Rekluse Z-Start Clutch - Dirt Rider Tested

Rekluse Z-Start Clutch
Auto-clutches have been a real hit with certain riders since the Rev-Loc came out a few years ago. Another player in the game is Rekluse Motor Sports with its very simple top pressure plate-only design. Since you don't have to replace the basket, the installation would seem quite easy, but it still takes a bit of time. On both our Honda CRF250X and KTM 300 EXC it took about two hours each to do the install.

The system uses a series of ball bearings running on ramps against a pressure plate that replaces the clutch springs. There is an option to keep manual clutch operation by installing a separate piece called the "perch adjuster" onto the cable-equipped bikes. This, since the clutch is disengaged at low rpm, keeps tension on the cable to give a better feel at the lever, even though you really never need to touch the lever if everything is set up properly. It also allows easy adjustment of the stall speed. On hydraulic-clutched bikes, you can leave the clutch or remove it altogether. The instructions are complete, but read them a couple of times so you have a grasp of the process before you do it, especially the setting of the gap between the clutch plates.

Riding the bike, you'll notice the Rekluse is one of the most unique and user-friendly products you could install. Since bikes like the 250X have to rev, the clutch isn't always slipping at low rpm as on big-bore machines, because it's grabbing hard at the revs the bike needs to be ridden at. The auto-clutch will allow you to ride a gear or two high, but that will wear out the plates if you do it too much. If you just shift it as you should, you can get away with a lot, since you never have to worry about clutching or stalling. It is critical that the bike be jetted properly. In the case of a bike that is prone to stalling due to jetting, the initial load will easily stall the bike when the clutch kicks in.

The true advantage is in very technical riding, where the Rekluse will do all the slipping for you and get you over and through obstacles that riders typically stall on. Even advanced riders quickly adapt to letting the clutch do the work and ride some stuff a gear high as the bike will now shoot out and save them a shift in the process. The clutch can still be used manually at low rpm and to get some snap, but the feel is pretty funny at the lever due to the Rekluse working internally. At higher rpm, the pull gets pretty stiff.

We put more than 40 hours on our 250X and checked it out for wear, which was no more than had the bike been stock. And on the two-stroke KTM it is working perfectly. It is important to understand the adjustment and what it takes to keep it set properly. About the biggest fault we found with the system is that you can't bump-start the bike. There are some riders who just can't get used to riding a bike with the $399-$549 Rekluse ($99 more for the perch adjuster), but by the same token, there are some who ride with it and will never go back. In fact, my wife Heather is worried riding with it will make her forget how to use the clutch at all! -Jimmy Lewis