I have been street/track racing for about 15 years, but always stock wheel base bikes. Well when I got my 2008 Busa, I knew I had to stretch it. But no one told me that it would be sooo damn hard to launch. My first few times at the track I could only muster 1.72-1.80 on the 6 inch stretch and a shinko tire.
Well I sat down with Johnny Turbo from Exoticyle for some help. He road my bike and had me stand right next to him as he launched, over and over. What I figured out is that on a short bike you launch with your left hand (clutch). Get the revs up and slide out the clutch till you get it going. On a stretched bike your goal is to get the bike to move 3 inches with the clutch and then lay on the throttle. There is some clutch slip, but it is only to keep the revs up as the power comes on. Johnny would be at 5000 rpms right before he launched. Then he would flash up to 10k and pour on the throttle. After a few feet the revs were down to 8000, but soon the bike is gone like rocket.
For those who are figuring it out just think of it like this. With a short bike its 80% left hand and 20% right. On a stretch its 40% left and 60% right. I mention the 3 inches because if you just jump on the throttle right away it wheelies. But if you just get in moving a little and let the motor roar, off you go.
I have gotten down to 1.60 short times, but I have a lot of tire spin and I am just figuring this out. Next time I will get the pressure lower on the tire and shot for some mid 50's.
Hope this helps anyone going through this. I easily have 150 time slips of me making 1.75 passes. And thanks again to Johnny T.
Well I sat down with Johnny Turbo from Exoticyle for some help. He road my bike and had me stand right next to him as he launched, over and over. What I figured out is that on a short bike you launch with your left hand (clutch). Get the revs up and slide out the clutch till you get it going. On a stretched bike your goal is to get the bike to move 3 inches with the clutch and then lay on the throttle. There is some clutch slip, but it is only to keep the revs up as the power comes on. Johnny would be at 5000 rpms right before he launched. Then he would flash up to 10k and pour on the throttle. After a few feet the revs were down to 8000, but soon the bike is gone like rocket.
For those who are figuring it out just think of it like this. With a short bike its 80% left hand and 20% right. On a stretch its 40% left and 60% right. I mention the 3 inches because if you just jump on the throttle right away it wheelies. But if you just get in moving a little and let the motor roar, off you go.
I have gotten down to 1.60 short times, but I have a lot of tire spin and I am just figuring this out. Next time I will get the pressure lower on the tire and shot for some mid 50's.
Hope this helps anyone going through this. I easily have 150 time slips of me making 1.75 passes. And thanks again to Johnny T.
