Location: 9 miles away from Summit Point, WV Racetrack!
Posts: 2,669
Thanks: 257
Thanked 219 Times in 194 Posts
Feedback Score: 8 reviews
Went track-only for a couple reasons:
~Pushed over riding ability 1 to many times and almost cost not only myself but my bud his life.
~Can't safely use the RR to its full potential on the street an enjoy myself.
~Riding ability greatly improves with every track day I do when I'm focusing on the right stuff :)
60mph in 15mph traffic is a disaster waiting to happen (whether you're lane splitting or not). Glad you came out ok!
__________________ '12 Aprilia RSV4 Factory!
'07 CBR600RR Black ~ SOLD
'09 CBR600RR Phoenix TrackOnly ~SOLD
'09 CBR600RR Red/Black ~SOLD
'07 CBR600RR Blue/Silver ~SOLD
__________________
"If your wheels are off, answer to your God but me, I'll be up and gone. I'll be up and long gone..." Robin Trower, "Little Bit of Sympathy 1972
"Veni, Vidi, Vici." Julius Ceasar (I came, I saw, I conquered)
"Nana Korobi- Ya Oki" Japanese Bushido saying- "Get knocked down seven times, get up eight!"
for me it was 2 things. Lazyness and lack of money lol. I got tired of swapping back and forth from street to track and I cannot afford a second bike. Track only it is.
Something I didn't come across in that link are the initial start up costs: Track day hauler, tire warmers, clip-ons, rearsets, gear, bike crash protection, spares(clip-ons, pegs, wheels, body work), lap timer, generator, tire temp. gauage
Then comes the upgrades usually: suspension, weight reduction, power additives
__________________ '12 Aprilia RSV4 Factory!
'07 CBR600RR Black ~ SOLD
'09 CBR600RR Phoenix TrackOnly ~SOLD
'09 CBR600RR Red/Black ~SOLD
'07 CBR600RR Blue/Silver ~SOLD
Last edited by crashkhanman; 02-03-2012 at 03:34 PM.
Can someone put together a general list of costs involved for going track only?
Why does it get so expensive?
Thanks.
It's only as expensive as you want to make it. The only required items are gear (suit, gloves, boots, helmet, back protector), good tires, and transportation. You can usually rent a uhaul trailer pretty cheap if you don't wanna buy a trailer.
Other than that, it only gets expensive when you crash.
That being said, after you've done many trackdays you'll probably wanna customize your bike to suit you a little better. That's when it gets expensive. I got new rearsets because my toes were dragging, new clip-ons and double bubble windscreen to make it more comfortable in a tuck, fairings because I crashed, brake lines to get rid of the brake fade, tire warmers for a quicker warmup, a canopy for hanging out in the paddock, tools, etc. Everyone's list is different, but that's mine.
Can someone put together a general list of costs involved for going track only?
Why does it get so expensive?
Thanks.
it gets expensive because you get addicted to trackdays. more trackdays = more $$$ just to buy the spots.
$100-$250 per td adds up over time. but the expenses come after buying the trackday spot.
over time, the more trackdays you do, the more additional sh!t you start buying.
additional...
would be bike parts (you dont need), spares, gas/gas jugs, more tires, tire warmers, generator or renting one, canopy, chairs, tools etc.
seriously, other than getting the "REQUIRED" gear (leather suit, helmet, gloves, boots). all you would really need is...
transportation, your bike, full tank of gas (maybe a 2-3gal jug of extra gas), new or decent tires, and food/beverages to sustain you throughout the day.
i see people go overboard and some that just go there with the bare minimum...
bike, gear, extra gas, chair, and food/drinks.
It gets expensive as you get faster. The only real cost that you need is race fairings. But if you sell your street stuff you can make a nice chunk of change. Once you start getting faster then the first thing that I'd do would be suspension. Set them up for your weight would be a first. But as you go faster and faster the things that you'll spend the most cash on would be tires.
Even with my track fees waived all the time I found myself spending more on tires and fuel. Even if I had to pay the track fee. I think that fee is minimal when you factor other items in. Although there was a couple times when I had some cherry Dunlop Ntecs with no more than a few laps for FREE( I changed tires for continental and ppl threw away perfect tires all the time). Slaps and Christian were there at one incident lmao
Sent from my Motorcycle iPhone app
__________________
you can't buy happiness but having a racebike is close enough!!!
Last edited by trackfreak; 02-07-2012 at 11:40 PM.
I went track only after getting into 2 accidents both involving over-zealous cruiser riders slamming into me (mind you they were both on goldwings). Honestly, the only reason I would ever go back on the street is for long-rides on a naked/streetfighter setup.
__________________
Feel the rhythm feel the ride. Get on up, it's bobsled time. COOL RUNNINGS!!!!
I will agree motorcycles are dangerous and it's all about time until you are the one that's hurt however I was always told that you control the majority of stuff that can happen to you. Speed, distances between vehicles, riding position in the lane, looking for hazards etc.
If you stayed away from the joining lane as much as possible, controlled speed, thinking that people will pull out and looking for front wheels turning etc you could cut down on a lot of accidents.
my rule is - "YOU ARE INVISIBLE ON THE ROAD AND RIDE DEFENSIVELY AS IF YOU ARE"
however i do understand that there are some accidents that are just unavoidable, like the story above about the guy losing his friend on the canyon due to idiot truck crossing the yellows.
I have a street bike now but a few years ago I ditched my street bike for a track bike and did the racing thing for a few years. Insurance cost was the biggest reason although once I had a taste of the track it made it pretty easy to give up the street.
I haven't gone 'track only' just yet, but what made me decide to find a 'track only' bike to go along with my strret bike was tossing my precious 09 Repsol down at the track.
So now I have a 08 CBR1000rr for street and a 07 CBR600rr for the track!
I do hill country rides on weekends and rarely ride to work, it's too stressful, sometimes I forget and DO IT , and 50/50 chance that days sucks.
I am getting a used 250 to start track days, will just ride my RR in the Hill Country, and will be upgrading to a Sport Tourer next year.
The 600RR can't be ridden to it's full potential on the street without being highly illegal, and I'm starting to realize the more "FUN" it gets the more illegal I become. :(
Track days cost less than speeding tickets once you get your initial buy in of gear and stuff.
I'm almost there .. March I do my first TD if all goes well :D
Riding Prayer - Thank you God for the privilege of riding, please watch over us riders and bring us home to our families every day. Give me strength to obey the laws, and stay vigilant and focused.
Yeah I can definitely see it to start getting expensive.
What I was trying to get at which was confirmed by many of you is that initially for the first few track days, the bare minimum is all I would need and that doesn't seem overly expensive.
My previous bike, after having a really close call I went to track only. But then I picked up a 600RR after a couple years of a break :) Does history repeat itself?
~Pushed over riding ability 1 to many times and almost cost not only myself but my bud his life.
~Can't safely use the RR to its full potential on the street an enjoy myself.
~Riding ability greatly improves with every track day I do when I'm focusing on the right stuff :)
60mph in 15mph traffic is a disaster waiting to happen (whether you're lane splitting or not). Glad you came out ok!
Honestly, I couldn't go "just track", as I enjoy riding on the street too much. My wife and I are both Instructors with Sportbike Tracktime, so we get a lot of trackday weekends, but we both still enjoy the casual mountain riding in our area. We live within minutes of the Smokey Mountains near the Knoxville, TN area and there are great roads in every direction here. Of course there is a total difference between riding on the track and riding on the street, but we still enjoy both. One thing for sure, when you start doing a lot of track days each year, going fast on the street become less and less important. It allows me to ride casually and enjoy the beauty of the land and take in the sights and sometimes just take a short ride that is only 100 or so miles, but takes 5 or 6 hours because we stop and BS with folks we meet along the way. I guess it's not for everyone, but it's what works for us and we are totally enjoying riding on the street still. YMMV!
__________________
If it ain't fast........It ain't fun!!
2007 CBR 600RR
2007 CBR 600RR..... Track Bike
2008 ST1300
i didnt care about cruising around, all i wanted to do was go 110% all the time. streets are no place for me. just fyi corner workers like wheelies about as much as the cops do lol... thats the only thing i miss about the street.(long open back roads and long wheelies lol)
__________________
06 GSXR 1000 (track bike)
08 HD Nightrod Special street bike
I feel you on these dodgy ass LA freeways brother, but I can't help but think that 60mph splitting 15mph on either side was a reasonable choice. As a motorcyclist, or a cager for that matter, you have to always assume that drivers are going to do stupid things. Stupid is the norm. Everyone on here should already know this. that's how it always has been and that's how it will always be And if you can't recognize that and operate under that assumption then there is only yourself to blame.
Obviously there are many situations where it doesnt matter how safe u are riding, but How many motorcycle accident stories do you hear that include the line "some dumbass driver then blah blah blah...". The word "dumbass should be eliminated from this phrase because it implies that a driver did something completely out of the norm. Dumbass moves are the norm. Drivers split double yellows all the time. Drivers don't see cycles all the time. If you are commuting on a daily basis there is a 100% chance that these things will eventually happen to you.
Ok that's my rant.
I also commute via bike to work but its only a 7 mile drive and no freeways. Sort of a noob and never yet tracked my bike.....can't wait for that but want a few more hours on the seat first.
Having a "do it all" bike is doable, but for me a pain in the ass. I'm track only because there are enough trackdays within a reasonable radius for me to be able to get my fix without long periods of time not riding. Saving for another, street/commuter bike.
I spent most of my life in Cali and only lane split at red lights and when traffic on the freeway was doing 5mph or so.
This is what I do in Cali. I try and keep all lane splitting down to when cars are almost not moving.
Did my first track day two weeks ago too, loved it and wish I could track only but my RR is my only vehicle at the moment, brother has to drive my car.
I started track so i would keep it off the road and you don't have to worry about animals,cop,car,guardrails and if you wreck on track you have a ambulance on site
I was gonna turn my bike as track only but then I would get that random itch to take her out... I doubt I'll ever have a track exclusive bike unless I have one for random riding
Sent from my SGH-I777 using Motorcycle.com Free App
I've said it before, but as much as I love dragging knees on the track and experiencing the rush of riding balls-out, I can't give up my freedom. I LOVE the sensation of getting on my bike and just going.
Doesn't matter if I have a plan or not. Any time I take the bike it is an adventure.
"Honey we need bread..."
-"I'll take the CBR."
"Hey man, meeting up for ramen in LA tomorrow, you in?"
Having been able to do both. I thought I was only going to do track but being without a street bike for awhile now. I just want to go ride. No plan just take off and go. It's great to go fast on the track but you are still limited. Ruckus is nice to go out but it's just not the same. Street/track build almost done. Waiting on some parts to come in, get it registered and I can ride on the street again!!!! I think it's time for a .net MEET!!!!!!!
