Well, more maintenance is overrated, only a check, oil or replace the bearings and re-shim of the gap is mostly enough. When replacing the shoe sometimes I will mount a new spring too.

With the speeds we drive and to drive the corners controlable we have to let go the throttle, a nice vid of how the throttle is used in different corners and parts of a track:


Yes, the engine does drop to a low idle although you can set an higher idle for a fraction quicker response. Mostly engines do not get the time to drop entirely to a low idle, before they come to that the throttle is already opened again.

The clutch is tuned to the grip and type of track. The gap, the weight of the flyweights, the hardness of the spring and the type of shoe will determ the amount of slip and how the clutch will engage (smooth to very agressive) but I only play with the spring tension, a lower engage will give a more throttle control which is better on low grip tracks.

Regarding the bearings, all normal ceramic bearings have a chrome steel races and ceramic balls, full ceramics are very expensive and so far I know not used because the races can crack due the unbalanced forces. Funny thing is that a fellow clubmember has ordered full ceramics for his 4.5 turn electric motor which seems to hold.