Track bike

[Miztaziggy]

Now that Sarah's bike is sold I am going to buy a track bike.

Must be 1000cc ish and relatively modern for no more than £2500 or £2000 ideally, something I don't mind binning.

My thoughts are:
Storm with modified front suspension
zx9
R1
Gsxr k1
Aprillia RSV


Anyone here got any tips as to what to buy?

Also should I buy a preused track bike, or a road bike and convert to track bike myself? Existing road bikes are more expensive but at least not a write off etc....

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[lloydie]

Get a cbr900rr blade :-) drop a 17" front wheel in and away you go :-)

[popkat]

ZX9 porky old bugger
Early R1's run wide, fork offset
GSXR K1/2 poor brakes
Aprilia RSV expensive if it blows

I've spent a lot of time on track, racing and trackdays. If I had to choose a 1000cc bike in that price range i'd be searching for a GSXR1000K3 or 4, both the same but the K4 has cheaper two pad front calipers (K3 has 4 pads per side). Put a 4mm spacer under the top shock mount, fit some sticky tyres and go have some fun.
They tend to go for £2800-£4000 but you will find one in your budget if you search hard and make some offers.

[Miztaziggy]

ZX9 porky old bugger
Early R1's run wide, fork offset
GSXR K1/2 poor brakes
Aprilia RSV expensive if it blows

I've spent a lot of time on track, racing and trackdays. If I had to choose a 1000cc bike in that price range i'd be searching for a GSXR1000K3 or 4, both the same but the K4 has cheaper two pad front calipers (K3 has 4 pads per side). Put a 4mm spacer under the top shock mount, fit some sticky tyres and go have some fun.
They tend to go for £2800-£4000 but you will find one in your budget if you search hard and make some offers.

What do you mean about the r1 running wide and fork offset?

Also what will 4mm spacer do to the k3? Where do you mean under top shock mount, you mean shock on back or forks?


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[lloydie]

If you really want to have fun on a track day get a rvf 400 if your not to tall . They are great bikes and you will be surprised just how fast they are .
Cheap to run too

[darkember]

Why do you need a 1000 you will rarely get it into 4 rth. I would prefer something like an SV 650. BTW doesn't Sarah have anything to say about it

[Miztaziggy]

If you really want to have fun on a track day get a rvf 400 if your not to tall . They are great bikes and you will be surprised just how fast they are .
Cheap to run too

I think it has to be a 1000cc to be honest. I really loved being able to come out of corners and use the power to blast past loads of bikes.

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[lloydie]

Yes that's nice but passing them mid bend better :-) anyone can fire it down a straight but a track day is all about corner speed (so I'm told)

[Virt]

1000cc bikes are only good, ideally, for long circuits with straights. General consensus is that they're too heavy and 600's are better in terms of power:weight.
That said my bro just got his fzr 400 for the track and reckons it will be incredible

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[popkat]

Spacer on top rear shock mount, like we do to the firestorms to raise the rear of the bike a little, it's what Suzuki did for track tests and it works.

Early R1, race bikes used different yokes to alter the fork offset, as std they tend to run wide, hard to hold the line.

As I said best choice in your budget for a 1000cc bike is K3/4. If you didn't go 1000cc then a steel frame cbr600 is a very good track bike and well within your budget, SV650 as mentioned is a very good choice too.
To get the most pleasure on track is to work on corner speed, you don't need big power to go fast, Last year I raced an old yam XJ600 from the eighties (50-60hp) and it was a real buzz holding it as close to flat out as possible wherever possible. eg, you've just done Cadwell, on the XJ the first corner is taken with throttle wide open in 5th gear, these old 600 lap in under 1m 50s. This year i'm on an 1100 and although I've not been out on it as much it isn't as satisfying although the lap times are faster. Imo learn on something you can use the power on and work on the corners

[popkat]

1000cc bikes are only good, ideally, for long circuits with straights. General consensus is that they're too heavy and 600's are better in terms of power:weight.


Sent from my GT-I9505

No, a 1000cc bike will be faster even on a short circuit, it's having the ability to use the bike to it's potential. But when learning or new to the track it's easier to learn on something smaller and less intimidating. Some riders can get the best out of a 600 but never master a 1000, others do though.

[slower110]

Shame I've just sold my storm, my original intention was to track it.. but that's another story. Had blade front end as well. Gave it away compared to what you are willing to spend.

[8541Hawk]

IMHO the best all around "track day" bike of the type it sounds like you are looking for would be a GSXR750

[Tweety]

1000cc bikes are only good, ideally, for long circuits with straights. General consensus is that they're too heavy and 600's are better in terms of power:weight.


Sent from my GT-I9505

No, a 1000cc bike will be faster even on a short circuit, it's having the ability to use the bike to it's potential. But when learning or new to the track it's easier to learn on something smaller and less intimidating. Some riders can get the best out of a 600 but never master a 1000, others do though.

Well... Give me decent 600, and you can pick any 1000cc bike you like... I'll even give you a headstart... Unless the track is two long straights, I will catch you...

They are as fast, not faster... It's still the laws of physics that applies...

[agentpineapple]

depending on your size, I wouldn't rule out a zx636r, fast enough for most tracks, Japanese so it'll have reliability. I base my decision on nothing what so ever.....