Burning the clutch on a motorbike is a surprisingly easy thing to do, especially on offroad motorbikes where people push themselves outside their comfort zones. Clutch plates wearing out is mostly driver error and can be avoided. Test driving clutch plate condition is easy. Clutch plates don’t really “wear with time” either, not in the context we are talking anyway.
Clutch plates have a sort of melting point, they get to a certain temperature and they give way. A clutch can take huge amounts of abuse, providing this melting point isn’t reached.
So how do we get to this melting point?
1. We get stuck in the mud and have no idea how to correctly get out.
2. We let the clutch lever position get too far into the finger tips which semi disengages it. ( no clutch play at all)
1. Stuck in the mud, driving like a retard and burn your clutch
What we are seeing here, is a half-engaged clutch, because the rider is trying to raise the RPM to keep the bike from stalling, in order to spin the back wheel to get out of the situation. Constant abuse like this will have the clutch fried in no time. It doesn't matter what the original condition was.
Slipping the clutch - or clutch feathering - is a useful technique to get out of a difficult situation in technical terrain. However, know when to stop, or you will risk burning the clutch. Try to get more traction by decreasing the psi, put more weight onto the rear tire, and keep the momentum going to avoid getting stuck. If nothing works, it is worth getting off the bike and push.
Getting stuck in the mud can quickly spiral out of control, desperation sets in and more and more aggression and heat is put into revving the bike to get out of the tight spot. Relax, and reconsider your approach.
If you are a warrior who likes the high rev chain saw approach, then at the very least give the bike time to cool down between your failed efforts to escape the mud.
2. Adjusting the clutch lever too far out can cause a clutch burn
Customers are often used to hydraulic clutches and dislike free play in the clutch. Cable clutches should have free play and adjusting the clutch to the fingertips can lead to a situation of a semi disengaged clutch. This will burn the clutch, especially at high speeds.
To setup the clutch positioning, make sure there is some free play. To do this, Screw in the clutch positioning on your left hand. If you are unable to screw in far enough to get some free play, go to a mechanic and they can adjust it for you. Clip of adjusting it
Adjusting the clutch lever too far out can cause a clutch burn
Customers are often used to hydraulic clutches and dislike free play in the clutch. Cable clutches should have free play and adjusting the clutch to the fingertips can lead to a situation of a semi disengaged clutch. This will burn the clutch, especially at high speeds.
To setup the clutch positioning, make sure there is some free play. To do this, Screw in the clutch positioning on your left hand. If you are unable to screw in far enough to get some free play, go to a mechanic and they can adjust it for you.
Clutch plates vary between 500k and 3 million VND. It depends on the quality of the part used and the model of the bike. Also, Some mechanics will just swap out the broken plate, other mechanics will swap out the entire set. Sometimes mechanics find other small damages within the system and will do quick fixes. It is best to just pay up and be on your way again! Clutch plates on these manual motorbikes is not a routine job for any mechanic in Vietnam so they charge what they feel their time is worth.
Things to take away from this
Clutches don’t randomly break over time. They fail rapidly, we are talking just minutes of bad driving to wipe out a clutch.
Test drive the bike at pickup, if the clutch is good, then it will last your journey.
When you get stuck in the mud and burn the clutch. Learn from the situation and try to avoid letting it happen again!
Keep an eye out on your clutch leaver positioning and don’t let it get too far into your fingertips.
www.tigitmotorbikes.com/burni...
if you have any immediate questions about your clutch burn while in Vietnam please message us on facebook: / chrunix