Lookin for advice

hurley_boy · 05-09-2006, 10:05 PM

I am planning to trip to the track in a month or so to see what I can do with my bike. However i'm not too experienced with dragging. I'm horrible at a quick launch so i was curious to see if anyone had any tips or advice on how to improve. Also any other advice would be great too on track requirements such as riding gear, ect. Thanks!

1998 HONDA CBR 600 F3
-Vance n Hines SSR2 Slip-On
-K&N Filter
-Sprocket Conversion (+7 Rear)

likebikes · 05-10-2006, 11:19 AM

+7 in the rear is going to make it hard to launch. You really need to slip the clutch A LOT to get a good launch. Slipping it keeps the front down. But it is hard on the clutch.

Just go try it out the first time and have some fun. Then you can decide if you want to get serious with strapping the front and lowering the rear etc.

This is what the local track requires for bikes:

All Bikes Need
Front & Rear Brakes
Chain Guards & Clutch Covers
Snell 90 or higher helmet
Boots or shoes above ankles
Gloves
Goggles or bubble Shield
Leather or Kevlar Jacket

120 mph & faster
Leather or Kevlar Pants

10.99 and faster
Ignition cut off "Kill Switch"
Leather or Kevlar Pants

9.99 and faster
IHRA License

hurley_boy · 05-17-2006, 05:19 PM

Thanks man, appreciate it.

MustGoFast · 05-21-2006, 05:48 PM

so I don't really feel like the question was answered... I can ride fine, but have never dragged and know I'd be piss slow coming off the line. I don't have any sprocket changes to affect my launch. What is the proper technique? Is there a standard "good" rpm for launch point.... should you shift at redline, or somewhere else? Do you let off the throttle to shift in dragging a bike?

just some questions I had coming from launching my all wheel drive car on the strip.

likebikes · 05-22-2006, 01:33 PM

Basically you have to do some experimenting as to what works best for you and your bike. Start by getting low and forward on the bike with your legs back. Have your right wrist up so you can twist the grip to full throttle easily. Try launching at 4000 RPM and slipping the clutch. If you have dragged before you know there is a balance between some wheel spin and bogging. Well on a bike, a 600 anyway, it's more of a balance between a wheelie and a bog. Slipping the clutch to keep the front down but not so much that you are wasting power/time. This is hard on the clutch. But you can vary the RPM you start at and how much you slip the clutch. Those are the main things on the launch. My best run was a 1.71 60 foot time and I launched at 10,000 RPM but the bike was lowered and the front was strapped down. Those really help with launching.

As far as shifting there are a couple of ways to do it. One way is to maintain full throttle and slightly fan the clutch which is a quick pull, you don't have to pull it very far. The other way is to roll off and on the throttle quickly. But either way you have to preload the shifter by pushing up on it.

When to shift depends on your bike and it's power curve. I like redline but some people like to short shift. Back to the experimenting to see what works for you and your bike.

A lot of people seem to be down on drag racing a sportbike but it's just another way to have fun to me. A lot more challenging than they think too. Good luck and have fun.

automaticj5 · 05-25-2006, 07:04 PM

I just went to the dragstrip for the first time last week and had a blast.. just like the rest of these guys said.. experiment.. I think the highest I launched at was 5k rpms.. and you could prolly launch around 10k if not higher, just slip the clutch a little bit.. my best time was 2.21 60' time and 11.8 @ 119mph... Great time though... get leather pants though, my track yelled at me when I hit 120.065 and 120.032... kinda queer but its the rules..

ninesecondjen · 05-28-2006, 11:28 AM

Hey guys...

I usually drag race a busa, but the track I race at had a 600/750 shootout last month so I entered my stock 2006 R6. I had to launch at 13,000 rpms to keep it from bogging...compared to the 5000 rpms I normally launch at on my busa. Here's a link to the video of me racing the R6...it's not a very good angle, but you might get some idea of what a decent launch looks like

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz9n0NUXFUs

You can get to more video from my website at http://www.9secondjen.com

hurley_boy · 06-13-2006, 08:56 PM

Yeah I went to the nearest track (Kakauna, WI) last weekend to run my bike. But they required a tether(killswitch) to run period. So it sucked that i couldn't run. I think that the most frustrating part was there there was a ZX12 there running high 13's. And I KNOW my little 600 coulda beat him! But i'm definatly lookin forward to when i can get out there!

flipflop · 06-14-2006, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hurley_boy

Yeah I went to the nearest track (Kakauna, WI) last weekend to run my bike. But they required a tether(killswitch) to run period. So it sucked that i couldn't run. I think that the most frustrating part was there there was a ZX12 there running high 13's. And I KNOW my little 600 coulda beat him! But i'm definatly lookin forward to when i can get out there!

I have had that problem before. I didn't have one on and we checked the NHRA rule book and it says....

Motorcycles 10.99 or quicker must be equipped with a positive ignition cutoff swith attached to the rider. OEM cutoff switch permitted in place of lanyard.

Its in section 1C - E.T. Motorcycle of the 2006 NHRA rulebook. Just an FYI

Floridianson · 07-03-2006, 04:45 PM

Might try this next time you are out rideing the street and you are wearing you gloves, just use your first two fingers to pull the clutch lever back and the outher two as spacers between the lever and the grip while you are crusing.If your clutch slips then you are getting enough to speed shift.Then the next time you are at the track start out with all four fingers to make it easer to do the slip thing and keep the front end down then all the rest of the shifting just use two to pull in the lever.On mine I can use just the middle finger to pull in the clutch.As for dropping the rpm for the rest of the shifts I have a heavy bike and the front stays down well so I don't have to drop the much at all.You can play with it to find the best amount to drop without the front tire deciding to now be the rear tire.I like this more than the cram shift no clutch which is hard on you stuff or the fan the lever style shift.Or you could just get the new air shifter that shuts off the fuel and shifts for you if you realy want to go big time.Just my .02 James

CBRBADBOY · 07-25-2006, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ninesecondjen

Hey guys...

I usually drag race a busa, but the track I race at had a 600/750 shootout last month so I entered my stock 2006 R6. I had to launch at 13,000 rpms to keep it from bogging...compared to the 5000 rpms I normally launch at on my busa. Here's a link to the video of me racing the R6...it's not a very good angle, but you might get some idea of what a decent launch looks like

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz9n0NUXFUs

You can get to more video from my website at http://www.9secondjen.com

We need some real pics

kun · 07-25-2006, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hurley_boy

I am planning to trip to the track in a month or so to see what I can do with my bike. However i'm not too experienced with dragging. I'm horrible at a quick launch so i was curious to see if anyone had any tips or advice on how to improve. Also any other advice would be great too on track requirements such as riding gear, ect. Thanks!

1998 HONDA CBR 600 F3
-Vance n Hines SSR2 Slip-On
-K&N Filter
-Sprocket Conversion (+7 Rear)

slip the clutch alot, if not you could easily launch your bike traight up in the air.. the track where you start is very sticky.. i have seen this many times at diff. tracks.. keep the rpm's up but shift before the rev limiter for sure cause by then theres no real speed gain anyway.. i used to race a kawasaki kz900.. many years ago.........there is a lot for you to learn, so go out and practice...KUN

chaudun84 · 08-05-2006, 05:27 PM

Another useful tip. Something I learned is that when you're rolling up to the burnout area, DON'T roll through the water!!! You might think that a no brainer, but I see it all the time. Unless your bike has absolutely no power or something's really wrong then you don't need your tire wet to burnout, so all you're doing is getting your front tire wet which causes obvious problems. On top of that, depending on your tires, you really don't even need to burn out, but I always do at least a little one just to get all the crap off your tire before you roll up to stage.

honda_racing86 · 08-12-2006, 10:34 PM

yea i was goin to ask about burn out before stage. im am just getting curious about dragin my bike for the VERY first time so i have no clue whatsoever to expect. is the burnout needed. my invision of me going there is to just go up to the line and go when it turns green and see what i do. and the experiment from there. i just dont want to look like an idiot when i go but from reading the tips it helps a tad!

Chinga tu Madre · 09-22-2006, 12:59 PM

I've done a couple of burnouts prior to launching my bike and it always just seems to make the rear slippery. I run sport/touring tires on my bike though so that could have something to do with it, I'm sure a burnout helps with race compounds.