Race starts and how to improve?

[Pickle]

Thunderpark "was" the best track but my best time was 11.3 @ 121mph on the old (stock) GSX1100 at Meremere. With a good start at Pukekohe I beat Freeth and Farrow into the back straight "once" on my old Z1, them on McIntoshs.

Back in the good old days :cool2: sigh!

Shit Speedpro those times get faster every year

But really the suggestions that you made are the way to go, practice the drag starts, DONT blip the throttle because as you let the clutch out your revs will drop. As said previously watch the moto-crossers they go fast from the line.

[speedpro]

Shit Speedpro those times get faster every year

But really the suggestions that you made are the way to go, practice the drag starts, DONT blip the throttle because as you let the clutch out your revs will drop. As said previously watch the moto-crossers they go fast from the line.

Still have the time slip actually. - the only view DG ever had of me at the drags.

[FROSTY:Me]

ok speedpro Its been driving me nuts--i know I know ya --just cant figure out who you are.

[avgas]

im gonna lose....... but its gonna be fun.
I should practise, but i cant afford a new clutch (till feb) so ill leave it to die after dragging a few times.
So are we actually racing cars as well (so i can stand a chance), or just bikes now?
ill be happy if i break 14sec.
Do you literally just line up till the lights indicate your in position, then wait for the lights to change - or is there more too it?

[FROSTY:Me]

basicly dude you race 2 at a time in a straight line.
Soposedly you take off when the lights turn green. I think I used to launch on the last orange -reaction time meant that i actually started moving on the green -memory is a bit cloudy though

[speedpro]

im gonna lose....... but its gonna be fun.
I should practise, but i cant afford a new clutch (till feb) so ill leave it to die after dragging a few times.
So are we actually racing cars as well (so i can stand a chance), or just bikes now?
ill be happy if i break 14sec.
Do you literally just line up till the lights indicate your in position, then wait for the lights to change - or is there more too it?

As you roll up to the lights the "staged" light will come on. There's actually a small distance where the light is on, you want to be right at the back of that range. This allows you to start rolling a bit before you "red light". The most likely scenario with the lights is that you will get 3 or 5 yellows in sequence and then the green. You can't leave the "staged" area till the green comes on. However if you stage shallow as described above you can actually be moving before the light comes on. Because of reaction time you will have to leave on the last or 2nd to last yellow depending on your reaction times. You just need to try that out when you get there.

To stop from accidently rolling and getting a red light once you are staged stop the bike with the front brake. Hold the clutch in, check the gear position then put your left foot down and put the rear brake on to hold the bike in position. This will allow you to release the front brake and adjust your grip ready for the start. I found a sort of motocross attack position with the elbows up worked pretty good, then when you pin the throttle your elbows are down just right for tucking in. Don't bother with the clutch when shifting, just feather the throttle instantaneously and shift like normal - but without the clutch.

If you run in Dial-Your-Own (DYO) handicap class your opponent may leave before or after you so only watch your own side of the tree. If you do run DYO don't be too optimistic when specifying the time you expect to do as all that does is handicap you more than neccessary. Ideally you would want a dial-in about a 10th of a second(or less) faster than what you can actually manage. If you find you got it wrong don't be afraid to go see the tower and change it. If it rains definitely change it. It always amazed me that hardly anyone used to do that. I used to think about it a bit whilst drinking the champers later at home.

Just for DG, those time slips were for 21/2/82, ET=11.33, speed=120.64. It wasn't 121mph, sorry, slight exageration.