I want a track bike... Need Suggestions

[Superbird]

Im going to get my racing lisence preety soon. And i really dont want to race the bike that i ride around in. I dont know if i should get another 600 or a 750 or a 1000. And what bike are you guys partial towards?

[stevie c]

In a recent test in the UK,a bike magazine had the pick of all the sportsbikes,12 of them in all.
The Gixer 600 had a faster lap time than everything else including its bigger brothers,the 750 and the thou., as well as blades,zx10r's etc.

[Clint]

You'll be faster and learn to be a better rider on a 600.

[87gsxrnut]

The Gixer 600 had a faster lap time than everything else including its bigger brothers,the 750 and the thou., as well as blades,zx10r's etc.

That doesn't mean s**t.


SV 650

More fun to learn on, and still has some HPs to have fun. It is also light enough to teach you how to develop some corner speed. Also more forgiving than the bigger fours.

Believe me, you race a 600 four and you will be in what we call the "super-squid" class. Lots of too-overhyped Mladin wannabees. That class usually attracts a lot of crashes, bad passing, questionable judgement, etc.

I learned on a 250.

My advice is to get a bike that is already an ex-racebike. Maybe a couple of years old.

You'll thank me later.

Racing is a LOT of WORK and is a way of life. You live it and breathe it even when you are not at the track. It takes a LOT of time and a decent amount of money (usually) as well. Make sure you have everything in order financially and mechanically/gear-wise etc. before you start the season so that you can FINISH the season. I would also do a few trackdays before getting out there to race in competition if you haven't already. Find a racing mentor as well.

- Nut

[Superbird]

I already have a full 1 piece race suite. Im not going to compete for some time just have like a year of pratice on some diffent tracks around where i live. Rofl i was looking at the RS 250 or a rs 125 but its just as fast as my 600 i herd.

Iv been looking for some used race converted bikes.

what was the 250 that u used to pratice on?

[stevie c]

Originally Posted by 87gsxrnut

That doesn't mean s**t

- Nut

Charming!

[87gsxrnut]

Just trying to reinforce the fact that reviews in a mag aren't going to mean a darn thing to a novice racer. There are a million other things to think about besides that.

Yeah, our KFGs in the AFM can run up a class on a 600 and kick-a**, but the average or new racer needs something to LEARN on first. A lot of racers I know started out on bigger bikes, but didn't get much faster because they developed bad habits. It took time and some good mentoring for those racers to eliminate those habits. Granted, there are guys who can just start racing on anything and really wail, but they are the exception to the rule.

Starting out on a smaller, slower bike forces you to concentrate on the fundamentals of racing. Not worrying about trying to blast past another guy on the straight, but developing corner speed, braking, etiquette etc. (among MANY other things). Slower bikes are more forgiving too.

I raced a Ninja 250, not an Aprillia Sloooow in retrospect, but as I got faster, heh, heh, I was passing guys in the corners on Gixxer and Yami 750s and 1K's. Now THAT was cool! Pissed them off too.

Dave who has those 2-stroke bikes in the other post will tell you, they are a lot of maintenance. I have several friends racing the RS bikes. Cool stuff, and one dude is hella fast! It is great seeing him BEAT GIXXER 1K's at Thunderhill in CA, a KNOWN HP track! So those bikes have the ability, but the rider is what counts. If you go the RS route, make SURE you have an idea on how to rebuild that motor and do all the maintenance. Get the tools for her too.

That is why I suggested a torquey, smaller 4-stroke. Less headaches and more seat time. Seat time is what you need now, and lots of it.

- Nut

[stevie c]

OK mate,but Superbird gave 600,750 and 1k as choice options so I picked the smallest and most forgiving.

[Superbird]

I know i raced cars and i have alot of humility when it comes to the race track. I really want to get my lines in the corners down and improve on down shifting and breaking. with the 250 kawasaki you think that i would be able to pratice all of that and still have the power to go on the srt8 aways?

One of the main things is i want to push my limits and i know you raced before so ill take ur advise. I want to be scared for a while on the track and then go faster and faster. Dont you think a 250 is a little to small? I mean how long will i be on the 250 before steping up like to a 600? If i can learn on the 600 then i push my self even harder.... I think that i will hit the limit of the 250 way to fast..... thats all.... can i get ur opion on that?

[Phease]

Did my first track day on a zxr400, fine bike to learn on for track applications (even though it's a bit small for my height). There was some guy there on a vfr400 as well that he had modded for the track, he was quicker than some of the newbs on 600's!

[inspiron]

You'll learn more about shifting and braking on a 250 than you would with a 600. The 250 has little torque, so you need to be in the right gear to get out of the corners quickly. A 600 or bigger bike has alot more torque, so you can exit the corner in 2nd, 3rd or 4th, and still keep moving.

I agree with 'Nut - start with a small bike, learn to squeeze every ounce of performance out of it, then consider moving up to the MotoGP class. No one started their career in the MotoGP ... they all started with 125's and 250's, then moved up through the ranks to the MotoGP when they were good enough.

If Rossi and the others started small, why do you think that you can jump in at the top?

[Trapper]

You could probably get a 250 for a song too. Then sell it to the next guy who wants to learn.

[87gsxrnut]

I know i raced cars and i have alot of humility when it comes to the race track. I really want to get my lines in the corners down and improve on down shifting and breaking. with the 250 kawasaki you think that i would be able to pratice all of that and still have the power to go on the srt8 aways?

One of the main things is i want to push my limits and i know you raced before so ill take ur advise. I want to be scared for a while on the track and then go faster and faster. Dont you think a 250 is a little to small? I mean how long will i be on the 250 before steping up like to a 600? If i can learn on the 600 then i push my self even harder.... I think that i will hit the limit of the 250 way to fast..... thats all.... can i get ur opion on that?

You are totally missing my point, and your thought process is totally misguided. Stepping up? That is crazy talk. Think about mastering your bike, mastering your skills. Maybe you should spend some time at the track as a turn worker first. Go out there and WATCH, ask questions, talk to racers, LEARN about it a bit. Then you can make a more informed decision on which bike you want to purchase.

You will NEVER hit the "limit" of the Ninja 250, I'll tell you that now. I know several 250 racers that ran faster lap times than many riders running bigger bikes at Infineon. That includes 600s, 750s and 1000s. There might not even be a class in your area for those. Maybe a 400 might be the choice due to the class structure (what is the organization out there? CCS? WERA? A local club?) I know the 600/650 twins classes are pretty popular across the U.S., that is why I suggested it.

You need to do some research and get on a local message board for the racing organization in your area. Start LEARNING. It is all about LEARNING and pushing YOURSELF, not beating the other guy. Don't worry about the straights. Power should have no meaning when you are first starting out.

And BTW, racing cars and bikes are NOT THE SAME THING, NOT EVEN CLOSE, so get that out of your head too.

- Nut

[jaydog19833]

Hands down.....Ninja 500. Cheap, easy to maintain and a powerful enough bike until you get really serious.

[Superbird]

ill look up the ninja 500

[87gsxrnut]

Ninja 500 is also a great choice. 500 Twins baby!

- Nut

[Freakinout]

Originally Posted by 87gsxrnut

Ninja 500 is also a great choice. 500 Twins baby!

- Nut

[LayinLo]

I got a GS 500 for sale...

[Superbird]

I forgot you had one of those.... how much were u asking for it again?

[Trapper]

You've got til Sunday.