Beg/Int: 600 or 1000.. Track Day

[Metal]

Quick input:

Been riding for over 20 years (street only), going to hit the track day's in 2010. I currently own a GSXR 1000, but going to purchase a bike for Track Only & get it ready of next season.

Want to invest money wisely, what do you think... get another 1000 or go to a 600?

Possible, if I stay with a 1000, just convert my GSXR 1000 to a track bike & buy another daily rider....

FYI: I'm local to Little Tally & Barber.... tracks

 

[slowpoke]

I started out in 'b' on a liter bike and it was much tougher to learn on. ended up getting a 600 while in 'i' group and couldn't be happier with it. would highly reommend a 600 based on my experience riding both.

 

[Metal]

slowpoke;93661 wrote: I started out in 'b' on a liter bike and it was much tougher to learn on. ended up getting a 600 while in 'i' group and couldn't be happier with it. would highly reommend a 600 based on my experience riding both.

I see you have an 06' R6... there is a local 09' R6 available that is pretty cheap... what do you think of 09' v's other years?

 

[slowpoke]

Metal;93662 wrote: I see you have an 06' R6... there is a local 09' R6 available that is pretty cheap... what do you think of 09' v's other years?

i don't have firsthand experience with it so i couldn't say, but there are tons of R6 owners on here that will chime in.
Personally, i'd love to have a newer bike if i could afford it.

 

[Slowninja]

Pick up a 600 thats allready set up. It would cost a few thousand to properly setup your gixer. Check out the marketplace or the WERA forums. There are some pretty good deals since we are moving into the offseason.

 

[Meat]

Slowninja;93669 wrote: Pick up a 600 thats allready set up. It would cost a few thousand to properly setup your gixer. Check out the marketplace or the WERA forums. There are some pretty good deals since we are moving into the offseason.

+1 :agree: Ex-track bike or ex-race bike will save you a bunch of money.

 

[lemondrop]

Agree with all above.

I have an 07 R6 with some nice shoes and suspenders on it.

Rode the demo 09s and enjoyed that. My understanding is the only difference is the ECU update in the +08's that gives ya little more HP's....that and the bodywork gets progressively more sharp as you advance through the years.

On this board and the WERA board is where I would be searching if I were you.No sense in buying a new or like new street bike for $6-8k when you can get the same with all types of track related goodies fo the same price.

though the chrome wheels sure do look good on the track................

 

[Landshark]

08-09 had a bit more (longer forks and variable intakes) than just the ecu changes and aesthetics. You can get a Demo-ed r6 for 6500 with the MSO (no taxes) and the full year warranty. Currently you can go to Penske and have the entire suspension done for 1300. Add some clip-ons, rear sets and brakes and your set. If you wanted you could drop the stock exhaust and get a pc for another 1500. Buy the Armour Bodies kit and then sell off the stock street stuff. In a nut shell that's a new bike with a warranty full prepped for you for less than one of the showroom floor.

 

[Mr. Blindrider]

or.............you can by a track ready GSXR1000 from me.

 

[D-Zum]

I vote you get a 600.

As you become more involved in this hobby/obsession/addiction, you will probably ride the street less and less. Then, you'll convert your 1000 to ride on bigger/longer tracks like Road Atlanta and VIR Full. Or, you'll sell it.

I used to say try the track first on the bike you have, then if you like it go for another machine, but not one person I've ever met on their first track day wasn't instantly hooked/addicted.

I could make $$$ starting a 12-step program to overcome this addiction, but I don't want to be cured myself...so why help others overcome this?

Welcome....looking forward to having you join us in 2010.

 

[Metal]

D-Zum;93717 wrote: I vote you get a 600.

As you become more involved in this hobby/obsession/addiction, you will probably ride the street less and less. Then, you'll convert your 1000 to ride on bigger/longer tracks like Road Atlanta and VIR Full. Or, you'll sell it.

I used to say try the track first on the bike you have, then if you like it go for another machine, but not one person I've ever met on their first track day wasn't instantly hooked/addicted.

I could make $$$ starting a 12-step program to overcome this addiction, but I don't want to be cured myself...so why help others overcome this?

Welcome....looking forward to having you join us in 2010.

Thanks for the Word... after years of putting up with street obstacles... on & on & on... and only being an hour away from Barber, two-hours away from Road Atlannta & little Tally in my front yard.. got to get on the track N O W !

Already hard to sleep thinking about it... already running thru my veins

 

[rk97]

I vote 600 over liter bike, but it ends up being personal preference. There's certainly something to be said about having identical street and track bikes, so you can swap parts if necessary (full stock of spares at all times!). Morph started on a liter bike, no? worked out for him pretty well - so it can be done.

"investing money wisely" depends on how much moolah you've got in the first place. $6500 for the demo R6 is an awesome deal, but not everyone has the $6500 to spend (I don't think i spent $6500 on the 2009 riding season as a WHOLE, including buying a new-to-me bike).

a newer bike definitely has mechanical advantages that older bikes don't, but there are still first generation SV650's and even old Honda F2's in "A" group - so it's possible to get there on a $2,000 bike, if you put in the seat time. again, it can be done.

buying a bike that's already set up is the only way to go IMHO. why pay $6500 for an R6 with better suspension and chassis if i'm going to go through and replace that better suspension with aftermarket stuff anyway?

at what point does a well set up 2001 R6 become 'better' than a stock 2009 R6? is that even possible? what about a 2005 R6? (not rhetorical questions - i'm legitimately curious) The fact that the '01 is probably $4k cheaper is what seals it for me.

the new R6's are amazing, but when I got off the bike after my demo ride (was still tracking the F2 at the time), I remember saying, "that was awesome. great bike. I'll probably buy one in 2015 when I can afford it." Sure I was joking, but there's some truth to every joke...

how many "B" riders, or even "I" riders find the BIKE to be the limiting factor anyway?

did we mention it's largely personal preference?

 

[Metal]

rk97;93722 wrote: I vote 600 over liter bike, but it ends up being personal preference. There's certainly something to be said about having identical street and track bikes, so you can swap parts if necessary (full stock of spares at all times!). Morph started on a liter bike, no? worked out for him pretty well - so it can be done.

"investing money wisely" depends on how much moolah you've got in the first place. $6500 for the demo R6 is an awesome deal, but not everyone has the $6500 to spend (I don't think i spent $6500 on the 2009 riding season as a WHOLE, including buying a new-to-me bike).

a newer bike definitely has mechanical advantages that older bikes don't, but there are still first generation SV650's and even old Honda F2's in "A" group - so it's possible to get there on a $2,000 bike, if you put in the seat time. again, it can be done.

buying a bike that's already set up is the only way to go IMHO. why pay $6500 for an R6 with better suspension and chassis if i'm going to go through and replace that better suspension with aftermarket stuff anyway?

at what point does a well set up 2001 R6 become 'better' than a stock 2009 R6? is that even possible? what about a 2005 R6? (not rhetorical questions - i'm legitimately curious) The fact that the '01 is probably $4k cheaper is what seals it for me.

the new R6's are amazing, but when I got off the bike after my demo ride (was still tracking the F2 at the time), I remember saying, "that was awesome. great bike. I'll probably buy one in 2015 when I can afford it." Sure I was joking, but there's some truth to every joke...

how many "B" riders, or even "I" riders find the BIKE to be the limiting factor anyway?

did we mention it's largely personal preference?

My dilemma: I can get into an 09' R6 w/salvage title that was dropped at a dealer with less than 5 miles on it for a hair under $4000... but all stock.... verses ..... buying a setup R6 that is ready-to-race.... as being mention

 

[Slowninja]

Metal;93724 wrote: My dilemma: I can get into an 09' R6 w/salvage title that was dropped at a dealer with less than 5 miles on it for a hair under $4000... but all stock.... verses ..... buying a setup R6 that is ready-to-race.... as being mention

That seems like a pretty good deal if you NEED to have an 09. Figure another 2,000 to rig the suspension and bodywork. If you look around you can find 04-06 bikes all set up for 4,000 though.

 

[Metal]

Slowninja;93741 wrote: That seems like a pretty good deal if you NEED to have an 09. Figure another 2,000 to rig the suspension and bodywork. If you look around you can find 04-06 bikes all set up for 4,000 though.

Remind me this is a Good Problem to have!

 

[Trent1098S]

Don't do what I did. I spent a lot on a Ducati 1098S for the street, and decided a year later that "I'd like to try this baby out on a racetrack to see what it's all about." Once I got my track plastics (3rd track day) it never went back on the streets again. Aaaand.. I got to find out how wonderfully expensive the bike was to make in to a decent track bike and maintain. Everything is 2x as expensive for a Ducati.

So I bought a gixxer 1000 used that was FULLY set up for racing, for 1/3 the price of my 1098S. I don't have to add JACK to it to make it turn fast laps.

You'll find some INCREDIBLE deals on this forum, especially between seasons like right now! Look around.

My advice on 600vs1000? It's not all THAT hard to learn to ride a literbike on a racetrack so if you want to go for it, go for it. Just be sure to baby the throttle until you get comfortable with speed and situated with correct body position, and you are SMOOTH on the controls. Later as you add in speed, you won't even realize it. It'll feel like you're doing the same pace as day #1 when you were all scared and new, but you're hauling ass.

 

[DanteGSXR]

i love my 1.0L ! Gsxr Gablillion

 

[jfbryan]

I split the difference and got a 750

 

[PJZOCC624]

FWIW... I went from a 1000RR to a GSXR-600, and was able to turn quicker times on the 600 at the same tracks. The RR was rock solid stable, but heavy and took much more effort to transition left-right-left. I feel like the 600 is more flickable, and felt more comfortable with throttle control than on the 1000. I almost high-sided myself to the moon exiting turn 8 at CMP a couple years ago because I cracked the throttle too soon. Ended up feathering the gas through there after that, taking too much focus away from body position, corner exit,etc... One the 6, I didn't have that caution in my mind, and I was able to get on the gas sooner/harder than before. Plus, when you can run down an R1 on the front straight at Thunderbolt on a 6, you get one hell of an ego-boost!!

I think at this level, I'm happy on a 6 and will stay on a 6 until I feel like I'm being limited by horsepower... which will probaly be NEVER!

 

[Metal]

PJZOCC17;94217 wrote: FWIW... I went from a 1000RR to a GSXR-600, and was able to turn quicker times on the 600 at the same tracks. The RR was rock solid stable, but heavy and took much more effort to transition left-right-left. I feel like the 600 is more flickable, and felt more comfortable with throttle control than on the 1000. I almost high-sided myself to the moon exiting turn 8 at CMP a couple years ago because I cracked the throttle too soon. Ended up feathering the gas through there after that, taking too much focus away from body position, corner exit,etc... One the 6, I didn't have that caution in my mind, and I was able to get on the gas sooner/harder than before. Plus, when you can run down an R1 on the front straight at Thunderbolt on a 6, you get one hell of an ego-boost!!

I think at this level, I'm happy on a 6 and will stay on a 6 until I feel like I'm being limited by horsepower... which will probaly be NEVER!

Good Info!