In manual transmission motorcycles, the clutch is the component in the engine that engages and disengages power from the engine to the transmission in order to change gears. In other words, it enables the rider to turn on or off power to the rear wheel to change gears.
Managing the finances of buying a new bike can be crucial to enjoying the full experience that comes along with getting a new ride. You can use an Online Bike EMI Calculator to help make your purchase. If you’re looking to buy a motorcycle, or if you already own one, knowing how its components work will allow you to use it more efficiently and not damage it.
The motorcycle clutch works through a clutch assembly consisting of numerous components including primary drive gear, clutch basket, clutch plate, clutch hub, clutch springs, level, clutch cable and pressure plates. Explained below is their working in simple words:
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When the clutch lever is pulled, the clutch springs compress, causing the pressure plate to retract. This separates the friction and steel plates, and they rotate independently, thus disconnecting the engine from the transmission. Thus, the power to the rear wheel stops, and the gears can be changed. This is how a motorcycle clutch works.
When the engine of a motorcycle is turned on the engine starts spinning, but the wheel does not. The clutch allows us to smoothly engage the spinning, running engine to the non-spinning transmission, which turns the wheels. Thus, the function of the clutch is to change the speed of the motorcycle or bring it to a halt without switching off the engine. The clutch enables us to use the gears to change the speed of the motorcycle by temporarily cutting power to the back wheel. We can also stop the motorcycle swiftly and smoothly, as braking to a halt immediately is only possible when the engine power is cut to the wheels, as opposed to using the brakes only to slow down.
There are two types of clutches — wet and dry:
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Now that you know how a clutch works, we hope you can learn how to use a motorcycle efficiently, and not damage the components by changing the gear without engaging the clutch. Ride safe!Apply for Loan Calculate Your EMI