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TrackBike time - Opinions wanted

1K views 14 replies 8 participants last post by  TheGeek 
#1 · (Edited)
I've finally found the money and time to invest in a track only bike.

Previously I was using my Gixxer 600 for street and track but I recently sold it and bought a Zx10R.

I still consider myself a novice at track riding so I dont even want to think about trying to ride my liter bike on the track plus I'd like to not have to screw with prepping a bike for track then street.

So I would like some opinions.
I am buying a track only bike and my budget is ~$5k.
This bike wont ever be used for street riding.

I have narrowed it down to:
  • Used GSXR 600 - Familiar with this and know it has plenty of power, I will have to hunt my area to find a used bike I am comfortable buying.
  • Yamaha R3 - Can buy new, it makes decent power, light, and a good track starter bike.
  • KTM RC390 - Probably the best "starter" bike for the track you can buy, makes good power for size, very lightweight. I can find new ones for $5k here.

Hoping there are a few guys here that started on smaller bikes and they can give me opinioins on getting a KTM or Yamaha.

EDIT:

RideSmart just announced COTA lowered prices for track days in July. $390/day so I really want this new bike ready in plenty of time to ride COTA with it!
 
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#2 ·
I've finally found the money and time to invest in a track only bike.

Previously I was using my Gixxer 600 for street and track but I recently sold it and bought a Zx10R.

I still consider myself a novice at track riding so I dont even want to think about trying to ride my liter bike on the track plus I'd like to not have to screw with prepping a bike for track then street.

So I would like some opinions.
I am buying a track only bike and my budget is ~$5k.
This bike wont ever be used for street riding.

I have narrowed it down to:
  • Used GSXR 600 - Familiar with this and know it has plenty of power, I will have to hunt my area to find a used bike I am comfortable buying.
  • Yamaha R3 - Can buy new, it makes decent power, light, and a good track starter bike.
  • KTM RC390 - Probably the best "starter" bike for the track you can buy, makes good power for size, very lightweight. I can find new ones for $5k here.

Hoping there are a few guys here that started on smaller bikes and they can give me opinioins on getting a KTM or Yamaha.
This bike is the best deal going IMO: 2006 Suzuki GSXR-600 Race Bike | 13x Forums

There is also this one: 2009 Gsxr 600 - Race Bike - Old Team Hammer Bike | 13x Forums
 
#4 ·
Yup, the 390's are popping head gaskets like it is their job under heavy track use.
 
#5 ·
Well, I don't want to tell you that it's a great idea to track a 1000 without a lot of experience, because it usually isn't. I've done exactly that and it worked out fine for me.

I did my first four track days on my GSXR600, I only took my ZX10 to the track initially so that my brother could do his first track day on my 600. That was this past fall. I really liked the ZX10 on the track. Since then, I got bumped up to the advanced group, I've acquired my race license and did my first CCS race weekend this past week. My goals for this past weekend was to finish every race, not do anything stupid and not finish dead last. I finished in the upper half of every race I entered, wound up with a 4th, 7th and a 9th place in the three races I entered, all on my ZX10. Like I said, I wanted to finish every race, so I was riding conservatively. My fastest lap this past weekend is still nearly two seconds off my best lap ever on this same track on the same bike.

I still have the 600 and I'm actually taking it to the track this Sunday. I've only ridden it once since I let my brother use it last year. The ZX10 eats tires very quickly, and it's now my race bike so I don't want to use it for a casual track day. My plan is to ride the 600 at track days to work on technique and learn the layout of tracks that I don't know, and just race the ZX10.

I don't think I would like doing track days on anything smaller than a 600. An SV650 might be fun now that I'm in the quicker end of the advanced group and allowed pass pretty much anywhere, but if I had to adhere to the rules in a beginner/novice group I think I'd lose my damn mind. For a starter race-bike, where you'd only be riding with or racing similar bikes then yeah, a slow bike like the KTM would be fantastic. The thought of a track day, getting passed by novices on literbikes at 150+ mph while I'm on a 390 would scare the shit out of me. I really do think that a 600 is the best beginner track bike if you've got experience with a 600 already.

My 600 was a retired race bike when I got it. Everything was safety-wired, it had race bodywork already installed and it was already set up for the track. I'm glad I bought the one I did. Other than a battery I've had no mechanical problems with the bike. I crashed it once and had to straighten the shifter and wash the dirt off it to get it back on the track. A stock bike with street fairings would have likely been totaled.

After hanging around the tech garage at tracks days, you tend to notice trends. Most bikes that are raced have some battle scars, but usually their brakes work, their chain is clean and adjusted, the bike doesn't leak fluids, tires are usually good. Many street ridden bikes are neglected piles of shit that get sent back to the pits to fix some stuff before they get their tech sticker. Most 600s are ridden hard regardless of where they were ridden. At least track bikes are maintained pretty well most times. There are always exceptions, but I have definitely noticed patterns.

That blue 06 GSXR that Anthony posted looks like a smoking deal and the seller sounds fairly motivated.
 
#6 ·
Thanks for the info on the RC 390, that is good to know. I need to research that.

The 06 Anthony posted looks great but being in Texas that would be me buying a bike sight unseen and shipping it or traveling out a long ways to go get it.

I was talking about this at work today (watercooler talk) and a coworker who's riding a 06 GSXR 600 mentioned he might be willing to sell me his bike for ~3.5-4k. It has a little over 6k miles on it and is in great condition.
Not sure how serious he is but I'm hoping he thinks about it over the weekend and comes back wanting some cash Monday :).
 
#11 ·
Stay away from a bike that doesn't even come with a bill of sale... That is bad news.
 
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#13 ·
Here is a 2005 GSXR 600 20th anniversary edition.

I need you Gixxer experts to tell me if this thing looks legit from the pictures. Also I'm having a hard time telling if the right side of the tank is dented. Some pictures look like yes but then another looks like no. Cannot tell if it is glare.
I contacted seller asking but have not heard back yet.

2005 Suzuki GSX-R 600
 
#14 ·
Here is a 2005 GSXR 600 20th anniversary edition.

I need you Gixxer experts to tell me if this thing looks legit from the pictures. Also I'm having a hard time telling if the right side of the tank is dented. Some pictures look like yes but then another looks like no. Cannot tell if it is glare.
I contacted seller asking but have not heard back yet.

2005 Suzuki GSX-R 600

Looks legit to me. I think what looks like a dent on the tank is just glare.
 
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