1000 on the track

BLARNEY

BLARNEY

Member
It's not that 1000's are BAD on the track... .the new ones are quite good.


The trouble is.....as a learning track rider you are addicted to throttle and
brakes ... even if you don't know it yet. The thousand FEEDS the addiction
by doing what it does......accelerate and build lot's of speed. The next corner
rushes at you and scares you a little ( or a lot ) so you jam on the brakes
which unsettles the bike, saps confidence and keeps you from building
entry speed.


With a 600 or an SV650 ( or 749s :) http://tracktalk.nesba.com/showthread.php?t=623 )
your entry speed is not as fast.... you have more time to THINK without PANIC
and begin to learn to trust and build your entry and midcorner speed.


It's not that you cant do that on a 1K..... it's just harder to learn how to do it on a 1K.


The faster I go, the less bike I want to ride.



Tom
 
HerbigCBR

HerbigCBR

New Member
:agree: What he said. I rode a 1000 on the street for awhile and then did 2 years of regular trackdays on it. I learned a lot on it, BUT this year I picked up a SV650 and feel like I have learned more on it in just a few trackdays than I did the previous 2 years with the 1000. Although I have never crashed either bike, the SV gives me a lot more confidence... like most ppl say, "Its more fun to ride a slow bike fast, than to ride a fast bike slow." That doesn't mean you have to sell you 1K and get a different bike for your first trackday to get your feet wet though. Just my $.02
 
G

gcutchen

New Member
I started on a 600 and then moved up to bigger bikes and last year moved back down and started racing an SV650. Knowing what I know now I regret not having started on an SV. I have had more fun and learned more on the SV than on any of my previous bikes.

A lot of riders think they need the hp, but reality is that in a lot of cases riders on the smaller bikes are actually running better times than guys on the bigger bikes.

It's fine if you want to start on a 1000 but I would ask that you be respectful of the smaller bikes while you are learning. If you are getting passed in the corners don't just blast back by them on the next straight only to get passed again in the next turn. Try following them for a while and use that as an opportunity to work on your cornering skills. Anybody can roll the throttle in a straight line but as others have already said, the key to speed and good lap times is all about how you manage the corners from entry to exit.
 
6

696triumph

New Member
If you dissect a lap around the track into time spend on turns and straights, you'll find way more time spent on the turns. Faster in the turns = faster lap times.

Having a slower bike (especially a 250 or SV650) forces you to learn how to brake late and turn faster. Those skills come in handy when you move up to a 600 or 750. Most of the people I've met with Aprilia 250s have came off of liter bikes, and have never looked back. I think that speaks volumes right there.

I've found that riding my faster bike turns straights into 'holly sh*t, how am I gonna stop this thing in time' moments, vs. my slower bikes that give me time to think about brake markers and turn points.

Plus, it's cool as Hell to out brake a 1000 and pull away out of a turn on something with 100 less horsepower :D Especially in the rain:D:D
 
Matt

Matt

New Member
I'm another one of the "dudes with a jiggy thou" that came to the track thinking it'd be a breeze on my street bike.

one crash and I knew I needed something smaller. I got an R6, now my 600RR. I should have still gone smaller.


If you haven't already, come out and have some fun on the 1k, but if you do more than 2 or 3 get a dedicated track bike.. I really suggest a 600 smaller.
 
PJZOCC624

PJZOCC624

New Member
I just went from my 04 1000RR to a GIX6 and am glad I did. The RR was my street/track bike. Sold it this summer and went to a track-only 600. I'm very happy with the decision. Not that the RR was a bad track bike, but it was a bit portly (like its' rider) and as time went on I got tired of having to muscle it through the tight, technical sections. I'm glad I went to the 6 - its much more flickable and I'm finding I'm going faster on it than I ever did on the 1K. Its taken me 4 track days to get comfortable on it, but now Im into a good groove on it. I do think the 1K helped with throttle control and being smooth on the brakes. If you keep the 1K, definitely do the brake lines and pads, and stiffer springs up front. If/when you do make the switch to a 6, you'll have fun figuring out a new bike and seeing the strengths/weaknesses between the two. (I did, at least....)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top