Best Trackday Bike??

[ArtD]

Hi Folks, apparantly the racing bug that bit me long ago is very contagious, as it seems to have gotten into my motorcycle riding:) I want to go to a high performance riding school (I'm thinking about Freddie Spencer's school in Vegas) and then, assuming that I'm comfortable in that enviroment, want to do track days semi regularly. Notice I'm not crazy enough to acually want to start roadracing: at my age and level of experiance that would be a quick trip to someplace that I really don't want to visit! Track days will be fine. And of course I could not bear to take my gorgeous Italia out there and then lay it down. I'm going to need somthing else. My question to you guys is-what is the best bike for track days? Or perhaps I should say, whats the best bike for ME for track days? The track bike has to be (in my mind anyway) like my racecars always have been- I keep them as nice as I can, but they are going to get torn up a bit at times. Money IS an object, 25,000 dollar Duc's and MV's are out. And it needs to be somthing that a "newbie" can gain confidence on, not somthing that you need to be a racer already to get anything out of it. I'm going to be doing all the work, ease of maintainence and parts cost needs to be factored in. So dollar for dollar, what is the best bang for the buck for my situation? One of the Rice rockets? Which one and why? A Ducati? Aprilia? Buell? Perhaps a modified V11?Personally I would love to go that route, and I do feel very comfortable on my Italia. Honestly I don't see how one of our V11's can be make competitive without spending a fortune and it would still be nowhere near the sub 400 lbs 140+hp of some of the new Japanese and Italian bikes that are built for just this purpose. Maybe I should not even be thinking about figures like that. Spending 15 grand to be trounced by 8 does not add up in my book. But.....thats why I'm asking. Personal feel will be the huge deciding factor, it always is. Like everything, there is always "best/worst". and "good, better, best". There's a lot ot knowledge and experiance here in this group, and I'm old enough now to have finally realized that I don't know everything hence I acually listen and pay attention nowadays !!!

[Guzzirider]

If you want value for money then a mid 90s Yamaha YZF750 is quite a bargain if you can find a decent one.

 

I have seen a few of these at track days and they go really well, and are cheap as chips- around £1500 over here and they come with an Ohlins rear shock.

 

At that price, not a total disaster if you sling it down the road and you won't be far off the pace of a more modern superbike.

 

Guy

[Ouiji Veck]

If I was to go racing I'd race something small and cheap and fun.

350 RZ Lots of classes to race in and still competitive.

Or I'd race vintage...Guzzi O'course...it's for fun after all.

 

If it was just for track days ...I got a 94 900ss Duc that would be perfect.

You could pick one up out there for 4-5000$ in great shape.

Big grin bike like a Guzzi and bullet proof. I've put 20K on mine without

any problems and do my own valves ...they are exquizitely put togeather

and tinker toys to work on. Plus....it's a DuF$%kincati

The CBR 600...if you have the talent you can beat anyone on one of these

as well as any of the other big 4 600s . Perfect track bikes.

Get one pre-crashed for dirt cheap.

 

Power isn't the issue. Talent is everything.

I'm jelous (can you tell?) My closest track is 5hrs away.

[bigbikerrick]

Art, get yourself a honda cbr 600. they are relatively cheap, and BULLETPROOF! they are easy to ride and have comfortable ergonomics. you can buy "track ready" fiberglass bodywork such as sharkskins real cheap. the cbrs have tons of power and are real "forgiving" if you can find a fuel injected model(2001+) all the better. I have a 2001 myself that I purchased brand new and babied all its life, its a real garage queen. I put a MIG high mount pipe, and an undertail kit on it. and of course its the honda racing colors of red and black. Gorgeous bike.and it looks real pretty parked in the garage next to the V11 naked, as a matter of fact, thats all its done since I got the Guzzi, sit there looking pretty.... I dont think ive put 100 miles on it in the last year! See what getting a Guzzi does to your other bikes!

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

If you want a cheap and fun track bike, get a mid to late 90's Japanese 600 or 750. You are close to Portland and Seattle so there are lots of opportunities to ride it. If you get a 600 and then later decide you want to race then the 600 gives you the most classes to race in. However the racing in 600 amateur can be chaotic at best.

 

I havn't checked to see if there are any Battle of the Twins or Sounds of Thunder classes there but if you get a V11 and set it up for track and were to decide to race in these classes you may not have the most competitive bike but most of the racers tend to be a little more "gentlemanly". It certainly won't be cheap but it will be a lot of fun.

 

I'm looking for a V11 that I can turn into a track bike someday. It may even qualify for vintage soon!!

[dmoon64]

SV650. Lots of used ones available, and lots of aftermarket support.

 

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

Lots of fun classes to race them in too!

[badmotogoozer]

The best track bike is one that isn't yours... then you can really have some fun without worrying about wrecking it.

 

It shouldn't take you long to find an unprotected bike on the street - lots of cheap bastards out there who aren't too attached to their machines. Boost it and spend a weekend prepping it for the track and painting it (flat black of course).

 

Bonus is you can also use it for practising your stunts (boost a helmet or two while you are at it).

 

 

Rj

 

Seattle and Portland both have vintage racing (Sounds of the Past and Battle of the Twins)

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

Seattle and Portland both have vintage racing (Sounds of the Past and Battle of the Twins)

83245[/snapback]

 

There you go. Find an old Norton or Triumph and some baling wire and off you go!

[waspp]

SV650. Lots of used ones available, and lots of aftermarket support. 

 

83238[/snapback]

 

Definately the sv650, great handling bike and it has that nice v twin sound. You can find these relatively cheap and there are a ton of aftermarket and used parts out there, plus they are bulletproof. My son has one and the bike is great, cheap way to started.

 

waspp

[wheelsucker]

SV650S definetly!!!!!!!! I owned a 2001, bike was soo much fun. Very very flickable, if you switch out the forks for a pair of upside down gxr's it will be one of the best handling bikes around.

[Murray]

Providing you don't live near Hochenhiem sp? or Philip Island the best track day bike is ethier a Proddy 250 two stroke athough they are getting pretty thin on the ground. If you can't live with the seating postion or the snotty two stroke power delivery get a super motard and gear the living daylights out of it. Motards don't tend ot eat tyres and stand up to indescrsions with the bitumen a whole lot better tan most street bikes as well.

[Guest AdamofKC]

I too would also recommend an SV650. But there is also another brand you could check out. It is basically a Suzuki and it uses a similar engine, plus you can get a fully faired version for less than the naked SV650. Look up the Hyosung GT650R. It is a nice looking bike, has standard adjustable footpegs, a Suzuki GSXR600 Yoshimura exhaust fits the bike too, and it has about the same, if not a little more grunt than the SV.

 

But still, an SV would be an admirable tool to use from what I have heard. Maybe even an FZ6, Honda 599 or some of the older or less expensive ricer 600's.

[Guest trispeed]

one more for an SV650. you can make mods for cheap and have all the fun you want!

[Mike Stewart]

I was going to buy an SV650 for track use but after checking into it, you would have to do suspension mods to make the bike really fun for the track. I ended up buying a 2005 Kawasaki ZX6R which is a pure blast at the track (plug and play, no mods needed for track use). You can find them pretty cheap at the dealers, I paid $8300. out the door. This bike rails and wants to be pushed hard. 140 mph down the straights each and every lap On my second lap on this bike, my knee was dragging on the ground.

 

Just replace the stock tires with either a race compound or very, very good street/track tires.

 

Keep the rubber side down,

Mike