Hello all,
Just returned from the the local (1 hr away) 1/8 mile track. WHAT A BLAST.
I made 4 passes before the weather set in. 1st time I launched, the family said the front wheel was knee high,
I blipped the gas, it came down, shifted to 2nd and spun the tire! I thought the track should have been better.

2nd pass, the same. No wheelie but shifted in 2nd and spun! This was the other lane.
Here is my times.
PASS Number--1--------2--------3---------4----
reaction----:.7559----.6501----.4539----.5231
60 Ft -----:1.9180---1.8397---1.8251---1.9158
330 Ft ----:5.2732---5.0969---5.0200---5.1368
1/8 ET ----:8.0322---7.8408---7.7211---7.8558
1/8 MPH---:89.46-----89.84----90.72----90.18

I know I need to launch better but I need to mellow the 2nd gear spinning.
the 3rd pass I crossed the finish line with the shiftlights on so the gearing seemed to be spot on.

Congrats.. Looks like the 1st time out wasn't too shabby.. That 3rd light was nice. Keep those coming and you'll be NHRA material in no time.

The 3rd light was a foul. This track was using a LED lit tree with .500 sportsman timing.
The 4th pass reaction time was a .023. I thought that was good.

The 3rd light was a foul. This track was using a LED lit tree with .500 sportsman timing.
The 4th pass reaction time was a .023. I thought that was good.

OH. Didn't realize they were using that type of timing.

do you use a shift light or ya just wingin' it by ear? shifting into 2nd about 200-300 rpm sooner may help keep that rear tire hooked....

good passes so far:clap .... consistancy is the key to improvement

Ww:smoke

I have been using a shift light and fanning the clutch.

Today the same track is having a pro biker blitz... and street bike shootout. I'm headed back and will try to blip the
throttle while preloading the shifter to see if that helps the spinning.I will also try shifting a little sooner.

Cool. let us know how it works out !

I just got unloaded from day 2 at the track...
I still had the 2nd gear spin, so I asked around and changed a few things.

Round 1 I dialed in 7.70 and ran a 7.777. The other lane broke out and handed me the win...(Thank you).(still spinning)
Round 2 I did a ,big for me,burn out to heat the tire AND when I shifted to 2nd I had the throttle at 3/4 or so.

Between the two, it solved the wheel spin and I ran my best of 7.68 (broke out and went home) 8(
I read the slips and my 60ft was .02 slower and my 330ft was .05 faster showing the wheel finally sticking. 8)











I really don't need another hobby but this was high up there in the FUN factor!:banana :banadanc :banana

tire press makes a big diff ,type of tire, and how much heat in the tire

you drop tire press a lb at time till it hooks like you want it too( down to about 12lbs )at the track, you might try a sticky (a road race tire)
work well (not dunlop though) metzeler race tec is what i use .

good luck

Try a street slick such as a Shinko. I run about 11# in my rear after the tire is hot. Be careful, racing is like drugs, y'll get hooked!! Just one more pass

OK, will let some air out of the rear... I have been told that I could go down to 20 psi and not have any problems with stability at speed
or braking the bead. After the air, What other adjustments can be made?

I have the rear stock shocks set full stiff ( ha, ha stiff. stiff for a 100lbs rider maybe)
I changed the fork fluid to 20 weight with 11.9 oz's if I remember right.

What type/size tire are you running? I run a sport-bike street slick on a buell rim normally around 11#. Yea it rotates on the rim about 1/4" each pass but doesn't lose the bead. I have run it as low as 8 - 9 on tracks that don't hook-up well. Also try strapping the front down (pulling some of the play out of the front shocks)

Oh yea, give me the story with the "Drag Race Champion" under your name.

Oh yea, give me the story with the "Drag Race Champion" under your name.

HA,HA... the title is an indication of how many posts I have on this forum.

The rear tire is a stock Dunlap. I think it is the k401.

Would lowering the forks in the trees help or hinder in some way? I will figure something out about strapping the front down also.

Rear shocks... full stiff, full soft, ???

Get a regular Tye down strap. I see the sport bike guys doing it all the time. Pulling the front brake, pushing the front down and pulling the strap tight. Rear shocks stiff. I have 2 hard-tails.. I basically have all the race gadgets on one of my bikes and can tell you which gave me speed and which helped me be consistent for braket racing.

Regular tie downs are a bit messy. Schnitz racing has a set that bolt to the forks and work great for cheap.....strapping realy built my confidence as the bike doesnt spring up at launch or get squirrely at the shifts.

http://secure.mycart.net/catalogs/catalog.asp?prodid=2744216&showprevnext=1

Hey Narley, Did you ever have the tire just plain brake loose when shifting into 2nd... the launch is OK and very repeatable for ET racing but the most unpredictable part is the shift into 2nd. Spins like mad EVERY time.

(Stock Dunlap street tire with street pressure, small burn out to clean the tire, go around the water... etc)

If you are having trouble with traction, why not do a burnout??? Do it where there is a lot of rubber already laid down by the dragsters. Your street tire will actualy pick up that soft rubber...

Hey Narley, Did you ever have the tire just plain brake loose when shifting into 2nd... the launch is OK and very repeatable for ET racing but the most unpredictable part is the shift into 2nd. Spins like mad EVERY time.

(Stock Dunlap street tire with street pressure, small burn out to clean the tire, go around the water... etc)

I have never ran a tire at street pressure. Bit I have had to deal with tire spin when a bad burnout has left it damp or the nitrous came on too hard. This vid was a scary ride with tire spin through second gear, maybe even 3rd .... I was concentrating on staying to the right....
I am the one in the right lane......no the left....no...the right one :frownthre
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v700/Narley/Harley%20racing/th_dragraceslip005.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v700/Narley/Harley%20racing/?action=view&current=dragraceslip005.flv)

That certainly looked like it had a pucker factor to the ride. I have never dragged my bike but on the street a bit of tire spin at the wrong time is really unsettling.