| Author | Message | ||
     Kruizen |
So the races I did this pad summer were a blast, but I'm having issues getting confident and consistent starts. I have tried a couple of different combinations of clutch, throttle and rear brake to take off at the green flag. I am hoping to get to a drag strip this spring to do a test and tune day for some practice. So those of you that are racing lets hear how you handle the controls on this torque monster when the green flag drops. | ||
| Jdugger |
I run the throttle at about 6,000 RPM waiting on the flag. You want to be sure and have your right foot on the peg correctly because most of the exhausts blow right behind that and if you don't you will melt your boot and cook your foot! As the flag drops I feed the clutch a little while adding gas to get the motor closer to 7-8k where it makes the most torque. The key is now to feather the clutch while getting to WOT to keep the motor in that optimal range. If you start to wheelie, feather a little more carefully. If you aren't light-fronted, ease a little clutch. Everyone is a little different, but once moving I find it easier to just pin the throttle and module the power with the clutch than try to manage both. Keeping your eyes up and staring deep into turn 1 will help. Once you get a good pull and have finished with the clutch, then it's just matting the throttle and quick shifting until it's brake time for turn 1! Practice starts are fun, but you smoke a lot of clutch this way! Plan on going through a couple of clutch packs a year if you do a lot of starts. Oh, I suck at starts!!!! | ||
| Kc_zombie |
Text book example of a sport bike drag racing launch by 2006 AMA/Dragbike SS Champion Vince Woska, Jr. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyFHrQRPlkw Observe the combination of high engine rev (8K) and and the ever so important throttle position or how you grip the throttle. Watch closely the use of the entire arm as a unit, no twisting at the wrist. DO NOT LOAD BRAKES! Slightly pre-load the clutch just to the point you can feel the bike move and back off slightly. This is done to allow the least amount of travel to engagement. Try not to drag the clutch at the line. The idea is to get the clutch out as fast and smoothly as possible while putting as much HP to the ground as possible while keeping the front end down. One more note; Proper clutch set up and adjustment are key to consistent launches. If your steels are warped and worn, you will have a tough time in the consistency department and will have to battle to keep the front end down which will ruin your 60' times. The drag strip is a great start we have worked with several road racers to improve starts. When your in a pack of bikes the drag racing fundamentals are important but must be modified to allow you to maintain control as you fly past the other guys heading into the first turn. When you are at the drag strip don't get bogged down trying to run the lowest et. Concentrate on the 60' and 330' times. The back end of the track comes later. Good luck I hope this helps. Vince Sr (Message edited by kc zombie on December 09, 2013) | ||
| Smoke4ndmears |
Nice post KC. That video was enlightening. The word you were looking for is tantamount, btw. https://www.google.com/search?q=tad-amount&oq=tad- amount&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&espv=210& es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8#es_sm=122&espv=210&q=tantamount &safe=off | ||
| Zac4mac |
 - smoke and mirrors.. Thought I was the only grammar nazi.. heheheh yeah right. Z | ||
| Sir_wadsalot |
@Dugger/Zombie- great writeups! Personally, I can't launch for shit! The one mock-race I ran, I almost stalled it and dropped from 1st to 10th. I did what any self respecting rider would do. I passed the whole field on brakes and stuffed them all in turn one! Muuuu hahahaaa!!! Lead taken! But, if I knew how to launch, maybe I wouldn't have been so amped up and crashed out on turn 6? Whatever, i was winning.... The only good advice I've ever gotten was to drag race to develop your hole-shot. That, and now what was said here. | ||
| Kc_zombie |
cOrektshun maded smoke. | ||
| 99buellx1 |
I've tried to explain how I launch before, and I'm terrible at that. It's all by feel, so it's hard to give advice. I pull the motor up to where it's smooth, 4-5k, and my goal is to get the clutch out as quick as possible without bogging while getting the throttle to WFO quick also. The last couple years I can't recall getting beat off the line, and I'm generally in the middle of the expert class by turn 1. This one shows my throttle hand. This one the front got a bit crazy on me, but I blasted everyone. The real trick is being good on the brakes.......grrr.. | ||
| 99buellx1 |
And don't forget, race starts right when the flag MOVES. Watch the outside tip of that flag stick. | ||
| Robertb1958 |
Wow! Great stuff! Went to CMP and Roebling for the first time on a mc this fall, can't wait until the spring season. | ||
| Kruizen |
Thanks for the replys so far. Time to change the technique again. Last 2 races tried to load rear brake with clutch just at engagement point. Wasn't really successful. Might need to get some glasses to help see the flag. Or get my expert plates so i'm closer to the front  | ||
| Xb9er |
hold 6,000 RPM's and feather out the clutch when the green starts to drop. Perfect launch every time. | ||
| Sir_wadsalot |
From the drag racing side of it, check out Deanh8. I have never seen anything like his launches from a real person on a stock bike. He even took a stretched 'Busa once on a lucky pass. Look for his 1190 build thread, or look for his 1125 vids on Youtube under OneSicScraper & Bay Area Racing. He goes into some detail on the 1190 build thread, or just PM him. He pretty much destroys everything he comes up on, short of a 'Haybus or a ZX14R. He even shows a GTR his tail light in one vid... | ||
| Deanh8 |
I usually launch pretty low and dont slip the clutch. Ive had I4 bikes before and u have to do a lot of clutch work, my 1125 liked to be dumped low, almost bogged, and use all of 1st gear. I cant launch it now with the 1190 kit, cannot use 1st or 2nd, even 3rd and 4th sometimes get crazy | ||
| Deanh8 |
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8NCRg0YvCI Granted I only had the bike like 2 weeks when that race was filmed 1:25 theres a onboard video of the launch. My launch was at 4,500 rpm, with my stock bike (or close to stock) when the wheel would come up you could slowly set it down and go WOT and it should stay down. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohrr3dNM2Ao (Message edited by deanh8 on December 15, 2013) (Message edited by deanh8 on December 15, 2013) |
