Race Starts On a 600??? How???

[Two Smoker]

Hey everyone,

Ive got my first race in a couple days... And i still dont know how to do good starts... Ive done a few practices on the road 600, and it doesnt feel right...

Im putting around 6 grand on the tacho, and slipping the clutch. The good thing is it isnt bogging, but i think im slipping the clutch too much... the final part of slipping the clutch is fine, its the initial launch that doesnt feel right...

Any tips on clutch movement, revs, motions and actions... signs of a good launch????

Maybe i need to race someone a couple of times... or give me a definate start rather than me saying in my head "ok do a start now..."

Not so keen on doing it away at lights... only in quiet low populated areas...

Cheers, Chris

[Sensei]

Would be looking at 8000rpm + & just riding it so it is just about fully driving not slipping heaps ,keep over the front & when your speed is fast enough let her drive fully & hold it on Full .

[Two Smoker]

Would be looking at 8000rpm + & just riding it so it is just about fully driving not slipping heaps ,keep over the front & when your speed is fast enough let her drive fully & hold it on Full .

Cheers mate...

When i engage the clutch enough on the start, should i give full throttle, or increase the throttle at a steady pace???

[Timber020]

Depending on where I was on the grid I used to launch differently. If I was in front I would launch near the red, only barely keeping the front wheel on the ground. If I was more towards the back theres more chance of a bike stalling, another rider going around him and you collecting them all so I launched a little less hard so to keep my front wheel down for control.

[Sensei]

Cheers mate...

When i engage the clutch enough on the start, should i give full throttle, or increase the throttle at a steady pace???

Increase steadly this way you have less chance of hitting the rev limiter & losing ground .

[nadroj]

The art of a good launch is having the front wheel just bobbling on the surface, the rear gripping & being able to release the clutch as smoothly and quickly as possible. All clutches feel different but adjusting the lever travel can help. Start with lower revs & launch without bogging it then gradually increase the launch revs. Only practice will make perfect but starting at high revs will take longer to get it right. Ultimate launches are usually at at the start of the powerband rolling the throttle on as the clutch takes up. Best find someone to practice against somewhere it won't attract unwanted attention - you'll be surprised how quickly you will get the feel for it.
Even guys like Darryl King used to race at the local dual sprints to perfect their launches & look how often he is beaten into the first corner.
Good luck
ps I do have drag racing experience.

[Two Smoker]

Depending on where I was on the grid I used to launch differently. If I was in front I would launch near the red, only barely keeping the front wheel on the ground. If I was more towards the back theres more chance of a bike stalling, another rider going around him and you collecting them all so I launched a little less hard so to keep my front wheel down for control.

The front is already off the ground from using only 6 grand... i did 9 grand once, and shat myself because it wheelspun then wheelied... Not too keen on getting anywhere near the redline...

[Pathos]

Methinks you may be riding a different breed of 600 than some of your advisors...:)

[Two Smoker]

Cheers everyone,

everyone is giving in wicked input and im taking something from everyones comments... I think i need to find someone to race, as i dont have much time to practice :wacko:

So in summary... around 8 grand, let the clutch out to where it starts to engage. When the flag drops, let it out that extra 3-5mm for the power to engage. As the clutch is engaging increase throttle as well as releasing the clutch more...

I hope thats right??? If only it was as easy as writing it down hehehe...

[nadroj]

QUOTE]As the clutch is engaging increase throttle as well as engaging 'RELEASING' the clutch more...

[Two Smoker]

Why dont you ask Shaun, I reckon he knows how to launch that bike of yours?

He's a busy man, and i need to know now, to get in some practice... I will talk about it to him on saturday though...

[Motoracer]

Come practice with me. You'll kick my arse around a race track now but somehow launches seem to come natural to me. In most of the races I used to back off after the starts to let the faster guys through to not mess up their championship points. People far faster than me, and that's no bull.

I may have forgotten how to, but it's worth a shot, if you want.

[R6_kid]

i read in a bike mag that you should rev it up to where it produced max torque (have you got a dyno chart?) and slip the clutch, using a light pressure on the back brake (i found this wierd) to stop wheelspin or wheelies... but honestly i wouldnt know myself.

The only things i have raced off the line were cars, and they didnt have a shit show anyway.

[Sensei]

You should do Ok Two Smoker . Took me awhile when I dragged my
GSXR 1100 but ended up the fastest bike in NP at most of the Drag's
10.2 standing 1/4 was my best with 172MPH flying . Will say hi when up there this Sunday .

[R6_kid]

hmm i suppose weight slightly forward be a given?

[loosebruce]

8000+ for sure chris, you want the bike up in the power when launching it.

Have a finger on the fornt brake lightly with the clutch just on engaging so the bike will roll forward if no brake applied. The TL used to grunt off the line and i'd be revving it around 8,500rpm reds at 10,500, i'd be tempted to be haging round the 12,000 mark on a 600, if you got wheelspin chances are you dropped the clutch too early, slip it more to gain the traction and feed the gas in with as said the front skipping the ground, you should be well accustomed to slipping the clutch nicely from you RG days?
bruns used to sit the thing on the limiter when he started, threw a rod once though, not pretty.
pity the stunt/drag day isn't sooner, woudl be perfect to get some practice in.

[Madmax]

Been trying to figure out how to do this one on the 10
bloody near killed myself a few times
the front wheel just goes airborne
cant get it to just skim
:devil2:

[roogazza]

I think the best advise is to just relax and take it as it comes. You'll be in the pack somewhere , gaps happen and you have to take them as they appear. Match the drive everyone else has and get ready for the first corner scrap ! Don't worry about this lap time or that or trying to hit your knee on the ground, If you're any good you'll be in front at the end. G.

[emaN]

have you got access to any road racing DVDs, like IOM? (i'm sure Shaun will have 'em!!)

Yes i'm an IOM fan, but the advantage of their starts is they go off one at a time, so you can hear & see what they each do different.

Was watching the 05 DVD (again) the other night - launch techniques vary loads... Could be worth it if you can get hold of one...?

[Shaun]

Hold Throttle at constant revs of approx 9000 RPM, Not blipping like Moto X riders

Now just simply take off light you are at a set of traffic lights, it really is that simple! If you are coordinated enough, you can drag the back break to keep front on ground.

I think people focus on it to much and become nervous hence the bad starts

[HDTboy]

Are they running dragwars tonight?

[R6_kid]

Are they running dragwars tonight?

http://championdragway.co.nz/

could be the go! They are on tonight, from memory its about $30 to enter, show up at about 7pm for scrutineering pay your money, and get a few practice runs in before "racing" begins.

[R6_kid]

hmmm, just checking the www.dragwars.co.nz website.

If you did go you'd want to take the k5-

An NZDRA Sportsman Licence is the minimum requirement for vehicles that don’t have a WOF or run quicker than 11.00 seconds at Champion Dragway.

So you'd want to practice your start for the first half or so of the track and then just back off. Because the race rules are that if you faster than 11sec you automatically 'lose' and thats it for the night - im not sure if this applies to the motorcycle class though.

Venue Information
* Gates open at 5.00pm. Early bird parking trackside from 5.00-7.00pm.
* Racer entry and scrutineering from 5.30pm to 9.00pm.
* Track opens at 6.30pm, racing till late.
* At this point there are No EFTPOS facilities available at Champion Dragway.
* NO ALCOHOL permitted.
* NO FIREWORKS permitted.

Site says its $35 to attend.

Give me a PM if you are going to go and i'll come have a looksee

[flame]

I may not be of any use to you, but I raced a GSXR600 last season at low club level, and got the launches pretty sorted, let the clutch go (smoothly.....not dumping it!!at 9-10,000RPM and managed too usually pass 6-8 riderts off the grid, and somehow managed a holeshot. Keep the revs up. Even launching from 10k the front didn't launch into mid air. But Im sure you got it sussed :yes: Good luck for your racing.

[Brian d marge]

I have very little experience at taking a new bike of the line ( road bike ) but I have spent saturday after saturday , practicing launches of the line on the Cr
I am a feet down person , anyway The clutch basket flexes underload, different clutch basket behave differently , ( cut a circle of paper put it on top of your finger and spin it , see the shape it make sort of like a chineese hat with a wave going round and round
Soo when you get to 6 k and feed in the clutch ( I can be a bit brutal with the clutch as I can sit for a few seconds feeding the clutch in while holding the bike with the rear brake )
Feeding the clutch plates to the rev monster , when the basket is flexing you get that juddering feeling , the stiffer the back plate the less juddering you get and the smoother ( read more controlled ) you can release the lever
I agree with the comment about position on the grid , also gearing , and practice

Just a though but would a cheap dirt bike , be a way of practicing ?? I remember Kenny Roberts saying at his farm they use a 100cc 2 stroke and put slick tyres on one end then just practice practice practice ( apparantly the 100 cc 2 smoke had a similar power delivery as the bike they were using at the time)

Me I am just about too put a movie on then spend the next hour and a half on the exercise bike ,,,,,,,,(still no where near fit enough :thud:(

good luck
Stephen

[enigma51]

Chris if you fuck the start up just relax and pick the other guys off one at a time you have the ability mate and remember there is a bunch of us who believe in you (actualy more envy :-) ) !!!

[Two Smoker]

Cheers everyone,

Thats probably my problem, too nervous... Ill do a few on the race bike tomorrow and then practice a bit more at night time on the road bike...

Cheers, Chris

[Zed]

Cheers everyone,

Thats probably my problem, too nervous... Ill do a few on the race bike tomorrow and then practice a bit more at night time on the road bike...

Cheers, ChrisYou'll do alright mate, you gotta believe that! Practise the advice given here and it will make you perfect at starts, and try to relax and enjoy the rush of racing. :woohoo:

[Madmax]

f#@k if i held the ZX10r at nine K and let rip the thing would
just turn inside out! but must admit i have had a couple
of boyracers on though,,just the fact that you can not hook up all that
power pisses me off (a bit)
had one ask what had been done to my bike ,
just had a blueprint done:rolleyes:
he spent 30k and i shat on him
try telling them that a stage3 turbo kit gives 300+ hp
and only costs 3k USA he was gutted
:Pokey:

[DEATH_INC.]

Funny thing launches, I thought I had it pretty sorted 'till I was at the drags one night before the nats and some of the guys were there practising......I hold the gixxer at around nine, then nail it and use the clutch to control wheelies/wheelspin when I launch.......thought it was as quick as possible,front just skimming and all......then there's this guy on a gixx like mine, pretty stock....watch him launch....bugger me he just revved it to what sounded like 6-7000 and dropped the clutch off the line....rev, bog, go.....f**k me he runs about 1/2 a second faster than I do! Crazy, it just looks all wrong but he was farkin quick. And he tells me later he's still on the original clutch.....shit I kill one every time I go down there.....
I tried his way a few times but I ran slower than ever......
I guess what I'm trying to say is there's no real secret, everyone suits a different style I guess....
Some little tricks I still use from my mx days, Keep BOTH feet down, it helps you to go straight off the line, and put yer feet as far forward as poss , again it helps keep ya straight, and as basic as it sounds lean WAAAY forward, slide yer nads up against the tank and lie on it so yer heads on/under the screen, it feels weird at first but it works, try it.:first:

[FROSTY]

If its any help chris-(given the sv is totally different fron the gixxxer)
Ive been practicing to fix my shitty starts.
So How Im launching is.
In First gear both feet on the ground. Elbows stuck out like im doin the funky chicken--upper body weight is over the front to reduce wheel standing.
Ill sit idling trying to relax till the red flag man has walked off the track -then wind her up to 7 grand.
That seems to get the back end hooked up and stop the front from getting seriously airborn