Ideas

[Jon_W]

After RH school, I've been pondering getting a track bike.... only issue is budget, or total lack of.

General requirement is:
Cheap - Very!
Easy for a spanner like be to ride.
Reliable
Easy to repair when muggins bins it!

Was thinking somthing along the CB500 route as there are plenty of these kicking about and I prefer flat bar bikes.

Any ideas. This is going to be a slow burner as I have no cash at the mo and a very broken Triumph. But one for next summer.

[Scotty]

The CB500 makes a great little track bike - it was in the old CB500 Cup that James Toseland first made his name, in 1997, I think, he was absolutely running away with the series so half way through the season he was given a ride on a Mick Corrigan-prepared CBR600 and I can remember us all wondering who this 17 year-old kid was on the yellow steelie with #52 on it, giving all the series regulars such a hard time - he only did about half the season on it and finished 4th overall if I recall correctly...

Oh, back to topic - yes Jon, a CB500 would be plenty to hone your track craft on, and it wouldn't be expensive either, plenty of them around, especially ex-Cup bikes

[Squashed_Fly]

I've no experience, But I have heard from a few people that SV650's are a good, if under-rated, track bike.

What do you reckon Scotty? I was thinking about maybe getting one next summer too.

I think Mikkie & Nick are bying one between them to share costs so that could be an option if a few folk on here wanted to get one. Share the cost of the track day and take 3 of the 6 sessions each... not a bad idea?

[Scotty]

A couple of points, (ok, three):

1. Yes, SV650s make great track bikes. There are plenty of track-ready examples around due to the Mini-Twins race series - it's easier to buy one ready-prepared for the track than convert one yourself if you're not fully au fait with what to do. A properly used and serviced ex-race bike is a better bet than a cheap hack from ebay with unknown service history and any number of hidden calamities waiting to become known.

2. There are normally seven sessions on a trackday, and the organisers would have to be approached to see whether they'd consent to allowing two different people to do each half of the day - I doubt very much whether they'd let two do it for the price of one - insurance and indemnity issues no doubt. Best ring a few TDOs to ask what their policy is.

3. If two people are sharing a bike, they're usually in different groups and each signs up for the full day, just handing the bike back and forth between sessions (don't forget that it'll use twice the amount of fuel, so you'd need to take two days' worth with you...)

[Jon_W]

Scotty is right SF. A group of us looked at getting a track car and encountered the same set of issues.

Back to the Bikes, Sv's are a bit out of the price range for me unless i can find a write off.

[Squashed_Fly]

Oh well, it was just an idea. You could still share, just do different track days each?

With the number of various cheaper track days popping up here, there and everywhere, it's still not a bad idea.

Maybe see how Nick & Mikkie get on sharing theirs and see what can be learnt for next year...?

See how funds are after the wedding next year, but I may well be up for sharing a track bike. Ideally I'd part own a track bike & an off roader so I could play on both, without having to fork out for a total of 3 bikes with all the peripherals...

[Squashed_Fly]

Just had a quick look on pistonheads - loads on there!

Jon - this might suit?

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2745967.htm

[470four]

Get a ratty CBR400RR / VFR400RR, loads about for Not Much Money? ;)

[stretchie_]

Sv's are a bit out of the price range for me unless i can find a write off.


You're not looking in the right places. Not to detract from this forum but try www.sv650.org forum for bikes and ask.

Also how about an older Ninja 600? We sold a P reg on for £600. Don't get me wrong, it needed work (mainly new brake lines and caliper strip and clean) but we never got around to it. It wasn't pretty either but who cares it's a track bike. You can always rattle can it.


** EDIT **

How about on here

http://www.wiltshirebikers.co.uk/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1305837483/9#9

There are three bikes in this thread that are cheap

[Nooj]

For a 'flat bar' bike, maybe you could find a cheap FZ6? Just shy of 100bhp so will keep up with serious 600's down the straights.