Best dry clutch?

[duncpowell@hotmail.com]

Hi Guys, what is the best (non slipper) dry clutch for mileage in my 2000 996BP?
I do not do track days. Mostly long rides 500mls + but love the sound of the rev limiter kicking in.

Barnett (Basket & plates)?
Surflex plates in genuine basket?
Genuine / genuine metal ?
Genuine / genuine Alloy?

How many sets of plates do you use before replacing the basket?. Seems pretty shagged after just 2. Maybe I am leaving the friction plates in to long?

Can the clutch be converted to a wet clutch (Yes I can hear you all cringing)

[moto]

Ducati OEM plates or Surflex MW clutch plate kit with the NGR Clutch Basket

[duncpowell@hotmail.com]

Hi Moto

Thanks for your comments. What do you base your suggestions upon? Why do you like the NGR Basket?. It looks like a Barnett basket. Do you think so?, or are there differences?
Trying to make an informed purchase before I lash out the hard earned loot!

[velocidave]

Originally Posted by duncpowell@hotmail.com

Hi Moto

Thanks for your comments. What do you base your suggestions upon? Why do you like the NGR Basket?. It looks like a Barnett basket. Do you think so?, or are there differences?
Trying to make an informed purchase before I lash out the hard earned loot!

I would say he "bases his suggestions on" the fact that they have probably more experience running and selling Ducati parts than anyone else that posts on this forum.

What do you expect it to do? If you're not swapping out for a slipper, get a lighter basket, and the best plates around, most agree that the Surflex or OEM are the best.

I have a late model OEM aluminum basket and hub, along with surflex plates and its a non issue. The switch from the steel OEM basket and hub to the aluminum stuff made a GIANT difference in engine feel, and the plates just work. Thats about the best thing you can say about Ducati clutch plates. The aluminum basket was quiet for about two weeks, since then its just about as loud as it was before.

I've put 11,000 miles on the aluminum basket since I got it, and it has just the slightest indication of indentations in the fingers now.

[92cobra]

Surflex and alum basket if not going to a slipper is my 2 cents. I purchased mine from Desmotimes and had no issues. I did read about what clutch works best and the life that people were getting and everything pointed to Surflex. They are a bit more expensive but to me seem worth it. Also, check out moto wheels line up, the only reason why I did not purchase from them is they were out of stock when I needed to get one. These things are like hot cakes sometimes so check around to see if they are in stock where every you purchase one.

[davy.j]

One thing to be aware of is the OEM basket and hub have rubber cush drives in the center and the aftermarket ones don't (at least my Sureflex one doesn't)
This makes the drive more direct especially opening the throttle out of a corner (a bit like taking all the slack out of a throttle cable)
I love the lighter spin up I get and the sharp crisp power delivery.

My basket is also starting to notch after around 3000 miles but the lithium grease treatment made it work and feel like new again.
The steel ring around the outside of the basket fingers also became very loose and created a very strange rattle/scraping noise that took a lot of tracking down.
Don't know if this is a common problem with the Sureflex basket or if I was just unlucky
I tried a couple of fixes for it but in the end I simply cut through it with a dremmel and run quite happily without it, no finger spreading and this bike really does get revved hard.
If you simply want long life and maximum shock absorbing for the transmission, go for the oem setup with Sureflex plates.



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[Namor]

I know this is a bit of a deviation from the topic, but how much of a change is lighter basket and hub to the stock? I've thought about the change for a while but always spend my money on something else.

How is it to the light flywheel? Naturally there will be a difference based on the purpose of the part/location/revolutions/etc.

I like what davy says about the response and spin up. Is the difference significant, like a flywheel, or just a bit better? Would you argue that the clutch upgrade a better upgrade than the flywheel (If you had to pick one or the other) thought slightly more costly?

I ask because I will be needing a new basket and set of plates soon and wondering if the light stuff is worth it... on a 996.

[velocidave]

Its not as big a change as the flywheel, not because of the weight, but because of the speed of the clutch vs the flywheel, (1/3) and the flywheel spins the same direction as the crank, so it directly affects spin up more.

The switch from steel to aluminum was absolutely noticeable on my bike, but it didn't make the difference the flywheel does. My old 2K SPS had the Ti Rods and less overall reciprocating mass, and the aluminum basket was awesome, but the flywheel was even better, even on the bike with less mass to start with.

I actually just bought a nichols flywheel for my current 996 because I miss that SPS feel.

[davy.j]

I probably notice it more running 14/42 sprockets, with a light alloy rear sprocket to boot.

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[velocidave]

Originally Posted by davy-j

I probably notice it more running 14/42 sprockets, with a light alloy rear sprocket to boot.

.

I DID notice the abruptness you referred to because my basket/hub is off an R bike, it does not have the rubber dampers I guess they were, it is a bit more abrupt, but right after I installed it, AMS redid my fueling and it was so much smoother than before I didn't even care. Now Im used to the feel of the lighter basket and all, but I do remember thinking "WOW" after I finished the install.