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SE 5 clutch question

coz

Active member
if the se clutch doesn't fully lock up untill 3600 or so rpm's, does that mean that every time you take off from a stop, that the clutch is actually slipping, untill that rpm is reached? we were talking about this at bike night Wed., me ( sm5 ) , and Stan ( Sporterspyder se5) neither of knew the answer. please enlighten
us.:popcorn:
 
All clutches slip when you take off from a stop. That's one of their functions. If they lock up immediately, you stall...with either an SE or an SM.
 
The SE5 is a centrifugal clutch. It begins to engage at 2000 RPM and reaches full engagement or lock, around 3500 RPM. When stopping it fully disengages at 2000 RPM.

Tech's at Durango advised me to stay above 3750 to insure it stayed locked. I bumped that by 250 RPM for personal comfort. What's another 250 RPM. Then too, I know I can let it drop under that(4K) a bit.

Someone has said it stays locked when the RPM's are dropping but provided no details or specifics. So, I took that information with a grain of salt.


Edit:

It's said the clutch locks at 3200 RPM (plus or minus 200 RPM). How does anyone know whether they have a plus 200 RPM clutch, or a minus 200 rpm clutch?
 
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Clutch Slipping

What about when you're inching along in traffic, are you destroying the clutch? And when you're in a parade moving at a speed so slow that you're below 3,200 rpm?
 
What about when you're inching along in traffic, are you destroying the clutch? And when you're in a parade moving at a speed so slow that you're below 3,200 rpm?


By design they will take it to a point. That's why they have an oiler tube which serves to keep them bathed in oil. That said, once the engine is kicking the fan on and off with regularity, or, it's staying on so much it could be considered almost constant. You have to decide whether what you're doing is a wise choice or not. If I knew that would be a concern I'd mount a oil temp gauge to use in conjuction with my water temp gauge so I'd have more info to make a sound judgement with. jmo
 
Well..!!

Don't have the se5 but if you ever rode a manual you know about slipping (feathering, sliding etc) the clutch. If you just let go you lurch and then nose dive then proceed to re-start with a red face..the starting and stopping is not the harmful part. Lugging (not keeping the rpm's up)or sliding the clutch to get to speed on manual really hurts the clutch. Well that and not maintaining proper oil levels and filters..!! :ohyea:
 
not ragging

i'm not trying to rag on the se, just trying to understand what really happens. i get it that all clutches slip. i can let mine out at idle and take off. but it is locked up immediately.:popcorn: it doesn't seem to be an issue with the se. don't hear of many clutch failures. am i right or wrong?
 
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i'm not trying to rag on the se, just trying to understand what really happens. i get it that all clutches slip. i can let mine out at idle and take off. but it is locked up immediately.:popcorn:

Far from ragging on the SE. The more we talk about it the more informed people become. It's their choice whether they believe or care to apply any of it.
 
What about when you're inching along in traffic, are you destroying the clutch? And when you're in a parade moving at a speed so slow that you're below 3,200 rpm?

Simple answer NO.

Small amount of slippage from time to time causes no harm and is desirable in some cases. It is a matter of how much load you put on the clutch and for how long. Holding a constant speed in first gear puts very little strain on the clutch, but full throttle in 5th puts it under a very high load. Also driving in 5th gear at or below 3200 rpm for mile after mile down the highway can possibly can build up a lot of heat and destroy the clutch.
 
avoidance

All clutches slip when you take off from a stop. That's one of their functions. If they lock up immediately, you stall...with either an SE or a n SM.
Scotty, you are avoiding the question.:roflblack::roflblack::roflblack: if anybody here would know, it would be you.:bowdown:
 
Simple answer NO.

Small amount of slippage from time to time causes no harm and is desirable in some cases. It is a matter of how much load you put on the clutch and for how long. Holding a constant speed in first gear puts very little strain on the clutch, but full throttle in 5th puts it under a very high load. Also driving in 5th gear at or below 3200 rpm for mile after mile down the highway can possibly can build up a lot of heat and destroy the clutch.
I dont know if I would like to see a :ani29: in 5th gear with rpms that low. Can U say CABooM!
 
if the se clutch doesn't fully lock up untill 3600 or so rpm's, does that mean that every time you take off from a stop, that the clutch is actually slipping, untill that rpm is reached? we were talking about this at bike night Wed., me ( sm5 ) , and Stan ( Sporterspyder se5) neither of knew the answer. please enlighten
us.:popcorn:

Scotty, you are avoiding the question.:roflblack::roflblack::roflblack: if anybody here would know, it would be you.:bowdown:

Hey coz,

If you're looking for one persons opinion. It would be nice if you just said so up front.

It would save the rest of us a lot of time.nojoke
 
not so

there are a great many folks here that know a great deal about these bikes. way more than me . I M O , Scotty happens to know the most. so far, my question has not been answered.:popcorn: to my way of thinking, i would say YES, it does. if i only wanted to ask Scotty i would have sent him a pm.
 
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Scotty, you are avoiding the question.:roflblack::roflblack::roflblack: if anybody here would know, it would be you.:bowdown:
I ddin't mean to avoid directly answering. On the SE, the clutch slips between 2,000 and 3,200 rpm +/- 200 rpm every time you start from a dead stop. Not much different from the SM, except that the rpm can vary there, depending on how you use the clutch and throttle.
 
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