Track Ho - how do you pick a good one?

[ronhix]

What do I look for in trying to determine whether a used race bike is a good deal? Do I look for upgraded suspension, etc? Does it matter what year it is? What are the important things to look for?

BTW, my budget is about 5 - 6K for the bike and all gear required to get started (leathers, trailer, etc.). Right now I am leaning toward GSXR600, R6, or F4i.

Thanks!

[Rogue6]

You might have a hard time getting quality gear and everything you might need to start out on a track for that kind of price if your looking at those bikes. Don't cheap out on the gear, that's more important then the ride. Maybe look into an older 600 that has some track mods done to it. Check out nesba.com. There is a link to there forums on there and plenty of guys are always selling off their track bikes under the classifieds.

[linuxbikr]

It depends. Are you looking to race or just do track days? If you are looking to race, I'm going to strongly advise you against the 600cc and up production-based classes. They don't call them "the Meatgrinder" for nothing. Too many novices, too little skill, too much power and testoserone. Unless you can afford to dump a ton of money into running a top-flight 600cc machine in this arena, it will be a losing proposition all around.

A much better place to go in production racing is lightweight twins. SV650s specifically. They have become the dominant serious amateur race bike. Simpler and cheaper to maintain, tons of support and in the right hands, fairly competitive. Grids tend to be less populous and the pose factor is smaller. A used, race-prepped SV will run $2-4K depending on mods. I recommend a race-prepped SV with an upgraded suspension and race tires. You honestly won't need more than that for a long while.

Can you get into it for $5-6K? Yes. To do it though, you can't spend more than $3K on the bike total. Trailer can chew up another $1000 (depending on setup), expect to blow $2K on seriously good gear and the rest on spares, a couple track days and a racing school. That will get you in the door. Then start the money clock all over again to go from there.

I'm dead serious on the gear. Your ass is more important than your bike. Spend the money to properly protect yourself. That means a decent 1pc leather suit (mine will run me $1100), race boots (Sidi all the way, $230), race gloves (take your pick, $100-$250), a CE Level 2 back protector ($300, don't cheap on this) and your favorite helmet (Arai Astral in my case with an HJC CL-14 as a backup, $500-$800 for the two). It adds up real fast. A cheap 2pc or 1pc suit will do for track days but I'd rather err on the side of safety. I'd rather replace a $1100 that didn't burn through than deal with pain of fractures or road rash from a $300 clearance suit that wasn't quite up to the task.

If you're just looking for track day fun, any older 600 will do fine. My FZR600 track bike is a clone of my street bike. I'm building it from the ground up as a fun project and I'll have spent maybe $1600 on it when it is all finisned with fairings on it. The worst that happens is I destroy the fairings in a dump and use the parts that survive as spares for my street bike. My CB750 was acquired in a trade for $50 and some beer and is strictly a track machine. $1300 will get that bike finished and ready to race complete with a full fairing, new gas tank and seat (which is where most of that cash is going). I want to have fun on it. I could easily spend $5000 on it to make it a competitive weapon but I'll deal with that as my skills advance.

Good luck.

[ronhix]

Thanks for the input guys.

Linux, I am not really looking at getting into racing right now. I've ridden on the street for over 20 years but I've never been on a track. I know it will take sometime for me to get my skills (especially corner speed) to a competitive level. Primarily, I am interested in having fun and becoming a better rider right now.

I am totally with you on the gear, I plan to get some really good leathers...probably a 2 piece I can also use on the street. Or a one piece, if really is safer. I have to go do some test fitting to see what I like and then I'll decide.

Thanks again.

More responses, anyone?

[firefighter81]

Pretty much if the bike is going to be for track duty only, visit the WERA forums and other race organization forums and look for track bikes. Most will have either a salvage title or no title, but you can get them for cheap. Get one that's already setup with a nice spares kit. I say go with the SV650S, they are excellent bikes, cheap, low maintenance, fairly easy on tires, and will really dominate on the track with a good rider.

[ronhix]

Originally Posted by firefighter81

I say go with the SV650S, they are excellent bikes, cheap, low maintenance, fairly easy on tires, and will really dominate on the track with a good rider.

Wow, it seems that everyone loves that SV650S! I guess my hesitation comes from it being a small V-Twin. I'm sure my lack of track experience is really showing here, but I have always rode bigger bikes and I am concerned about the lack of power.

Is this a valid concern? Will it even pull a wheelie?

Why would the SV650S do so well on the track when the 600SS class bikes are lighter and more powerful? Does the V-Twin torque make that much of a difference on the track?

[linuxbikr]

Lack of power? You don't understand the track then. On the street, power is fun but you aren't really using it. Getting from 0-60 a half-second quicker might be a rush but you really are not pushing the bike.

The track is a different world. The SVS and the 600SS machines compete in different classes. The SVs run in lightweight twins. The 600SS machines run in one of the Supersport/Superbike classes (depends on the org, you can bump up). And when you are on the track, you are pushing the bike (and yourself) to the 9/10ths and 10/10ths level. You don't do that on the street. The 71hp of an SV650S is a lot on the track when you are running her at peak torque constantly and hanging off the bike at 60mph in a knee-dragging turn. That torque is going to feel mighty potent then.

The second thing about lots of power and the track is this: power kills. Without the experience to handle the bike when it is being ridden on the edge, the ton of power can quickly transition you into a lethal situation. We had a rider die this past weekend at Summit Point under such circumstances. Novice racer on a big bore bike (750cc and up), came off his bike and was struck by the rider behind him. Died of his injuries on the helicopter. The crash was under braking but the big power means hard braking and he did it in the worst possible place on the track.

If you're serious about a track ho, set your lust for power aside. Track riding is about consistency and control. You get faster by getting better. I consider the FZR400 to be the best track machine going for a new track rider. However, as they are getting very rare and age is becoming an issue, a SVS makes a good production based compromise. The grunt of the V-twin will make corner riding an amazing experience (where the V-twins shine). The inline fours are straightaway whores. The twins will pass them in the turns (all things being equal) but the fours pull aways as they get the power up. GP bikes are ridden totally differently and the goal on the GP machines is to maintain cornerspeed. Loss of speed on a GP bike is a serious loss of time since they have no torque to speak of.

[ronhix]

I'm sorry to hear about the accident, that really sucks!

Originally Posted by linuxbikr

Lack of power? You don't understand the track then...

If you're serious about a track ho, set your lust for power aside. Track riding is about consistency and control. You get faster by getting better.

Thanks Linux, I needed that smack in the head! I'm scrolling all the sites I can find for a good race-prepped SV650S.

[hybrid]

If you want to go fast get a slow bike first. I started racing a long time ago and when I started I pumped money in that fucking bike like it was an investment firm. I still remember getting smoked on my 92 zx7 with about 7k into upgrades. FZR 400 would smoke me in the corners. I would get pissed and buy more shit. Then it happened, I was whining about the stupid bike and my team mate and best friend at the time told me to shut up, quit spending money cause I sucked and no amount of cash would make me not suck.

I was furious, sold the bike, went and bought a 90 FZR600 and rode that fucker till the wheels came off. With a slow bike you have to work harder to make up ground on faster stuff. The drag race from corner to corner isnt shit. You can make up the second you lost in the straight with 4 mph faster corner speed. and if you have more than two corners eventually that guy will be behind you and after that he wont be able to make up the three seconds you put on him.

Ever wonder why 600 supersport is only 2-4 seconds slower than the superbikes. 112 hp to 180hp? More hp is harder to manage and requires more skill and equipment to deal with it.

As for the gear I agree 100%. 2500 bucks aint shit compared to the cost of a skin graft or trauma visit for your melon! I buy the best shit I can afford and could care less if it gets trashed. I have destroyed enough leather to make most of us wallets. Helmets, whatever Ive thrown away enough of the $700 dollar ones and still cant complaine, I have my face still, all my teeth and can still have enough brains to type this to you. Easy enough?

[ronhix]

ROTFLMAO!

Thanks Hybrid, I needed to hear that. I am the world's worst offender of spending money I don't need to spend just to wind up sorry later!

Thanks!