Loss of traction in 5th gear.

Hi guys,

I took the Pani (base model) to the track a few days ago. The bike feels glued to the ground in the turns and coming out of the turns. The problem is on the final straight I get up to fifth gear and the traction control starts working (around 250 kph) and the bike stops accelerating. I have set sag on the front and rear to 35 mm.

Front compression: 10
Front rebound: max (second set of marzocchi forks, these never work as they should)

Rear compression: 10
Rear rebound: 10

The shock link is set to flat.

I had to leave the track before I could do any adjustments on the shock settings to see if it makes a difference. There was a riding school that had booked the track for the next day.

I will do some experiments once I get back but in the mean time if anyone has any ideas or experience with such behavior I'd be really grateful for any tips.

I also ride an S1000RR and have never had any issues with it. Accelerates to about 270-280 kph and no problems with the front or rear. For the record both bikes have stock gearing.

Spinning up at 250 km/h . Sounds like a electrical issue

At what setting is your traction control at? It is strange that the traction control is not interfering in the lower gears. Sounds like either a problem with your traction control or you are having fun with us?

I'm not kidding . I will film it with the camera next time. The bike is in race mode, traction control is set to 1.

Maybe check the sensors

The traction control is not interfering in the lower gears and your Panigale is spinning its rear tyre in 5th gear at 250 km/h rather than lifting its front wheel? Weird. What tyres are you using?

Still using the stock tires Supercorsa SP. Bike is pretty new 3000 km.
It's a complete mystery that spin up, nobody at the track had any good idea. Some said
something in the rear might be loose, other said the front lifts (no it doesn't in 5th even though I wish), others said electrical issue.

By the way the bike lifts like a crazy animal in first and second gear no problem.

I will go to the dealership and ask them to check the wheel speed sensors. Ask them if they have an idea. Very strange.

It's a long shot, but I've had this happen at tracks that have painted stripes on the straights, even metal plates sometimes. Different bike though.

How bumpy is the straight?

I was in a few racecars that, with high downforce setups, would chirp the tires eveery time we cross any ripple in the pavement all the way down the straight. Bikes have terrible aero just like a high downforce setup would.

Might actually be a suspension setting.

There is a painted line on the finish and the slide happens right there or maybe a little further not quite sure. I don't feel it being bumpy, on the BMW it feels perfectly level. My money is on the shock settings or a wheel speed sensor error.

Thanks guys. When I figure it out I will update this thread.

It turned out to be incorrect shock sag. My rear sag was way too much 38mm, not the 35 I thought it was (which is still too much). Reduced it to 30mm the spin up problem is gone. In case anyone is still wondering .