Topic: "Launching" my 550

[De La Nooch]

G'day. I've been riding for over a year now on my 550 without incident and my confidence and desire for speed have been growing lately.  I have been getting the urge to "do something" more with my bike and have been thinking about taking it out to the local dragstrip.  I have never run anything at a dragstrip, which is quite shameful because I consider myself a motorsports enthusiast.

Firstly, let me say that my bike has several minor issues, one being what I believe to be detuned carbs.  The bike seems to "bog" at certain low RPMs or in high gears. It sometimes sounds like it is starving for fuel, air, etc under spirited acceleration. The problem goes away under high rev and is not noticeable during regular riding. I have not fixed the issue because it is not severe, carbs intimidate me, lack of time, etc...

I have recently been practicing "launching" (which is the term I have always heard in regards to car racing) the bike on dark, unpopulated streets and have been having some difficulty.  I "blip" the throttle decently (maybe between 3000 and 5000 RPMS?) and let out on the clutch fairly quickly to "launch."  I usually make it several dozen feet before the bike bogs and nearly dies.  I then reel in the clutch a bit, give it more gas, and away we go.  I know that the immediate answer to my problem is to ride the clutch longer, let it out slower, more throttle, etc.  I however do not enjoy riding/slipping the clutch intentionally...

Is a lot of clutch slippage necessary for a good launch on this bike? Have others had similar problems?  Is a fast launch possible without a lot of clutch slippage? I know the answer to my problem is not cut-and-dry and will vary a lot from rider to rider.  Would just like to hear some different advice...

Thanks.

[754]

Just my opinion. but..
 I would first put in strongest clutch and springs, you can get.

 The try revving it to 7 or 8 K, and slipping the clutch the first 20 -60 ft.. trying to feed as much HP & torque, as quickly as you can to the rear tire.. As long as you are still handling the clutch you have control.. you can move the rpms up or down, you can pull the clutch in or out..

 Once you let go of it you have nothing, & if you wheelie or bog.. you will loose time..


 lowering the gearing will probably help.. Stiffening the front end can make a huge difference in how your bike reacts and breaks the light..

 go to the track on an off day so you can make lots of runs.. & learn things like deep stage, shallow stage, redlight, etc.. and get used to the tree..

 And have FUN.. we did..
 

[754]

Should clarify..
 while staged hold the revs arond 4 to 5 k, then as you leave bring them up as you start using the clutch.

 watch out for another racer trying to burn you down.. that is to let you sit there longer than need be( espescially after tree is lit and you are revving), breaks your concentration & they usually do it on purpose..

[TwoTired]

I hope you are ready to do some clutch work, slipping the clutch does wear out the frictions and can also warp the steels.

It would be better to fix your mixture before doing all that clutch slipping as compensation.

I assume you aren't using the stock air box and exhaust, as this would explain why your throttle response is poor.  The jetting and idle mix are too lean, and even moreso when the slides are suddenly opened.

If you are going to intentionally slip your clutch, change the oil at least 1/2 the normal interval.  Heck, you might even want some moly in the oil.  Should help a slipping clutch last longer, me thinks.

Cheers,