Hinson Billetproof Clutch Hard Parts

What it is

• High quality clutch made with billet T-6 aluminum.
• Claims to run cooler and last longer than stock clutch components.

The Hinson Billetproof clutch contains all of the clutch hard parts including a billetproof inner hub, a billetproof pressure plate, a billetproof clutch cover, billetproof clutch basket, and springs that are just springs. The inner hub, and pressure plate are machined from billet T-6 aluminum and then akadized for a claimed five times the wear resistance when compared stock. The clutch basket is made from the same quality aluminum as the inner hub and pressure plate, but is hard coated or akadized for the same effect of wear resistance. Hinson claims that these components also allow the clutch to spin more true which creates less heat when the clutch is disengaged. The cover, along with all these components, are designed for better heat dissipation than stock and is hard coated to resist boot wear. These clutches are very popular among race bikes these days, but does the product really meet all the hype?

How it works

• You can abuse the clutch much more than stock with no consequences.
• Shows no sign of wear after 20 hours of riding
• Springs help the clutch run cooler, but stiffen the pull.

Right off the bat with the Hinson clutch you notice that the quality of the materials used to make these components is much higher than the stock components--just by the look and feel. Everything pops in just like the stock clutch. I used stock plates with these clutch components since Hinson does not yet have plates for the KTM two-stroke, which is the same as the 2012 Husaberg TE300 I tested the parts on. With the exception of taking the gear off the stock basket and putting it on the Hinson basket, the process was simple. When I torqued the screws in with the gear, the gear had a little wobble to it. I checked the torque figures, and even tried to tighten the screws a little more, but the torque figures were right and the screw would not tighten anymore either which ment my rubber bushings are worn and I needed to replace them. I was a little weary of this but I put it in and the clutch ran with no hint of there being a problem. On KTMs you can buy the dampers separate, unlike on some bikes so this is an easy remedy.

The claim that this clutch lets you run it hotter than stock is spot on. I was able to ride a gear higher in places where I normally couldn’t with stock and it never showed signs of overheating or fading. The stock clutch isn't bad but this one was noticeably better. I was also able to use the clutch much more than normal. For example, when I wanted to use the clutch for wheel lofting, or going slower than first gear in technical riding, it never acted funny except for at the end of very technical trails on a hot day, only then did a little bit of steam began to emit from the radiators. Before in these same conditions and trails, I’ve had to stop and let the bike cool down multiple times, the clutch makes most if not all of the excessive heat inside the engine. What helps give the clutch the ability to be abused like this without getting very hot is the Hinson springs and better oiling of the plates to dissipate the heat. The springs are about 10mm longer and also a stiffer rate than stock springs which is better for the bite but not so much for the pull. You can run the stock springs for a lighter feel but the quality of the steel in the spring is said to not be as of high quality of the Hinson spring and will fade quicker over time.The rounder surfaces of the machined inner and outer pressure plates helps create less friction when the clutch is disengaged and the harder surfaces on the ears of the basket contribute as well. Additional oiling holes seem to help keep the heat inside the clutch down or at least slow the build-up. The stiffer springs have more bite which means less slipping. Engagement and slipping of the clutch happens with a very positive feel and never any shudder or squeal.

According to the manual, this clutch will perform better if you change the oil after every ride. I did that for about 2-3 rides and noticed no difference than if I changed the oil every 3 rides like I normally do. Having said that I never went past 3 rides and I am not a very aggressive rider. You may want to consider some variables--like what oil you’re running, how hard you are on the clutch when you ride, and what kind of terrain you’re riding on.

Another claim to fame with this clutch is the longevity of its parts. After about 20 hours on this clutch there wasn’t any hint of wear in anyway on any of the hard parts. They looked exactly like they did when I had put the components in. Even the cover didn’t show any signs of wear except for a few spots on the outside where the bike tipped on its side in some rocks and scratched it. Even then the scratches aren’t very noticeable and the cover still adds some race bike look to the not so race bike that it’s on.

There are some little details that I wish were different about this clutch like I would’ve made the filler cap the same head size as the drain bolt(filler cap is a 12mm and my drain bolt is a 13mm) so I wouldn’t need to grab two wrenches every time I changed the oil. I also wish that the pull of the clutch lever wasn’t as stiff as the springs make it. After testing this clutch, I finally see what all the hype is about. The Hinson Clutch is tough, runs cooler for longer, and overall makes the bike better in all situations until my hand gets tired. $990 is a lot of money, but when stock KTM clutches run around $650, I’d say without a doubt that the Hinson clutch is an investment I would put in my bike, especially since it has to take abuse and last a long time.

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