Author Topic: Honda 500/4 dry clutch for Davies Motorsport by Nova (Read 6584 times)

HondaFreak · « **on:** July 20, 2015, 04:55:27 AM »

Hi All,

I thought you might like to see the first sample of the dry clutch that John Davies has had developed with Nova for the 500/4. It arrived last Friday and I have to say it looks the business.
It uses the clutch basket from the 500T dry clutch that Nova manufacture but the rest is new.
The parts go to the engine builder today, then the bike should be up at the dyno within a week to bed the clutch in and check out any issues with the new installation.
There are 4-5 weeks until the Classic TT so the plan is to shake the bike down, get any issues sorted and get the rider used to it before then. I will post some pictures of it on the bike once it is upmand about. The combination of CR carbs, open megaphones and a dry clutch should make for a lovely racket on Glencrutchery Road come August :-)

gschuld · « **Reply #1 on:** July 20, 2015, 05:45:01 AM »

Beautiful

Please keep us informed.

George

CBGhia · « **Reply #2 on:** July 20, 2015, 05:54:07 AM »

God, that looks awesome. I have to ask though... It is going to have that dry-clutch sound like the Ducati?

HondaFreak · « **Reply #3 on:** July 20, 2015, 06:48:07 AM »

I bloody well hope so! Should sound like a bag of spanners on a pogo stick when it is disengaged :-)

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #4 on:** July 20, 2015, 11:55:06 AM »

No va or Nova?

The machined parts look nice. I hope it works well. Now all you need is to make it a slipper clutch!!

HondaFreak · « **Reply #5 on:** July 20, 2015, 12:47:35 PM »

Unfortunately slipper clutches are not allowed. Although there is some suspicion that certain green bikes with 2-cylinders and an 8v head made in Italy, may be using such things....alleged.

Tintop · « **Reply #6 on:** July 20, 2015, 01:09:23 PM »

Will the dry clutch only work with a Nova box on a 500?? What about a 550 with Honda box?

HondaFreak · « **Reply #7 on:** July 20, 2015, 01:28:37 PM »

Now that, I don't know. But I will find out.

bwaller · « **Reply #8 on:** July 20, 2015, 01:34:23 PM »

Unfortunately no dry clutches are allowed in some classes either.

(or there would have been one years ago!)

Tintop · « **Reply #9 on:** July 20, 2015, 02:31:27 PM »

Who cares about 'classes' Brent, I was thinking it would continue to help my 550 out bling the Harleys at the local Timmy's.

bwaller · « **Reply #10 on:** July 20, 2015, 03:01:07 PM »

I hear ya.

754 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 20, 2015, 05:00:45 PM »

They,ll. Hear ya.........fixed that for Brent..

teebee67 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 21, 2015, 02:10:52 AM »

Dry clutches are also banned by the CRMC (unless original fitment or optional in period) so I guess John's is aiming his at the IOM.

HondaFreak · « **Reply #13 on:** July 21, 2015, 06:34:45 AM »

That is correct, the CRMC will not allow them on the road based Hondas, although if you look at the CB500R developed by Honda for the All Japan Superbike competition in 1972, that did have a dry clutch and the bottom end was CB500/4 based.
If we had an RC181 kicking around, then of course it could validly run a dry clutch, however...that ain't happening!
John already runs a more traditional fairing and silenced exhausts for CRMC rounds, so the same bike will continue to run a wet clutch too. In the meantime listen out for the clatter of a dry clutch and the bark of open megas on the roads :-)

simon#42 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 21, 2015, 01:30:20 PM »

i understand the reasons for this and with luck it will help the bikes be more competitive with the paton's . but .... at what point to bikes stop being classic and start becoming new ?

Hot500 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 21, 2015, 02:40:58 PM »

Where is the performance gain using the dry clutch? Is it simply weight saving?

Oh, and by the way.. that clutch basket top need to be anodised RED

vfourfreak · « **Reply #16 on:** July 21, 2015, 03:00:28 PM »

Quote from: Hot500 on July 21, 2015, 02:40:58 PM

Where is the performance gain using the dry clutch? Is it simply weight saving?

Oh, and by the way.. that clutch basket top need to be anodised RED

Less drag of the mass of the clutch though the engine oil.

Kev

hotdog · « **Reply #17 on:** July 21, 2015, 10:00:56 PM »

plans for 750?

HondaFreak · « **Reply #18 on:** July 22, 2015, 04:22:27 AM »

John is 99% certain that he will build a 750 next, as to which model/specification is still under consideration. JD is after speaking to Simon that the Blue & Green CR750 replica. Does anyone have his contact number?
The dry clutch will reduce drag and hopefully release a few more ponies but also help keep heat and contamination out of the oil.
As for when does a classic become not a classic. If we had the money to buy & run a Honda works bike it would be great, but the adoption of some of the period engine features like the CR carbs and a dry clutch onto the road bike always splits opinion. CRMC allow the CRs but not the dry clutch or fairing. The IoM allow all three. None of the Manx Norton's have engines resembling anything like they were in the day.....well maybe the slow ones do :-)

70CB750 · « **Reply #19 on:** July 22, 2015, 04:45:16 AM »

Beautiful work.

HondaFreak · « **Reply #20 on:** July 22, 2015, 09:36:01 AM »

Just for reference, this is the dry clutch installation on the Honda CB500R racer. Apologies if you have seen it before. John gets the engine back tomorrow, so I will post photos of it installed asap.

HondaFreak · « **Reply #21 on:** July 23, 2015, 10:21:07 AM »

And now...taadaaaaaaa! Engine mounted, ready for putting back in the bike. Dyno next week :-)

Retro Rocket · « **Reply #22 on:** July 23, 2015, 03:17:22 PM »

Very Nice...

calj737 · « **Reply #23 on:** July 23, 2015, 05:30:11 PM »

Very, very nice

RAFster122s · « **Reply #24 on:** July 23, 2015, 05:34:54 PM »

Good thing they don't filter the bike porn pics like that. Very nice is putting it mildly!

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Author Topic: Honda 500/4 dry clutch for Davies Motorsport by Nova (Read 6584 times)