KDXRIDER.NET

Auto clutch or Steering stabilizer?
What would you pick over the two?
Personally I am pretty good at the ole' clutch,
but if you suddenly didn't need it at all, you could concentrate more on other things going on around you as you ride.
hmmmm.

Well Ive heard the root of lots of arm pump from 2 strokes is that your using the clutch so much, but ive also heard that the steering stablilizers reduce arm pump dramatically, which auto clutch though with the brand new rekluse You can use the clutch and it doesnt mess with the auto clutch. if its the new auto clutches id say auto clutch if not id easily go with the S.S.

We have alot of scarey downhill **** around here.

Engine breaking is kinda nice (IMHO)

So is the ability to bump start

Both of those go away with an auto clutch




My W.E.R. has saved my arse more than once!

My vote would be Damper. No offense to the Auto Crutchers.

there are easy fixes for the clutch like adding an 1/16th to arm that comes out of the clutch cover makes it feel easy. there is no fix for flopping front end except a stabalizer.

krazyinski wrote: . . . there is no fix for flopping front end except a stabalizer.

No options to a stabilizer?

I've read nothing but positive points about the stabilizers (the only negative being the cost) . . .

but there's also some claims out there that subtanks provide stabilization. The fellow that had them on was not comparing the subtanks to a WER or anything but noted they went a long ways for deflection and a plush ride. Then while searching around I found this (read the part on benefits under the pictures):

http://www.infinitymachineanddesign.com

I'm not promoting this company, just raising the possibility of subtanks being an alternative to the stabilizer.

Has anyone tried/tested the subtanks? I know a member made some.

("Has anyone tried/tested the subtanks? I know a member made some.")
that was me. subs help with fork action,does nothing for stabalizing the front at higher speeds. but if your running the oem forks then the stabalizer wont do much but counter the fork flex action.

I ran a stabilizer (WER) on my last kdx for about 4 years, including a few cross-country races. I never felt it made any significant difference with the KDX (stock-modified forks).

I wouldn't run an auto clutch - no matter what it provides, there are times you need a clutch to get out of a hole. I've ghosted my bike over deep holes by dumping the clutch - no room to ride, only way out kind of thing.
And clutching is an art anyway IMO - to replace it with an auto clutch is sacrilege.

I agree. A stabilizer isn't going to do that much good on stock forks. They are like spaghetti already. Upgrade to KX forks. Then the stabilizer, then the motor, then the clutch. I highly recommend upgrading the motor before installing an auto clutch. I discovered that there needs to be a certain amount of power available to make it work right. It will work with a stock KDX motor, but in places where you really need the ponies, it's going to have you working at shifting too much, where-as a regular clutched bike can be slipped. I had the auto clutch on my KDX and on my KX250. It worked much better on the 250. I could just leave it in 3rd gear. Ha!!

Anyway, do some searches and read everything you can on the auto clutch here. There's a detailed instruction with photos somewhere on the board as well.

skipro3 wrote:I agree. A stabilizer isn't going to do that much good on stock forks.

Starting to get deep in here!

Re: 'with the brand new rekluse You can use the clutch and it doesnt mess with the auto clutch'

Do you have a source for that information?

That 'factoid' has never been true for the KDX or any other bike with a clutch operated from the OUTside (unlike, say YZs for example). The Z-pro application chart lists only the KX450F..and only the KX250F is listed on the 'pending' chart.

Re: '..there needs to be a certain amount of power available to make it work right.'

Exactly. The 220 did NOT work 'right'. Rather than slipping to a power point, it 'hunted' a lot. Revs went up and down like a roller coaster. Not a hint of that on his 250. Pay attention to the man..he's had both.

Re: 'I agree. A stabilizer isn't going to do that much good on stock forks.

Starting to get deep in here!'

Ski is right as far as the 'H' models go..I had the same experience. Maybe the 'E' series have stronger tubes.

Just 'cuz one thing is one way on one model does not at all necessarily apply to a different model. ..that's a given, right?

You have engine braking with an autoclutch..until it unhooks, then a throttle blip will hook it back up. Not something I would want to mess with..I'm just saying engine braking is NOT altogether out of the picture.

I think you guys just get used to it

Even now I've recently heard you say how you don't think it is really doing much good on your KX forks.

You should try riding without it for awhile

I think it makes a world of difference, and to say it isn't going to do that much good on stock forks, is just bullshit (IMHO)

Is the autoclutch something a KDX rider should probably dismiss as a reliable mod?

This is what I am getting out of this discussion. Not that I even want one but this is more for those who may be thinking about this very expensive mod.

Wibby...you've had too much alky already this morning.

My WER did diddle for the OEM front end...for an 'H' model front end it amounts to little more than squat. It DOES work considerably better on the KX front-end. It doesn't work as good as a Scotts does, but it does something.

I've ridden a few (WER/no-WER 'H' OEM, WER KXd, Scotts/no-Scotts USDs) and the facts of the matter are simply indisputable!

AGAIN, for you Helen Reddy Sped Redders (Wibby) who missed the point, the fact that the WER does nothing for an 'H' front-end in NO way says ANYthing about the 'E' front-end. If you like yours, I am very happy for you. Heck, I might even be gay about it!!

IF it's a choice between dampers, it's Scotts hands down.

EFM is THE choice for autoclutch (Rekluse doesn't make one for the KDX). It's reliable enough...and if you gotta have one, well I guess you'll get one. Those that are convinced they are great will get one, those that are not won't.

I certainly see it as a MUCH more useful tool, say, on a KX450F than I do a KDX200.

Potaytoes--potahtoes.

Let's call the whole thing off!!

Whatever

FWIW, I dint miss the point, and I can remember a day when you thought IT was all THAT (that all changed after Marty's Scotts though)

Hell I'd never bought the thing if you'd said it was gonna do diddle

I think somebody's spiking your cloves!

It's like Ski said, it would be more useful on a bike with more HP. A FWW should be all you need.

As far as "works as designed"
Yes... I can see that it does given that you have enough ponies behind it to do it's job.

A KDX is a little lacking in that area so personally the warbling revs would drive me insane! I deem this a "PASS" in my book of mods.

at $400+ dollars the stabilizer or KX swap would be money better spent.

I guess folks 'get used' to a lot of things.

I'm with Inda...the RRrrRRrrRRrrRRrr..would drive me nuts(ier) too.

Granted, there are times it shines!!! Reach a dead end on single track that's sidehilling a steep slope? I had ski's bike turned around in a few seconds. Try THAT with a clutch and no hand operated back brake!


Whatever!

Good discussion here for sure!!

When it's all said and done, I would get the autoclutch for any bike I ever own again. I liked it that much. They are strong. Garry (EFM) makes them for any bike out there and sells a lot to harley owners. Just look at his site and you will see.

It just wouldn't be the first mod I did. Again, my order of preference in modding any bike, not just a KDX is:
1. tuning (carb, pipe, intake, exhaust) what ever you want to call it. Get that bike jetted and breathing correctly for your type and style of riding.
2. Suspension; you can't go fast (for long anyway) if you can't stay on that bronco bucking around out on the trail. That includes a steering damper.
3. engine performance mods; that includes head, reeds, upgraded carb, etc.
4. auto clutch; I really allows a mediocre rider to look like they know what they are doing. Also, for the older rider, it saves lots of effort when you do crash. Just pick the still running bike up, toss your leg over it and twist the throttle. No matter what gear it's in, you will start rolling again.
5. hand operated rear brake. The finess of control compared to the foot rear brake far outweighs any autoclutch negative issues. It's like riding a mountain bike with someone else pedaling!

Like CC, I don't KNOW about the model Wib has for fork performance. But I do know everytime I modded my bike, I thought it would be a waste of money. I was usually pleasantly suprised to discover a whole new level of performance that I didn't know existed. If you THINK your bike is great, then why isn't that design the one on current model bikes? It may be that performance isn't needed, but I said that about my first truck, a 1956 International. Now I have a 2006 Dodge Ram Cummins Turbo Diesel. With the first truck and every truck since the current truck, I was convinced I had the baddest one out there, performance wise. I was constantly reminded that my experiance limited my ability to make that kind of statement.

Re: 'I was convinced I had the baddest one out there, performance wise. I was constantly reminded that my experiance limited my ability to make that kind of statement.'

Very good!!

..and so it is.

My bike has run 'great' so many times I've lost count. ..and then I change something! Lo and behold...it's GREAT summore.

So how was it 'great' before? That was a statement made based on my experience that limited my ability.

Amen!

**edit**

Cute, Inda. Real cute!!