Advice on track bike selection, thoughts on an EX 500?

[BlackMarketBikez]

Hi, I am joining NESBA this spring to do trackdays, and I would love some advice or tips. I have a lot of on road riding experience on many different bikes, but have never been on the track. I currently ride an 06 speed triple as my main road bike. I got an 02 Ninja EX500 very cheap and was thinking about using it on the track because it is practically free. I was told by many people that SV 650s make excellent track bikes and was thinking of trying to get a salvage titled one. I was just hoping some experienced members out there could offer some advice on track bike selection, and if I enjoyed it, (which i'm sure I will) I was thinking of going into amateur racing once I got some experience and was wondering if there was a race class strictly for 500's like the Ninja and GS 500. I figured I could learn to race on a slower bike and refine my skills and then apply them to a faster bike. Would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks

 

[lemondrop]

wowowowowo......just take speedie on the track.....blow by everyone in the twisties


hopefully, ya don't have the baby poo green one

 

[Katie785]

The sv is a perfect track bike. I would look into getting one of those - they are inexpensive both to own, and to repair. They also don't burn through tires nearly as quickly as your average 600 or 1k

There are a bunch of guys racing the 500s. I think they race them in the vintage class, but honestly I don't know. If you read the org's rulebook that you're planning on competing in eventually, you'll get a better idea of what classes you can run.

Welcome! See you out there! (as soon as this darn snow stops falling!!!)

 

[rk97]

I started on (and still own) a '97 EX500, and went out and bought a '93 F2 trackbike if that tells you anything...

There are a lot of things to like about the EX:

- cheap on tires. really cheap. like 1 rear should last 10+ TD's cheap.
- really easy to find (stock) parts
- www.ex-500.com
- did we already say cheap?

and some draw-backs...

- race and performance parts aren't super easy to find (namely rear shocks - I literally bought the F2 because putting a $400 used Penske on my EX just seemed silly)
- The stock clip-ons are WAY high. Woodcraft's lowered risers help a lot, but it's still not easy to get great body-position
- at least 20 hp less than an SV, and heavier... top speed is 120 if you've got a tail-wind. I'd gear a track-only EX -1/+2 though. the guys who race them claim top speed is still the same, but you actually need 6th gear to hit it - redline in 5th will get you to terminal velocity with stock gearing.
- limited rubber selection. stock rubber is 110/130. You can pinch a 120/150 combo onto the EX rims without a ton of trouble, which gives you the options to run Pilot Powers, or Dragon Supercorsas if you're going to race, but there's nothing great in the stock size.

So yes, tracking your EX will be cheap, but being competitive on it will be a journey into expensive modifications. As someone told me "I would have to think the suspension will limit you before you even get out of "B" Group."

it's a poor craftsman who blames his tools, but moving from the EX to the F2 was a ridiculously dramatic change. Everything just feels more natural on a more sport-oriented bike.. Moving from your Triumph to the EX may have the opposite effect; it'll feel harder than it should.

if it were me - you said 2002 EX500, right? Sell it for $2k in the spring, and buy a mid 90's 600, or a first gen SV with all the track parts on it already. Definitely the SV if you want to race. If you're set on racing a 500, go to that EX site i linked above and trade for a race bike straight up. You'll save yourself a lot of money.

I think it was Buck who said this to me, but "the EX500 was the original SV650 - it's what everyone started on when they wanted to get into racing." Kind of makes the EX irrelevant these days. But i still love mine for street riding. if you keep it, it makes an SV (or an old honda) feel that much faster on weekends.

 

[Rick Johnson]

Lots will say SV650 is a great track bike.I have not ridden one so I can't
really say it is or isn't.The 600 is a great all around track bike.Good power
and you can beat guys on 1000's with some decent cornerspeed.I only
own Yamaha's but many say the R6 is a great track bike.I really like mine.
If you got the money I would suggest a 04 or newer bike but something
alittle older will work also.I would stick with something that is fuel injected though.
Maybe before you buy a track bike take the EX500 to the track and see if you
enjoy it first.Good luck!

 

[Sklossmonster]

Great response by rk97, I would add that the newer you can go with your purchase the easier parts are going to be to find. Similarly, the more common the bike (ie R6, GSXR, etc) the more parts available online and in the pits.

One more thing to consider is how much you weigh. An SV is a great starter bike, but not for some of the bigger riders, especially someone over 200 lbs, there's just no getting around the whole horsepower-to-weight ratio thing, and SVs are a lot more fun to ride when you only weigh 120 lbs.

I'd recommend a used late model 600 myself. One of the most important elements of learning how to ride fast safely is having a properly suspended track bike, and any modern 600 will have a fully adjustable suspension that can easily be resprung to your weight.

And one more thing, DON'T SKIMP ON SAFETY GEAR. A lot of beginners don't fully understand the value of good safety equipment, but top of the line full-on race gear costs a lot less than a trip to the hospital with a broken ankle. Chest and back protectors are a must, and make sure your helmet is fitted properly for the track (very snug).

Good luck with everything, and congratulations on entering the most exciting thing many of us have ever experienced.

Welcome

 

[BlackMarketBikez]

Wow, thanks for the response, I didn't expect to get that big of a response that was so thorough! Well I have some pondering to do, however I think I will more than likely be leaning towards the SV650, because I am afraid I will become bored on the little ninja. Also, once I have something set up for the track and become used to its characteristics it would be nice to not have to switch to something else right away and get used to that. By the way I am only 5' 4" and 118 lbs so I think any 600 would have all the power I'd ever need on the track. I was reading WERA's rulebook and looking at racing classifications and from what I could gather the SV650 would race in the lightweight twins category, could anyone tell me if that is correct? Thanks again