Works Connection Pro Launch Device

Works Connection had an older start device that used the old school spring and plunger design, but now have since gone to a magnetic locking system on the Pro Launch device. This has been in circulation for a few years now and is one of the most no fuss systems on the market. It’s so popular that Factory HRC Honda and Star Racing Yamaha is using this exact same system. Because of its lever-style mechanism and chamfered engagement point, the Pro Launch easily goes over the receiver on the way down and catches on the way up. So simple. that even Mrs. Keefer can manage to catch the engagement point relatively easy. It took her some time, but now she understand that you must hold the lever mechanism up once the ring passes by the mechanism. If you want to take out the mechanic/girlfriend/wife out of the equation you can simply do it yourself. I can either hit the front brake and lift up on the mechanism with my boot or stand in front of the bike and reach down with my right hand to lock the device! Boom! Tall riders can simply pull down the front fender (while pushing with their chest on the crossbar pad) when sitting in the saddle.

Works Connection provides an aluminum template with pre-drilled holes, plus three different paper templates in the shape of each bike brand’s fork guard to align the aluminum template at 90mm, 100mm and 110mm. Once you choose the location of the device, tape the metal template and use the supplied drill bit to make the mounting hole. I usually run my Pro Launch devices at the 110 mm setting on 450s and 100mm on 250s. I even use the Pro Launch on metal grate starts as well. The durability of the PL is second to none and I have not  experienced one failure yet on a Pro Launch device that I’ve used for two full race seasons (over 20 races, that’s over 80 motos).

Here is a little Q&A that Works Connection has put together, just in case you have more questions. If you are looking to purchase any Works Connection products you can use the code Keefer20 to save 20% off any WC product. Oh and if you’re on a WP Cone Valve fork WC offers a special ring for those forks, FYI! 

Q. What’s included with each Pro Launch? 

A. Every Pro Launch includes a fork ring, trigger assembly, drill guide, countersink and 

Any supplementary hardware required for specific models is included at no additional cost.

 Q. Why isn’t the Pro Launch made to be universal with one kit fitting all bikes?

A. We feel there are too many variables to produce a reliable ‘One size’ fits all Pro

Launch. 

Does a ‘one size’ pair of shoes sound like a good fit for everyone?

Our design team tailors each fork ring, trigger assembly and instruction templates for the specific year/make/model to ensure an exact fit that yields consistent, dependable, long term performance.

 Q. Why doesn’t the Pro Launch use a split/hinged fork ring?

A. While you might save a few minutes of installation time with a hinged fork ring, 

our design provides a lighter, yet stronger and more reliable fork ring that eliminates the potential failure of a split/hinged ring.

 Q. Who designed and who manufactures the Pro Launch?

A. Our in-house design team is responsible for the patented design and manufacturing, 

along with packaging, is done right here in Nor-Cal, USA!

 Q. What purpose do the fork guard straps serve and do they cost extra?

A. Some brands (e.g. Honda) use a softer fork guard material and the fork 

straps provide the necessary reinforcement. And for those applications the fork 

guard straps are included at no additional charge.

 Q. Can you set the Pro Launch by yourself?

A. Yes. While sitting on the bike, lean over the bars and pull up on the trigger with your 

right hand. Then grasp the front wheel with your left hand and pull the forks down far 

enough so the trigger and fork ring mate.

 Q. How does the trigger operate?

A. You simply lift the trigger while depressing the forks and the trigger and fork ring 

self-latch and mate smoothly. Once you get to the first turn and apply the front brake 

the trigger releases from the fork ring and retracts via strong magnets to its resting 

position. The resting position of the trigger makes it impervious to a rock strike 

accidentally engaging the mechanism.

 Q. Does the Pro Launch add weight to a bike?

A. The Pro Launch weighs in at 50 grams (1.76 ounces) making it the lightest on the 

market.

 Q. How long does it take to install the Pro Launch?

A. Typical installation time is about 30-40 minutes.

 Q. How do I know where to mount the trigger and fork ring?

A. Our step-by-step instructions include a bike specific paper template for the trigger

location and photographs to illustrate the fork ring location. These instructions are

included with every Pro Launch and are available to download from our website.

Q. Can you service the Pro Launch.

A. We assemble the Pro Launch onsite so we have every replacement item available.

 Q. Who uses Pro Launch?

A. Anyone looking for the advantage in getting off the start gate first. That includes 

amateur riders on minis all the way up to Factory Pro Teams.

Q. Where can I get a replacement paper template?

A. On our website navigate to your Make/Model/Year, select the Pro Launch page and

it’s available to download by clicking on ‘Instructions’.

 Q. What if my bike isn’t listed?

A. E-mail info@worksconnection and we’ll get you an answer.

 Q. Will the Pro Launch work with aftermarket fork guards.

A. The Pro Launch is designed for use on the stock, OEM fork guards.

Works Connection Titan Skid Plate

Written/Tested By Michael Allen:

Any dirt bike (be it off-road or motocross) should come stock with a skid plate. Some people may say that for motocross it’s not necessary to have one because there aren’t big rocks and hazards, but I feel that having a skid plate is cheap insurance for the under carriage of your engine. I’ve had the 2019 YZ 250F for quite a few months now and have felt a little vulnerable at times on the trail and have been sick of pressure washing off baked mud from the bottom of the engine when riding moto. After doing some skid plate research, I reached out to Works Connection to get one of their Titan skid plates to see if it would help my psyche. One of the cool things about Works Connection is that they make three different styles of skid plates for most models. They make an aluminum glide plate, an extended coverage aluminum skid plate, and a composite (like a good plastic) Titan skid plate. Over the past few years I have come to really like composite skid plates because they seem to be quieter than aluminum when roost/rocks hit them and also glance off obstacles smoother than aluminum. When I received the Titan skid plate it came with all the necessary hardware to mount it to the front of the frame (a clamp and bolts) and a bolt to mount it to an existing hole towards the rear. 

The rear bolt is very easy to install because the threaded hole is already in the frame, but make sure you do this first because it helps hold the skid plate in place while the front clamp is being installed. Once installed it was clear how much protection this skid plate offers, covering both side cases, the water pump and the lower radiator hose. There are a few drain/breather holes in the bottom of the skid plate so debris doesn’t get stuck between the engine and the skid plate. I have used the Titan skid plate for a couple months now and haven’t had any on track/trail problems; in fact it has come in quite handy on a couple trail rides (with my buddies) that turned into a dick measuring contest up rocky washes. The added coverage is a plus for protection and the fact that the mud doesn’t cake on the engine makes washing the bike that much easier. Work smarter not harder they say, right? Composite skid plates also have more flex than aluminum, which is good because it lets the chassis work as it should when hitting bumps/obstacles.

There were only two slight negatives when it came to the Titan skid plate. The first being that the front clamp mount, even when tight, doesn’t hold the skid plate super snug. The bolts bottom out, but the distance between the clamp arms and the skid plate is still slightly too large and lets the skid plate float somewhat (the skid plate is still snug, just not super clamped down). Being that the bolts are tight and the skid plate has nowhere to go, this isn’t an issue with a possible failure, but it was just something I wanted to mention in case you were installing and noticed the same thing. The second small issue was that the top front corner of the skid plate touches the bottom of the right radiator. Once again this isn’t a performance issue, but it was just something I noticed. 

With all this information factoring in I think that the Titan skid plate is a great option when it comes to protection. Some people are stuck in the old world of thinking that aluminum is the only option these days, but if I can evolve to composite so can you! With an MSRP of $99.95 the Titan skid plate is a great buy for the quality and the amount of protection it offers you on the track or trail. If you have any questions about the Works Connection Titan skid plate feel free to reach out to me at Michael@keeferinctesting.com.   

Works Connection Elite Clutch Perch Assembly

By: Michael Allen

As technology and quality of parts advance it’s becoming harder and harder to find things to improve upon on a stock motorcycle. Everything from the wheels to the handlebars have gotten so much better and last so much longer than in the past. That being said there is always one thing that stands out to me when I ride a bike and that’s a good cutch pull/engagement. Like I said, stock parts are great now a days and on my 2019 Yamaha YZ250F that includes the stock clutch lever and adjuster, but there was a little something that I didn’t even know I was missing until I bolted on the Works Connection piece. The stock lever and wheel work decent when they are new and lubed up, but after a while they dry out and they are kind of a pain to take apart for maintenance. When Kris tossed me the WC perch I threw it in my garage and forgot about it for a couple weeks until I broke my stock lever and figured what better time than now to try the new one out. 

After taking off the stock lever and perch I opened up the new packages (the lever is sold separately from the perch, and that is sold separately from the adjuster wheel) and got all the parts ready to install. The parts are sold separately so you can match your wheel color to the perch of your choice which can also be matched to a silver or black lever. All the aluminum parts are made out of 6061 T-6 aluminum and are machined in the USA. The lever pivot uses a triple sealed bearing to assure smooth clutch action without having to take the lever out and lube the pivot. The adjuster wheel has machined in grooves that a spring loaded ball drops into every ¼ of a turn, so the clutch will hold its adjustment without self-adjusting. The “shorty” lever that is supplied has a nice factory feel to it on your fingertips. WC supplies a high quality 8mm bolt for the pivot which is protected by and embossed rubber cover that screws onto the perch to keep debris from gumming up the pivot. The other supplied rubber cover for the cable makes a nice seal on the perch and stock clutch cable. One thing that I did like (since I’m an off-road guy) was the fact that the adjuster wheel worked just fine with handguards and was still usable. Sometimes with handguards, adjuster wheels are hidden and hard to fiddle with while riding. 

Aside from looking much better than stock, the WC lever assembly is more functional as well. The adjuster wheel is easier to use than the stock rubber unit, and the WC assembly is much easier to disassemble and clean. The main thing I noticed is that since WC optimized the ratio of the lever, I prefer the engagement over the stock clutch lever actuation. Although the change was minimal, I felt like the clutch feed was more progressive which gave me a less on/off feeling through corners, making them less jerky. I think that the fact the parts are sold separately is a huge plus because once you buy all three you’ll only have to buy replacement parts in the future if you break something instead of having to purchase the whole thing again. Although the initial price for all three parts is not super cheap with a MSRP of $155.85 (https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/works-connection-elite-clutch-perch-assembly-p), in my opinion it’s worth the investment for the buttery clutch feel alone. So regardless if you have a broken stock perch or not, or maybe you just want a clutch adjuster that easier to spin on-the-fly, do yourself a favor and check out the Works Connection Elite Perch assembly, because after all, who doesn’t like a smooth clutch pull?