. What the hell does that show you !?!?! Yeah, unless you know what to look for, which most of us probably don't.. I asked a local motor head about this, saying what does this clip tell you about a bike's auto clutch and he raised his eye brows saying, "really, this is an auto clutch?!?" he was impressed.. Ok so what does it mean.. ? I guess what it means is that the clip shows you that the clutch engages solid, with little or no slip at all.. without having to use the clutch lever to get the right amount of engine power and clutch slippage to get that rear wheel turning and burning.. The higher the rpm of the engine the quick the clutch engages and stays engaged, almost locking up, more efficient due to less slippage.. I'm no expert obviously but it does take a lot to get that rear wheel to start slipping and turning like that in a burn out.. a weak clutch won't allow you to get it burnin and turnin easily.. Now whether or not you could do it on a RSV is another totally different matter My guess is that if you install this on your bike you're looking at having to adjust how to pull away from stops (a little more throttle, depending how quickly you want to pull away).. and while riding, you pull in the lever with a wee little finger pressure to shift gears.. When you drop the hammer at highway speeds, you won't get a weak clutch slippage.. It must feel weird though.. if you're under or over revs in the power curve as to how the clutch would react to the throttle inputs.. You'll get the sensation of slippage if your rpms are too low, not fast enough to engage the clutch fully but SNAP like a banshee if you're up in revs and into the power curve properly.. Would LOVE to see this thing in action on a large bike like ours.. Expensive? Heck yes.. Worth it? Dunno, I don't burn tires..
Squeeze Posted March 10, 2011 #9 Posted March 10, 2011 .... Worth it? Dunno, I don't burn tires.. Would it be worth givin' up riding just because you can't operate the Clutch for any Reason ?? My Answer sure would be H3ll NO !!! But i'm different, i sink almost two grand a Year into my Bikes, each Year, and that just for Gimmicks and Safety Chrome, not counted any Expense for Insurance, Maintainance, Tires or Fuel. Look up an OTEC Lock-Clutch for a 1Gen Vmax. Would fit in any V4, but THAT's kind of expensive ....
Seaking Posted March 10, 2011 #10 Posted March 10, 2011 Would it be worth givin' up riding just because you can't operate the Clutch for any Reason ?? My Answer sure would be H3ll NO !!! But i'm different, i sink almost two grand a Year into my Bikes, each Year, and that just for Gimmicks and Safety Chrome, not counted any Expense for Insurance, Maintainance, Tires or Fuel. Look up an OTEC Lock-Clutch for a 1Gen Vmax. Would fit in any V4, but THAT's kind of expensive .... Same thing here.. Riding a bike is my drug of choice.. the body pains go away and the voices go away allowing me to enjoy my long fun ride with the tunes blaring and the sun on my face.. if I couldn't ride I might as well take that long walk off the short pier.. That's why I'm looking at the auto clutch as something I might need in a few years.. just to make life easier.. I'm done with Safety Chrome so saving up for the comforts of the bike for more riding
Bobcatpat Posted March 11, 2011 Author #11 Posted March 11, 2011 anyone have one on their royal star?
DONATALIE Posted March 11, 2011 #12 Posted March 11, 2011 I bought my 2005 HD Ultra with a Hannigan sidecar, used in 2009. The previous owner had it put on. While I did like the way it worked, I DID NOT LIKE the fact that the bike remained in neutral when parked. You always had to put wheel chocks on. If you don't have a second person to help, you have do it faster than the amount of time it takes for the bike to roll away on you. The parking lot at my work is nowhere near level, so I had a couple of scary near misses with parked cars, curbs, hills, etc. I had the HD dealer remove it and put a stock unit in. Obviously, if you're still on two wheels, this probably wouldn't be as big of a problem for you, but I wanted to be sure and point it out. I would think that even on two wheels, on extreme slopes, the bike might slide with the transmission not engaged. Hope this helps, Don.
Seaking Posted March 11, 2011 #13 Posted March 11, 2011 I bought my 2005 HD Ultra with a Hannigan sidecar, used in 2009. The previous owner had it put on. While I did like the way it worked, I DID NOT LIKE the fact that the bike remained in neutral when parked. You always had to put wheel chocks on. If you don't have a second person to help, you have do it faster than the amount of time it takes for the bike to roll away on you. The parking lot at my work is nowhere near level, so I had a couple of scary near misses with parked cars, curbs, hills, etc. I had the HD dealer remove it and put a stock unit in. Obviously, if you're still on two wheels, this probably wouldn't be as big of a problem for you, but I wanted to be sure and point it out. I would think that even on two wheels, on extreme slopes, the bike might slide with the transmission not engaged. Hope this helps, Don. An interesting problem which could have been easily solved with a velcro strap tied around the handle bar.. When you came to a stop, you wrap it around the brake level and cinch it up so that your front brake is on when you disembark.. Simple solution to a simple problem.. Basically the same thing you need to do if you park your bike on a ferry to keep it from rolling around on deck.. Did you find the auto clutch set up hard to get used to when pulling away from a stop though?
elmicko Posted March 11, 2011 #14 Posted March 11, 2011 An interesting problem which could have been easily solved with a velcro strap tied around the handle bar.. When you came to a stop, you wrap it around the brake level and cinch it up so that your front brake is on when you disembark.. Simple solution to a simple problem.. Basically the same thing you need to do if you park your bike on a ferry to keep it from rolling around on deck.. Did you find the auto clutch set up hard to get used to when pulling away from a stop though? I've got a buddy that rides a Goldwing trike. He found a handlebar charm that hangs from the end of the throttle side grip. It's on a chain and shaped like an anchor. You pull in the brake lever and hook it with the anchor and bingo - parking brake. Pretty cool.
DONATALIE Posted March 11, 2011 #15 Posted March 11, 2011 An interesting problem which could have been easily solved with a velcro strap tied around the handle bar.. When you came to a stop, you wrap it around the brake level and cinch it up so that your front brake is on when you disembark.. Simple solution to a simple problem.. Basically the same thing you need to do if you park your bike on a ferry to keep it from rolling around on deck.. Did you find the auto clutch set up hard to get used to when pulling away from a stop though? WOW, that's so simple! I can't believe I never thought of it myself. Oh well... To answer your question, yes, it did take some getting used to. But once you do get used to it, it's fine. Also, you still had to use the clutch starting in the higher gears (I forget exactly which one), but it was BUTTERY smooth! Not nearly as difficult to pull as my stock HD cable system is now. It was even far easier than the RSV, although for me, that isn't too difficult. I know that for some people with physical limitations, this could greatly enhance the riding experience. BTW, I used it once for a very long, heavily congested (stop-and-go for 2 hours!) Patriot Guard mission in the DC area. All the other riders were having trouble with left hand fatigue (particularly the HD riders). My wrist/hand was good, even after two hours. Hope this helps, Don.
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