Looking to get started with track days this summer

[Honclfibr]

A KX125 would not be appropriate (or safe) to race in any class at LRRS. Trackdays *might* be a different story..

[csmutty]

A KX125 would not be appropriate (or safe) to race in any class at LRRS. Trackdays *might* be a different story..

Oh it is a 125...i thought it was a 250.

Better off with the EX either way.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Motard at Loudon is a 450. I think your gonna spend alot more money racing/ trackdaying that than you would an EX...

I am gonna go out on a limb here... Have you ever thought about a Honda Hawk GT?

T1a Racing might be looking for a rider next year (I supply the bike)

Yeah, if it requires a 450 I'm prettymuch out. What struck me about supermoto was being able to use the bike I already have.

As for the Hawk, no, I had not thought about it in the past. You've certainly got my attention though! What are the particulars?

Looks like this season might be an EX/track day/Race school and license thing. I certainly wouldn't turn my nose up at a free bike to race though

Something of a shame you can't rent different classes of bikes to figure out where you want to race. Deciding could get expensive at this rate

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Oh it is a 125...i thought it was a 250.

Better off with the EX either way.

The absolute last thing I'm trying to do is get out there and be unsafe. If the supermoto thing won't work, so be it. I'm happy with the EX & real street bike idea anyway

The tracks with the dirt sections really had my attention anyway. This looks like a lot of fun http://www.newenglandsupermoto.com/uploads/Track.pdf

[Honclfibr]

I may have a race prepped EX for sale early this year. Just have to find out if the motor is still good as I may have left it full of water last year...

[csmutty]

I think you should go for one of these so I can ride it haha.
http://www.tmracing.it/eng/modello.p...=104&anno=2009

["Dangerous" Dan K]

I think you should go for one of these so I can ride it haha.
http://www.tmracing.it/eng/modello.p...=104&anno=2009

I'd absolutely love to, but it might be a bit out of the price range

["Dangerous" Dan K]

I may have a race prepped EX for sale early this year. Just have to find out if the motor is still good as I may have left it full of water last year...

I may have a lead on one already, I should know tomorrow or tuesday. If not I could be very interested. Do you know what you'd be asking? Let me know when you find out if the motor is still good. Heck, even if it's still not and the price is right... anyone know a good motor shop around here?

[Honclfibr]

I may have a lead on one already, I should know tomorrow or tuesday. If not I could be very interested. Do you know what you'd be asking? Let me know when you find out if the motor is still good. Heck, even if it's still not and the price is right... anyone know a good motor shop around here?

Ebay, craigslist...EX500 motors and parts are cheap...I wouldn't bother reworking them, hell I gave an EX with a running motor to dana temple two years ago...

If the motor's intact I would be asking $1200, if it's not...around $1000...woodcraft bars and pegs...fox shock...spare wheels with rains...208GPs on the other wheels with probably 20 laps on them...stainless line, EBC full floating rotor...pretty much the standard EX racing shit...oh, and it's got a "race tail" which is good for at least .000005 horsepower

[Doc]

The Hawk last year...


and currently...


It is going through an upgrade process.

I am building another one as well... I still haven't decided which one I am gonna let someone ride.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

In light of the supermoto thing, this is more what I had in mind (track is in CT I'm pretty sure) but there are no 125s out there, they all look like 450s. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb5-26D43K8

["Dangerous" Dan K]

The Hawk last year...


and currently...


It is going through an upgrade process.

I am building another one as well... I still haven't decided which one I am gonna let someone ride.

Way bad ass! That's probably a couple steps outside my league though, doesn't look much like an amateur bike. I suppose you'll be able to see for yourself a the track days and race schools

[Doc]

It is not that bad and the one I am building is not as bad ass.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Ebay, craigslist...EX500 motors and parts are cheap...I wouldn't bother reworking them, hell I gave an EX with a running motor to dana temple two years ago...

If the motor's intact I would be asking $1200, if it's not...around $1000...woodcraft bars and pegs...fox shock...spare wheels with rains...208GPs on the other wheels with probably 20 laps on them...stainless line, EBC full floating rotor...pretty much the standard EX racing shit...oh, and it's got a "race tail" which is good for at least .000005 horsepower

Possibly a bit more than I want to spend if the prices are firm, but it does sound like a bad ass bike. Let's see what happens with this other one before we get too serious talking business. It's certainly not crossed off my list

[Honclfibr]

Haha, it is not a bad ass bike, it is a bad bike which looks like ass

["Dangerous" Dan K]

It is not that bad and the one I am building is not as bad ass.

I'm going to need to get to know you guys a bit better before I catch on to when you're all joking, aren't I? All good, i'm not going anywhere anytime soon, I'm sure I'll catch on.

[a13x]

1) You can race/trackday a KX125 at SUPERMOTO tracks. They are short, tight, and mainly go-kart tracks.

2) You CANNOT race/trackday at KX125 at Loudon. Well, I'm sure you technically *could*, but it'd be frigging retarded and complete waste of your time

3) Racing/riding a 450-motard at Loudon is in no way, shape, or form 'half-assing' it. The motard class has (and had) the very best riders at Loudon competing in it (Wood 1 and 2, Narbonne, Brent, Mike M, etc etc). Motards have gone around Loudon faster than any Hawk, EX, and most 125GP bikes ever have. (15.5 for J.Wood, 15.6 for Doug Henry, 16.9 for Mike M.) Do a search, bout a million threads on motards and 'first track bikes' here.

[Pittenger5]

3) Racing/riding a 450-motard at Loudon is in no way, shape, or form 'half-assing' it. The motard class has (and had) the very best riders at Loudon competing in it (Wood 1 and 2, Narbonne, Brent, Mike M, etc etc).

Damn, no respect for the DB? I see how it is.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

1) You can race/trackday a KX125 at SUPERMOTO tracks. They are short, tight, and mainly go-kart tracks.

2) You CANNOT race/trackday at KX125 at Loudon. Well, I'm sure you technically *could*, but it'd be frigging retarded and complete waste of your time

3) Racing/riding a 450-motard at Loudon is in no way, shape, or form 'half-assing' it. The motard class has (and had) the very best riders at Loudon competing in it (Wood 1 and 2, Narbonne, Brent, Mike M, etc etc). Motards have gone around Loudon faster than any Hawk, EX, and most 125GP bikes ever have. (15.5 for J.Wood, 15.6 for Doug Henry, 16.9 for Mike M.) Do a search, bout a million threads on motards and 'first track bikes' here.

Cool, thanks. Maybe I'll back-shelf the KX motard idea for other tracks then. I like the idea of tight tracks, jumps, dirt sections, etc. anyway. Even with motarding a 450 @ Loudon not being at all half-assed, it'd still cost too much to get started. I think I'm going to stick with my original plan.

Acquire EX
Track Days
Penguin
Race

[a13x]

Cool, thanks. Maybe I'll back-shelf the KX motard idea for other tracks then. I like the idea of tight tracks, jumps, dirt sections, etc. anyway. Even with motarding a 450 @ Loudon not being at all half-assed, it'd still cost too much to get started. I think I'm going to stick with my original plan.

Acquire EX
Track Days
Penguin
Race

Yes your original plan is a very good one. Don't let the knuckleheads divert you too much.

Also don't feel you have to do 1000 trackdays before racing. Any competent rider can do Penguin School and be just fine. Many of the people in Penguin School are riding stock streetbikes. Seth505 did Penguin his VERY FIRST time on the track on his streetbike and was just fine. Way back in 2004 myself and 3 friends did the same thing. Never ever set foot on the track and went straight to Penguin. If you are dead-set on doing a trackday before then do a few, 2, 3, or something and sign up for the School.

Doing trackdays before race school is not a bad idea. It's a great idea. It's just sometimes I laugh because some folks get all bent outta shape on the idea of not doing trackdays before racing school. Like you'll self-destruct or something. It's really down the the individual. If it makes you sleep easy doing a trackday first, then great, go do it. No worries.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Yes your original plan is a very good one. Don't let the knuckleheads divert you too much.

Also don't feel you have to do 1000 trackdays before racing. Any competent rider can do Penguin School and be just fine. Many of the people in Penguin School are riding stock streetbikes. Seth505 did Penguin his VERY FIRST time on the track on his streetbike and was just fine. Way back in 2004 myself and 3 friends did the same thing. Never ever set foot on the track and went straight to Penguin. If you are dead-set on doing a trackday before then do a few, 2, 3, or something and sign up for the School.

Doing trackdays before race school is not a bad idea. It's a great idea. It's just sometimes I laugh because some folks get all bent outta shape on the idea of not doing trackdays before racing school. Like you'll self-destruct or something. It's really down the the individual. If it makes you sleep easy doing a trackday first, then great, go do it. No worries.

Cool, thanks. A few track days isn't going to help me sleep at night or anything, but I do think I'd learn some good stuff and be a better and less dangerous racer because of it. For that reason, I'm going to do a couple. Maybe a back to back session @ tonys, then sign up for penguin. Now I just need to wait to hear back from the two guys who have EX's to get the low-down on getting myself a bike! I'm way too impulsive on this stuff - 2 good leads on bikes and I have to wait to hear back about either. I'm really not good at waiting

[Kurlon]

Try to find a friend to join you in this project. Have him get a bike as well. It's amazing how much a difference having a 'team mate' can make. It's one thing to slot into a pit full of buds, it's another to have someone close by who's making the trip down with ya, etc. Helps cut the stress down big time. Plus bench racing in the car is cool

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Try to find a friend to join you in this project. Have him get a bike as well. It's amazing how much a difference having a 'team mate' can make. It's one thing to slot into a pit full of buds, it's another to have someone close by who's making the trip down with ya, etc. Helps cut the stress down big time. Plus bench racing in the car is cool

I'd like to. I keep my friends few and close these days though, and the #1 guy I'd expect to get into this with me can't at the moment due to wife, kids, house, business, etc. He used to race, maybe seeing me at it will push me over the edge

I've got another really close friend who's on these forums and has talked about getting a track day bike... who knows how far that will progress?

Worst case I'll hopefully make some friends at the track. I hear ya though, I'll do what I can to get one of my buddies into this with me. So far it's not looking great.

[OreoGaborio]

As always, a13x gives good advice.

BUT! (You knew this was comin, bro ) one thing I personally think he should add is a disclaimer Something along the lines of "If you suck at track days or find that you have no natural racing talent, just keep doin track days till you're competent enough to go racing".

The ones that do very few track days or skip em all together & do well are the ones that have a lot of natural talent on a bike.... like Alex, his buddy Matt Stone, Seth, etc etc etc. For those that aren't/weren't as fortunate, track days should help a lot. I'll occationally see people out in the Novice class that really have no business being there & are in the midst of finding that out the hard way... but it's not really a widespread issue. It's not like the Novice class is THAT much faster than an intermediate or advanced track day group.

To use me as an example of an "in-betweener", I didn't need to do as many track days as I did before I made the leap, but I also didn't think I WAS gonna make the leap till I found out about the Production Twins class & a PTwins EX500 practically fell in my lap. But once I did, that extensive TD experience (2.5 years worth) helped tremedously & I did quite well my rookie year.

Cliff's Notes: It's good to have a plan like you do and set goals like I'm sure you have, but don't be afraid to adjust (as I'm sure you will). Don't assume you NEED to do track days, but also don't assume you don't have to. Do one or two TD's, then do a bit of a self-evaluation to see where you stand amongst your peers.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

As always, a13x gives good advice.

BUT! (You knew this was comin, bro ) one thing I personally think he should add is a disclaimer Something along the lines of "If you suck at track days or find that you have no natural racing talent, just keep doin track days till you're competent enough to go racing".

The ones that do very few track days or skip em all together & do well are the ones that have a lot of natural talent on a bike.... like Alex, his buddy Matt Stone, Seth, etc etc etc. For those that aren't/weren't as fortunate, track days should help a lot. I'll occationally see people out in the Novice class that really have no business being there & are in the midst of finding that out the hard way... but it's not really a widespread issue. It's not like the Novice class is THAT much faster than an intermediate or advanced track day group.

To use me as an example of an "in-betweener", I didn't need to do as many track days as I did before I made the leap, but I also didn't think I WAS gonna make the leap till I found out about the Production Twins class & a PTwins EX500 practically fell in my lap. But once I did, that extensive TD experience (2.5 years worth) helped tremedously & I did quite well my rookie year.

Cliff's Notes: It's good to have a plan like you do and set goals like I'm sure you have, but don't be afraid to adjust (as I'm sure you will). Don't assume you NEED to do track days, but also don't assume you don't have to. Do one or two TD's, then do a bit of a self-evaluation to see where you stand amongst your peers.

Sounds like a quality and well thought out approach. I have a feeling I'll be somewhere in the middle. I've raced BMX, mountain bikes, RC, etc. and have been a huge race fan all my life, so I know I won't be as out of the loop as some. At the same time, I've never been on a paved/motorized vehicle track so where the rubber meets the pavement I just don't know yet. I'll find out during the track days though