Hi guys, Looking for some input, I’ve just sold my Gen 4 S1000RR and toying with the idea of getting or converting a bike for tracks. a wee bit of background into my bikes first to let you see what it is I want. I’ve got a 2018 R1M that I use solely on the road and not remotely interested in using on track. I also have a 2016 R1 in full track trim that’s in Spain and lives out there permanently. Only ridden it once but I love it. I want a track bike for the UK so I don’t have to use my road bike and I can leave my other track bike in Spain as I’m out there loads on my time off and want to be able to jump on the Spanish days when I can. With all that in mind I’ve got a budget of about £11-12k and toying with the idea of buying a standard clean road bike - possibly a 2CR R1 or 1199 and slowly converting it to track. Or do I just do as I’ve done previously and buy a bike that’s already converted with the bling on. Trouble is lots of them are dogs. Given the budget, what would you guys go for? Anyone selling anything that might interest me?
If you are looking for a bike for UK specific track days, your prime mover will be finding an exhaust that will pass a 102db static and 105db drive by noise tests. Noisy days are now few and far between and of late, I’ve seen 98db days. Stock underslung Ducati exhausts have for several years been given dispensation but I’m not sure that will be the case going forward. Not sure how long the Ducati days at Silverstone and Donington will allow full fat exhausts like the V4 Akrapovic which is just mental. As much as it goes against the grain, GSXR, ZX10 and R1 are probably the sensible choices. Andy
Build or buy? That is the question. I have found buying fully sorted track bikes that I have seen on track and by chance, got to know the owners is a good way to go. The last two, an 1199 & 999 are good examples. Dripping in amazing high performance parts that I could never source and put together by some very talented engineers, so far, both have turned out very well.
Been looking at ZX10s as well as an alternative to the R1. I think I’m going to pass on the 1199 to be honest.
Much as I love big v twins, if I was going to have another full blown track bike, I would probs find a low mileage street JIL4 for 5-6 k and go from there. You can do a fair bit with that remaining 6k. If its a peach, you may even be able to make some decent wedge for the project by selling off good bodywork, headlights etc on the bay of E. I saw a 2011 repsol rep blade with under 6k on it for 5900 a few weeks ago. Absolutely immaculate. Future trackbike and sell off the complete bodywork was the first thing that crossed my mind.
Both the 1199 and the r1’s are prone to issues with prolonged track use. I’ve lost count of the amount of engines I’ve seen let go on r1’s and it’s not just the 2015 ones like the owners bang on about. I’ve seen virtually new ones to. When we were at Alcarras (you were there also from memory) every bike that blew up over the three days was an r1 from what I saw. You could perhaps get something a fair bit newer for the money. The R1’s are easier to get along with in track terms in my opinion (both are difficult with U.K. noise testing though). Parts aren’t the cheapest for either of them either. If it was me (and it isn’t) I’d look at Zx10’s and gsxr’s etc but it’s all down to taste. Depends what you’re looking for. I’ve never been a Yamaha man really but they are good if you’re in to that kind of thing. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274728390826 building up bikes is fun but doesn’t make much financial sense tbh.
That looks a pretty good deal mate. I do love my R1 but was thinking of something different and that GSXR looks good.
How do the electronics compare to an R1? I’m no racer but first time out on the R1 I beat my pb at Cartagena by 3 seconds in the first session and by the end of the day I was 5 seconds better. Think it was more to do with the bike looking after me rather than me.
Out of the box the r1’s are better in my opinion. It’s a very good tool out of the showroom for track stuff the r1. But with some custom work on the tc and anti wheelie tables you can get it good on the gsxr mate
Every trackday I’ve been on for the last 2 years an R1 has shat itself mate. I remember the black one at Alcarras as well. spoke to quite a few folk about them before I bought my other 2 and the general consensus was that the bikes that had failed all had one thing in common and that was that they had been mapped. I’ve heard (wither it’s true or not is another matter) that aggressive mapping on the blipper was causing engines to overspend when changing down the gears with the blipper high up in the Rev range.
Yeah. But who runs abs on track ? (Other than me at the moment) if I was actually turning up to ‘go fast’ I’d rip it straight off. And no way I’d ever race with it in. That race bike won’t have the abs in it still
Not for me mate. Sold my gen 3 track bike last year, nothing buy bother with it and cost me at least a day at every event I went to last year. Was good when it was running but too many electrical gremlins and I know loads of other with the same issues with them. I sold it and bought my R1 track bike. Only way I’d buy another s1000rr is if it was really cheap
It’s a shame because the BMW’s are a great tool. But I’ve had the same experience with them. Pure aggro and everything costs a bloody fortune on them. they are a Weapon with a few tweaks though. That rs2e software transforms them. Audible traction control
Well sorry for your experience, must have been a bad bike. Not sure quite believe about loads of the others. Gen3s with ecu map from RS2E is one of the most solid machines out there. Why did you sell Gen4 ? It's an excellent trackbike as well. They are becoming mainstream in paddock these days.
Again just too many reliability issues with them. Hands down the best sports bike I’ve owned or ridden but mines is coming up for 2 years old now (think I was the 3rd person in the uk to get one) and didn’t fancy owning it after the warranty expired, especially after the latest cylinder head recall, even though mines wasn’t one of them. I just thought enough was enough and wasn’t prepared to own it without the warranty. Seriously it was in the dealers for months but it was amazing. A few mates have all had S1000RRs of different years and every one has had electrical issues, plus the standard DDC is really bad on track and needs replacing. Wouldn’t stop me buying another new S1000RR if they bring out a new one that’s got all of the K67 issues sorted.
