Well. I have done a 2 track days now.(Nights, actually) What a hoot. Its been 20 + yrs since I rode on the track. I had completely forgotton how much MORE fun it is then riding on the streets,,,I am totally hooked,, again [thumbsup]
That Suzy is a Blast,,,at the start of the 1st night I was hanging with the slow riders. By the end of the night I was coming into corner 2(the end of the main straight) doing a 170 kph stoppy, (not to that extent, but the back wheel was lifting & kicking out slightly as I entered the corner)& keeping pace with some of the more experienced riders,what a rush :-)
For anyone that has ever thought about it,,,,,,,,,,as "NIKE" says,,, "Just do it". Be prepared to get hooked.
The way I look at it. Everything costs money.
Its relatively cheap,,, as long as your not riding your pride & joy(S4RS,, in my case) Tho,,,,,I think the dam thing would be a good tracker........someone give me a slap,,,,,,, [laugh]
Yeah... I was going to get the full termis for my 848... but when I compared the $3500 price tag of the exhaust to the $3500 being asked for a fully track setup SV650... well... I had to get the bike. ;D Tracking that is so much fun. You get addicted really fast. Plus, you don't have to worry about dropping your baby in a corner when you have a second bike for fun.
Way to go and keep it up! [moto]
Oh, U have temptation looking U right in the eye with that 848. That bike would be a perfect tracker,,,especially on this tight track out here,,,,, except for the fact,,,,,its a "expensive" Tracker
I considered a SV650,,, they seem to haul Arse as well,,, just didnt think it would have enough get up & go to haul my butt around. I am sure a good rider on a SV would give the 600 - 759 I4's a run.
I like doing track days so much that I plan on taking my S4Rs to one this summer. Heck, bikes are meant to be ridden! I parted out my old tracker (2001 R1) and will exclusively ride the duck every where.
Quote from: JDS 07 S4Rs on July 16, 2008, 07:28:22 PM
Oh, U have temptation looking U right in the eye with that 848. That bike would be a perfect tracker,,,especially on this tight track out here,,,,, except for the fact,,,,,its a "expensive" Tracker
I considered a SV650,,, they seem to haul Arse as well,,, just didnt think it would have enough get up & go to haul my butt around. I am sure a good rider on a SV would give the 600 - 759 I4's a run.
On my track night there was an instructor beating us around the corners on a 100cc dirt bike thingy!! It was hilarious.
Ya,,, I hate those guys ;D I guess what I am saying is. I LIKE POWER.
straight line power is definitely fun but it really only matters what you can do with it in the corners
JDS.......Take your Rs out to the track at least once, you'll have a kick! I too have a track bike(600 GSXR). But I did take my Rs out once and I took it easy and as the day went on I started to rip on the Duc. It was alot of fun and you'll learn the bike even more. Just dont crash it [laugh]
Lou
Hey Lou,,,,,,,,sheeeeesh. U R reading my mind. I think my S4RS is easier to ride. Whats with this drive line lash on these GSXR's,,, or is it just me , or the bike I have ?
I tell ya,,,, IF my S4RS had a better set of tires on it right now it might be going to the track tonight. I bought a good set of Pirelli Dragon Supercorsa's Track takeoffs from one of the local racers this weekend. Lots of rubber on the sidewalls still. Eventually they will be on the Duc.
Ya GM2,,, I know. On the track its not entirely about the power. Its about being smooth. Right now I am having a hard time being smooth. 9 corners in 1.2 miles of track. There is no resting while riding this little track. No time to think about the next corner,,,cause "Its already there" :)
what is this drive line lash thing?
have you had the gsxr set up for you? sorry, but no way is the s4rs a better track bike..
the track we most often ride is 12.. or 14.. turns in 1.8 miles. you can be plenty smooth. constantly doing something doesn't make that not possible.
The SV650 is a great track bike... but if you have long straights... the inline four 600's eat you up... some of them hit 180 on our front straight. I can tap 130 for a second or two.... but you still end up with 50 mph closing speeds. Even if you are faster through the corners, brake much later, and get on the throttle sooner... they still over take you.... Our track has 9 corners... and two long straight aways... the front straight is one of the longest around.... but I would still rather track the SV than run into an issue with the 848 and drop her.
Quote from: ryandalling on August 08, 2008, 01:21:12 PM
The SV650 is a great track bike... but if you have long straights... the inline four 600's eat you up... some of them hit 180 on our front straight. I can tap 130 for a second or two.... but you still end up with 50 mph closing speeds. Even if you are faster through the corners, brake much later, and get on the throttle sooner... they still over take you.... Our track has 9 corners... and two long straight aways... the front straight is one of the longest around.... but I would still rather track the SV than run into an issue with the 848 and drop her.
I bet that U have thought above tracking the 848 many times tho ? ? ?. I am totally convinced that the 848 would be a GREAT track bike.
I really want to track my 1098, but i understand the feelings towards dropping the bike and i have those concerns as well. However isn't there more of a risk in dropping your baby on the street with all the unknown factors on the road? Most tracks are kept very clean and smooth correct? Enlighten me please :)
Any idea if insurance covers a wreck on the track? That would be a big concern for me in case a mistake does occur.
Quote from: GLantern on August 13, 2008, 10:14:40 AM
I really want to track my 1098, but i understand the feelings towards dropping the bike and i have those concerns as well. However isn't there more of a risk in dropping your baby on the street with all the unknown factors on the road? Most tracks are kept very clean and smooth correct? Enlighten me please :)
going down on the track is going to have to do with you riding over your head, getting too hot into a corner, etc., not the surface of the track. all that wonderful freedom to find the edge often means folks ride beyond it. (how else do you know where it is? ;))
Quote from: GLantern on August 13, 2008, 10:14:40 AM
Any idea if insurance covers a wreck on the track? That would be a big concern for me in case a mistake does occur.
check with your insurance co but 99% of the time the answer is no. there's the question of how do they know where you went down.... but your current policy almost definitely has provisions for non-street use. as in, you're not covered.
i have an '07 bike that's track only. it's insured non-op for theft, that's it.
Quote from: gm2 on August 13, 2008, 11:18:51 AM
going down on the track is going to have to do with you riding over your head, getting too hot into a corner, etc., not the surface of the track. all that wonderful freedom to find the edge often means folks ride beyond it. (how else do you know where it is? ;))
Very true and knowing myself thats exactly what i would want to find out:-X
Quote from: GLantern on August 13, 2008, 11:25:20 AM
Very true and knowing myself thats exactly what i would want to find out:-X
there are also less ego-or-adrenalin driven issues like are your tires at the right pressure, is your suspension set-up for you, are your tires squared off from lots of street riding, depending on the track and weather are the tires you have way too hard or soft/will they reliably support real lean angles, etc.. it's real easy to go from cruising around a corner 5-or-10% more leaned over than you've ever been on the street to suddenly on your ass in a split second. doesn't mean you even did anything wrong.
i posted this somewhere around here: two weeks ago i saw a guy bin his very new looking 1098 at a track day. checkered flag had already been waved, he was 2 turns before the last corner (the antepenultimate corner, for you english majors.. ;)), should have pretty much been cooling off by then. who knows what he did but the bike was more than a little effed. thousands of dollars in bodywork for sure.
Quote from: gm2 on August 13, 2008, 11:39:30 AM
(the antepenultimate corner, for you english majors.. ;))
Much appreciated.
Quote from: gm2 on August 13, 2008, 11:39:30 AM
there are also less ego-or-adrenalin driven issues like are your tires at the right pressure, is your suspension set-up for you, are your tires squared off from lots of street riding, depending on the track and weather are the tires you have way too hard or soft/will they reliably support real lean angles, etc.. it's real easy to go from cruising around a corner 5-or-10% more leaned over than you've ever been on the street to suddenly on your ass in a split second. doesn't mean you even did anything wrong.
i posted this somewhere around here: two weeks ago i saw a guy bin his very new looking 1098 at a track day. checkered flag had already been waved, he was 2 turns before the last corner (the antepenultimate corner, for you english majors.. ;)), should have pretty much been cooling off by then. who knows what he did but the bike was more than a little effed. thousands of dollars in bodywork for sure.
Excellent point i always said i would need new tires if i did track but with that in mind i would want dedicated track tires and bodywork, and really for that price i'm probably halfway to a track ready SV650!
Quote from: GLantern on August 13, 2008, 10:14:40 AM
Any idea if insurance covers a wreck on the track? That would be a big concern for me in case a mistake does occur.
I've heard quite a few cases where insurance does cover damages. I think the policy is "as long as it is not a timed event". but check with your insurance to be sure.
Hmmm. "IF" I had colilsion INS on my bike,,, & I wiped it out on the track. That would be the last place I told them that I was riding it :-X
Quote from: DanTheMan on August 13, 2008, 11:19:55 PM
I've heard quite a few cases where insurance does cover damages. I think the policy is "as long as it is not a timed event". but check with your insurance to be sure.
That is the sole reason many track day companies emphasize the rider improvement aspect of the clubs, to keep the insurance companies happy. Some will pay up if you wreck at the track (only do it once though!), State Farm for one will... Don't ask how I know ;)
I'm going to track my Rs at some point, it's got to be done. I tracked my previous bike but it was a gix750 so I was really just taking it home. ;)
You can bin your bike on the street just as much as on the track if you're unable to exert some self control.