Alrighty.. Constructive critisism welcome.

[Horrendous]

Hey everybody, first post here but ive been lurking for a while.
I finally made it down to Rocky Mountain Raceway last night ( Salt lake City ) and ran down the 1/4 mile track for the first time. I got 3 runs in that were all very similar. Altitude is around 4200 feet I weigh in at 145lbs in full gear.
Bike is 06 Vmax with 7200 miles Kerker 4-1 and stage 7 jet kit.

R/T: .124
60: 1.930
330: 5.156
1/8: [email protected]
1000: 10.213
1/4: [email protected]

First night at the track but was hoping to do a little better. But im sure in a couple weeks when I go again Ill be around 12.00 - 11.90 gonna start looking for a strap for the front end.. maybe play with rear tire pressure a bit? I was running 25psi in the rear tire and doing a pretty decent burnout before hand. The R1 I was racing had a bit higher numbers up to the 1/8th mile but ended up running a 12.115 @ 117.47 mph. Either way.. Im hooked and cant wait for the next midnight drags. What are your thoughts?

 

[KJShover]

Supposed to be going 0-60 in about 2 sec, not 0-60' :biglaugh:

All kidding aside.

Not to shabby for your first time. Strap the front end and work on the launch and your 60' times will drop right along with your E.T.

I use a Schnitz racing strap, big help on the launch. Some shops list these as bike specific but they're damn near universal. As far as tire pressure, thats something you can change on the fly. I wouldn't worry too much about it at this stage in your drag strip development.

You didn't say if you were blowing the tire on the launch or not, but good tire will help with the 60' time too, ppl seem to like the Shinko for it's stickyness.

Your MPH seems a little on the low side to me, You might check your plugs to get a look at your tune and sync the carbs. You should see a little more.

The thing that will get your times down is just seat time. practice makes perfect. There are a few articles out there on drag racing and they make a good read. Here are a couple from Dale Walker.

Launching the Vmax

Running into the 10's on a Vmax

Before you know it, you'll have it down pat.

 

[95spfldmax]

Your my hero already....you took the first step.....I've been TALKING about it for years and still haven't made a move......good luck and stay with it.

 

[Horrendous]

@ 95spfldmax. You need to go try it for yourself I couldnt believe how much fun it was. I was there for 6 hours and only got 3 runs in ( cars kept blowing up and running oil and coolant all over the track so there was lots of delays ) but I dont regret a second of it.

As for " Blowing the tire " I assume you mean doing a burnout? Yeah I did a burnout before hand. I am running stock sized tires and they are Dunlop qualifiers k525's. Ready for a new set soon anyway.. I was thinking shinkos or maybe the Marathon 880's

 

[KJShover]

As for " Blowing the tire " I assume you mean doing a burnout? Yeah I did a burnout before hand.

Blowing the tire is just a term for spinning the tire, in various degrees, during a launch. It happens after the burnout. It is a BIG e.t. killer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeTBS5-El44&playnext=1&list=PL359CE14A628D298F

I am running stock sized tires and they are Dunlop qualifiers k525's. Ready for a new set soon anyway.. I was thinking shinkos or maybe the Marathon 880's

The metz might work for you just fine, but are costly. Many people like the shinko (although its not thier stickiest tire) The 230 Tourmaster, in 170/80v15 flavor, has got some stickyness to it and you can get a couple for the price of one Metzler. Which means more money saved for entry fees, and thats never a bad thing

 

[sdt354]

Hey everybody, first post here but ive been lurking for a while.
I finally made it down to Rocky Mountain Raceway last night ( Salt lake City ) and ran down the 1/4 mile track for the first time. I got 3 runs in that were all very similar. Altitude is around 4200 feet I weigh in at 145lbs in full gear.
Bike is 06 Vmax with 7200 miles Kerker 4-1 and stage 7 jet kit.

R/T: .124
60: 1.930
330: 5.156
1/8: [email protected]
1000: 10.213
1/4: [email protected]

First night at the track but was hoping to do a little better. But im sure in a couple weeks when I go again Ill be around 12.00 - 11.90 gonna start looking for a strap for the front end.. maybe play with rear tire pressure a bit? I was running 25psi in the rear tire and doing a pretty decent burnout before hand. The R1 I was racing had a bit higher numbers up to the 1/8th mile but ended up running a 12.115 @ 117.47 mph. Either way.. Im hooked and cant wait for the next midnight drags. What are your thoughts?

Welcome, and congrats on getting out there and doing it. Good luck next week. I'd be lying if I said the hought never entered my mind.
Steve-o

 

[bobzdar]

Were you doing a dry or wet burnout? With street tires, a quick dry burnout to clean any debris off the tire is usually best as opposed to the big smokey wet burnout needed to heat up racing slicks. Road tires get greasy when hot from a big burnout and will hook less than if you just do a quick spin in the dry to get them clean. Street tires also hold some water in the grooves and take them to the start line hurting the launch as well, so that's the reason for the dry burnout - and be sure to go around the burnout box, not through it. Sounds like you had a good time!

 

[Thevmaxrider]

Were you doing a dry or wet burnout? With street tires, a quick dry burnout to clean any debris off the tire is usually best as opposed to the big smokey wet burnout needed to heat up racing slicks. Road tires get greasy when hot from a big burnout and will hook less than if you just do a quick spin in the dry to get them clean. Street tires also hold some water in the grooves and take them to the start line hurting the launch as well, so that's the reason for the dry burnout - and be sure to go around the burnout box, not through it. Sounds like you had a good time!

+1!!!! With a street tire if you do a big smokey burnout you have already overheated the tire. If I do one at all it is very short in duration and only enough to clean any dirt I may have picked up on the ride to staging off the tire.

Keep working on your launch, something I am working on with all the changes I have made since I last drag raced Toxic, and your times will definitely drop. During my last drag day my times dropped every run by a couple of 10th's as I got more used to how my Max likes to launch. The upside to my bike is high horsepower allowed me to overcome a crap launch and still catch the other bike by the 600' mark or so. My Max is much more capable than I am right now, but I am working on it:eusa_dance: Next race August 28thunk:

 

[Horrendous]

Great info. I was doing a really long winded wet burnout, Ill do a nice quick dry one next time.

My first run I did a " blowout " big time. It scared the crap outa me and really killed my 1/4 mile time @ 13.76 so watching out for that now too.

 

[Horrendous]

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

There is the video of my pass. not the greatest but its better than nothing.

 

[KJShover]

They guy on the black bike did it right.
You don't ever want to do the burnout (even with slicks) in the puddle. Just drive around it and then back up in the the dry or damp part of the burnout box, NO PUDDLES .
The tred of the tire (even slicks) will sling water up under your fender only to drip down on your tire to play sith you at launch time.
Even the pro bikes with slicks will go around, back-up then start thier burnout, unless they have a nice and long burnout area, then they'll idle thier bike through, then keep on going to scrub off some of the water before starting thier burnout. If they are doing a funnycar style then they'll idle through it being careful not to sling water, and when they get a little distance from the water box on less wet pavement, they'll hammer it and run it out.

But for a street bike with a street tire, this guy sets a nice example of how it's done.:clapping:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4ESezPXMus&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1m1PMXsk-I&feature=related

 

[Rusty McNeil]

Not bad really for 4200 elevation...

Your probably down to less than a 100 hP at that altitude....

I was in Salt Lake with my Max for a few months back in '09 and didn't go to that drag strip for that reason, didn't want to suffer the blow to my ego after doing so many passes at 18-20' elevation at Houston Raceway Park

Practice is the best thing, you'll get tons of improvement if you just go every weekend and stay at it, I saw a lot of improvement the first year of doing what you're doing without making any mods to the bike.....

Good luck

 

[max_caper]

I'm no expert on drag racing but two cousins of mine each got 10.16 and 9.96 in the 1/4 mile. One was riding a TL1000 and the and GSXR1100 (not entirely stock!). Both of them agree that the launch is key to to a good run. The lift/twist of a shaft drive may cost you a bit of time but comparing apples to apples, I think your times are good.

Blaine

 

[KJShover]

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

There is the video of my pass. not the greatest but its better than nothing.

I looked at the video's timer. That bobble at the launch ate about 1 sec. Clean that up a little and your golden!

You were flying after that, way to go. :clapping: You'll have no problems getting the ET down.

 

[Horrendous]

Cool, Just ordered my strap from schnitz and a 2 new shinko tires. hoping to get it all in the mail.. installed and get my carbs tuned by next fridays race.

 

[Horrendous]

Well.. Went out friday night. Got 4 passes in. The clips on the Schnitz strap dont fit on the 06 forks so I need to take it into work and grind it down so I will have them next time. Still was unable to get my carbs tuned but have an appointment to get them + new tires installed on wednesday.

Best time of the night :
60 : 1.897
330: 5.106
1/8:[email protected] mph
1/4 : 12.34@ 105.70

My end MPH feels really low especially considering I weigh 140 with full gear on. Im hoping that with carb tune + new tires + strap it will go lower but im a little disappointed. was really hoping for High 11's.

Just curious if you guys are shifting up into 5th gear towards the end or if you keep it in 4th? I always shift up to fight towards the end.
Here is the vid of my pass vs my friends 09 Max. ( its his first run down a drag stip in this video )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l0yTYFQrZI

Thoughts?

 

[KJShover]

Good job on the holeshot on the other guy.
Again, once you start getting your 60's time down, the ET will follow.
You should be able to go through the 1320 in 4 gears.

Keep up the good work.

 

[srk468]

On my 94 I went and bought some thick spacers and longer bolts to make my strap fit, I have the same one as you. Now I'm only at about 800-900' above sea level but i weigh 293lbs in my gear with similar mods as you and my best is 11.47 at 116mph so i definitely think something is up with your carbs because for your weight your mph is really low even at that altitude. These bikes make the most power when running a tad lean, I actually installed a wideband O2 sensor in mine and I'm still a touch rich.

 

[VMax-Mike]

I put the shinko 170 touring on my max and i cant even get it to do a brake torq. It did them with the 150 on it. Now it hooks up and pushes the locked up front tire down the road.

 

[KosRider]

I put the shinko 170 touring on my max and i cant even get it to do a brake torq. It did them with the 150 on it. Now it hooks up and pushes the locked up front tire down the road.

+1 on that Mike. Those 170 Shinkos with the wide footprint are one sticky tire !! I have yet to be able to bust it loose for a burn out in the three times attempted. Bit in a corner - blip the throttle and I can feel it breaking loose, but not straight up.

Next rear tire, I may consider the 150 or something not as sticky ! I miss the burnouts !! unk: