How to master the holeshot?

[cheater13]

I'm just wandering how do you guys master the holeshot when you take off in races and just riding around. When i race in grass, and when i take off, i just mostly spin until i hit like 3rd gear. The tires never hook and i have holeshots in the rear with mostly full tread on. So how do you master it?

[Scro]

If you are spinning that much, try starting in 2nd gear and feathering the clutch.

[cheater13]

yeah i do try it in second and it seems somewhat better but what do you mean feathering the clutch?

[a4guy]

I think I got the hole shot down pretty good. My friend has an outlaw 500 with a pipe, new tires and different sprocket and I can get him out of the hole nearly every time. The only problem I have is on pavement because I cant keep the front tires on the ground. Once I hit 5th though he walks on me fast. I usually start in 2nd.

[JOHNDOE83]

getting the holeshot is like drag racing, you need traction, power and speed, feathering is when you dont pop your clutch, you let it out slow or you do it fast and hold that last bit of clutch so you dont spin as bad.

I would try different tires or different sprokets, I saw a race where everyone had razrs or holeshots, but this one guy had 20in mud tires...he won, left everyone in the dust on every turn and barley jumped at all, they would catch up at the big jumps but he would walk on em after that.

holeshots and razrs are great but everyone tends to think they are the best for mx, tracks are different, the sands different, better traction will always get you out front faster.

I saw another quad cross race, where the track was very technical, everyone had 18s and 20s razr holeshots, the guy that won went with 22in razrs, he made it over everylog faster evry rock and hill and mud pit, cause he had the right tire for the job.

Whenever I mx race, I wish I had a more aggresive tire....I had razrs slip and slide all the time.

Traction is king in any dirt race. razr and holeshots are more for hard packd clay tracks.

[416racer]

What kind of racing are you doing? I Race XC and we do dead engine starts, It seems like good reaction time is as important as power. I try not to over power the tires. Just give it as much power and clutch as the rubber can handle. almost always in 2nd gear.

[cheater13]

i just race in regular grass just with my pals and i race on track sometime up at the proving grounds but i was just saying that i always spun like half the way after taking off but i like dump the clutch. ill have to give the feathering a try.

[4reeds]

sit alittle higher towards the tank on take off to keep your nose down.When you hit high 2nd or third jump back on the seat to grab more traction. Works great for me.Also don't be afraid to rub alittle,scares the other racers into slowing down.

[slightlybent47]

Deferent surfaces will require a deferent technique, since your on grass it is very slick and will only allow for so much traction before it starts to spin.
If you tend to spin, then try sliding back on the seat some, just enough to get traction but not too much that you wheelie.
The more moisture the grass has the slicker it will be, just remember that you are all starting on grass so it’s all the same for all of you. Practice is the only way to learn the technique, it’s something that you need to do every day to stay sharp. It’s one of those things that if you don’t use it, you will lose it kind of things.

More practice. Good luck!

[cheater13]

thanks. i will definitly keep that in mind.