Triumphrat

shaunthesoundguy · 07-29-2008, 12:42 PM

This may be a dumb question, but I'll ask it anyways..

My D675 is now about 3 weeks old, and it is my first sport bike (absolutely loving it by the way). The handling is amazing, acceleration is like anything I've ever ridden, but the darn front wheel keeps rising up. Definitely never had that problem gunning my old cruisers

I know that for the most part that is just the way it is. But I'm hoping some of the racers out there can throw a few pointers at me on how to get the fastest start possible while still keeping that front wheel down.
Thanks!

Will · 07-29-2008, 12:54 PM

First of all, I suck at holeshots, so take what I say with a grain of salt. The people who are far better at it than I am use the rear brake to control wheelies. I have no such problems. The front will come up a bit, but I sit way forward on the bike and put my chest on the tank to keep the weight even more forward. Dumping the clutch makes for wheelies. Being smooth and feeding it out quickly but not too suddenly works too. If you don't feed it out fast enough, it will also wheelie. Confused yet?

shaunthesoundguy · 07-29-2008, 01:01 PM

I've heard something about that, that feeding a little faster will keep the wheel down a little more, but I'm just scared to try it in fear of the wheel rising even faster!

Will · 07-29-2008, 02:41 PM

You have heard the term "clutching up a wheelie?" What you are doing is using the clutch almost like a torque converter to allow the motor to be in the torque band a bit more and to lower the gear ration even more. If you let the clutch out all the way right away, you don't have the same force multiplier effect. Also, just don't open the throttle as much.

You haven't said where this is happening. If it is on the street, you need to control your right hand more than anything else. You shouldn't have any issues keeping the front down on the street. If you are racing or drag racing, it is a different issue, but even on the track, there should be very few instances where you can't control front wheel lift fairly easily with good throttle control.

shaunthesoundguy · 07-31-2008, 02:44 PM

It has been happening when I'm doing a bit of drag racing on the straight aways in the back roads. I love the 0 -> 75 rush. I would tuck down as far as possible and stay in 1st gear until about 55mph-ish (13k rpm) but occasionally before I got there the front wheel would come up on me when I was cranking the throttle hard.
Yesterday I tried again, really scooting up over the tank, trying to keep more weight forward and paid even more attention to rolling the throttle as smooth as possible. Problem seems to be solved. This bike is sooo sensitive to rider input, I need to hone the tiny movement skills. It definitely only does exactly what you tell it.
Thanks

FFMedic · 07-31-2008, 02:59 PM

There's some good advice here. I'm picking my Daytona up tomorrow. On my test run (it was a demo bike, so it's okay to play), I did what I've instinctually done with sport bikes and simply hugged the gas tank while doing hard accelerations. Only one time did I feel that front time come up a bit. Other than that, the bike pulled hard, pulled fast, and pulled a huge smile clear across my face! I weigh in at a buck seventy five and had no problem putting enough weight on the tank to keep it down. My suggestion would be simply to do what I've always done and hug your gas tank. This bike does respond to every input you make quickly, so throttle control is also important, but it sounds like you probably have that covered. You clearly have mad respect for the power of the bike, which is the first discipline you must acquire to be a good rider.

becks66 · 08-02-2008, 11:28 PM

hell, if you're having that much of a problem with wheelies just start from 2nd gear... this bike'll do it no problemo!

welshrob · 08-09-2008, 12:18 AM

The way to pull off a fast race start (IMHO) is to open the throttle until you hit the rev limiter, then back off by about 500 rpm and hold it. When you get the green light, slip the clutch and as you move forward and the revs drop, use the throttle to try to keep the revs within 1000 rpm of the limiter until you are doing approx 40-50 kph, at which point you can let the clutch lever fully out without flipping it. Don`t know how many race starts like that your clutch will handle, though!

Will · 08-11-2008, 11:50 AM

Replacing clutches isn't much fun, so I am lousy at race starts.

Cburt · 08-23-2008, 09:51 AM

Starting off by reving to the rev limiter, then feathering the clutch sounds like a really good way to destroy a bike and clutch........IMO.
These bikes.........are.............tough, but not bulletproof.
But, then I never thought a sport bike was home on a drag strip, they are designed to be raced on the track.
You don't see anyone flogging a formula one car on a drag strip do you, but this is just rambling from an ole fart.........who just happens to ride a Speed Triple.....