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pompousporcup...
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PostPosted: 08:31 - 04 Jul 2017    Post subject: drag racing Reply with quote

Anybody into drag racing motorcycles?

I have been having ideas of building up the drag bike as i have a shed full of parts sitting around that are unlikely to get used. I do like a project that would improve my skillset.

Not done any racing of any sorts so don't really know where to start.. rigid rear end or better with some form of suspension. I know nothing of the different classes that usually get run at various events etc etc.
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colink98
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PostPosted: 08:55 - 04 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

like much motor sport, if you are interested go to a race meeting.
at the grass roots level people are always happy to chat and help new drivers/riders out.
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Ste
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PostPosted: 09:20 - 04 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Step 1: Go and have a play at a run what you brung day.
Step 2: Repeat.

Then you can decide what you want to do as a project. Thumbs Up

https://www.rwyb.co.uk/index.php
https://straightlinersonline.co.uk/
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Matt B
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PostPosted: 10:38 - 04 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

What Ste said Thumbs Up

A group of us off the forum have been to Santa Pod a few times for RWYB. It's not that far from you so just take whatever bike you have there for a day and see if you enjoy it. Do that before you start spending time and money building anything. Take the time to talk to people who are regulars (it will be obvious) and see what they are running.

Best fun I had was on a 1200 Bandit.
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 11:31 - 04 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ste wrote:
Step 1: Go and have a play at a run what you brung day.
Step 2: Repeat.

Then you can decide what you want to do as a project. Thumbs Up

https://www.rwyb.co.uk/index.php
https://straightlinersonline.co.uk/


I would do this. You'll get talking to other riders who have started this way and are trying to improve on their times through launch skills and tuning, and be able to learn a bit from them. It's a very expensive thing to do seriously, so I reckon small steps and an easy learning curve are the way to go.

What base bike are you thinking of starting with? One of the GPZ900s? I couldn't say for sure, but you don't see many on the strip (or never used to back when I was interested in this), and I suspect it might be because they're a bit too fragile?
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 14:36 - 04 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

You don't need a special bike, or even a fast bike for drag racing.

You can use one and it can be fun but it's not necessary. A mate of mine won the straightliners championship on a stock SV650.

Take your current bike and have a go.

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thx1138
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PostPosted: 17:16 - 04 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

I did a couple of RWYB on my Fazer. Was good fun.

https://s13.postimg.org/gy8fnlubr/santa_pod.jpg

would be much more fun to block book a strip with a club and get many runs per hour, rather than the endless queuing. The queuing in the bike lane is okay, get to chat to everyone, but by the afternoon I usually sit in the stands and watch.
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Kickstart
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PostPosted: 22:57 - 05 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi

Done a bit.

Mostly in the UK it is bracket racing. It isn't the ultimate time that wins, it is getting as close to the target time for your group as possible, without beating that target time (which breaks you out into the next group, which you will be pretty much at the bottom of).

GPZ might well be OK being fairly long. But if you want to build a drag bike then probably start with something with plenty of spare parts available.

All the best

Katy
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 10:14 - 06 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kickstart wrote:


GPZ might well be OK being fairly long. But if you want to build a drag bike then probably start with something with plenty of spare parts available.

All the best

Katy


I thought the GPZ900 had issues with eating valve seats? Might not be the ideal candidate for constantly thrashing down the strip if that were the case? IIRC, you can fit a ZZR1200 motor though, which might make parts more obtainable too (that's just a guess).
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pompousporcup...
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PostPosted: 10:44 - 06 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rwyb is a good starting point, cheers.

Drag racing looks a lot of fun and I have a frame, engine and more parts than I know what to do with so I wouldn't need the buy the bike


Always wanted to try top speed runs too.
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Matt B
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PostPosted: 16:39 - 06 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just get an R1 or similar that's cosmetically challenged, put some bolt on swingarm extensions and a Shinko drag tyre on the back, lower it front and rear. Go hammer it at RWYB days.
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Kickstart
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PostPosted: 21:56 - 06 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi

Problem with building a drag bike from an old bike is how long you will be thrashing it, and how rapidly you decide to tune it and turn it into a grenade, at which point you rapidly go through spare parts!

At one meet we were at a buy blew up his old Triumph. To the extent that the crankshaft needed to be picked up off the ground.

As far as I know the GPZ900s main fault was an appetite for cam chains every 20k or so. Another expense was diaphragms in the CV carbs (but more because at the time they cost an absolute fortune). Not sure on valves, but if in a reasonable sensible state of tune then no real extra wear on them, and thrashing up a drag strip isn't going to do enough miles to wear the seats out (I did a fair few meets on my old GSXR1100, plus a few top speed runs - doubt over the years it did anything like 500 miles).

All the best

Katy
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 22:20 - 06 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kickstart wrote:
Not sure on valves, but if in a reasonable sensible state of tune then no real extra wear on them, and thrashing up a drag strip isn't going to do enough miles to wear the seats out


It seems to be quite commonly known if you have a Google around. Thing is, if you're starting with a bike that has already had a couple of tens of thousands of miles put on it through road use...

Unless you get really serious and start replacing valve seats (is that a thing?). But then you're starting to get into ever deeper expense. From what I've seen over the years though, it's something that drag racing does to some people - they start off for a bit of fun, and before they know it they're selling the house to fund an extra couple of tenths off their times Laughing Maybe because they blow a motor, decide to rebuild it, then think, "well, while I'm about it, might as well tune this and strengthen that..."

The GSXR1100 engine; a much more proven unit than the GPZ900 (?) which might be fine if you just happen to have one knocking around that you don't mind risking, but I can't really see the point of drag racing (as opposed to once or twice up the strip for the hell of it) if you don't care about improving your times. It is generally a competitive sport, after all.
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pompousporcup...
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PostPosted: 22:36 - 06 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Katy. The diaphragms still cost a fortune lol I have 8 spares at last count. Cam chains are a known weakness.

Valves and seats seem to happen where people don't set clearances often enough...apparently

The valves stay open and burn up etc etc.

Still undecided. Bcf rwyb day anyone?
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c_dug
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PostPosted: 22:40 - 06 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

If the dates and location work I'm well up for rwyb, I've been dying to see if I can beat my VFR800's time with my fzs6, it feels quicker for sure.
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Last edited by c_dug on 22:44 - 06 Jul 2017; edited 1 time in total
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 22:43 - 06 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, anyway, might as well use what you've got to see if it's all for you. But..you have got a house to sell, right? You know, just in case you enjoy it? Laughing
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lingeringstin...
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PostPosted: 22:46 - 06 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Racing on the cheap is great fun. You can see some wild and wonderful things being used. Back when I was experimenting with 250 two stroke engines I somehow got paired up with a Kreidler 50cc with a two speed gearbox I think, that had pretty much everything you can do done to it. It shot off like an angry wasp. I think I was still in third gear of my five when he was already at the end of the track.
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pepperami
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PostPosted: 22:53 - 06 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pepperami is sad, I came to this thread thinking it would be about people running races in women's clothes. Crying or Very sad
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 22:55 - 06 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

pepperami wrote:
Pepperami is sad, I came to this thread thinking it would be about people running races in women's clothes. Crying or Very sad


Yep, pepperami is sad Laughing
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Kickstart
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PostPosted: 23:19 - 06 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

chickenstrip wrote:

It seems to be quite commonly known if you have a Google around. Thing is, if you're starting with a bike that has already had a couple of tens of thousands of miles put on it through road use...


But so few extra miles to do more wear. Even a few road miles will probably have similar red lining, but with a lot more miles on top.

Had a quick google and only found one bit on valve issues. A fair chance that some problems were from people never bothering to do the valves Laughing

chickenstrip wrote:
Unless you get really serious and start replacing valve seats (is that a thing?).


Yes, quite common. Big industry for a while when leaded fuel was withdrawn.

All the best

Katy
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Snowdonia Rider
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PostPosted: 23:44 - 06 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

pompousporcupine wrote:

Bcf rwyb day anyone?


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Ariel Badger
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PostPosted: 23:56 - 06 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

pompousporcupine wrote:
Cam chains are a known weakness.



Drag will not put a noticeably significant extra load on a cam chain.
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