[fotocycle]

OK, I admit it, my launching technique blows chunks. Now I'm not trying to win any races, lol, but I want to be smooth in all areas of riding and this one is presenting a problem. I've been riding for almost 30K miles now in the year and a half and feel 100% comfortable on everything (I have for a long while now), so I'vebeen working on taking my riding to the next level. This is my only stumbing block so far.

Currently, I give it a little gas while letting the clutch out, increasing the gas depending on how hard I wanna come out. I have felt the front end go light but have never done a wheelie (I'm also up on the tank, practically; this much I know to do). Trouble is, there's a point where my throttle hand stutters and the bike along with it. It's like vrrrrRRROOOM vrooomm vrrRRROOOOMMM. Ya know? Hard to explain, but it just seems I'm insecure about the amount of throttle I'm giving it.

Consequently, I don't launch hard but instead build it up through the revs (quite quickly) in first then kick into second, etc. I've pinpointed the problem to the relationship between my clutching and my throttle input. How do you guys do it so that you get a smooth, hard launch the whole way? Or am I nitpicking?

Let me know if I'm not explaining myself well.

 

[oober]

haven't really tried launching my bike, no need, it is fast enough. But a car on the other hand, I set a rpm, and try to keep the revs there until the clutch is competly locked up and continue to accelerate. IE, more throttle, less clutch, more throttle, less clutch, no clutch, Full throttle, but keeps those front wheels, err wheel on the ground. Good luck and be safe practicing this.

Disclaimer: I take no responsibility for any issues that you might encounter while riding per my advice, I am NO EXPERT. Any injuries, dismemberment, death and/or property damage, yours or otherwise resulting from this text is the RIDERS RESPONSIBLITY. hehe

 

[r6barnes]

What was the sound it makes again?

 

[MAGNUM636]

Try to keep the revs around peak torque 8000+, and just slip the clutch. I can't tell what the problem is, are you bogging it down or slipping too much?

 

[fotocycle]

What was the sound it makes again?

It goes something like this: pfffft :neener :lol

If anything I am slipping too much, it does not have that instant ON reaction, you know? I should clarify that I am not trying to go as fast as possible (more like 4K RPM at worst), just trying to come out of the hole smoothly (no comments, please!). With smooth comes fast, so that will naturally follow.

Maybe I'm just not disengaging the clutch enough. I am trying to find a midpoint between not wheelieing (is that a word??) and not stalling.

 

[TJT]

Here's how I do it (the rpms are REALLY rough estimates because but that's just to give you a rough idea anyway as we're on different bikes, have different technique, etc.)

For a few seconds before the light turns I just free rev it to like 7000 and keep it humming there or blip it just to get a feel for it. As I'm about to go I give it a little bit more gas progressively or just blip it to maybe 9000-10000. Then as the light goes green I just snap the throttle pretty much wide open and let the clutch out pretty fast at the same time. It's all in the clutch essentially, the throttle is just wide open right when you launch. The engine bogs back down to like 9000-10000 as the clutch starts to engage and builds from there. Just get a feel for it so you don't bog it too much and don't let the clutch out too slowly, just make sure you're keeping it in the powerband all the time.

 

[fotocycle]

Thanks, but isn't the front wheel gonna come right up off the ground power-launching it like that?

I need to find me a BIG parking lot somewhere...

 

[TJT]

Thanks, but isn't the front wheel gonna come right up off the ground power-launching it like that?

I need to find me a BIG parking lot somewhere...

Not the way I do it, unless I'm trying to lift it. Obviously you have to play with it and figure out the right amount of clutch to slip, and then you'll know how to do it just right by feel. If you slip too much clutch at too high an rpm then yes, the front comes up. Just feel it out. If I'm trying to launch as hard as possible I try to get it so the front wheel is just barely touching (you can feel it because the steering is really light/twitchy at that point). Your tire temperature is important too; if they're cold you'll be spinning the back tire while accelerating which is obviously not optimal. If they're nice and warm though it'll hook right up. :banana
By the way though, the 600RR is pretty reluctant to wheelie compared to other 600 supersports, which means it's probably much easier to get a good launch than other bikes. Make sure you build your launch rpm/clutch slippage progressively so you don't get any nasty surprises (I don't know how wheelie prone the F3 is)...

 

[beowulf2k]

Lean foward and take the wheelie like a champ, won't come up too high and clutch control is important!

 

[TJT]

Lean foward and take the wheelie like a champ, won't come up too high and clutch control is important!

+1
Forgot to mention to lean forward. Get on the tank.

 

[Jackal79]

Go to a drag strip. That is THE place to learn how to launch. Basically, you should try a certain RPM, say, 5K. Keep it at 5K, then simultaneously let the clutch come down and get on the gas keeping your rpms at about that speed until the clutch completley catches at which point they should climb rapidly. Don't limit keeping the RPMs down by going easier on the gas, but rather be harder on the clutch. You should be letting it out pretty dang fast, and getting on the gas fairly hard while you are letting it out.

After that, try 5.5K, 6K, 6.5K, ect. until you find a point where you are just starting out with too much damn tourqe, then back off, and you have your ideal starting RPMs for that bike.

That is just what I do, I'm sure there are other and better ways, but I think this method gets me fairly close to the limit. If you aren't running fast enough times, your probably aren't getting on the gas hard, or you aren't letting the clutch down fast enough, or you are starting with too high or too low an RPM.

 

[loveMyGsxr1000]

i wouldnt hold it at the point to where you are entering the power band. drag stips are the best places to learn becuase you can check to see if you are making any progress. i hold it about 5500 or so slip out the clutch quick and im off. when i first started i was getting owned by 600s who were 1.8 sec ahead by the 60ft mark. now i dont have that prob just try to keep the front end down it likes to come up.

 

[beowulf2k]

Go to a drag strip. That is THE place to learn how to launch. Basically, you should try a certain RPM, say, 5K. Keep it at 5K, then simultaneously let the clutch come down and get on the gas keeping your rpms at about that speed until the clutch completley catches at which point they should climb rapidly. Don't limit keeping the RPMs down by going easier on the gas, but rather be harder on the clutch. You should be letting it out pretty dang fast, and getting on the gas fairly hard while you are letting it out.

After that, try 5.5K, 6K, 6.5K, ect. until you find a point where you are just starting out with too much damn tourqe, then back off, and you have your ideal starting RPMs for that bike.

That is just what I do, I'm sure there are other and better ways, but I think this method gets me fairly close to the limit. If you aren't running fast enough times, your probably aren't getting on the gas hard, or you aren't letting the clutch down fast enough, or you are starting with too high or too low an RPM.

Dragstrip is good training, but the strip has ALOT of tire adhesive residue, so your bike will stick harder than the street, resulting in a quicker wheelie.
Best thing is practice in a safe zone (old ass Kmarts, empty parking lots) although street racing is not advised, but hell your going to learn somewhere, so why not here?
goodluck

 

[fotocycle]

OK, I think I am getting a better idea of how to do this. I was on the right track (gassing it first, then letting the clutch out) but not doing it quite right. I'm gonna try it at low RPM (a bit above idle) tomorrow and work my way up from there. I appreciate all the tips! The harder stuff will be saved for the dragstrip (good idea, Jackal), but I need to be smoother at it before making any passes.

BTW, the F3 is not terribly wheelie prone in terms of looping in on itself, but a hard launch will have the front tire off the ground by about a foot easily enough.

 

[fotocycle]

Dragstrip is good training, but the strip has ALOT of tire adhesive residue, so your bike will stick harder than the street, resulting in a quicker wheelie.
Best thing is practice in a safe zone (old ass Kmarts, empty parking lots) although street racing is not advised, but hell your going to learn somewhere, so why not here?
goodluck

Thanks.. and no street racing here, it's just something I want to conquer to help improve my riding overall. Now if only I could find some real twisties down here, to improve on the more exciting stuff... A track day is undoubtedly in my future. :lol

 

[pillaka]

Hold a 6k to 7k rpms, slip out clutch and feed it gas at the same time as quick as possible. If the front end is getting light, you're accelerating pretty hard. The second you start to let the clutch out, get both feet on the pegs! This will keep the weight towards the front of the bike, squeeze the tank with you legs and put as much weight as you can over the front end, without pushing on the bars.