Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > Monsters > APTC Clutch - Whats the verdict

[skidlids]

The APTC Clutch has been fitted to some Ducatis for a while now, I think its fitted to Many of the later Monsters, including 620s, 695s and 800s

Is it as good as they say it is, do those racing a late 620 Monster in Desmo Due rate it or have they junked it.

My S2R 800 has one and i'm still undecided about it, it does give a light clutch action that suits the shorty CRG levers well, I haven't locked the rear on down changes and I'm not sure about the acceleration.
It may be just me but getting the front to lift isn't as easy as I thought it would be on an 800. Saying that the acceleration away from the line on my 996 or 998 with there dry sliiper clutches can be unpredicatable at times.
I do find my self wondering if I should see about swapping the clutch in the S2R for a normal wet plate setup.

I see its available for and used on a range of dirt bikes as well as the Ducatis

http://www.adigestore.com/shop_default.asp?l=3

http://www.sportrider.com/bikes/2004...tch/index.html

[MARTIN H]

My 07 dd bike had one (Multistrada) and I could feel it working at times where I just knew I would have had the back wheel skipping normally. Thing is I never really abused it and generally rode as if I didnt have one (trying to be smooth and blipping away on the downshifts etc) But I did find the clutch action to be very light with virtually no feel at all from the lever which made starts a bit hit or miss.

[skidlids]

From our battles at places like Castle Combe I know it didn't slow you down anym interesting about the hit or miss starts, sounds a bit like my wheelies on the S2R sometime it comes up just right and other times its know where near as intended.

[AK]

we junked it skids.
it was possibly better than not having one but it did judder badly on launch back in late 2005 and all 2006, compared with running a full slipper in 2007 when we had bikes in dd
Last year we had the 800s running one with sigma slipper and the other with aptc and found the aptc was too soft for launch for it.

[skidlids]

The message coming across here point towards the APTC unit not being the best option for launching either off the line at the start of the race or launching the the front wheel in the air for a decent wheelie.
May have to try a standard 620 Clutch with uprated springs in the 800 and see what I think

[paynep]

I've been working on my historically cr8p starts (well, only my qualifiying is worse) with the APTC, and there IS a way to launch well.

Having said that it's been on a road M620, not the racebike, so we'll see at Anglesey/Snet....
Either that or I race the Monster!

[skidlids]

Originally Posted by paynep

I've been working on my historically cr8p starts (well, only my qualifiying is worse) with the APTC, and there IS a way to launch well.

Having said that it's been on a road M620, not the racebike, so we'll see at Anglesey/Snet....
Either that or I race the Monster!

Paul does your race bike have an APTC clutch, I know Andy Shep was using one in his up until he broke it at Snetterton and then borrowed my spare standard one, pretty certain he rated the standard clutch as an improvement on the race bike

[paynep]

Hi Kev,
I've been running an APTC clutch for most of the last 2 years. I was getting judder on take off with the standard one despite lots of cleaning/checking etc so when Motorapido managed to get a brandnew APTC cheap it seemed rude not to fit it.

When I first used the ex-Geoff Spencer bike it had the standard clutch and I used it for a couple of rounds but couldn't get on with it so took the slipper off my "old" bike.

I have to do most of my overtaking on the brakes due to lack of talent elsewhere so having the slipper definitely helps me!!

I've acquired a spare complete APTC plus a 2nd set of plates so I think I'll stick with it. Perhaps if I had bigger balls in qualifying starting near the back would be less of a problem?

[skidlids]

Thats interestin to know Paul
all of my current Ducati road bikes have slippers of one kind or another with the S2R having the APTC unit, so I am pretty use to riding with one, the only other Ducati I ride on a regular basis is my DD bike which has a standatd clutch.
I was wondering if slipper clutches were needed in the smaller twins such as my 800 or the 620 and was thinking of fitting a normal clutch to the 800.
Maybe I should be thinking about fitting an APTC unit to the 620 DD bike and see how I get on with that.

[paynep]

I don't reckon that a slipper is needed for normal use on a 620/800 but banging it down 3 or 4 gears from flat out in top for the hairpin at Mallory or Pembrey is a bit different!

PS Don't forget that your normal clutch holding tool wont work on the APTC as its smaller