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Pro's touching their number plate

By chadd27,
in MX Riding Technique

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chadd27

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While watching SX, I've seen several pros (Reed, Stewart, Alessi, and others) move their left hand and touch the front number plate near the handlebar. They seem to do it when they have a lot of hang time, and it looks like they are adjusting something. What are they doing?

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Grand Master

IKE607

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Interesting. I've seen Reed do it 4 or 5 laps in a row. That's a lot of tweeking. Thanks for the information.

Some of the pros are very picky about their clutch free play. They notice the slightest difference and they adjust often, and Reed is the poster child for this. Their bikes get hotter than ours, and they are harder on their clutches, thus you see some guys adjusting every chance they get. I have seen pro mechanics warming a bike up on the stand with the bike in gear and pulling the clutch in over and over. I asked one what he was doing and he said it was to try to get the clutch more up to temp so the rider had less to adjust during the race. Made sense to me.

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Lagdo

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Since they burn through clutches so fast, is that why they start their bike in neutral after a fall? I've seen several do this instead of just grabbing the clutch and kicking it.

no because starting the bike in gear with clutch lower the strength and durabilty of the gearbox. And I think it also add some more weight so they dont put that. And also they dont want you to make mistake and stop the engine. Otherwise kickstarting back would be 2 seconds and wont be punish for the riders mistake.

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Lucas58

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The bike starts a lot easier in neutral.?
Exatcly right,the clutch may drag a little from being hot, which means you are also trying to spin the tranny gears at the same time, when you kick it over. Find neutral and make life easier. It doesn't take that long if you always start your bike that way. After its started then stab the shift lever 1 time, why? cause you KNOW it's in first gear always! No confused 2nd or 3rd gear take offs and subsequent stalling.:confused:
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ffstink

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That all makes sense. But I'm a bigger guy, 205lbs, I have no issue kickin the bike over in gear. It just made me wonder when seconds count so much during a race and I see them burning time. Knowing it's in 1st and knowing it's going to start will save time in the end. Thanks guys

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mari0

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Exatcly right,the clutch may drag a little from being hot, which means you are also trying to spin the tranny gears at the same time, when you kick it over. Find neutral and make life easier. It doesn't take that long if you always start your bike that way. After its started then stab the shift lever 1 time, why? cause you KNOW it's in first gear always! No confused 2nd or 3rd gear take offs and subsequent stalling.?

When I race hare scrambles I always have the bike in 2nd gear to start it to take off quickly. It always seems to start pretty easy as I make sure the clutch is pulled in completely before I kick. It's probably because the clutch isn't really that hot though? Just curious?

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Salt n Pepper

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That all makes sense. But I'm a bigger guy, 205lbs, I have no issue kickin the bike over in gear. It just made me wonder when seconds count so much during a race and I see them burning time. Knowing it's in 1st and knowing it's going to start will save time in the end. Thanks guys

It is quicker IF it starts, but thats a big if with the factory bikes. Putting it in neutral and starting it on the first kick is faster than kicking 4 or 5 times.

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