Giving up street riding, track only. Ever done it? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Giving up street riding, track only. Ever done it?

Corsara

Corsara

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This thought has been lurking in my brain for some time now. Even though I'm yet to try track (in 10 days), I am sure that I'll love it. And then this problem---riding on the street, unless I'm riding fast like a retard, I'm bored. Very bored. Even my body starts hurting from the static position on the bike. Of course, fast riding on the street carries a lot of risk, no need to enumerate the different things that can happen.

Add to that wife who is always worried when I go out, or parents, who've been literally begging me to reconsider riding a motorcycle (even though they live 7,000 km from here in the old continent). Apparently my dad had a couple of nasty bike falls in his younger days, and my mother...well, I'm an only child and she's been practically living and fighting to give me a better life for the most of her life. When they visit a couple of times every year, I never managed to get my dad to even sit on my bike in the garage even once, and I feel it's not because he's not curious, he's probably itching to take it out around the block---but no, that's how much they are concerned, that he wouldn't even sit on it so that it's not taken as some kind of approval for my choice to ride..

And since insurance for my 1000 is pretty high, I was thinking about the option of taking it off the street next season, buying a cheap trailer and do the occasional track day to get it out of my system. I'm kind of confident that would be enough, as I seriously dislike chill / cruising type of rides. I think that spending even an hour of intense riding would probably amount to more satisfaction than a month of everyday leisurely riding and more or less obeying traffic laws.

And don't get me wrong---I guess track is dangerous too, but if you compare the risks of pushing limits on the track VS pushing limits on the street, I'm sure the latter has higher probability to end bad.

So, anyone ever switched to track-only riding? Know people who did? Did it work for them?
 
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I gave up the street back in August 2009 after a massive ticket followed 3 weeks later by a bad crash. To begin with I missed the street and used to get a bit jealous when guys rode by me in my car. But over time, and with the more track time I did, I missed it less and less. I'm at the point now where I think that riding a SS on the street is a complete waste and a little bit silly.

I retook my M2 this spring as I may ride street again in the future. Just don't think i'd ever ride a SS on the street again. Out of the 3 other guys I ride track with consistently one other is track only, one has a street bike but hardly rides it and the last one rides a lot of street but primarily on his BMW tourer.
 
Lasted six month. Bought a couch to ride.

I can't live without commuting on two wheels.

Same boat as Fiery, no interest in riding a SS on the street again.
 
Corsara said:
This thought has been lurking in my brain for some time now. Even though I'm yet to try track (in 10 days), I am sure that I'll love it. And then this problem---riding on the street, unless I'm riding fast like a retard, I'm bored. Very bored. Even my body starts hurting from the static position on the bike. Of course, fast riding on the street carries a lot of risk, no need to enumerate the different things that can happen.

Add to that wife who is always worried when I go out, or parents, who've been literally begging me to reconsider riding a motorcycle (even though they live 7,000 km from here in the old continent). Apparently my dad had a couple of nasty bike falls in his younger days, and my mother...well, I'm an only child and she's been practically living and fighting to give me a better life for the most of her life. When they visit a couple of times every year, I never managed to get my dad to even sit on my bike in the garage even once, and I feel it's not because he's not curious, he's probably itching to take it out around the block---but no, that's how much they are concerned, that he wouldn't even sit on it so that it's not taken as some kind of approval for my choice to ride..

And since insurance for my 1000 is pretty high, I was thinking about the option of taking it off the street next season, buying a cheap trailer and do the occasional track day to get it off my system. I'm kind of confident that would be enough, as I seriously dislike chill / cruising type of rides. I think that spending even an hour of intense riding would probably amount to more satisfaction than a month of everyday leisurely riding but more or less obeying traffic laws.

And don't get me wrong---I guess track is dangerous too, but if you compare the risks of pushing limits on the track VS pushing limits on the street, I'm sure the latter has higher probability to end bad.

So, anyone ever switched to track-only riding? Know people who did? Did it work for them?
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Track riding is not cheap fist of all. I have always ridden street as well as track, although some years I would only do track for a couple of months after converting a street bike over to track configuration.
One thing to keep in mind is to have insurance for Disability etc when track riding just in case you get hurt and cant work for some time.
 
I gave up street riding in 08 but was doing track before that time.

Now im more involved in track stuff, but recently bought a street bike again.
I thought id be using the street bike more but find i use it to go to work once in a while on. I find it boring as hell.

More than likely ill end up selling my street bike very soon.
 
Sold my last street SS a few weeks ago, didn't ride it. Put an old 78 gs550 on the street, way more fun than a SS on the street..lol
 
I gave up riding on the street entirely.

I'd like to get something for the street some day but it would not be a sport bike. I don't really know what I would get. Triumph Scrambler maybe? Tiger 1050 Adventure? Vulcan 900 Custom? Harley XR1200 or a V Rod?
 
A liter bike on the street is pretty close to pointless. I have one but it's been somewhat converted into a drag bike and I seldom ride it. With the low resale values on an older high-mileage liter bike, I'd rather keep it than sell it but I have other bikes to ride, and they're all a lot smaller and slower.

Get something small, old, or non-sporty. Your choice. Something that rather than begging you to go fast, starts setting off alarm bells when you try. Or something that takes a long time to get going, rather than three seconds from zero to license seizure. It's more fun to ride a slow bike fast, than to ride a fast bike slow.
 
track only for me now... after being hit head on by some ****head in car at 60 km/h and surviving I figured I'd count my blessings. Not to mention like the post above me says, its wayyyy too easy on a SS bike to lose your licence.

Track riding is fun as hell... the wife and I came to an agreement that It was alot safer than the street. I wasnt about to let some crazy **** in a car completely take away something I really love doing as well... so the track was where its at.

Maybe one day down the road I'll buy a cruisaer or something but if I ever do get another bike for the public roads it wont be a sportbike, after riding on the track its just not the same anyways.
 
Overall, I like your replies, it's very comforting to know people have done what I plan to do, and have no regrets. I'm really starting to think that maybe I shouldn't even wait until next season and do this as soon as possible... maybe wait until I do a couple of track days to reconfirm it's for me, and then take it off the street.

Disability insurance is a great idea---I have some from work, but also a major one I have attached to my bike insurance, so I'll probably have to get that separately. Life insurance has always been there, by default.

As for getting a small bike for the street, I don't think it makes sense for me to do that. Most of the fun I have on the bike is its "athleticism"---I like the sudden speed changes, I like the power I have under me, and on occasion I'm not modest putting it in play. There are many different people, some of my friends and from the sound of it---some of you, who also like bikes because they just love to be on two wheels. That's not me. My excitement comes from getting close to the ground in the corner and then blasting off in the exit with exhilarating acceleration.
 
My situation was very much like the OP's. Took my bike off the street permanently last fall, after my first full season of track riding. Riding a sport bike on the street in any manner that could plausibly be considered challenging is socially irresponsible, and was making me feel guilty...and was still boring. The track lets me do the things I have always wanted to do on a sportbike, is always challenging and fun, and is guilt free. I also love not having to pay $1000 per year to those F'ing bandit vehicle insurance companies.

In my case it also fits in better with my life. It's hard for me to find a few hours several times a week to steal away and ride, but five or six entire days over the course of a season I can fit in.

+1 on making sure your supplemental medical / life insurance are in place though. It's not that track riding is sigificantly more dangerous - in fact, I suspect it is safer - but you don't have your vehicle insurance accidents benefits coverage, so something needs to replace that. I am lucky to have coverage through work that would look after me, but if you don't you should consider buying a policy.
 
AC said:
Sold my last street SS a few weeks ago, didn't ride it. Put an old 78 gs550 on the street, way more fun than a SS on the street..lol
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I feel the same As most replies here. After first trackday ever about 5 or 6 yrs ago I went home, kijijied all my stock stuff and got addicted to crack days. I put an old xl600 on the road for cheap last season, but didn't do much for me. I have a vintage Honda 400 super sport I'd like to put on the road, just for Sunday morning breakfast or zip to work once in a while. I'm old so vintage bikes are kinda cool to me. If you have a ss , the streets is no place for it IMO and most others who have seen both sides of the fence will probably agree as well
 
Since i started riding track my time on the street is almost non existent. I only took it out twice so far this year. I would get rid of my Street R1 completely, but I love that bike too much and it's good to know that I have something to hop on if I ever wanted to.

Although if I do ever get rid of the R1, I probably will pick up a 125 or 250 just for semi-commuting/fun around the city (insurance is $300/year, so wh the heck not right?).
 
nokturnal said:
Almost did. Then bought a dr650 for exploring. Slowest, but one of the most fun, bikes I have owned.
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This x1000. My KLR 650 has been the most fun I've had on 2 wheels.

If you have the money, go take one of the off-road riding courses (CMTS or Trail-tours) and see if you like it.
 
I rode on the street for three years. Always talked about getting to the track. Had a squid moment, got a road block, fines for every town I went through, Suspended license and the courts almost made me sell my bike. All at the ripe age of 20. I said F the street, did a track day and fell in love. There is nothing like it. Eventually I'd like a street bike to commute and take a leisurely cruise. But no riding like I used to. Maybe a FZ6, Versy's, Triumph tiger could be in my future.
 
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