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**Pat Kelly** · 03-21-2006, 11:48 AM

Don't shift to 5th at the end of the run. Lose some weight (advise I should take too).
As you know bracket racing is consistency. Practice, practice, practice. Get a comfortable launching technique and hone it.
I used to ride my Honda Hawk (400cc) to the track (Firebird in Chandler/Phoenix AZ) and race it. I dialed-in at 14.5 sec and usually run 14.7-.6 @ 90 MPH against all these big bikes running 12-13 seconds. I had the quietest vehicle out there.

**bandet01** · 03-21-2006, 01:27 PM

well man i only test and tune my bike but my best run so far is a 13.282@99.40 and here is the break down on the run.

my run your run
rt .377 rt .571
60 2.100 60 2.250
330 5.514 330 6.025
1/8 8.428 @ 82.41 1/8 9.387@70.02
1000 11.027 1000 12.41
1/4 13.282 @ 99.40 1/4 15.04@ 84.1

well a run down on my bike is a 79 xs1100 standard
no baffles in the exhaust, indy style filters and the rest of the bike is stock

tips for when going to the the track to get a good time
air up the front tire for less rolling resitines
set the back shock as hard as you can better weight transfer

and when i launch my bike i launch at about 3500to 500 and let the front end come up just alittle and ride it out and me and the other riders i ride with think the bike has more in it but we found out why it wouldnt go any faster was because the clutch was slipping all the way down the track.

all i can say is it takes practice to get the bike to run fast i mean my first pass on my bike was like a 14.00 if you have any questions just ask i will try to help as much as i can

**TopCatGr58** · 03-21-2006, 05:45 PM

Don't take a dump....clutch!

Hey Tom,

As Bandet was eluding to, you want the rear as stiff as possible, so set your shocks to highest dampening, and load the air to max. You didn't mention any carb mods, just the Indy filters, and so you'll probably need to go up a few more sizes on the mains to give you more fuel available for the topend, especially after several runs with a hotter engine, it'll naturally be leaner.

After reviewing the Dyno results thread, it was found that most of our bikes run out of oomph at around 7.5 to 8k rpm, so winding it out to 9k is not really getting you anymore HP, and is also putting your top end at more risk. Better to shift at 8k until you get to 4th, and then wind it out to the end!

As for starting out, I've had faster take offs by revving it to a higher rpm than 5k, but keeping it up there and feathering the clutch in to keep the rpms higher, vs. dumping it which bogs the engine down to a much lower rpm, and it takes more time to bring the revs back up. Glad you got a new good clutch and springs, you're gonna need them.

Your engine oil light is an oil pan level sensor IIRC, not a pressure gauge, so when you first start off, a lot of the oil is sloshing towards the rear, along with pumping lots to the top end under higher revs, so makes sense to have to put in more to bring the level above the site glass level!

You might also want to take OFF the mirrors to reduce wind resistance, along with having very tight fitting leathers, stay tucked down close to the tank/bars. Might also bring a spare gas can, so that you can have the mininum amount of fuel in the tank needed for staging and the run, less weight!

T.C.

**GNEPIG** · 03-21-2006, 10:19 PM

.. Wow!. that Dart went 10.52, after racing the car making a pass with the bike must be like going to the store to get milk or something.. i'd like to make a pass with the car!
..your XJ looks like it's in real nice shape, i dont know if i would waste it on the track.

.. lowering the front of your bike will help keep the weelies in control, as well as a set of lower handle bars.. removing things that are not needed to make the bike roll (to make the bike lighter) will help, like the turn signals, buddy rest, center stand- stuff like that.. a good 4/1 exhaust and the proper jetting will cut a bunch of time off of your E/T's
. and all of the stuff those other guys have said also

**mro** · 03-22-2006, 12:06 AM

Lanch control to T748

Go out to a industrial park on the weekend. Find a decent lot with enough room to practice your start.

What TC said:
"As for starting out, I've had faster take offs by revving it to a higher rpm than 5k, but keeping it up there and feathering the clutch in to keep the rpms higher"

I'm almost 100 pounds lighter than you. Found starting at about 5K and then wto as soon as clutch starts to engage. Want a smooth clutch flow while keeping rpm's up, front wheel feels light but still on ground.

On my 80G I found shiften outa first at about 76/7800 seems to get more out of second and not losing anything from first. Second and third seem to be the "sweet spots" on the xs.

mro

btw
bring a friend, first aid kit and cell phone

**pggg** · 03-22-2006, 01:58 AM

There 's something wrong if an XJ is supposedly the same as an XS then why ain't it crossing the line at over the ton.

**chevy45412001** · 03-22-2006, 02:19 AM

my best only 13.10

at 102 mph. i leave like your grandma also but it gets it at the sake of a 2 sec 60'.Also i fill both the front and back shocks with air,usualy 20-35 lbs. makes for a rough ride but hey your only going 1/4 at a time. 4-1 header was on and 4 pods. and a 137.5 main jett with the needle lifted about the thickness of a tiny washer (that washer mod helped more than any thing thats been done to the bike so far!!!!)Danged if i know without wheelie bars i am at a loss for more seed or ET. i do know i'm a hair rich with the 137.5 jett though so i will be going down a couple of number sizes to hopefully fix the glich and possibly get a tad more out of it.oh ya and i;m bangin gears at close to 9,300 or so. still no valve float.

**pggg** · 03-22-2006, 02:56 AM

My pretty much stock 78E with a few small tweaks crossed a 400metre paint line at 170 k.p.h. often. My times are a flick of a glance at the speedo as the line flashes past. My XS11's never had any kick above about 8000 revs. Most acceleration I get is at 6000 - 8000.

**T748** · 03-22-2006, 01:21 PM

I don't think rider weight loss is going to happen, due to my pizza addiction! I'm not really concerned with with what it runs anyway as long as it's consistant. There is one plus for being in this ET range when all the others are running 8 to 10 seconds. It makes them wait a long time at the tree. The weathers looking good today and the track (Infineon Raceway) is running it's trophy night. I'll be there to try it again. This should be against more street bikes. I don't remember shifting into fifth last time. I'll make sure I'm not doing it tonight. My home track usually has a headwind anywhere from 5 to 15 mph, so you probobly won't see any impressive ET's out of this bike even with the extra large rider taken into account.

OK here's today's battleplan-
Front tire at max safe pressure.
All shocks at stiffest setting (4).
Air settings at max settings the manual shows. 17psi in the front and 57psi in the back.
I'll try lowering the shift point to 8k. If we get enough time trials, I'll try experimenting with it lower.
Concentrate on clutch touch.

mro- I've got just the spot for that, I'll be heading there before going to the track. I had to laugh at the "bring the first aid kit, cell and a freind" for clandestine testing. I've already had a few incedents that could have used that advice. If you want a few laughs at my expense, here are a few links to the stories.
A little wheelie incedent on my other bike-

http://www.northbaysportriders.com/f...showtopic=3021

This one is the XJ and me parting ways wile attempting to load it on the truck for the race before last-

http://www.northbaysportriders.com/f...showtopic=3022

Thanks for the replies everyone! Oh ya one more thing. The jetting stuff will have to wait. A new bike shop has just opened up in town. They are getting a dyno installed in a month or two. I'll play with jetting and such then. I've also got a 4-1 exhaust. I'm not sure if thats going to go on the bike or not. It's a choice between that and the oil cooler. Unfortunatly there isnt room for both.
Thanks again-Tom.

**mro** · 03-22-2006, 08:28 PM

Infineon Raceway

Only been there for business, not racing.
Driven around there track in the raceways pickup.

Haven't been to a race in a long time. (not counting the street)
When weather clears might cruse up to watch

The 10 has got to be a "gas" to race.
Good luck

mro

**T748** · 03-25-2006, 01:16 AM

Things are heading in the right direction now. I can tell it's just going to take alot of practice to get the launch down. I went out and raced it wednesday. I decided to leave all launches softly and get used to the tree and clutch. Reaction time's got down to .225. At least it's a start. Stiffening the shock settings and airshocks really helped. The bike wants to move forward much quicker instead of wasting time pitching itself around. It did make for a bumpy ride to and from the track!
The first run was done with the old shiftpoints. 8 to 9k. Let me tell you, i had no worries about shifting into 5th. I wasnt even shifting to 4th!!! Each run after that I shifted lower and lower. This alowed me to hit 4th gear and the et's dropped and the mph went up. I'm at work without any timeslips right now, but it was running 90mph and 14.5's on slow 2.1+ 60's. Other than the excess weight issue i think tuning and removing some exhaust restriction would help the et/mph.
Another issue has popped up. This thing is eating oil! I know it's not leaking it. It also doesnt smoke when i ride it around town. It has gone through 2 pints in two weeks of riding maybe 200 miles and 8 trips down the quarter mile. I'm kicking myself for not looking at the valve stem seals when the motor was out during the second gear fix. -Tom.

**GNEPIG** · 03-26-2006, 12:08 AM

.. how many miles on your XJ, and do your plugs look real oily?
glad to see you doing better at the track. calming down seems to be the hardest part for me

**T748** · 03-26-2006, 04:47 PM

It's showing 33,470 on the odometer. I can't say whether thats actual or not. I've only owned it for about 5k of those. I just pulled the plugs and they look ok. A touch rich but not oil burned. If it's not burning it and it's not leaking wile parked or idling, could it be tossing it out the crank case vent? Since the stock airbox is gone, the hose is dropping straight down. There is oil showing on the inside of the vent hose and it dumps over the exhaust crossover. the crossover is blackend in that area, but i would expect it to be coked up if it was dropping alot of liquid oil there.-Tom.

**xj11john** · 03-27-2006, 01:52 AM

T748,

My XJ is doing the same thing with that thick hose that just lays there kinda horizontal and then down, I was going to try and tie it up, and still might; and not worry about alittle kink in it, as long as it can breath alittle.

Mine does have a piece of foam wrapped around and banded to it to keep rodents out, but still leaks, and is making a nasty dark discoloration below it.

Does anyone know of a source for one of those chrome or alumimum covers for this pesky hose?

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