barnett extra plate clutch kit

[first timer]

barnett extra plate clutch kit w/ heavey duty springs. i just picked up this kit off ebay for 20$. anyone have any feed back on it, is it a good kit, it's for a 79 gs1000e?

thanks,
ryan

 

[lhanscom]

Barnett clutches are pretty bulletproof, they'll withstand drag strip launches over and over again, but they also tend to drag more, I had barnetts in my 1150, and couldn't shift to neutral if I wasn't moving. They also don't have as nice a feel as stock clutches. The HD springs hold things together nicely, but will kill your hand. It's all a matter of what you want out of a clutch. Currently I have stock clutch plates with HD springs, I use my electric shifter most of the time, so the clutch pull doesn't bother me much. I can shift to neutral, and the feel is great. I count on needing to change the plates more often though.

 

[Jeff Tate]

I had a set of those with HD springs and missed shifts all the time. Also as mentioned, my hand got tired while riding in town. I went back to a NEW stock clutch and springs and have never had a problem since.
If you race this might just be what you're looking for.

 

[first timer]

for $20 for a full kit i guess i can't complain.

-ryan

 

[Anonymous]

I just paid 200CDN for the kit yesterday. It didn't offer an extra plate I'm kind of happy since my clutch basket is grooved for the stock #.

Steve

 

[Anonymous]

I run my Barnett with the stock springs. One traffic jam and my hand went numb with the HD springs. It still launches like a rocket !

 

[scotty]

I have barnett fibers and hd springs. i never can get to heutral if i dont do it just before i stop. The pressure is a bit tough but i like the solid grab.
I used to run an extra steel plate but it was a real pain for me so now it is standard amounts of plates and fibers with the HD springs. If you are not drag racing, the hd stuff should not be necessary.
I think

 

[KGB]

I have Barnett plates, stock springs.
1980 GS1000S model.

I have about 20K on them, still hooks up like it should.

No crab hand from the HD springs.

 

[GER144]

I don't mind the Barnett springs, but I'd much rather run the stock oem clutch plates. I found when I ran the Barnett plates the clutch would drag, and almost impossible to find neutral, no matter where I adjusted the free play in the lever. When I first started running a dragbike and just snapping/dumping the clutch, the fiber material was peeling right off the Barnett fibers. Stock Suzuki plates for me thanks!

 

[KGB]

Soak the plates in oil overnight then install them.

I've had no problems with neutral or shifting.

 

[scotty]

Soak the plates in oil overnight then install them.

I've had no problems with neutral or shifting.

I always soak my fibers in oil before installing them. are you saying that even after you stop at a light you are thrn able to get into neutral easily?? Is this for the 1000 or the 1100 model???

I hAVE HEARD THAT BARNETT FIBERS HAVE A TENDENCY TO DRAG . i Also NOTICED THAT AFTER A BREAK IN THE DRAG WAS GONE BUT STILL CANT GET NEUTRAL UNLESS I DO IT JUST AS I AM ROLLING TO A STOP.
cAPS KEY AGAIN?????

 

[lecroy]

When I first started running a dragbike and just snapping/dumping the clutch, the fiber material was peeling right off the Barnett fibers. Stock Suzuki plates for me thanks!

I have heard of this problem as well from two different people! I used to run Barnett plates but the last set I purchased were made different and I never put them in. I think that this may be the problem. The older ones had much wider pads. I tried a set of APE plates and these held up alright but I am back to stock plates now.

 

[Hap Call]

I just paid 200CDN for the kit yesterday. It didn't offer an extra plate I'm kind of happy since my clutch basket is grooved for the stock #.

Steve

Steve, that is a good point that many do not consider.

Hap

 

[first timer]

the kit i have the fiber material has been grooved to allow the oil to get out, the intructions in the kit sez that the grooves help the plates seperate and reduces drag.

of all the people that used the barnett kit did your friction plates have grooves in the fiber to keep keep drag from oil down?

what do you mean my clutch basket is grooved for the stock # of plates, i though barnett can use more plates because they are using thiner fiber material, so if you took a oem clutch and a barnett clutch and laid them side by side they would have the same hieght. so no need to modify your clutch basket.

and like i said i only paid 20 bucks for this kit brand new

all this feedback is great thanks.

-ryan

 

[Anonymous]

First timer,
I was referring to the wear on the outer hub. Every time you launch the bike it takes a bit out of the hub and after 80,000 km you can see the 9 indents on each hub spline were the plates rub.

Also, it turns out that all I got for 200 bucks was 9 fibre plates! The plates do have oil slots in them like the stock ones do. What puzzles me is that when I measured my old plates there was nothing wrong with them. But, with the new fibres my bike doesn't bash into 1st in the morning and it doesn't slip under power or for the last bit of engagement like it used to (I also lowered the idle a bit when I had the plates out). Maybe doing burnouts or the age of the plates caused them to slip/harden.

Steve

 

[Joe Nardy]

I remember doing my Barnett kit many years ago. I found a writeup somewhere that said it is okay to file the grooves on the basket away if they're not too deep. I filed mine and installed the extra plate kit and HD springs. I lived with the stiff clutch and drag because it was worth it to have the clutch engage hard enough to loft the front wheel in third gear! Both the stiffness and drag decrease with age. Mine is quite livable now, probably 15,000 to 18,000 miles on it. It still engages very positively.

Joe

 

[jonr]

You guys are scaring me here. Ryan, I just put Vesrah Fibers and Barnett plates in my 750 and have yet to take it for a spin. I am waiting to bleed my new front stainless brake lines. I had to completely readjust the rod that pushes out the pressure plate because even though I used the same number of plates and fibers, the whole set was thicker than what I took out.

I'm hoping there are no surprises in the next few days when I try a test drive... let me know how yours comes out!

-Jon

PS. Vesrah fibers, $25 - ebay. Barnett plates, $45 - MAW.

 

[first timer]

while you have your clutch cable off clean and oil it good, this will help tons and will save your hand.

-ryan

 

[Robert Corrie]

Took my 1150 to the Honda (cringe) shop for jetting in 86 and they told me I needed a new clutch and cable. I asked why. They said that the cable pull was too hard and the clutch draged. After I stopped laughing at them, I just said "BARNETT". They had no clue. Haven't gone back. Still drags a little when cold. Lever pull has never bothered me.

 

[Anonymous]

clutch

clutch

Have an extra plate and spring barrnett set up in my mod-ed out 650 BSA cause I have to, but would not do it on a bike unless it needed it, way to stiff and on a bike that lacks low end grunt is miserable