SUMMERLAND DRAGS 2012

[TheAlchemist]

Hi all,

OK, 6 weeks to go then running in my first Drags on my GenII

Summerland Drag Series - Authorised and Officiated by ANDRA ... apparently... Either way...

1/8th Racing on the Runway at the airport.

First round last year, 4 bikes, lots of cars. Second round, 5 bikes. Fourth and Fifth rounds over 15 bikes.

Only me (Gen2 2011 Blue) and a Gen1 Blue/Black for the Busa's.
The other quick guys are a ZZR1100 with Turbo and NOS. An R1 big bang and a CBR1000 with lengthened swingarms. Lots of smaller bikes, from ZX6's, R6's and Honda Hornets, quite a few Hyosungs too LOL, popular with the young country lads around here i think......

I'm just going to go, have fun and see how i run before heading up to Willowbank with some friends for future rounds and test and tune runs there.

Anyone else in the AHC close and feel like coming down to add to the Busa Domination? Held in CASINO, Northern Rivers NSW. 19/5/12. I think it's $40 or $50 all day as competitor. $20 as spectator. At least that was correct for last yrs season.

[REVIT13]

Have fun and let us know how the event goes.

Should be interesting on the 1/8 mile. I think the gen1 will keep you very honest to the 1/8th. Gen 2's wind up nicely after that :)

Start practicing your starts.

[TheAlchemist]

Have fun and let us know how the event goes.

Should be interesting on the 1/8 mile. I think the gen1 will keep you very honest to the 1/8th. Gen 2's wind up nicely after that :)

Start practicing your starts.

Bog stock standard Gen2 at this stage, after round 3 will have exhaust, reflash and filters etc done. (Bought a house..... Priorities huh)

Whats the best way to treat the start? Higher revs, or will that feather the clutch and make it grab when i let the power out, or is it safer to go like i am, good safe launch still at speed then really roll it on?
I am a newbie at this and am honest i saying it, i am fiercly competetive though LOL. I do ride my bike hard on the road too but don't even have 1 set of traffic lights in town and therefore never really get a chance to gun it like that for practice

[Raphel]

Have fun and let us know how the event goes.

Should be interesting on the 1/8 mile. I think the gen1 will keep you very honest to the 1/8th. Gen 2's wind up nicely after that :)

Start practicing your starts.

Bog stock standard Gen2 at this stage, after round 3 will have exhaust, reflash and filters etc done. (Bought a house..... Priorities huh)

Whats the best way to treat the start? Higher revs, or will that feather the clutch and make it grab when i let the power out, or is it safer to go like i am, good safe launch still at speed then really roll it on?
I am a newbie at this and am honest i saying it, i am fiercly competetive though LOL. I do ride my bike hard on the road too but don't even have 1 set of traffic lights in town and therefore never really get a chance to gun it like that for practice

First time on a Drag Strip

Quote

Simple advice - leave the bike alone !!!
A 'Busa is plenty powerful and fast enough for a first attempt.
First - talk to the experienced riders
Second - talk to the experienced riders
Third - watch the experienced riders
Fourth - watch the experienced riders
Fifth - learn the procedure - don't try burn outs immediately, on street tyres you won't need them
Sixth - treat the Christmas Tree as a set of traffic lights - with a jump camera! but remember, disqualification doesn't hurt as much as a fine!
"Ride" away from the line for the first couple of runs - unless you are good at wheelstands & rearwheel slides
half to three quarter throttle to start, once you are moving, nail it but change before the limiter cuts in.
keep it nailed through the finish line - then get on the brakes sharpish, at Ruapuna you've got plenty of room, but you have a "U" turn to do at the end! and remember the other guy !
If the track is not bone dry, DON'T RUN - falling off hurts (and it's embarrassing!)
If it breaks during a run, try to get to the side of the strip closest to you as soon as possible and stop. Trailing oil (or any other fluid) down the race line pisses everyone off.
Finally, be humble - when you stuff up people won't laugh so hard!
Now get out there and have some (legal) FUN!!



This is some advice I got before my first time at Ruapuna a couple of weeks ago , should be similar for the Summerland Drags

Have fun !

[Maj]

Casino doesn't have a lot of traction, when i ran there a few yrs ago with the streetfighters guys it was just a disused wet weather airfield with slippery X's and corrigated surface , not great traction but still a nice wide long strip to play on
Just go and have fun , get the feel for the lights , and be better prepared for willowbank

There are a couple of guys from here that have run on that strip

[TheAlchemist]

OK, so this is how i went......

THAT WAS AWESOME FUN !!!!!!!

I didn't worry about burnouts, just focussed on the advice i received from a few of you and from the more experienced racers at the event.

I'm currently editing down the footage from my GoPro to upload here and Youtube. Watch this space.

20 entrants in bikes. Came 5th overall Never drag raced Anything before.

4 Passes, 1/8th mile.
7.59
7.45
7.42
7.56

First time out and i loved it, now for more practice and looking forward to willowbank and the quarter.......

[REVIT13]

Well Done. Now you have the Drag Bug LOL

What was your mph/kph?

[TheAlchemist]

REVIT, kinda just focussed on going as fast as i could LOLOL
They only gave us our times, not speeds.... BUT .....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3omb4qrZmM

You can always have a look at how i went. I've never drag raced anything before, had a ton of fun, and yes before any of you tell me i know my starts were fairly average
The timing didnt start until i left the beam so the two bikes you can see infront of me on pass 1 and 2 (KTM and NINJA) weren't that far ahead time wise, i beat the ninja by .22 sec and lost to the superduke 990 by .02 sec DOH!

Either way yes had a ton of fun and got bit by the bug pretty hard.

20 bikes entered, got 5th, 1st - ZZR 1100 Drag Bike, 2nd & 3rd Busa Turbo's, 4th - KTM Superduke 990 by .02 sec

Now to lose weight and go FASTER !!!!!!!!!!

[REVIT13]

Exhaust sound nice.

Bike looks great.

Well done and practice will help with your starts.

Have Fun.

[TheAlchemist]

Exhaust sound nice.

Bike looks great.

Well done and practice will help with your starts.

Have Fun.

Yeah, exhausts sound real good, especially as they only cost me $63.00

I take pride in presenting a nice bike regardless of where i go, but yeah, gave the mistress a good polish and got tons of attention on the day. (Including the faster and mroe experienced racers )

Bit of practice will help, can't wait for a chance to run at test and tune at Willowbank soon. Losing some weight will help too i'm just over 6ft and 145Kg so trimming down will be hugely beneficial to my times.

[the goat]

REVIT, kinda just focussed on going as fast as i could LOLOL
They only gave us our times, not speeds.... BUT .....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3omb4qrZmM

You can always have a look at how i went. I've never drag raced anything before, had a ton of fun, and yes before any of you tell me i know my starts were fairly average
The timing didnt start until i left the beam so the two bikes you can see infront of me on pass 1 and 2 (KTM and NINJA) weren't that far ahead time wise, i beat the ninja by .22 sec and lost to the superduke 990 by .02 sec DOH!

Either way yes had a ton of fun and got bit by the bug pretty hard.

20 bikes entered, got 5th, 1st - ZZR 1100 Drag Bike, 2nd & 3rd Busa Turbo's, 4th - KTM Superduke 990 by .02 sec

Now to lose weight and go FASTER !!!!!!!!!!

[TheAlchemist]

Hi Goat, Watching both you and Terry have given me a lot to aim for, think i will really focus on my starts, that was my let down i think, loved the rolling burnouts too, they were AWESOME
Hope you got the Busa back on the ute OK in the arvo, sorry had to run, had a function to get to.
Looking forward to catching up soon, hopefully before the next event.

[TheAlchemist]

This may be a silly question but i've never hid the fact that im new to drag racing etc, i have a friend with a "slipper clutch" and someone else was talking about a "lock up clutch" or something similar for drag racing. My understanding of the slipper clutch is to allow the clutch to 'slip' will downshifting or backing off at high revs etc ie: into corner and dropping back a couple of gears it slips so you don't lock up the rear and crash? Someone please correct me if i'm wrong. But what is the idea and application with a drag clutch, how do they work, what kind are they? Just learning more and keen to know....
Cheers in advance for any help

[bigjay]

This may be a silly question but i've never hid the fact that im new to drag racing etc, i have a friend with a "slipper clutch" and someone else was talking about a "lock up clutch" or something similar for drag racing. My understanding of the slipper clutch is to allow the clutch to 'slip' will downshifting or backing off at high revs etc ie: into corner and dropping back a couple of gears it slips so you don't lock up the rear and crash? Someone please correct me if i'm wrong. But what is the idea and application with a drag clutch, how do they work, what kind are they? Just learning more and keen to know....
Cheers in advance for any help

simmo can help with the lockup as he has run one on his busa for a while. It is sort of the next step up from mine for really high hp output. Brocks clutch mod is what most guys use for drag racing (such as myself) which disables the back torque limiter. I ride mine on the road but yes ya need to be aware of what can go wrong if ya downshift from high rpm or if ya backoff too quick from high rpm. The stock clutch is ok to begin with for drag racing but once you learn to really drill the throttle, the clutch will begin to chatter. It wont be smooth like mine is and you may bunny hop the bike a bit with a stocker

[Maj]

They probably meant slider clutch, it basicly acts the same as a honda 90 clutch , more the engine revs the more it locks up, wheras a lockup clutch is driven from the gearbox side of the clutch and locks up more as your gear(ground) speed increases , both are adjusted to slip up to a desired rpm then drive hard off the line

Slipper clutch is as you described