Emig
Racing Clamp Review
Price
(msrp): $465
as shown
What follows is a "Normal Joe" review,
not the typical SoCal pro that writes a paragraph for
a SoCal mag, I will give you the information I would
want if I were choosing a clamp to put on
my bike and my opinions on how the product felt ride
after ride.
Test
Bike Information:
1999 YZ400
Test
Rider Information:
6'1"
205lbs.
Riding Terrain: MX/SX
Intermediate Level
General
Information Provided by Emig Racing:
Top Clamp:
David
"Thump's" Review
Triple clamps have always fascinated me. I have seen
them on pro's bikes for years and never understood what
I could gain out of putting them on my bike. Bar position
and running oversized bars were the reasons I could
come up with. Stock clamps are strong and you can get
adapters to run oversized,
which I did, so I came to the conclusion I really did
not need them. Then I got a bike (YZ400) that felt as
if the handle bars were in my lap so I began to consider
the options. I tried taller bars, both Renthal and Pro
Taper and yes they helped but when I threw a leg over
a friends bike, identical to mine in nearly ever way,
I was shocked! He had an aftermarket clamp and it felt
great in the corners. That was what sold me. Immediately
I felt more comfortable on his bike than I did my own.
I
have spoken with many manufactures about many products
but when I spoke with Paige and Gary Emig it was like
talking to "one of the guys". Both of them
are 100% behind their product and 120% behind making
the riding experience better for the masses. ER has
just recently started advertising in "selected"
magazines but gets most of their business by word-of-mouth.
When I told them about the review we were doing they
were skeptical, but after reviewing the forums for a
few days they decided DRN was up to their standards.
Out
of the box the clamps were a beautifully, polished piece
of high quality craftsmanship. The steering stem was
pressed in and most importantly the bearing was. ER
is the only MFG that we have tested that actually pre-presses
the bearing, so right out of the box it is ready to
bolt on. During installation I noticed that putting
the forks back on was much easier, you actually have
to tighten one of the pinch bolts a hair to keep the
fork from sliding out, much better than wedging a flat
head in to pry open the clamp in order to get your fork
out. Everything lined up perfectly, event the tabs on
the bottom of the number plate that slip into the lower
clamp to hold it in place. There is an "L"
bracket that bolts to the top clamp for the number plate
to anchor to which is my least favorite part of the
design. When tightening the bracket it tends to turn
in the direction of bolt being tightened causing a misalignment
for the plate bolt. I found it helpful to thread the
bracket to the top clamp (not tight) then bolt the number
plate on, then tighten the bracket. That ensured a proper
alignment. The reason for the bracket is due to Yamaha's
design change from 1998-99 to 2000-02. In 98-99' the
plate bolts on from the front, in 00-02' they bolt on
from the top, the bracket is an adapter to allow older
models to be outfitted with the latest technology without
having to retool just for the 98-99' models.
Ride
reporting:
I had the mounts set in the standard position (14mm
forward) and it was a big improvement. In corners the
bike felt much more stable, or I should say I felt much
more stable due to body positioning. I spent an entire
tank of gas on the clamps as is then took it to the
pits to turn them around forward to put the position
a full 24mm farther forward over stock. Instantly I
knew this was the set up for me. At 6'1" tall the
additional cockpit room was awesome. The positioning
elongates you while in the attack position and allows
you to move forward in the corners to put more weight
on the front wheel. Yamaha is aware of the bar position
problem and has moved forward 14mm for 2002 but for
me that is not even close to being enough.
Typically
I ride marathon MX, meaning I ride the tank dry before
I come in to rest. With the bars forward I found that
my arms were not as tiered after riding, specifically
my triceps and tops of my forearms, it would be a guess
that this is due to a more elongated position with less
bend in the arms.
Bottom
line, would I buy these clamps? Absolutely! I have tried
several different clamps both rubber mount and solid
and have my choice of a few to keep, the Emigs are staying
on my bike. Will I buy them for my next bike? That depends
on the stock positioning, I will if the bars are in
my lap. These are quality clamps with more clamping
surface than stock, claim to offer better control, reduced
flex and increase clamp rigidity. Personally I think
stock clamps work very well and are strong enough to
withstand the punishment I can dish out. I don't notice
any less flex or more rigidity but the positioning alone
makes it worth the investment for me.
Likes:
Bar positioning
is forward (11 or 25mm adjustable)
Forks slide in much easier
All parts lined up perfectly
Solid top bar mount
Customer service is top notch
Available in solid and rubber mount (I prefer solid)
Look really trick!
Dislikes:
Top
clamp is hard to get on the stem (WD40 is a must)
Number plate bracket bugs me
Contacts:
Emig Racing: http://www.emigracing.com
E-mail: paige@emigracing.com
Phone: 1.866.GET.EMIG
