All good stuff. Automatics are a little different, depending on how you launch them. They need wide open throttle on the starting line and launch off of the rear brake. Variations are less than the clutch equivalent. A big variation is oil temperature. When the bike is cold, it runs considerably slower. As the bike oil heats up, the bike runs quicker until it is up to normal running temperature. I've always advocated an aftermarket oil cooler to control oil temperature, especially in the warmer summers. I also like to have the density altitude available for every run. A run log book with your racing history is the best thing for estimating dial-ins. In hot weather I like to use a fan on the front of the motor (facing the oil cooler) that I run for around 10 minutes between rounds. Where legal two steps help your launch, especially for the clutch versions.
You have one point of reaction in your mind to the light on the tree that you launch from. Trying to change your leave reaction makes for big changes, usually costing you the race. Moving the front wheel forward in staging does decrease your reaction time and increase your ET by the same amount. There is no magic .002 per inch that I'm aware of. It depends on how quickly your bike launches. The slower the bike launches, the bigger reduction in ET by moving the bike forward in staging. Repeating a deeper than normal stage requires a little assist. I like to use my boot on the ground as the point of reference for moving forward. Peg to front edge of the heel gives you a pretty good reference point. Move the bike forward one inch/two inches or whatever works and see where the peg lines up with what's left of the boot heel. Just repeat that every round and you'll get some confidence with your placement on the line.
We aren't robots. We vary in our reactions. Use with a practice tree, recording the reaction numbers, gives you an idea of the range of your variations. More practice usually reduces the variations. Use the practice tree the same way that you race. Don't use it more frequently than say once every 15 minutes. What you eat and drink can also affect your reactions. I use soda for when I need a little quicker reaction. Other foods will make you a little more sluggish. Your biggest variation is from what's on your mind. Any distraction will hurt your reactions. Wondering what the opponent is going to run while the tree is coming down will usually slow your reactions. Empty your mind and just see the light and react to it. When Bill got his first round win at Rockingham, I told him to enjoy it because it would be a while before his second one. Your mind starts filling up with thoughts after you get a taste of winning. That will hurt you until you can empty the mind, see the light, and react. We all learn many ways to lose before we figure out a consistent way to win.
New racers shouldn't play the finish line. You can't judge the various closing speed from your opponents. The best at it can't judge the line within .030. Only if you're sure that the opponent has no chance of catching you, then you can slow down a little. Raising your head to catch more air or steering a little away from the direction you're going to cross the line to make the track a little longer can usually ensure that you don't break out.
OK Bill, there's my opinions.
