Hi everyone,
After few years with X30 I’m practicing with KZ (TM 10b). The biggest difficulty for me is the standing start: I struggle every time with neutral gear when I go on the grid. I find much easier to arrive on the starting box in first gear, keep the clutch pulled with first gear engaged and thus wait for the starting procedure. However, I see that almost all driver put neutral first, move the wheels with their hands and then put first gear as soon as the red lights come on. What’s the motivation? With the clutch pulled in could it overheat and then slip on the first lap? Or both procedure are the same?
You need to find neutral while you’re rolling to the box and just coast in.
Yes I know this is the standard procedure, but right now I have difficult to find neutral. So I asking if for the first races I can simply keep the clutch pulled to semplify the start
You definitely can do that, but you can risk premature wear of the discs. I’ve had to do it myself on occasion. I’m horrible at getting it in N if I’m not rolling while I’m doing it.
I have the same problem, and the stress of the race day while I’m going to the grid doesn’t help. I’m practicing to do the standard procedure but I think I’ll go with the clutch pulled in the first races. So I risk “only” the premature wear of the discs but regarding the start it will be good the same as the other drivers the use the N?
As long as the discs are in good shape, you should be able to launch as well as if you were to sit in N for the duration.
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Maybe add to your training routine that every time you come off track, when you come to a stop, you select neutral (like you’re pulling up to your grid spot) so it will eventually become a habitual response that requires no thought and generates no stress.
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It’ more simply to find N from 2nd or from 1st?
With a dry clutch I’d avoid relying on the clutch being pulled in. You’ll probably end up smoking it at the worst possible time.
As a few mentioned you might find it easier to get neutral when the kart is still rolling.
So go 3,2,1 then back to neutral while you’re doing 5mph or so. Practice every time you come into the pits.
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If neutral’s hard to find, check your shift linkage. If it rubs on the seat or one of the rod ends is bad, you will have poor shifting at all times.
If the clutch is adjusted properly it should be fully disengaged and the discs won’t wear from revving in neutral, but the throwout bearing will!
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Another thing you could try is to see if you can limit your body motion when trying to find neutral. For example when shifting gears it’s common for the motion to be from the shoulder and/or elbow, but if you can find a way to support a portion of your hand (by holding you hand against a frame tube, or using a couple of fingers to grip a frame tube) this can provide a fulcrum point that can allow your wrist to make finer, more repeatable, movements of the shifter knob, which might make it easier to find the ‘space’ in between 1st and 2nd gear.
^^^ this 100%. The shift lever should be close enough to the steering wheel that you can brace your palm against the wheel as you pull the gear lever into neutral from 1st.
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Thanks everyone! Very helpful as usual