What bike... Struggling between head and heart.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Hang on, a K7 GSXR is the CHEAP option?

Tell you what buy a wet, dry and inters GSXR of a bit greater age and get me one while you're at it as you've obviously got too much money.

It must be relative...£3-5k for a K7 or £8-12k for a blade!

[yorkie_chris]

in that case I'd buy a £1000 track/road bike to scratch the itch which will pay for itself in the depreciation of the fireblade by buying that next year instead

[carelesschucca]

Get two bikes a nice road toy and an old track hack...

[Mr Speirs]

Greame, if I were you the choice for me would be a simple one. Get a relatively inexpensive bike like a k3/4/5 gsxr750 which will be nice enough to be proud of on the road but relatively inexpensive should the worst happen. Chances are if you decide that you actually did want a new fireblade you won't lose any money when you trade your gsxr in.

So another option for me as I think spending k9 gsxr money might be just a big a mistake as buying the hyper, cheapish nice road bike and track it gets my vote...dont spend more than £3500

Depends really how many track days you want to do G - might be an option to get a nice road bike for middle-range cash, and then get a track bike with road gear, like Speirs has done. I know you said you didn't want two bikes though.

What you've got Speirs is pretty good. Old gixxer for track which you can take on road as well. I think I'm going to try something like this next year as I keep having visions of me binning my 750 on track, and I couldn't really afford to repair it if properly mashed it.

[Mr Speirs]

Shiiiiiitiiiing:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi.../100?logcode=p

and again:

http://www.gixerjunkies.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=102172

or:

http://www.gixerjunkies.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=102053

Just spent a couple of minutes n came up with them.

and this:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...46ds?logcode=p

[sandman]

I was thinking along the same lines as you a couple of months back
The GSXR was starting to cost me with 25k miles on it
I was toying with several bikes but in the end i settled for a blade 08 plate (£7k)
Traded in the GSXR so it only cost me £4k
You would not regret getting the Blade, i have tracked mine already and it was AWSOME!
On the road it is pretty special too as it makes me a more sensible rider as i know it will throw me off if i do not concentrate properly.
Get the blade you will not regret it

[JamesMio]

Originally Posted by carelesschucca

Get two bikes a nice road toy and an old track hack...

Exactly what I was about to post - older GSXR track bike and something like a k6+ Blade should be doable for the same sort of budget as a new Blade...

Originally Posted by G

two bikes isn't an option and I wouldn't want that anyway for various reasons

Though I happen to agree with them, it would seem most folks seemed to miss this bit of your OP.

Two bikes is the way forward if you have new blade money to spend (£11k?). YC is absolutely right, you'll loose as much in the first year on a new blade as you'll pay for a track bike. You could have an immaculate 09 plate Blade (£8k ish) and a nice track bike as well, for the same money as an 11 plate.

What's the reasons for not wanting two bikes?

[Mr Speirs]

I believe it's lack of storage space Ralph. He has just enough room for one bike in his garage.