Road Riding no more ?

[tazkenny]

I'm considering selling my bike, I don't seem to use it very much on the roads and there is too much coin in it to make it a track bike.

Was just wondering how many people only have a track bike... and do they miss riding on the road ?


p.s., spied this... I like the B1 Kwaks.. http://www.aus-superbikes.com.au/xtremema.nsf/b5c953e8e1b65e94ca256a560030b8d6/7d19b1f411228ec8ca25751a000ddd05!OpenDocument

[Mr.Ed]

That's exactly why I'll be putting my bike for sale after this w/end TD... Too much coin on something I rarely ever use!
That kwaka looks awesome. :ayyy:
Apparently there was a Race Kit you could buy straight from the dealers for the ZX-6RR that would give it something like 130hp at the wheels. It could be an urban myth though...

[Turtle]

I'm considering selling my bike, I don't seem to use it very much on the roads and there is too much coin in it to make it a track bike.

Was just wondering how many people only have a track bike... and do they miss riding on the road ?


p.s., spied this... I like the B1 Kwaks.. http://www.aus-superbikes.com.au/xtremema.nsf/b5c953e8e1b65e94ca256a560030b8d6/7d19b1f411228ec8ca25751a000ddd05!OpenDocument

You WILL miss it..

[zenodamper]

Yeah, get a B1/2 or K1/M1:ayyy:

[slow bro]

I sold my 05 cbr1000rr because I didn't ride it at all. So far I haven't missed it, but I don't ride that much.

[ST Kurt]

I supose you can't miss something you never did.

[Kat00]

You won't miss it for the first 6 months.

[zRoYz]

I'm going the other way & selling my track bike & keeping my road bike.

Yes the over policing on the roads shits me & I have to be very aware when riding & only ride it on weekends & the odd trip away so under 10K a year BUT track days are starting to shit me more. I know OP is there for another years or two but the whole track day experience is just getting to crowded & to expensive.

WP has changed operator for 09 & the prices have gone up in a major way compared to RATS CB days there, EC has also gone up & to top it all off there is next to zero weekday track days which I prefer. When a track day costs me $400 each on av & that's without mat on the bike & you take a risk with the weather & track time when things on the day go bad it just isn't value for money anymore to me.

If I just did the odd track day now & then then I probably wouldn't feel this way but when you have a track bike you want to use it & if you don't have a road bike then more so. I have been doing on av 2-3 per month & beleive me the cost is high compared to road riding.

Even with a 400/600 the cost is still high as the only real saving is a little less tyre wear compared to my 1000.

[Naked Twin]

Every time I see someone on the road I say lucky bastards/ bitches (politically correct). You only miss what you can't do and as my road bike is a little second hand I miss riding it.

Personally I just love riding, I love track days so I bought a track bike and love it, but I also love getting out on a big day ride finding some new country road. If I had a choice please don't ask as I couldn't give either up.

I was a big help:lmao:

Nick

[Turtle]

I sold my 05 cbr1000rr because I didn't have a choice, i was told it was the trakky or the roady but NOT both. :(

You SOFT dude........:lmao:

[tazkenny]

Mmm, thanks for the input so far. I LOVE riding my bike also, but the over policing and the state of the roads gives me the shits.
Zroyz, you are right, the cost of track days extends far beyond the entry price. Last two days at EC cost me about $750 all in as EC chews tryres, even on the 600, and I was $350 for a new one after 2 track days. Then I should of changed the oil + filter on top of that.

[Captain]

Mate I just have the one bike, I primarily use it for track days so it's set up more that way than for comfort, but I keep it registered so that when the ocassion present itself I can go for a ride.
Hopefully next year we'll organise a few more road ride days, plus there's always a mate or two who like to go for a ride now and then, so I wouldn't want to give that up.

[clarkey]

Taz you will miss it mate ......:( it took a while , probably 3 mths but when your mates are off for a spin on the weekend or you just need to blow a few cobwebs from the mind its amazing how liberating even a spin to the shops can be -been 8mths and counting as of next week, but hopefully b4 christmas I will be back :ayyy:

[Kat00]

been 8mths and counting as of next week, but hopefully b4 christmas I will be back :ayyy:

Good luck with that.:ayyy:

[oz r1]

Mmm, thanks for the input so far. I LOVE riding my bike also, but the over policing and the state of the roads gives me the shits.
Zroyz, you are right, the cost of track days extends far beyond the entry price. Last two days at EC cost me about $750 all in as EC chews tryres, even on the 600, and I was $350 for a new one after 2 track days. Then I should of changed the oil + filter on top of that.

I have been mulling over the same thing (not using my bike ) and did a comparo of rego, insurance running costs for a road bike, as opposed to track bike , track day cost tyres blah blah and it's actually very close baring an off at the track as it comes out of your own pocket and an off on the road is covered by insurance.Like people have said "just a ride up the shops" is cool if you haven't ridden for a while , but i have a bike sitting in the garage doing nothing for long periods and paying $600 odd for rego and $700 for insurance a year is seeming pointless of late.:(

[gazujc]

Why not sell ya bike and with the money you can buy a tracky and a dirt bike.

That way you can have the track for fun or hit the dirt and be as sideways as you want while still under the legal limit (that is if you buy a registered bike).

I sold my road bike a few years back and bought a Weestrom which has since been sold for a DR650 which provides heaps of fun whether the road is sealed or dirt, just that it is slower fun but does take me to some damn interesting places and roads that a roadie wouldn't.






Garry

[Jamesy]

Why not sell ya bike and with the money you can buy a tracky and a dirt bike.

That way you can have the track for fun or hit the dirt and be as sideways as you want while still under the legal limit (that is if you buy a registered bike).

I sold my road bike a few years back and bought a Weestrom which has since been sold for a DR650 which provides heaps of fun whether the road is sealed or dirt, just that it is slower fun but does take me to some damn interesting places and roads that a roadie wouldn't.






Garry

I like this idea. Dirt bike. Ride some trials and roads.

I need to do more track days and get off the road.

Too many variables and unknowns On-road. No run-off, armco, Police, cyclists, cage drivers, debris and animals on the roads and vehicles on the wrong side of the road.

On-Track, I would only imagine (because I don't go enough), you would have good run-off, good visibility, known lines, improve you lap times etc. Marshals, Emergency vehicles on hand etc.

Perhaps government subsidising for track days could assist making them more affordable and get people off the roads racing. More mid-week and week-end sessions so they are not over crowded.

Not sure how I would go not having a road bike. Withdrawals for sure

[Dunno]

Hey Kenny,

I can only speak from my experience, but I also reckon after a while you will miss it & want to buy another road bike if you sell yours. The whole buy & sell experience can cost a bit too.

I regretfully sold my beloved ZX7R after an "incident" & relied soley on the 400 for track duties & my bike riding fix.
I missed it most on long drives. Cruising through the country side wishing I was on a bike. Those long winding country roads hypnotized me & made me jealous whenever I saw a bike fanging along.

Funny thing, when the itch got really bad I found this site & a heap of people were organising road rides etc & I had to be a part of it.

Riding in the city is shit :( From memory you live on the shore? Set yourself up for a farewell ride to the bike or something. Go & visit Mozzie for the weekend & then make a decision when you get home.

Just a thought mate, but get out of the city & stretch your legs so to speak whilst you are cramped up on a sportsbike. Those long, fast winding roads remind me why I love to ride when im not at the track :ayyy:

[Mozzie]

Yep I was thinking the same thing Dunno when I read his post . Ken you have no idear of what great roads are around . If you use the people you know for accomadation and let them take you for a run on the roads they know you will think differently.Living in the center of Sydney is no place for riding I agree. So you have to ride somewhere else to enjoy the ride. The rats have a ride & stay up the Oxley hwy on the end of January. Please come up you will love the road and the time up here, Or just come up 1 weekend and stay at Donnys or my place. Great roads south of Sydeny too. Dont sell the bike it,s a great bike for trackdays and great for country runs, Just buy that trailer you was thinking about and that will make it easier to get out and about .Raceglass & trailer is the cheaper option and or move camp. Lifes pretty fucked with no bike mate,you just need to know where to go .:)

[AG23]

WP has changed operator for 09 & the prices have gone up in a major way compared to RATS CB days there.

Hey mate, just curious what those prices are?? Haven't seen them yet since the new operator took over.

[Kat00]

$149.00 for weekdays and $159.00 for weekends. Add a $50.00 Licence if ya haven't got one + fuel from Sydney and back.......+ fuel for the bike + lunch......$300.00 Trackday.......before ya think about tyres. :hatter:

[AG23]

Ah, interesting. Thanks for that.

[Johnny]

I'm considering selling my bike, I don't seem to use it very much on the roads and there is too much coin in it to make it a track bike.

Was just wondering how many people only have a track bike... and do they miss riding on the road ?

]
Have been thinking the same for ages, I just dont see rd riding as fun anymore, they just feel like commutes, ok, spirited commutes, which is spent in fear as doing any speed limit, and doubling the advisory corner speed limits is just too damed easy ( its the bike, not me mind you). Cant improve on the rds without pushing that little bit harder each time, you just cant do that without high risks ( Im getting old ya see) , so feel like a passenger just pretending to have fun, when infact, Im not, its more a commute as I said, and the social part of riding with a group of likeminded riders that make me love it so much, that I dont think I could give it away but will have a break from, a long break..

As for bike costing too much coin to turn into a tracky, cant agree more with you there, easy for others to say turn it into a tracky, but there not that one who forked out $18K for it ( well in my case anyway, possibly even more).
Will do a few trackdays on it, later, but no way in hell can I afford to make it a dedicated tracky ( which is now the reason its pulled apart and on its way to being the sexiest bike in the planet :p, as selling it would hurt, both pocket and me ).

Good luck on your decision, I hear ya mate..

[Cedric]

On the WP note I think that's outrageous, it'd be cheaper for Sydney dwellers to go to EC. It shits me because I really like WP, it's a great track and I won't be going there very much if at all from now because it's too expensive for what it is compared to EC.

I reckon you'd miss it mate (road bike).. always good to have one or two! :D

[Bigdog]

I turned my K4 750 into a track only bike for 2 years before I finally bought a K6 1000 roadie, this year. It was fun just doing trackdays but I did miss the weekend blasts and riding to work is more fun than driving.

[drukenhard]

I love my roadie and wouldn't give it up.

I love it so much that I'm planning on having a 250 and 750 roadie, a dirt bike and a dedicated trackie!

Why 2 roadies?.....1 for commuting and one for playtime!

[Dave75]

I had a 4 year+ stint off the road due to the loss of my licence and so sold my road bike.

I had a track bike that I used over the 4 years which kept the blood pumoing in my veins but I have to say that 6 weeks ago I bought a roady and have never looked back. I didn't realise how much I missed it till I got back on.

I say keep it if you can.

[Irish]

I tried it - track bike only for 12 months. It didn't work for me at all.

Regardless of all the drawbacks of road riding, many find it highly addictive and not easy to give away.

My 2 cents worth - get organised and do some decent day rides or overnighters with RATS or other mates. You get to the good roads, places you've never seen, and great company of fellow moto addicts.

I reckon an annual pilgrimage to the Island for Supers or GP would be enough to justify a rego'd bike in the garage.

cheers

Andrew

[SIX36]

Sell all the parts off it a make it a tracky??