How to: Start
April 04, 2007
It’s been said a thousand times before, but a good start can literally make or break your race, especially in short motos like supercross. For all of your training and preparation in the week, going through the mental stages as you build up to the race, there’s still the fact your race can be effectively over in the first ten seconds. That’s how important the start of any race can be, you won’t necessarily win a race with a holeshot, but you’ve got more chance winning from the front than from behind, that’s for sure. Ask anyone who has won a race and they’ll tell you the very same.
Being blessed with a good reaction response will no doubt make a difference to the outcome of your starting procedure, but there are other ways to make sure you get the drop from the gate. These are basic techniques that can be mastered only with hours and hours of practice time. Many pro racers will set aside time at the end of a training session to work on their starts over and over until it becomes second nature. You have to be confident in your methods and within yourself about getting a good start every time you go the start gate, otherwise the bare facts are you probably will not and end up fighting your way through in vain to catch the leaders.
STEP ONE
First and foremost make sure you have given yourself the best opportunity for a good start by choosing the best gate possible to you. Obviously if you’re the pole setter the choice is made easier for you, but even so there are several elements to consider. The best line into the first turn is probably the most fundamental thing in your choice, if you’re really confident your decision will be easy, you’ll choose the shortest route. If you get to that turn first, nine times out of ten you’ll be the first rider to the next one. This can vary a little however as sometimes a fast sweeping first turn will favour a line that allows you to keep on the gas where on a tighter line your competitors will already be braking. Other considerations are the angle or start mechanisms of the gate itself. At some race tracks the start gates are all up and down like a redneck’s teeth and that can be to or against your advantage. If a gate is noticeably lower than others consider lining up behind it as it will drop that fraction quicker than the others. It’s a fine balancing act though between the line to the turn and the speed that gate drops, it isn’t worth choosing that low gate if it’s on the outside and twice the distance to the first turn. Once you’re happy with your choice do a little hoeing with your boots and tidy your starting rut. Make sure there are no stones or large lumps of soil that will hamper the wheel’s drive when the clutch is dropped and digs into terra-firma. Compact the soil with your feet and make sure it’s wide enough so the tyres do not hook the sides of the rut and throw your balance. On this sequence it doesn’t apply so much as we’re starting on a concrete launch pad, so if that’s the case try and wipe away the dirt (as you can see in the photo) and spin up the tyres to get heat into them and some rubber on the concrete. This will help with the grip from the hard surface. It’s best to do this as near to the 15-second board as possible.
Once you’re lined up behind the gate visualise yourself getting the start, it’s as much a physiological process as much as it is technique. Before the board goes up check your fuel tap is on and you haven’t knocked it with your leg, it’s also been known for some snake to turn it off for you, so be aware! Loosen your arms and muscles by shaking out a little, don’t get more tense than you should already be, the butterflies are starting to fly in your stomach by this point. With the 15-second board up select the gear you’ve decided to go with for the best jump. Sometimes it better to go with the one that will get you over the gate the quickest and then short-shift rapidly to beat your rivals, although this is a technique that you have to get just about perfect every time and that’s difficult. If you’re confident go with it, if not go for the percentage, although once again you should have decided this in morning practice. For dirt get your butt towards the front of the seat, your elbows up and with your head looking down over the front mudguard. Ideally your eye-line should be parallel with the front number plate, but you shouldn’t be able to read the number. The amount of fingers to use on the clutch is all down to what you feel most comfortable with, that’s what matters most. Figure out the amount that works best for you and what you can release the quickest. It’s quicker and easier to release all four fingers than it is one or two (try it now), but some people like to grip the bars more. Starting from concrete requires you to feather the clutch a little more otherwise you’ll be spinning up like a dragster in a cloud of smoke. It’s best to start with the RPMs already in motion, even if it’s only a little. James Stewart has an aligning marker on his throttle housing and his grip to make sure he’s always at the right amount. This again is something worth considering when out practising and perfecting your technique, so work on it as practice does make perfect. Usually somewhere between quarter and half throttle is somewhere close to what you need. Do not blip the throttle throughout the start sequence, if they drop the gate and you’re off the gas you’re not going to get that holeshot and an already difficult race just got harder. For concrete, as shown here, place your body weight centrally and your torso upright with your arms locked into position. It’s important to get weight to the rear tyre more on concrete so that it picks up better, if there’s no weight back there it’s just another reason to make smoke without fire. The best technique is to have both feet on the ground, but if you’re vertically challenged and can only touch with one foot make sure it’s the right one, you’ll need the left for getting through the gearbox.
STEP TWO
With the gate about to drop at any minute concentrate hard on your chosen focal point. This can be the gate itself, the chain, the pin or even the guy in the doghouse if you’re lucky enough to have sneaky view of him! The pin is normally the safe bet as sometimes you can see the chain move and drop the clutch, but with the slack in the chain it’s too late and you’ve hit the gate, again making life difficult for the result that you wanted. Watching the gate can be that fraction slower, but it would take reactions of a striking cobra to hit it before it fell, unless you’re right on top of it. It’s best to be about six to eight inches back from where the top of the gate hits the ground. Keep your upper body straight and in line with the front fender, do not tilt your head or torso to either side as it’ll throw your balance once you’ve cleared the gate. This is why it’s always best to try and keep both feet on the ground and lock yourself into a stable symmetrical position looking down the barrel of the gun.
STEP THREE
At this point your eyes should be out on stalks! Don’t blink, don’t get distracted, hell – don’t even think. You should almost have tunnel vision and your heart should be pounding like a big bass drum, if it isn’t, you’re dead already. This is the moment when all the hard work that you’ve put in is laid on the line… literally. The only thing in your mind should be getting to that corner first and the only thing in you line of vision should be that starting gate or pin. When it finally moves, which can sometimes feels an eternity, don’t forget everything you’ve been working on, it can easily all be forgotten in the heat of battle. Off the hard stuff you need to keep hold of that body position and those set revs until you’re over the gate. Go easy on the clutch, always try to be smooth with its release off the concrete. Remember not to lean forward as you would on dirt, that’s a slightly different technique requiring you to get your weight over the front and your torso over the bars. Apply more throttle for dirt and you can also be more aggressive with the clutch. If you do get the drop on your competitor try making yourself as wide as possible whilst keeping it in a straight line, get those elbows out you’re racing now.
STEP FOUR
With hopefully a smooth, straight drive from the stationary standing point you’ve picked up good traction and can now capitalise on it. Once you’ve felt your rear wheel go over the gate start assessing the amount of drive you have pretty damn quick. If you feel the front wheel lifting into a power wheelie, physically try to pull yourself up and over the front. You do not want to be shutting off the gas or pulling in the clutch even if it is for a second, that could be the difference between being first or midpack insignificance (check RC’s left hand on the front cover of MOTO issue 6, if you have it and you’ll see it in practice). If you’re comfortable with the front end, start leaning your torso back towards the rear to get as much traction as possible. If you feel real confident shift your ass back on the seat and get that rear wheel hooking up. You’ll regularly see the top guns hang off the rear fender on the long national, start straights. Whilst making sure your body weight is gaining maximum traction to the rear wheel, lift your feet back onto the pegs simultaneously to keep your balance. This will keep you moving in a straight line forward, if you hang a leg for too long it’ll be like a dead weight pulling you off to one side and into the path of another rider. With both feet on the pegs and your weight all over the rear fender like a downtown traffic cop in pursuit of a heist, you can start to shift through the gears. Power shifting at this point is sometimes beneficial if you’re fighting to keep it under control or you can’t get your weight back over the front, but remember every time you slip that clutch the drive to the rear wheel is disengaged and that means it ain’t getting the power to the ground. Once you’ve cleared all those hurdles it’s just a case of going through the gears full gas and holding it on longer than anyone else. First of all to the first turn and then hopefully for another thirty minutes after that, if you’re fit enough to cut it of course, but at least you’ve given yourself a fighting chance of kissing the trophy girl.
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