This is how the slip clutch makes your bike safer

Besides being one of the most important, India is also one of the most competitive motorcycle markets in the world. This means that two-wheeler brands are under constant pressure to gain an advantage over their competitors in order to increase their sales. And one of the ways to do that is to offer a more cost effective package, packed with modern features and offering attractive performance. While the former may include provisions such as smartphone connectivity and electronic aids, the latter is achieved through a powerful motor and impressive suspension setup. Another factor that intensely affects the performance aspect of a motorcycle is the gearbox; not only the number of gears but also the type of gearbox, in particular the clutch. That brings us to the topic of this discussion – the slip clutch. If you are a motorcycle enthusiast, you must have heard the term “slip clutch”. Previously only available on high-performance and premium motorcycles, fierce competition in the Indian motorcycle segment has encouraged two-wheeler brands to also provide a slip clutch in several entry-level motorcycles. For example, bikes like Bajaj Pulsar 250, Yamaha R15 V4, TVS Apache RTR 165 RP, Apache RTR 200, Honda H’ness CB 350 and many other motorcycles now come with a slip clutch as standard. Many companies even promote the slipper clutch as one of the strengths of their products. But what is a slip clutch and what are its advantages?

PS We will discuss how to build a slip clutch in a separate article and go into how it works. But for now, we’ll focus on the purpose and benefits of a slip clutch.

A slip clutch is a mechanism that allows the clutch to slip during hard braking or downshifting so that the vehicle speed matches the engine’s revving speed, preventing the rear wheel from locking up. . Too complicated? Let’s try to simplify it.

Imagine that you are riding your bicycle on a highway at 80 km / h and an object suddenly appears in front of the vehicle. In such a scenario, you will be pressing hard on the brakes and simultaneously trying to reduce vehicle speed by downshifting a few gears. But such a sudden downshift will put stress on the gearbox, and the engine braking force (slowing down force (slowing down) applied to the rear wheels by the engine during deceleration) can also cause the rear wheels to lock or wobble, causing the rear wheels to lock up or sway. accident. And that’s where a slip clutch comes in.

The slip clutch mechanism will allow the clutch to slip so that the vehicle speed matches the engine’s revving rate, preventing the rear wheel from locking up. To better understand this, a bicycle without a slip clutch will transfer engine braking force to the rear wheel, causing the rear wheel to wobble or lock up. The slip clutch, on the other hand, will prevent this locking of the wheels, making it safer to brake hard, downshift to high speed, and then accelerate. This is exactly why all performance bikes come with a slip clutch so riders can brake hard and late in a curve without losing rear wheel traction and accelerate quickly after downshifting.