Motobene
Well-known member
BETA QUESTION
Beta is a fine machine, and a successful auto clutching of a Beta would take away the reason I have had to avoid the Beta historically: the two stroke trials Betas being the only modern
trials bike and the only Beta two stroke to retain the old European format of right side drive, clutch on the left. Every other two stroke on earth, including all the bigger Beta's is now Japanese-format left-side drive, clutch on the right.
Fitting a left-side foot brake has been a must for me since the `80s, and the Beta 2-stroke trials bikes were and remain too busy on the left side to do that. The kickstart is there. The shifter is there. The clutch is there. The muffler is on that
side too. So I went elsewhere over the years. As for their 4-stroke trials bike, it's never been a favorite.
The Beta has had ONE advantage for me, being left kick. Starting a kick trials bike for me is also left kick, and on all the Japanese left-side drive format bikes I kickstart standing on the right side, before I mount the bike.
Now an auto clutch would mean that I can lose the left-side brake. My goal goes beyond that - no foot brake at all, so the brake-on-left objection to the Beta goes away, and the probability of success is higher with a pre-Rekluse EXP-type
auto clutch and Beta's (or Honda's) conventional clutch. But I have been a TRS man since RYP went poof and the new administration made a series of unfortunate mistakes. The TRS I have found to be very high quality in design. The clutches
the power spunky and smooth, and the handling right on, for me. And what can I say? Electric start has been a dream foe me and always has worked flawlessly. Not having to kick a bike a hundred times in an event save a lot of energy over
a typical event weekend.
OVERALL PROJECT TURN
A major question for me has been WHO to partner with to do an auto clutch for a trials bike as like it or not, it would be a development project. I've done a lot of design development and know what it takes to iterate designs before ANY metal
is cut so you only have to cut one time without a complete redo.
I turned to the engineers at Rekluse first because I found them very sharp on past projects, and significantly, their EXP-based clutches come at the get-go set up 'right' with the engage/disengage versus RPM characteristics that would make
for a successful competition trials bike implementation. Unfortunately the Cota clutch is based on legacy Honda street bike parts that Rekluse has no economic incentive to make and EXP packs and clutch plates for.
I turned to EFM with several inquiries over time as I was musing over this project and in a kind of probing about a working relationship. My last email where I proposed the 315R clutch basket to make implementation easier for him, and asking a critical question, "Please tell me your confidence at being able to achieve a clutch with my preferred characteristics for this application. And being able to do so in, say, no more than
three iterations? I need to know what I'm getting into as this project would cost me around $15k" got me the following response which doesn't work for me to instill confidence in a co-development relationship:
315 is more of a standard type hub.
Thank you for the interest in EFM Auto Clutch Inc.
Garry Buzzelli
EFM Auto Clutch Inc.
WHICH BIKE & WHOM CO-DEVELOPMENT
Hmm. I already like the TRS, a lot, and the fact that the local small dealer is a friend and a sharp, top-notch professional engineer. When I discussed my project he was enthused and responsive, volunteering
co-development time and resources, like his RP and CNC machines. Of course he wants me to remain in the TRS fold and not see me go wandering off into Cota land, as so many in the club have.
Now my TRS 250RR, as much as I like that bike with a manual clutch, needs a few more beans to work better with an auto clutch, which is power pulse by throttle modulation only.
I do not like the 300s. Too much engine inertia. I rode a 280 (again) last week and thought that yes, a great compromise of more impulse on throttle twist, without the heavier feel of the 300.
The one thing I miss on my RR, being a suspension guys, is the larger Reiger B40 shock that comes ONLY on the Gold model. I'm not a big fan of the small standard Reiger.
I can justify to myself a 280 Gold, but the drop-dead ordering date for one of the 150 to be produced this year in is one measly week from today, right when I'm hosting a major 2-day trials event :-0
And worse yet, what's been rolling around in my head for two years on this project, though I've mentioned my desire to do so my wife, she won't remember it, and a fast decision will come off as graciously as
a grenade thrown into a small room.
🤢
Beta is a fine machine, and a successful auto clutching of a Beta would take away the reason I have had to avoid the Beta historically: the two stroke trials Betas being the only modern
trials bike and the only Beta two stroke to retain the old European format of right side drive, clutch on the left. Every other two stroke on earth, including all the bigger Beta's is now Japanese-format left-side drive, clutch on the right.
Fitting a left-side foot brake has been a must for me since the `80s, and the Beta 2-stroke trials bikes were and remain too busy on the left side to do that. The kickstart is there. The shifter is there. The clutch is there. The muffler is on that
side too. So I went elsewhere over the years. As for their 4-stroke trials bike, it's never been a favorite.
The Beta has had ONE advantage for me, being left kick. Starting a kick trials bike for me is also left kick, and on all the Japanese left-side drive format bikes I kickstart standing on the right side, before I mount the bike.
Now an auto clutch would mean that I can lose the left-side brake. My goal goes beyond that - no foot brake at all, so the brake-on-left objection to the Beta goes away, and the probability of success is higher with a pre-Rekluse EXP-type
auto clutch and Beta's (or Honda's) conventional clutch. But I have been a TRS man since RYP went poof and the new administration made a series of unfortunate mistakes. The TRS I have found to be very high quality in design. The clutches
the power spunky and smooth, and the handling right on, for me. And what can I say? Electric start has been a dream foe me and always has worked flawlessly. Not having to kick a bike a hundred times in an event save a lot of energy over
a typical event weekend.
OVERALL PROJECT TURN
A major question for me has been WHO to partner with to do an auto clutch for a trials bike as like it or not, it would be a development project. I've done a lot of design development and know what it takes to iterate designs before ANY metal
is cut so you only have to cut one time without a complete redo.
I turned to the engineers at Rekluse first because I found them very sharp on past projects, and significantly, their EXP-based clutches come at the get-go set up 'right' with the engage/disengage versus RPM characteristics that would make
for a successful competition trials bike implementation. Unfortunately the Cota clutch is based on legacy Honda street bike parts that Rekluse has no economic incentive to make and EXP packs and clutch plates for.
I turned to EFM with several inquiries over time as I was musing over this project and in a kind of probing about a working relationship. My last email where I proposed the 315R clutch basket to make implementation easier for him, and asking a critical question, "Please tell me your confidence at being able to achieve a clutch with my preferred characteristics for this application. And being able to do so in, say, no more than
three iterations? I need to know what I'm getting into as this project would cost me around $15k" got me the following response which doesn't work for me to instill confidence in a co-development relationship:
315 is more of a standard type hub.
Thank you for the interest in EFM Auto Clutch Inc.
Garry Buzzelli
EFM Auto Clutch Inc.
WHICH BIKE & WHOM CO-DEVELOPMENT
Hmm. I already like the TRS, a lot, and the fact that the local small dealer is a friend and a sharp, top-notch professional engineer. When I discussed my project he was enthused and responsive, volunteering
co-development time and resources, like his RP and CNC machines. Of course he wants me to remain in the TRS fold and not see me go wandering off into Cota land, as so many in the club have.
Now my TRS 250RR, as much as I like that bike with a manual clutch, needs a few more beans to work better with an auto clutch, which is power pulse by throttle modulation only.
I do not like the 300s. Too much engine inertia. I rode a 280 (again) last week and thought that yes, a great compromise of more impulse on throttle twist, without the heavier feel of the 300.
The one thing I miss on my RR, being a suspension guys, is the larger Reiger B40 shock that comes ONLY on the Gold model. I'm not a big fan of the small standard Reiger.
I can justify to myself a 280 Gold, but the drop-dead ordering date for one of the 150 to be produced this year in is one measly week from today, right when I'm hosting a major 2-day trials event :-0
And worse yet, what's been rolling around in my head for two years on this project, though I've mentioned my desire to do so my wife, she won't remember it, and a fast decision will come off as graciously as
a grenade thrown into a small room.
🤢
Last edited: