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Clutch Packs
- Surflex Organic Clutch Pack with integral quiet clutch separator plate
- $210 or Barnett Clutch packs with Kevlar Friction Material - $159
Desmo Times
now has two options for discriminating Ducati enthusiasts - Surflex clutch
packs from Italy and Barnett clutch packs from the US. Both clutch packs
are .5 lb lighter than the stock steel friction plate setup.
Fits ALL
post 1990 DRY clutch Ducatis. Sureflex kit includes organic friction material
on their aluminum friction plates with quiet clutch separator plate. The
Barnett clutch pack includes kevlar friction material on their aluminum
friction plates and steel driven plates with a simple curved plate separator
design. Simple 10 minute installation. Does NOT include springs. Only
for use on Aluminum clutch baskets. If you install these clutches in a
steel clutch basket, they will wear prematurely. Older steel Ducati clutch
baskets were black in color, while the aluminum ones are a dull light
gold color.
Having trouble
with your new clutch not disengaging or having trouble finding neutral?
Try the following:
- Ensure
the clutch system is fully bled
- Adjust
your clutch lever all the way out. If you have a non-adjustable lever,
purchase an adjustable one. Desmo Times sells them -- look under "Billet"
for the CRG levers or "Modification" for the older 12mm pivot
Brembo levers.
- If you are installing
an aftermarket slave cylinder at the same time as upgrading clutch packs,
prepare for some troubleshooting. In short, try solving an equation
when you change two or more variables is an effort in futility.
Q/A
1. Why do
you carry 2 different brands?
A very small
number of Ducati enthusiasts have sworn off Barnett clutch packs after
hearing stories about them wearing out. I love the Barnett clutch plates,
but perception is reality, so I now have an option for those that insist
they won't use Barnett clutch packs.
2. Which
one is better?
The material
on the Surflex packs APPEARS to be better. I haven't performance tested
the Surflex packs to quantify how much longer they last. Besides, there
are too many variables to say which clutch pack lasts longer - rider to
rider habits, bike weight, type of riding, other clutch system variables,
etc. The Surflex packs are new to Desmo Times effective late Feb 2008.
It will take years for me to determine how they compare to the Barnett
packs, but I'd hazard a guess they will last longer.
3. Why is
the Surflex clutch more expensive?
First, they
come from Italy, so there are much higher shipping costs. Second, the
Euro vs the US Dollar. Need I say more.
4. Which
one should I purchase?
That's up
to you. If I were on a tight budget and didn't ride tens of thousands
of miles each year, I'd purchase the Barnett clutch pack. If I was a racer
or a guy/gal who tours in excess of 10,000 miles a year, I'd install the
Surflex.
4. Why isn't
the Surflex pack available in the Pro-Cutting Hard Ano Combo you sell?
Due to the
added cost of the clutch packs, I have deemed it unaffordable to most
people. I'd have to charge an additional $65 for each Surflex pack to
handle shipping and machining costs.
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