Oberon clutch slave cylinder review + how to fit
Visordown's Luke Bowler reviews Oberon's highly-regarded aftermarket clutch slave cylinder
WHEN it comes to DIY, no matter how simple the task, I always have that little voice in the back of my head saying “Don’t do it Luke, you ARE going to screw this up.”
It stems from having spent hours on jobs that should realistically take minutes, from rounding off bolts that should loosen with ease, and just generally having a tendency to want to put my arm through dry wall when something doesn’t go to plan. If only patience could be bought.
As a result, I was more than delighted when I managed to fit Oberon’s Clutch Slave Cylinder (CSC) in under 20 minutes, with not a hole in any wall to be found either.
Oberon’s CSC has two main purposes: to reduce the heaviness of the original clutch action by using an ‘enhanced 29mm piston’, and to improve on the looks of the OEM unit.
Some bikes like my Ducati have notoriously heavy clutch actions, and whilst this means you tend to get good lever feel, it can also make the bike a pig to use in stop/start traffic. I fitted one of these Oberon units a couple of weeks after collecting my 1098 Streetfighter and it has transformed the bike, making it a pleasure to ride not only on open roads but also through town.
I would estimate that clutch heaviness has reduced by around 30% since fitting the new unit, whilst clutch engagement point and the high levels of lever feel have been retained from the old unit, thumbs up to Oberon.
The lighter lever pull means clutch wheelies are now easier too, as you can pop the clutch that much quicker than before.
When compared to the OEM part, I was slightly worried about the lack of visible O-ring seal on the Oberon unit, especially after seeing how much road grime made its way into the original unit. According to an Oberon spokesperson, the new unit also uses an O-ring seal but it’s located further inside the slave on the piston bore. Oberon Performance offers a lifetime warranty as standard - including parts and labours, meaning in the unlikely case it was ever to present a problem they would repair/replace the unit.
The Oberon slave is CNC machined from T6 billet aluminium and comes packaged with all parts required for fitment. It has an impressive finish, functions superbly, and in my opinion is well worth its £92 price-tag.
Available in a range of colours for Aprilia, BMW, Buell, Ducati, Husqvarna, KTM, MotoMorini, MV Agusta, and Norton, from Oberon Performance.
