Hey fellas, After a near close call with bambi on the street, I've decided to keep it on the track and convert my r1 streetbike to race. Here are my questions... This is a 2001 r1, and while I've owned a number of different bikes, I've realized the suspension on different bikes can vary from pretty good to absolutely useless. How is the stock suspension on this bike in race form? While I will revalve the forks and put a new shock on at some point, it probably won't be this season, but at the same time I don't want to go out there with a suspension thats going to make me fight the bike and potentially crash (which will probably happen anyway). Also, if anybody has any tips about these bikes as race bikes that would be greatly appreciated. Maybe it would be in my best interest to just sell the bike instead of investing the time of race prep, and money. If I missed a topic on this, I'll take all the flaming you guys can dish out, but throw me a link since I obviously couldn't find it.
From a beginners standpoint.. SELL IT ......ASAP Get an SV , Duc 750 or any 600 if you feel lucky..... and come race... look in the bikes for sale section. A race prepped bike is a good deal... Besides novices can't race 1000's
Ahh.. sell it.... race clubman have fun.... unless you want lots of fame a glory! I would still uy a race prepped bike unless you want to be a "serious" racer... what are your goals?
Here is my deal, I race an rc51 right now, and while I do get a kick out of racing it (after thousands and thousands of dollars trying to get it right), it really sucks only being competitive in one class, which really isn't that competitive at all. In addition, I won't mind race prep on my bike (drilling, etc). Expense will be relatively minimal (bodywork and race tires). We all know that anytime you try to sell a bike you take a beating on it, so I figure since I have it, why not race it, unless it is just so bad as a racebike that it isn't worth it (like my rc51 in retrospect.)
I would think that you need to get into the clubman crowd...lots of fun...plus you have your choice of classes to run in.. the bigger bikes pigeon hole you into a single class...I am actually more competative in my bump up class...just my thought from a novice standpoint...I do it for fun not competition.. well... I mean I enjoy the competition with other riders of my caliber I am not seeking to be #1 but I want ot improve... whether thatis in my bike building abilities, my lap times...the fact that you can manage an edurance team... improvement and looking at your goals may help you make your decision...The big bike will hinder the classes you are allowed to run
On a different topic.. what did you find wrong with the big twin? I was considering that as my next step up...(I love the twins)
Twins aren't all that bad. But as a racebike the rc51 definitely is. Aside from the fact that the thing weighs a ton (which all twins pretty much do), it handles like tractor trailer. There is something seriously wrong with the suspension design on that bike because the more aggressive you go with the suspension, the quicker it will turn, but the less stable it will be in the turns, and while this concept holds true with all bikes, it is extreme with the RC. I finally relegated the suspension duties to GMD computrack where they used their "sweet numbers" to give me a geometry I am pretty happy with on the track. Even though I absolutely love how the bike rides now, there is no way you can keep up with a gixxer 750 that makes the same horsepower and is some 50+ pounds lighter, which is my main problem with the bike right now-the restrictions to race class I can competitively run in.
Your bike is now 2 generations old and the new open class bikes will crush it in a straight line. I think guys that were serious about racing that bike jacked up the ride height in the rear alot, which you can't do with the stock shock. The forks need both the compression and rebound pistons replaced and you can't just re-shim them. I seem to remember people going with aftermarket clamps up front as well, to increase trail. My guess is you wouldn't be very happy trying to race it with stock suspension. tom
Contact the gent that started this thread. He might be able to help. http://forums.13x.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=50675 I raced an RC51 in two events. I have exactly the same opinion you do. In fact I was able to run a faster lap time on my hopped up SV on the tight PPR track than on my 51.
