This Dakar Trick could've saved Itchy Boots in Africa! | MiniTip Monday

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Extra footage from @ItchyBoots & @TecknoMechanics .

[@davidrobertson1775]

We saved a trip crossing the Simpson Desert in Australia by using some fencing wire to increase the bulk in the clutch pack. The clutch was burnt out 100kms from Big Red. After the fencing wire pressure plate was added, it was ridden to Poeppel Corner, then up the Hay River Track and then home to Melbourne. Over 2900 kms.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Hell yeah man!! What an effort.

[@jackrichards1863]

For some reason it sounds to me like you stumbled onto an improvement in multiplate clutch models. I picture you installed it like a clockspring ? Anyway, if there's an improvement to be found at least you made it keep going on the journey of a lifetime. As it would be for most who'll see your account here! What motorcycle were you riding?

[@HoagesMoto]

I expect oldmate just wound some fencing wire between a friction plate and steel to close up the gap haha, maybe I missed you're comments' sarcasm I can't tell :P pretty epic tale I agree, my only real outback breakdown was another rider blowing a headgeasket and me towing him ~100km to help with a ratchet strap between the footpegs. A bush mechanics clutch fix with fencing wire is way cooler and definitely one I'll remember too :) - I'm placing me guess it was a DR650??

[@BrakeMagazine]

The most wholesome set of comments on this video. Thanks for being good people and thanks for the story Hoages!

[@davidrobertson1775]

@@HoagesMoto Were you on our trip?? :-) Yes it was a Dr650, killed by a young bloke used to riding motocross bikes (and driving to the local bike store for bits). The fencing wire (last thing I packed before we left for the trip) was fashioned into a circle that was then inserted into the clutch pack and everything was bolted back together.

[@johnnyblue4799]

I can't believe you went through all the trouble to open a clutch cover on the road for this! Nicely done!

[@BrakeMagazine]

Thanks! 👍

[@stefanmargraf7878]

Thats easy for most bikes. The hardest part is to lift the bike up.

[@holmes1956O]

​@@BrakeMagazinehere is a much better alternative. The extra clutch plate just add it to the stack as per usual assembley. Or even better add some washers to the springs to effectively make them longer and this should get you to a shop where you can replace the clutch

[@benjamin.f.b.]

on this vstrom, it s easy, which is a positive aspect of this vstrom

[@BrakeMagazine]

The plate break is only if you don't have a spare @@holmes1956O

[@dogfish180]

Rather than snapping fiber rings. Bend one of the metal plates in a couple of places and make a wave in it. It will take up more space and act like a diaphragm spring. I have done this mid Enduro race and completed the rest of the race with no noticeable difference in clutch performance.

[@BrakeMagazine]

That’s a cool idea. I’ll add that to the mix.

[@BillySBC]

Uh... why not carry an entire clutch disk set? They don't weigh much, and if you're going to go through the trouble of disassembling the clutch just go ahead and replace the disks and ride on. It's amazing to me how some of these "adventure riders" go out into the bush and wild places without being absolutely prepared.

[@HoagesMoto]

because clutches are a gradual wear item and competent riders that know their bike will catch a little clutch slip before it gets bad and adjust their riding style to prevent it worsening OR jam the basket in one of many techniques to get out of trouble - a clutch plate set weighs up to 1kg which is an insane amount of weight to carry on a dirtbike/light advbike for a wear product people not racing will mostly detect gradual failure and be able to nurse a bike through a trip.

[@BillySBC]

​@@HoagesMoto You don't go out in the wilds of AFRICA unprepared for a failed clutch... The friction disks of the clutch kit weigh next to nothing, you don't need the steels because they hardly ever fail and lots of people just re-use them after scuffing them up with 220 grit sandpaper. You have made no logical point here. You can burn your clutch out quick in the muddy areas of Africa and you need to be prepared for that. Adjustment wont mean anything when you have burned the clutch out in 5 miles of mud... BE PREPARED. KNOW YOUR MOTORCYCLE. CARRY AN ELECTRICAL SCHEMATIC AND REPAIR MANUAL ON YOUR PHONE. DON'T GO OFF INTO A REMOTE AREA LIKE A DAMN FOOL. Have a nice day.

[@thra5herxb12s]

There's always a bush repair that will get you going again until you can do a proper repair. It helps to have a good imagination and all the tools you might need.

[@EricJudish]

Thanks for the informative video. I think a lot of riders - especially those who ride BDRs here in the States or anywhere you’re going deep in the backcountry can learn how to save space and have something just as you described it, to get you out of a bad situation and hopefully help you get somewhere where you can properly work on the bike… cheers! 🍻👍✌️

[@BrakeMagazine]

Pleasure! Totally agree!

[@lesterroberts4787]

She has hammered that little Honda since Morocco and when she headed for the Eye of the desert in all that sand she was smashing the clutch. She admitted that the clutch was slipping before the mud run. We enjoy watching her videos as they are educational and fun. I would like to see some of the guys posting here do do what she does and keep a smile on your face. Noraly is welcome in our camp any time.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Exactly man. Quite a lot negativity around her. I’m kinda surprised tbh

[@jamie.miller.inspiring]

​@BrakeMagazine i think alot of the negativity is due to jealousy. Hats off to her, shes out there living her life her way, doing what she enjoys. One of the reasons I enjoy watching her is she accepts the challenges and struggles and does what she can given her knowledge and experience to just keep going but also knowing when its time to quit and have a few days break which is a skill within itself. Shes one of the many people who motivated me to get my licence and a bike. I always loved bikes but they scared the crap out of me, but watching people like her just giving things a go willing to mess up, make mistakes and keep trying was what inspired me the most. After a few weeks of riding its less scary but still very new and learn something different every single time i ride and absolutely loving it, speaking of which time to get off the internet and go for a ride haha Btw thank you very much for taking the time to make this video, reminds me of driving home with a snapped axle and also a burnt clutch in the car which I drove the same way clutchless shifting and take off with it in gear using the starter motor. Probably why i found it faily easy back when i learnt how to drive trucks from those kind of previous experiences :)

[@BrakeMagazine]

Great comment and glad it was helpful!

[@jamie.miller.inspiring]

@@BrakeMagazine hopefully I never need to use the info, but you never know i may be with someone who it may help one day :)

[@njpaddler]

@@jamie.miller.inspiring Get yourself enrolled in a beginner training course & it will get even more fun on many levels. In a year's time, do the same with an advanced course. See also David Hough's "Proficient Motorcycling" book & it's sequel. They're priceless.

[@musique2005]

This is one of the best motorcycle channels on the internet. Thank you Llel- the theoretical simulation part is impressive!

[@BrakeMagazine]

I didn’t invent that. It’s from a. Brilliant video by the channel I mentioned onscreen.

[@robertandersson2523]

I would say, from what Norley's video showed, that guy who helped her did it very well. Not many could done it better in that condition. An under powered bike in thick mud will wear the clutch. Not like the clutch was new at the beginning either.

[@jorgem.sanchezgonzalez5903]

Yes, i guess the guys doibg it in indonesia, india, africa with 125cc bikes dont have the underpower problem…

[@notundermywatch3163]

Dude I have seen people in Africa trail mud like that back and forth all day long on Chinese TVS 125cc motorcycle ferrying passengers

[@August12350]

​@@notundermywatch3163tvs is not Chinese

[@DD-co1zn]

All the simps blaming the guy for burning Noraly's clutch .... Sure. He only rides those roads daily, his whole life, to get food and water. But let's just ignore the fact Noraly edits the videos any way she likes, and just blame the local guy because thats what Noraly chose to show us.

[@BrakeMagazine]

To be honest, I don't care for the conjecture. it's not the vibe around here.

[@DD-co1zn]

@@BrakeMagazine conjecture is blaming the local without exercising your critical faculties to such extent that you realise there are hours of footage you didn't see. Textbook conjecture.

[@h.l.3628]

She did not blame the local guy. She defended him.

[@DD-co1zn]

@@h.l.3628 work on your reading comprehension. I didn't say *she* blamed him.

[@BrakeMagazine]

I don’t wanna be this guy, but I’d appreciate the replies being more considerate than that. As I said, not the vibe.

[@hedning003]

in noralys case,the clutch on the crf 300 rally is a known weakspot - so in her case ,it was bound to happen,the solution is to replace the stock crf300 complete assembly whit the one from the crf 250l combined whit steel and frictionplates and heavy duty springs from the cbr 300 - fits right in,and has one more frictionplate,and 5 springs instead of just 3

[@ezsteel78]

You will lose the slip/assist function if you do this.

[@kennethcooley3445]

Good suggestion. I think Noraly needs some guidance on when to do maintenance and when to upgrade for known troubled areas on stock bikes. She does a great job beating the snot out of stock bikes.

[@gerardboorsma3418]

Beste stuurlui staan aan de wal😅

[@inrptn]

Love Dakar tricks and this was well done my friend! Thank you!

[@BrakeMagazine]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Skiamakhos]

Nice video - could save some folks a lot of bother. I had a similar problem with my first big bike halfway in to work in London. After waiting all day for a tow truck, the tow truck guy let me in on a trick that would have saved me next time: carry a spare clutch cable, passed through the route of the existing one, gaffa taped or zip-tied to the current one. Time to repair then is a matter of seconds on the road as you connect the ends of the new cable in where the old one went & strip out the old one. Once you get to the repair shop, just buy a new spare & tie it in place as before.

[@colin20cal]

This is a very old enduro trick and one I've used on my bikes for many years. We're never to old to learn.👍🏻

[@TetraX-ui7xl]

...and tape the ends of the spare clutch cable so no water can get to it and rust the cable (and oil it a bit)

[@Skiamakhos]

@@TetraX-ui7xl yes, good point!

[@captaincrash9286]

Good tip, and one I've used a lot, especially on my old 400 single, which destroyed cables on a regular basis. Only thing is, it's not helpful in the situation described in the video.

[@Erwin-P]

There is a more subtle way to handle the early state of this problem. Add a few washers under or on top of the springs. That way you increase the pre-load on the spring and thus adding friction. Used this method a number of times, learned it in tuned old types of motorcycles that didn't have stronger springs or more friction plates available.

[@bryanreeme8584]

Reminds me of my old vw's breaking a clutch cable, your brain quickly finds a route home w/o any stop signs!.. If not, use the starter in 1st or push for a roll!

[@Two-StrokeLife]

Don't carry a fiber plate instead carry a extra metal. If slipping starts double the metal plates (2 metals between the fibers instead of 1) in the center of the pack. Your clutch will operate just like a brand new clutch again. I've ridden hundreds of miles on clutch packs with 2 metals stacked in the center on multiple bikes over the years.

[@luisgomesferreira9558]

I wish I had seen this video 2 years ago! It would have saved me so much trouble in Argentinean Patagonia... Thanks so much for the effort you put into your videos, it really shows up.

[@luis4727]

Great video! Most channels would have just explained it, you went out of your way to show us on your own machine, thanks:)

[@chilodin]

The first minutes provide a great explanation for how a clutch works. I learned a thing or two. Especially when you pulled on the clutch with the cover off. Awesome reference for all and new riders, or anyone repairing their own clutch. Great video and theories put into practice.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Thanks! Glad it was useful!

[@crijn]

Super cool trick when you're riding on flat terrain. Itchy Boots was riding through mud and water, up and down the hills. I don't think riding without a clutch will work in that type of terrain. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[@Lon1001]

On the terrain that finally fried it she wasn't even the one operating Alaska when it was happened, a local got her bike through the mud and was quite aggressive on the clutch to do it, she tried to tell him to go easy but she knew she wasn't as likely to be able to get through. It was unfortunate but you are correct that welding the clutch and using clutchless starts the on that mudbog of a road would not have been practical. After she got onto better roads thoug she was struggling slipping clutch and the broken friction disk trick could have got her to her Abidjan. Also the idea of carrying one spare friction disk mounted somewhere on the bike could have helped.

[@insatiable_mind]

Very useful information! I think I will opt for the spare clutch pack on a long adventure. I’ll find room for it 😂

[@BrakeMagazine]

And clutch cable 😜

[@rotor676]

You forgot to mension that you've ridden the Dakar & to wish a safe race to all the competitors. Merry xmas and happy holidays to all.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Happy Christmas to you too!

[@JohnCampbell-co1qk]

I believe noraly stated that the clutch would have had the same fate if she herself had ridden it through that mud, correct me if I am wrong but when in Alaska she had modification's carried out on her bike, wasn't one a light weight competition clutch , she at that time was intending to ues her bike on the Baha , an advantage for short term high performance,but not so durability, as for me in that situation I would put up the drone and found a navigable route through on the firmer periphery. but reality is what it is. Seasonal greetings to you all.🙏🎄❄️☃️

[@knuckles-3386]

It’s easy to be a Monday morning quarterback in these situations but i think using the drone to find an easier route would have been a good idea

[@dalailalai6335]

I really like that idea but there must be a good reason why she sticks to the roads. Maybe it’s muddy under all the grass? Clearly no one else attempts that either.

[@6Twisted]

Blip the throttle when you clutch-less downshift, it puts less stress on the gears.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Agreed

[@adamusher]

If you hold a tiny bit of throttle on and hold the brake then downshift it can be achieved almost seamlessly. Basically as it transitions between gears it revs up for a split second and goes down a gear much easier. Same works for clutchless downshifts on road in general. Run down the rev range lower than you usually would, to say 2000-2500 rpm, braking, throttle not completely cut, in a position that would give you say 2500 rpm of free rev, and then with some preload on the gear lever it’ll generally just shift without the slightest issue. On some bikes 1st to 2nd can be very clunky up and down without the clutch. On my Honda VFR1200 I just pause in neutral very briefly instead of shifting straight up or straight down, and it makes all the difference.

[@peterbojkov4669]

Yup

[@omnivore2220]

Of course in IB's case the clutch was cooked by way of massive and repeated, blatant abuse. So avoid that, and then her particular problem doesn't occur in the first place. I thought this was going to be a video about escaping horrific mud holes. Riding without a clutch is quite a different subject, and should indeed be practiced so that, when the skill is needed, it can be used with some confidence (even if the manufacturers try their damnedest to defeat the practice). I've had to do it in a car, when the slave cylinder simply vomited out its seal, along with all of the hydrolic fluid, and it went just fine. Of course that was back when automotive designers weren't trying to make unconventional operation of the vehicle impossible. I was able to use the robust starter motor to get going. Of course it works a lot better when you're able to hit neutral between any two gears, as in any car back then.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Indeed. Great comment! I’ve already made a video about riding in that kinda mud too.

[@mohamedkhamis5443]

It's easy when you are at your comfort. .get serious and go do that in the middle of jungle in Liberia then let us know how it went..

[@BrakeMagazine]

Brilliant comment. Should I just pop back the Dakar where I learnt this trick first? What the hell is the point of a comment like this? What are you trying to achieve? 😂

[@oscar7694]

Good thing to note is that Noraly didn't actually ruin the clutch, an over enthousiastic local did while trying to help her out. (Correct me if i'm wrong/ taking in consideration that driving such terrain will wear your clutch faster than normal use) Other than that, great video, I will keep this in mind for the extremely sticky situations. Would rather not treat my bike like that. Keep it going

[@BrakeMagazine]

You are correct. :)

[@fixento]

You are correct the bike was mid calf deep in mud, and a young man burned up the clutch getting it out of the mud. He attempted to move it like the 200 lb light bikes, but with her luggage extra gas tank, etc that 331 lb bike of hers must be close to 42 and burned out the clutch.

[@DD-co1zn]

... it's also worth noting that Noraly edited the video. You don't know what you didn't see.

[@oscar7694]

@@DD-co1zn That would suggest that she just ignores her clutch skills when the camera's off? Watch the video's.

[@MeerkatADV]

​@DD-co1zn and you don't know what you're talking about. Were you there?

[@totaratree99]

Great solutions. Hopefully never have to use. Cheers from NZ

[@babar69110]

75w140 oil and a water bottle to spray on clutch case if fading. No, it is not pizza sofa comment, real life and always worked.... Yes cooling clutch case with water works, yes, 75w140 makes a big difference... If hydraulic, care of the hose going to slave cylinder, not touching hot engine. But motorbike club is the most stubborn activity found on planet 😅

[@TheDirtyBirchTrails]

LMAO....and here I thought he was going to show us how to use the clutch more efficiently..................most people do not know how to use the clutch properly in tough situations !!

[@BrakeMagazine]

I've made that video multiple times. :)

[@robpinter5431]

Hmmm some good tips for road riding with no clutch, can you try it knee deep in red sticky mud on a fully loaded motorcycle?

[@BrakeMagazine]

Probably be pretty hard, but I wasn’t suggesting that. She made it to a road in her video

[@CommieHunter7]

One many BMWs, even as far back as 2004, the ECU is looking for the clutch position switch to CHANGE from 'engaged' to 'disengaged' after the bike is switched on. This prevents a rider from shorting the switch to 'always disengaged' to bypass safety measures. This could have been why you couldn't do the starter trick with the Suzuki.

[@geraldscott4302]

On every bike that I've owned that had them (and there have been quite a few) I have always removed and bypassed the clutch nanny switch, the sidestand nanny switch, and the neutral lockout nanny switch. Not only are these things a real nuisance to an experienced rider, but they also tend to fail at the worst possible time. With all these switches bypassed, you can start the bike in gear with the clutch out.

[@andypughtube]

I am a very experienced rider (Been riding 40 years, never had a car, 130,000 miles on the current bike alone) and I still sometimes go into gear with the side-stand down. So I keep the side-stand switch. Maybe this is partly due to never having had a side-stand switch problem. Which is pretty impressive thinking about it, given the age and milage of my bikes.

[@JohnThomas-zg8kf]

I tried the No1 method of dropping the bike into 1st at standstill when I had broken a clutch cable. Bike went into gear nicely but did not move forward as it just sheared the main gearbox shaft. The bike was an old Aermacchi Harley Davidson Scooter, so probably not a strong gearbox, but worth a warning as to what can happen.

[@malcolmrobinson4652]

Now try all that on the thick mud that itchy boots was trying to ride through since you're claiming to be giving her advice. PS..... trying to ride through all that deep mud without a clutch isn't going to work.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Mate. Did you think before you wrote? Or did you wake up angry at the world? I didn't SAY to do it in the mud would be easy. It'd actually be really hard hard. I didn't criticise her. I made at least three jokes about how much easier it was to do this in a comfy place with a flat white and pizza and her clutch gave up on the HIGHWAY. if you're gonna troll my dude, do a better job. 😂

[@malcolmrobinson4652]

@BrakeMagazine I'm not trolling you, you just don't like having your bubble burst after posting your vid about how you would've coped better than itchy boots. Her clutch might have gone while on the road but it was the riding through miles of deep mud that wore them out. Your video would've been better if you had it as a stand alone vid on coping with worn clutch plates rather than as advice directed to itchy boots.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Except I didn’t say I would’ve coped. I made a tutorial on solving a problem based on actual experience I’ve had in my riding career, racing and travelling and instructing on bikes. You can go and see this on the 100+ videos we’ve made, but maybe check out the one where I finished Dakar, or towed across the desert or towed an Enduro bike 20km down a single track river bed on a T7. It’s not directed at Itchy Boots either. It’s about what happens in the situation she had. Her situation is an example to tell a good story. Im just a dude making a tutorial to help people out and yes, your comment is trolling. It’s not well thought out and it’s protective of IB for no reason because no one is attacking her. I think she does an amazing job.

[@davidz8]

Really clever and well explained

[@BrakeMagazine]

Thanks David!

[@sidweazel2883]

Nice video, clearly explained and potentially extremely useful. Thanks 👍

[@TheNavyseamonkey]

stupid idea snapping a clutch plate, it wlll cause an unbalance in the motor causing problems later on, why not just carry the friction plates and one solid plate, not exactly heavy are they.

[@BrakeMagazine]

I did say that in the video, but if you don’t have one it’ll get you out of trouble and that kinda makes it not such a stupid idea.

[@TheNavyseamonkey]

@@BrakeMagazine your giving bad advice pal. Wet Clutches hardly wear maybe suggest a decent oil, keeping the oil clean. Correct adjustment. Even adding a washer or shim, if needed. Adding a snapped half plate will wreck the clutch basket and clutch seal causing absolute misery down the road. Your obviously a rider and not a builder

[@BrakeMagazine]

Mate, this is video about a last ditch scenario where someone has burnt out their clutch already. I'm not suggesting you do this for fun on a Sunday. Obviously the best situation is to be preventative but just sometimes in the wild that ship has sailed and siting in the middle of nowhere hoping for help is a bad choice. There are tons of comments here where people have done similar things. I get what you're saying though!@@TheNavyseamonkey

[@MeerkatADV]

Yep, never want to have to bump shift a bike to get home. But you just have to do what you've got to do.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Agreed!

[@jamesc4527]

Another tip - when your clutch starts to go, use lower gears to limit the load the clutch needs to handle (not 6th gear like I.B.). Even a slow limp in 1st gear is better than pushing. Bikes using a hydraulic clutch can also try cracking the clutch line to release built up pressure - hot clutch fluid will put a preload on the slave cylinder, inducing slip.

[@big566bunny]

Not sure what you mean by “cracking the clutch line”. ?? Cutting? Bending?

[@bnations2000]

@@big566bunny I believe that he means cracking open the bleeder screw briefly. That will relieve the hydraulic pressure.

[@BrakeMagazine]

I think you’re right.

[@jamesc4527]

Correct - easing the pressure built up due to heat. Just undo the bleed nipple a very small amount to release the pressure, then tighten it up again.

[@robertmansell3667]

I honestly can’t believe how anyone would take on the kind of trips Itchy Boots does without really good mechanical knowledge of their machine,and how to deal with all the common issues that WILL happen when you’re doing those sorts of mileage.on my 16th Birthday I went out about 6 in the morning on my DT50MX super excited I rode about 40 miles and my Clutch cable snapped,I got home fine riding clutch less but all my bikes now have a spare cable zip tied to the existing one.Great video !

[@foxlake6750]

I did the clutch cable thing, I also had a hollow tube in the frame under the seat and stuffed a rubber siphon hose and extra bit of gas line.

[@AlessioCorradini]

What you suggest is the last thing to do, only when there's no more hope. On the other hand, an extra clutch metal disc, will save you 99% of the times. It will apply more pressure. The clutch will have a second life (not just few hundreds kilometers, but thousands and thousands). Fact is, if you're an offroad beginner like Itchy boots, you will keep burning clutches on and on. Experience helps a lot to preserve the mechanical parts. That's what we do in rallies. You can't win a rally if you don't reach the end ;-)

[@BrakeMagazine]

Absolutely it is! Totally agree Alessio! Nice to see you around here.

[@allanschuster3520]

Noraly now is no beginner !

[@AlessioCorradini]

@@allanschuster3520 She's a traveller. A lot of respect for what she does. But in terms of offroad skills, she's a beginner. Check who's not a beginner: kzbin.info/www/bejne/epqkpaCEm6h6jMU First woman ever to finish Dakar in malle moto class (no mechanical assistance). Also Vanessa Ruck, has been improving a lot in the last couple of years. Also my girlfriend, who attended GS trophy last year, isn't a beginner. Most of the times, travellers know very little about offroad riding, but they have the guts to take and go. That's cool too.

[@jsmit9484]

She's no Dakar racer, but I can't remember any time where she burned her clutch? Even in the subject video it was a friendly local who burned her clutch.

[@AlessioCorradini]

@@jsmit9484 the CRF is tough 😅

[@nGAhGENVH0Ul]

Fuck motorbikes, I'm only watching Noraly because of her personality, environment and interaction with others not because of her biking skills.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Fair enough!

[@paul.vanhout57]

Clever on-trail methods to overcome a clutch failure that I would prefer NEVER having to tackle :(

[@BrakeMagazine]

😂

[@thenorseman2804]

You little bastard, this is what you tell Itchy Boots now, after all she went through with the clutch. Wouldn't it be nicer if you told her this in advance!😁🤣 Fantastic advice with a very well made video mate! I'll take this with me!

[@JamesAllmond]

of course Noraly is actually still riding across Africa, Cameroon I believe, as you sit where?

[@BrakeMagazine]

I sit in my desk making a helpful video for people to watch. What are you sitting there doing? Ah, writing unhelpful, thoughtless KZbin comments.

[@KevinDaken]

Make sure you really understand how your clutch works, and what effect the clutch free-play adjustment has on the cable, and actuation mechanism. In most cases when the clutch starts slipping, re-adjusting the clutch free-play will reduce the slipping. As will letting it cool down.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Absolutely imperative. Great comment

[@nobodyshero200]

She would need a new gasket as well? Also something to catch the coolant in? So she could put it back in the bike.

[@BrakeMagazine]

There is no coolant coming out and the gasket will be fine.

[@andreasweber7828]

In ‘02 the clutch on my DR750S went silence in the middle of my vacation in the south of France. French mechanics refused to repair my problem and I couldn’t get hold of new parts. So I decided to do what’s needed at the time and that was riding my bike for 1200 km without a clutch. Through the traffic, the French way. It’s a walk in the park as soon you let go of any fear and refuse to care about anything. No questions were asked at the borders

[@BrakeMagazine]

Love it!

[@RoyalLeech]

that bike has a factory quick shifter and auto bliperwhy yopu pretending?...lol

[@BrakeMagazine]

To explain to others without a quick shifter. 😂😂

[@jesuschrist7169]

She will never learn, when she started her channel I pointed out she should do as much training as possible and got blocked 😂

[@BrakeMagazine]

Savage.

[@Gojo_00]

I remember having to do most of this on my FZ-09 when my clutch cable snapped apart.

[@adrianhandstock10]

As I a school kid, I learnt to ride on Salisbury plain, we had a 1970s Suzuki TS100 with no clutch or front brake. hours of fun, I see you were at Red Horn going back towards, Upavon. PS Hard to blip a throttle without a clutch, gets a bit lurchy.

[@jsmit9484]

Am I watching Discovery Channel? This is incredibly well written, spoken and visualised. Subbed!

[@BrakeMagazine]

Just a little ol YT channel! Cheers for the kind words.

[@Jackrabbit4520]

There’s nothing quite like exploiting some footage of an iconic KZbin personality to boost your own channel for financial gain. I trust you sought permission from her to use her footage which is protected by international copyright laws before simply using it?

[@BrakeMagazine]

Under copyright law I’m not breaking any laws because I commenting on the footage in her video. Secondly, if you think there is financial gain in being a small KZbinr check again. And third, what exactly is wrong in taking something, making good content about it and providing a useful tutorial. What you’re saying is basically the same as having a football response channel is also profiting off the fact a football team is famous. You’re right, but it’s not exactly a bloody heinous crime man 😂😂😂

[@Jackrabbit4520]

@@BrakeMagazine You obviously do not understand copyright law. I am a professional photographer and if someone were to use even one of my images, (something which I have created) for any purpose whatsoever without my written permission, that would be a breach of copyright which constitutes theft and for which the ‘user’ could be liable to pay significantly damages. In any case they would be legally required to stop using the image immediately. I agree you are commenting on the footage in her video, however you are also using her footage, (something which she has created) in your video, your channel is presumably monetised and therefore you will financially gain from it regardless of the amount. Finally you say it is not a heinous crime however a simple Google search will confirm that Magistrates Courts can impose a fine of up to £50k & impose a jail term of up to six months. In the Crown Court fines can be unlimited with a maximum sentence of up to ten years. It’s not uncommon for people to incorrectly assume that by using someone else’s material they are doing no harm but that could not be further from the truth. It is a breach of copyright why do you think magazines/books and such like say within them no part of this book may be copied, shared, resold without the authors written consent? I would give this some thought if I were you. 👍

[@BrakeMagazine]

I do understand it. I was a photographer before I was a KZbinr. It's not copyright abuse, it's fair use. If I was using her footage to sell a course I sell, bang to right no problem. Also, if she wants the monetisation from the video, KZbin is well set-up for her to claim it. It'll likely already be showing up in YT studio as me using that footage. I totally agree with what you're saying about abuse of copyright. I've been on the unfair end of this multiple times but this debate has been entirely dealt with on KZbin, for at least the last six year under the fair use agreement. See here 👇 @@Jackrabbit4520

[@Jackrabbit4520]

@@BrakeMagazine See here? There’s no link. As for the unauthorised use of her footage you’ve disappointed me, I expected better from you as a digital creator.

[@BrakeMagazine]

m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/bHSunniGmcmEeMU Sorry I’ve disappointed you. I believe I’m using her footage in a fair way under copyright rules on KZbin.

[@stavrozinio]

this kind of start got me to service twice when I got my clutch wire snapped. the problem appears when you approach the red traffic light :')

[@stefke1150]

Nice trick indeed, but unfortunately, in Itchy's case that wouldn't have helped her. Because if i remember correctly, the carrier case for the clutch also broke in pieces. Resulting in lots of debries in the engine.

[@BrakeMagazine]

I think it actually would’ve because she could put so much less heat into the clutch. Once it’s starts to slip it will generate huge heat. I don’t know if that is the case but for sure it could contribute and would seem a likely chain of events. ☺️ Also,it does appear that a lot of the debris is actually fibre plate break up. Didn’t watch in detail but that was my passing observation. Cheers!

[@JR-ww4xc]

Would adding washers under the springs have helped at the first sign the clutch was slipping? They are easy to carry in a tool roll...

[@BrakeMagazine]

Maybe a bit, if they can go under the pressure plate. If it’s between the spring and the pressure plate I don’t think so. That would make the scutch heavier but not thicken the clutch pack.

[@HoagesMoto]

Man having to snap a fibre disc and assymetrically load the basket springs is LOOSE but pretty awesome. For those not racing when you next open your clutch cover for any kind of maintenance or inspection - check your clutch spring ID & OD and pack suffcient washers to preload the whole spring set a few mm - no risk of basket damage and will save a ride if you catch a slippage, let the bike cool down and fit them before to much damage is done. Carrying a full clutch even on a remote ride is pretty rediculous for riders that have mechanical sympathy/ understand what heat and continued slippage will result in. Carrying 5-15 choice size washers that might save the day when you don't listen to your bikes warning signs for a weight penalty of ~50g in trip luggage might be a smart move for you or someone else where the terrain/climate/rider warrants it :)

[@auroratours6716]

Hm..... just thinking about the commercial background🤔... Does BrakeMag REALLY have to use the label "ITCHY BOOTS" as clickbait ? ? ? Dream on 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@BrakeMagazine]

Don't have to, but sometimes a good story pops up and provides an opportunity. What do you mean by the commercial background?

[@auroratours6716]

@@BrakeMagazine clickbait ... the label ITCHY BOOTS in the headline attracts 20 times more (potential!) YT watchers than the label BRAKE MAG !

[@BrakeMagazine]

And why is that a problem? I could do with some people actually watching my videos 😂😂

[@Nerb1]

I cant beleive people burn motorcycle clutches! Do they just ride the clutch for hours on end? They need to learn to just let the clutch out. Mud and sand dont bog the motor down so that first gear wont turn the wheel.

[@BIKESnSKILLETS]

You're playing off her channel ? 😮

[@BrakeMagazine]

You’re writing nonsense on Yotube!

[@farkled]

This is very helpful. I was stranded in the middle of nowhere Baja with a burnt out clutch. Hopefully I'll never need to do this in the future!

[@BrakeMagazine]

Hopefully not!

[@deanjudd4185]

That's all good wen u know your stuff most of us a very much average or less

[@BrakeMagazine]

I just spent a lot of time riding in circles in the woods. 😂😂

[@DirtRiderLife]

WOW! Really wish I knew this trick when my buddies clutch burnt out in the Oregon desert last summer, could have save our entire trip!!!!

[@BrakeMagazine]

Sorry to hear that

[@DirtRiderLife]

@@BrakeMagazine I'm confused! How can 'fixing' one friction plate make the drive solid when all the other friction plates continue to slip ?

[@dznnf7]

There just isn't enough room in there for another plate thickness - the width of the clutch pack is fixed by the basket dimensions. @@DirtRiderLife

[@BrakeMagazine]

So what allows the slip is the reduced friction because the plates can move slightly side to side. When you increase that friction by making the stack of plates bigger then none of them can slide or move. In the comments you'll see lots of other ingenious ways to solve the same problem. Leather shoelaces, wire etc.@@dznnf7

[@100CupsColombia]

Makes me glad to be in Scotland in a Merc for a couple of weeks! Freezing in Moffat is a proper novelty 😎

[@BrakeMagazine]

😂 Embrace that!

[@andipasti3320]

Thanks for sharing. I feel sorry for what your bike had to go through for this video 😬🤕

[@BrakeMagazine]

😂😂 It’ll be grand. Suzukis are tough as old boots.

[@RobertF1964]

Nice to see someone trying to educate the masses. I've had to do something similar on a couple of occasions when I've broken either the clutch lever or snapped a clutch cable on my daily ride - a 1977 Yamaha XT500 ! You know, one of those bikes that actually won a Dakar (or two). Now there's a bike you don't really want to have to do the "run & jump" manoeuvre too many times.

[@backroadbeetle4781]

I ride a Buell Ulysses, which is this weird Harley powered ADV. Had that happen but Harley was actually smart for once. There's an adjuster rod you can max out to force the plates together, saved my booty and takes 5min.

[@thra5herxb12s]

I would have cut up an old metal tin and made a dummy steel plate to pack it all out a bit further and take up the slack, or even put a couple of extra washers from elsewhere on the bike, under the spring nuts, to force it together until I could get a set of new plates FedExed to the next town. Of course I dont have a pile of CRF clutch plates in front of me to experiment with, but I would have figured it out somehow, because I have a good imagination, and and am also mechanically minded after 45 years of swinging spanners on bikes. Noraly didn't get stuck for long though and is still inspiring people the world over.

[@zweispurmopped]

Two points there: · She was stuck in deep mud where you couldn't just jump the bike into motion. If Alaska had a big chunk more of power, the rear wheel could have done the slipping instead of the clutch, but there obviously is the limit of the low cc engine light weight bike: There's only so much oomph available for flinging mud out off the way. That may have been the reason for her exploration of different bikes during her Africa break. (And boy, does the Himalayan 452 look promising there!) All in all the CRF 300R still seems to offer more advantages than shortcomings to her and mud is only one of several obstacles she had to deal with. · The entire clutch assembly had to be replaced in the end. She didn't discuss the exact failure in detail, but apparently the damage was deeper than just burnt clutch plates. Maybe the forks of the outer case had worked in beyond their limits and lifted the clutch with dents, maybe there was something wrong with the slipper clutch mechanism, maybe that, maybe, maybe. One of the problems when you burn any clutch is that the material on the surface changes. The steel parts get oxidised, the organic material chars. This affects the friction coefficient. Especially with bikes where the clutch runs in oil and there is loads of carbohydrates available for charring. The charred oil makes a gooey slippery consistency and is stuck to the surface of the clutch and goes deeply into the pores of the material. I have no way of knowing if my idea will actually work in the African outback, but what I imagine would be a good temporary fix: Find yourself some really high percentage moonshine and dump the clutch plates into it, Give them the best possible clean in the stuff, then try sanding off the top layer of oxidation if the steel parts are discoloured. The alcohol should dissolve most of the charred oil and thus both get this source of lubricant that may inhibit force transmission out of the way and also, as the built up charred oil increased the surface touching the other side of the clutch, increase the area load on the bits of clutch surface that may actually transfer force to a level where it may work again. While this obviously will not be a full repair, it just may get you going until you reach a point where you can get a garage and spares. If grinding was involved, the parts need an extremely good rinse, obviously (again), as you want none of these hard particles in your oil.

[@BrakeMagazine]

She was stuck on a tarmac road. Watch the video again.

[@zweispurmopped]

@@BrakeMagazine That's where the last bit of life went from the clutch. It had burnt long before.

[@BrakeMagazine]

And that’s what the video is about. She got to the road and then needed rescue. She coulda then gone through this process.

[@ernestozilberberg257]

You the man!!! This video is just packed with useful information!!! Thank you for all the time you invested in it.

[@BrakeMagazine]

I appreciate that!

[@halvo265]

I follow Itchy Boots. She's my window to the world, taking me places I would never have the nards to go. What amazes me about her is that for someone with so many miles on a motorcycle, she displays an incredible lack of riding skill and mechanical knowledge. Many times I find myself yelling a the screen, "Why are you riding like that?" Then again, I don't have 2,000,000 followers.

[@BrakeMagazine]

I think that’s kinda the charm and the impressive thing. She’s not letting something stop her doing the thing she wants to do. Some people aren’t interested in that. She clearly loves to travel and is doing an awesome job of that.

[@BillySBC]

She's very unprepared in most cases, and considering the remote and somewhat dangerous parts of the world she's in she does display a very naive attitude about it all. It's like she just expects kindness and blocks out the possibility of evil... She needs to learn a whole lot about repairing her bike on her own without assistance, as all of us have, and carry a certain amount of tools and emergency parts (like clutch friction disks) and sit right down right there and fix the damn bike herself... I like to watch her videos, but I do very much fear for her sometimes.

[@BillySBC]

@@BrakeMagazine She's being naive, and she's very much unprepared for breakdown, and that is not what adventure bikers are in 99 percent of cases. If my ass is going to be in some very dangerous and remote spot in this world then you better believe that I'm going to have all the tools and emergency parts necessary to get myself out of a jam on my own if I need to... This girl doesn't do that, and in that regard she's a bad example for many wannabe adventure motorcycle travellers out there. Sorry, I love the girl, but she is in some ways not a good example.

[@BrakeMagazine]

I think they all did pretty well tbh. Long Way Round is a treasure of an ADV story

[@ArturoEspinosaAldama]

These driving techniques are also useful in case you can't control your clutch, such as a snapped cable or a broken lever if you don't want / can't stop to ammend the situation. Maybe you are a few Km from your destination and you want to deal with it in the hotel or at a shop. Doubling a snapped plate to direct-drive the bike is just brilliant. BTW the lighter your bike is, the easier it will be on the transmission and the starter, unless it is overengineered.

[@omegaplumbing]

What I find interesting about itchy boots is sometimes she’s a really proficient rider and then there’s other times she seems to just fall over so I’m not sure what that’s about is it because she has lost endurance during the day or simply click bait?

[@disekjoumoer]

I think Norally could have maybe just walked the bike through the mud. But I don't do offroad, so it's only my thoughts.

[@kcpolog]

She could've lifted it and carried it one her back as well (no, she couldn't).

[@BrakeMagazine]

Maybe. it was a massive distance cover walking however, and that kind of clay is so slick it's often really tough to walk a bike in. I actually don't think it was was Norally's riding that affected the clutch but the guy helping here and the clutch on CRF is a known weak spot. Kind of a perfect storm.

[@BrakeMagazine]

😂@@kcpolog

[@inrptn]

@@BrakeMagazine CRF has a lot of weak spots, tbh. Not a true RTW bike.

[@DD-co1zn]

@@inrptn a bolted on subframe would be the first thing I would want in the next update to the CRF300, as far as being a good RTW candidate.

[@doneB830]

I learnt to ride on a bike with a broken clutch cable and got very good at it.( ten year old kid with no money)

[@haydenflinner]

Awesome tricks! I just wanted to point out that both of these are a continuum, like you can do all three of pushing, downhill, with the starter button pressed, for the easiest possible load on the bike. And for shifting down it makes it smoothest to go really slow, apply some throttle to get the motor starting to rev up under its own power, and downshift at the same moment, to minimize the change in acceleration when the wheel starts engine braking to the new higher RPM. It's similar principle to getting the bike rolling before putting it in gear. Just smoothness is the key, same as with riding clutchless. but if you've ever watched Moto Gymkhana (Lexco has a great video on their techniques, which really carry over to a lot of types of riding), they don't use the clutch for all of those crazy manuevers. So it's definitely something that can be practiced for fun and can even become your preference, once you stop relying on the clutch because it's there.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Good points!

[@VeoismMusic]

Leather Shoe Lace... Still allows you to use the clutch as normal for the most part

[@BrakeMagazine]

I just saw this in a comment. I’ve never heard of that!

[@C_R_O_M________]

Where exactly do you place the shoelace? In between friction and metal plates and how exactly?

[@BrakeMagazine]

Maybe wrap the other fibre plate with it.

[@dalailalai6335]

We need more info here.

[@mikoshnanasi4366]

Brilliant video! This is the kind of valuable information that will stay with a rider forever.

[@701Adventures]

Are you seriously comparing what you suggested in this video as being appropriate for Itchy Boots to attempt in Liberia on the muddy road that she was on to your attempt on a tightly compacted, flat road in the U.K? 😂

[@BrakeMagazine]

Yeah, I am. I made at least three jokes about how it's incomparable and when she actually couldn't move anymore she was on the tarmac. 😂 If you're gonna troll, try harder my dude! :P

[@701Adventures]

@@BrakeMagazine harsh, I was only making an observation 👍

[@kleinbiker1]

@@701Adventures Noraly discovered the problem when she was essentially on the same type of road as in this video. 🙄

[@BrakeMagazine]

Not really man. You went straight to trolling and I’m pointing that out.

[@701Adventures]

@@BrakeMagazine Respectfully I disagree, but I cannot be bothered to labour the point. 👍

[@defylifeadventure]

Great video. I imagine many of us have had a road bike fall over and broken the clutch lever. I remember having to ride home from a bbq without a clutch on my NS125. Fun part was having to come to stop at some lights then get of the bike and run with it before kicking it into gear, with a police car sat behind me at the lights. didn't know about the inserting a broken clutch plate trick. That's a nice one to know. 👍🏼

[@njpaddler]

Some riders carry a small Vice-Grip / locking pliers to use as a quick lever replacement, as long as your broken lever has enough of a nub left on it for the pliers to grip. Deployment takes seconds & off you go.

[@defylifeadventure]

@@njpaddler Yeah I know that trick, works on shift levers too. Coming from a bbq I didn't have tools on me for 4 mile ride back.

[@XadJack]

Really cool video! Bit of an off topic one, but I’m just south of Salisbury plain, do you know of any beginner friendly groups /clubs / companies that go out on off road rides in the area? I have a Himalayan and did one meet-up where we did a bit of off-roading on Salisbury Plain and I loved it, am keen to do more but am fairly novice!

[@TwoHemiViewer]

Noraly -Itchy Boots could have avoided the problem by firstly not letting the man to ride it LoL. Anyway she should have ridden the bog by not slipping the clutch just power on maintaining rear wheel spin through the bog yes difficult but it the same as a locked clutch.

[@TRAVERSE_ADV]

Nice technique. Couldn't you just pull the clutch lever in to inturn activate the clutch switch and make the bike think the clutch is pulled in? Why remove the lever? And also confused about "either a fibre plate already in the clutch pack, or one you are going to replace ". I dont understand, if my clutch is cooked I'm going to replace the whole stack. Do you simply mean, you cannot add an extra plate to the basket? What if you had a spare plate and left it whole and added it to the basket rather than snapping one?

[@BrakeMagazine]

You could on some bikes. I took the lever off my bike to show riding without a clutch. No need to remove it. You can just add the extra plate if you have it. You can do anything that’s going to overfill the clutch pack. Double a plate you have, add a new plate, wrap a fibre plate in leather laces. Just fill the gap, stop the plates slipping is the only goal.

[@jarikinnunen1718]

All honor to itchy boots mud crawling. It`s part of her "Lady in trouble" show. Millions bikers feel worry for her, I also. The slower chain sprockets ratio help. No any reason to high speed.

[@Artyming786]

That african boy really did a piece on Noraly bike.. he was just enjoying the throttle on Alaska. I would have never given my bike but I feel Noraly was so exhausted that she lost her senses and just gave away.

[@pablitopanes4872]

Engage the gear into 2nd or 3rd and start it without pumping the throttle. You will have a smooth start that will not spin the back tire or throw you backward. Don't ever do it in first gear.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Interesting. I think second gear is too tall on my bike for that to work. I will try!

[@bobtwobeers6286]

I watched the video, and they did not show the clutch plates so I don't know if the plates were wore off or if she heated the plates so hot that they glazed over. If the plates are glazed the temp fix is to take some 80grit sandpaper and break the glazing on each and every plate. Oh a side note down in Alabama the spell Noraly = Nora Lee

[@Bardockion]

I was always curious what you should do when the clutch burns out. Thank you for the awesome video! 😄

[@ShadowVonChadwick]

All good points, and in the comments below. But a simple point to make is don't ride the clutch in those conditions, either in or out. The engine and oil will get hot, give the bike time to cool down and clear that mud out while waiting. I know, easy to say, but you only need to burn out the clutch once for the lesson to be learnt. I was young, riding with my older brother and his mate in a swampy area, second lesson to carry a salt shaker or cigarettes to deal with the leeches.😨

[@sarbura1746]

I've seen a guy do this, burnt clutch plates so he added another plate for like another layer w it and runs smoothly. Never knew Dakar uses this method too.

[@BrakeMagazine]

👌👌

[@stefanmargraf7878]

You shouldnt burn the clutch in the first place. I dont know any reason for driving with a slipping clutch and power. I fully disengage the clutch and let the wheel spin, not the clutch slip.

[@lohikarhu734]

I heard her comment on riding in 6th gear, totally the wrong thing to do...ride in the lowest gear possible, don't use the clutch to shift, or even start off...give the bike a good shove, and then engage first gear... Better to not torch the clutch in the first place.

[@lesklower7281]

I rode my Suzuki GT750 with a broken clutch cable but l had a spare one so l stopped and fitted it also drove a Ute were hydrolics had failed and had to drive home and it had a tachometer were l with as able to rev match and got home l did it

[@Motosportz]

Hummm... not sure your "loosing your stack space" from wear is the real issue. I have seen MANY clutch plates still in spec but slipping like crazy. This is because to much load and clutch abuse got them hot and slipping, then they just slip and then it all over. the issue being the glazed and hard friction surface not the dimensional wear.

[@BrakeMagazine]

It’s a good point!

[@mikecarr1484]

Old bikes this would work flawlessly. Mine has no neutral cut off switch or a clutch switch. lol. 1995

[@jelled5523]

stupid question, but do I asumme correctly that if you carry an extra clutch plate, you'd also need a renewal clutch oil?

[@XLAdvRider]

I was impressed with Notalee’s riding at Baja Rally

[@BrakeMagazine]

Yeah? I've never ridden with her :)

[@romeobayotlang5924]

unfortunately itchy boots is more than a rider rather than a mechanic like if you are an adventurer fixing your bike on your own is already a skill but That is what she lacks.

[@crazeguy26]

you keep from burning out the clutch, grab a gear and let the clutch hold it, engine bogging down keep dropping gears.

[@bobvancalcar9090]

The real problem that Noraly had is that she uses too much of her clutch. Also in mud. You d better let your rear wheel spin smoothly.

[@jackrichards1863]

I felt she had bigger problems than just clutch failure? But this is one perspective.