Adam wrote:
I'd consider the option of lowering your gearing for 1/4 mile drags very carefully. I've only sprinted my Duc 1198 at Ramsey which is 1/8 mile and used 2nd gear as it was quicker than starting in 1st and changing gear. Over a1/4 mile you may be changing gear more often, and loose time doing so. I'm no expert in this, but when I raced pre '65 stuff, everyone used 2nd gear to start and kept the engine in the max torque area by slipping the clutch. The 1125 has a very flat torque 'curve' so you may not gain much and risk looping the bike. Gus is the man to give advice about suitable gearing.
Hi Adam,
Thanks for the advice.
I've been reading about Buell gearing, not as easy as it sounds even with all the Cr parts.
A lot more to consider re constant belt tension, ECM etc. So beginning to think I'll abandon that project & just focus on the ECM any other bolt on aids & my look hard at my very crap Technique.
The 1125r runs really well on the road at the moment (which I'm very loathe to f**k up) and although not fast on the drag strip, I'm asking myself if it's worth the trouble when technique would probably gain me something anyway.
I definitely revved too high through the 3 gears on the first run, tried to do it less on the 2nd & still failed although ran 3mph faster by getting it into 4th. Starting in 2nd like you said would give me more time to think & allow me to focus on what I'm doing rather than just getting the hammer down to the limit.
My 1125r doesn't start shifting till it hits 4th so my next run will be with the idea of getting into 4th from 8000 in the other gears instead of 10,500 which only allowed me to get to 3rd.
We'll see, but would like to get another few runs in as I only got 3 done on the day I went and so never really got a chance to look at my technique till afterwards. I found it was really easy to think what I was going to do but sticking to it was very difficult as my bottle was clanking & arse was clenching a bit too much to do anything but give it some & hang on and watch the bike next to me hairing up the track seconds in front of me.
Hopefully next time (not being a total rookie) I may do better, who knows.
Got my new Oberon clutch slave unit today which will help, Velo stacks due later this week which will should bring the power into a more use-able region of the gearing that I can use next time.
Forgot to say also that when I left Santa Pod straight after my last run, it was only when I reached Leicester Forest services that another biker told me I still had the Santa Pod number covering my number plate. Sixty miles or so, really lucky I didn't get nicked.
Thanks for the advice Adam.
All the best Paul.