Made my mind up, and I'm going to start tracking next season

[arogal]

Hi everyone,
My friend has been racing with SOAR for quite some time now and has been hassling me to get a track bike, so I thought rather than prepping my street bike (09' zx6r), I'd try FAST Racing school. I did the phase 1 at FAST on a 2016 zx6r and has to be one of the most fun days of my life! I thought it would make a better/more aggressive street rider (taking corners faster, getting that knee lower, and feeling more confident in the twisties), but it was the complete opposite. I am much smarter on the street now, and if anything, I ride slower and more cautious than I used to. I never knew how much concentration and focus it took to push a bike on the track without factoring in other vehicles, sand/gravel, and using double the width of pavement. I am hooked, and want more.
My friend said that lots of his buddies he tracks with sell their bikes in fall/winter once the season has wrapped up. He is going to try and find me a bike for between $2-$2500. He will be able to provide a tent, generator, and has and extra tire warmers. I was planning on just renting a Uhaul trailer for the days I track and slap it on the back of my Forester because I live in a building and have no room to store a trailer.
Other than what I have said above, is there any advice you can give me to prepare me for my first track season next year? I will be purchasing a 1 piece suit at the bike show in January as GP has 25% off their whole store every year (my 2 piece A* suit wont cut it).
Thanks!

 

[174Racing]

I got some advice..... Save up!!!!!

(But it will be the best money you've ever spent!)

 

[arogal]

I got some advice..... Save up!!!!!

(But it will be the best money you've ever spent!)

Yes, I am quite aware! LOL! By any chance, did you purchase the Daytona 675 from Sha 2 winters ago? He is my friend that used to live in my building that keeps telling me to man up and start hitting the track with him! I might swing by Cayuga this weekend. He put my name in so I can just walk in. He tracks an orange cbr600rr and also has a carbon fiber one.

 

[boyoboy]

there is a thread "where are all the reasonable TD/race bikes for sale" or something to that effect...
not much happening now but it might be a good thread for you to check regularly...its under track days/track riding. If nothing else it may give you a feel for whats out there for how much$

 

[miggs]

Are you going to be competing, or just doing track days?

 

[mbroyda]

like other said...save up it gets expensive. i've done the uhaul thing my first year make sure you book your stuff early as trailers aren't always available.
get good gear, there are 2 types of people that get good gear, the ones that bought it before they got hurt, and the ones that bought it after, you will crash at some point so might as well be ready for it.

 

[arogal]

Are you going to be competing, or just doing track days?

Just track days. Depending on how well everything goes I may consider competing in the future. Just be more of a hobby an not something that I would take too seriously.

 

[miggs]

What you "need" vs want you want will vary.

You mentioned your friend is going to hook you up with a bunch of stuff so you lucked out there.

Some quality gear, some stands and spare parts would be next on the needs list.

The more days you attend you'll see what is really needed vs not needed.

 

[N3WMAN]

Yes, I am quite aware! LOL! By any chance, did you purchase the Daytona 675 from Sha 2 winters ago? He is my friend that used to live in my building that keeps telling me to man up and start hitting the track with him! I might swing by Cayuga this weekend. He put my name in so I can just walk in. He tracks an orange cbr600rr and also has a carbon fiber one.

Shah is a good dude. I've run into him a few times(literally) :lmao:

As mentioned, save up. Buy good gear(including a back protector). U-Haul is a decent option if you have no trailer. Whatever you end up buying, get a base line suspension setup done on it. Ask Shah, he knows a good guy for that. If he is going to give/loan you warmers get proper track tires and find out the correct pressures.

Only other thing I would say is if you are doing trackdays, and I suppose in general, be mindful of who you listen to. Everyone and their dog seems to want to give out advice at TDs and half of it is wrong/bad.

Ride safe, have fun.

 

[arogal]

I started saving up in the spring. Literally just taking out cash here and there and throwing it in a shoe box.....if my wife finds it, I'm toast LOL!
Ya he is a great guy, too bad he went down on Sunday
I'm considering just getting a street triple for the road and turning my zx6r into a track bike. MY suspension is already dialed in, has tons of goodies (SS lines, full exhaust, proper tune etc). But on that note, I will be purchasing a bike that will run me $8-$12k rather than getting a cheaper bike that is track ready which will cost me more $$ in the long run.
Worse case scenario if I do change my mind about becoming a track junkie, I will have a couple grand saved up to spend on something else
Would you guys recommend doing FAST phase 3&4 or save up that money and put it towards a bike and just teach myself and learn with time?

 

[miggs]

Do phase 2 of fast.
It focuses more on body position, learning lines and braking zones.

You will learn more in an afternoon of proper instruction than prob 10 track days of figuring it out as you go.

Learn the fundamentals and then play around with going faster.

As n3wman said, everyone out there will gladly give you an opinion and most of it will be wrong.

...i would also look at picking up a well sorted out bike someone is selling. You will save TONS vs building yourself.

 

[arogal]

Do phase 2 of fast.
It focuses more on body position, learning lines and braking zones.

You will learn more in an afternoon of proper instruction than prob 10 track days of figuring it out as you go.

Learn the fundamentals and then play around with going faster.

As n3wman said, everyone out there will gladly give you an opinion and most of it will be wrong.

...i would also look at picking up a well sorted out bike someone is selling. You will save TONS vs building yourself.

I have done both phase 1&2 at FAST. I found Phase 1 very helpful, phase 2 not so much. Maybe because before phase 1 I had never laid 2 wheels on a track (used to track my STI years ago). I will keep in touch with my friend that races with SOAR as he said there is a good chance some o his friends will be selling their bikes late fall/winter. Yes you are right, getting a track ready bike will save me lots of time and $$...good call.

 

[174Racing]

Yes, I am quite aware! LOL! By any chance, did you purchase the Daytona 675 from Sha 2 winters ago? He is my friend that used to live in my building that keeps telling me to man up and start hitting the track with him! I might swing by Cayuga this weekend. He put my name in so I can just walk in. He tracks an orange cbr600rr and also has a carbon fiber one.

No, one 675 came from close to Boston, the other was a track bike from a guy in Toronto. But I do know Shah, great guy.

 

[mbroyda]

I started saving up in the spring. Literally just taking out cash here and there and throwing it in a shoe box.....if my wife finds it, I'm toast LOL!
Ya he is a great guy, too bad he went down on Sunday
I'm considering just getting a street triple for the road and turning my zx6r into a track bike. MY suspension is already dialed in, has tons of goodies (SS lines, full exhaust, proper tune etc). But on that note, I will be purchasing a bike that will run me $8-$12k rather than getting a cheaper bike that is track ready which will cost me more $$ in the long run.
Worse case scenario if I do change my mind about becoming a track junkie, I will have a couple grand saved up to spend on something else
Would you guys recommend doing FAST phase 3&4 or save up that money and put it towards a bike and just teach myself and learn with time?

as other have said, I wouldnt bother trying to convert a bike from street to track, not cost effective and a PITA (unless you really enjoy wrenching)

 

[miggs]

I really wanted to convert my street 675 into a track bike.

...until I priced out what suspension was going to cost me for ohlins cartridges and a ttx shock.

It was going to be more than what i paid for my entire track bike.

 

[mbroyda]

I really wanted to convert my street 675 into a track bike.

...until I priced out what suspension was going to cost me for ohlins cartridges and a ttx shock.

It was going to be more than what i paid for my entire track bike.

exactly, if you add up the cost of all the aftermarket stuff on my ZX6R it will come up to more than what I paid for the bike with all the parts installed...

 

[Hardwrkr13]

Continue with the FAST courses.
Buy a track bike that someone has already dumped their money into making. Deals pop up year-round so keep an eye out.
Good gear, suspension, tires. Don't waste money on power parts or nice paint.

 

[Winales_2017]

like other said...save up it gets expensive. i've done the uhaul thing my first year make sure you book your stuff early as trailers aren't always available.
get good gear, there are 2 types of people that get good gear, the ones that bought it before they got hurt, and the ones that bought it after, you will crash at some point so might as well be ready for it.

I got some advice..... Save up!!!!!

(But it will be the best money you've ever spent!)

Yup, I went down with cheap gear riding street and after a painful year of recovery and physical therapy I found the best investment is in good quality gear, even used is ok rather than new mediocre stuff.

I'm pretty sure with my last Dianese jacket I've spent just as much in gear as I have in both my 2 track bikes at this point. Luckily the F4 came with a ton of spare parts so I haven't needed to buy much besides a new wiring harness (mod) to play around with. But expect to be buying lots of replacement parts and tires when you start pushing it on the track.

Totally worth it, by the way!

I don't get street riding 99% of the time after taking her out to the track, I could never get comfortable to lean and transition on the street, despite having trained quite a lot on my push-bike to do so, because of so many cars in such a tight enclosed area. But when I took it out to the track I started to build my confidence and started to get my lean and knee out more and more with every lap. Unfortunately the season ended too soon and work has kept me away from riding much this year.

Make a checklist of the gear you need and budget accordingly, such that instead of going out to the bar a weekend and drop $50 on a couple o of drinks you'd just pocket that money somewhere and have the money to get new gauntlets, tires, warmers or a back protector. Interestingly enough, I never saw anyone recommend this, but good wicking gear to wear underneath your leathers is a life-saver, the last day of the riding season for me in 2017 it was 34C and well over 40C on track. I was filling up my gallon jug of water in the pits rather often and it was already technically winter.

Just track days. Depending on how well everything goes I may consider competing in the future. Just be more of a hobby an not something that I would take too seriously.

Best advice after good gear: Honestly, just keep it that way; people who got in there heads that they can be just as fast in their late 20s to mid 30s as a kid who has been on a bike since he was 3 (as most pros have been for decades now) and winning National championships before they're graduate middle school is not just laughable, but really sad.

You often see them slaving away at a day job without realizing that 'competitive' just means competing against unsurmountable odds if you want to make a living from motor sports. I started as a teen, in cars, and despite having 'lived that life' for most of my young adult life in what was at the time a rather nascent sport in N. America, I soon realized it was only a matter of time before big money would follow and push out the grass root guys and that much younger talent with money (well off parents) would come and flood the space. It was exactly 2 years after I realized that to see it all happen.

Just have fun, and don't stress out about it; see it as a hobby, having been on both sides, there is nothing worse than being around someone who will ride far beyond their skill level and endanger themselves and others becausethey 'needs this' to get to the 'next level.'

I went to riding school instructed by an ex AMA racer, and another pro Motorcross guy, these guys are truly freaks, they don't do anything but live and breath bikes. They're really nice guys and cool to chat with, but I seriously doubt they had an education level past the 9th grade, and I don't say that to be mean, but just an observation of the cost of what it takes to get there.