Launching Off Strat Grid

[Thumper748]

Not really a cornering question... but didn't know where to put it.

 

Over the weekend I did some decent lap times in qualifying but come race day and went backwards off the line.

 

Any tips?

 

The bike is an sv650 so really it should get off the line easily.

[Hotfoot]

How are you launching it? Do you have a predetermined rpm that you set prior to the flag drop, or do you wait for the flag then roll on the throttle and let off the clutch simultaneously?

[Crash106]

Okay, Mr. Slow:

 

I'll give this a shot. Have you practiced fast starts? Do you know if you are faster to the first corner shifting with or without the clutch? Do you know what RPM you can run without stalling the bike or spinning the rear tire? Can you break your start technique down into any smaller parts? Just wondering. I know for me, I like to practice what I'm good at, not what I'm uncomfortable doing. Any of that going on perhaps? If it was me, I'd have some fear of burning out my clutch. You?

 

You probably already know this, but several of the more experienced riders recommend the SV650 as being the perfect beginner's sport bike. Good choice there! Maybe you are actualy very clever and are subconsciously staying clear of the first corner pile-up. You can't win the race if you don't finish.

[Thumper748]

I held rpm at 5000. Let clutch go, would wheelie I would hold throttle. Everyone left me for dust. Every race!

 

I never practiced them before.

[faffi]

For the best possible start, you probably need to keep the engine around 8000 rpm. As soon as you bring in the clutch a little, pin the throttle and use the clutch to control wheelstand/wheelspin. Don't let the clutch out fully until you have more than 7500 rpm locked up or the engine can bog. Keep your weight over the front of the bike and as low as possible since the bike is more likely to wheelie than smoke its rear wheel.

 

However, I would not recommend you start out practicing with such high rpm. Instead, hold a steady 3000 rpm and just as the rpm begin to drop when you feed in the clutch, open the throttle more and ride the clutch until you get full engagement somewhere between 3000 and 5000 rpm. When you do things right, you should have the rpm and throttle virtually steady and the clutch should be the speed modulator, not the throttle. You should be able to do plenty of 3000 rpm launches without burning up the clutch. If the engine bogs as you fully engage the clutch, you either engaged it too early or too abruptly or you didn't use enough throttle. When you can consistently get a smooth, swift start this way, start practicing with higher and higher rpm.

 

Finally, there is little difference in launching at 5000 vs 8000 rpm with your bike, but it is easier to mess up with high rpm and simpler to get right with a bit less rpm. A perfectly smooth while brisk start from 5000 rpm where you rapidly go to full throttle and control the launch with the clutch should see you gain places, not fall back.

[Thumper748]

Thanks I will try to practice this technique.

 

I think I let clutch go to early and tried to control with throttle – beginners mistake (rookie error)!