How often do you need extra wheels at the track?

[afinepoint]

I have the opportunity to buy an extra set of wheels ($350) with a bike purchase (GSXR 750 track ready). Do I really needs an extra set? These are the original wheels with cush etc.

If not I can use the money elsewhere.

Thanks,

Reg

 

[ckw373]

I just bought an extra set of wheels for my 2006 GSXR 600 and haven't used them yet, so I can't really comment on how often you might need them. I bought them because going to these trackdays take a lot of time and preparation (for me anyways), truck gas, packing, maintaining things, etc. and I wanted to be able to ride when I got there, regardless of whether or not it was raining or whatever. I didn't want to have to pay or have the inconvenience of mounting and dismounting tires in those cases, granted you could do eight tire changes and still be under the $350.

I also figured that I could easily sell the wheels if I decided I didn't need them any longer and I wouldn't take too big of a hit, if any unless I kept them for a long time and the bike model went outdated. But in that case, I figured that if I kept the stuff long enough that it went outdated, I would have gotten my use out of them.

That was my logic anyways. It depends on how much the $350 is worth to ya.

-Chris

 

[dbakerpa]

Unless your racing you probably dont need them. Then you dont need them unless you are running your supersport bike in the SB race. It is nice to have a set of rains mounted when the weather is questionable.

 

[Turbo329]

I know someone with an extra set of wheels and he just keeps them in the trailer with a set of rain tires on them. But he rarely if ever uses them.

I could see someone who uses their bike for street and track keeping two sets of wheels/tires. One set with their street tires and another set with their race/track day tires. This way they can get more track days out of their tires without burning them up with street miles.

 

[1literduceater]

I really cant live with out it. I hate messing around with taking wheels off, walking to the other side of the pit area, getting tires, waiting for mounting, etc. I like to have my second set ready to go. Take the wheels off and throw on the next set. Badda bing badda boo.

 

[Matt H]

It's great to have an extra set for rains, even if you rarely use them. You never have to sweat it, or have a big tire change if the weather changes. Depends on what that is worth to you. Having an extra rear rim with fresh rubber is really great. For an event where there isn't tire service, but the existing tire won't make it all the way through, or for a middle of the day change - just change rims on the bike, not haul them over to get new rubber spooned. That's my 2 cents...

 

[ride_hard]

Yeah what he said. ^ I have a second set. It makes it nice to have fresh rubber on one set, and then when you go somewhere for a weekend and only have one day worth of rubber left, then you just swap wheels out quick. No sessions missed. Also I've been to a couple days where the tire guy didn't show.

 

[j_fuggin_t]

i am getting a second set of wheels myself, $350 is a killer deal btw.. i look at it like this, imagine if you blow out a front tire or a rear tire & you have the spare tires mounted & ready to go, then there is no track time lost, but if you don't have it then you have to buy a tire or pay for a tire mount. I'd rather have & not need than to need and not have.

 

[Dave561]

1literduceater;184803 wrote: I really cant live with out it. I hate messing around with taking wheels off, walking to the other side of the pit area, getting tires, waiting for mounting, etc. I like to have my second set ready to go. Take the wheels off and throw on the next set. Badda bing badda boo.

watching you change tires is so painful I almost wanted to do it myself.

Agreed, needed no, but definitely great to have. I always keep an extra set

 

[TeamBeer]

It was nice having a tire already mounted when I came in at Barber to see the cord about to pop through on the right side. I was able to change the wheel between sessions and not miss the next session.

 

[afinepoint]

Sounds like the aye's have it. Now do I put rain tires on them or just a second set. I think rain because I only do a few track days a year so my tires should last and I have time to get new before the next event. Rain I can't "predict". Sorry for the bad pun.

Thanks guys,


Reg

 

[Matt H]

Buying rain tires is the single best way to guarantee that you'll never need them......

 

[PJZOCC624]

Matt H;184860 wrote: Buying rain tires is the single best way to guarantee that you'll never need them......

Or, buying rain tires after the first session because it's pouring rain out then having them mounted during the second session so you can ride all day without worrying about the rain is a dead-nuts GUARANTEE that it will STOP raining the instant you finish mounting the wheels with fresh rain tires... thus forcing you to go back to the tire trailer to have the rubber swapped out AGAIN and have the tire kid and the guys pitted across the way from you laugh their asses off at you.

Buy the wheels.

 

[Spitz]

My first session of my first trackday i picked up a nail and ruined my tire. No spares and noone else had anything laying around, no tire vendor. Paid 200$ for a tire at a local dealer so i could at least finish my day out and not lose any more money. Have since bought a set of extra wheels and good rains because last year it rain 5 out of the 6 times i went to the track..

 

[sheepofblue]

If you are only doing track days consider mounting some hypersport street tires. On a full rain day they will be decent but on a mixed wet dry day they will be good all day unlike any other tire.

 

[Dave561]

Still brings a smile to my face. Way to take one for the team and raise everyone's spirits.

PJZOCC624;184875 wrote: Or, buying rain tires after the first session because it's pouring rain out then having them mounted during the second session so you can ride all day without worrying about the rain is a dead-nuts GUARANTEE that it will STOP raining the instant you finish mounting the wheels with fresh rain tires... thus forcing you to go back to the tire trailer to have the rubber swapped out AGAIN and have the tire kid and the guys pitted across the way from you laugh their asses off at you.

Buy the wheels.

 

[avizpls]

Turbo329;184799 wrote:

I could see someone who uses their bike for street and track keeping two sets of wheels/tires. One set with their street tires and another set with their race/track day tires. This way they can get more track days out of their tires without burning them up with street miles.

AND you use your "street set" as hypersport tires and consider them rain tires.

 

[fitz]

I've thought of buying an extra set of wheels but honestly if it came down to a choice I would put that money into an elite membership instead. $350 for wheels plus $400+ for rains vs $200.

That way you can pick the nice days to go to the track and riding in the rain becomes a moot point. Even with the best intentions riding in the rain still sucks IMO.


My .02

fitz

 

[HondaGalToo]

fitz;184909 wrote: I've thought of buying an extra set of wheels but honestly if it came down to a choice I would put that money into an elite membership instead. $350 for wheels plus $400+ for rains vs $200.

That way you can pick the nice days to go to the track and riding in the rain becomes a moot point. Even with the best intentions riding in the rain still sucks IMO.


My .02

fitz

Yeah, this is kinda where I'm at. I'd considered a second set of wheels in the past. But, I'd probably have them for rains, and the times I'd use pure rains would be very rare, as if a dry line starts forming, they become useless.

For me, since we invested in a tire changer, I really no longer have a need for a second set of wheels. Since I can change tires on my schedule, I can have them ready to go and not be fussing with even changing wheels at the track. But, I should state that I've always used hypersport tires, which are also good on the wet days. I'll be trying race tires this year, that may perhaps change my perspective, although I hear DOT races aren't as horrible in the rain as I'd always believed.

So, it comes down to your individual needs. If you love going out in the pouring rain (I have, but prefer not to) you'd probably like having rains. Or if you are on racing slicks, you'd probably like a second set with either rains or a hypersport street tire. Lots of options!

 

[j_fuggin_t]

HondaGalToo;184936 wrote: But, I should state that I've always used hypersport tires, which are also good on the wet days. I'll be trying race tires this year, that may perhaps change my perspective, although I hear DOT races aren't as horrible in the rain as I'd always believed.

uh huh until you hit wet pavement with them, myself & two Cr's almost took flight this past weekend from just the tiniest bit of wet on the track & that was using diablo supercorsa's sc2's, once that happens to you it will change your thought a bit