Pace 03-05 track bikes?

tracknoob

tracknoob

New Member
I'm looking for my first track bike. I've been on 2 wheels since I was 4 and have 50,000+ street miles on 600's and 1000's. it looks like a cheap way to get a track bike is model year 03-05 bill of sale only. Is this a good starter bike or should I buy newer? Any help would be great.
 
avizpls

avizpls

#11-A
03-05 (maybe include 06 for a CBR) should do you just fine. Or a 2013 Panigale. Its a tough middle ground.
 
RADAR Magnet

RADAR Magnet

New Member
I'm three years into this stuff and still on my first bike, an '05 600RR. I get blown away on the straights at Road Atlanta by the bigger bikes but overall my bike is pretty competitive and I'm still not maximizing its capabilities. I'll probably upgrade in another year or two but that's mostly just because I want to.
 
Slow Steve

Slow Steve

I hate pushups.
Control Rider
My 03 750 does me just fine. Enough grunt to keep 1000's honest and handles well. This bike is still faster then me.
 
avizpls

avizpls

#11-A
oh, by the way let me add. My bike is a 19 (yes, NINETEEN) 94 air cooled, carbureted V twin. Its taken me from B to A. Although I must admit Ive had horrible thoughts of an inline-4 creeping into my mind at night.

Point: That era will suit you fine.
 
rmadursk

rmadursk

New Member
Another noob - decision made

tracknoob;283099 wrote: I'm looking for my first track bike. I've been on 2 wheels since I was 4 and have 50,000+ street miles on 600's and 1000's. it looks like a cheap way to get a track bike is model year 03-05 bill of sale only. Is this a good starter bike or should I buy newer? Any help would be great.
Click to expand...
I have done one track day on an 01 Sprint ST. No expert here. Just MHO.

You can read about my first day here:
http://tracktalk.nesba.com/showthread.php?t=28871

I wouldn't worry too much about the age, more the condition. If you have a bike now, tape it up and take it to the track and make sure it is really something you want to do :D. During the day, talk to people from different levels with different bike configurations.

Basically what I found was:

600/750 cc in-line 4's - 600 is probably the most popular platform by numbers.
500-700cc V-twins
1000cc or bigger in-line 4's
1000 cc or bigger v-twins
Some triples (like mine).
250cc but I have only heard people talk about them. ( I had an old 80 Honda VTR250 that I taught my son how to ride on, I wish I had kept that to use as a track bike. It was as light as a feather).

I didn't really find much difference in preference based on the group being run but their did seem to be more liter+ bikes in the A group. Not sure if there really was, it just seemed that way.

No one was overly unhappy with their choice of ride. Everyone had reasons for their purchase. The ones I found that closely matched my preferences (torque curve/wide power band, narrower, and sound) were the V-twin crowd. For me, the mantra has always been "there's no replacement for displacement". However, with the displacement comes weight and weight means work. The lighter smaller displacement bikes have an advantage in the curves and that is where I want to get better. The newer bikes will tend to be a little lighter in stock form and have digital fuel injection but neither of those were an issue for me as you can make the bikes (and your wallet) lighter and I understand the workings of both carbs and FI).

I have put a deposit on a 02 SV650 that is already prepped for the track and will be retrieving that machine in a couple of weeks. I'll know better whether it was the right decision or not the weekend after as I plan on running the 25th at Summit Point.

Have fun,

Ron
 
Bubba Zanetti

Bubba Zanetti

Member
rmadursk;283180 wrote: I have done one track day on an 01 Sprint ST. No expert here. Just MHO.

You can read about my first day here:
http://tracktalk.nesba.com/showthread.php?t=28871

I wouldn't worry too much about the age, more the condition. If you have a bike now, tape it up and take it to the track and make sure it is really something you want to do :D. During the day, talk to people from different levels with different bike configurations.

Basically what I found was:

600/750 cc in-line 4's - 600 is probably the most popular platform by numbers.
500-700cc V-twins
1000cc or bigger in-line 4's
1000 cc or bigger v-twins
Some triples (like mine).
250cc but I have only heard people talk about them. ( I had an old 80 Honda VTR250 that I taught my son how to ride on, I wish I had kept that to use as a track bike. It was as light as a feather).

I didn't really find much difference in preference based on the group being run but their did seem to be more liter+ bikes in the A group. Not sure if there really was, it just seemed that way.

No one was overly unhappy with their choice of ride. Everyone had reasons for their purchase. The ones I found that closely matched my preferences (torque curve/wide power band, narrower, and sound) were the V-twin crowd. For me, the mantra has always been "there's no replacement for displacement". However, with the displacement comes weight and weight means work. The lighter smaller displacement bikes have an advantage in the curves and that is where I want to get better. The newer bikes will tend to be a little lighter in stock form and have digital fuel injection but neither of those were an issue for me as you can make the bikes (and your wallet) lighter and I understand the workings of both carbs and FI).

I have put a deposit on a 02 SV650 that is already prepped for the track and will be retrieving that machine in a couple of weeks. I'll know better whether it was the right decision or not the weekend after as I plan on running the 25th at Summit Point.

Have fun,

Ron
Click to expand...
Ron:

You forgot the 5 of us who ride 125's :p

The SV is a great choice and you will have much fun learning on it. I have yet to meet an SV rider who dislikes their bike.

BZ
 
Unbroken13

Unbroken13

Member
I ride a 01 gsxr 600... Completely stock... I have done 3 track days on it... It's plenty fast... It's
Plenty fun... And the most important thing at this stage of track riding... It was cheap!!!!!!!!! Lol... Track riding is alot different from street... I thought I was fast on the street?,,thought I needed a liter bike?....After a track day that changed... Hell a sv650 sounds good... The only time I see a difference in b group is when you get passed by a liter bike down the straight... But that is fixed when you pass them in the corner...lol... I know there's a few people riding 250ninjas and there always smiling... I say pick something cheap and available and come on out to the track!!!!
 
avizpls

avizpls

#11-A
Unbroken13;283187 wrote: The only time I see a difference in b group is when you get passed by a liter bike down the straight... But that is fixed when you pass them in the corner...lol
Click to expand...
Im sure he means on the brakes BEFORE a corner... :b:
 
B

blueninja1

New Member
Another thing to add is to make sure that the bike you ultimately decide to get has good parts availability. Any 03-05 600cc bike should be a good tool to start out learning on and you seem to be a mature rider. It would be a good idea to buy a bike off of the nesba classifieds, to maximize your chances that the bike is reliable and well-prepared. That is not a guarantee and you should bring a knowledgeable friend to come with you and inspect the bike as well. If you throw the bike down the road you will be glad that you only spent a few grand on your first bike. Make sure you buy the absolute best gear that you can afford, it may just end up saving your bones and expensive medical bills. I suggest that you NOT buy your dream bike as your first track bike.

Don't get wrapped up in getting the latest aftermarket gadgets. If the bike feels good ergonomically, has decent and well set-up suspension, and a good set of tires, you are good to go. Good luck and have fun.
 
B

blueninja1

New Member
It may sound kind of sad but the amount I paid for my gear was more than the cost of my track bike. But I was on my ass a few times that first year and my gear came through for me every single time. Some things you can go cheap on, but not gear.
 
vinny337

vinny337

Vin is in...Beastmode!
Control Rider
rmadursk;283180 wrote:

I didn't really find much difference in preference based on the group being run but their did seem to be more liter+ bikes in the A group. Not sure if there really was, it just seemed that way.
Click to expand...
Not really the case, the "A" guys are moving so fast it seems like they're on liter bikes. Most of them are actually on 600s...:eek:
 
erick1670

erick1670

Member
vinny337;283210 wrote: Not really the case, the "A" guys are moving so fast it seems like they're on liter bikes. Most of them are actually on 600s...:eek:
Click to expand...
this is true...

here is me getting my "A" sticker back in 09 on my old 03 CBR 600rr, :haha: now with a 1000RR I am in "I" :dunno: how that happen

 
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