Wet Clutch vs. Dry Clutch - What’s the Difference? | MC GARAGE
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ค. 2024
- If you’ve ever been stopped at a light and heard a sportbike clattering like it’s about to explode, then you’re familiar with the iconic sound of a dry clutch. Dry clutches used to be fairly common-Ducati famously used them for decades-but today the vast majority of motorcycles being made employ wet clutch packs. What’s the difference, why would a manufacturer or a rider choose one over the other, and why are dry clutches going out of style? We explain in this video from the MC Garage.
--
If you’ve ever been stopped at a light and heard a sportbike clattering like it’s about to explode, then you’re familiar with the iconic sound of a dry clutch. Dry clutches used to be fairly common-Ducati famously used them for decades-but today the vast majority of motorcycles being made employ wet clutches. What’s the difference, why would a manufacturer or a rider choose one over the other, and why are dry clutches going out of style?
What Is A Wet Clutch?
To kick things off lets talk about wet clutches. They’re referred to as wet because they’re bathed in engine oil. The oil’s primary purpose is to cool the clutch plates, and because of this cooling effect wet clutches can take a lot of abuse, like the kind you’d dish out in stop and go traffic. Wet clutches generally have a nice wide friction zone that makes them pretty easy to use. They also tend to last a long time, and they’re quieter than dry clutches. And did we mention that they can take a lot of abuse? That’s a good characteristic, especially if you’re just learning how to ride or don’t want to replace your motorcycle clutch every 10,000 miles.
On the flip side, wet clutches do make your engine oil dirty faster since all the dust that’s created as the clutch wears stays inside the engine. Thankfully, the oil filter takes care of that. The other drawback is that wet clutches are messier to work on. Also, because the clutch is spinning in oil, there’s fluid drag that saps a bit of the engine’s power.
What Is A Dry Clutch?
Avoiding that fluid drag is the single biggest benefit of a dry clutch. Dry clutches, as you might have guessed already, aren’t bathed in oil. That means less drag and more power going to the rear wheel as well as cleaner engine oil, but it also means less cooling for the clutch pack. Without oil to cool things and damp engagement, dry clutches will act up if you hammer them and they tend to be grabbier and harder to modulate. They also wear out faster and are a lot noisier, especially if you run an open clutch cover, which a lot of riders do to help keep the clutch cool.
The rattling clatter of a dry clutch at idle is a legendary sound-especially for Ducatis-but it’s all that noise that’s put the dry clutch on the endangered species list. As noise regulations get stricter, every decibel counts, and switching to a quieter wet clutch means more noise in the budget for other things, like a sweeter sounding exhaust.
Two places you still see dry clutches are on Moto Guzzis and MotoGP bikes. Moto Guzzi still uses them because that’s what they’re used to-and, to be fair, Guzzi’s engine layout of choice, the longitudinal V-twin, encourages the use of a single-plate, large-diameter clutch-and if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. They’re used in MotoGP because in racing every little advantage helps, and as we mentioned before the dry clutch puts less drag on the engine.
In the end, it’s ease of use, durability, and quietness that have made the wet clutch the setup of choice for the vast majority of motorcycles.
Full story here: www.motorcyclistonline.com/mc...
Subscribe: th-cam.com/users/Motorcyclist...
Motorcyclist Shirts: teespring.com/stores/motorcyc...
Shop Products We Use: www.amazon.com/shop/motorcycl...
See more from us: www.motorcyclistonline.com/ - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
I have a 748 and everybody always comes up to me to tell me my bike is broken lol
My cousin tends to sell me a dry clutch for aprilia rsv4 sound awesome on his bike ! but I don't feel like installing it !!!
@Asher Blaine fuck off bots
in wet and dry I like the dry clutch on my 1973 Aermacchi ss350. the bike is new to me. but it really hooks up with the dry clutch
Well, it's a Ducati, so they're right most of the time
@@ciprianb4794 lol you're so right
Ducati - the only motorcycle manufacturer that makes bikes that sound broken straight from the factory...
Hahahaha.. Honda does too with the NSR250
Ducati sound like a motorcykle straigt from the factory. Most brands sound like sewing machine right from the factory
@@TH-cam_Globetrotter what is that "motorcykle" thing you are refering to?
@@xdanano You must be a super noob not to understand what he meant.
@@danishdezembro1116 You are even more of a noob than the other commenter for not understanding what he and I meant.
>loves the sound of dry clutch
>Plays less than a second of the sound clip
😂🤣😂
Please less than the second of a wet clutch problems it generates I guess for the sake of AI
My mother in law sounds like a dryclutch when she gargles with Listerine in the morning.
Why do you live with your mother inlaw?
Lol joke
Ha ha ha 🤣
my bike had a dry clutch...
till I showed it pictures of a naked Kawasaki.
Now it have a wetclutch
HAHAHHAA
Wtf
Did the size of exhaust increased when you did it?
@@darky799 lmao
Sounds about right for a Kawasloppy
0:07 Dry clutch sounds great! 👍
The main and most important thing you didn't mention, actually this is why they are used in MotoGP, is that in motorcycles equipped with dry clutch you may use engine oil with additives that reduce friction( like regular car engine oils), hence less internal engine drag and more power!
Private Factory great!
Private Factory and easier to change out. No need to drain and add oil
Private Factory did u even watch the video, he clearly states that the fluids in the wet clutch saps some of the power.
I have to Sneeze Sapping power and having slipping is different. This guy have another point than what the video mentioned.
He mentioned that in the video dude
dry clutches sound awesome...if you like the sound of marbles bouncing around in your cylinders.
I remember being at a gas station one day when this guy on a bike comes clanking in. It sounded like something was seriously wrong with it, like something horribly loose in his engine. I went over to the guy and asked him if his bike was ok, and he said yes, I love my new Ducati! I didn't know that was normal.
+Jacob Guerra Guy with a Ducatti pulls onto the car park where we meet and the sound is horrible; like an electric drill.
Horrible sound, no wait, is just a noise not a sound. positive point is that let you drive with open mind: you can't ear if motor have some problem, just let it go, and " che sarà, sarà" (lol)
Jacob Guerra you are right my friend . Have a 1999 996 r . With an open clutch cover . The sound is amazing . It rattles and clangs . Music to my ears .
Music to your ears? Was that sarcasm?
Dry clutch sounds like domestic violence.
Actually one sided, beaten by the rider
Hahahahah. Good one.
What is wrong with guys who ride motorcycles? ( like I don’t know)...
no its abuse
Not on an BMW ..
Dry cutch FTW! First time i heard a Ducati stopped in traffic next to my fathers car, when i was little, i fell in love with that rattling... and, of course, when the bike took off and dissapeared into the traffic with a GLORIOUS, angry sound, my love for this manufacturer was sealed, LOL.
nothing sounds and looks better than a ducatti but in terms of price per performance. well ... idk. if you just wanna go fast get japanese. if you wanna go fast and have stile get a ducatti. multistrada is my dream bike.
dimmacommunication vtwins have that "raw" sound thst 4 cilinders dont have
Tf u love about ratlling
in town with mum a few months back, she heard a bike around the corner and said oooh i bet thats about to blow up i was like nah i bet its a duccati
tommy d u b b s hahahaha
do a video on dohc vs sohc engines please and do tell the maximum limit of a single cylinder please!!
Was just about to comment the same thing! Difference in maintenance included.
yeah,me same
Dhaval Bane dohc>sohc
@georgle elias not necessarily true
@@jellie33414 it depends upon the setup of the bike.
Great vid, Im one my second bike now and this channel is teaching me a lot of basic principles of motorcycles which is good because I'm definitely not a gearhead by nature. Keep'em comming!
Thanks for the video! Incredibly informative while being accessible and concise. Much appreciated
Quick and straight to the point! Awesome video unlike others I've watched with ten minutes of nonsense talking.
I'll be honest as an expert on the subject of motorcycles, I saw the title of your channel and was ready to be depressed, but y'all done good, simple accurate descriptions of what happens.
Ha! Love the shout out for Guzzis. Gotta love quirky bikes.
I actually like the "grabbiness" of the dry clutch a lot. I owned a Monster 900 and the noise was just awesome, Termi and open dry clutch makes for a very... "mechanical" feeling. True, it's rough as hell in the traffic but when you open the throttle...
Also, the BMW boxer had a dry clutch till the last air-oil cooled version, just few years ago. Completely different beast tough, single huge disk compared to multi disks like the Ducati.
Err, no it didn't. Both my 1100 and 1150GS have are pure air cooled and have wet clutches.
@@thomassessions9347my 96 oil head has a dry clutch.. I replaced the damn thing
Dude you're awesome been looking for a guy like you in the Internet to explain all this
nice content! Its interesting!
I got no question for now, I guess I'll be waiting for the new video
Thanks for explaining the differences. I wish you had played the sound of the dry clutch for more time. That was the best part of the video but it only lasted 1~2 seconds.
Good clear explanation without waffle. Thanks!
OMG, I cant stop watching these episodes !
Very informative! Thanks for the upload
Very cool! Answer to the questions in my head for a while now!
Valve types and their adjustments please.
Ari has the coolest job ever, not sure how he puts a helmet on over his dreds though LOL
Ari Henning the highly debated subject of engine break in.
Great video thankyou for sharing. Always wanted to know the difference. Cheers from 🇭🇲
Thankyou for the info, cleared a lot of doubts !!
I'd like to see a come back of the dry clutches. With the modern shifters, they don't see much abuse
This informaton was very helpful man
Good luck with your channel
whoa! how did I miss this channel??? subscribed!
I'm glad I found this channel/ video, I drive my by bike as a commuter bike so I was wondering why I was changing the oil at every 2k-2500. Because it's a wet clutch it gets dirtier faster makes sense.
Very informative video. Thanks for posting it.
Great video. Clear and informative
Learned a lot in this vid. Great job!
I'd love to see something on Yamaha's new Crossplane R1 engine and why they label the XSR/FZ09 engine a "CP3".
almost 100k subscribers !! your videos always help me lot to understand my bike !! keep posting !! love from india 😊
Ari, your vids are an inspiration mate!
These MC Garage short clips are awesome. Not sure if it's been done yet, but could you please do one on how to clean textile gear, leather gear, and (especially) gloves? Cheers.
Thanks Ari. Clever me went for a wp textile jacket with alota white on in, and lets just say the white doesn't stay white for too long. I know getting leathers soaked in water isn't good for it but I've had it drenched in a downpour and it was fine so I figured a quick hose down wouldn't do much harm. Still seems okay, but I'll go with wiping it down from now on. Cheers.
Well done overview. Thank you.
Very nicely explained big guy "Thanks"
Very informative I love videos like this
Very Nice Explanation..!!!
Thanks for the video on clutch types..
what a well explained video! thanks
Kool vid very informative!😎👍
Very informative... Thanks for the vudeos man...
Ooo! I got one! Fixed (or preload adjustment only) suspension VS fully adjustable suspension for the street, whether the rider weighs 150 pounds, or 250 pounds :P Pros and cons--why is one better than the other, or if there's a "it doesn't really matter factor since you're on the street" debate. I hope this makes sense. I guess in essence traditional forks VS USD forks would be thrown in there too.
For this high a weight difference the only solution is a new spring.
Mudux Well it was just an example--not necessarily those exact weights. More like "if" it's better to have adjustable suspension depending on your weight. I'm trying to make the best sense I can lol
yea! and normal Front forks vs Invert...
I've owned bikes with BOTH kinds of front-forks!!! Honestly? I don't think there's any differences at ALL between the two,other than their "looks"!!! As they both move up and down in the same lateral way to "cushion" bumps. Both come in "adjustable" and NON-adjustable. Both have inner-springs and oil/fluids to help lubricate,cushion and keep things "cool" inside the tubes!!! Just my opinion. :)
+menom7 I guess all cars are more or less the same,since they have an engine (at the front or rear or in the centre), there are 4 wheels, doors,suspension etc...
Awesome, I like your videos, keep it up!
Thankyou sir, well explained!
Very informative, tnx for that! :)
Ari please talk about proper piston ring installations and clocking/gapping. Thanks!
Thanks. Great explanation!
This channel is great.
very objective explanation and good english to understand... I would suggest the topic about the differences between traditional and upside down forks. Thanks
Thats Awesome explanation.. Appreciate it !
I would like hear abt the difference between ride by wire and cable please...thankyou !
Great topic. good work
Thanks for the video. Never knew the differences between the two. Is that a 916?
The 916 was the only motorcycle poster I had on the wall next to my Countach & F40 ones as a kid. Such a legendary bike and timelessly-beautiful design. Still holds up to today.
+Ari Henning nice. What a legend that bike is.
Interesting and informative video. A friend of mine recently asked me about water cooled vs. air cooled engines. Maybe that could make an interesting video?
OY, Stuck in the Stone Age ! ;)
As alway great presentation, with a good mix of facts and humour !
very informative 😊thanks
Great vid bud
"I think it sounds amazing"
Clink clink clink clink clink clink
I'll pass.
Great video thank you
MG clutch has a different design than Ducati’s so its not noisy at all. It’s tough on the hand however. It can last over 50 thousand miles. For the records I have a 916 and a 1000SP2. Thanks for the video
It is a interesting video. Thank you!
nicely explained... thnxx..
Grabby and less easy to modulate.... very true. My V4R has a strange sensation on very slow, tight maneuvers. Almost like a toothpick snapped and let the lever close all the way, all of the sudden.
Awesome video, thanks for all the facts! :) Would you compare Aloy wheels vs Spoke wheels ? Also , I know it is a super long shot but I am so much in conflict right now and would help me a looot, Touring bikes like Yamaha FJR vs Touring Enduros such as VStrom ?
Nice video, keep it up Guys
Vids like that are what make the internet the most powerfull learning tool.
What about a slipper clutch? or like a triple plate clutch compared to dual plate clutch
Widow Maker why did this not get more support???
I want to know this info
Can you please do a video on replacing a clutch on a 2002 Moto Guzzi V11 Scura? You explain things and show the work very well.
Have you guys done radial vs bias ply tires yet? Bias ply is a little before my time automotive-wise, so I don't really know why they are still relatively common options for some bikes.
thanks for the overview. i was hoping for a little more indepth
super informative
best explained. i also want to know about that number of cylinders increase affect performance . thank bro.
I have a vented cover on my ST2, sounds great!
My old Norton Commando runs a dry clutch in a primary chaincase. A while back I also converted the primary drive from chain to belt, and in the process I got a deeper clutch basket capable of holding one more plate and one more steel. With the belt drive, there's no chain to lubricate, so the primary chaincase is bone dry -- which is important with a dry clutch, since you don't want the oil bath for a chain getting splashed up onto the clutch's friction surfaces. Then you'll have a non-clutch in pretty short order.
For years, I rode a Honda with a wet clutch, and in comparing the two, I'd say that yes, the friction zone on a dry clutch is more narrow. So it's probably not the thing for the beginning rider. It just takes a little more skill to get moving.
I should add that my Honda had a six-speed transmission and a relatively "peaky" engine. The Norton has an insanely wide power band, so it only needs four gears. So I do 33% less shifting than most folks
One of the biggest things I did to make the dry clutch easier to deal with was install an aftermarket hydraulic clutch release where the old cable was. For starters, that has drastically reduced the amount of adjustment needed (since there's no cable to tension). And that consistency of engagement adds some life to the clutch. The friction zone at the release lever is also slightly wider than it was with the cable. That in combination with a whole lot of vibration not getting transferred up the cable to the handle make operating the clutch easier -- although it's never going to be as easy as operating a wet clutch.
Having to replace the friction surfaces more often with a dry clutch is no big deal -- particularly because when you have to do it, you don't have to open anything that's full of oil. (At least this is true on my bike since going to belt drive. If you have to keep a primary chain oiled, this might not be true.) I can pretty much be in and out of my clutch, totally rebuilding it, in under an hour. A full set of plates for my bike is about $80 (as of 2023). And typically I can get 5-6 seasons of riding out of a new clutch. So it's not an expensive proposition.
The big plus, however, is being able to make adjustments to the oil used in engine and transmission without having to worry about the clutch. On a bike with separate engine and transmission cases, this is huge. I can pick the perfect oil for the engine, put my favorite gear oil in the gearbox (I can't say enough good things about Royal Purple Max Gear 75W-90), and I can not have to worry at all about how that impacts my clutch.
My perfect bike (which I have now, I think) has a dry clutch and a hydraulic release mechanism. But a lot can depend on rider skill and preference.
Very informative
You just earned a new subscriber!
Can you talk about centrifugal filters and other, I've seen bikes with no filter at all, some with paper filters, etc., and i own one with a centrifugal filter. We might be buying a new bike soon and its one of the little things i'll be definitely thinking about.
Great video 👍
Make a video on regular bike engine maintenance please. Like valve adjustment, timing chain and stuffs like that. Thank u.
Great idea for a video guys.
Awesome video
I have to disagree about that "awesome" sound of a dry clutch. To me, it makes the bike sound like it's been poorly maintained, and is just waiting to fly apart. But to each their own.
How about going over the real day to day differences between full fairing and naked (or standard) non-fairing bikes. Cold, weather, rocks, etc? Thanks for the vids
Great video .
Would you do a video on hight comprestio piston and low compression pistons what is the difference
Moto Guzzi's dry clutches don't make nearly as much noise as Ducatis. And they last easily over 50.000 kms.
liked that. how about prepping your bike for track day. safety wire VS hi temp silicone, taping, etc...
Well explained.
Can you guys make a video explaining the difference between an ecu flash, and getting a power commander installed?
Hi Ari, I love watching your videos. I would love to see a review of KTM 690 Enduro R LC4. And if not that then on how avoid Tank Slapper
I had a Ducati 900 monster and I loved the sound of the dry clutch.
Great stuff
Dry clutches sound awesome! I own a ducati WITH a dry clutch myself, but I didn't know u get extra power with that
I love dry clutch over wet cloth. Good vid.
Recently, the replacement time of the clutch disc was over, so I was curious, so I looked for it and found that two clutch systems were installed on the Ducati.
It's my scrambler, it's a 2020 model. As a result of Googling and inquiries from companies, most of the answers are that you need to open the clutch case to check which of the two is installed. Overseas is the same, and some companies say that this is a headache and there is a lot of friction with customers. That's partly because the disc price difference between the two systems is more than 100 euros.
Most Ducati models older than 18 years have aptc systems and fcc is confirmed to be recent.
I wonder why both systems are installed at the same time even though they are the same year.
hi pls make a video explaining the different variations of power distribution in sprockets.
Thank you!
Awesome vid as always, Ari! Video on dynamics of 2-wheel drive? Also, are we ever going to see a return of the dreads??
haha i feel ya man! Had dread for over 3 years, and needed to get a job. I don't miss them on hot summer days. I also went down a helmet size :)
No way!! haha. That's crazy. I kinda miss having the extra cushioning tho :)