Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > Slipper fitted - Impressions

[Mr_S]

Here's some comments on riding with the slipper, been out in the wet and dry and this is my take on what's fitted to my bike

Downshifts - Slipper positively smooths these out, from cack handed efforts to the blipping the throttle to the correct speed and snicking it in. Massive improvement, yep it works.

Engine Braking - No loss at all, at V high speeds it slips for a fraction of a second as you slam (and I mean SLAM!) the throttle shut, but if your closing gradually no slip at all.

Launch / pulling away - Fine, no issues what so ever. Surflex plates in the clutch, if that makes a difference.

Lever Feel - This is the wierd bit to get used to, as with your fingers on the lever you can feel the slipper do it's thing as the lever goes light all of a sudden. I was told to expect this, and it's telling me it's doing it's thing.

Lever Travel - Seems to be more free play (deeper clutch pack, shimmed out slightly for basket clearance so more pushrod travel before hitting the pressure plate maybe?)


Engine response - Slightly quicker spin up, I think the whole thing's about 1.5kg's lighter than stock (Flywheel next service, or maybe just bin the flywheel altogether....)


All in all, I'm happy as a pig in muck. Really please I went for this, and thanks to tp-996 for passing on the sellers details.

Well worth the cash, fitting hassles etc.
:b urn:

[Edited on 2-10-2004 by Mr_S]

[TP]

Did u buy the Surflex plates separately? I left the plates in it that came with it.

Lever feel - there is a definite snick through the lever when the clutch kicks in and it feels a bit weird - but I'm used to it now (I've done 170 miles around Silverstone since it was fitted).

Launch / Pulling away - I started to notice on Tuesday that it seemed a bit 'graunchy' when I was taking off in 1st, I stalled it once it felt so weird. Not sure if this is normal or not?? Maybe the Surflex plates made the difference here? Anyone with more slipper experience please comment? Nelly?

Didn't notice the quicker spin-up but then I've got a lightened flywheel already, it spins up quick. I also didn't notice the slight slipping when you shut off the throttle at high speed. I was doing an indicated 140 or thereabouts when I was shutting off (hard) on the back straight and I didn't notice it. I was concentrating on a few other things though ...

Downshifts ... what can I say You can change down where you need to and I was letting the clutch out and tipping in pretty much straight away. No need to even think about it anymore. Absolutely fantastic and really improved my corner entry speed.

Always happy to help

Hi,

Run a slipper on my bike for some time now. Make's Nurburg ring far more enjoyable. Noted your comment on 'graunchy take off', mine will do this after most hard sessions, to clear it you need to simply remove plates blow clean and rebuild the clutch pack. I tend to assemble in slightly different order to allow uniform wear to frictions. For some reason the frictions tend not to wear uniformally and by swapping them gets more miles from a pack.

I think it probably due to excessive dust build up when slipper is working hard, but a clean cures it.


Cheers

Dave B

[TP]

Thanks Dave, you're a champion!

[Mr_S]

The plates that came with the clutch were identified as Surflex plates by the guys at Moto Rapido, so were the ones with the clutch, it was stripped down and cleaned up before refitting, and checked for wear (virtually none ) Your's are probably the same sintered type of plates.

The slip when slamming shut is very slight, at similar speeds, and I was feeling for it at the lever, which you wouldn't be doing on the back straight. If I wasn't feeling for it, I'd not have noticed it.

[JPM]

Had a chat with John Hackett at the weekend, and we were discussing graunchy clutches etc, he said it's partly dust build up, and over time the dished plates get deformed, and become more like the standard steel plates, maybe only fractionally, but enough to cause that...

[marchesini]

Originally posted by tp-996
Launch / Pulling away - I started to notice on Tuesday that it seemed a bit 'graunchy' when I was taking off in 1st, I stalled it once it felt so weird. Not sure if this is normal or not?? Maybe the Surflex plates made the difference here? Anyone with more slipper experience please comment? Nelly?

I've had the Sigma one on my bike for about 3 years now and the amount of additional confidence it gives on corner entry cannot be stressed enough.

That said though, when taking off from a standstill, you have to be really gentle when letting the clutch out or else the bike will stall - I have just got used to it but various people have told me different solutions - some which is get used to it to put back the old one if you want to ride it around town! A friend of mine tried to ride the bike and must have stalled it 6 or 7 times before he was able to get away.

I now believe that with a closed clutch cover, excessive dust causes the 'graunchiness' so I will be experimenting with washers and open clutch covers to see if that helps. Anyone else experience this 'grauchiness' with an open clutch cover??

Best regards

simon