What are your launch procedures for a good start?

Chris,
Great info...Thanks!!

 

Practice wheelies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you can learn to do a first gear wheelie from stop you can launch the crap out of a bike. i normally do not slip the clutch at all on my launches. I start at like 4-5000 and release the clutch and grab full throttle. Even if the bike comes up far its easy to modulate throttle to keep it down while still making foreword progress. I am not kidding about the wheelie thing!!!!

 

I race an EX500. Its dump the clutch and WOT!!! LOL When I raced 600's I always launched well too. I went to a couple test and tune nights at a local drag strip and it was well worth the money for the vast improvement.

 

what is your typical 60' on a "stock wheelbase" bike?

 

Is that your rev limiter I hear in the video?? Some how your procedure goes against everything that makes sense. How can you be moving forward at maximum capable speed at partial throttle(modulated) with the front wheel in the air(excessively)??Tdub

 

Why is this so?

 

It's not theoretical, this was my entire last season. Lap per lap I was typically a couple of tenths quicker, but the other guy has superior starts. He would get enough lead from the start through T1 to hold me off to the end of the race. In that regard, 10 laps doesn't seem like enough time to catch someone. Basically the race was won by him in the first 100 yds or so.

But I kept improving. To the OPs point, the best tip I was given was to LAY my body weight on the tank, as far forward as possible. Keeps the front wheel down and allows you to crank on the throttle harder as you're feeding the clutch. My starts still suck, but I'm starting to gain a few positions at the start as opposed to losing them.

 

Weight forward over the tank, left leg on the ground, RPMS to 5k, right foot on the peg.
stare at the flag........left my clutch out enough just before the bike starts to move.
Just after the 1 board turns sideways, increase throttle and quickly (not fast) feed the clutch (the flag should be dropped now) once the bike is rolling, full throttle feeding the cluth the rest of the way (this all takes 2 seconds?) and get ready to click second....third.....and brake later than everyone!! Viola.....you got a good start.
im on an 08 CBR600RR

 

I understand the leaning forward postion but what I'm unsure of is clutch and/or throttle modulation.

 

really just not sure how to explain it. It deff works for me though! And any rev limiter in any of my vids is deff the guys next to me lol.

 

you wheel is going to lift no matter what if you getting off the line right. its just a matter of keeping your weight over the front end and apply smooth power. its a delicate process. You dont want the front end drastically coming up but if the front floats just a little in first you should be fine

 

throttle = drive
clutch = modulator

try riding in 2nd gear with some open road and pin the throttle while trying to "feel" where the clutch engages/disengages.

RPMs will rise without the clutch load. ONce you feel comfortable... then try it in first.

Smaller CC bikes like 600ccs dont make much torque at lower rpms like 1000ccs do.

 

His wheel is off the ground till 3rd gear most times... He generally enters turn one in 1st or 2nd. lol However the next lap pans out is off topic. lol:up:

 

All I can tell you is that it takes practice. Each time I do it I get a little better, but I think it takes a lot race starts be really GOOD at it. Like most things, I think it requires a lot of repetition to be able to do it consistently well and confidently. Just don't stall it by dumping the clutch too quick and letting off the throttle. You gotta keep the RPMs up.

It's hard on your clutch because you are modulating the clutch, meaning the clutch isn't fully engaged while you have the lever half way in. The plates are spinning across eachother as the power from the drive shaft is transferred to the transmission, this is the clutch's purpose in life. When the clutch if fully engaged and the lever is all the way out both the drive shaft and transmission are rotating at the same speed, meaning nothing is rubbing. When the lever is all the way in the clutch is fully disengaged, meaning there is no pressure or friction between the clutch plates and the steels.

Race starts are extra hard on a clutch as opposed to street riding because the RPMs are so much higher, meaning higher heat in the clutch = reduction in the life of the components. Pros will swap the clutch pack every race. So far mine have lasted a few years.

 

alright, this is how I do it. I know exactly what my peak torque is (not horse power I could care less about that number) and that's where I hold the throttle to right before launch, left foot on peg so I'm not fighting to find the shifter after take off, two fingers on clutch lever pulled back to my middle finger (where I have it adjusted to) then just off till I feel it grabbing, right index finger squeezing front break to hold the bike in place, and leaned as far forward as I can get my little ass to go.

flag drops, full throttle while at the same time releasing the break and slipping the clutch. when I "moderate" the two I do so that the rpm's never change from my peak torque (as little as possible) the front end will carry a little but should be no more than an inch or two for a short period of time. just like dirt bikes, the more time you spend with your wheels on the ground the faster you go. even shifting down the straight I shift right at peak torque, the rest of the rpms are useless and slow you down.

this is how I do it, everyone had there own way of riding. but like the advice before a good launch is better than a failed launch. try what I said but at a much lower rpm. it will still work just try and keep the rpm the same until the clutch is all the way out then WOT

 

lol after reading this....


You guys want good starts but expect to not ruin a clutch? I live 10 mins from a drag strip and if im not racing that weekend i go drag racing. best thing ever for my roadrace.

Not only will it put you in a good spot right off the bat. it will put you up front with the faster guys and in turn you can tow off them and get quicker lap times down.

I get maybe 8-9 starts on my clutch before its shot. but i have no problem taking a holeshot from row 4 or 5.

 

If you're staying on an SV, there are ways to not ruin the clutch. Some guys launch it like every other bike, some don't.

Getting a good launch helps, but think about your reference points into T1 also.

 

I've always wondered how everyone burns up clutches so damn fast... I've owned my bike since brand new (july 07) have put 30 thousand miles on her, taken her to the drag strip and trackdays and now racing, and I still have the factory clutch in her. plenty of adjustment left, never slips, launches as hard as ever... am I missing something? I've run the same oil since new and changed it regularly and my clutch is happy... I don't get it.

 

Just because you take it to the drag strip doesnt mean anything. What bike and what are you staging at?

When i had my first bike i never put a clutch in it...and then i learned how to really launch a bike.

Same reason why all the AMA pros burn up clutches. and why top fuel drag cars get a new clutch every pass

 

I ride an 07 zx6 and ran 11.02 -11.04 last time I went to the drag strip. the pro's are also using different materials and much higher HP than my zx. there's a lot of factors that play into that. I know because I work with Matt Hartford and his drag cars. I'm just saying for non pro guys I don't understand burning up a clutch especially after only a few launches and I can launch pretty hard.

it was a question that I never understood not a crack at anyone.