Rekluse Clutch and how to ride one

[Jesse Jaymes]

Wanted to start a separate thread. Just bought a Husky FE 350. It has a Rekluse clutch. I've never ridden such a modern bike. And I've never ridden a Rekluse. I am not sure I like it.


I stalled a zillion times. I would be rolling 5-10 mph and it would stall. I'd pull the clutch lever in and dump it, expecting it to POP back to life. No dice.

Could times with lever in coasting to a slow roll for a cut back, hair pin turn on a logging road....STALL.

Pulled in the clutch up hill to blip over a down log....STALL.

I quickly discovered you need to blip a little throttle on a decent in order for the clutch to engage for engine brake?

Any riding needs or tips for Rekluse clutch? Was a game changer on single track. Could ride slower than I cold walk. I can see how it's recommended to "ride up a gear". 1st was honestly too low.

Are these Love/Hate type additions?

 

[PAHunter777]

If you were having trouble with it stalling you probably need to adjust the free play. If there isn’t enough free play the clutch drags at low rpm and stalls.

 

[CRJR45]

Thats the whole point of the Rekluse is to not stall . I had one on my CRF450 and it worked fine , but you don't get engine brake with it at all . Come into the corner , mash the brakes , downshift and leave .

 

[Frozenlead]

If it’s stalling with the clutch in as mentioned above you may have issues with the clutch adjustment and it may be dragging.
I’d check your idle first, good chance it’s just too low.
As far as the bump starting, I don’t believe it’s possible without stopping and making a manual adjustment to essentially take the freeplay out of the clutch.

 

[Caseknife]

I don't ride bikes but was convinced to try a snowbike one time in the backcountry, it had a Rekluse. Worked awesome, start it in gear, give it gas and take off. No problem with braking with snowbikes and you are not going to bump start a snowbike either. Was going to suggest adjustment, pretty fine to get it right.

 

[IDElkmagnet]

Congats on the cool bike! It should be a nice ride.
First change the oil with known good oil and ride it for a few. Wet clutches don't like old oil.
Next the stalling issue is likely a result of you needing to adjust your "freeplay gain".
Once that is sorted out. If you still don't have downhill engine braking then you can change the springs in the clutch to get proper engagement.
With it properly set up you should have no stalling without an obvious cause and good engine braking until Idle. You shou very seldom have to blip the throttle on down hills to get a rekluse to brake.

 

[Matt5266]

Have a 2015 KTM XCW 250 and thought about adding one a while back but ive never rode one. Have been intrigued by them but still just enjoy the old school clutch work.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

@IDElkmagnet when chatting w Mrs during the purchase she revealed the Mr is a jet mechanic for private jets. I’d bet he’s more “mechanically inclined “ than me. He wrote the sale posting for her. Said “new clutch pack to be installed if I have time before it sells.” He obviously didn’t get to it. But she gave it to me.

That add any info to potential issues ?

 

[Baddog]

Yea must think clutch plates are worn out. Take it apart, measure everything and replace what is needed.

 

[Overwire]

IDElkmagnet is spot on. When adjusted properly, including idle speed, they work fantastic. Almost impossible to stall and you still have engine breaking. Might have to blip the throttle to get engine braking occasionally but it should be rare. I have one on my 350xcf. Make sure your clutch disks aren’t worn out.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

^ This is all stuff a bike owner should be able to do at home? Bike shops are MONTHS out for repairs. YT is amazing. I just don't want to be down a bike for month. Especially a "new" one to me.

 

[jjordan355]

I would take apart and inspect. If there’s an adjustment for free play check that. And also check for the clutch basket to be notched. I ride a 450 and put a Hinson basket in because of the clutch basket being notched and stalling the bike around 70 hours of ride time. I’ll attach a pic of what a notched basket looks like out of my 450.

If the clutch plates were worn out you would have little to no forward acceleration or it would rev higher than normal when accelerating in gear (slipping). Not stall. Just like the clutch in a vehicle, if it’s worn out (meaning under spec of measurement for disc thickness) you would have no forward acceleration when in gear.

If something like a clutch disc is installed incorrectly, something in the rekluse assy itself or an adjustment is out of spec for the pushrod, or notched basket or inner hub then you would have a stalling condition.

 

[Mike Islander]

My guess is your engine idle is set too low, making it easy to stall the bike.

Go through the Rekluse setup steps. Set your idle at or a little higher than stock. Still should not engage your clutch until you gun it.

 

[Wrench]

I have the early gen on my yz and when setup correctly and geared taller than you'd normally run, it can be a serious partner in the woods. I personally regret parts of mine as I cannot bump start my bike and I have the worst kickstarter geometry ever dreamed up for a woods bike.....but it does make technical pulls a lot lest technical.

 

[IDElkmagnet]

^ This is all stuff a bike owner should be able to do at home? Bike shops are MONTHS out for repairs. YT is amazing. I just don't want to be down a bike for month. Especially a "new" one to me.

I think with a few videos these adjustments should fine for anyone with average mech ability.
It sounds like the previous owner was acknowledging they had a clutch issue maybe it has worn clutches and he adjusted it so that it would "work" until it got new disc's.
You should be able to download the manual for your bikefrom husky/ktm and for the Rekluse. If you have a dial caliper an inlb and ftlb torque wrenches just look for the specs in the manuals(or Google)/ watch a few videos.
Then wash it and pull it apart.
Its a pretty straight forward.
The owners manual for these bikes has a lot of technical info. They intended for owners to do some maintenance.

 

[Steve300xcw]

You would be far better off putting a normal clutch in the bike and dialing in those basic skills.

350's are a badass bike, but thats also a bike that wants to go

 

[826]

You would be far better off putting a normal clutch in the bike and dialing in those basic skills.

350's are a badass bike, but thats also a bike that wants to go

I don't necessarily agree, how is the Rekluse hurting the bike or riding experience if it's working correctly?

Doesn't sound to me like he plans on doing much hard enduro or technical riding which is typically where a Rekluse can be a hindrance.

I know tons of advanced level riders that run Rekluses on their 4 strokes and LOVE them.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I don't necessarily agree, how is the Rekluse hurting the bike or riding experience if it's working correctly?

Doesn't sound to me like he plans on doing much hard enduro or technical riding which is typically where a Rekluse can be a hindrance.

The majority of folks I have seen with a rekluse, used them as a crutch. Either too much bike, lack of skills, whatever. And they were slower/shittier riders because of it. They would have benefited so much more by honing their skills before bolting on cheaters. Now, if you know how to get traction, and keep a bike moving. Yea I could see how a rekluse might give a guy an edge in some places.

I know tons of advanced level riders that run Rekluses

And theres the difference

 

[826]

The majority of folks I have seen with a rekluse, used them as a crutch. Either too much bike, lack of skills, whatever. And they were slower/shittier riders because of it. They would have benefited so much more by honing their skills before bolting on cheaters. Now, if you know how to get traction, and keep a bike moving. Yea I could see how a rekluse might give a guy an edge in some places.




And theres the difference

But the dude is just trying to cruise some forest roads to go fishing and scouting, he's not trying to become a racer.

Rekluse is a great tool for a lot of folks to increase the fun factor, not everyone is trying to be the next Graham Jarvis.

I miss the days when everyone with an opinion didn't think you had to ride a 300 2 stroke and do hard enduro to be a dirt bike rider.

 

[KHNC]

It has been covered on how to adjust. If anyone is thinking of buying a rekluse clutch, go with the ReKluse X series. It works like a standard clutch , and is less expensive. I had one on my YZ250F when i had it. Worked awesome! I hate engine braking so much that i got the Rekluse X, then decided to sell the bike and go back with 2 strokes, like most MEN.