is a track 250 worth it? | GTAMotorcycle.com

is a track 250 worth it?

djbordie

djbordie

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i really want to track a ninja 250.

Am I just wasting my time/money?

All i can think of is it will be a cheap endeavor, fits in my van, tons of fun and better to hone proper techniques
-cheap rubbers and parts (tires prob last forever, compared to a 600)

Will they let me on the track no prob with the 600's? (in the beginner group i guess)

Will people be annoyed by me buzzing around on a 250?

Or get a sv 650 and be done...

I have had people say the 250 will be boring in no time, really? i did a 125cc track day and could do that without getting bored. Or so it seemed. It was an absolute blast.


please give me your opinions and experience with this.
 
I race with a number of guys and gals on small bikes who can really hustle....even CHris Vantillborg on his 30 yr old CBX250 single manages to get around very well......MAny of these little bikes are able to help their riders make up in the turns what they loose on the straights. Seth Vandongen ( I think he is 14 yrs old, and rides a 125) was putting the hurt on me on my R6 last SOAR round.
Nothing wrong with riding a 250...in fact you will probably learn lots of invaluable techniques about lines and micorner speed that you might not have learned on a bigger bike.
 
You'll be fine riding a 250 on the track. You don't need horsepower to be quick in the corners. As long as you have the ambition and desire to learn and progress you won't get bored of riding a 250 on the track.

Go for it.
 
excellent answers thank you.

I guess some people just assume the lack of speed on the straights will bore me. but honestly i doubt that.

I much prefer cornering than 200kph on straights.

my main concern was the other riders, getting in the way, etc.
 
This is why they have different groups. It allows riders to be comfortable with those around them. For the record, the guys on the 2-strok 250's running slicks give my CBR 1000 a run for its money in the corners at the track. I see guys run CBR 125's around the track no problem. Highly recommended starting on a lower HP bike, it forces you to learn how to be smooth and efficient with your speed.

Just becareful, riding the track will be like a heroin addiction, but in a good way :)
 
I'd rather have a fast guy on a 250 to get around than a slow one on a 600. They're flying through the corners but when it opens up you can actually get past instead of the guy who parks it in the corner on his 600/1000 and then flys down the straight. Don't worry about being in peoples way, ride what you got.
 
Smaller CC bikes are excellent learning tools, but you will "out grow" the 250 after about a year. They are excellent tools but once you have learned everything they can teach you will want to move up to a bigger bike.

The only problem with purchasing a ninja 250 (2008+) trackbike is that they don't cost much less than a 600 supersport and they have an almost non-existent resale market.

Thats why the intro program as Racer5 uses CBR125s exclusively. That way our students get to hone their skills on smaller machinery with instruction and a trackside suport program without taking the financial hit on selling a smaller cc bike.
All of our students can rent the 125's for trackdays after they have completed stage3 of the program.

My recommendation would be to take advantage of the intro program, its cheaper than losing money on selling a bike, paying for tracktime, transport, etc.

Then move on to a bigger bike once you have learned everything small bikes have taught you.

Just my 2 cents.
 
let me run some numbers here

I can probably get a ninja 250 track ready for $3000 or less, salvage.

tires are a non issue, they would last a decade.

aside from that, what else would i need?

sv 650, pre prepped for track with suspension work $3000-4000- 5000 depending.

a 600 cc, 4000$+

and tires tires tires for the big boys...

Doesnt it still seem way cheaper to run a ninja 250?
 
djbordie said:
Doesnt it still seem way cheaper to run a ninja 250?
Click to expand...

Yes. Far cheaper.

Running a new medium compound rear at race pace I can get about 30 laps out of it before it goes off. Running a medium+ rear at trackday pace i can get one day out of a rear. Fast riders on CBR125s and Ninja 250s can go a full season on 2-3 sets of tires.
 
djbordie said:
let me run some numbers here

I can probably get a ninja 250 track ready for $3000 or less, salvage.

tires are a non issue, they would last a decade.

aside from that, what else would i need?

sv 650, pre prepped for track with suspension work $3000-4000- 5000 depending.

a 600 cc, 4000$+

and tires tires tires for the big boys...

Doesnt it still seem way cheaper to run a ninja 250?
Click to expand...

It really depends what you mean by track ready.
At $3000 you would struggle to have a 2008+ salvaged ninja 250 with bodywork and paint.

We have built 23 track bikes bikes since February, there are hidden costs (auction fees, transport, etc.) that many people forget to include.
That dosn't include upgrades like track tires (essential), rear shock, rearsets, braided lines, etc.

Tires will last longer, but if I would still keep an eye on them and budget to change them every ten trackdays.
Also remeber that the option of using scrubs also is no longer possible.

The 250 will realistically end up costing you $3500+. Recouping this money will be hard as smaller cc trackbikes are hard to sell.

It will be cheaper to run the 250 than a 600 but not by as much as you may think.
What I am gettign at is that you have a small cc bike program in your back yard that is much cheaper than doing it yourself.

So lets say you run 10 trackdays this year.

10 days @$100 each = $1000
1 set of tires = $275
money lost in track bike = $1500
fuel @$25 day = $250
Oil changes, chain, etc. = $150

with those numbers your cost of learning by yourself on a small cc bike works out to cost $3175.

Thats just doing trackdays by yourself with no instruction.

4 days with the Racer5 intro program is only $759.
this gives you a trackday with instruction, a SOAR race license, two days racing in SOAR with open practice in the morning, free entry to a SOAR event, etc.
Points towards winning a CBR125 race bike at the end of the season.

Then you can come back and race additional 2 day race weekends for $399 or rent a bike and practice yourself on one of out trackdays for only $225/day.

So ten days with us where we maintain the bike for you, handle logistics, fuel, instruction, race license. In additon ten days could include your intro day, licensing day, 3 race weekends and 2 additional trackdays.

All this would only cost you $2007 (plus taxes).

This way you save money for when you will move up to bigger cc bikes.

Not trying to sway you towards our program or anything just making sure you know all your options before your take a leap.

Fawaz
 
Listen to Fawaz.

Although there is nothing "wrong" with using a Ninja 250 as a track bike, and you ought to have fun with it, the problem lies at the end of your period of ownership. A Ninja 250 is a tough sell, because "everyone wants a 600" (rightly or wrongly) and also, although there ARE roadracing classes in which the Ninja 250 is eligible, they have not taken off the way the CBR125 class did. A Ninja 250 street bike is easy to resell. A salvage-title race-prepped one ... not so much.

For $3k you could also buy an already-race-prepped or ex-trackday 600. It costs more than you think to make a track bike out of a street bike. Bodywork, rear shock, rebuilt forks, exhaust, etc.

Another choice; I have a street FZR400 that I'm willing to sell at the right price (do your research and don't bother insulting me with a low-ball offer). It has been a race bike in the past and already has a decent shock, decent exhaust, NRC engine covers, fiberglass bodywork (couple bits would have to be changed to make it race-legal but it's no big deal). This would be legal for RACE Lightweight Sportsman, VRRA period 4 formula 3, and SOAR Vintage LW and Lost Era LW. If you want to look at it, PM me.
 
I took my 250 out to TMP this Sunday and had a blast riding it the main change was to put BT003 tires on it and go. It seems like a great little track bike and was fun (possibly more fun than my 1198 certainly less tiring). The Racer 5 program does seem like a great deal but you don't own the bike. You can't take it when you want to or where you want to, might be a downside if you want to try other tracks.
 
The Racer5 Intro program takes place at TMP, Grand Bend Motoplex, and with the CSBK program ICAR, St Estache, Shannonville, Mosport and Atlantic Motorsports Park (nova scotia). So it does cover more tracks than most people will attend in a season.
 
djbordie said:
let me run some numbers here

I can probably get a ninja 250 track ready for $3000 or less, salvage.

tires are a non issue, they would last a decade.

aside from that, what else would i need?

sv 650, pre prepped for track with suspension work $3000-4000- 5000 depending.

a 600 cc, 4000$+

and tires tires tires for the big boys...

Doesnt it still seem way cheaper to run a ninja 250?
Click to expand...

tires get mostly worn out on the sides and from heat cycles.....sure they can last longer on a 250, but not that long. The suspension and brakes would be much better on a 600.
Lastly, closing speeds are a dangerous thing. I've seen what happens when a 125 gp bike (much faster than a ninja 250) gets rearended by a GSXR......not pretty.
 
I personally just tracked my 250 this past weekend...as others said its soooooo much fun!!!!!! HOnestly a great learner bike out there, I felt comfortable, and was really able to push limits because I felt so comfortable...Speed is one thing but its great to really get the corners down pact, because then when you do upgrade you might be more prepared for the power. I will say my instructors mentioned to me this weekend, that I am already outriding the bike....so for this year (because I do love my 250 and am glad I started on it) I am going to make a couple of minor adjustments such as moving the pegs up just to give me a tad more clearance...and ride it out and practice for the season in the beginner lapping days...next year I will look into 600 and probably join Racer 5s level 4 courses and continue on from there.

Jenn
 
the things you don't account for are the one that will push your budget over. maintenance on the bike goes much higher when you track it (oil, brakes, brake fluid, radiator, etc). tires aren't the cheapest thing, either. I calculated that my SV650 would cost me about 350-400 per trackday, all in. the 929 was only marginally more expensive, so I'm asuming that a 250 will only be 50-75 less than the sv per trackday.

I used to do 6-7 trackdays per year with my bike - roughly $2500, without the cost of the bike or insurance. crash damage was on top of that ;).
 
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