Trackdays

I don't know if I should get a cheap track bike or just use my S1000.

I would buy a track bike and not risk my s1000rr as I could not afford to replace it if I through it down the road

I've got this dilemma as I have tracked the S1K and had a minor off (which cost lots to put right, even with the crash bungs) I've also got my old ZX7R sitting doing nothing - strip that of the road gear and it makes a really useful track weapon - quick enough to have fun, but stable enough to learn. Problem being that 7R prices are starting to firm up, so there's also the option of getting it back to showroom standard and flogging it, as it's not leggy...

One thing a racing mate said was that I'd learn more on a slower bike (he was talking a 600) to begin with, rather than just blatting round on the S1K, horsing past people on the straights. Then I could use the S1K properly after getting the most out of a 600 on track. It's pretty logical, but then again it seems nuts to have a bike you can't realistically wring out very often on the road without landing yourself in the cells, and not track it...

Ive had a separate track bike for years, also just had track bikes and no road bikes in the past. The problem I've always had is if i go all road i miss the track if i go all track i miss the road.
Any track bike will teach you loads, the benefit of a 600 on track is that you can run it slightly after mid corner and crack the throttle open earlier as one of my mates figured out first time on a 900 after a 600, ooops high side.
The s1000 has factory traction which will benefit you loads as you can lean on the TC for corner exit, after market TC (bazzaz) are not as good as the factory TC systems as i found out at cad well with a massive slide out of Barn corner although it did save a high side.
If you are really getting the bug of track days i would buy a track bike to save your s1000.

Ive had numerous track bikes and road bikes over the years and just got a zx10r for the track, so can keep my BMW for the road.

So the simple answer is get a track bike that if you total you won't be bothered about, that way you will push yourself, if you have a nice bike that you don't want to crash you will not push your self or the bike.

Brian f said:

I don't know if I should get a cheap track bike or just use my S1000.

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Depends on how hard you want to push (?), if you intend to push and learn where the limits of grip are then I would go for a track bike.

If you are a (very) Fast competent road rider then use your road bike, ride to the track do your stuff and ride it back, enjoy the speed on track.

Shug said:

I've got this dilemma as I have tracked the S1K and had a minor off (which cost lots to put right, even with the crash bungs) I've also got my old ZX7R sitting doing nothing - strip that of the road gear and it makes a really useful track weapon - quick enough to have fun, but stable enough to learn. Problem being that 7R prices are starting to firm up, so there's also the option of getting it back to showroom standard and flogging it, as it's not leggy...

One thing a racing mate said was that I'd learn more on a slower bike (he was talking a 600) to begin with, rather than just blatting round on the S1K, horsing past people on the straights. Then I could use the S1K properly after getting the most out of a 600 on track. It's pretty logical, but then again it seems nuts to have a bike you can't realistically wring out very often on the road without landing yourself in the cells, and not track it...

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Mate the risk of coming off is there track or road, Probably more so on the roads. I was thinking about this at the beginning of the last year Keep with the S1K I could always run it in rain mode but that never happened unless it was raining. So I got a track hack and never used it , one look at the S1K saw to that. Choice between the hack on track and the S1K on the street was no contest. Not giving up I got another S1K for track and then didn't ride it at all as was stock and it felt horrible compared to my current runner. The amount of money you can end up spending, getting another bike ready - either get some track insurance or put that extra money into a repair fund and and enjoy it. The bike is wayyy too much fun not to ride it. Got rid of everything now just ride the S1K.

Lumpy said:

Mate the risk of coming off is there track or road, Probably more so on the roads.

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Not sure I agree with this. If you ride exactly the same on the road as you do on track, then, yeah I agree. However, I never ride as fast as my brain tells me I could on the road, giving me a safety margin to try and avoid the stuff you can't control on the public roads. On track, I'd feel I was wasting my time if I wasn't trying to go as fast as I'm capable of - that is where you find out.

I honestly feel that you only really get the best benefit out of trackdays when you're not precious about what you're there on. I did car trackdays for 10 years and really started enjoying it when my car had a few bits of gravel rash and I wasn't thinking about what it would cost if I hit this, that or the other. At the moment, I'm still too precious about the S1K.

Brian f said:

I don't know if I should get a cheap track bike or just use my S1000.

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Along the same lines as Phil:

I think it depends on what you are doing trackdays for. If you want to tear it up and push things to the limit and beyond, get a track bike. If you just want to enjoy your regular ride on a track to see how it performs and learn more about how the bike handles, use your rr.

Personally, I do/did all my riding on both track and road. I learnt so much about the s1k on the track which I transferred to the road (except speed) You have to be a bit special not to transfer the speed to the road = shit-cart. There are soooo many dodgy variables on the road compared to the track that I wasn't enjoying it anymore so bought a totally different bike for the road. The s1k is after all a race derived bike and lurrrrves the track, and....no points on your licence !!:biggrin-new:

definately use it on track would be my advice.....

Dedicated track toy would be my advice....

Track it. Start at a level/speed you're comfortable with, spend money on tyres and not bling, you'll become a better rider more quickly. Not using the bike in the manner it was intended is almost criminal....

HI good thread.
I got the SKrr as a safe fast road bike, ABS, traction, modes. Perfect and I do track days on it and now I ride too fast on the road and often use both sides of the road. So I have bought a Ducati Diavel for the road and the odd trip to North west Isle of Man. The SKrr is at this moment turning in to a track biker . So if you can do this I think its the solution. SKrr was made for the track, its nice to use on the roads but the roads are not nice for it .
Track it any way its the best place for it.
JS