Getting a track bike at 55

I'll admittedly never be able to ride a 600 to it's limits and it's enough trackday bike for all but like 4 or 5 straightaways in the whole country.

 

I guess older is the wrong word to use, I meant used 600 in good shape, like 2015 and up.

 

Panigale
Airbag suit
Diesel dually to tow the 5x8 trailer

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Seriously though buy a used racebike instead of wasting the next year prepping it and figuring out you spent a fortune and did it all wrong

 

Yes, but I wouldn't say the aids were the dominant factor. More likely the pucker factor.

 

Dude, he’s 6’3” 190lbs. Sv and 400 would be a bad choice. An SV isn’t going to teach you anymore on how to ride than a 600 in-line will. And a 400 can’t get out of its own way, let alone with a 190lbs rider on it.

I’d start with a 600. Personally unless you have an in with someone that knows how to build a proper race bike and maintain it well. I wouldn’t go the used route. A lot of time you inherit someone else’s problems. If you can get an ex Team Hammer 600 I would go that route as they will even set it up for you etc. As always, ride fast and take chances.

 

"I'm gonna stay in front of that guy if I have to crash doing it!"
Racing mentality...takes the spirit of trackdays right out of the equation.

 

No idea. But Codes teaching a preferred line of a late swooping, lazy like apex is laughable.

Don’t get me started on the goofy no brakes corner entry drills.

 

First thing I would do is suspension. It just makes it easier to ride. In fact, it would be the number one thing I would do. If nothing else get the spring rate and fluid changed. You’re not doing yourself any favors by running stock OEM suspension and then waiting to upgrade. Get it done first thing out and start learning how to do set up and understanding how it feels and works etc. At 190lbs it won’t take long to blow through the stroke and bottom out the front followed by a pogo stick like wallering through the turns as the rear shock doesn’t have any rebound. Suspension is the greatest bang for the buck.

Honestly, body work is cosmetic. Who cares? It’s a track bike. I would have zero issues running stock OEM body work. It has no used or resale value These days anyway. Run it if you want to. The weight savings is minimal anyway.

Here is a stock OEM body work grave yard from four bikes. I have another five sets in my garage. I figure it’s worth it’s weight in bird seed. LOL.

 

Last summer I went from going to get a new KTM 350SXF to getting an R6 instead. I’m 53 and grew up racing motocross. I’ve done about 10 track days and run in the intermediate groups. Can’t say I wish for more than the R6. Keep it in the power and it will move pretty well. I weigh 180s and the 600 is certainly not holding me back. Maybe on the very big straits you’ll notice, but nowhere else. Though it still runs 150 down the main straight at Summit Point. No, it’s not a 1000, but I wouldn’t want a 1000 yet. Cornering is where it’s at. Translogic makes a great quickshifter/auto blipper for the R6 and every possible part or modification is readily available.
Edit: whatever bike you choose, do the suspension immediately.

 

I was in the exact same position 4 years ago. 54 and 6’2” 195. Never owned a sport bike but had ridden a couple over the years. Bought a cherry 1198 and was told by everyone that was a bit ambitious. So I got a 05 CBR 600 and rode two weekends. Felt like it was on rails but I wanted a 1000. Picked up an ex race 04 R1 a rode it the next season. Really ran well and I figured I was hooked so I got a new old stock 16 R1 and converted over to track. I can’t tell you how happy I am with this bike.
It’s your time and money. Buy what you want and have fun.

 

@Al Youngwerth Rule #1. Be very careful who you solicited advice from, especially on public forums.

 

I only said body work Garth because the race body work belly pan the solid belly pan (fluid/safety issue).

 

600 makes less torks... want to ride it faster... try a 1000 for a couple sessions and see if it wont wear you out...lol
An inline 4 600cc makes about 45 ft lbs... an inline 4 liter bike makes about 80 ft lbs on the low end.

 

Very good point.

 

I’ll counter with an actual event that occurred with myself. So I was at Road America racing AMA SuperSport 600 and 750 back in iirc 98 or 99 and needed to fly out to Colorado Sunday night.

So after getting my collective teeth kicked in by the actual real motorcycle racers. I loaded up the bike on my Alumacraft 6x10 open trailer (made in Bancroft, Iowa) attached to my work 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix and headed South to Milwaukee with my brother.

So, I get dropped off at the airport while my brother drives my rig to my house in Illinois and puts it in the garage etc. So fast forward and I’m home and going up to Cordova bike drag racing with my race bike to practice starts etc. First run, I’m about three feet out of the gate when the rear tire spins up and gets the bike side wise. I kept that fucker pinned and headed down the track trying to keep it straight.
Come back and the staging guy runs over and says, “ You had water come out of your bike”. Pull the lowers and it’s wet but empty. Call my brother and he tells me, “Oh yeah, we came through a huge rain storm.

Side note: So I’m at a bar that night in Colorado and SpeedVision is showing the AMA 600 race and going through rider head shots etc when my mug shows up on the tv and the hot chick next to me does a double take. That’s all it took.

 

Uncle Garth tells the best bedtime stories.

 

So why isn't it hanging from a tree?

 

First of all, thanks for all of the enthusiastic advice guys. I'm not going to get a 300, 400 or 650 twin. I don't ride 250Fs offraod bikes, not because they're not fun, they fell like I'm riding a mini bike and I want more torque than that. Then again, I don't ride 450s anymore because a 350F or 300 2-stroke is just right and a 450 wears me out. I don't care about being the fastest guy on the track, I just like to have fun. After the conversations, thinking about a 600 more seriously but still leaning towards the 1000. Again, I feel like fun factory may be higher, lap time factor almost certainly lower. Good to hear that their are good aftermarket throttle blippers available. I will definitely be getting an airbag suit.

Where are some good Internet sources for used track/race prepped bikes? Pickings seem a little slim on here.

Good to hear about Nick Ienatsch again! He was my instructor at the Freddie Spencer school 15 years ago! Best instructor I've ever had at anything. I am going to try to make the two-day school at Willow Springs the first part of October.

Thanks for all the thoughts, good to find an enthusiastic community.

Al.

P.S. I don't really like the word fucktard, been a jackass all my life but I think both apply equally in my case.

 

Get an R1M and go ride.

 

If you like trackdays and getting faster you may find yourself racing at some point, worth considering what class that might be.
TL/DR: r6