Best Sub 1k track bike?

[Dean-J]

Looking at buying a 600 track bike for next year, Has to be Sub 1K ( cheaper the better).

Requirements:

Reliable
Easy to work on
Cheap parts available ( for when it gets binned )

I was thinking along the lines of an Older CBR600, or an old thundercat (YZF600).

Anything else i should be looking at?

[Shaane]

Might be able to get a bit of a messy SRAD 600 for sub 1k mate.
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EMRA Roadstock #92 - Paperwork Permitted.
Previous: 1992 DT125R
Current: ~ 2005 ZX6R C1H

[Reid]

Best bet is probably an F2 CBR600. Parts everywhere and plenty of race goodies about for them. Older ones can be had cheapish, especially if you plan to fit your own plastics and are happy binning original tatty ones. F3 is good but I wouldn't pay a premium, only major step-up was the F4's aluminium frame (I think I've got the model numbers right, could be getting mixed up).

FZR600 is also a decent option if you want to get everything sorted on as small a budget as possible. Bikes can be had in really good nick for under £700 and parts are seriously dirt cheap. It was the first sports 600 to really nail the low centre of gravity thing and although not as good as the F2 and onward CBRs (it' dicks over the jellymoulds), it'll still do you just as well until your ability catches up to your bike. Also, twin headlights


edit: Thinking about it, FZR is probably a poor choice unless you're happy doing a rear-wheel swap for a TZR/CBR rim which is probably more trouble than it's worth on a cheap track bike. It comes with an 18" rear which seriously limits tyre choice on the road, let alone the track.

[swiftb]

Dont be set on buying a track bike - if you look hard enough you may turn up a bargain road bike to use. First 5 or so trackdays will be done quite happily on a standard road bike - then look at uprgrading bits and pieces or sell on and uprgrade to another/better bike. Its an option worth considering

[Dean-J]

Thanks for the CBR info, always helps to know what im looking for!

Its more for skill building/fun than anything else. Cheaper i can get one the better, I have seen a few GSXRs at the £1k mark, just wasnt sure if they are worth the extra when something £400 cheaper will do the job!

I am looking at road bikes which i can convert myself, Not after a seriously sorted track weapon or anything, just something i can push my limits on and not worry if i send it down the track!

Its more for skill building/fun than anything else. Cheaper i can get one the better,

[Seb]

Just to throw in an alternative, considered going down the mini twins route? With your budget you could get a presentable CB500/GS500 and have change for some proper sticky tyres and maybe even a suspension overhaul.
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2010 Triumph 1050 Sprint ST

[Ariel Badger]

I would be taking a punt on this
clicky
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[JoeDougieDoug...]

[T0MMY]

I bought a zx6r G2 for £850 that has seen me through 8 trackdays with no money thrown at it bar consumables and has been faultless mechanically. It's not as capable as the modern stuff but quick enough for the fast group so does the job.

Any late 90s sports 600 will do...I wouldn't get set on any particular model. I was looking for a SRAD 600 when this bike came up at the right price. It's fully road legal, low mileage and came with MOT and tax but was a cat d right off with battered plastics...perfect for track use.

The problem you may find with steelie CBRs is that I'm not sure the standard rear wheel takes the much more common 180 section rear tyre (standard is 160 I seem to recall?). This means that it will be a bit harder to find race scrubs cheaply which is a big cost of trackdays. Someone may tell me I'm wrong shortly though ZX6Rs have a standard 170 rear but are quite happy on a 180, as are GSXRs I believe.
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ZX6R + CBR600RR

[haroman666]

I'm talking from pure inexperience here (That's right), but consider ALL options... i'm pretty sure any bike (apart from commuter scooters and 125 and below) with the right tweaks etc could build confidence/skills and be fun on track.

Fuck, if I had the spare cash's i'd be lurking ebay like a mofo for anything I could get my hands on for cheap. At the end of the day, if you put less heart into it (considering it's your first time) then if you bin it and smash it to smithereens, then you've only lost a bike, not something you've put heart and effort into.
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The mistresses: 2000 Honda CBR600f, 2000 Honda VTR1000

[G]

The best £1k track bike is the best track bike you find for £1k.

If you set out with a specific model in mind, you'll end up missing the good deals most probably.

I recently got a 'minitwins' track bike for a tad over that budget and pretty happy with it so far.

[bacon]

ill be using my zx7r for track duty next year once I buy myself another road bike. I love it and can't bring myself to sell it, so it will go on track.

[T0MMY]

[Dean-J]

Yeah im not after something i have to work on to make it work as a track bike if that makes sense. I dont mind an old dog CBR etc as its still built for the purpose i wanna use it for, but 90% of commuter type bikes i wouldnt go for as it would kinda defeat the purpose of a cheap and esy track bike if i have to spend time and money to make it one!

Having said that, I may well end up with a cheap battered SV650. That way more of what i learn on the track will be easily transferable to my road riding, seeing as i have an SV650S for the road! rather than finding out the hard way that the SV wont do what the CBR/GSXR/YZF etc does!

Have a few SV's in sight for the £600 mark, good honest bikes with tatty fairings etc. perfect for what im after really

[swiftb]

I would say get at the very minimum a sports 600. If your any good through the corners you will soon get extremely annoyed with being held up in the corners, then losing out on the straights when you want to get past - so resort to slingshotting out of corners and outbraking to get past - only to get caught and passed on a long straight and having to do it all over again!
I have a cbr600f and it just has enough straight line power to avoid that happening too often if in the correct group but imagine anything much less powerful would be very frustrating (to me at least) and probably sap the enjoyment - which is the whole idea in the first place!
Ideally id like a 750 for the track. ( or a more modern 600).