How Does a Clutch Work on a Dirt Bike?

The Lever

A lever on the handlebars of the bike operates the clutch. When you want to shift gears, you engage the clutch by squeezing it in. This releases the clutch plates so that you can shift. After shifting, you let the clutch out again, and the gears engage.

Clutch Plates and Springs

There are a series of two types of plates that form part of the clutch. The friction plates are the main component; the driving plates interweave with the drive plates and are held together or apart by the springs. When the clutch is engage by pressing the lever back, the springs force the plates apart and allow the rider to shift.

Slipper Clutch

A slipper clutch is a mechanism that is becoming popular for many dirt bikes. It was originally popular with race motorcycles. A slipper clutch helps to control the forces of engine braking when a rider slows down for a turn by controlling the negative torque on the drive chain. A slipper clutch partially disengages when the rear wheel tries to drive the engine faster. The slipper clutch has a clutch basket that has bearings that roll on a small ramp. When the rider brakes, the ramps ride up on each other and allow the crankshaft and the output shaft to rotate and different speeds to control the torque.

References

• How a Dirt Bike Clutch Works
• Slipper Clutch