Is my clutch control crappy?

[dragstaar]

Weird question to be asking after having been riding for 6 years or so...

But I'm wondering whether I'm doing something wrong with my clutch. If I'm at the lights, and I want to lay down the power, I rev, let the clutch out, but the moment I let it out fully there's a small drop in power then it revs up again. Its only really a split second or so, but its enough to notice that i'm not planting the power properly.

I ride an SRAD 600 at the moment, but it was the same with my CG, and with the bandit, and even with the car. What am I doing wrong? I can never seem to deliver the power smoothly, am I dumping the clutch too soon? I only have this issue when moving off from stationary. Between gears is fine. The amount of times I've tried to beat another bike off the lights and that slight lag has let me down.

If not, is it just a worn/badly adjusted clutch?

I feel retarded for asking!

[Vincent]

Sounds like you're not revving high enough and dragging the clutch for long enough.
____________________
Space Is Deep

[rhys1005]

More throttle? I don't get your question. If your racing a bike off the lights then you should launch it anyway. Probably how your being beat?

Practice in an empty car park.. Start with low revs, dump the clutch and keep highering the revs and repeating until you find the perfect balance between lifting the front wheel and stalling the bike.

However yes (if I'm understanding your question properly) letting the clutch out too soon even if you've got the revs high enough to stop it from stalling will slow the bike down. If your starting from idle then you will always need to balance the clutch with throttle, instead of letting it out sooner thinking it will get the power to the wheel quicker.

Also helps if you plant both feet on the floor instead of just one foot like usual, aswell as leaning forward as much as you can.

[wristjob]

if you have tons of torque you dump the clutch and control wheelspin with the throttle.
now with a small engine and low torque you need to get the engine into the revs where its going to be strong and make the clutch do the work(if you do this at traffic lights people will think you are a bit special,not in a good way)
think about how a cvt scooter sounds
like fairly constant revs and more drive once its rolling.
main thing is practice and work out whats best for the bike /car/boat you are launching.
you may have to buy new clutch plates if you "practice" a lot

[1198]

Sounds to me like you have a dose of mechanical sympathy. Knowing that loads of revs equals bigger bills usually prevents massive clutch abuse in my experience!

[clancy]

Not giving it enough revs and dropping the clutch too early

Do it ad normal and note roughly what revs you give it. Then try it again but add 3k or something and see what difference you get

Nothing to stop you revving the nuts off it and just putting power down with the clutch but not the best option, and you'd look like a Prick
____________________
KLX 300r

[dragstaar]

[Snorty]

My SRAD 750 is the same, I think first gear is quite long on that bike, so you have no power for a while.

I think it depends on the bottom end power of your bike - on the CBR600 I can let the clutch out at idle and just power it up.
____________________
Current: Yamaha FZ1 '07 | GSXR 750 SRAD

Past: CB125TDC | TZR125 | GPZ500 | CBR600F3 | ZX9-R | GSXR1000 K4

[TallPaul_S]

Yeah it all depends on the bike - 125 and you need a few k revs before letting the clutch out. Big twin and I'd imagine you don't need much more than idle revs before simultaneously dropping the clutch and nailing the throttle.
____________________
00 Honda VFR800 | 09 Aprilia Tuono Factory
CBT 06/03/2014 | Mod 1 and Mod 2 passed 15/10/2014

[dragstaar]

hmmm, maybe that's it. I tried letting the clutch drag for longer, and it did make a difference. But it's difficult to experiment with higher revs on London roads because you always have to brake too soon.