What is Slipper Clutch?

When you ride your bike at high speeds and come across a very sharp corner, you should use engine braking instead of applying brakes. Usually, people apply the brakes and slow the bike down by shifting to a lower gear. But, braking during any high-speed cornering can easily cause your bike to skid and hit the ground. But dropping multiple gears at the same time can damage the bike’s gearbox, and it is also a huge risk to your safety. A slipper clutch can drastically reduce such instances and provide safety to the bike. The slipper clutch of bikes is also known as the back torque limiter clutch.

In the case of a normal clutch, the bike’s engine braking power is transferred to the rear wheel of the bike via the chain drive or the shaft drive which results in the shaking, jumping, or loss of traction of the rear wheel. The slipper clutch as explained is made to control the rear wheel of the bike under downshifting and hard braking that leads to the loss of traction of the rear wheel.

The slipper clutch comes in handy, especially on bikes that have a higher displacement where the braking force of the engine is massive, which may result in the loss of control of the bike, which may lead to accidents or high-speed collisions.

Now that you know what is a slipper clutch in bikes, here is how it works. The slipper clutch makes use of ramps in order to drive apart from the bike’s clutch plates in situations where the negative torque of the bike goes above a certain threshold. So, if you have to downshift too many gears at one time or suddenly throw out the bike’s clutch lever and the threshold is exceeded, the bike’s clutch plates will disengage partially and slip. This will limit the amount of negative torque that is sent to the rear wheels of the bike, which in turn prevents any lock-up.

There are many advantages of the slipper clutch in bikes in India over a standard clutch. Some of the top benefits of the slipper clutch have been listed below.

• The bike rider does not have to put too much focus on the clutch at the time of cornering but can keep themselves focused on more essential things like braking by ABS, cornering posture, etc. This leads to a more effective braking system for the bike.

• One of the top advantages of the slipper clutch in bikes in India is that it provides help in preventing engine seizure, rear-wheel lockup, and the failure of transmission. Any of these incidents can cost you a lot of money and can be almost half of the money that you have paid for the purchase of your bike.

• The main advantage of having a slipper clutch is that it causes a reduction in the sudden forces and the overall momentum inside the bike’s transmission. This causes only some minor wear and tear to take place in the transmission of the bike.

• Another amazing feature of the slipper clutch is that it absorbs most of the vibrations and shocks that can be caused during cornering which leads to a less bumpy drive and the suspension adds an extra layer of comfort making the ride smooth and effortless.

• The functioning of your bike enhances overall due to the slipper clutch. This is because there are no abrupt interruptions and sudden jerks that may cause a disruption in the engine of the bike due to the sudden braking of the bike.

While there are many amazing advantages of the slipper clutch, there are a few disadvantages as well. And while the slipper clutch is extraordinary, there are some things that can be worked on. Some of the disadvantages of the slipper clutch are listed below.

• The overall installation and construction of the bike’s slipper clutches can be quite complex. Some of the manufacturers find it to be so complex that they skip using the clutch in their bikes and instead install one of the standard clutches in the bikes.

• Typically, a slipper clutch is quite expensive. This is being said in terms of the installation and construction of the clutch. And the cost is not inclusive of the wear and tear of the clutch, the safety of the rider, and the less suspension movement.

• In some cases, if the engine of the bike is very powerful, but the brakes of the bike are weak, you can be dependent on the standard clutch to slow down the speed of the bike. This might not seem to be possible when it comes to the slipper clutch brakes unless the transmission is tweaked in order to provide this level of braking capabilities.

There are many bikes in India offering slipper clutch, and you can choose the right one after proper research. Before you buy a bike, it is essential that you learn how to ride the bike safely. Ensure you always wear a helmet to keep yourself safe on Indian roads. Also, always choose a suitable bike insurance policy to financially safeguard yourself in case your bike is part of an accident.