thinking about moving to track day only - thoughts ?

[mike_avfc]

i've not ridden the gixer for about a month now and to be honest i haven't really got the bug to take it out. After whats happened recently i am more conscious of crashing, and secondly after what happened tonite (rap on the knuckles by the police, no fine though, phew !!) i'm conscous about my license as i'm proper f^&t without it for work.

I share a track bike now with a mate and it's great, bombing around, no worries about the law and most people are sensible on the track. If i crash then i'm less likely to hit a stationary object.

so, having just insured the bike for another year last month (grrr!) i'm seriously thinking about selling it and getting a track bike for 3-4k and a small trailer. I don't think it's worth converting the bike to a track bike as i'm sure it's still worth a reasonable figure (fully serviced and 5k on the clock, great condition)

I'm sure there must be people who have done this or are thinking of doing it ??? if so, i'd be interested on your thoughts...

[G]

Thought about it in but I enjoy riding to much generally.

Part of the fun in riding for me is meeting up with a group of like minded people and just heading out for a long days riding.

Maybe if I could afford to comfortably do a trackday EVERY weekend I would consider it a bit more seriously, but that wont be happening anytme soon and I would still miss doing my favourite roads with friends.

[Rich]

You'll regret it when summer comes around again. You've insured it for another year, why not give it until the begining of next summer to decide what you want to do, also it will be a better time to sell the bike if you decide to.

[fizzwheel]

There are loads of reasons not to do it and loads of reasons to do it.

Never done it myself, but dont feel like riding myself at the moment, so bike stays tucked up in the garage till I feel like riding it again.

If I only had a track bike. I'd never have done half the rideouts that I had, I'd never have met half the people I have. Its not just a bike its a way of meeting like minded individuals, Its a way of visiting parts of the country / world I've never been to before. Its a way of exploring and not being tied down by the trappings of life and all that goes with it, gear up, lid on, visor down, and gone. I dont know if track riding would give me that.

I guess it depends on what floats your boat...

[lukemillar]

If I only had a track bike. I'd never have done half the rideouts that I had, I'd never have met half the people I have. Its not just a bike its a way of meeting like minded individuals, Its a way of visiting parts of the country / world I've never been to before. Its a way of exploring and not being tied down by the trappings of life and all that goes with it, gear up, lid on, visor down, and gone. I dont know if track riding would give me that.

I don't agree with that. You meet just as many people at the track - just different people :) True, you won't get to see as much of the country, but you will meet a lot of like minded people - especially in the club racing scene.

[Dicky Ticker]

Fizz and others---Yes you probably would not have met the people you have but different people instead,got to agree with LM on this
Track days and any racing is an expensive way to ride a bike but if you are worried about your license and enjoy a really good thrash,the safest way to go
My son does endurance racing for the reason above[Save his license] but he started doing track days only then got bitten by the track bug

[fastdruid]

I wouldn't even spend 3-4k on a track bike, get one for ~1k and spend the rest on fuel, tyres and trackdays.

Like this one we bought for 500quid
http://www.fastdruid.co.uk/albums/NC30/thumbs/640x480DSC04485.JPG
http://www.fastdruid.co.uk/albums/donington2009/thumbs/640x480DSC_2921.JPG

Druid

[mister c]

There are 2 ways of looking at this really. Yes, track days are fun, but road riding can be as well. I was going to give up road riding, there is a thread on here about it somewhere, because I was on a downer at the time. I will be honest & say I am so pleased that I didn't. I love riding a bike, it beats driving any day of the week, but I can't tell you why. My car has covered 2900 miles in 13 months & I want to sell it because it doesn't move. The bike has done 4 times that distance.
On the other hand, my son rode 120 miles a day to & from work (even on a CG125 for a short while) until he passed his car test, he then sold his CBF600 and bought a track bike. He hasn't missed road riding one jot.
I think it all depends on you & no one else & how much you enjoy riding a bike.
The other option, like Druid said, buy a cheap track bike. Like him, I picked mine up for £450 & it might not be the fastest in the world, but I still get one hell of a buzz out of it on track :)
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8zKrDFralEI/SGKV6H0Uo-I/AAAAAAAACU4/nL53p_C9Fn8/s640/2008_0625mallorytest0004.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8zKrDFralEI/SjZQTElimDI/AAAAAAAAFzs/BIMrUvWZkvQ/s720/064.JPG

[fatneck]

I was considering selling my Gixxer, and using the money from it to buy an cheap 600 supersports for the track and some kind of naked retro/muscle/streetfighter type bike for the road. The idea being a naked bike would keep the speed down on the road.

I then went for an amazing ride on my 750 and scrapped that idea promptly - its just too damn good to sell!

[Red Herring]

I think it very much depends on what you want out of your road riding. I don't own a road legal big sports bike anymore, just a 600 Hornet for sensible stuff and my SV for having a laugh, and on the right kind of roads it provides plenty. Sports bikes have become very competent, and unfortunately they are often a whole lot better than the people that ride them. There's an obvious answer to that one.

[Sid Squid]

I've spent a lot of time on track one way and another, but there's no way I could give up road riding, it's too much fun and too useful. You could ride a road bike every day if you wanted, as much fun as it is, track only riding is too limiting.
Even if used for nothing more then a road bike is still transport - sod having no option to getting around but car or public transport!

[krhall]

Give it up and concentrate on the track - bring your bike to Brands on Sunday and take home an 07 CBR-RR and a grand instead.

[Alpinestarhero]

If you do want to ride on the road a litle more often, how about getting something thats a bit older and less powerfull? My dad has a GSXR750 and a VFR400 NC24; he has to rag the hell out of the NC to get going, but to get a similar sensation from the GSXR he feels he has to venture into lisence-loosing territory.

Keep the GSXR for the track and for longer rides, and get a small little wobbly bundle of joy for the road :D

[muffles]

Give it up and concentrate on the track - bring your bike to Brands on Sunday and take home an 07 CBR-RR and a grand instead.

You looking at upgrading to a GSX-R mate? ;)

[krhall]

You looking at upgrading to a GSX-R mate? ;)

Not really mate, I haven't even looked at another bike for ages but if Mike wants to take the CBR home on sunday with a G in his pocket - I'd live with the gixxer!

[muffles]

I haven't even looked at another bike for ages

They're not girls, you can look at other bikes ;)

I haven't tried the latest RR so can't really comment, but the 2005 RR had a nice spread of power compared to my 2007 GSX-R600. So I suspect you might be happier with the RR (unless you want some of that wahey-oh-my-god-it-flies-over-8k! sort of fun ;)).

[mike_avfc]

Give it up and concentrate on the track - bring your bike to Brands on Sunday and take home an 07 CBR-RR and a grand instead.

I did think about that for a micro second - lol ;-)

been thinking a lot over the last couple of days and i am planning a europe trip next year so will keep it, its paid for and in the garage so what the hell.

Think i'll see how the zx7r is on the track (when we finally get the bl££dy thing fuelling right!) and may get another cheap track bike next year.

Seeing some of the track bikes people have got for bargain prices i don't know how you lot find them. I've been looking and can't seem to find a half decent one that cheap (i.e. 500 quid or so...)