Anybody Regret Leaving the street?

[sti2.5ldohc]

Hello,

I have noticed that quite a few of track riders had given up riding on the street entirely. This is mainly due to it doesn't supply the same rush and is more dangerous. Right now I have a GSXR750 trak bike and cbr1000rr street bike. The more frequently I attend the track I seem to hardly ride my street bike anymore. I am contemplating giving up the street but am a little fearful of regretting my decision.

Have most of you that have given up the street regret their decision at times?

Thanks for any input
-Joshua

 

[vice]

I put lights on my track bike. Probably ride it on the street once a month... if that

 

[virtualsolitude]

Ha, sounds like you have the 'bug'. I'm contemplating this right now, too. Fellow track riders have mentioned, in passing, that they gave up street riding (there may have been some conversation threads about this in the past).

I dunno. Just today I wanted to ride my bike on the street just to be on my bike (I am using my street bike for track, but that's another topic).

Short answer? I'm not ready to give up street yet, for various reasons (and I need a track bike). I like the speed, any weather, and non-defensive driving (riding) on the track.

- O

 

[borislav]

Absolutely NOT!
Quit riding on the street a couple years ago and never looked back!

 

[CBRtist]

I think it will become a natural transition for you when you are ready. My husband has one of each. I was *told* it was so we could ride together on an occasional ride date. However, I'm seeing more adjustments being made to it for the track than it doing actual street time. At some point I'll let him know he has TWO track bikes in the garage and is fooling no one. :argh:

As for me, I'm not ready quite yet. It saves me gas on longer commutes/errands and gives me some alone time.

My advice would be get a ruler and measure the dust on your street bike. If it's more than 2 centimeters, I say get rid of it

 

[erick1670]

I just went for a ride yesterday, first street ride in 18 months, and I have to say that I enjoy it quite a lot. But when I had my other bikes I rode street once or twice in a month.

I think if you do many days at the track in a year, like 2 per month in a 7-8 month a year. Riding that much the only thing you'll miss is when is the next track day, but if you do 3-5 days in a year, then you'll need the occational street ride, like I did

 

[Slow Steve]

I have a beautiful R1 collecting dust in my garage. Haven't ridden it in almost 4 years other then around to neighborhood to make sure it still runs. I don't miss street riding in the least. I was actually more nervous on the street then the track. No soccer moms on the track talking on their cell phones. sorry soccer mom's. No regrets.

 

[Oldmxer281]

Still ride street whenever possible but do not ride sport bike on street and have no desire to go fast on street. I treat it like a video game where you are assuming everybody is going to pull out in front of you or do something stupid. Still enjoy it as much as ever.

 

[Spork]

I gave up street riding 4 weeks ago . There is no rush or enjoyment on a Sport bike on the street . I may in the future pick something up more comfortable like a cb1000r or hypermotard with an upright seating position but who knows , i dont have any plans .

 

[griffonrider]

Oldmxer281;279130 wrote: Still ride street whenever possible but do not ride sport bike on street and have no desire to go fast on street. I treat it like a video game where you are assuming everybody is going to pull out in front of you or do something stupid. Still enjoy it as much as ever.

:agree:
I still ride on the street but I also don't ride a sport bike on the street. I truly enjoy the rush of adrenaline that comes from track riding but I also need the "two wheel therapy" of lonely country back roads. I also use my Harley for commuting to the shop when I can. I rationalize this with gas mileage and it is more fun than my truck. Street riding is definitely more dangerous than the track IMO but age and orthopedic surgery have calmed me down quite a bit. I doubt I will ever quit riding on the street. I'm just a whole lot more aware of my surroundings and I never underestimate the idiocy of my fellow drivers.

 

[adotjdot]

After my first track day I had my street bike sold within 2 weeks and haven't ridden on the street since. That was almost 5 years ago. I used to do everything from commuting to weekend rides to long road trips. There are certain things I miss about just hopping on a bike and going out for a nice ride on the back roads on a nice day, but honestly, when I do get those days I am typically spending them with my family on a day trip somewhere. When I started riding at the track it gave me back what I had lost riding on the street, that thrill and enjoyment of riding a motorcycle. Will I ever ride on the street again? Maybe. But under very different conditions from the way I used to ride. I could see myself doing a long adventure touring trip or tooling around on an old classic, but nowhere in the near future. I am definitely getting everything out of riding that I want right now from track days.

As far as risk, I would have to agree with the general consensus that riding at the track is safer. Just too many unknowns and too much unpredictability on the street. That also played a big part in me moving away from street riding. Especially when I was commuting. I became a moving target.

 

[ett]

I never gave up street riding. Been riding for 30+ years.
Owned a motorcycle several years before I bought an automobile.
Only bought my first automobile; an old Dodge ambulance - B300 van; because it was too impractical to ride my motorcycle to the track to race it.
Average 30k miles per year on the street.
Last motorcycle; a 2000 GSXR-750; had 258k before I hit a deer in late 2011.
(Stupid forest rats ! Lost count of how many deer I've hit while on two wheels.)
Replaced it with a new Moto Guzzi Griso 1200 8V. 1-1/2 years later it has 46k miles.
I hope the day I give up street riding; men in white coats show up to take me to the insane asylum.

 

[Pseudolus]

For me it's all about time management. With the full days I spend at the track, I just don't have the time to also ride on the street. But then again, if I had more time, I'd ride more track days!

Thus far, I'm not convinced that riding the track is safer than the street, but I believe crashing at the track is generally safer than on the street. That's what finally killed it for me. When I ride the street, I see nothing but the things that are going to seriously damage me if I do crash (trees, guard rails, concrete barriers, telephone poles etc...).

I got some good ideas from this thread though. May pick up a motard or cruiser in a few years....

 

[Spork]

Pseudolus;279159 wrote: I see nothing but the things that are going to seriously damage me if I do crash (trees, guard rails, concrete barriers, telephone poles etc...).

I got some good ideas from this thread though. May pick up a motard or cruiser in a few years....

Thats the way i looked at it , if i lose it what is my fragile body gonna hit , along with the potential to get run over buy cars and trucks in the process.

 

[Greg ZX6R]

Rode 8 years on the street with a group that included Bo and Steve, and have only ridden my ZX9 on the street twice in the last year or so, though I won't sell it. It's paid for, doesn't take up that much room in the garage, and if I ever do want to go for a ride, it's there. That said, the arrival of my son some time ago limits most street riding opportunities. Now if Steve would ever get that R1 back on the street, I'd have someone to ride with.

 

[D-Zum]

ett;279155 wrote: Last motorcycle; a 2000 GSXR-750; had 258k before I hit a deer in late 2011.

That's just freakin' impressive.

 

[andykurz]

^ this.

On topic, I gave up riding on the street out of pure fear. Too many close calls, friends killed, etc. Nobody pays attention on the road anymore - especially in the world of smartphones.

In short: I miss it a lot, but don't regret it.

 

[yohoho]

Types of Riding...

I got hooked after my first track day, and a lowside and bike tumble later, my street bike became the track only bike. But I missed riding on the street so just picked up a Harley for cruising around. I didn't really like riding the R6 on the street knowing what it could do and how the law prevented me from opening it up. But the Harley lets me cruise slow, and the wife can jump on no problem.

I definitely recommend getting a cruiser or duo sport to drive to work, beach, mountains ect. Just don't get confused with GP shift :doh:

 

[JimmyW]

D-Zum;279225 wrote: That's just freakin' impressive.

What he said :wow:

 

[Slow Steve]

Greg ZX6R;279219 wrote: Rode 8 years on the street with a group that included Bo and Steve, and have only ridden my ZX9 on the street twice in the last year or so, though I won't sell it. It's paid for, doesn't take up that much room in the garage, and if I ever do want to go for a ride, it's there. That said, the arrival of my son some time ago limits most street riding opportunities. Now if Steve would ever get that R1 back on the street, I'd have someone to ride with.

Don't see that happening ant time soon. Not with a 50% increase in health insurance premiums if I do. R1 may become backup bike.