You weren't tempted by a 1000 Jap four track bike then? I ask because I'm after a track bike and I can't decide what to go for. (It won't be a Ducati for cost reasons). My head says a 600 is the logical choice but I don't like 600s on the road one bit. I know a track is a different matter altogether but its hard to drag my thinking away from the litre class.
I've had both 600 and 1000 and a few 750 IL4's for track use, from R1's to 750 K7's. The 600 was chosen partly because it was the right price, the right age and (I thought at the time) the right condition. The only other choice on the list was a 2005 ZX10R, but Mrs Weeksy sat on one and decided she didn't fit it, as she uses the bikes on track too, that was removed from the list. I then kinda screwed up slightly as I was looking at R1's, 2005 type as we've both owned them before, I got some insurance quotes as I was looking at road based ones (to use on track) and was getting insanely high prices... It was only a week later I realised I'd removed my NCB from the App last time as I was getting a quote for my KTM390 with 0 no claims ! So the R1's were removed from the list. It was then a question of looking around Ebay and various forums for the right bike... When we were in Portimao last year, one of the lads (known to many on here) Couchcommando was on his 2015 ZX6R, I had a go on it in whilst I didn't fall in love, I did realise how easy a bike it was to ride. He was also quicker on that that he's been on any 1000cc trackbike before, so I realised that it's not necessarily the 1000cc that's making you fast, but just you being happy/comfy on the bike. As this is a Ducati forum I won't bore you all with what's been done to the ZX6 since I got it... but suffice to say, I've had many many little things done to it now, both by myself and my race mechanic, so if you want to read up on it it's here New bike thread... the green red meanie. - UK Motorbike Forum I am happy with the 600cc aspect of the bike, it wasn't a factor on the squirty bits... as always, it was down to my corner exit speed rather than the bikes speed or lack of it.
A good compromise would be a 750 then. Shame the Japs have more or less abandoned the class. I had thought there might be a few good Gixer 750s about but there don't seem to be. Edit: Actually there are a few K5 Gixer 750s about in budget (almost - £3000ish) but they're mostly road bikes that would need setting up. Haven't come across many track-ready ones on the forums. Could that be because people don't part with them?
In what sense 'don't seem to be' there's gazillions of them... both road and track based. 'good' is very much open to interpretation thought with track bikes... my idea of good and 99% of others seems to differ greatly. lol.
I have a 600 monster and got found out on the B road from ross on wye to Abergavenny a couple of weeks ago ,there are a good few very tight bends with very restrictive viewing because of the undergrowth ,I found the bike had to go down to 1st gear a good few times and feathering the clutch was the only way to get round with cars towing caravans a foot on to my side of the road, there were a couple of jap bikes with us who saw things weren't smooth but copped better ,and 1 Harley 1400 that nearly had to be pushed round
I can't be looking in the right places then. On the track day forums its 600s, 600s, 600s or top end thous. Early days though. Plenty of time to work out what I want and where to find it.
One thing I did learn lately is...be patient... about 4 days after I bought mine I could have bought a lovely 750K7 and a lovely 2005 R1... I did have some buyers regret !
This seems to be Andy following (and leading at times) me on I think my first full session on the bike. This was when the suspension was rubbish and the track had damp patches.. I didn't actually know he was there or I'd have tried to look cool. Give you some entertainment and pisstaking opportunities.
I thought Triumph 675 was meant to be a good compromise, or perhaps MV 800. More pride of ownership than Japanese, perhaps triple motors a good compromise between 4s and twins.
