Moto-Brian

Yup, baby CBR... They even have a decent contingency, but the Ninja is noticeably faster...

From a GSXR owner of all the sizes, the biggest things you need to do on the bikes are in this order: -Suspension. They need raised in the front a ton and require chassis changes to be at optimal in terms of track performance. You can ride and adapt to the bike, but the issue is handling on these bikes and you are working harder than you need to than if you get the suspension sorted. You can get Fork Cap Extenders and a 20 mil kit for next to nothing and find a good used Penske for rear ride adjustment and such for the rear. -Brakes. Don't run OEM lines. Get rid of the EBCs and bleed the system. Oh, and if you are going to race SS eventually and need the OEM M/C, start understanding how to bleed brakes because they fade every session. The M/C is a weak link. It isn't the calipers... But, you can buy a Brembo used and remove that issue. That's it. The slip-on you have is fine. A PC3 is advised no matter what as a slip-on can be better tuned with a PC3 than not. If it has the clip-ons and rearsets, you have the positioning set. Suspension, suspension, suspension...

It is.

Very good stuff here. I will add that there are things that need to be done on a 600 that are not needed on a liter bike. 600s are about corner speed. Very aggressive corner speed. Their chassis are amazing and allow for this and definitely inspire confidence, but the 600s today are not the 600s of yesterday. Don't go and buy a 600 with the idea that you're going to be faster. They are in the 110 hp stock range and easily 130s when built decent. But, they are razor blades. They handle so fast and quick, they can get you in trouble. But, understand that the newer liter bikes are fucking fast. They also handle a shit pile better than even 2 years ago or the previous generation. I can say that obviously an equal rider on both, the 600 will hurt a liter bike in the turns. The liter bike gets drive and straight line, but the transitions left to right are where the things really get beat down and where riders get into issues. Anyone can get into turn 1 at Mid-O for example of a liter bike or 600, right? But, T2 through the Keyhole separate things quickly. Same with T8 all through the back. The liter bikes under the controls of a good rider can really shine. However, when a lesser rider runs a liter bike, they can make the ground and do what is needed to control the bike, but to master the things requires so much input and effort to do so EVERY lap, that they wear you out. My 1000 was doing @ 192-ish to the ground. It handled well, was very civil although people would never believe it, but I used to get a lot of comments like "Man, if I had such a rocket, I could do so much better than I do on my 600..." Bullshit. No offense, but it takes years of riding and experience to ride ANY size bike fast. I handed the bike over to a few friends and they all said the same thing. It was awesome, it was fast, it was smoother than they thought. But, they all also said, "I don't know how you ride that thing fast every lap." Or, they'd comment how hard it was to ride as you went faster. Not because it was a fire breather or ill handling at speed. But because it was rushing into turns at a higher rate of speed, it was moving under load in places where wheel spin was occurring when everything they rode was done with wheel spinning. Things that fatigue you as you ride it. The bottom line is that a good rider can go faster than a lesser rider on anything. If you have a GSXR1000 and think you've got it sorted, there's a number of guys that will run faster than you with only a few laps of getting adapted to it. Same with a 600. You can have a totally sorted 600 and think you got it made and the same guy can throw a leg over and beat your fastest within a few laps. The bottom line is ability, it is the rider. It isn't the bike. Choose wisely. A 600 would be the best to learn corner speed, but honestly, a 750 is a better choice. It is a built 600 with a better bottom end and pull out of turns. Just don't get pissed when a guy on a stock R6 comes by you at an event... It isn't the HP... I think with your size, the 750 is a great choice. There are a million out there and several well sorted race bikes also. Good luck!

If you ride a Busa and no matter how good, but neither of the other two at the track, it really isn't comparable. The Busa is slow to handle and transition. It is just not the right bike for performance riding at the track. I assume you are a novice rider or other group? The reason I ask is because the 1000 is going to be a bike that can easily get you in trouble if not familiar. So can the 750 of course, but the 1000 is a bike that ridden hard is really a tough thing to do. In fact, several 600 lap times are faster at certain tracks than that of the 1000s. Look at the lap times at Barber and see that a Dayton Sportbike 600 was only a few seconds a lap slower than a Superbike lap time... That's insane. So, in my opinion and one that has extensive seat time on all three bikes, get the 750. It is about 20 more HP than a 600 stock to stock and can be built to get a lot more which is what I would suggest once you get adapted to it and running solid fast times. When you say heavy bikes and used to it, understand that your bike is MUCH heavier, but also carries a heavier mass in a lower position which causes ill handling. These bikes are lighter and much more balanced and spin up their engines MUCH quicker. Point is that the 750 would be a better bike for starting out on and with you being 230, both chassis are about the same. The R1 gives the illusion it is larger, but it's reach and seating area is not far behind the others. And understand that liter bikes are getting smaller and smaller all the time...

Just because you may have good body position doesn't always mean you won't have to change it up to accomodate an issue. It sounds like maybe you should check if the boot is tight (not like SUPER tight, but may feel even snug), the cuff of your suit at the calf and ankle is right, etc. thts can cause circulation issues and allow it to go numb. It could also be a deal where you're getting a pinched nerve or something and when your leg is bent, pressure on the balls of your feet, etc occurs, it goes numb. It's really hard to tell, but it could also be fitness, etc.

I'd give it a try, but not sure about a whole series. Would teach corner speed of course. Great and close racing, but it looks painful on the straights. Like any racing, if there is parity, it will be really good and close racing. Cheap, too. I've been looking at them a they are somewhat a potential for my son to race, but too large and not the path we are choosing. That bein said, I've seen the dunlops DOT as a choice with no warmers, but the front guys are running slicks. But, slicks on a light bike with no serious entry and exit loads, they'll last like iron.

Ill PayPal you and bring it to Nelson. Or, cash at Nelson. No need to look at it.

What? That you don't understand the fees and costs? IF you actually work for a bank, shouldn't you know there are fees associated and that there are doc and license fees, taxes, etc? Really? I'm calling BS on what you do or do not know... Again, as mentioned by a few, you come on here and call a dealership dumb asses, have zero clue as to what they do and how they sell bikes or how the average customer comes and desires buying said bikes. But, you tell us you are a loan officer with apparently the inability to get a loan through your institution and do not have the level of credit needed to be able to get a loan easily. You making it sound like the dealership is full of ignorant and snake like people is pretty freaking ignorant and silly.

Dude, do you even understand how financing a bike, car, house, anything works? Dealers do make good money on the back side of every deal and if they are slick, they can get you with misc fees. But understand that the fact you apparently are starting out financing things to build up credit, you most likely have a possible risk factor that makes it tough to get financed. That being said, they got you approved and with their buying power, relationship with their banks, etc., you may be hard pressed to get approved somewhere else... Basically, using a loan calculator, I don't see the issue here. There is tax, doc fees, lic fees, etc. Interest in the factor, I cannot see where you are getting that they are trying to steal from you or acting like they are "dumb asses" as you called them. Someone might want to take that comment and look in the mirror and better understand auto based loans. 6.99% on that old of a bike and for that low amount of money is a freakin great deal. Don't be insulting to a dealer because of preconceived ideas towards them.

Why buy a turbo version? We ran the S2000 at Mid-Ohio and I can say that it really doesn't need the turbo to be fast. Sure, it is cool and all, but I can probably bet you'd never really get any use out of it other than impressing friends with a little whistle...

I actually forgot an important setup... I then clean the rotors and calipers with good quality brake clean. Remove the brake material and such off the rotors and then clean with brake clean... You can do the ol' brake clean with a scotch brite type pad also. But, I use mineral spirits due to cost vs cans of brake clean and then do a quick wash off with the brake clean. A lot cheaper that way... It's kind of old school, but seems to work...

Are you left handed? Most people have an easier time with left handers vs. right handers. They are predominately right handed also... Not sure... But, that is what a lot of people find. Best thing is to borrow a dirt bike, get into a grass field and set up a road course. Grass track, essentially. Then, get er in sideways and force yourself to do them until you puke. It'll come. It's body position and need for more seat time. Just keep at it. Get to a track that has a good number of CHALLENGING left handers. Putnam is good because of Dead Bear and high speed 4. Mid-Ohio has a strong turn 1 that is a challenge and of course turn 8 and before the Honda bridge and turn 14. Grattan has a good set of left handers and even better when ran the opposite direction. There's plenty of examples.

Who were the Dunlop guys? This was tested by us with one of the test guys from Buffalo.

So, a few things in my opinion. Do not sand rotors. Use mineral spirits to get the brake material off the rotor. A thing that can happen with brake pads and rotors are adherent wear. That is when the pad essentially is being over used in application and tears down and leaves a shit pile of material on the rotor. This can cause rotor warpage. We get this on our stock RC8s at Mid-O with OEM rotors. Traditionally, almost any street pad is about the same. Really, as stated, they are all fairly good. Personally, hate EBC. Never got the results from EBC I can get from others. If I wasn't using Brembo race pads, I'd run Versah. Absolutely the best pads I've ever used up until I tried these Brembos. Like anything, more braking power, more it costs. I think retail on the top shelf Vesrah and Brembos are like $150/card. Yes, $300 for both sides. Also, race pads have no bed in process. Not many pads do any longer. But, you really should still. Lean the rotors.

Actually, for track use, we were running 30 front and 27 rear on Q2s with great success. Wear and handling...

Rule of thumb on dual purpose tires is 30/30. Busa is heavier and really shouldn't drop. As stated, you look for around 10-12% increase, but only after right off the track hot. Are you track day riding it or for aggressive street use? I'm not real familiar with BStones at the track. But, anyone doing higher psi in the rear tire vs front tire is doing it wrong and most likely not a good source of knowledge.

Thanks, man. I'd be into the RS85 over the NSR. As many of the RS and TZ guys that are in the same situation, they all suggest the 125 chassis with 85 motor over the 150 setups for relativity to the 125 motor when he gets to the big track. Plus, the smaller NS chassis will not translate as well to the 125 vs if it were an 85... Let me know as I am serious about buying two...

Correct. For my son. We are looking at getting one for an 85 conversion and one at the 125 setup. 85 for the kart track and the 125 for both kart and big. He's been on my backside wanting one and he has been a track rat for a long time watching me so, he wants to give it a go. Who am I to say "no"?

On it! Was the first place I signed up actually...

Yup, saw that one. There is a guy in MI that I am looking at his RS that has a better spares package.

Where at? A lot are over seas... Again, prefer an RS though.

I am looking for a Honda RS125 in the circa 96-ish timeframe. I am also open to looking at a TZ125 in late 90s also, but really prefer an RS. Let me know if anyone knows of one around or someone that can point me in the right direction.

You really should avoid using warmers on the Q2s. It isn't designed for that and unless very cold, you are killing them quicker than without. Endurance racing is a terrible idea. The Q2 is a great cross over tire. There are a few brands with such a tire. But understand that the idea is to be a street based tire at least as equally if not slightly more than half the time. So, they will come to temp a lot quicker than a race tire obviously. That coming to temp or optimal operating range is something where it starts to limit the use of a tire. I think for track day use (It's most aggressive category for which it was designed - not racing) it can make sense on a budget for a starting rider to even an "I" rider. Beyond that which should be a racer pace, they will fall off very quickly. I wouldn't be able to make it to the half way point in a 10 lap sprint before they'd come off. We would have them coming off by lunch time at the Race Orange events and if we were at a track day where we ran full sessions on our own, I would destroy one in the first three sessions. The point is that in endurance at even a lesser pace than a sprint race (Really, your endurance times are only going to be slightly slower), the tire is by no means going to last even an hour before it falls off and you have to start riding around it. Racing? Race tires. Novice to Intermediate rider? Q2s or similar. Advanced? Race tires suggested for optimal performance at a pace you should be at. You cannot advance in your riding if you are out riding the tire or having to settle for what the tire can give you. In running endurance, consistency is key. We've ran faster lap times at the end of a stint than at the start a lot of times. But, if we did slow down and even on a shit tire, we'd be within a second at the worse. In endurance, it is about management and consistency. If you fluctuate from start to finish, you need to be working on those two things more so. Anyways, DO NOT use warmers on a tire like a Q2 even on low which is around 150 degrees on a two stage warmers or 135-ish on a three stage warmer.