Track bike?

The place to talk about all things track riding!
User avatar
magpie
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2015 2:06 pm
Location: Portland, OR

Track bike?

Postby magpie » Sun May 08, 2016 1:08 am

I have done one track day (and a lot of spirited riding) and am signed up for 2 more this year so far.

I have a Monster 821 and though I LOVE riding her, she's not made for the track. I did get an adjustable front end suspension kit for her and she's way better since, but still....

I've been contemplating getting a used bike for track days. It'd be nice right now to have one that could ride street too, as a backup at the least when he bike is in the shop (like now.)

Does anyone here have experience riding the CBR600RR, GSXR600, GSXR750, or R6? What were your thought processes on getting your bike? Are there others I should consider?
User avatar
Vixen
Track Ho
Posts: 38
Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2015 3:19 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: Track bike?

Postby Vixen » Sun May 08, 2016 1:35 am

Hi Magpie

An R6 is very popular at the track. You will also find it much easier and cheaper to find parts for the bike. If you have a breakdown at the track there will be plenty of people with extra parts that can help you out. You should also be able to find plenty of R6's for sale. Believe it or not, the best deal is almost always a track dedicated/prepared bike. They are usually cheaper than a street bike. Hope this helps :)
Vickie
BMW S1KR - Street (aka Husband) -- BMW S1KRR - Track (aka Boy Toy :evil: ) -- YAMAHA R3 - Track (aka Rug Rat)
User avatar
mspgirl
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2015 3:47 pm
Location: North Georgia

Re: Track bike?

Postby mspgirl » Wed May 11, 2016 6:25 pm

I have a 2006 CBR600rr for the track. I absolutely love it! I was riding a SV650 until I made the mistake of asking my 17 year old daughter if she would like to try it instead of her CBR250. The 250 was sold to buy me a track bike.

I was nervous making the transition to the 600 but it was very easy. We did a track day at Jennings and it was my first time even riding the bike. I was amazed at how easy it is to ride and how well it handled. It is completely stock by the way. I have since done 4 days and am going to NCM at the end of the month. My husband rides an R6 and wouldn't take anything for it but still did a couple of sessions on mine at Barber. I think you would be happy with either one. There are always bikes for sale on the STT forum,especially after season ends.
User avatar
trackaddict
Posts: 83
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 2:28 am
Location: Los Angeles

Re: Track bike?

Postby trackaddict » Mon May 16, 2016 1:11 am

I'm a huge GSXR fan for the track. They are SO easy to fix and get parts for. They also are made for smaller humans, so it's easier for me to touch the ground with my feet and to stretch across the tank around corners. I started with a 600 and moved to a 750.
The R6 suggestion isn't bad either. I don't fit as well on the newer models, but the older ones were extremely nimble (for me). Also extremely easy to find parts and to fix. I have found that it has been much easier to sell our track bike Yamahas than any other brand - and for what we paid for them.
User avatar
magpie
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2015 2:06 pm
Location: Portland, OR

Re: Track bike?

Postby magpie » Thu Jul 28, 2016 7:36 pm

Coming back to this topic.

What is the STT forum?

I did my second track day this past week and used my husband's 899 Panigale. It was such a different experience because she is sooo planted compared to the monster. I had just SO much fun riding it. Plus, the track has a really long front straight and it's a blast to quick shift and really haul ass down it! ;) This year we are "splitting" track days so we have someone as pit support. I am doing 2, he is doing 2 on alternate days. Because of that, the 899 works for now, but eventually we might want to run on the same day.

I am still torn. I seriously love the 899 - I am used to twins (bikes have been SV650 and the M821) but who knows - I might love the smoothness of a 600 on the track. The tricky part is - I have no idea because it's not like you can go demo a bike on the track.

Sitting on bikes in the shop without riding, I consistently feel the most comfortable on the Honda, then the GSXR, then the R6. I know that things can be adjusted to help with that.

I have no idea what the future holds. I know I will want to at least contiue to do track days. Do I get a track bike even if I only do like 3 track days a year? If I get a street legal track bike at least again I could ride it on street rides or when my other bike was unavailable....

I just don't know what to do! Thanks for reading my rambling. I'd love any input you had. - At what point did you get a track bike?
User avatar
trackaddict
Posts: 83
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 2:28 am
Location: Los Angeles

Re: Track bike?

Postby trackaddict » Thu Aug 04, 2016 8:21 pm

I got a track bike when we started to go multiple times a year and I didn't have a bike I wanted to track. I have a BMW S1000rr on the street, but just couldn't bring myself to track it... it is so beautiful. What if. So I bought a raggedy old track-only GSXR600 and a track-only R6 for the BF and had a blast. It allowed us to go to the track a LOT, and now we probably do 15+ track days a year. Before then, we were renting from CA Superbike School and only did track days with them. Of course, we upgraded track bikes a year later, but only with the assurance that we did indeed put them to use. I'm not sure it would have been worth it to only do 2-3 track days total a year. In that case, I'd definitely have bought a street bike that I felt comfortable taking to the track and just used that.

The tough decision with a street bike that is occasionally tracked is that the most fun track bikes are hell on the roads. I took my 2011 GSXR750 out on the road ONE time, and had to stop every 20 minutes because it was just so uncomfortable. If that was my street bike, I would have put it up for sale the next day! I hated it. But on track, for 20-30 minute sessions, it is my favorite bike I've ever ridden on track. I love it SO much!! And the most comf bikes on the road are fun on track, but really a different style of riding. (Like my friend on his SV650.. scrapes the pegs all the time... but not on the GSXR).

Sitting on the bikes in the shop is important. I like to make sure I can reach the ground, but also that in proper body positioning like around a corner (knee out, across the tank), I can actually stretch across. I always found the CBR seat way too wide, and the newer Yamahas are too tall. But the Suzukis have always fit so great.
User avatar
magpie
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2015 2:06 pm
Location: Portland, OR

Re: Track bike?

Postby magpie » Fri Aug 12, 2016 1:04 pm

Thanks, that is helpful!

I think we will just continue to split things this year and then see how it goes. I love riding the track, wish it were a little less expensive though.

I know what you mean about comfort in each area. My Monster is awesome on the street, fun in the twisties but I can ride for a while and be comfortable, but she is not really built for the track. Like i said, the 899 was an entirely different experience on the track (but not comfortable for me to ride all day long.) I want to keep teh 821 for the street, no question.

I have been thinking of the GSXR750.... Do you like it better than the 600 just because you can get on it more, or what?
User avatar
trackaddict
Posts: 83
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 2:28 am
Location: Los Angeles

Re: Track bike?

Postby trackaddict » Thu Aug 18, 2016 4:06 pm

I LOVE the 750. It has a lot more kick, but is the same size as the 600. So I take more 600-ish lines on the track (rather than the wider turn points of a 1000), and it is still so easy to dip into turns and control. It is so light. I started on a 600 four years ago, and it only lasted one season before I got itchy for something with a little more power.

Return to “On-Track”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest