So my girlfriend wants to learn to drag race. I told her that she can actually be pretty good at it if she really practices and gets her launches, clutch control and timing down. After some time on the strip I'll add some extensions to it, and I've already lowered it. The more serious she gets, and the more she practices will determine what all mods I will add.

I've told her all that I know, but I want her to know I'm not steering her wrong, so all tips are helpful.
So what tips can you all give for a first timer/beginner?

What gearing would be a good set up for her bike (not changing it now, just curious).

Wow, you definitely are a lucky man for one!

Best tip is to tell her not to worry about reaction time. If she wants to sit at the line all day, then so be it, no need to rush practice when you're first learning. Next tip, would be get the clutch all the way out as fast as she possibly can without throwing the wheel in the air.

As for gearing. I was running -1 +4 or +5 that worked out great.

Slam it to ground. If she dont wheelie, go ahead get the extensions. it make it easier, less worry bout comming up. I had more problems with 600 comming up than my 1000, lol go figure that. maybe learned better clutch control. deff do not worry bout reaction time. Find am empty lot, she can practice launches, make her wear gear. go test tune day at track get way motre passes in, at least like that around here.

My wife races her 06 600. Its lowered with a jardine pipe and -2 up front/stock rear gearing. She's been a 10.90 on it. Best advice I can give would be lots of seat time. Make sure she feels comfortable with the bike and comfortable going fast. My wife has scared me a few times, but she knows the bike, and always powers through it. Also, remind her to pay attention to everything she does, every pass. Its alot going on, especially for a new racer, but the only way to improve is to know what your doing and try different things. Document what works and continue to evolve from there.

Last time my wife and I were at the track, I was helping her with her 60's and told her she needed to come out harder. As she staged the bike, she brought the rpms up much higher than normal. All I could imagine was her looping it. The light turned green and she came out with the front tire 10-12" in the air. She rode it out, and went 11.10s with a missed shift. I was so impressed.

My wife races her 06 600. Its lowered with a jardine pipe and -2 up front/stock rear gearing. She's been a 10.90 on it. Best advice I can give would be lots of seat time. Make sure she feels comfortable with the bike and comfortable going fast. My wife has scared me a few times, but she knows the bike, and always powers through it. Also, remind her to pay attention to everything she does, every pass. Its alot going on, especially for a new racer, but the only way to improve is to know what your doing and try different things. Document what works and continue to evolve from there.

Last time my wife and I were at the track, I was helping her with her 60's and told her she needed to come out harder. As she staged the bike, she brought the rpms up much higher than normal. All I could imagine was her looping it. The light turned green and she came out with the front tire 10-12" in the air. She rode it out, and went 11.10s with a missed shift. I was so impressed.

Well we are trying to stretch the bike asap but we are runnin into problems finding a 525 chain that's 150links. The only one I have found is that EK ZZZ and it costs over $200. And I really don't wanna just add links Bc I heard that's dangerous...Any suggestions?

Also curious of how far i should stretch. She's only about 114lbs....

Well we are trying to stretch the bike asap but we are runnin into problems finding a 525 chain that's 150links. The only one I have found is that EK ZZZ and it costs over $200. And I really don't wanna just add links Bc I heard that's dangerous...Any suggestions?

Also curious of how far i should stretch. She's only about 114lbs....

yeah, eff-that. don't add links, just buy a new chain. check indysuperbike.com or eBay for EK ZZZ chains, that's where i got mine. you can usually find them for around $180 shipped i think.

at 114lbs, your girl could make some money off some suckers on that 600. i'd think 6-inches would be fine, but i've never drag raced a 600 so i can't say for certain. good luck getting her trained up!

My wife and I :punk

http://www.dragginshots.com/images/F%20June%202009%20072.JPG

^ sweet!!!

That picture was taken at a PMRA race at Thunder Valley in Noble, OK. We had heard that you could go down and run test and tune on the PMRA race days so you could get some tips from the real racers.

When we pulled in, they told us we could pay $3 extra and sign up to actually RACE with the pros :punk So we did! Some of the most fun I've ever had with my wife :punk

That picture was actually on the front page of PMRA's website for a few months with the title "WIFE TAKING THE WIN" underneath it :lol She actually red lighted that run and I won by default :spit She was NOT happy :lmao :lmao

Sorry I am little late replying. I have an 07 GSXR 600 that I have been drag racing since March of last year. I am 5ft 2in and weight 105lbs. I don't ride on the street. I only have the bike to drag race it! :)
My current mods are: lowered 3 inches, front end strapped, air shifter, 8 inch over stock swingarm done by Thompson Custom Cycles, -1 front, +2 rear sprockets, and I run a 003 Shink rear Tire.
My best time so far (after a 7 month hiatus) is a 10.75 @ 129mph.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v174/obsoleteforce/ObsoleteForce/24486_385176658631_823003631_379994.jpg
Pic from Summit ET Race last weekend

Nice bike. Best of luck. Once you get the hang of it and have that confidence you are goin to be dangerous!!

Sorry I am little late replying. I have an 07 GSXR 600 that I have been drag racing since March of last year. I am 5ft 2in and weight 105lbs. I don't ride on the street. I only have the bike to drag race it! :)
My current mods are: lowered 3 inches, front end strapped, air shifter, 8 inch over stock swingarm done by Thompson Custom Cycles, -1 front, +2 rear sprockets, and I run a 003 Shink rear Tire.
My best time so far (after a 7 month hiatus) is a 10.75 @ 129mph.

what kind of 60ft you cutting?

My best time so far (after a 7 month hiatus) is a 10.75 @ 129mph.

Best I've pulled on my 06 750 is 10.839 @ 135 :banghead

My 60's are garbage

My best 60ft was a 1.75 on my 10.75 pass. That was my first in the 1.70's
i am still very inconsitant on my times. My 60's very from 1.80 to 2.00
i am hoping this yr with more seat time i can cut consitant 1.60ish sixty footers. I find that i dump the cluch alot easie using my index & middle finger. Before i used 4 fingers on my clutch but i just kept hanging onto to it too long. I am learning little things here and there that are working for me.

My best 60ft was a 1.75 on my 10.75 pass. That was my first in the 1.70's
i am still very inconsitant on my times. My 60's very from 1.80 to 2.00
i am hoping this yr with more seat time i can cut consitant 1.60ish sixty footers. I find that i dump the cluch alot easie using my index & middle finger. Before i used 4 fingers on my clutch but i just kept hanging onto to it too long. I am learning little things here and there that are working for me.

i grip the clutch with all 4 fingers when staging and just throw out the last 2 to launch. it works perfect for me because the decrease in hand pressure on the lever slips the clutch out practically by itself. once i'm done slipping the clutch i throw out the index and middle finger and grip the handle bar with all 4 and i have my thumb in a ready position for the horn button. if your hands are getting hung up on the lever it could be that your gloves aren't fitting right or maybe your hands are just too small for stock lever's distance from the handlebar. which at your size i would suspect it is the latter. you may want to invest in a fully adjustable clutch lever.

My best advice would be wear all the safety gear take your time and for the bike regear it with new chain and sprockets if she's around 150lbs -1 +4 would be decent. strap front and lower forks in tripple trees and lowering link for rear, 87 pump gas and 1 gal of fuel in tank. be safe best of luck and have fun that setup should do 10's no problem.

She's 114lbs.... Bike is stock but I have -1+2 gears for it for her to learn on... Also ordering straps and extensions for it...

But why 87 fuel instead of 93 for a stock bike? Should I use the same for my 1k?

Lower octane fuel makes more power but is more prone to detonation. You will be fine on a stock motor bike.

Well we are trying to stretch the bike asap but we are runnin into problems finding a 525 chain that's 150links. The only one I have found is that EK ZZZ and it costs over $200. And I really don't wanna just add links Bc I heard that's dangerous...Any suggestions?

Also curious of how far i should stretch. She's only about 114lbs....

Go with the best 520 chain. Remember the longer you stretch it, the more likely the bike is to spin. It won't be hard to spin if the track isn't prepped, or she doesn't know how to do a burnout. I'd keep it swb until she learns to ride it hard. Get her use to the bike swb. The better she rides swb, the faster she'll be once stretched.

Lower octane fuel makes more power but is more prone to detonation. You will be fine on a stock motor bike.


Detonation? As in blowing up/exploding? Ok so this might be a dumb question but why do put race fuel or higher octanes ( I think I remember them using 110 or something like that)?

The lower the octane, the faster the fuel burns. The higher the octane, the slower the fuel burns. You want to run the lowest octane the engine can handle without having detonation. Turbo or nitrous bikes and cars will often run higher octanes to help fight detonation. On a stock bike, you will go faster with a lower octane.

Detonation? As in blowing up/exploding? Ok so this might be a dumb question but why do put race fuel or higher octanes ( I think I remember them using 110 or something like that)?

i think he means detonation as in pre-detonation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_knocking. it's when the fuel ignites too early, causing knocking, loss of power, genital herpes, and mud-butt :lol

use of race fuel depends on several things. bottom line, if you're not spraying nitrous, running a turbo, haven't tuned the bike for the race fuel, or haven't done any mods to the motor itself (different cams, different compression pistons, thinner head gaskets, etc.) you don't need race fuel. pump gas will be sufficient. personally, i used to run 93 since the manual for my bike calls for 91 or higher. i've heard of people running 87 with no problem though.

Yea that's what I usually run due to the manual but I'm definitely gonna do 87 now