can you point me in the right direction for an entry level track bike?

Discussion in 'Racing & Track Days' started by steven113, Feb 7, 2010.

  1. Tori

    Tori New Member

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    Thats good info Bubba. Thanks. Im still on the fence though,..... maintenance and reliability are two different animals. I realize that a tweaked 2 stroke becomes very finiky. The part i don't like is that every season, even with a stock motor, you need to tear it down. YUCK. Call me lazy, but i've enjoyed trackin' my 4 stroke for the past 3+ years and haven't done a thing to it aside from oil changes, and lube the chain. :banana: For me, thats pretty attractive.
     
  2. GreyVF750F

    GreyVF750F Member

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    Can you explain to me the difference between a track bike and a race bike? Don't you race both? Or do you just putt around and get in every bodies way with a track bike? I've been out of racing for a while and don't know all the new classes now. Do they have a "track bike" class like with cars where you go out one at a time or in small groups and can't pass? I'm sure any of those bikes will work,some are going to be more $$ or harder to get parts for that's all. Plus handling comes to mind.
     
  3. Bubba Zanetti

    Bubba Zanetti Member

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    BUY IT! BUY IT NOW DAMMIT SO I CAN LIVE VICARIOUSLY THROUGH YOU! LOL!

    I should clarify, end of season maintnance doesn't mean 'tear down'. More of a refresh liquids and if she runs right, no tear down.

    But in the end a 4 stroke, as you know, is alot less work no matter how you cut it. Even my wife has made me promise if I can ever afford a two-stroke it must be stock. Even if its free she is very against a 'tweaked' one LOL! Normally my wife has no real opinion on bike stuff, but after listening to Johns stories of failure she knows me well enough I'd be unhappy to say the least. John takes it in stride and said he knew what he was getting with his tweaked TZ. Hell one track day I see him sitting in and not going out and asked what was up? "It died" Then him and his wife just laughed. He's gotten way to use to sitting out!

    One of my favorite track memories was when he was chasing a Ducati. He rides in NESBA's A-group. You'd hear the Duc roar down the straight with the evil V-twin sound, then after the Duc the distinct 'eeeeeeeeeeee' sound. People in the pits were laughing. They were chasing each other the whole session. Talk about two different sounding bikes.

    Reminded me of Spike the Dog and his little yapping friend who runs around his feet talking a mile a minute.

    BZ
     
  4. steven113

    steven113 New Member

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    Can you explain to me the difference between a track bike and a race bike? Don't you race both? Or do you just putt around and get in every bodies way with a track bike? I've been out of racing for a while and don't know all the new classes now. Do they have a "track bike" class like with cars where you go out one at a time or in small groups and can't pass? I'm sure any of those bikes will work,some are going to be more $$ or harder to get parts for that's all. Plus handling comes to mind.

    To me a "track bike" is one that I can enjoy a weekend up of ripping it at my own pace on a track with other freinds and enthusiasts for a good time. A "race bike" however is a no holds barred make it as fast as you can to win the race and spend as much money and time as it takes to do so. I want a "TRACK BIKE"
     
  5. Tori

    Tori New Member

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    I was hoping that was a rhetorical question Steven, at least i pretended it was. Made easier to ignore.
     
  6. GreyVF750F

    GreyVF750F Member

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    Then you don't go out in a class with real racers I hope. It's bad enough racing with novices but with guys who are just back markers just wanting to have fun is dangerous for the real racers on the track. Or do you have your own class of back markers to ride around with? I guess racing has changed since I did it. Hope you don't get your ass run over or hurt anybody else. Good luck in your endeavors.
     
  7. betarace

    betarace New Member

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    I love how everyone has opinions about a good track bike, but when the time comes to come out and ride as a group on the track, everyone seems full of excuses and bu115h1t.
     
  8. Rainbow7

    Rainbow7 New Member

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    Right: go and find yourself a cheap CBR250RR. They were the best 4-stroke 250cc sports bikes ever made and there are millions of 'em, so you can always get parts. An acceptable alternative would be the ZXR250. These bikes are cheap, easy to find and easy to maintain, so it doesn't matter if you destroy them.
     
  9. reg71

    reg71 Poser Staff Member

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    yeah, the hawk was the other bike I was trying to think of and couldn't remember. they are awesome little bikes and I looked for a deal on one for years, but like the SV, it was well known how much fun they were so getting a steal of a deal on one was harder.
     
  10. reg71

    reg71 Poser Staff Member

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    Damn, I go to work for a couple days and this thread takes off... Let's break it down with a little multi-quote action...

    I think it's more a thing of having less options than being overly high priced, but I could be wrong...

    That's kind of where I'm coming from. I think about replacement parts and along those lines, I think about what bikes have been around a while and have lots of parts. That's what led me to the EX500 option when I was researching amateur racing like WERA and NESBA.

    Still, it's good to keep both ideas in mind cause the track bug might get him wanting to do a little amateur racing. Definitely important to consider because as you and I know, if you are all lumped in with liter bikes, etc, it is annoying as hell to ride around them in the corners just to get blown by in the straights and have to start over.

    You didn't get that Aprilia yet?

    Good to know...

    I've always found working on two-strokes a much easier affair than 4 strokes. I am not a mechanic by any means, but I have done a piston and rings on a smoker and didn't find it all that difficult. Just less parts to F with on a 2 stroke IMO.

    Agreed pretty much all the way around. I have quite often thought of just taking an older VFR and stripping it for the track. There is nothing quite like the feeling of whipping around the track and leaving some liter bikes dragging ass while you slip by on a 15 yr old bike. I have only been to one track day, and when we did our post ride briefing "Bike Camp" class, one of the guys in class was saying "someone on an old VFR is hauling ass out there". I don't know if he was talking about me, but there were two VFRs and the other one was Brian who was behind me. Plus, let's face it, our older VFRs have tech that was developed by racers for racing. If you can't take a VFR and ride it fast at the track, then you sure as hell don't need a big brand new racebike to get yourself hurt on.

    Aw cmon Tori... I'll help you out. I will go to trackdays with you and ride your other track bike for you. I'll even help you out with gas for the camper... Just a little longer and my schedule will be changed and we will have the same weekends off, we can all load up and head to the track and let the women cheer us from the bleachers, and then we can come back to the pits and talk shit and drink beer...

    Well, that's pretty much it. The main thing to remember is that if you have a "track bike" and just do track days, you are all lumped together in a group by your own professed riding level. EX: Class A, B, C... So, there is no CC designation. What this means to you is that if you are on a smaller lower powered bike, you are gonna have to ride harder to keep from slowing the group. Not to say the 250s are holding up traffic. By no means, there were a couple guys riding smokers during our track day in group A and the only place they got passed was in the straights. Now, in the beginner groups, where you can only pass outside, the big powerful bikes are gonna piss you off because if you ride the corners well and just about get around them on the outside, they are gonna hammer it and leave you again. But that's just a part of the fun... To me, it's much more fun to keep up on an older bike that some of those guys have never even considered a "sporty" bike.
     
  11. chomper

    chomper New Member

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    Steven your situation sounds very familiar LOL. my suggestion is to first try out a track day on your street bike in slow group get a feel for it and see if you like it. as long as your a competent street rider and you dont do anything crazy you wont crash. thats how i started i soon realized i wanted more got my race license and now I'm racing an SV and lovin it. If you just want to do track days any older cheap tracked out 600 will be a blast' older ones tend to put out less power, lots of those around and cheap!as for tires you will find lots of race takeoffs for those bikes that run 180's. tires are a big expense once you start getting fast . I chose an sv because not only is it a great bike but it can race in a different class than the super bikes, until recently they had a class of there own unfortunately Suzuki dropped the sv cup this yr because of the economy. because of that the price and demand has dropped for sv's.that said an sv runs 160' tires and its difficult to buy takeoffs for that bike so its usually new tires.If you get hooked its easy to join a racing club its a whole different mentality than a track day. difference between a track bike and race bike is not much you must run a belly pan and bike has to be safety wired. on a trackday bike you generally can run with out safety wiring and belly pan depending on the track some will even allow you run with antifreeze should check that out with your local track first.
     
  12. jay956

    jay956 New Member

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    i would also sugest a sv650 or a older 600 ss. ex250's and 500's would be great to learn on, but it depends on what tracks you want to ride. your in florida so id guess youll be going to jennings, road atlanta, roebling road, maybe up to cmp and vir. you be fine on a 250 or 500 at jennings, vir patriot, and probably cmp, but i wouldnt reccomend them for road atlanta, roebling, or the other fast tracks. the closing speeds can be dangerous, youll be topped out at 100 on your ninja 250, or a bit more on the 500, while people are blowing past you at 160.


    not only are the tires themselves less expensive, they will probably last twice as long as they would on a liter bike.

    track days my friend, track days. not racing.
     
  13. GreyVF750F

    GreyVF750F Member

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    Jay thanks for the info. Never heard of track days. They were always race days. Actually race weekends. Sounds like track days are a good way for novices to get some riding and learning in before real racing if they choose to do so.

    "some will even allow you run with antifreeze should check that out with your local track first. "

    Really!! I've never known any track that allows anti-freeze in anything that goes out on the track. It doesn't really come off the track and makes a slippery condition for quite a long time. I do know one of the biggest expenses for a track is insurance and most ins companies stipulate no anti-freeze. Yes things are a changing.
     
  14. jay956

    jay956 New Member

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    from what i understand track days are fairly new (within the last 10 years or so). you were talking about different groups, most are split into 3, beginner, intermediate, and advance. theres different rules for each group. most advance, and some int, are required to run water in their bikes. its not required for beginners because that would scare off a lot of people who are already on the wall about getting on the track. but of course once you experience a track day your willing to do anything to go back.
     
  15. RVFR

    RVFR Member

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    Wow lots of good advise, but I didn't read anyone saying an F2 or 3, lots of support can be had for a good dollar with those early 600s a good valve too, easy to get rid of if one decides it's not for them. Pretty much a good as you can get, other wise if your budget would allow hard to go wrong with a newer 600 hyper something they are all good. Yes by all means hit up the race scene web sites, lots of deals out there from those that wanted to give it a go and it didn't work out. Me I've been looking at vintage class stuff, now that's another route to go. but be fore warned there, some bikes are getting hard to get parts for. like the 650 hawk.. that and once you do find one oh my$$$$
     
  16. John451

    John451 Member

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  17. chomper

    chomper New Member

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    RVFR your right f2 -3 is a very popular track/race bike the only bad thing your more than likely running a 160 tire again. its all most impossible to find any decent take offs that size. most guys /gals running those are budget racers like me and squeeze every lap out of them. its true an sv eats less tire but not that much less than a 600 its still way cheaper running take offs just something i wished i had of considered.

    as for antifreeze
    the local track i go to encourage street riders on a track days to run water but not mandatory. if it was mandatory i think it would be impossible for them to get enough street riders out ,with out them the cost of a track days would be out of reach for most of us.
     
  18. Maggot

    Maggot New Member

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    Steven, this is all great advice here. A lot of these guys do a lot of track and have great knowledge but I would not pick a bike before I went to a few track days as a spectator. NESBA events are free for spectators. Talk to guys who attend track days at the tracks you plan on using. See what the local guys ride. Ask them how they started. See who rides well. Most of these guys would be thrilled to help you out. These guys will have the insight about most of the bikes and parts available in your neighborhood. Make friends. Talk to the riding coaches. The good guys will help you find a bike or parts and probably at reasonable prices. They know they will see you again and would be less likely to steer you wrong. Plus if your not riding track days are fun to watch and take pictures.

    My 2 cents.

    Good Luck!

    Maggot
     
  19. hoblick

    hoblick New Member

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    i picked up my track prepped 01 F4i the end of last year for $2500 from a friend
    has ohlins front suspension and penske rear, steering stabilizer... track plastics, some race tires with a few track day s left in them (for me anyway) and some

    like you i wanted to do some track days, but i didnt want the chance of my VFR going down.
    im excited to get to a track day this year!
     
  20. steven113

    steven113 New Member

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    Wow! That is exactly the kind of deal that I am going to be keeping an eye out for this spring!
     
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