Vintage, not fast enough for Track days?

[limeex2]

Nothing better than being old and grey(the person) and riding a old bike around the new kids on there Jetsons themed bikes. They come over and look at your bike afterwards and are clueless that its older than they are and their Gixxers grandpa. And then there's the guys on supermotards that go around me like I was dragging a boat anchor. As far as track days, just do it! Find what the local tracks allow and build a bike that they have classes for. It is seriously addictive and will make you better street rider.

 

[RichDesmond]

Necrothreadmancer!

Well crap, I didn't notice the OP date.

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Well crap, I didn't notice the OP date.

Don't worry about the OP date, that's squid talk.

 

[RichDesmond]

Don't worry about the OP date, that's squid talk.

You know better now, right?

 

[Carter Turk]

I've been doing trackdays on the same bike for 17 years.
Lately I've been riding with some near seniors on newer machinery, telling me I need to upgrade to a newer bike.
They maybe right, but I'm having as much fun as some dude on S1000RR with electronics, suspension and tires to dumb down the riding experience.
How fun can it really be if the bike is doing everything for you?
I think that is what makes riding an old bike fast on the track most enjoyable.
Most everyone else are riding bikes where a computer (ECU) is monitoring your every move, trimming fuel, retarding timing, limiting outright acceleration, where we're justing twisting the throttle, trying to manage a flexy frame, questionable brakes, bias narrow tires and ultra long wheelbase.

 

[GS1150Pilot]

Seems like the middle path would be good for doing track days-something like an old FZR600 that doesn't look perfect but is well sorted. I'd hate to lay the 1150 down, and am planning for the 900f to be set up for sport-touring. I see FZRs for sale for peanuts every week. I have no desire to plug a bike into a laptop between laps.

 

[Buffalo Bill]

I've been doing trackdays on the same bike for 17 years.
Lately I've been riding with some near seniors on newer machinery, telling me I need to upgrade to a newer bike.
They maybe right, but I'm having as much fun as some dude on S1000RR with electronics, suspension and tires to dumb down the riding experience.
How fun can it really be if the bike is doing everything for you?
I think that is what makes riding an old bike fast on the track most enjoyable.
Most everyone else are riding bikes where a computer (ECU) is monitoring your every move, trimming fuel, retarding timing, limiting outright acceleration, where we're justing twisting the throttle, trying to manage a flexy frame, questionable brakes, bias narrow tires and ultra long wheelbase.

Kinda reminds me of a quote about what is good music by Duke Ellington “If it sounds good, IT IS GOOD!”
Paraphrased for bikes; If it feels good, IT IS GOOD!

 

[RichDesmond]

Seems like the middle path would be good for doing track days-something like an old FZR600 that doesn't look perfect but is well sorted. I'd hate to lay the 1150 down, and am planning for the 900f to be set up for sport-touring. I see FZRs for sale for peanuts every week. I have no desire to plug a bike into a laptop between laps.

A track prepped SV650 would be a great choice too. It's a good idea to get something that's already a trackday or race bike, you'll spend a lot less then buying a street bike and converting it.

 

[GS1150Pilot]

Oh, heck yes. I like SV650's a lot.

 

[Carter Turk]

Really only 6ish years, for some reason didn't do it or couldn't afford it for about 10 years.
No reason why a normal street bike can't get out there and have some fun.
Sure there's other more suitable modern bikes for track duty, but riding in the "relaxed group C"
has all types of bikes.
I doubt anyone would regret trying it a least once.
If another bike is needed, might be an excuse to prolong actually getting out there, if ever.
One guy I do trackdays with, who is 74 says "it's about the most fun you can have on a motorcycle"

 

[Buffalo Bill]

If another bike is needed, might be an excuse to prolong actually getting out there, if ever.
One guy I do trackdays with, who is 74 says "it's about the most fun you can have on a motorcycle"

Thanks for mentioning your friends age, that's encouraging!

I had a couple learning problems last season maybe you guys can comment on; I was choking on a couple down hill turn ins. Just could not believe the tires would stick. Some other corners I wanted to turn in a little early.
The coaches already told me the obvious, that I needed to trust the tires, and wait for the turn in point.

 

[tas850g]

Have you gotten a tow from any of the instructors/control riders? If they can do it so can you. Need to mentally tell your self to relax and trust the grip of your tires as your going thru the turns. Also, keep your eyes scanning ahead looking for your reference points.

 

[GS1150Pilot]

Really only 6ish years, for some reason didn't do it or couldn't afford it for about 10 years.
No reason why a normal street bike can't get out there and have some fun.
Sure there's other more suitable modern bikes for track duty, but riding in the "relaxed group C"
has all types of bikes.
I doubt anyone would regret trying it a least once.
If another bike is needed, might be an excuse to prolong actually getting out there, if ever.
One guy I do trackdays with, who is 74 says "it's about the most fun you can have on a motorcycle"

I guess, but I have waaaay too much invested in the 1150 now to wad it up. The idea of buying a dedicated track bike is becoming more appealing.

 

[RichDesmond]

I guess, but I have waaaay too much invested in the 1150 now to wad it up. The idea of buying a dedicated track bike is becoming more appealing.

Good thinking. The only way I'd take my 1000S to the track is if I was the only one on it.

 

[Carter Turk]

Don't crash, ride within your limits and you'll be fine.
Why have a beautiful bike that isn't ridden to its full potential?
I would think the bike might be upset with you, for not giving it a full go.

 

[GS1150Pilot]

The GS1150 was not made for the track (at least not the ones with turns), so I don't feel the need to see how far I can lean it over outside regular road conditions. A GSX-R or FZR-that's a different ball of wax, and if I had a bike that could get laid down, I'd learn a lot more on it by experimenting with and possibly extending those limits.

 

[limeex2]

Really only 6ish years, for some reason didn't do it or couldn't afford it for about 10 years.
No reason why a normal street bike can't get out there and have some fun.
Sure there's other more suitable modern bikes for track duty, but riding in the "relaxed group C"
has all types of bikes.
I doubt anyone would regret trying it a least once.
If another bike is needed, might be an excuse to prolong actually getting out there, if ever.
One guy I do trackdays with, who is 74 says "it's about the most fun you can have on a motorcycle"

Its a great place to hone skills, and have way to much fun. I wouldn't worry about laying it down, I fear cars, deer, debris in corners. There is none of that at track days. I feel safer on the track.

 

[willycrash]

Speaking of necro-posting: For track days I've ridden my SV650 (fairly good track bike), a stripped of it's plastic salvage title 2004 Honda Interceptor V-TEC (heavy, ugly and got some looks for sure) and even my DL1000 Vstrom (more funny looks, reports of showers of sparks from dragging hard parts).

Interestingly, I also took my stock 1990 ZZR550 Zephyr (stock except BT45s, icon shocks and stiffer fork springs springs ). Despite being extremely slow (Kawasaki somehow made it even slower than the original 1970's KZ550/GPZ 550s it shared the motor with), it was probably the second most fun on the track after the SV650....but that wasn't so much the point of my post; which is that if your local track does track days, it may be possible to negotiate with them to run a "vintage track day" or a "vintage group" at their regularly schedules track days. If they have some guarantee that enough people will show up for them to make their money, they would probably do it. The way that that has happened at our local track (Blackhawk farms in northern Illinois) is that a guy on a local vintage bike email list got enough of the listers to show up on a regular basis to keep the interest one of the track day companies that rent that track for their events. He was able to secure his group a spot by basically pre selling to his fellow listers, thus guaranteeing that the track day folks would make their money without them having to promote it or do any extra a work. It's always worth contacting your local track or track day companies that rent your local track to see how they might accommodate a group of like minded folks on old bikes... One thing I've found is that being on a slow bike in and of itself isn't generally putting yourself or others at risk just because they have faster bikes. Here in Wisconsin we do a lot of ice riding in which someone plows a pad race style track and the people riding on it run the gamut from 10 year olds on TT125s to national # dirt track pros on built 450 race bikes to guys on weird vintage triumphs and side car hacks...somehow people simply behave themselves and no one gets hurt. Doesn't mean you don't occasionally encounter dangerous idiots at track days, but in general problems associated fast bikes and slow bikes running together (and resultant differences in closing speeds) are not a huge deal at any well run track day. This is particularly true at certain more structured track day clubs like the old NESBA (now taken over apparently by N2 track days-see link) https://www.n2td.org

 

[Buffalo Bill]

I don't get using a SV650 on track. It's got the right weight, wheels and tires, but only 70HP??
You corner just as well, but 300 ft later you're left behind.

 

[limeex2]

When I was racing, I was running a GS1000, modded with a 4V 1100 motor,flat slide carbs,swinger and front end. Was consistently one of the fastest top end bikes out there, not the fastest lap times... Ran 2:02-2:04's. When it was time to upgrade, I went to a VF500F Interceptor. Bike was totally stock other than tires and brake pads. After 1 weekend I got my times down to 2:01-2:02's. Faster, more consistent lap times and LOTS of people to chase down or were passing me. Learned to draft. It was loads of fun and more enjoyable. That being said, being in a full tuck, hearing the sound of a inline 4 with a pipe and intake noises are like crack to a junkie.