Anybody Into Track Days?

[Babaganoosh]

Ive been thinking lately about picking up a sport bike and doing some track days. Lots of people seem to start on SV650s as theyre lighter and easier to handle than the 600 sportbikes. Should be cheaper too, but they seem to be so popular as beginner track bikes that the demand has driven the cost at least as high as any of the multitude of 600 track bikes for sale. Ive been riding dirtbikes offroad since i was about 6, MX tracks here and there, and a fat slow KLR 650 on and off the street for the last 8 years so im not too worried about handling a 600. Between an R6, GSXR, CBR 600 or ZX6 do any of them typically take track abuse better than the others? Fit slightly gangly riders more comfortably (6'2")? Better supply of used or cheap consumable parts?

Ill be living in Victoria, so id be at the WMS track in vancouver most often, as well as the one in Seattle and maybe Portland (I think they have a track?) as im down there sometimes anyways. Anyone ridden these or any others in the NW states?

Tips on getting started on track days? What kind of skill level are most new track riders at, older crowd or a lot of 18-20 year old squids on their shiny new 600s that they dont know how to ride?

[Graham_A_M]

I've done a few trackdays, as we used to have that abysmally shit-tastic Race city speedway. Due to its condition I stopped going two years ago, and haven't done a track day since, just because only up in Edmonton is the nearest track.

All the bikes can take abuse much the same. Ducati's, ZX6R's, etc etc etc. Its really personal preference... I guess as a track bike; its whatever you can find for cheap. Check local classifieds for good deals on bikes. You can usually pick up a good used track bike for a few grand. There are always a good mix of used parts/"consumables" or whatever for everything, so its really all about what model you particularly like.
Sure if you want you can start with an SV650. Some novices prefer them as they don't have the power of a typical 600, and they claim they're more forgiving of general screw ups in the corners. Personally I've never ridden one so I cant say, but I just started on my Triumph 675 and always used that.
There may be actual race leagues in your area that cater to just that SV650. So I'd check into that. That way after a few track days when you get to know the track, and the bike and what you can do on it you can try racing. There are lots of beginner leagues with people at your level, much the same with any generic 600 leagues in a variety of skill levels.
Kind of funny you mention the SV as it almost has a cult like following at most race/track organizations. Like I said before most groups will have a designated SV group, if not you can always race with the 600's, but dont expect to keep up unless your racing (as an expert) in an amateur class as their not nearly as fast as any 600.

As far as skill levels are concerned: dont ever (ever) dismiss young kids as squids. One of the fastest riders in Canada is 18, he's just untouchable; easily in the top 5 for CMRA standings. I think his name is Brent McCoy. Some racers got started in racing when they were 5-10 and are just stupidly quick now that their older. Much the same with older guys with salt & pepper colored hair. The only "squids" there are out there, are the people who simply dont understand how to be fast on a track. Which may as well be you for the first few times. I've had my ass handed to me by a couple girls even, so dont ever pre-judge.
Track days are always a mix of all skill levels, so you have to watch out for the complete novices, but also keep in mind that to others you are a complete novice.
With racing, when you start to grace the podium consistently in the amateur division you may want to consider moving up to the advanced league. There is never a complete mix of all the classes, not even in any SV650 league.

[Cos]

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[Babaganoosh]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M
I've done a few trackdays, as we used to have that abysmally shit-tastic Race city speedway. Due to its condition I stopped going two years ago, and haven't done a track day since, just because only up in Edmonton is the nearest track.

All the bikes can take abuse much the same. Ducati's, ZX6R's, etc etc etc. Its really personal preference... I guess as a track bike; its whatever you can find for cheap. Check local classifieds for good deals on bikes. You can usually pick up a good used track bike for a few grand. There are always a good mix of used parts/"consumables" or whatever for everything, so its really all about what model you particularly like.
Sure if you want you can start with an SV650. Some novices prefer them as they don't have the power of a typical 600, and they claim they're more forgiving of general screw ups in the corners. Personally I've never ridden one so I cant say, but I just started on my Triumph 675 and always used that.
There may be actual race leagues in your area that cater to just that SV650. So I'd check into that. That way after a few track days when you get to know the track, and the bike and what you can do on it you can try racing. There are lots of beginner leagues with people at your level, much the same with any generic 600 leagues in a variety of skill levels.
Kind of funny you mention the SV as it almost has a cult like following at most race/track organizations. Like I said before most groups will have a designated SV group, if not you can always race with the 600's, but dont expect to keep up unless your racing (as an expert) in an amateur class as their not nearly as fast as any 600.

As far as skill levels are concerned: dont ever (ever) dismiss young kids as squids. One of the fastest riders in Canada is 18, he's just untouchable; easily in the top 5 for CMRA standings. I think his name is Brent McCoy. Some racers got started in racing when they were 5-10 and are just stupidly quick now that their older. Much the same with older guys with salt & pepper colored hair. The only "squids" there are out there, are the people who simply dont understand how to be fast on a track. Which may as well be you for the first few times. I've had my ass handed to me by a couple girls even, so dont ever pre-judge.
Track days are always a mix of all skill levels, so you have to watch out for the complete novices, but also keep in mind that to others you are a complete novice.
With racing, when you start to grace the podium consistently in the amateur division you may want to consider moving up to the advanced league. There is never a complete mix of all the classes, not even in any SV650 league.

It may have come out wrong, I didnt mean that all young people are shitty riders, or old people for that matter. Ive been schooled on MX tracks by enough people from 12 to 50 years old to know that. By squids I was referring more to the fresh out of high school kids who go buy a brand new 600 as their first bike and think theyre fast because their bike is fast.

I know that ill be one of those annoying pylons for at least my first few days, no misconceptions there as im sure it takes a while to get used to track riding no matter what skill level you go in with.

With regards to the SV, never really seemed as interesting to me as id rather go 600 for a few reasons, but for racing the lightweight twins class that the SV goes into seems to be more of a 'fun class' vs the 600, which is from what I hear, the meatgrinder, and a class where if you dont have a really new machine with some pricy parts and a LOT of experience/skill its going to be really really tough to win or even seriously compete. Maybe its different up here, just what ive seen from (mostly american) forums.

For the time being the goal is just having some fun on the track to decide if im interested in racing down the line somewhere.

[Graham_A_M]

I kind of figured what you meant about the squids, but I thought I'd say that just in case. Most SV classes are very fun. The bikes dont really change much at all, so even a 10year old++ SV will compete fine.
There are tons of parts that you can make an older SV compete with a fresh out of the crate one. It'll be a great bike to learn on, as some people learn how to be very.... very fast on them.

The thing is about 600's or the SV's, is that both are quite similar that its riding skill that really makes the big factor. With the amateur leagues/or "amateur classed track days" you'll be in; both are quite fun and in the pits its not hard to see some more experienced riders offering a bunch of tips and advice when the "race" is finished. Down in the states they take track time & racing a lot more seriously; so if you DO go with a 600, yeah you need a lot of go-fast goodies to compete. Here from what I've seen, is that the bikes dont change too much over lets say 5 years... so I've seen 2002 (or so) 600's compete fine with the newest 600s very competitively.

My buddy has a bone stock '06 R6 and up until last year when Race city closed; he was among the top two in his class. He said it was a total blast...

It just comes down to what you're after. Both classes in either racing or track days will be a total blast and a learning experience.
What I'd suggest you do is enroll in a racing school. They'll tell you how to properly negotiate turns and what to do on a bike. We have a phenomenal school here called BGPR that I was going to suggest, but it wont do you too much good over there. I'd check some local forums as to whats a good school, and do a few days with that. Then the learning curve will be much easier; and you wont develop any bad habits that are hard to break.

[RedlineMS]

The closest track now that Race City has been closed is Stratotech in Edmonton. It's a short technical track that is actually really fun to ride. One day on the track and you will be a much better rider. Here's a link, they do have schools there, I think they are called track attack. Here's the link

http://stratotech.ca/bike_pgs/b_track_attack01.html

[SOAB]

the truth about squids and the track is that they usually crash their first or second session of the day. then they're done so you don't have to worry about them. :D