Upgrading the clutch

sam2019

Administrator
Staff member
Distributor
Developer
477 Owner
28. December 2021, 12:16

Today we changed the clutch on the "red bike". The last time we did this was around the time we also did the green bike and that can be seen in this video, that was in October 2020 and a good 15.000km earlier.
Today the clutch had the slightest of slipping - almost none. But I opted to change it as there was a time window open for it and I had been able to get my hands on new clutch plates.
This bike was run as a 477cc ever since the last clutch change (and before as a 500cc). I really do not think one needs better plates or harder springs. OEM seems just fine.

The noteworthy thing is this: in the BS6 models the metal housing has holes for the oil to penetrate. These are missing in the BS3 and BS4 models. Apparently (or so the technicians are told) this prolongs the life of the clutch plates. We just used an electric drill on our housing. Before and after pics:
 

Attachments

  • 20211228_120040.jpg
    20211228_120040.jpg
    211 KB · Views: 78
  • 20211228_115433.jpg
    20211228_115433.jpg
    183 KB · Views: 72
  • 20211228_112730.jpg
    20211228_112730.jpg
    272.9 KB · Views: 72
About the Hitch plates:
Clutch Plate surface area, big difference plus 2 extra plates , must be a huge increase.

However: ignoring economic factors this may be a good idea, given a stock set of clutch plates costs 17 GBP (with tax) and the H. clutch is 88 GBP (with tax) and further given that stock did last nearabout 15,000km in a 477 the only reason not to use stock could be that the changing is expensive if done in a workshop. That would be a very good reason to use the H. set when doing it in the west if one does not plan to do the work oneself. Of course assuming the H. set really lasts at least double as long. Time will tell.

Changing the clutch in the Hima is fairly simple, in complexity somewhere between changing brake pads and a camshaft I would say. Most people could easily do it without any special tools as shown in our video.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20220101_183041.jpg
    IMG_20220101_183041.jpg
    2.2 MB · Views: 75
My clutch survived 41 000kms and it did not have the holes. I did think there is a bit of slippage sometimes now, so looking at it 2 of the plates are slightly blue, the ones nearest the engine. So my guess the oil did overheat. So hole upgrade was done and new plates will go in this weekend.
 
Back
Top