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Need your input for a drag FAQ!!!

19K views 31 replies 19 participants last post by  sconeroll 
#1 ·
Ok gang, here's the deal. We have a lot of experienced people with R1s and drag racing on this forum. And we have a ton of information buried within threads. Sometimes the search engine can let users down, and not spit out exactly what they are looking for. And sometimes people just don't want to read through 5 pages of posts for the one little bit of information they are looking for. Having all the typical questions/answers along with basic information like yammy part numbers etc. in one spot would be tremendously useful I think.

Please reply on this thread with any input. Post up any question you think would be appropriate for a FAQ sticky. Even if you don't know the answer, post the question anyway, someone here probably knows the answer. I really think this will be a group effort, and just wanted to get things off the ground.

So I think there are "general" drag racing questions regarding launch techniques, bike setup, etc. And then there are model specific types of questions. I don't think we have to get so specific as to break it down into more sections. But if we find we have a ton of info we could break it down to chassis/tires/engine/etc. I have no preconceived ideas on what the results will look like, only that a bunch of common/useful information be easy to look through in one spot.

Once we have enough input from people on this thread, we can sift through and put together a legible FAQ that can be posted as a sticky by a moderator. Goobr, a moderator here, has already agreed to make a sticky for what we come up with (thnx mucha!).

Here is what I blurted out as a start to a FAQ in another thread. I didn't really put much thought into it, I just typed what came to mind. So come on gang, let's get this thing rolling...


general clutch questions:
Q) I own an '04/05/06 R1, and I think my clutch is fried. I only have X amount of passes on it, and X amount of miles. can the clutch really be gone?
A) Yes it is likely the clutch is toast if you've been making passes with moderate slipping through first gear.


Q) what is the best replacement clutch for drag racing?
A) stock yamaha parts hold up the best, and are also the cheapest. don't forget to replace the half plates with fulls. many times you can get away with just replacing the metals when they warp/glaze over.

Q) how many passes should I expect to get from a clutch?
A) depends on how hard you are riding the clutch. I've broken clutches with just 5 or 6 passes. I've also managed to get a couple dozen medium'ish launches out of a clutch. with a stock bike and 10k rpm launches, expect few passes. with an extended and geared bike expect to get more. with softer launches from say 4-6k rpm, expect to get more passes. etc. etc.

Q) what parts exactly need to be replaced when changing clutches
A) assuming all plates (fiber and metals) are being replaced:
<xyz> number of fibers - yammy part #
<xyz> number of metals - yammy part #

Q) how the frig do you get the clutch cover back on
A) try some wheel bearing grease, but mostly patience, experience.

Q) do I need to replace the clutch cover gasket as well?
A) not every time, as its a metal gasket. but typically I do every 3rd or 4th clutch

Q) will an oil line from tobefast help with clutch longevity
A) I'm not convinced it helps, but some swear by it. your mileage may vary.



Launching questions/techniques:
Q) what rpm should I launch at?
A) depends on a lot of variables
what year R1?
stock bike? extended? geared? lowered?
techniques on launching will also differ from person to person. some will hold throttle and ride clutch and slowly roll on throttle. some like to start from a lower rpm and quickly roll on throttle and let clutch out from the hole. etc..etc.

Q) should I do clutchless shifts?
A) yes

Q) does clutchless shifting hurt the transmission?
A) not if you're doing it right


Q) how do you properly do a clutchless shift?
A) blah blah blah
 
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#4 ·
A strap is the single best investment an occasional dragracer can make. You can pick one up from www.tobefast.org for about $20. It attaches to the upper caliper bolts on each side of your front wheel and loops over the neck of the frame. This allows you to pull the strap down and effectively lower the front end of the bike to help control wheelies and get a better takeoff. Best part is when your done take the strap off and your bike is back to normal.

Changing your front sprocket down one tooth down will also help out a lot on the dragstrip.

If it is your first time racing at a track, do some research. walk around the staging lanes and get a feel for where you are supposed to go. All tracks are gonna be a little different. Also take time to really watch the lights, take note of about where the cars and bikes front tires are when they are staged. That way when its your time to go you know about where to pull up to. Nothin is worse than sittin on the revvs waitin for a guy to stage, havin to back out, wait for him then get back staged.
 
#6 ·
nothing wrong with going down any teeth in the front but ive been told 1 down is like adding 3 teeth in the back its usually better to add to your back sprocket that way its not so hard on your chain and stuff doesnt have to make as much of a tight turn around the sprocket just my suggestion from an old drag racing friend and mechanic of mine
 
#7 ·
Free dragrace mods- Take your front seat off. this lets you sit lower in the bike, therefore lowering the center of gravity and helps keep the bike down under power.
Soften up the rear suspension, turn your compression all the way down, and turn your rebound all the way up. What this does is let the bike squat down in the back, and stay down as long as possible. This transfers weight to the rear of the bike and helps prevent wheelspin.
Air up your front tire to around 40psi. This gives you a smaller contact patch and less rolling resistance. Helps get you a little more MPH.
 
#8 ·
gearing all depends on weight. and yes 1 down in front is like plus 3 in rear. but going down 1 on 04 up.. is like stock sprocket on 98-03.. so no problems with chains there, tho its good idea and chain will last longer with rear sprocket change. honestly...its all about wheelbase.. if you go up 3 in rear.. then get longer chain to utilize that extra inch of WB instead of it sucking rear tire up 1 inch with different rear sprocket. if you see all prostar 1000ss bikes.. rear wheel is as far back as it can go in adjusters. so whichever u go.. get longest wheelbase u can out of it and improve 60ft times and help from wheelieing.

clutch...its good idea to remove hub and basket and check it. specially after smoking one till its dead. also take time to pull pan... clean pan and oil strainer, so u dont spin bearing after 2 sets of clutches burning up.. only takes a little time.. but can save u $$$. plus always change oil when doing clutch... its cheap insurance.. dont be tightwad.

suspension.. run as little preload as u can.. u want rear suspension to work, that will keep front end from coming up as well. u want weight transfered to rear as far down track as u can for traction purposes. run top(compression) setting on soft(counterclockwise) as far as it will go(helps rear squat and weight transfer quicker) and bottom adjuster(rebound) set to hard(clockwise) this will keep rear end down as long as possible and keep more traction on tire.

tires.. shinko is best for $$$ and yes spencer is best place to get them. tirepressure.. run as much tire pressure as u can and not spin. some tracks suck.. run less air. good starting spot on stock bike is 25 psi.. go down from there until you get consistent good traction, add few lbs and see what it does. anything under 8 and tire can spin on wheel. longer WB.. less air unless ur heavier. everything in dragracing is effected by weight of bike and rider!! front tire.. u want as little rolling mass on ground.. run 40-45 psi.... some guys run as much as 60 in tires.

chain.. lubed up great chain.. is slower. bike on dyno picks up 2 hp just removing all orings.. make sure its lubed..but dont get carried away. clean it with wd40 or kerosene and give it light coat of chain lube.. or just run wd 40 and lube when u get home. make sure axles are tight, but not overtight. this can pinch bearings and give u more friction. nascar guys pull brake caliper and push them alll way apart on qualifying.. less drag on them.. tho not good idea on bike.. but u get idea.

also if ur hardcore..check into ceramic bearings for wheels.possibly motor..(expensive) but worth 2-4hp and few hundredths.

there is no replacement for seat time. practice and practice some more

keep log book with all ur entries.. all ur times and RT. also keep track of how much u win or what it cost to enter race(who knows might need it on ur tax return) but good idea to see what temps and elevation due to times.. also great for dialing bike in if you mess up on time trials.. u can go back and see what bike ran with similar 60ft or 330..say u miss shift.. all this can help u dial bike in.

run bike same everytime.. stage it same. let it cool down same. cool down at least 15 minutes will help ur clutches. i remove oil fill cap and zip tie clutch lever pulled after each pass to get cool air to them and let clutch plates cool with them pulled apart. plus zip tie is easy to remove and reuse. i stick mine on ignition key..that way i dont loose it

safety.. always be on safe side. wear boots or shoes that cover ur ankles. leather or armored jacket a must. kill switch a must at most tracks. if u have leathers...dont be fool.. they zip together for a reason.. if u like i will show u pics and video of whyu should do it. helmet and gloves.. well they speak for themselves. also dont run u bike if u dont feel right or bike doesnt feel right.. its just not worth it. be on ur game and ready to win at all times.. bracket or heads up racing.. attitude is everything. also listen to track instructions and go to drivers meetings.. some times things change.

watch other bikes. learn from them. body position, track conditions, launch rpms, shifting..everything.. plus gives u practice at track. if u dont learn something new at track each time.. then ur not watching enuff. ive been doing it 15 plus years now.. still learn about track or see something to work on.

keep urself hydrated and fed. bike being in tiptop shape wont matter if u pass out during a run(ive seen it happen) wear sunscreen and ballcap and loose light clothing.

have fun.. if not ur not doing it right. dont get down if bike doesnt run what u expect. make best of it. enjoy sport, plus get others to join in. offer tips and suggestions, we all need more bikes in class.
 
#12 ·
How about - What type of fuel should i use? I'm running 89 octane on my 06. it runs way better on that than it did on the 91/94. ran like total shit on the Torco 110 racing fuel and it turned the ends of my pipes white. :fork
 
#14 ·
Didn't run/sound that good on the 87. I forgot to write that on my first post.:crash
 
#15 ·
high octane fuels.. is for high compression motors. the higher the octane, the slower the fuel actually burns. it is what prevents detonation in motor. so if u have stock piston bike... run lowest, cheapest stuff u can without it pinging.

race fuel in stock bike.. will slow it down anywhere from .2-.8 of seconds(3-20 bike lengths.

now there is oxygenated fuels.. that can gain anywhere from 4-7 hp.. but they need to be tuned.. and some of fuels u cant leave in fuel tank more than couple days.

ive told people this and told it till im blue in face.. people think race fuel makes power... it does... with right compression. had guy try it in stock motor gsxr couple weeks ago. his bike went from running 6.70s in 1/8... to 7.50s... he dumped fuel out.. went back to regualar..made it to finals... against me... and then he redlit.. LOL oh well at least know he knows.
 
#16 ·
I just love the way the race fuel smells. how about the VP fuels? are any of them good for the R1? I've ran the VP c14 in my qaud (BANSHEE) for years now and would never change.
 
#18 ·
vp is best.. really for best out of stock R1.. run new u4.2. its more oxygen content, plus u can leave it in tank. its good for about 4-7 more hp. as for c12 or c-16. c-16 is for heavy and i mean heavy nitrous or turbo. lotsa compression. c-12 is good priced for more compression and some nitrous. i havent used c-14. even with more compression, i run mix of regular and c-12 or c-16 at 1/2 and 1/2 if im going to spray. if not...regular unleaded. matter of fact i only bought 5 gallons of c-16 this year and 5 of u4. gave away most of U4 as it i didnt have wide band to tune for it and just putting it in didnt help.
 
#19 ·
Who makes swingarm extensions for the 06 R1? I was told that the 04/05 ones won't work on the 06...
 
#20 ·
u4 is def the best fuel for a stock motor bike i have found. i usually run 87 pump on motor then swap out to c-12 when i spray. as far as the extensions,your right older ones will not fit the 06. search in this forum for a thread titled 06 extensions. i remember a couple months ago a guy sayin he had found a place that had them. forgive my laziness for not findin the thread but it should not be too far from the top.
 
#23 ·
Hi guys.. going to try out my 07 this weekend and I was thinking of strapping the bike down. does anyone have any pics of their bike strapped? just thinking of ratchet straps

Thanks
:iamwithst
This Friday will be my first time at the drag strip. Im thinking about buying a strap but dont even know anything about them.

Thanks,
Peter
 
#26 ·
gear it

down one in the front and up two in the back
maybe even three in the back if you really wanna come out the hole... but your top end is gonna suck if you don't change it for regular street riding
 
#29 ·
#30 ·
wow this is awsome, I havent raced my 98 r1 in about 4 years, and getting back on it now. you guys are really helping remember what i need to do. i got back on and ran a 9.24 after 4 years, is that still a good time for a stock motor bike with extentions and spray?
 
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