Has anyone heard if slip assist clutches are in the pipeline for Harleys.

Yamaha has rolled them out in their cruisers this year and Kawasaki is even putting them on their cheaper entry level bikes now like the new 650cc parallel twin offerings.

Just currious where Harley is on these.

 

It's what the new m8 and some CV0 / 110 twincam HDs have.. I would guess it's OK to keep the rear tire from skidding,but it adds to drive line slop, shift clunk and makes the friction zone more sensitive.

http://www.harley-davidson.com/store...nce-clutch-kit

 

It came stock in my '15 Limited Low.

Pretty nice setup, but the '17 version has some complaints from owners about narrow engagement point and hard lever pull not present in earlier versions.

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Interesting comment about level pull. It is supposed to, at least in theory, reduce lever pull effort as they can use weaker clutch springs as the initial friction is supposed to cause full engagement pressure of clutch due to slanted ramps and torque of engine. Driven a few bikes like the MV Agusta Tourismo Velece with this and found it was much smoother than a conventional clutch with a significantly lighter pull, may be a difference of design. Yet to drive harley's version. Engine braking seemed reduced though. If HD has it on their CVO bikes, I expect it will trickle down, at least after they refine it, as the cost of building on is not much different than a conventional clutch.

 

Test drive a new M8.. Let us know what you think as to how the clutch feels compared to the MV.. All M8 HDs have the clutch.

 

stock on the 15 up models. don't know about the 14's.

 

I may be wrong but I think in '15 it was only the CVOs and the Limited Low.

__________________________________________________ ____
For ROCKOUT information & purchasing please click the LINKS below... For all Twin Cams and Evo Big Twins & Sporsters

 

Yea, that's the exact purpose of a slipper clutch; to not lock the rear wheel on a hard downshift.

 

So it's for someone that can't match the Rs on a down shift?

 

Honda installed slipper clutches on their road race bikes in the late '80's when they came out with the real high redline motors (like 12,000 rpm). Even with rev matching, or just letting off the the throttle without downshifting would lock up the rear wheel; which even if momentarily entering a corner a high speed was not real ideal. I think most of the pro racers can match R's.

I have no idea why slipper clutches are being installed on Harley's.