Track day on your VFR

Discussion in 'Racing & Track Days' started by Big_Panda, May 23, 2016.

  1. Big_Panda

    Big_Panda New Member

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    Ive only been riding bikes on the street for a few years. Im not sure if track days on bikes are like track days with cars. Most people (in my experience) dont take their own vehicle to a track day, they come with the price of the track day. Im also not familiar with how much wear and tear itll put on my bike and tires. If it was going to eat up my tires and tax my bike heavily id rent a different bike. IDK a lot of things, and a lot of the time i dont know what i dont know so i ask questions.
     
  2. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Track days is a relatively new term. Track rental for cars, karts, and all manner of wheeled vehicles has been going on for years. This also includes rental of places like the Maryhill Loops Road in SouthEastern Washington by the SCCA and the dudes who do high speed luge. This particular "track" is not open for racing. Another exception is oval dirt tracks. The big boys who race roundy round down South rent those tracks too. The current group of tracks that are used for MotoGP, GP cars and who knows what else are also for rent for testing ect.

    What you choose to ride or drive on a trackday or other is up to you. If you have the bucks to have a bike or car just for trackdays, great. The idea here is that many dudes have one bike and that's it. Better IMO, to ride what you ride regularly than jumping on a bike that is a great bike but unfamiliar. The logic here is that it looks like you are a big guy. What if what was for rent on a track day was a 250 two stroke.

    If you are fortunate to have multiple bikes or cars then go for it. I took "Pridmore" on a Yamaha SR500. (a bit over 500). Reg rode my SR around two laps at the old SIR now PIR.. That was a school.. which again IMO is the superior learning experience than a track day.

    Bottom line? Way too many variations on a theme to get locked into one way of doing things. I know this.. I ain't ain't taking my four door Chevv to no racetrack day or an old HD trackbike that doesn't have brakes and shifts ( OMG!!) upside down and on the right either.
     
  3. Morpheus46

    Morpheus46 New Member

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    The VFR is a competent track bike and good for first timers IMHO. A well sorted chassis and good balance. The limiting factor is suspension but its a track day, not a GP, so as long as you aren't going for the track record you should have lots of fun.


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  4. Big_Panda

    Big_Panda New Member

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    FightingChance I just realized you are the same fighting chance as the one on the SoCalSportBike forums. The link you posted above is in fact the suit I bought. Thanks again man!
     
  5. FightingChance

    FightingChance New Member

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  6. Gator

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    I track a CBR 1000 and have thought of tracking my 09 VFR. The only thing that really bothers me is being leaned over and dialing in throttle out of a corner and having vtec transition happen.
     
  7. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    That scene was cut from that episode of Happy Days. Winkler was telling Howard how cool it was to share the same sleeping bag. BTW, that 56 210 has been repainted..
     
  8. Morpheus46

    Morpheus46 New Member

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    Wont happen. A common concern about vtec but few if any people have been thrown down the road by vtec kicking them off on a corner.
    In order to get a vicious enough vtec transition to cause a problem you have to be full throttle. And if you have full throttle on at any sort of lean angle, you are going to be inspecting the tarmac well before vtec gets you.
    Besides, if you are on the track you should always be well above vtec transition revs anyway. The thing feels like a slug below 6500.


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  9. Gator

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    I have to disagree to a degree. lol There are a lot of tracks with technical turns where 2 gear is to tall and 1st a little to squirrely. Sure if you want to run different gearing at different tracks you can address this to keep the bike spun up in higher rpms. Aggressive throttle out of corners could definitely lead to vtec quickly engaging and if you are nearing traction limits it could be the deciding factor if she stays upright. It just seems to me that vtec is not suited for the track, older VFR's would be much better suited. Not saying that you can't ride around vtec but for ME I think I'll just flog the 1k at the track and keep the VFR for fun spirited twistie roads and trips. I think Freddie Spencer should chime in.
     
  10. Morpheus46

    Morpheus46 New Member

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    You raise a good point there. But i have never heard of anyone coming to grief on their vfr due to vtec kicking in and spitting them into the bushes and if it was an issue, im sure it would be all over the news and honda would have changed it. Especially after some 15 years of production.
    It is a common concern but seems to have no basis in real experience.
    Perhaps we should start a poll on vtec riders. "Who has rubbed themselves all over the road due to vtec engagement mid corner"


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  11. Gator

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    Not saying you will get tossed on your head but my ass puckers enough while hauling the mail. IO don't need another pair of valves helping the pucker factor! lol
    I probably will hustle her around the track one of these days. I have been in the twisties in the mountains with the VFR and had my heart skip a beat with vtec a couple of times but nothing dramatic. I wish there was an easy mod to just keep them all working all the time.
     
  12. Morpheus46

    Morpheus46 New Member

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    Yes i am with you. I have had vtec engagement open my eyes a bit wider too. Actually i intensely dislike the vtec. I would love to get a 5th gen motor slotted into my 6th gen. I have been critical of the vtec concept since day one. And losing that beautiful gear whine is tragic.


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  13. Gator

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    Yes, nice linear V4 power and and gear driven cams.
     
  14. FightingChance

    FightingChance New Member

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    After a hundred miles on my 5th I'm kinda over the gear whine, feels like I have my head near a roots supercharger all the time.
     
  15. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

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    Round here, that counts as sacrilege!

    (I always wear ear plugs, but don't tell anyone).
     
  16. Gator

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    That actually made me laugh out loud. Can I use that in a "you know you're getting old thread". LOL
     
  17. Morpheus46

    Morpheus46 New Member

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    Maybe I should place an advertisement. "Sick of you gen5 gear whine? Lets swap engines!!"


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  18. Gator

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    Or "love vtec? Lets swap engines."
     
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