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Older rider getting into sportbikes

2K views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  blackripley 
#1 ·
Hi,
My introduction- I'm 35 years old. Been riding dirt since I was a kid. I ride 9-12k a year on a softail and weekends on a crf250x.
I am currently in the process of becoming an MSF coach for dirt and street. All of my recent exposure to different riding has me interested in getting some time on the track.
The last sporty-ish bike I had was an 02 katana 750, followed by an 05 honda 919.
I think a non-sportbike track day will be fun and beneficial...but limited in how I would like to ride.
So I've been shopping around for a good bike to begin with on the track. I think for the sake of getting time/experience on the bike, I prefer to keep it street legal. Though I have found a few good deals on track ready bikes.

Any input on the best way to approach this?
Looking at a couple F4I's and SV650's. Considering I really want to improve my cornering and handling skill I don't think I need blistering top end speed. But I'm not timid about hitting 140 on a straight.

Since I have never really ridden a newer SS I guess I'm wondering if something like a gsxr 600/750 or Honda rr is a good way to go? I know lots of folks around me like the liter bikes, but I find most can't ride them well. I'd rather be fast on a small bike than slow on a big bike :wink:

If this is all covered somewhere I apologize lol. I'm still reading through all the stickies on this forum. So thanks for any info.
 
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#2 ·
Welcome :twofinger <<<--- standard greeting

Now 1st - 35 is older????? This news SUCKS!!!! :lol

2nd - if you're looking at track days, you don't need a liter bike, so just go with a more current 600 Supersport. They're built better than the old F4i (or other models near that year). The stock suspension alone can be tweaked for track days and even racing without a single upgrade. Not to mention weight, power, availability of parts, etc.

And just pick what you like, cuz you can't go wrong with any of the current bikes. The R6 is king right now, but they're all great right out of the box and it's just a matter of what you prefer.
 
#5 ·
Hi! I was 37 when I started riding. Am now 46. :p IMO, a 600 class bike is perfect for trackdays. I know a lot of guys who downgraded just because of less worry about throttle control and faster corner speeds.

I think an F4i is plenty good for the track. And more comfortable than 90% of them. Plus, they are bullet proof. Ask Jared!
 
#8 ·
#10 ·
I triple the suggestion of finding a 600 for the track. Way more fun and you'll probably never outride the bike. If your local track has long straights, maybe 600+ would be ok, but otherwise you can throw a 600 around all day.
 
#13 ·
I like all of the recommendations for the 600 Supersports, but I will throw a wrench into this thread. If I were you I would also look at the slightly b***** V-twin sportbikes because of your other bikes. As you know twins make their power at lower RMPs so you might find your power bands easier to adjust too then having to ring the neck out of the bike, like on an R6 with a redline of 16k.
Also bikes like the SV are fun and are easy (cheep) to upgrade for the track.

Any bike you choose upgrading the suspension, breaks, and tires will make it better on the track.
 
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