Wondering if anyone could share some techniques to help get what you've got down the track faster. One thing I read here was clutchless shifting, can you explain how this is done? I practiced preloading the shifter, and fanning the clutch, seemed to work pretty good, now I'm wondering about clutchless. I'd really like to hear what you've found works for you.

Twist the grip, keep the rpms up there and just pull up on the shifter.
Don't let go of the throttle. Use the rev limiter, its there to help you.
If you keep on hitting the limiter learn to shift earlier.
You really only need the clutch to down shift, if done properly.
You've got the mods so try and keep the front down, and hold on.

Makes sense, make me feel stupid for not thinking of it on my own, that's why I'm realy starting to love this forum! Thanks for the pointer.

But you should really have a shift light thats adjustable.
Then you find your power points and set it to where your power starts to level off. So you shift just as you start to lose power.
You'll find what separates the good racers from the great ones is always a tranny. A good motor is easy to build, setting up a tranny to use the potential of the built motor is the key.

Shift light or Rev limiter? I can adjust the TC88A to hit where I want, does the light just give you some advance notice that its about to shift or is there another purpose?

Shift light or Rev limiter? I can adjust the TC88A to hit where I want, does the light just give you some advance notice that its about to shift or is there another purpose?

suppose to shift when the light flashes...

CT1200, are you saying to just pull the shifter into the next gear under a load? I've been playing around with trying to snap the throttle off and on again to release the tension on the gears. It seems to go pretty smooth if I preload the shifter a bit, when I let the throttle off, as soon as the tension releases on the gears, the shift happens. Still not sure that is faster than just fanning the clutch for the quarter mile though....

On my desert racer crotch rocket, I never used the clutch once I got it moving. Just kept the throttle pegged. FWIW, I've tried it a few times on the Sporty and it didn't cry.

Practice, practice, practice; especially your launch.

Don't try everything you read here unless you have money and time for a new transmission. Hang out at a dragstrip and learn from the guys you see doing it.

Well TnG, if you want to get more professional type equipment, you could try an electric air shifter (http://www.mpsracing.com/products/MPS/as01.asp) from Motorcycle Performance Specialties.

Angel Sampay uses something like this, and probably all the other motorcycle drag racers.

Expect to spend $200-300+. I expect it only works for upshifting, so you will still probably have a shift lever.

The Squatch company (http://www.squatchairclutchsystems.com/prod_airshifters.html) also does air shifters and clutches (as does MPS above).

Have fun and let us know the what's where's and why's.

CT1200, are you saying to just pull the shifter into the next gear under a load? I've been playing around with trying to snap the throttle off and on again to release the tension on the gears. It seems to go pretty smooth if I preload the shifter a bit, when I let the throttle off, as soon as the tension releases on the gears, the shift happens. Still not sure that is faster than just fanning the clutch for the quarter mile though....

I'll say it again...
You really only need the clutch to down shift, if done properly.
No clutch in the up shift if done correctly, HIGH RPMS, DON"T LIFT ON THE GAS.
The Sporty tranny is one of the strongest that HD makes, always has been, but its not a racing tranny either. So if you do want to get serious expect to spend some more money. You've got the motor, now get the tranny.

Buddy of mine got a WRX a few yrs ago and did all the engine mods to turn it into a STI, except for the $6k tranny. He blew 3rd gear 4 times, always replaced under warranty, he knew someone at the dealer. Now he traded in the WRX on an STI and hasn't had any issues. When someone starts talking about fanning, slipping the clutch, and full gear engagement there getting there, but not there yet. Once you get there you build the entire drive line so all you need to worry about is traction and spare parts.

I hope your not doing this to a daily driver.
Race bikes don't belong on the road for a reason.

I'll have to start researching the transmission mods.... While it isn't a daily driver, the wife and I do put a fair amount of recreation miles on it (that's why the cam choice we're using, it's still pretty road friendly). To go all out I knew I'd need some different sprockets to get the final drive ratio closer to the 4:1, higher compression, ect. I'll not be racing this every weekend, I'd just like to put down some good numbers with it when I get the chance. Hoping to get to a track on the 17th, looks like I'll be either fanning the clutch or lifting the throttle for my shifts.

Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice...
You can pull a good slip on a stock bike.
You just have to know how to adjust your driving style to do it.
Whats your RT at?

Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice...
You can pull a good slip on a stock bike.
You just have to know how to adjust your driving style to do it.
Whats your RT at?



RT has no effect on the ET. Leave when your ready..

CT1200
As far as my RT goes (not including VRT) I run low .2 pretty regular. Have never had this bike to the track, so not sure how I'm going to need to time my launch yet. Normally I try to time it so that the 3rd amber is bright before I let things go (incandescent lighting) I keep waiting to run into an LED tree, it'll screw me all up! YeaItsSlo - You've got a good point......

CT1200
As far as my RT goes (not including VRT) I run low .2 pretty regular. Have never had this bike to the track, so not sure how I'm going to need to time my launch yet. Normally I try to time it so that the 3rd amber is bright before I let things go (incandescent lighting) I keep waiting to run into an LED tree, it'll screw me all up! YeaItsSlo - You've got a good point......




Trying to cut a good reaction time when just getting time trials from your bike is always a mistake.. Focus on whats important, a good clean launch.. People fail to understand that.. If your racing someone, then of course it matters.. But just for time trails, You can sit @ a green light for 30 seconds and still run a mid 10 second pass.. The clock does not start counting until you leave..

an important piece of info to reduce ET would be s dyno graph...... you're gonna want to know where peak HP is and shift 400-500 rpm past that.... that will keep the engine at or near peak HP all the way down the 1320 and regardless what anybody says about torque, it's horsepower that gets it down the track fast.

watch some of the faster bikes in the stock divisions to see how they shift (fanning the clutch, preload the shifter and burp the throttle, or just jam it in)

Keeping peak HP right in the middle of each gear is the fastest way to go fast

Ww:smoke

When you get to the track strap the front end down about 3/4th of travel and you'll drop a few more tenth's off the timeslip. Your 60ft will be better cause you can get to wide open throttle faster or leave at a higher rpm slipping the clutch as fast as you can until it starts to wheelie.

A kill switch would work great at WOT, put pressure on the shifter and push the switch for a split second and POW your in the next gear.

A kill switch to change gears..... that's good thinkin' :clap

I tried today to just jam the next gear while full on the power..... never gonna happen.:frownthre
make the kill switch spring loaded so it always returns to run when you release..... that will interupt power just long enough to let the gears change......

that's a pretty good idea Jake.....:banadanc :banadanc :banadanc

Ww:smoke

Been looking at the wiring diagram already, in researching this I found an old trick was to wire the horn button to kill the ignition, I'm thinking about wiring in a switch and relay under the battery cover so that I could have the horn button work both functons.... Race mode-ignition kill, street mode-horn. Bad news is wife nixed the 17th already, seems the inlaws are having a reunion.....wasn't sure what that had to do with me? Oh well, I'll find a date in Sept......

Been looking at the wiring diagram already, in researching this I found an old trick was to wire the horn button to kill the ignition, I'm thinking about wiring in a switch and relay under the battery cover so that I could have the horn button work both functons.... Race mode-ignition kill, street mode-horn. Bad news is wife nixed the 17th already, seems the inlaws are having a reunion.....wasn't sure what that had to do with me? Oh well, I'll find a date in Sept......



You are going to have a loud bang every time you shift if you make an ignition kill like that..


Thats an old hot rodders thing.. They would take their carb'ed cars and click off the ignition and let the motor suck some gas in, then they hit the ignition back up and BOOM! a loud back fire..

You are going to have a loud bang every time you shift if you make an ignition kill like that..


Thats an old hot rodders thing.. They would take their carb'ed cars and click off the ignition and let the motor suck some gas in, then they hit the ignition back up and BOOM! a loud back fire..
Or flames, they did it to light the spark plugs in the pips too.

Just blip the throttle when you shift just enough to unload the tranny it might take a little practice but its the best way, you dont need a kill switch once you get good. I would strap the front end down too and just get as much practice as possible. Really concentrate on your 60 ft times it the most important part of your pass

Nitrosportster, I'll take any advice you feel inclined to give! I've been practicing shifting that way (blipping the throttle) for a bit now, I feel I'm getting closer with it. In my head it still seems like fanning the clutch would give a better ET, what am I missing?

You should be able to blip the throttle and shift faster than fanning the clutch plus when you pull in the clutch the bike is no longer being powered forward. Watch the fast guys at the strip and ask them questions most will be glad to try to help you out and i'm sure that most will tell you the same thing i just told you.

Nitrosportster, I'll take any advice you feel inclined to give! I've been practicing shifting that way (blipping the throttle) for a bit now, I feel I'm getting closer with it. In my head it still seems like fanning the clutch would give a better ET, what am I missing?

yes ,
nitrosportster is right just preload the shifter and plip the throtle
works great and is faster than the clutch
takes some time to get it down with out thinking about it
and it won't mess up your trany
i've been doing for awhile and trany is fine

and the 60' is everything we make power down low !

and don't worry about rt for awile that will come in time and the l.e.d tree is much faster and you will have to start over for your rt
so go get seat time and lots of it you will get better with time in the seat:)
good luck :)

chopperdave

Buy a air shifter use the clutch to launch the just pin the throttle wide open and push the botton

Air shifters are great ,especially for that first shift into 2nd gear cause things are really buzzing then. But I am taking mine off because it really detracts from the "street" bike aspect of racing our road rides.