Ok Rookie needs advice

joncook06

Registered
This weekend will be my first attempt at the 1/4 mile on a bike. From what I 've read here I need to be at 6 to 8000 rpm and let the clutch pull the bike and then get to wide open asap is that correct? I have an 08 with yoshi slip ons, lowered 1 inch in the front and 3 or 4 in the back. Also I drop the rear tire to about 22psi and leave the front alone right? Any advice would be great.
 
take your time to get the feel of the launch before giving it too many rpm's . 6to 8000 rmp is pretty high for stock wheelbase. The 08 is pretty torquey so you can leave at lower rpm,s. make sure when you stage to avoid getting water on your front tire, ride around the water then back into it with the rear tire enought to get it a little wet , then pull forward a bit out of the water box and do a small burnout to heat up and clean the tire off, i assume you know how the tree works?? make sure to line up in the car tracks on the lane that you choose, not in the middle of the lane , water and oil gets driped thier and can be very slick for a bike. lean foreward putting weight on your tank to help prevent a wheelie. On the 3rd amber light give it gas as your sliding the clutch out and get to wide open throttle as soon as possible. Most of all have a great time and tell us how you do ok:cheerleader:
 
I think Brocks had a "helper" article at one time..

2500RPM off the starting line and get the clutch out as fast as you can keeping it at that rpm until the clutch is fully engaged.. 8G will end up putting you on your backside or smoking the clutch out of that thing before you learn to launch I bet..

consistency is more important that ET..
 
1st passes leave like you would from an intersection. Roll the throttle on from there and get used to the bike and the track. Don't worry about your 60' times.

Once you get used to that, then you can increase the rpm a bit at a time. 2500-3000 rpm would be a much better place to start.

Are you going to the PMRA race in Noble this weekend?
 
Take a look at the launching thread pinned at the top of this section. It might have some info that will help you.
 
I was planning on going to a local track Ardmore Raceway I didn't know Noble had anything going on this weekend.
 
I was planning on going to a local track Ardmore Raceway I didn't know Noble had anything going on this weekend.

PMRA Home Page

They didn't update the flyer info, but the first race is this weekend. It is a bike only event and should have 100-150 entries if the last few years are an indicator.
 
:thumbsup:great ad vice from the professer, dont try to be the man until you get use to launching on a prepared surface, its can be very sticky and tricky, yes and 8 grand with stock wheel base you can loop real fast. main thing is to be smart and have fun! (if it gets squirrelly get out of it! you'll look a lot cooler doing that than breaking your bike and your a$$)
 
If you launch as a newbie at more than 4000 RPM, you will loop the bike.

You need to slide the clutch. That's going to take practice.
 
When do I shift I found out that in first gear the bike will go to 11500 rpm before cutting out should i set my shift light for 11k? And what the heck is "slide the clutch" I'm confused?
 
Sliding the clutch is slipping it as you're coming off the line, slowly easing it out as you're pouring on the throttle. Think of it as trying to creep along in first without using any throttle. Taking off, I'm usually sliding the clutch till my rear tire is about 6 ft past the line. Here's a pretty good example, though I wouldnt recommend the RPM for someone their first time out...

 
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With a stock motor, your ET is not be dramatically affected by shift point. The difference between 10.5 and 11.2 RPM is inconsequential, but hitting the limmiter will cost you 1/2 a second, so aim lower.

As others have said, with a stock clutch, there is no benefit to launching over 3k. The sooner you clutch is out and your throttle is pinned, the better your times will be and the better your clutch will behave. When you get back to the pits after a pass, put your hand on the clutch cover. If its too hot to comfortably hold your palm to for a couple of seconds, you are using too much clutch.

Finally with a stock wheelbase, you have more weight on the back tire, so you might be able to get away with more tire pressure depending on track condition and tire make. With a low RPM launch and a well prepped track, you could get away with 25 to 28 psi.
 
yeah the pmra is great, i made my first pass ever at a pmra race, and i ended up going 3 rounds

professor are you going to be racing the first race? last time i talked to you you said you may make a few races but are you going to make the first?
 
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When do I shift I found out that in first gear the bike will go to 11500 rpm before cutting out should i set my shift light for 11k? And what the heck is "slide the clutch" I'm confused?
Sliding the clutch is letting it out as quickly and smoothly as possible while opening the throttle the same way. It's the opposite of "throwing the clutch away" which means just letting it out @ your launch rpm. Set your shift lite for 500 rpm before it cuts if your footshifting, 250 before if you got a shifter.
 
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