Product Review: Rekluse Apex Clutch for Harley Davidson Motorcycles

Hey guys, this is Kurt with Lifestyle Cycles. Today, we have Kevin here with us from Rekluse, and we're going to talk about the Apex clutch system.

Benefits of the Rekluse Apex Clutch System

Kevin, what are the benefits of the Rekluse Apex clutch system?

Kevin: "The biggest benefit is that it bridges the gap between maintaining a light lever pull while also being able to hold big power. Whether your motor is stock, putting out stock horsepower, or you have a high-horsepower build with 200+ pound-feet of torque, this clutch system features a patented design that allows the lever feel to be lighter than stock in most cases. It's completely usable, even when you reach those high horsepower numbers."

High-Quality Materials

Kevin, just looking at this clutch system, these are some super high-quality materials. What can you tell me about them?

Kevin: "All of our clutch systems are made right at our headquarters in Boise, Idaho, USA. This specific setup is our Apex system with the clutch basket. The Apex is available with or without a clutch basket.

The clutch basket itself is a forged piece with high tensile strength, fully machined, and hard anodized for durability. Our core components, including the fixed pin hub (a patented design) and the pressure plate, are fully CNC billet-machined in our facility. They are hard anodized for durability and feature extensive design improvements to enhance oil flow, which helps keep the clutch cool during normal use."

Features of the Apex Clutch System

These things are awesome! I can't wait to get it installed and see how it performs. Kevin, how does this new system work?

Kevin: "The biggest difference between an OEM Harley clutch system and the Apex clutch system is that the Apex features a six-spring design instead of the traditional three-spring setup.

Underneath that, you have our fixed pin hub, which is our patented design. This means the inner hub has fixed steel pins, which the steel plates register on. This steel-on-steel contact greatly improves durability and wear—unlike OEM designs, where steel plates notch into aluminum over time.

It also features our Torque Drive friction disc technology, a proprietary design for big twin Harley engines. The Torque Drive plates are thinner and include a specific friction pad design that improves oil flow. Because of the thin design, we can fit more friction plates into an OEM clutch footprint, which allows the clutch to hold high power and torque numbers while transferring that power to the rear wheel where it belongs."

Breaking in the Apex Clutch System

These friction plates are super thin! Kevin, what’s the break-in process for the Apex system?

Kevin: "The break-in process is fairly standard, similar to any new clutch system. Typically, you'll want to ride 100 to 200 miles of normal riding for the break-in period.

Like with a new motor or clutch, we recommend changing the oil after the break-in period to remove any brand-new clutch debris."

Who Should Upgrade to the Apex Clutch System?

Kevin, what kind of rider should be upgrading to the Apex clutch system?

Kevin: "That’s one of the best things about the Apex clutch system—it fits a wide range of riders.

• If you install this clutch on an M8 straight from the showroom floor, you'll feel a lighter lever pull without any other modifications.
• If you're building a high-horsepower motor with big torque numbers, this clutch can hold that power while still providing a usable clutch lever feel."

Clutch Lever Feel

That’s awesome! What about the clutch lever feel? Everyone says that when you switch to Rekluse clutch systems, you get a better clutch feel.

Kevin: "Absolutely! Our engineers focused on ensuring that this clutch system holds power while also making the clutch lever feel lighter, smoother, and more consistent.

Even at over 170 lb-ft of torque, the clutch lever remains lighter than a factory OEM M8 clutch.

At 200 lb-ft of torque, the lever feel is comparable to an OEM stock engine, making it a massive improvement over stock."

Friction Zone Improvement

What about the friction zone? On M8 models, it often feels like you’re either on or off the clutch, with very little play in between.

Kevin: "That’s another huge improvement you'll notice with this clutch system. The Torque Drive friction plates allow for a 17-friction stack, creating a much wider friction zone and giving the clutch better modulation.

Riders will definitely feel the difference in the lever control and smoothness."

Final Thoughts

That’s awesome! I can’t wait to get this installed.

Kevin, thanks for coming by! It was great having you here. We’re going to get started on the installation soon, and we’ll check in again later!

Kevin: "Absolutely! We’re excited to see it in action!"