[jarelj]

Great news for those seeking the ultimate SV! We got 5 more of the SV slipper cluthes, so if you missed out on the first batch, you have a 2nd chance. These will be the last ones we can get for a while, the manufacturer is out of stock already and has to make another production run later this summer. After our Ad in Road Racing World last month, the clutches went fast! They're in the online store at SVRaceShop.com.

 

[phelix]

I know this might sound stupid but what advantage will I gain if I use a slipper clutch. I dont race or do trackdays. I ride on the street..normal and agressive. Are they mostly to help my rear tire from going nuts if I downshift at higher rpms?

 

[jarelj]

I know this might sound stupid but what advantage will I gain if I use a slipper clutch. I dont race or do trackdays. I ride on the street..normal and agressive. Are they mostly to help my rear tire from going nuts if I downshift at higher rpms?

Due to the large amount of engine braking produced by a twin, if you're under hard braking and downshift you may find that the rear end skids and dances around behind you unsettling the chassis. The slipper allows you to downshift, let the clutch out, and the rear wheel will not skid. You have to be braking pretty aggressively before you'd notice the difference, but if you are it's pretty sweet. As far as street vs. track, I know I'd never be riding that aggressively on the street so for me it only makes sense on the track.

 

[jarelj]

First known picture of the slipper mounted up!!

 

[Kris87]

i've never known anyone to teardown a clutch basket in superstock....hmmm. :lol:

 

[jarelj]

i've never known anyone to teardown a clutch basket in superstock....hmmm. :lol:

:twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

[Nimbus]

So, here's the part I don't understand. I grasp what the slipper does in terms of downshifting (and boy would it be nice for those times you rent a track bike and the clutch disengages at a different point than what you are used to). But if you blip the throttle perfectly on every shift, wouldn't it be redundant? It sounds as if it also slips under hard braking too.

 

[jarelj]

So, here's the part I don't understand. I grasp what the slipper does in terms of downshifting (and boy would it be nice for those times you rent a track bike and the clutch disengages at a different point than what you are used to). But if you blip the throttle perfectly on every shift, wouldn't it be redundant? It sounds as if it also slips under hard braking too.

If you're relying on blipping to match revs and keep the tire from skidding, you have to time it perfectly so that you downshift at a speed where the blip will be effective. If you screw it up, you have no safety net (at least at race pace), and you're going to unsettle the bike and give up lap time. The slipper gives you more options. You can still ride the same way you're used to, blipping and matching revs, timing your downshifts with your speed. Or you can just bomb in into the corner dropping 3 gears at once, and letting the slipper do the work. It's pretty cool! It also teaches you to rely less on engine braking and more on your brakes for slowing down.

 

[DucOwner]

So, here's the part I don't understand. I grasp what the slipper does in terms of downshifting (and boy would it be nice for those times you rent a track bike and the clutch disengages at a different point than what you are used to). But if you blip the throttle perfectly on every shift, wouldn't it be redundant? It sounds as if it also slips under hard braking too.

You wouldn't want or need one if you blip the throttle. The one pictured is on my race bike. Even though I'm just an old expert racer I "NEED" one!
Easy to use, no input required!

 

[donniej]

I love the slipper clutch concept and have been mentally masturbating over getting one for a long time... truely an awsome product.

I've never heard anything about longevity though, how long do they usually hold up?

 

[eisenfaust]

Very trick piece of kit. Too bad it probably costs an arm and a leg. Heh. Couldnt justify it for a streetbike.

I predict that someday, they'll be standard on most bikes, though. Ducati offers them on its base level monsters, and most sportsbikes are starting to get them as well.

Yeah, the SV is a budget bike, but still... someday. Heh.

 

[jarelj]

We'll have some track testing results next week, both my SV and DucOwner's SV have brand new slippers and we'll be at Grattan for 5 days of track riding!! 8)

 

[Bster13]

5 days in a row? OMG I'd be sore. I'm worried about being sore for my two day wknd @ Pocono East coming up haha.

 

[Novadesigns]

So these are what... a $2,000 upgrade?

 

[jarelj]

They're $875, and there are 4 left right now.  I had 5 full days of riding my SV with the new superbike motor and slipper clutch, alternating with riding my Ducati 749R.  Honestly, the slipper in the SV worked identically to the slipper in my Duc.  Heading into Turn 5 at Grattan (clockwise direction), you go over a steep crested hill (the "Jump Ramp") right before entering the corner and then throw it into the right-hander scrubbing off speed as you enter the turn (if you have the guts to not brake before the hill).  I was able to downshift with the rear wheel in the air as I crested the hill and allow the slipper to handle keeping the rear end sorted as I entered the turn.  That was too cool to accurately describe!  I could do the same thing on my Duc.  With a stock clutch, I would have had to be very careful with the lever to feather it out and not lock up the rear wheel and highside myself into the weeds.  I've kicked the blipping habit, slippers are my best friend now!

 

[Novadesigns]

Wow! only $875? That's really pretty amazing, I had heard that they were a lot more than that.

I wonder how many more years it will be until all sportbikes have slippers stock? I was surprised how many new bikes are coming with them.

 

[jarelj]

Wow! only $875? That's really pretty amazing, I had heard that they were a lot more than that.

I wonder how many more years it will be until all sportbikes have slippers stock? I was surprised how many new bikes are coming with them.

Yeah, we originally thought they be over $1k, but we were able to get a big enough order for them that the cost came out pretty resonable. And I think you'll see the trend continue with more and more bikes coming with slippers stock.... HOWEVER, it will be inevitable that the OEM's will start finding ways to cut corners on them and you'll see slippers coming stock in some new sportbikes that really don't work that well.

 

[jarelj]

For anyone who is considering upgrading to the slipper clutch, now is the time! We're down to the last three units. These things really are awesome, I got to try mine out again last Thursday at the MotoMania track day at MAM. Yes, you can get by with blipping the throttle to match revs on downshifts, but it's not quite the same. Dropping three gears, dumping the clutch and throwing the bike into Turn 1 is a blast! Not needed or recommended for street-only riding, but if you do track days you'll have a lot of fun with it!

 

[Nimbus]

For anyone who is considering upgrading to the slipper clutch, now is the time!  We're down to the last three units.  These things really are awesome, I got to try mine out again last Thursday at the MotoMania track day at MAM.  Yes, you can get by with blipping the throttle to match revs on downshifts, but it's not quite the same.   Dropping three gears, dumping the clutch and throwing the bike into Turn 1 is a blast!  Not needed or recommended for street-only riding, but if you do track days you'll have a lot of fun with it!

I can see the benefits for racers, but for average track day goers, it seems like the ultimate lazy way out. "Gee, I'm not proficient enough to blip down through the gears." And it seems like it would engrain some bad habits that you'd be loathe to have if you ever rode another bike w/o the slipper.

Does it add any wear to the clutch?

 

[jarelj]

I can see the benefits for racers, but for average track day goers, it seems like the ultimate lazy way out.  "Gee, I'm not proficient enough to blip down through the gears."  And it seems like it would engrain some bad habits that you'd be loathe to have if you ever rode another bike w/o the slipper. 

Does it add any wear to the clutch?

It has nothing to do with being lazy, I'm certainly proficient at blipping the throttle on downshifts. It's a whole new tool to use in your riding that allows you to do things differently, and I've found that I really like riding that way. It's not like any Joe Bag-O-Donuts can just hop on the bike and go fast because they have a slipper clutch, there's still a whole set of skills involved, it's just different and allows you to do things that you can't do without one. There's a reason that more and more bikes are coming from the factory with slipper clutches now. Don't know about the wear issue, no one has 15k miles on one yet, they're still new.