Yes I have, I didnt even notice the slipper clutch that tells me that I dont want or need one :lol:

Personally I think the whole things a sales gimmick.

I thought the K6 GSXR was lovely, and down changes were very smooth. However, the two bikes I ride are the SV which has more engine braking, and the ninja which is cursed with a kawasaki gear box :lol:

So basically, I'm not sure how much of the smoothness was due to the super smooth suzi box, or the slipper clutch.

My 2 pence worth.

Over the past X number of years there have been various improvements (big and small) to bike technology. It is pretty much a given these days that a bike will come with disc brakes rather than drum. cartridge based forks over damping rods. Even stupid things like how many bikes come with a kick start these days?

Rider's abilities aside, more and more technology is being incorporated into bikes, and most/all of them have obvious advantages. Whether it's preventing someones rear wheel from locking up or allowing people to stop the bike in a shorter distance - does it matter?

As with many of these things I'd much rather see someone spend £500 on a slipper clutch, GSXR front end, new rear shock, whatever than to go and hand it over to Mr Suzuki for a load of plastic to coat your bike. Half of the technology on these bikes isn't necessary, yet it makes our rides safer, easier, comfortable <- take your pick. I say if you have the money to spare, then why not.

I couldnt tell the difference between the K6 600 and my K5 750 downchange wise they felt exactly the same. My K5 doesnt have a slipper clutch.

My bike has one (allegedly :shock: ) but to be honest Ive not noticed any difference on the road, I instinctively blip the throttle on down changes anyway so I guess that makes sense. When I rode shaft drive bikes (XS1100 anyone) you learn pretty quick on blippy down changing :D

For me I guess I don't need it, but it's there just in case.

*Thinks back to the days of 16 inch fron wheels and anti dive forks, a distant memory, USD forks are still here though*

FS....I would not consider every rider that is not a racer slow at all. In fact I ride regularly with a group that includes several who could well be racers they are that quick and competant.

Our Saturday morning bimble falls way outside of the "Queensbury Rules" it really should not be this way I know,(acknowledgement to the PC peeps there) but we do ride very quick on these rides.

I have noted on certain sections that there is not enough distance between bends to fire out of the first bend in second, snick her up to 3rd and leave enough time to knock her back down again and brake for the next corner. A slipper would allow for example, short shifting and then more rapid down change as there would be no requirement for the distance absorbing feeding in of the clutch for the change down.

Perhaps from a safety aspect it also gives one less thing to be thinking about as you can merely concentrate on positioning and entry point as you finish your braking.

I do not though see the slipper clutch as some kind of panacea that will cure all rider failings, but as mentioned by others just a confidance boosting back up at times whereby the rider knows that even if he does make a pigs ear of a gear change the rear wheel is not going to take on a life of it's own.

Do you not blip the throttle on down changes? This removes any requirement to feed the clutch in.


From my (limited) experience riding the K6 GSXR600, a slipper clutch won't serve as a safety device.

If you're riding hard it can sometimes be tricky to change down at high revs perfectly smoothly, the slipper clutch just helps you keep the wheels in line.

If you change down at high revs and simply dump the clutch without blipping then the rear wheel still slides about.

Try on a large litre twin doing that and not feeding the clutch a little, its quite difficult to get it exactly right. I did it once on a TL and the FI realy did not like it and it started puking for a second.

A race bike of some kind. I can see ever use for it on a track, and if peoples fast riding is that fast, then get on the track and off the road.

Other than bragging rights down the pub, i still stand that there is no use for a slipper clutch to be retrofitted to an SV.

FS....The need to blip the throttle to ensure a safer down change is the very essence really of the point I make. It may only be a second or two delay until that lower gear is engaged but that can mean you have travelled quite a distance toward a bend for example.

Not entirley the same as fast road riding of course....but just listen to how quickly the Moto GP boys change down...and how many gears at a time.......all to get the speed down quickly but safely. I know the trade off is perhaps more brake use also.

However I do feel that for those friskier riding moments a slipper clutch could add quite a bit to the experience. Would be very odd for me as I have been a lifetime "blipper". :? The entirely new technique of just knocking it down and clutch out. :-k


Off at a tangent somewhat....I did manage to lock the back wheel on my SV a couple of times under fast riding conditions....something I have never done on my present bike. Possibly then questioning the blanket suggestion that no SV needs one?

All of this may be way beyond me for the remainder of my biking career as it cant be that long before a Goldwing with stereo beckons! :shock: