Rekluze Autoclutch

I have a rekluze Auto clutch fitted to my 2003 FE501E. It bolts on and works like it was factory issue. So regardless of what catalogs etc state you can have one of these for your pre 2004 bergs now.

The importer for the rekluze in Australia "Sutto's" happens to be one of the biggest Husaberg dealers in the country and they found that with very little modification you could fit the rekluze clutch as listed for the 2000 model KTM 520/400 quite easily to the Bergs. Not surprising considering the KTM were broadly based/copy of, their recently acquired Swedish stable mates)

Sutto's run one on their 04 450 berg race bike so I know they are available for latter (04) model bergs also but are not sure what KTM equivalent model clutch they use for these, so the following description etc is all based on my own experience fitting the 2000 model KTM rekluze clutch to my 2003 FE501 berg.

The original unit I received and installed required that one of the friction plates be removed from the clutch pack to ensure that the completed assembly would fit without hitting the clutch cover. This meant that you had 2 steel plates up against and spinning relative to the recluse pressure plate. This in theory would result in unnecessary wear of the rekluze pressure plate and a reduction in total friction power of the clutch.

The fingers of the Rekluze Pressure Plate (R need to be machined down approx 1mm so as to avoid them contacting the tabs of the first friction plate.

To cut a long storey short this was all quite simple and once installed the clutched worked extremely well.

However I then received in the mail a free updated RPP (this is the expensive looking billeted aluminum plate that the ball bearing run in)
Apparently the guys at rekluze wer'nt’t happy with the amount of tolerance/free play in the original unit (this applied KTM and hence bergs) and so sent replacement units to everyone who already purchased one. Talk about standing by your product. Awesome back up service.

Anyway new unit fits so neatly that no machining is required at all. It is also slightly thinner so now instead of removing a friction plate (1.7mm thick) you now remove a steel plate (1.0mm thick). This is the ideal solution as now you are left with a friction plate hard up against the RPP both of which are locked into the outer basket and so spin together so there is no wear or friction at all being applied to the RPP. It simple pushes the pack together. The original/standard clutch plate sequence and power is also fully retained.

The fitting of all rekluze clutches (as far as I'm aware always require that the spring towers are filled down 1.0mm. This allows shims to be installed onto the towers to enable the total clutch pack clearance to be varied. The clutch pack clearance is one of the variable that determines the action/characteristics of the clutch. The kit come complete with a steel template that sits over the tower and you simply file them down flush onto top of this template.

The up shot of all this is the latest version of the 00-01 KTM 520/400 rekluze clutch fits the berg like a glove.

Simple remove clutch cover and standard pressure plate springs etc. File towers down using supplied template, reinstall clutch pack minus outermost steel plate, install rekluze supplied bits as per supplied instructions and bolt it up. It will most probable take couple of tries to get the right combination of clucth clearance and spring preload to suit ones own taste. But this is the case for all bikes. But rest assured the rekluze fits and works perfectly on the berg.

My current set up is a s follows
0:-shims on spring towers (tower filed down as per instructions)
Enduro wave spring (they also come with a stiffer motocross spring.
0:- spring preload washers
1:- 1.2mm steel clutch plate in leu of standard 1.0mm plate
6:- Tungsten Carbide balls, twice as heavy as steel balls (30 balls total)
0:- beveled spring washers

The Tungsten Carbide balls are not supplied standard and cost me $6 Australian each.

I am very happy with this configuration and don’t envisage making any changes.

I have left the manual clutch installed, but have yet to find a need for it other than when first kicking it in to gear in morning as there can be a bit of drag for first 10 or 20 seconds when cold.

If you want to refit original clutch you simply place remove Rekluze set up and place 4 shims washers (0.25mm per shim) onto each tower and then bolt up standard clutch.

That will do for now.

Cheers
Horto

You really have to try a bike with auto clutch to understand/appreciate how good they are. Most people figure they are going to be good on tight technical trails, which they indeed are, but I have been most impressed with how good they are on the faster open trails. I have yet to find any fanging situation where it isn’t better than a manual clutch.

I say fanging situation because one of the only negatives found and this is nit picking, is that you can get unwanted clutch slip if you ride at really low revs in high gears on a transport section. This is simple solved by just ridding a gear lower to keep revs slightly higher. You need to be lugging bike at near chain snatching revs for this occur so it really isn’t a problem but worth mentioning.

First thing to understand is that once you have say approx 4000 revs the clutch is fully locked and the bike rides exactly as per manual bike, so when your powering through the gears its no different at all. The same goes in corners if you change down gears and keep the bike in the low mid range or higher, there again there is no difference. So if you want to ride hard and aggressive you wont noticed much difference.

The real benefits come however when you ride it like a pro motor crosser would. I.e. gear higher in the corners clutching it out to control power and give you plenty of acceleration and minimizing the number of gear changes required before the next corner. It really is like having Chad Reed or Ricky Carmichael working the clutch for you, but the auto clutch gets it right every single time. I never used to use manual clutch on the this 510 or my 2000 model as lets face the 501 pulls so sweetly no matter where you are in the rev range it doesn’t need or demand clutching. But it is almost a revelation to exit a corner with the auto clutch feeding the power our as smooth and as hard as you want by simple dialing it on. Clutch slip does a much better job of regulating power than throttle as you don’t get a much smoother transition between on and off throttle as whilst clutch is slipping if you back off you don’t get as instant or as abrupt engine breaking. This means that it’s easier to ride on the limit powering out of corners.

I managed to overtake 3 mates all of a similar skill level on one fast slippery 3 to 4th gear off camber corner. Ever the slightest incorrect clutch or throttle would have bike wheel spinning madly or sideways on the steering stops, I simply dialed in on in 4th and let the clutch smoothly accelerate a held a perfect slide all the way round , before nailing it hard and launching down the next straight. I must have been good for 20-25m gain on this one corner.

Third gear racing starts, are simply magic and are almost impossible to stuff up, unless you dial it on too hard and flip it. It’s a weird sensation to sit there with head over the bars in the start position with bike simply idling away. Away there nothing to it other than twisting the throttle hard. Bike will instantly rev up into upper midrange and launch hovering front wheel just off the ground or as high as you dictate with throttle, next thing clutch has fully locked up your tapped out in third. There’s no excessive wheel spin or bogging down. I honestly think you could try all day on manual clutch and not beat the start you had very first time on the auto clutch. Maybe the perfect start on with a manual would just pip it but the fact is you are going to get near perfect starts every single time.

As for logs etc there auto clutch again reigns supreme, particularly on slow speed or large logs. One of the biggest advantages with auto is that you can keep all your fingers on the bars so when you pull back you can do so with more power and control than when tiring to simultaneously work the clutch. You simply pull back twist throttle and you’ll get perfect clutch action/drive for what ever gear you’re in. Then as soon as fronts up simply button off and its like you’ve pull the clutch, so rear wheel will simple hit and roll over or drive over if throttle is applied. Fast logs just select the right gear as per manual and dial it on as hard as required.

The most fun I’ve had is on tight single track where you can go flat out brake sliding it in then dialing it on early (can even load throttle up whilst rear wheel is locked for some real slingshot action) and launching out with perfect clutch action, all with no fear of stalling and surrendering all the ground you thought you’d made up or gained. This would be a huge benefit in enduro special tests or motocross where one stall can ruin you day.

There are then the additional benefits of reduced arm pump and general fatigue. Arm pump because you maintain a full finger grip all the time. Less fatigue as you basically cant stall the bike, therefore avoid those clumsy drops. Its also much easier to get up nasty hills, & over logs etc.

So do you need one to have a good time riding your bike? No.
Are they better than a manual? In my experience it’s the single best mod you can make if you want to ride better, faster & easier.

Are they for real men? I’ll contemplate that further when I’m waiting at the top of the next monster hill.

Cheers
Horto

Taffy

I find out which version of the Rekluze KTM clutch it is. I pretty sure its the 00-01 model 520/400 KTM. ie Part Number RMS131. But i'll call sutto's and confirm this.

Cheers
Horto