Well kind of at least... I went to a track day at beaver run motorsports complex in PA. I didn't ride but I think I would like to. My main concern with going out on the track is that I would be so hopelessy addicted that I would go for weeks without eating so I could buy tires and do it again. What advice can you guys give me on getting into the part of the sport?

 

Advice? Just go!

Yes tires are expensive - the faster you go the shorter life they have. My first set of tires lasted 3 days on the track. Now I'm lucky to get 2 days out of a set of tires. If you ever start racing then you'll need a few sets for a weekend. So yes tires are a big problem.

You can reduce your tire costs by getting a spare set of rims, and making friends with someone who owns a tire changer. I just went splits on a big tire changer setup with some of my friends.

With regards to the track. The most important thing to work on is being smooth. Do not try to get fast - if you get smoother you will get faster. Again I repeat - DO NOT TRY to go fast.

For people who are new to the track - first year types:
People that try to go fast, or try to work on lap times, lose focus on riding smoothly. They tend to get really ragged and all over the place as they fight their bike down to the speed they want to go, and wobble when they fumble back and forth over the bike, and slide when they don't have proper throttle control.

So - focus on being smooth and running consistent lines. If you can run lap after lap on the same line, braking at the same points, and braking/moving your body/getting on the throttle smoothly you'll scrub huge time off your laps.

My first day on the track I went from 2:00 to 1:40 and my second day from 1:40 to 1:30 - and all I worked on was smooth fluid braking, looking through the corner, and hitting the braking marks consistently. You don't even notice how fast you are getting. In the early stages time will just drop from your laps - don't worry about it.

Have fun. Ride WITHIN you limits. You are not Rossi and no one expects you to be. Go steady - be smooth. You won't learn anything trying to go fast other than fear and bad habits.

 

How does knowing someone with a tire changer and having an extra set of rims reduce tire costs? lol. Also, after riding a 600 on the street would a 250 be a bad choice for a track bike? Will I be disapointed with it? Will I not get the track time that the bigger bikes do? Do they run the bigger bikes and the 250s at the sametime? Is that as dangerous as it sounds? lol

 

Depends on the track.

Our local track is very tight and technical - so a 250 would be great.

Some tracks with huge back straights will be very fast on a 600, and you'll be passed more on the 250. That's fine so long as the school is being run well. You will learn a lot about corner speed on the 250.

Extra rims means you can do your own tire changes, and run take-offs for practice sessions, saving new tires for races. It makes the most difference for racers where you can save time and tires. If you were serious you'd also have a set of rains ready to go... or at least up here!

 

Around here a tire change costs $50 per tire if you bring in your own tires (don't buy from the store) and $30 per tire if you buy theirs.

If I buy my tires locally I would pay $500 per set.

So I buy my tires from a guy in another province for $300 a set, and mount them myself. That is a lot of money when you can run 3 sets of tires for LESS than price of 2.

 

Buy take offs from racers. I get 1.5 days out of a used rear and 3 out of a used front and pay 100 bucks for 2 rears and a front. That sure beats a brand new set of tires for 400-500 dollars.

It is not as dangerous as the street. If you have a need for speed, you will end up either riding fast on the street or on the track and the track is 1000x's safer than the street. Sure accidents happen and you CAN get hurt though so be responsible.

Track riding is about cornering and a 250 will corner just as fast as a 1000 at our level. You will just get burnt in the straights, and who cares about that. you aren't racing at a track day. Buy something affordable and something you don't care about wrecking, then just go out, learn, and have fun.

 

Our local track does have some pretty long straights. No one answered whether or not they think i'll be disappointed with a 250. I really appreciate all the info guys.

 

Whether you are disappointed or not will hinge on your personality.

The 250 will lack top speed, it simply will not accelerate as fast as the rest of the pack.

However, being a 250 rider you already know that. If you're ok with that, then you'll have fun on the track. I personally enjoy riding a "slow" bike fast - and the 250 will really reward you for doing things right. Some of the 600+ crowd will lounge through the corners and crack it on the exit. You may find a lot of people in your way as you pick up the pace in the corners.

btw - I'm over on ninja250.org so feel free to say hi there. A lot of those folks are doing track days on their 250s.

 

On another track I know I wouldn't mind riding a 250 but there are some good 1/4 to half mile stretches on this one. lol. Think getting a job at the track might benefit? they're hiring flag men

 

Hiring? Sweet - around here it is all volunteers!