Racing the 1/4 mile

Charlesbusa

Used to be a SoCal Busa
Donating Member
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With a stock clutch, what's the best launch technique? Rev a certain rpm and pop the clutch, rev a certain rpm then let the clutch out controlled, or just get into gear and open her up then?
 
My launches are decent. Here is how I do it-

first off, get a 16 tooth front sprocket, it'll make a HUGE difference and save your clutch

Get a AGREESIVE grip, not the beginner grip that your used to riding with. You want your knuckles to be below the clutch lever, with the top of your hand pointing at the mirror. Agressive grip! Keep your left foot on the peg, right foot on the ground. Pull your clutch in just enough to release tension on the transmission. This way you dont second guess where the clutch is going to catch. Pull the lever in just enough to release tension on the transmission.

Watch your tach, and practice launching at different RPMS. Start at 3000rpms and move up from there. If your bike bogs, move up. You want your front tire to just lift off the ground out of the hole.

I usually rev the engine to about 4000rpms, and when I fully release the clutch I'm at about 3/4 throttle going to full throttle. I try not to redline 1st, and I shift out of first early. When I go into second, I'm at full throttle, and I clutchless into third, still holding full throttle.

Your front wheel is going to come up slightly in your launch, and when you roll on hard in 1st and second. It's ok, it's not going to flip you, just keep on it hard.

Good lauches take tons of practice. Its best to find someone to launches hard, and have races to about second gear. I usually will race off the line to about 70mph and let off when I'm practicing my launches.

Hope this helps

Mike
 
hey Mike, This clutchless shifting your speaking of, your holding the throttle and not letting off of it at all while shifting or do you let off of it for the shift?
 
hey Mike, This clutchless shifting your speaking of, your holding the throttle and not letting off of it at all while shifting or do you let off of it for the shift?
If you have full throttle on, you have to ease it off to shift... Tranny won't go until you do. Also, never do clutchless from 1st to 2nd, 'cause it is very hard on gears.

I need to practice my launches BIGTIME! My buddy on the F3 is able to hang in beginning since I pull massive wheelies and end out let throttle off. I wanna get to that "perfect launch" where the wheel hoovers 2-3 inches. Practice makes perfect.
 
Cluthless Shifting Defined-

The easiest way to clutchless shift is to start in 3rd going into 4th gear. You need be going FULL throttle, and "flick" your wrist to cut power, shift, and get right back on it.

When I clutchless shift, it's literally a quick "wrist flick" with upward pressure on the shift lever.

This is how your do it. Get into 3rd gear and give your bike full throttle. When you are ready to shift, QUICKLY left of the gas, click into 4th, and GET BACK ON IT HARD!

You'll see the bike will shift gears smooth as a hard boiled egg. It's fast. Just wrist flick from 100% throttle, to 80% throttle (shift), then back to 100% throttle

Dont ever do it downshifting, you'll wreck your tranny. Only do it upshifting from 3rd and up. Dont clutchless from 1st to 2nd, sometimes you'll get a false neutral.

I also advise moving your shift level down a notch to get a more "positive" hard shift.

Just remember "quick wrist flick" and you'll do it perfect every time.

Hope this helps

Mike
 
Cluthless Shifting Defined-

The easiest way to clutchless shift is to start in 3rd going into 4th gear. You need be going FULL throttle, and "flick" your wrist to cut power, shift, and get right back on it.

When I clutchless shift, it's literally a quick "wrist flick" with upward pressure on the shift lever.

This is how your do it. Get into 3rd gear and give your bike full throttle. When you are ready to shift, QUICKLY left of the gas, click into 4th, and GET BACK ON IT HARD!

You'll see the bike will shift gears smooth as a hard boiled egg. It's fast. Just wrist flick from 100% throttle, to 80% throttle (shift), then back to 100% throttle

Dont ever do it downshifting, you'll wreck your tranny. Only do it upshifting from 3rd and up. Dont clutchless from 1st to 2nd, sometimes you'll get a false neutral.

I also advise moving your shift level down a notch to get a more "positive" hard shift.

Just remember "quick wrist flick" and you'll do it perfect every time.

Hope this helps

Mike
You are fine from 2nd to 3rd also. You just need to get the timing down with the throtle. Many do down shifting if you do it right it will not hurt the tranny. i agree with you on this, I prefer not to down shift with out the clutch. Up shift all the time.
 
Grip it an Rip it!


oh wait... that is golf.........
sarcasm.gif
 
What about getting into first? Are you popping the clutch out or are you controlling the clutch by letting the clutch out slower?
 
I think you're asking how to get off the line.

In first gear, I DONT pop the clutch. You need to do a combination of releasing it quickly and smoothly, combined with firm amount of throttle. If you pop the clutch you'll either get a sky-high wheelie or kill the engine and drop the bike.

Off the line, you dont want to engine to bog down. If you release the clutch and the RPMS drop, you have either not given it enough throttle or released the clutch too fast. You dont want to launch at 5000rpms just to have the tach go to 2000 rpms and chug.

Try this, when you launch off the line, when you completely let off the clutch, you should be at about 5000rpms with no engine bog. If you are doing it right, your front tire should get about an inch off the ground and come back down.

Hope this helps

Mike
 
how much damage does the power shift do? I know im very good at it because its not hard and I did it all the time on my dirtbike, but I wouldnt want to wreck anything on a brand new busa if I got one.

Heh its a 1-2 inch wheelie is good? god if that happened to me id probly crap my pants and let of the gas.
 
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