Clake Pro-Lever on '17 300rr

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Clake Pro-Lever on '17 300rr

Postby Jebster » Thu Nov 03, 2016 7:58 pm

I’ve ridden my ’17 300 long enough to be able to write about this phenomenal mod.

We've had Rekluses in several of our bikes. They are a terrific mod and, until the Beta, I've sworn I wouldn't have a bike without one. But I really like just how low this 300 will lug and now that I am operating the bike without a Rekluse I can distinguish the difference between the stock clutch and that little bit of vagueness with the Rekluse that a friend has on his ’16 KTM 300 6-days (which is a SWEET bike BTW), so I decided to hold off on a Rekluse. Problem is I used a left-hand rear brake (Ox Brake) on my KTM 300 (that also had the Z-start Pro Rekluse) and really like it but without the Rekluse using a LHRB is pretty much impractical as a separate lever.

So I sprung for the Clake Pro-Lever which is pretty darn close to the cost of the only version of autoclutch offered by Rekluse for the Betas.
If you don't know, the Pro-Lever is one of Clake’s offerings, a clutch/rear brake all-in-one. Two separate master cylinders, installing the Reflex Racing handguards with all of that room for both masters works very well (as does the cable joint that connects the bar to the center clamp that has some flex).

Generally speaking, the first part of the pull is clutch then you can feel a slight difference as the brake kicks in. But there’s more to it, the funny-looking lever is very purpose-specific:


Image

Image


There’s a lot of functionality with the lever “tip”. It rocks or swivels some to impact how much of the brake and/or clutch is engaged. See the little rod connected to it? Where you're pulling the tip in impacts how much that rod is pushed toward the cams that operate the clutch and brake master cylinder.

If you pull the very end you prevent the rod from moving in: the result is clutch disengagement happens over almost the full movement of the lever and the rear brake kicks in about halfway through the lever travel, i.e. they overlap. On the other hand, if you pull on the inside the clutch disengages much quicker - much like stock - but little rear wheel brake is barely engaged (only noticeable when moving very slowly). You can even push the swivel tip to the inside to push the rod in to overide the rear brake so you can back out of the brush after overshooting a turn, for example.

They provided additional cams as well to provide some fine tuning is desired and it's very easy to disassemble to reach the cams. The brake cam can be changed to impact WHEN it engages and how ABRUPT the engagement is.

Installation isn’t too bad; between some written documents and some videos they go into great detail in how to bleed the brake and clutch system. The stock clutch line is used which was too short for me to run other than the way shown in the picture below because the connection location is further out on the bar; I'm working on a longer cable.

Image

I got the version that allows me to retain the rear brake which requires two cables that Clake provides. One cable extends from the Clake brake master all the way back to the rear caliper. The existing Nissan brake pedal master is STILL a master: a cable extends from the existing master to a slave cylinder that essentially pushes a rod into the Clake brake master (somewhat like the Brembo clutch slave) to actuate the rear caliper. In the picture below you can see the rear brake pedal line connecting to the slave (that long piece that points to the center, note the very handy bleed bolt!), the clutch line attached to the clutch master cylinder (closest to the rider), and you can see a line that is routed beneath the unit - that is the line that attaches to the bottom of the brake master cylinder that runs down to the caliper.

Image

So, yes, the rear brake actuates the rear caliper through both cables. But you wouldn’t know it, to me the action feels no different than before the mod.

The rear brake actuation with the left hand lever (to the outside of the lever tip) is SOLID. It has a very progressive feel . . . you can apply a little brake or a lot, easily, with a single finger. You can ease the back brake to slightly slow your descent coming down a steep hill or you can lock it up into a brake slide. VERY impressive. I can keep both feet on the pegs, on the balls of my feet, and have total braking control with my hands. Not having to move your right foot forward to hit the rear brake on a steep or gnarly downhill is IDEAL for balance and control.

The clutch actuation to the inside of the lever tip is also one-finger operation, feels much like stock. Clutch actuation to the outside of the lever tip is more spread out over the lever’s travel. If you’re riding along with the throttle opened and start squeezing the lever (to the outside of the lever tip) you will hear the RPM increase with the lever pulled in about half way - that’s the clutch disengaging - but it’s not disengaged all the way at that point. And at that half way point the rear brake starts to engage. The clutch is fully disengaged just before the rear brake is fully engaged, probably 80%. That’s probably the thing that takes the most to get used to until you start using the INSIDE of the lever tip if you want clutch only.

Example: on a trail I frequent on private property quite often, I’ll climb a fast, fairly steep hill where at the top is a 180 curve that pretty tight to start the descent back down the hill not 5 yards away from the trail you just came up. I’ll be moving along in third and I’m used to relying on the Rekluse as I balance/maneuver to the descent still in third. But with this lever I’m moving slow for third gear so some clutch helps . . . but since I’m moving slow the brake is engaged more that I like. So I either need to navigate the hairpin turn more quickly or drop into second. Right now I find myself using the inside of the lever tip and the rear brake pedal, over time I need to practice it more AND install the cam(s) that will overlap the clutch and brake action a little less.

I’ll likely experiment with some cams over time but if I had to stick with the unit as it stands right now I’d be perfectly happy!
'17 300rr
Jebster
 
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Re: Clake Pro-Lever on '17 300rr

Postby Johnno » Thu Nov 03, 2016 10:59 pm

It's also incredibly great on steep difficult terrain when you have to get off and bulldog the bike to have the rear brake in your left hand and not be encumbered by being on the wrong side.
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Re: Clake Pro-Lever on '17 300rr

Postby wwguy » Fri Nov 04, 2016 9:51 am

Thanks for the great writeup. I've been pondering possible combinations for traditional clutch + LHRB and this solution keeps coming to the top of the list. I've been considering an Ox-Brake but just can't get my head around operation both lever at the same time. I rode 50 miles yesterday with the stock setup and on steep hills etc. I tried to imagine when and how I'd operate the Ox-Brake in tandem with my clutch lever, and I can't see a clean way to do it.

Any idea if the Clake Pro will work with Cycra Pro Bend handguards and BRP mounts? I really like BRP's secure mount to the handlebar perch top clamp rather that the handlebar clamps used by most wrap-around handguard mount systems.
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Re: Clake Pro-Lever on '17 300rr

Postby chasejj » Fri Nov 04, 2016 10:49 am

I have considered this before as well. Owen recommended the Clake 2 so you can isolate the clutch and brake.
In the end I have decided to go Rekluse with the Clake SLR .I will use the Clake as the clutch MC and the Brembo as the dual rear brake. I still have many situations that the Autoclutch just cannot be substituted in conquering difficult terrain , not to mention the many times I just am able to come to a quick stop and take both hands off the bars or restart on a difficult hill and roll the throttle on and climb up with no wheel spin. As good as Clake Pro or 2 is you still cannot do some of these things the same as A Rekluse AC. The big thing is a LHRB and AC will get you the optimum hard terrain system(assuming you aren't Colton Haaker or Graham Jarvis) .
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Re: Clake Pro-Lever on '17 300rr

Postby Johnno » Fri Nov 04, 2016 11:13 am

I use an Slr as the clutch but without a Rekluse. I wanted 2 independent levers but honestly 95% of the time if I'm using the rear brake I have the clutch in anyway.
Loose...
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Re: Clake Pro-Lever on '17 300rr

Postby betajuice » Fri Nov 04, 2016 5:39 pm

loved my clake 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86qN3anUTy8

it's very similar to the pro lever but has the two levers... one is clutch only, the other is clutch then gradually applying the rear brake. i preferred having this dual control, but others have said the pro lever was the way to go. either one is exceptionally good once dialled in.

a warning though, the clake guys are probably still behind in meeting the demand. something like an eight week delay a while back, and they were having trouble with even responding to emails from guys asking for updates on their orders. :(
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Re: Clake Pro-Lever on '17 300rr

Postby Jebster » Fri Nov 04, 2016 7:47 pm

It took about 5 weeks to get mine but I'm probably lucky.

I found that if I emailed Owen I got a response within a day, but it was near impossible getting an answer from customer service. Owen is especially helpful with questions
'17 300rr
Jebster
 
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Re: Clake Pro-Lever on '17 300rr

Postby Johnno » Fri Nov 04, 2016 9:46 pm

There is a secret to contacting Owen successfully.
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Re: Clake Pro-Lever on '17 300rr

Postby Jebster » Sat Nov 05, 2016 6:59 am

wwguy wrote:. . . Any idea if the Clake Pro will work with Cycra Pro Bend handguards and BRP mounts? I really like BRP's secure mount to the handlebar perch top clamp rather that the handlebar clamps used by most wrap-around handguard mount systems.


I'm out of town until Sunday, when I return I'll post some measurements for you to consider. I'm thinking it will be very tight, some pictures I've seen show people using spacers. However, you may get some collaboration between the Clake unit and the handguard by rotating the Clake a little more downward at the front and the handguard up a little more up at the front.
'17 300rr
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Re: Clake Pro-Lever on '17 300rr

Postby McKay » Wed Feb 15, 2017 10:20 am

Any new updates on the Pro Lever? Still happy? Did any tuning with Cams?
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