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Track day bike - rent or buy?

  1. #26

    Re: Track day bike - rent or buy?

    Yeh... it's been done..
    .
    V-strom track day results - Page 3 - Stromtrooper Forum : Suzuki V-Strom Motorcycle Forums

    Definitely a considered option at this point...the wobbly front end at speed scares me, but if I pony up to have the steering head bearings replaced and the front forks serviced with new seals I may be able to just run that

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  2. #27
    Lifer
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    Re: Track day bike - rent or buy?

    Dude in that crash video looked awfully crossed up to me. You can do better. It is re-affirming to see him chuck that bike away and have it survive with only needing a new set of bars, turn signal and brake lever. Probably got his crash and luggage bars nicely pavement etched. But no cases split, radiators punctured, tanks torn open.

    Quote Originally Posted by breakdirt916 View Post
    For the DL650 - after busting a clutch push rod backing it into a traffic light and scraping pegs just turning left from a dead stop, I just assumed the bike was "not designed for that...stop trying to ride it like a (supermoto,sport) bike"
    On second thought, if you're dragging peg at slow speeds you probably need a track day pretty bad.

    The bike will do beginner group track day pace all day long. It has plenty of lean angle and more than enough brakes. Mount good quality tires to it and she'll do it just fine.

    I got my start doing track days on my 'strom.

    Track day bike - rent or buy?-hk5c8753-jpg


    Were I you, I'd fix the 'strom, mount some Michelin Pilot Roads on it, and sign up for beginner group at every track I could find. If/when you get hooked, go find a cheapass retired race bike thats been put out to pasture and track ride that. But that's just me.

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  3. #28
    xxaarraa
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    Re: Track day bike - rent or buy?

    Yeah, any bike can do trackdays just fine, in the same way that you can be a runner in dress shoes - if you go slow enough, watch where you are going enough and tip toe your way around, it will work.

    The problem is that people often overlook two things about track day bikes -

    • The rider improves and actually starts liking track days.
    • The rider starts caring enough about his steed and starts weighing opportunity cost of the time commitment.


    When both of the above happen, people start throwing unholy amounts of cash at their track bikes and all economics go out the window. Irrational decisions get made and you end up in a situation where the original "cheap and cheerful" math stopped working a long time ago.

    Cliff notes: Rent a bike for a day or two. If you find out you have some talent and also find out that you care, bypass the cheap ass bike route and go straight to buying a good used bike that's already prepped that you can grow with.

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    Last edited by xxaarraa; 02-22-18 at 10:10 AM.

  4. #29
    ^ It's my bike and my car tls25rs's Avatar
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    Re: Track day bike - rent or buy?

    I think in this case getting the bike that is already owned mechanically sound and doing a track day or two on it to see if he likes track days is probably better than throwing the money, that he could use to get his already owned bike mechanically sound, at renting a track bike for a few days.

    For what it would cost him to rent a bike for a couple of days he could have his daily rider mechanically the way it should be for his daily riding with the added bonus of being able to try a track day or two on his own bike that he is familiar with and knows the mechanical condition of.

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    Last edited by tls25rs; 02-22-18 at 10:23 AM. Reason: realized the quote wasn't entirely related to my comment

  5. #30
    Lifer Kurlon's Avatar
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    Re: Track day bike - rent or buy?

    Yeah, cheaper to fix what you've got and go play for a day or two. If you don't like it, all you've done is make your bike better. If you do like it, and feel the bike is holding you back (We'll require video proof of you going flah tout), congrats you've already improved it's resale with the repairs. If you do like it, and enjoy doing it on that bike, well sweet!

    In short, I don't see a downside to repairing your bike and tracking it.

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  6. #31
    Super Moderator TheIglu's Avatar
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    Re: Track day bike - rent or buy?

    FYI, this isn't Bhavesh's first rodeo. He's ridden on track here in the New Britannia before on that fresh mint concourse level FZR.

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  7. #32
    Lifer
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    Re: Track day bike - rent or buy?

    Quote Originally Posted by xxaarraa View Post
    Yeah, any bike can do trackdays just fine, in the same way that you can be a runner in dress shoes - if you go slow enough, watch where you are going enough and tip toe your way around, it will work.
    You guys know we're talking about a V-Strom DL650 here, right? This isn't a Burgman or a forward control cruiser or something. They go, turn, and stop better than most of you give them credit for. It's basically an SV650 playing dressup. Hundreds of people enjoy flogging those around a race track.



    You can get some pretty stick rubber in 19/17 sets these days.

    I'm not exactly god's gift to riding. But even I managed to squeak by some GSXR whatever-the-fucks at red group pace.

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  8. #33

    Re: Track day bike - rent or buy?

    It is true



    But just twice

    Quote Originally Posted by xxaarraa View Post
    When both of the above happen, people start throwing unholy amounts of cash at their track bikes and all economics go out the window. Irrational decisions get made and you end up in a situation where the original "cheap and cheerful" math stopped working a long time ago.
    Oh yes, this road I have been down many times. I view that as "let someone else pay for the upgrades" because after they've setup the bike he/she seldom sees an ROI in mod spending. I think if I got serious about track days and mentally committed to spending in exchange for improvements and performance, then yes I would skip the $1,000 bike route.

    So yeah I am now feeling fixing the Vstrom is the best. I am going/need to fix it anyways for the cost of 2-3 track bike rentals. And performance wise it's no different than a cheapo $1,000 "track bike" to see how I feel/do on a track anyways...and if I walk away from the track after a couple days, who cares? I will go back to commuting/off roading/canyons like I was in the first place. If it looks and I make more money next year, I can sell the Vstrom and commit to $2,500-$3,000 setup track bike.

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