Drag racing

UW8ANC

Registered
Hey guys,

For all those "seasoned veterans" of the track, I would like some advice on getting the best quarter mile times. What RPM do you start at? At what point do you Wack the throttle. Basically take me from the burnout area to the end of the quarter mile....

All posts appreciated.


JRL
 
Bloody #### I thought more American Bros would have responded to this!

I thought every town in the states had a drag strip as well as a school!

C'mon Andy, give him yer times mate!
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OK then here goes.

I move into pre -stage and burn out for about 6 seconds. I then clean off the tyre by letting out the front brake and rolling out about 10 feet. This gets the tyre marbles off otherwise you have wasted your time cos you will spin off the line anyway with a dirty tyre.

Then move into stage and wait for the other guy/girl to stage. I have my weight as far forward as possible with my nuts bang up against the tank. My arms are bent almost double and my head is well forward over the screen of the bike.

I then hold the throttle open at constant revs. I don't blip the throttle. I usually hold the throttle open at anything between 7k up to 9k depending on how grippy the surface is. When the lights hit amber I drop the clutch almost completely immediately. No point waiting for the green I suppose.

As the bike leaves the line my weight is all the way forward as I can manage with my feet trailing far back. This helps me keep balance (so I am told). I trail both feet.

Once the bike is settled and happy feet come up and it is a clutchless change to second. By this time my clucth arm is behind my back and I am lying pretty much flat on the tank. My left arm is stretched out until I can almost feel the seathump behind me and my palm is open and flat to the side of the seathump/my back. This is just my way, I don't think anyone else does it but I am quite tall and once the clutch is out off the line there is nowhere for my clutch hand to go. If I leave it where it is my elbow sticks out into the wind so its easier and more comfortable to put my arm behind my back.
I make a conscious effort to pull my toes and as much of my legs tight into the side of the bike.

I change on redline, getting into 4th before the quarter.

Quarter mile markers passed I sit up and brake, return to the timing point, weep at my times and try to improve next run.

I hope that is of use to you...
 
Cool man,


Hopefully the track will be dry this weekend... in the mean time, I'll try to get my bike legal! YEAH! Thanks.
 
On the bright side, you can get the speed out of your system at the track and take it easy on the roads when you do get your bike registered. I used to have that problem, always wanting to open it up everywhere I went. A few top end passes at the (now closed
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) airfield fixed that for a while.
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We are lucky Narc, in the fact that we have access to high speed straight line runways in the UK which run for 2 miles. On some tracks we get to keep our bikes nailed after we pass the 1/4 mile marker, which is nice as it gives a new slant to the competative side. We get to go for 1/4 AND top end (sadly 12R's always win).

Oh sorry by the way UW8ANC. I forgot to give you timings. I am now running very high nines on stock wheel base and ride height with standard tyre pressures. Hope that helps.
 
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speaking of strip racing, I am a female ridin' a busa for one and the guys always want to try me.  but needless to say the times i have embarrassed them were not good enough for me I want to hit the track for some srip racing but want to improve my skills.  Does anyone know of any school in the US or even in Illinois?  hit me back please.
 
Hi my name is knebnr and I am new to your site. Your web site is very nice. I am a regular drag racer and Nhra team firebird champion 2 years running. I have a 1498cc Hayabusa. If you are going to drag race often it will help your et's if you lower your bike, a tie down in front and lower links for the back not necessary but at the drag strip lower is faster also better for wheelie control. I usually launch at about 4 thousand and try to roll the throttle on as smoothly as possible it is important to get to redline in first gear as this really helps your sixty foot time which is important for a good et, once rolling get tucked in the best you can this helps top speed and reduces wind resistance make sure you shift all gears at redline or you will lose time try not to short shift any gears. The Busa is geared tall and reducing gearing will help improve times at the track but if you ride a lot you will find the gearing to buzzy around town. Well thats how I do it I hope it helps. I have gone 8.99 at 152 using these techniques.         Knebnr


Oh by the way the only motorcycle dragracing school I know of is www.frankhawley.com
 
Pics, Pics, Pics send me your racing pics I know that you have to have some of you on the track

:whip:
 
Well, I went to the track, and boy am I sorry! Thatshit is harder than it looks... It was so slippery at the pre staging area, first run I almost lost is, and the second run I stalled out!!! I need some practice... the track was PACKED TOO. I couldn't believe how bad it was. In 4 hours I got 2 runs. Does that suck or what? I'm not even going to post my times because they were that bad!!!
 
Don't get discouraged your first time out at the track will never be your best mine was not the more you go the better you get just keep at it.
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  Knebnr
 
Success!

I got there early tonight and was the first one to run. I got nervous and stalled out... AGAIN! I got knocked down, but I got back up again, running the following:
11.826 @ 110.63 mph
12.284 @ 107.68 mph
11.627 @ 113.13 mph
11.625 @ 113.15 mph
11.481 @ 114.48 mph
12.400 @ 121.91 mph

I got kicked off the track for that last one
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I don't have leather pants, so I can't go over 120
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That last one was a trip! I had a nice smooth start, and then "whacked" the throttle a little too early! My front end came up, and thought to myself, Holy poop! When I finally brought my front end down, I got it into second gear, and away I was. When I got to the finish line, I heard a "clang-clang-clang" and I realized that my little nut that goes right below the key had fallen off! I called it quits after that... the steering was REALLY sensative. I had fun:) Next week I want to work on my R/T and my E/T. We'll see how we go!
 
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