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News, Racing News
Rekluse Pro Motocross Report – Fox Raceway 2

Rekluse is proud to be the trusted clutch supplier to top-tier race teams for the 2021 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Below are their race results from round 11 Fox Raceway.  The demands of racing call for a clutch that can withstand extreme conditions. Several professional level racers, from motocross to extreme enduro, trust […]

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Rekluse is proud to be the trusted clutch supplier to top-tier race teams for the 2021 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Below are their race results from round 11 Fox Raceway. 

Dylan Ferrandis – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Christian Craig – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Coty Schock – FXR Chaparral Honda –  Photo Swapmoto Live
Justin Cooper – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
R.J. Hampshire- Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing –  Photo: Simon Cudby
Joshua Varize – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing –  Photo: Simon Cudby
Levi Kitchen – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media

The demands of racing call for a clutch that can withstand extreme conditions. Several professional level racers, from motocross to extreme enduro, trust Rekluse clutch components to perform even in the most demanding races. Check out the video below to learn more.

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News, Racing News, Uncategorized
Rekluse Pro Motocross Report – Southwick

Rekluse is proud to be the trusted clutch supplier to top-tier race teams for the 2021 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Below are their race results from round 5 Southwick. The Star Racing Yamaha team chooses Rekluse Clutch Technology in their YZ450F and YZ250F machines. We caught up with Dylan Ferrandis in his 250 […]

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Rekluse is proud to be the trusted clutch supplier to top-tier race teams for the 2021 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Below are their race results from round 5 Southwick.

Dylan Ferrandis – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing –  Photo: Simon Cudby
Christian Craig – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Aaron Plessinger – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Justin Cooper – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing –  Photo: Simon Cudby
Colt Nichols – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing –  Photo: Simon Cudby
Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing –  Photo: Simon Cudby

The Star Racing Yamaha team chooses Rekluse Clutch Technology in their YZ450F and YZ250F machines. We caught up with Dylan Ferrandis in his 250 days and learned why he likes racing with Rekluse. Check out the video below to learn more.

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News, Racing News
Rekluse Pro Motocross Report – RedBud

Rekluse is proud to be the trusted clutch supplier to top-tier race teams for the 2021 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Below are their race results from round 4 RedBud.  The Star Racing Yamaha team chooses Rekluse Clutch Technology in their YZ450F and YZ250F machines. We caught up with Dylan Ferrandis in his 250 […]

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Rekluse is proud to be the trusted clutch supplier to top-tier race teams for the 2021 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Below are their race results from round 4 RedBud. 

Dylan Ferrandis – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Aaron Plessinger – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Christian Craig – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing –  Photo: Simon Cudby
Justin Cooper – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Jeremy Martin – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing –  Photo: Simon Cudby
Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing –  Photo: Simon Cudby

The Star Racing Yamaha team chooses Rekluse Clutch Technology in their YZ450F and YZ250F machines. We caught up with Dylan Ferrandis in his 250 days and learned why he likes racing with Rekluse. Check out the video below to learn more.

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Rekluse Pro Motocross Report – High Point

Rekluse is proud to be the trusted clutch supplier to top-tier race teams for the 2021 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Below are their race results from round 3 High Point.  Carson Mumford – P10 – FXR/Chaparral Honda Racing The Star Racing Yamaha team chooses Rekluse Clutch Technology in their YZ450F and YZ250F machines. […]

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Rekluse is proud to be the trusted clutch supplier to top-tier race teams for the 2021 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Below are their race results from round 3 High Point. 

Dylan Ferrandis – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Aaron Plessinger – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Christian Craig – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing –  Photo: Simon Cudby
Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing –  Photo: Simon Cudby
Justin Cooper – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Colt Nichols – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media

Carson Mumford – P10 – FXR/Chaparral Honda Racing


The Star Racing Yamaha team chooses Rekluse Clutch Technology in their YZ450F and YZ250F machines. We caught up with Dylan Ferrandis in his 250 days and learned why he likes racing with Rekluse. Check out the video below to learn more.

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News, Racing News
Rekluse Pro Motocross Report – Thunder Valley

Rekluse is proud to be the trusted clutch supplier to top-tier race teams for the 2021 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Below are their race results from round 2 Thunder Valley. 

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Rekluse is proud to be the trusted clutch supplier to top-tier race teams for the 2021 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Below are their race results from round 2 Thunder Valley. 
MX Blog - Thunder Valley Round 2_Fox Raceway 450 header

Dylan Ferrandis – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Aaron Plessinger – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Christian Craig – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Justin Cooper – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Colt Nichols – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – Photo: Simon Cudby
Jeremy Martin – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – Photo: Simon Cudby
Product spotlight email graphic test WHITE 730x500px-27

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News, Racing News
Rekluse Pro Motocross Report – Fox Raceway

Rekluse is proud to be the trusted clutch supplier to top-tier race teams for the 2021 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Below are their race results from round 1 at Fox Raceway. 

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Rekluse is proud to be the trusted clutch supplier to top-tier race teams for the 2021 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Below are their race results from round 1 at Fox Raceway. 

header_Fox Raceway 450 header

Dylan Ferrandis – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Aaron Plessinger – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing –  Photo: Simon Cudby
Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing –  Photo: Simon Cudby
Christian Craig – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Jeremy Martin – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Justin Cooper – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing –  Photo: Simon Cudby
Colt Nichols – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing –  Photo: Simon Cudby
Jarrett Frye – Star Racing Yamaha – Photo: Octopi Media
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Rekluse 2021 Supercross Partnerships

Rekluse is proud to be the trusted clutch supplier to the following top-tier race teams for the upcoming 2021 Monster Energy Supercross season. Riders will be utilizing Rekluse’s premier clutch technologies as they compete at the highest levels of racing.  Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450 Class: Jason Anderson, Zach Osborne, Dean Wilson250 Class: Stilez Robertson, […]

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Rekluse is proud to be the trusted clutch supplier to the following top-tier race teams for the upcoming 2021 Monster Energy Supercross season. Riders will be utilizing Rekluse’s premier clutch technologies as they compete at the highest levels of racing. 

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

Photo: Simon Cudby

450 Class: Jason Anderson, Zach Osborne, Dean Wilson
250 Class: Stilez Robertson, Jalek Swoll, RJ Hampshire

Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha

Photo: Octopi Media

450 Class: Aaron Plessinger, Dylan Ferrandis, Malcolm Stewart
250 Class: Jeremy Martin, Christian Craig, Justin Cooper, Jarrett Frye, Colt Nichols, Nate Thrasher

Smartop | Bullfrog Spas | MotoConcepts | Honda

Photo: @MotoConcepts

450 Class: Broc Tickle, Vince Friese, Shane McElrath, Benny Bloss

Muc-Off Honda

Photos: Chase Curtis, Mike Vizer and Cody David

450 Class: Justin Brayton
250 Class: Mitchell Harrison, Mitchell Oldenburg

AJE Motorsports/Motul

250 Class: Chris Blose, Mitchell Falk, Killian Auberson, Derek Kelley

JMC Motorsports Fly Racing Husqvarna

250 Class: Martin Castelo, Carson Brown

FXR/Chaparral Honda Racing

250 Class: Carson Mumford, Coty Schock

SBG Racing/Maxxis/Babbitt’s Kawasaki

450 Class: AJ Catanzaro, Alex Ray, Jeremy Smith, Justin Rodbell 
250 Class: Jordan Jarvis

TPJ – The Professional Journey

Matt Hubert, Kevin Moranz, Mason Wharton, Blaine Silveira, Corbin Hayes

Madd Parts / DEMX / Namura Tech, Kawasaki

450 Class: Bubba Pauli, Joan Cros, Logan Karnow

Manluk/Rock River Yamaha/Merge Racing

250 Class: Alex Martin

PRMX/Wossner/Kawasaki

450 Class: Cade Clason, Josh Cartwright

Team Solitaire | Nuclear Blast Records | Yamaha

250 Class: Robbie Wageman, Hardy Muñoz

Rekluse is also proud to support a number of privateer racers during the 2021 season, including Kyle Chisholm, Josh Hill and Justin Starling among others.


Learn more about the durability of Rekluse products in professional racing.

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Rekluse Welcomes Duell Bike-Center as Distribution Partner

Rekluse welcomes new distribution partner to support Scandinavian and Baltic markets.  Rekluse would like to announce its new distribution partner, Duell Bike-Center Ltd. Headquartered in Mustasaari Finland, Duell will be supporting the full line of Rekluse products in Scandinavian and Baltic markets. “Rekluse is excited to add Duell to our distribution network as we look […]

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Rekluse welcomes new distribution partner to support Scandinavian and Baltic markets. 


Rekluse would like to announce its new distribution partner, Duell Bike-Center Ltd. Headquartered in Mustasaari Finland, Duell will be supporting the full line of Rekluse products in Scandinavian and Baltic markets.

“Rekluse is excited to add Duell to our distribution network as we look to continue growing awareness of our brand and products. Duell’s like minded approach to providing excellent customer service, in addition to serving all motorcycle segments makes this a win win for our two companies,” shared Sean Brown, President of Rekluse.

Jarkko Ämmälä, CEO of Duell Bike-Center, comments, “We are really excited to have one of the world’s top MC clutch manufacturers represented in our lineup. We believe we manage to get many new riders for Rekluse’s products in the coming years.”

Duell Bike-Center is the leading distribution company in Scandinavia for all kind of powersports, marine, and ATV/UTV products. The company consists of two joined powersports companies, Duell Bike-Center Oy and SDBC Motor AB. The history goes way back to 1983 when the parent company was established in Finland.

The company employs a total of 100 people in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, England, and the Netherlands. Duell Bike-Center Oy has logistics centres in Mustasaari in Finland and Tranås in Sweden. Additional Duell offices are located in Vantaa in Finland, Coalville in England and Kongsvinger in Norway.

For more about Duell Bike Center, contact them at +358 20 118000 or [email protected]

For more information from Rekluse, contact Alison Kelsey at 208-426-0659 ext. 714 or [email protected].

View all Rekluse’s valued partners at www.rekluse.com/distributors.

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Riding Tips with Destry Abbott

We sat down with 10-time national champion, 8-time ISDE gold medalist Destry Abbott to learn what tips he has for fitness and race preparations, as well as demonstrations of how to best navigate various sections of an EnduroCross track.  EnduroCross Tip – The Matrix Rekluse: What tips do you have for riders looking to improve […]

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We sat down with 10-time national champion, 8-time ISDE gold medalist Destry Abbott to learn what tips he has for fitness and race preparations, as well as demonstrations of how to best navigate various sections of an EnduroCross track. 

EnduroCross Tip – The Matrix


Rekluse: What tips do you have for riders looking to improve their fitness and diet?

Destry: “Fitness is just as important as setting your bike up and if you can get in workouts off the bike, that is a great way to build a strong base. Of course there’s also a lot of different ways to train (in-season and off-season programs). We train a lot different during in-season, then our off-season which is more about building strength and pushing a little harder then you would once you get to your race season. Most people don’t realize that the in-season isn’t really about pushing your body. Instead it’s more about training smarter, recovering from races and resting your body. A lot of times you’re still recovering from a hard race and it isn’t going to do any good to keep pushing and risk injury, because your body is tired. Of course the best training is always seat time and that’s where you’ll see your biggest improvements. 

The other thing on that topic is learning how to ride the bike the right way. A lot of people try and muscle the bike around versus finessing it and learning to be one with the bike. We stand a lot and use our legs (strongest muscle in your body) and pivot a lot on the bike, which is kind of like riding a horse. The more you work with the bike and stay loose the less energy you’ll use. 

As far as diet goes,  that’s honestly one of the weakest parts of my program. I love sweets and if it’s in the house, I usually eat them. When I was racing full time, I would try and do a 80/20 program. I usually ate well, but didn’t try and be perfect. If you try and be perfect, you’ll most likely not be able to be 100% perfect and then people just give up. Set realistic expectations that you know you can keep. Eating the right food is super important and drinking fluids (water etc.) starting a few days before a big race is key.”

Want to learn from Destry in person? Check out the DA8 Training website to see when his next class is.


EnduroCross Tip – Firewood Pit


What advice could you give someone gearing up for their next race? 

“This is probably one of the things I would put most of my focus on. Having a great foundation on what days to ride and when you are riding, as well as making sure it’s quality riding. What I mean by that is doing sprints, motos, working sections, and working on riding the bike the right way. The other thing is making sure your bike is setup right. Having the correct rider sag, suspension, clutch, tires, and so on. You hear a lot of guys in NASCAR talking about “I didn’t have a car that could win today, because it was pushing.” It doesn’t matter how good of a driver they are, they still couldn’t win in it. Well it’s not as bad as that, but it’s extremely important to have your bike setup for the conditions you’re riding or racing in.  I know I would be working way harder if I was to race my MX bike in an extreme race and vise versa. 

As most of my riders would tell you, the mental part is something I’m huge on. As you keep reaching a higher level this just keeps getting more important. The one thing I tell my riders is to always try and stay positive. It doesn’t matter if you’re in a race or after a race, there’s always something to take away from it to help make you a better rider. If you’re struggling in a race and you start getting negative about everything it will just snowball on you. You’re not going to be perfect and just need to forget about the mistakes and move forward. Thinking about something that went wrong isn’t going to help you move forward and is just wasted energy.”

Destry runs RadiusCX in his KTM 300 XC TPI

Learn more about our premiere auto clutch here

Are there any easy improvements that riders can make? Do you see any common mistakes?

“I would say the easiest improvement to do is setting your bike up the right way. The bikes these days are really good,  but everyone has a different riding style and speed. The same bike that is great for one rider might be totally different for another. I know when I do EnduroCross or Extreme events I run the RadiusCX [auto clutch] which is like cheating and helps me save energy. Then in my MX bike I’m usually running the TorqDrive [manual clutch]. These are easy improvements and definitely help make my bike better. 

As far as mistakes I see,  I would say one of the biggest is coming to a race not prepared. What I mean by this is showing up and having to work on the bike at the race (changing tires, filters, oil, prepping goggles, etc.). I know that can be hard with someones work schedule, but I definitely don’t want to be stressing on trying to get things done at the race and would rather be enjoying the moment and spending time with friends or walking the track.”


EnduroCross Tip – Rock Garden


What do you like about running Rekluse technology? How do you choose between an auto and a manual clutch?

“The big thing for me with my 350 and 450 MX bikes is the Core Manual TorqDrive setup. The power delivery is really good and a little snappier. As I’ve said before, bike setup is super important! Once you get something that works, it also builds your confidence which in return makes you have even more fun on the motorcycle.

With my 250F and 350F, I run RadiusCX. These bikes are more for my extreme, Endurocross, and desert races. I can say I feel like it’s cheating having the RadiusCX in there. The power delivery is a tad smoother, which is great for off-road riding. What I like the most is the fact that I can still use the clutch like normal, yet “cheat” with the power down low and not have to worry about it stalling. I get to work with a lot of riders, and the biggest thing with this clutch is making sure you set it up right. A lot of people that try out my bikes don’t even realize it has a RadiusCX in it until I tell them. Which is the way it should feel! I ride some gnarly sections on these bikes and it’s for sure awesome to have when you’re going up long hills and trying to save energy. You always want to lug the bike more in the hard sections out west or even on the east coast. Can’t imagine riding or racing without it!”

Interested in checking out Rekluse clutches? See all your options here!


DA8 Training:

If you want to learn more from Destry in person, he and the DA8 team will be conducting classes at the two upcoming EnduroCross rounds: 

October 18th, Denver, CO

October 25th, Boise ID

Check out the DA8 Training website to register or learn more. 

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News, Racing News
Catching Up With Ryan Sipes

The Rekluse team sat down with “Mr. Versatility” Ryan Sipes to talk about his busy year racing and why he runs Rekluse products in all his disciplines. At A Glance Rekluse: When did you get your start racing?Sipes: I got a dirt bike for my 2nd birthday, and I think I raced about a year […]

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The Rekluse team sat down with “Mr. Versatility” Ryan Sipes to talk about his busy year racing and why he runs Rekluse products in all his disciplines.

At A Glance

Rekluse: When did you get your start racing?
Sipes: I got a dirt bike for my 2nd birthday, and I think I raced about a year and a half later. I was about 3 and a half.

What is your favorite part about racing?
The competition. The feeling of “that guy’s better than me, I’m going to figure out how to be as good as him.” Or “there’s no way I’m going to let anybody beat me today”. And the learning, especially now. I’m 35, I’ve been racing pro for 16 years, and I’m still learning stuff. That’s the really cool part about what I’m doing now. You wouldn’t think after that many years of riding and racing that you’d still be learning, but I still do, and that’s fun.

What’s your favorite track?
I’m gonna be honest, it’s a local track around here [in Kentucky] called Echo Valley. It has the best dirt that I’ve ever ridden in.

What’s your favorite riding or racing memory?
I have a bunch, to be honest. My first Supercross win, Indy in 2011, was really cool. Then winning ISDE in 2015. Those stick out the most.

Do you have any pre-race superstitions or rituals?
No, I don’t believe in all that crap [laughs]. I just get on my dirt bike and race.


Staying Busy This Year

Ryan’s busy year kicked off at Daytona Bike Week, racing Supercross, GNCC, and Flat Track within a few days

So how has this year been going? You’re competing at a lot of different types of events; SX, GNCC, AFT, Hill Climb. Why are you going after so many different disciplines this year?
I did it last year on a smaller scale. I can do a lot of different things on a motorcycle, so it was like “what else can I do”. I did Supercross, then Motocross, then I got into off-road, and I did pretty well there. Then it was just like, “I just like riding dirt bikes, and I’m at a point now in my career now where I can make the most of it and see what else I can do”. So I did some flat track, did some hill climb and got back into Supercross. It’s been a lot of fun. It’s been tough, but for sure rewarding. It’s a lot of work to get all these bikes ready and travel to all these places, but it’s been a really good year.

Sipes at Nashville Supercross – Courtesy of Octopi Media

“[Erzberg] opened my eyes to what’s possible on a dirt bike.”

Talking about hard enduro, how was racing Erzberg for the first time this year?
It was nuts, man. I watched every video you could find on it, just because that’s the only way I knew to prepare. You think you have a pretty good grasp of it until you get there and you see it in person and it’s 10 times bigger and tougher than you thought from watching the videos. It opened my eyes to what’s possible on a dirt bike, because I would’ve told you “no way, can’t make it”. I made it through some of the stuff I didn’t think I would, and the top guys that finished it made it through everything. I look at things a little bit different now.

What was the hardest part of the race for you?
I would say some of the hills in the back where they don’t video – maybe it’s too far or they don’t want to scare people or whatever – but it’s not even in the rocks. It’s a hill that you can barely walk up, and we have to ride our dirt bikes up it. But you can’t go straight up it, you kind of have to go sideways and then 180, then sideways then 180. Some of that stuff was really tough. It wouldn’t be a big deal if you had a big run for it, but you don’t. You have no run. You start at the very bottom in 1st gear, you have no speed. So you have to figure out how to get traction and not loop out. That was the hardest part for me, some of the stuff where the faster you went the worse it was. You had to just creep along and make sure you didn’t fall off the tiny little rut that there was or get out of the line. If you got off the line, there was no getting back.

So you’re going back next year?
Yeah, I want to, just because I didn’t finish in the allotted time. If you finish it, it’s something special. You’re a great rider. So I want to see if I can go do it.

Ryan attempted to conquer the Iron Giant for the first time in 2019. Photo courtesy of Ryan Sipes, Red Bull Motorsports, Future7Media

Switching gears a bit, you did Red Bull Straight Rhythm this year. How is the transition from hard enduro to doing something like Straight Rhythm?
It can be a little tricky just because I can go to a race without having ridden that discipline in a month because I had to prepare for other stuff. There’s a lot more thinking that goes into it. When you only do one [discipline], you kind of don’t want to think. You practice it so much that it should just come natural. The more you think, the worse it is. For me, I’ve found that I have to think and I have to get to the race and go “alright, I’m not doing Supercross again, now I’m doing hard enduro” or whatever it may be. I have to remember all those things I learned a few months ago and apply that and forget all the stuff I know about Supercross.

How did Straight Rhythm go for you this year?
Straight Rhythm was alright. I think I rode pretty good – I didn’t qualify well so I had kind of a bad seed. I got through the first round then the next round I had Ken Roczen, so I knew he was going to be tough [to beat]. I gave him a good run in the first race. I was right there until the very end, and I actually led it for a bit. The second race against him I just tried to hard and made some mistakes. He went on to win the whole thing, so if you have to lose to somebody, losing to the eventual winner is not so bad.

But if you took Ken and had him do a Sprint Enduro, you never know what would happen right? [laughs]
Yeah, it’d be a whole different deal. The tables would be turned a bit.


Hear what Ryan has to say about his Red Bull Straight Rhythm 90’s themed KTM 250 SX and running Rekluse

How was that Sprint Enduro you raced this year? It seemed like everything was clicking for you.
It was really cool. I was worried a bit going in to it because I hadn’t been in the woods all year. I did the one GNCC round at the beginning of the year, but honestly I didn’t practice it at all because I was getting ready for Daytona Supercross. The GNCC didn’t go well – I hadn’t been in the woods and [the other racers] have, they do it every weekend. I wasn’t sure how [the Sprint Enduro] was going to go. I thought I was going to get beat pretty bad. I’m fairly confident in the cross-tests. I figured I would be good there, I won the first set. Everybody was like “oh you didn’t lose anything” and I thought “just wait until we get into the woods”. That went pretty well too. I went in there and had some good tests and squeaked out the day one win. Then day 2, I put the hammer down and pulled away. It was cool to come back after not doing it for a while and still be good at it, but also I put a ton of work in before it, just practicing at home. For probably about 3 weeks before it I just stayed in the woods and practiced with that type of stuff, so it was good to see that pay off.

“I feel like I’m getting better and better, so that’s super fun.”

Now that you’ve expanded even farther than you did last year, do you have a favorite discipline?
Shoot man, I don’t know. It all kind of has its own place. Like Supercross was super fun, just after not doing it for 6 years. Then coming back, it was a struggle to get my speed back. With Supercross, the risk is super high, so I’m kind of scared the whole time, but it’s really fun. It’s a really fun thing to do, and to get through it without injury was cool. The flat track stuff I love. It’s fairly new to me, this was my second year ever doing it. I feel like I’m getting better and better, so that’s super fun. With the hard enduro stuff, I feel like I have a long way to go, but I feel like I can be good at it. I just have to get down and practice it and learn all those things. The hill climb was really fun, I was surprised by that. I didn’t think it would be as fun as it was. I don’t have a favorite, I think all of them are cool and fun. It’s just cool to be able to do them all.

Ryan won the American Flat Track Buffalo Chip TT for the second consecutive year – Photo courtesy of American Flat Track, Scott Hunter

Riding With Rekluse

What’s your background with Rekluse? The relationship started with a wrist injury in Motocross a while back, right?
Yeah, I dislocated my wrist really bad, like grade 4. It looked like it was going to fall off. Long story short, I came back from that and rode for about a year and all was good. Then my hand was starting to go numb. So after a couple laps, I couldn’t pull the clutch in. They ended up saying it was carpal tunnel, but it was mid-season and I didn’t want to go have surgery with a pretty long recovery time. I had heard about Rekluse [auto] clutches, so I figured we would try it and I called you guys up. That was a fun year testing and getting everything dialed in for me. By the end of that year, on a 450 during the outdoor [Pro Motocross] nationals, I never touched the clutch after the start because I couldn’t, my hand was numb. I was able to get 6th overall in the 450 class that year with a couple 4th place moto finished. That was really cool to be able to see what you can do with an auto clutch. Like I said, never touching the clutch after the start. That was pretty amazing to me, being able to compete at that level.

“In the slicker, rockier, rooty-er stuff, I trust RadiusCX [auto clutch] more than my finger.”

You were one of the first top-guys on a Motocross track using the auto clutch. It was a great step forward for Rekluse, and it was fun developing that with you. Fast forwarding through your career a bit, you continued to use the auto clutches in the GNCCs. How does the RadiusCX auto clutch and the Core Manual TorqDrive manual clutch work for you?
With my racing, doing a bit of everything, I use a Rekluse in all my bikes. For all the off-road stuff, I use an auto clutch. I view it as a big advantage. If I don’t feel like pulling the clutch in, I don’t have to and it works great. In the slicker, rockier, rooty-er stuff I trust RadiusCX more than my finger. I’m just going to let go of that clutch and let the [auto] clutch do its job. I think it’s a big plus. For 450 Motocross, I like the auto clutch too. If you go to the Supercross stuff when I’m on a 250, I think the auto clutch is less relevant there, so we use Core Manual TorqDrive. I’m 170lbs, 35 years old, and I’ve pulled some good holeshots against the 130lb 16-year-olds [laughs]. So I think the TorqDrive works really good too. In the hard enduro stuff, I use the [RadiusCX] auto clutch, as well as in flat track. Everything has been good. I feel like I have an advantage every time I go out.

Depending on the discipline he’s racing, Ryan either runs a RadiusCX auto clutch or Core Manual TorqDrive manual clutch.

In what sections do you feel it’s most beneficial to have an auto clutch?
Any time it’s slick or rocky or root-y. Giving [the bike] too much throttle [in a that situation], you’ll spin or get sideways and lose your drive and not be able to make it through the section . The way we have the auto clutch set up, I just don’t even trust my fingers. I don’t even use the clutch lever, I just let the auto clutch do its job and pull me right through. I think it works really good. On the hard enduro stuff, same way. You get on a hill and you’re pushing and maybe can’t reach the clutch lever, you can give it some gas and get the rear wheel to turn and pull you up the hill. In moto too, in a turn where maybe you’re in the main line and want to cut out of it, I always feel like the auto clutch is good at finding the traction to pull you out without spinning the back wheel around.

“If you let the clutch out with your fingers, you aren’t going to be the same every time, no matter how good you are. With the EXP [auto clutch] disk, it’s the same no matter what.”

That’s great insight. Are there any misconceptions with auto clutches that you’ve heard?
The biggest thing I’ve heard is people thinking that the auto clutch doesn’t give as much drive as a regular manual clutch, which I would dispute 10 times out of 10. Once it’s engaged, you’re getting the same amount of drive that you do with a manual clutch. As far as the lever feel, if you have a soft lever, you have the clutch set up wrong. I tell people about it all the time. They’ll ask me, and I’ll say “I could let you ride my bike and not tell you [an auto clutch] was in there, and you’d never know.” Until I say “hey, let the clutch out with the bike in gear”. Then they do and go “oh wow, no way!”. It’s the same thing, it’s an added benefit that you don’t have to use the clutch lever. The EXP [auto clutch] disk does the same thing every time, no matter what. If you let the clutch out with your fingers, you aren’t going to be the same every time, no matter how good you are. With the EXP disk, it’s the same no matter what. Once you get the hang of it, you can rely on it to get you through sections.

The EXP disk is what delivers an auto clutch’s automatic function. It engages and disengages the clutch based on engine RPM. 

Awesome, couldn’t have said it better myself [laughs]. How has it been this year balancing your racing with your family life?
Yeah, it took me a while to figure that part out. Working on all the bikes, traveling – you don’t leave the day of the race, you leave a couple of days before. I’m gone a lot. My wife has been awesome. She’s been taking care of all the kids and helping me where she can. It’s definitely different than when I was 19 years old and I had nothing to do but ride and train. There’s a whole lot more going on now, so I have to treat it more like a business, more like an actual job than something that’s just fun. I feel like I’ve found a pretty good balance now, and I’m always getting better, trying to refine it and figure it out to where I can spend as much time as possible on my dirt bike, but also as much time as possible with my family and my kids. It’s really important for me to be a good dad and raise my kids the right way. That’s always #1 on my priority list.

We really appreciate your time. Good luck at ISDE!
Thanks guys, I really appreciate all of your help.

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