Track bike years / prices

[Rogue.]

I agree with take your time, do some research. Get what you want, not what other people think you should get. In my personal opinion, there is no "starter" bike. It's all about your mentality, and your mind-bike-body connection. You can get in trouble with any bike if you are not careful.

I had an 01 gsxr 600 that I used in the street for a year and a half. Then, I bought an 07 gsxr 750. I bought the bike because it was a spontaneous buy, not because I thought I was ready to "upgrade". I've taken the 750 to the track, even for the first time on the track. Absolutely, hands down, I love that bike.

I was just curious why you would want to limit the power on a 600? What would be your reasoning in doing so?

 

[awhicker]

Well I thought it would neat to give myself limit the bike so that it acted like a detuned sportsbike. In other words I would be learning how to ride in a narrow power band, but not going superfast. It was just an idea.

I'm sure I'll enjoy the Gixxer and like Slow Honda says, "keep the revs down and you'll be fine" So I'll just slowing up the amount of revs I ride in as I become more comfortable.

 

[awhicker]

What is meant by the SV crashing well?

What size rear / front tire is the SV?

Will a track ready SV have clip-ons, moved rear sets?

 

[awhicker]

I guess the problem I have with the SV is that when I asked a guy here at work who races he was telling me how people switch to clip ons, change the foot pegs, modify the front suspension, etc. to get a bike that steers, rides like a sportbike. Isn't that a bit of a waste?

Get a sportbike, detune it, slowly increasing the state of tune.

 

[Dave561]

Most switch to a 120/70 front (120/65 I think is the stock size) Rear is a 160/60
Crashing well depends on the crash. Ron has scratched every inch of an SV in a crash already

All bikes are susceptible to swapping out suspension valving, spring rates, rear sets, clipons etc.

 

[hank]

awhicker;28267 wrote: What is meant by the SV crashing well?

A bike that 'crashes well' means, relative to other bikes, for any given crash there is less overall damage and fewer required repairs to get it back in running order. Also, cheap and plentiful spares are available in the used parts market. The SV is a sturdy, robust bike and is a true workhorse that will last for a long time even after being crashed a few times (obviously the severity of any particular crash needs to be considered).

The GSXR's on the other hand have the reputation of snapping their frames at the welds when crashed.

YMMV

 

[Nexus]

In regards to the "detuning" thing...

S-DMS modes on newer GSXRs? Wouldn't this work for what you are talking about? I don't own one but read this from someones post on another forum.

"A mode - Full Power (not withstanding the existing timing retardation programmed into the ECU for the first three gears and the top of 6th gear)

B mode - Reduced Power until full throttle is used, then full power, same as A mode. Basically it softens the "hit" but doesn't peak any different than Mode A. This would be difficult to illustrate on a dyno graph because it is throttle dependent.

C mode - Reduced Power, regardless of throttle opening or rpm.

Note : The K8 GSXR600 and K8 Hayabusa differ in that:
A mode is full power
B mode is less power than A mode at all throttle and rpm
C mode is less power than B mode at all throttle and rpm"

 

[rk97]

awhicker;28224 wrote: First I ask people's opinion on what to get and I have people tell me to skip the sportbike, get the SV.

The way your comment is phrased leads me to think you don't consider the SV to be a sportbike. Why is that?

I can assure you they are sportbikes in every sense of the word. for the $3000 it sounds like you're looking to spend, it's your call:

a mildly modified 600 (race bodywork, aftermarket exhaust, rearsets, and SS lines)

OR

a fully tracked out 650 with all the stuff listed above PLUS a penske shock and properly set up forks (figure you'll spend at least $1,000 on such upgrades if you buy the shock used, and put emulators and new springs on an SV)

Unless you find a really good deal on a 600, I'd go with the SV. You'll save $ on tires too. for the 10 days you have planned, you might be able to get through an entire season on one rear tire; and when yuo do need to replace it, a 160 is like $20 cheaper than a 180.

 

[Xero]

I'm going to hit the track next year after winter. I'm going to start out on 600rr. Thoughts in general? I don't have much experience riding at all. But I'm pretty quick to learn anything with a motor. I plan on taking it slow taking Weras track class, hitting as many track days as I can, and hopefully getting one race under my belt before the end of 2009.