By Michael GougisY
ou've done your fi rst track
day with the bike you al-
ready own, and it was awe-
some. The next question: Is it time
to select a bike just for track day
riding? If so, which one?
Let's break it down into two
categories: Used and New.
Used bikes can save you a
great deal of money, if you select
the right one. If value is what you
are looking for, look for a motor-
cycle that can be registered for
use on the street. When you sell
it, you are likely to get much more
than you will get for a bike that is
track-only. If you get a good one
and want to make it a track-on-
ly machine, carefully remove and
store the street equipment (lights,
mirrors, stock bodywork, etc.) and
be sure to keep the registration
current. Nothing deters the poten-
tial purchaser of your $3,500 bike
more than $1,500 in back regis-
tration and penalties.
But, you can save money by
purchasing a track-only bike. If
you are purchasing a track-only
bike, look for one that is as clean
and as well cared-for as possible.
The money you save on a bike
needing a lot of work is likely to go
straight out the window in repairs,
and unless you really enjoy work-
ing on machines, the frustration
level will be higher. Track bikes
tend to be crashed, so you can
expect to fi nd some cosmetic dam-
age. Look deeper. Are the chain
and sprockets in good shape? Do
some measurements—are the
wheels aligned, i.e., pointing in
the same direction? Does the bike
start? And does it shift properly
and stay in gear in all the gears?
The deeper the damage is buried,
the more it will cost to replace.
Some transmission repairs may
cost more than an older sportbike
is worth. Be wary of the claim, "It
ran fi ne when I parked it..."
Look for the obvious things.
Is the oil clean and at the proper
level? Are there stains from cool-
ant leaks? Oil oozing from gas-
kets? Corrosion in the fuel tank?
Sketchy-looking electrical fi xes?
One way of avoiding the con-
cerns about a used bike is to buy
one from a reputable source. Race
teams like Team Hammer, Inc.
or Graves Motorsports frequently
sell year-old or two-year-old bikes
that are well set-up and main-
tained. Buy from a well-estab-
lished team that wants to protect
its reputation, and you're likely
to get a bike that will be reliable
and quick. Same with a track day
organization like TrackDaz or a
school like the Yamaha Champi-
ons Riding School or the Califor-
nia Superbike School. Know what
you are getting. Ask questions.
Aftermarket parts typically
don't hold their value during re-
sale. You can get racebikes with
top-line aftermarket suspension
parts for the same price as a new
model off the showroom fl oor. Forolder sportbikes, ones that won't
win races anymore but absolutely
rock as track day bikes, you can
sometimes buy the whole motor-
cycle for the retail cost of the pipe,
shock and front suspension car-
tridges when new.
Another possibility is to order
a new, customized track bike froma builder like Jeremy Toye at Ninja
400R.com. Or to buy a new street-
bike and build it for track use.
If you're going to go new, re-
liability concerns won't be at the
top of your list. Getting the bike
that suits your riding style and
your budget are the bigger issues.
For ease of handling, lowerDecisions, Decisions...
DEDICATED TRACK BIKES:
(Above) Graves Motorsports sold MotoAmerica Supersport Championship-winning racebikes ridden by JD
Beach (as seen above), Garrett Gerloff, and other team riders. They weren't cheap, but were complete and
sorted. Photo by Brian J. Nelson. (Below) The California Superbike School sells its S1000RR BMWs at the end of
each season. Here, students wait to go out at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Photo by etechphoto.com.14—Roadracing World, Trackday Directory 2019