Anyone race their r1's

This coming march i will be taking a track school. MARRC road racing school. Never done this before, but i am looking forward to it. Im intersted in finding out if anyone races their bike or does track days, i am hoping on doing the tech stuff at home and before tech inspection removing my mirrors and other stuff. I need to ride the bike to the track. Does anyone have any advice for someone like me, who does not want to race, but just to enjoy a good day at the track. I am hoping that taking this class will improve my riding skills, most people who ride say it will help quite a bit. Ricardo

The class will help alot. I do track days as much as I can but I never ride to the track for two reasons 1) if you crash,how you gonna get home?2) Most of the time I am almost to tired to drive home,much less ride. Track days are great cause you can haul ass and drag a knee without worrying about road trash and police.

Have you ever fallen? Im wondering what it is like on the track, specially in these school track days? Im concerned for people running into me or something like that, i really just want to go at my own pace without having to worry about someone hitting me from behind or something like that. Would you say that you are hurting your bike by racing? The motor takes quite a bit of stress in extreme conditions like these, so im wondering if its safe for my bike. Ricardo

Apart from the usual safety wire, replacing coolant with H20, and taping up or removing mirrors and lights, take my advice...buy some cheap pattern bodywork, new or used, and some crash mushrooms also. Never know what might happen and insurance companies won't cover your bike on a racetrack. If you can afford it some rear sets also work well

As a matter of fact I low sided a couple of weeks ago.see here http://www.r1-forum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=671 Insurance will cover a safty course track day but not a racing class. These bikes are made for extreme conditions so I doubt you are gonna hurt it. Most of the track days I do,do not require safty wiring but do require mirrors removed,lighting taped off and no coolant. I run Engine Ice in my bike anyway.

I'll be getting a track license this season :)

Originally posted by ricardo Have you ever fallen? Im wondering what it is like on the track, specially in these school track days? Im concerned for people running into me or something like that, i really just want to go at my own pace without having to worry about someone hitting me from behind or something like that. Ricardo If you go on a course including instructors, than it should work out well. But please note: there are 20 - 40 others on the track, and it is difficult to ride your own line! ...and, you also need competition in your group to become better. Worst of all is free riding. I have experienced idiots on tracks, who did not take care about anyone, and were over"braking" instead of overtaking, thus pushing people in curves out of the track. My best experience always was with professionals and in competitions. As it is said in another posting: take off your mirrors. if you ride your way, you will then not make failures for the others. If you like to save your bodywork: buy racing or replacement parts, i.e. from vimoriracing (http://www.vimoriracing.com). That saves a lot, when you crash. regards // northlander Ride your way.

Depending on your weight, some racetech springs and valves along with a new rear shock is a very good idea for track use and harder street riding. I would also highly suggest a steering damper. Most organizations don't let provisionals or novices (1st year racing) race R1's... you'd be slow and dangerous to the other open classers who will be a whole lot faster. I am looking for a SV or SVS for a track/race bike so I don't have to worry about my bike (that has never even fallen over) being tossed down the track :eek:

I think R1 has the ability to race stock. Just do up the suspension and handling and you will be ready to go!:hellobye

I only use my R1 for racing. It's stock apart from *a race silencer *fibreglass bodywork *2 teeth smaller front sprocket *Sprint damper *Scitsu tacho *Rearsets Thats about it for a competetive club racer. Mines a low mileage bike (1500 miles) so the suspension is ok, I just raised the forks through the yokes to speed things up. Many racers spend looooads more, but mortals don't really need it. Trick bikes look nice though :yesnod

You are going to like the track school . I took FAST school at Shannonville Ont. last summer , signed up for May this year . You learn alot and gain piles of confidence . Twisted is right , dont ride to the track . One of our group did lowside , broke a few fingers . I was sooo tired at the end of the day a ride home would not be fun . I rode a school bike the first time . I'm still undecided about taking the R1 next time . You can have a lot more fun when you arent worrying about wrecking your own . One of the instructors gave a big talk before the last outing . He mentioned it was a great day with no troubles . He told everyone to go out have fun but be careful . He told us the last trip out was when most crashes are , usually the last lap . He was right on . The guy who crashed was last lap turn 6 , only 3 corners to go . http://www.fastridingschool.com/english/index.html Dave

I am an instructor for OMRRA and take guys like you out to learn the ropes. I also race spareingly, mostly endurance stuff with the kid. The R-1 is a terrific track bike, but once you actually start getting anywhere near a competitive race pace, a steering dampner is a must. If you are serious about RACING, in my opinion, an R-1 is a poor choice for a learning platform. So are most of the current 600's. Unless you are an exceptionally talented rider ( 1 out of 150 IMO) the big speed, acceleration, wheelspin, corner entry speed, and closing speeds in mixed groups are VERY intimidating and actually stunt most peoples learning skills. Someone mentioned an SV- 650, EXCELLENT choice! That's what we put my kid on after a couple of exploratory successes on the great little FZR-400's. SS prepped, he posted lap times that would have placed him in the upper 1/3 of 600 ss ( inlines ). He learned all about controling entry speed ( only about 135 on top ), late braking, hi corner speeds and lean angles........ and from that landed a ride on a GP bike. Could he have done well on a 600 inline right off ? I think OK, but he LEARNED so much about RACING on the " slower " bike, that it really did promote his abilities. Don't get me wrong, The R-1 is REALLY great on the track, just not a good learning tool. On the other hand, if it's just track days you are after, and the experience it provides there are many different levels and groups generally, and most times individual instruction is available. In our race group we go by displacement in groups of 10-12 usually with 2 instructors, one leading and the other following. By the 3rd or 4th session we usually re-group everyone one last time according to their speed and how quickly they are picking it up. The last session we always have individual instruction available to help with certain problems, or to show different lines, braking points etc, so it's a good time. Have fun! I'm just saying that most " fast " street guys have a hard time with something as badass as the R-1 can be when whipped hard. Hope I'm not sounding like an idiot, or knowitall, it's just what I experience. Rich ( my kid who is now a better rider than me has ridden my R-1 several times instructing also...... his verdict " this thing's crazy dad! " )

Required: Steering Dampener, good gloves(GP style), leathers, racing boots and new tires. Dont skimp on the gear! If you want to go cheap you may be able to pick up some used ones. Most schools dont require saftywire or draining the fluids check first though it isnt a bad idea. I might suggest adding a cotter pin for the axil nut just for safty too. Before track day make sure all your bolts and screws that are not safty wired are tight! You would not beleve how many of them want to vibrate loose. Check them between runs also-you cant be too safe. The school will also likly want your chain much looser than you normaly run so be prepaired you dont want to have to make a last minute adjustment. Dont try and keep up at first it is too easy to get overconfident. See if there is not a fast guy on a slow bike to follow IE FZR400 or the like. Some of those people really know how to corner. Sont try to go fast in the straits work on your entrance and setup if you want to be fast. I am not sure the R1 is the best track bike in the world to start with but it is a abolute blast! The SV is likly the best to start racing with or a R6 just for fun on the track no mods required.

Depending on the track school, they will most likely have set rules for overtaking, i.e. no inside passes etc. DON"T be paranoid, in any case it is ALWAYS the duty of the guy overtaking to make a clean, safe pass. What we want the novice racers to do is to learn to hold their line. As instructors, from the back in the later sessions we let them know that we will be passing them in the corners, either inside or out, and their job is to HOLD THEIR LINE, not panic, not stand the bike up, not target fixate, but to realize when faster guys come thru that it's OK. Occassionally guys do tangle racing, but remember, everyone out there is concerned with staying up themselves. So relax, work on your reference points, be SMOOTH as you can always, and watch as the lines change with increased speed. The school will be a blast! Enjoy, Rich

This will be the second year of racing my R1. I ouldn't trade my bike for any other bike. With that said, they are a handful to ride. And yes I have went down. You have so much adrenaline pumping through you all you want to do is get up and hop on your bike and chase everybody down. You really don't need the 152h.p. But it is nice to have just in case. Learn how to control your throttle. VERY IMPORTANT!:thumbup

my 2 pennys worth buy partworn sticky tyres (dunlop 207 gps) treat the morning session as a warming up and learning the track period afternoon session increase speed NEVER go out in last session youll be tired and you will dump the bike . ohh and have fun

I'm headed to Star school in Topeka KS in June. Been riding over ten years, but finally going to get some education, I guess. Didn't know which school was best, but I guess I'll find out... Interesting comment on nuts, bolts vibrating loose. I've been riding since '88 FZR1000 and 2001 R-1 but never had anything vibrate loose except maybe a fairing screw one time. What have you all seen vibrate loose? Also, saw comment on new tires for the track, I was wondering if it would be smart to get a set of racing slicks or are stock dunlops just as good for school type riding? Never had a steering dampner, I'll have to research this, what have you guys learned that makes it a must? I have Yamaha factory leathers & helmet, great racing boots, but not full race gloves because they seem way too thick to get the throttle control feel that I like - I use thinner leather gloves, but they are long gloves that come up under my leathers. Are race gloves with the steel knuckles a must for the school/track? Do I need to get a spine protector? Dealer said it's a must, but school requirements don't say one way or another. I have ridden a lot at high speed, and higher octane fuel (the highest you can get) and proper tire inflation have always made the difference for me. I don't understand why track is harder than street, is it just the cummulative tire heat from going round and round corners hard? I push my R-1 pretty hard on the street and seems to me I do a lot more start/stopping than on the track, which is harder on a bike's engine/brakes isn't it? Please comment if you disagree.... I'm a little concerned about the comment that the school wants a looser chain. That's the last thing I'd feel comfortable doing, I'm really use to the way it is for stock setup and have not had any trouble in corners or at high speed. What's up with this? Seems to me that you can jerk the hell out of an R-1 if the chain is just a little too loose.

"Do I need to get a spine protector? Dealer said it's a must, but school requirements don't say one way or another. " Get one ASAP. Unless living in a wheelchair appeals to you. I personally wear mine street or track because the support it gives your back makes long distance riding easier on the back. As far as gloves go, good, modern racing gloves give loads of feel and loads of protection. Drop by a shop and try on a pair of higher quality gloves and you'll be impressed I think. Just look at Rich Olivers Daytona crash where he had his finger ground down to see gloves are vital. If you still don't want proper gloves think of this....Your hands get pretty cut up if you trip onto concrete, think what would happen at 60 mph. Sorry if it seems preachy, I just don't need to see any forum members seriously hurt if proper gear would have prevented it.

#1 ) stay away from slicks with a stock R-1 front end, they tend to develope nasty head shake. Get either 207 GP's ( NOT the sreet Zr's ) or the new 208 GP's or a set of 207 stars. These are DOT racing tires ( I get 207 gp's mounted for 230 a set:D ) The rear's will be 180 series which work MUCHO better than the cool looking 190:( The difference between going " Fast " on the street, and getting up to speed even in the novice ranks is humbling. " Fast " is a very relative term, and the only really good way to see just how great a bike the R-1 is, is to get to a track. I instruct for our Race organization the OMRRA and always enjoy the stories from " fast " street guys at the end of the day;) It's tremendous good fun and raises your margins on the street. Have Fun:thumbup

Thanks, I'm sure I'll have a lot of fun. Decided to get spine protector, full gloves, etc. and I'm going to go get some practice on our new local track. Track requires water instead of antifreeze. I'm a little concerned about using straight water, my bike gets to 195F on the street. Got any experience with this issue? Tire info is timely, I just picked up a nail on the street in the rear. Hate it when that happens..... I'm assuming it's no big deal to use the tires your recommending on the street? I'd like to get use to them if I'm going to use them on the track. I'm sure your right about street/track difference, everything always LOOKS easy, until you try it, but I've got a feeling my R-1 won't let me down. Maybe I should start a poll on the outcome, whether I'll look like: :D or :crash HeHe.....

>I'm assuming it's no big deal to use the tires your recommending on the street... Oh no... You would think so though wouldn't you? Good for the track means that they will probably never get warmed up enough to get sticky on the street. They are arguably some of the worst street tires you could mount. On the track you generate much more heat not only because you're working the bike really hard and cornering super fast but also because most tracks use different asphault compounds = more abrasive for grip.:thumbup

well yeah, you need to warm the tires up a little more than the zr series dunlops, but I'm assuming most of you guys are smart enuf to warm things up properly , engine and tire wise (about 10 miles for me ) to not get into a dumb kind of problem;) If you see a guy on slicks?? Stay away from him:bash There is simply NO WAY except racing the Isle of Man to ever get slicks to work properly on the street. Slicks on the street = pure imposter:butt The 208 gps have a harsh ride due to their construction, and they are expensive, so I wopuldn't run them. FOR ME;) the tires that overall give the best grip, most reasonable mileage, and are still streetable are the 207gps. :)

Ive done a couple of track days, but on a zx6r i used to have. Problem i found was other traffic on the track. If i got to the front then id be fine, i could ride nice and hard without worrying about trying to pass anyone or worrying about anyone trying to pass me. The first time i went on a track i had 2 sessions in the slow group. The first session was crap because i was stuck in the middle of all these other guys wobbling about everywhere and i just didnt feel confident overtaking them and had to keep slowing down for people all the while. The 2nd session i started in 3rd place. It was me on my zx6r up against a bloke on his zx9r. He was a bit quicker above 110, but upto then it was neck & neck. I was quicker around the bends tho. After a couple of laps i managed to get past him and floored it. 1 more lap and noone was anywhere near me. I could then just concentrate on my riding and not worry about other bikes. I was lapping times which would have put me well up in the fast group. All in all, it was good fun, although its easy to get presurised into riding faster than you want. I think that you are more at risk of someone else crashing into you than you are actually crashing yourself!

1. What is engine Ice? 2 What is safty wireing? 3. do track classes supply the leathers and such?

1. You may also see the same type of product called water wetter. It is a non-ethelene glycol based coolant additive. It helps the water cool your engine without being slippery when you wreck and leak all over the track. 2. Wires used to secure bolts on your bike. The higher vibration levels make bolts want to loosen up. Safety wires make it so that they can not fall out. There is a tool that twists a loop of wire beteen two bolts to tighten it up and stop both bolts from spinnig. It required bolts with holes drilled through them so that you can slip the wire through. 3. Most classes do not, although if you are willing to spend enough, some classes will supply anything you need. This is not the most cost effective way to go if you plan on doing lots of days. Some classes will allow you to enter the "C" group with only gloves and a leather jacket. That way you can get a feel if you are going to do a lot of track days.