amx . how to use your clutch for more power

Proper form - Slip that clutch!
by Roddy MacLeod

What do Jeremy McGrath, David Vuillemin, Mike Larocco, Kevin Windham, Travis Pastrana and other top riders have in common? Well, many things! But today we're going to talk abot how they all use the clutch properly.

The careful MX observer will notice that each of the top riders (in Canada and the United States, or wherever) are in the habit of keeping a finger on the clutch at any given time. Not just in corners, but in the air, down the long straight, in the whoops, etc. Why is this?	photo courtesy of NacNac.com
photo courtesy of TFS	Getting the power to the ground is every racer's main concern. The more horsepower you can get "to the ground" the faster you and your bike will go. As you probably know by now, your bike makes horespower throughout the range of revs your motor is capable of running (known as the powerband), but...
the bulk of the horsepower is made in just one area of that rev range - also known as the sweet spot of the powerband. Hey, have you ever been to one of the national races? It always sounds like the guys have their bikes "pinned" (i.e. the engine is running "wide open")? Well, that's because they are! They're in the sweet spot all the time - that's why they're going so fast. The more you can keep your bike in the sweet spot - the more horsepower you're going to deliver to the ground - the faster you're going to go.	photo courtesy of TFS
photo courtesy of TFS	Aside from shifting the motorcycle, the clutch is the tool for moderating where your bike is in the powerband. In particular, you want it to be in the sweetspot of the powerband as much as possible. Sometimes you're not in the perfect gear, and many times you'll find you are between gears over a certain obstacle, turn or whatever. This is the time to use your clutch!
"Slip" the clutch with your finger. Just pull it in a little, while keeping your throttle hand steady, and listen to the revs climb! (Don't forget to let it back out again!) This is also known as "jabbing" the clutch. The bike will lunge forward with the increased horsepower at the rear wheel.	photo courtesy of TFS
photo courtesy of TFS	Of course, this has limitations. If you're simply in too high of a gear (eg. 4th or 3rd instead of 2nd) stabbing the clutch will only make your bike sound like a wounded goat. But, properly applied in the right gear, and you'll be pulling your buddies to the next turn in a big way!
But notice too the guys have their finger on the clutch even when they're in the air. What's that all about? Since slipping the clutch in the air does nothing to move you down the track faster, the finger is on the clutch for either: increased drive as the rider leaves the jump face, or increased drive when the rider lands (especially for those times when you're jumping up a hill), or both.	photo courtesy of TFS
In any event, it's a good habit to get into. I learned it from a guy named Danny Fahie - some of you may remember him, but you're in the minority. He learned it from a guy named Gary Bailey, who taught it to his son, who went on to become multi-time US national champion. Other recent students include: Travis Pastrana, James Stewart, John Dowd.... Sidebar: Maintaining a smooth working clutch Ever walk up to your buddy's bike, grab a hold of his clutch lever and be amazed at how much easier it is to pull in than yours? At the end of the moto are you finding it difficult to get enough strength to even pull in that clutch? Okay, you need to maintain your clutch and cable for the best performance. It's easy, and you should perform these steps after each full day of riding: 1) After you've washed your bike, remove your ignition cover (Honda's, etc) and make sure there's no water collecting in there which will cause corrosion. If your clutch cable is routed into this area, keep the cover off until you've completed the following steps. Joe Treen photo 2) Peel back the rubber protective guard on your clutch perch to reveal the clutch lever pivot bolt. Disassemble the cable from the clutch perch (that thingy that holds your clutch lever and the cable together). Joe Treen photo 3) Get yourself a cable luber (if you don't already have one they're less than $20 at the bike shop) and spray generous amounts of lubricant into the cable. How much is enough? I do it after avery day of riding, and I let it spooge out of the bottom (ignition area) for as much as 20-30 seconds. This ensures all the dirt has been flushed out and replaced with lubricating liquid. A good lube to use is Silkolene's "All in One". Joe Treen photo When re-assembling the lever/cable junction, don't be afraid of putting grease on the pivot bolt and around the lever bushing itself. It will prolong the life of your lever and prevent it from becoming loose and flapping around on the perch. If your clutch still feels like it belongs on a CR 500, you might still have dirt in the cable somewhere. You may also have a kink in the cable - remove the cable and be sure it's routed properly and not damaged in any way. This is very important for late model Honda's. If you still have a stiff clutch, consider replacing the cable. They are also less than $20 and your bike will feel awesome. It should be replaced mid way through the season anyway. If your bike's brand new, consider purchasing lighter clutch springs if they're available. Remember, you don't always have to replace all the spring with lighter ones, but you can mix and match (some heavy springs, some light ones) in an effort to get the best possible combination. If you lube your clutch after every ride following these steps, it's going to feel great all the time. Your buddies will be totally jealous and you won't have any problem slipping that clutch when you need to roost him/her in the corners!