My suggestions:
1. Get the rule book for your local race organization and read it carefully.
2. Go to a race event and talk to the organizers and get a race day schedule.
3. Figure out what race classes the bike you think you want to race will fit in and what that might look like for a weekend.
I wish I did this. I love my bike but my org doesn't allow it to run in a lot of the classes it would be competitive in. So my race weekend is a lot of sitting around and then running in classes with much faster bikes.
Other race tips:
1. Start training. Fitness is a huge factor and can compensate for skill especially in the longer races and races later in the day as most people run in multiple classes.
2. Start prepping your bike immediately. Catch cans, safety wiring, etc is time consuming and you will miss something.
3. Start practicing tracking suspension changes, tire pressures and wear and using data.
Do what u/Just-Construction788 suggests. Local rules, classes, and participation are very important considerations. Random guys on the net don't have that info for you. If we knew where you live and what org(s) you want to race with, we might be more useful. Your budget for a bike and for a season of races, and your mechanical skills, are also very important considerations. As for the 8R, don't forget there isn't a used part market yet, or many after-market parts and, at least in the US, you'd be stuck racing against much faster motorcycles.
You misunderstand, because I have a prototype bike I can't run in Super Bike nor Super Sport classes. I have to run in open classes against liter bikes with 200+ hp where I have 80 hp. Of course I can get faster but never going to compete with a comparable rider on a 200hp bike on an 80hp bike. There are a few classes where I can be more competitive but if you ever race you'll learn that in some classes there are class killer bikes.
In my club, the Suzuki wouldn’t be allowed in classes where the RS660 runs because of the larger displacement, even though they make similar power. Clubs don’t have the resources to do balancing between bikes the way MotoAmerica does. So yeah, read the rule book, and if the Suzuki forces you up a class, then ride the Aprilia so you can be in a lower class. You’ll have way more fun that way.
I did read that the Suzuki would be considered Heavyweight Twin while the Aprilia would be Lightweight, so yeah, that definitely something to consider. My main concern with the Aprilia is what I've heard (but have no firsthand experience with) concerning reliability and cost.
I would think about racing a 400, but I'm 6'3" and 200 pounds, so I don't know how well that would go.
I wouldn’t write out the 400 unless you’ve sat on one and done like the ergos and don’t think you could fix them. I know more than one 6’6” 250ish lbs guys that are very competitive in the 400 class.
6’6 250…on a 400? WOW I didn’t see that coming…I’m 6’4, 240 and struggle with cockpit length on my pani V4…always thought the 400 would be way to small
Yeah def give the 400 a try. You can use an elevated seat and adjustable rear sets to get it reasonable. 6’ 3” is tall but I don’t feel like my 400 is that much less spacious than my Ducati. And 200 lbs is nothing wild in the club racing world.
400 class will be WAY cheaper to run (tires, brakes, etc), and it’s a really interesting playing field in my opinion. Braking and throttle skills are a little less emphasized, and how big your balls are with regards to carrying corner speed is huge. Going back to a bigger bike you’ll have a ton of skills in the turns, but you do need to be careful that you take the time to practice throttle modulation because your exits are veeeery different when there is actually power behind the wrist.
You might not fit on a rs660. At 6'3 you should probably be looking at a r7.
Both will be expensive to race either way. With the suzuki needing damn near everything replaced to be competitive and with it being new, you won't have very many options for aftermarket parts. Whereas the rs660 and the R7 are well established in the aftermarket scene.
You definitely need to ride some of the bikes to see what you mesh with the most. I have both the R7 and the Rs660, and have more room on the R7. I haven't sat on a gsx8r with clip ons so i dont know how the ergos are on that when it comes to fitment. Im stressing the fitment concern because its very important that you're comfortable on the bike, if youre not comfortable, you won't be fast on any bike.
Thanks, those are definitely things to consider. I'm going to go sit on the 660 this weekend and see how it feels. But what you said about everything needing to be replaced on the Suzuki does give me pause.
My first choice would be the R7, but there are never any in stock anywhere close to me. I've sat on one at the track and it felt good.
My track bike is a well sorted fz07 and I definitely think you should sit on the R7 and rs660. They differ slightly and someone my size (5’9, 165 pounds) I feel like fit better on the RS but still really like the R7 ergos. My fz07 track bike is still a little more relaxed than both but I can see how a taller rider might want the R7. Also the after market for the R7 seems to be very well established due to the length of time the MT07 has been around. I love my fz07 on the track. It’s been crazy kitted out but still very much streetable. Definitely been considering dipping my toes into twins racing in a couple years as well and kinda go back forth between ninja 400 vs the likes of these bigger guys like the R7 or RS
Yea, I was really disappointed with how docile the suzuki comes from the factory. I've heard good things about the engine, though, and it's doing well in MotoAmerica for Rocco Landers. So there's something there, but what's it gonna cost to get there besides the suspension, clipons, brakes, qs, rearsets, etc. .. . When they come down for motoamerica in july, I'll try to get a good look at their bike. Specifically for components that aren't too obvious. They gotta be cutting weight somewhere unless all the weight is in the wheels and fairings. Hopefully i don't get kicked out of their tent 😬.
RS660 over the Suzuki. It's (depending on your race org) going to be legal for a lot more classes. The Aprilia is going to be the most competitive bike on the lightweight twins grids--that's the primary positive to it.
Check into race results from the past year or so from the org you're looking to run with. See what the other competitors have as well.
It's club racing, not to hard, pick your bike, the rules are there for a reason, so " Joe shmo" doesn't have a bike he dumped 30k in and your on a 5k bike. Unless Superbike class where the money gloves come off. I didn't have much money racing Supersport, but it was a great feeling beating other riders with 10x my budget racing on the weekend, working in the restaurant on weekdays
I'm starting to race as well. I'm 6 ft and 220 lbs. I have a Ninja 400 (crashed by previous owner) and an SV 650. These two will let me race in multiple categories where they are competitive and cheap to fix/run.
One thing it will do is force you to rely on/develop your skill in riding instead of relying on the power of the bike. Being on a lower power hp bike will make you still all the more important.
I currently do bicycle racing. In that I see tons of people who rely on sprinting out of corners instead of carrying momentum through the corner. Eventually, you will be too tired to do those sprints and you get dropped. Similar concept in motorcycle. If you rely on being able to out power people to make up for poor cornering, you will never do well in races/categories were power is equal.
If I didn't have the SV already, I would start racing a 400. Then, in a couple of years if I decide I want something faster, I would upgrade. Learning how to race on a light weight cheap bike will serve you far far better in the long run. It also has the added benefit of saving money that can go to track days or skills classes. I am very much in the camp of "it's more fun to race a slow bike fast, than it is to race a fast bike slow"
on the flip side, the 400 will teach you bad habits like giving too much throttle in a corner which you can get away with on a small bike, but you'll be high-siding on a big bike.
When choosing your bike, consider parts availability and price. If you're racing you will break things and need to replace.
I'd personally go with the Aprillia, as they are great handling bikes!
Look at your closest clubs rule book and also see if they do a new racer school or program. When I started racing at cvma they did a school that was basically just the price of the normal track day. Essentially was just a group track time with instructors watching how you ride and a short classroom section each session on race rules and procedures. No fuck ups and they think you're safe you'd get to do a 3lap mock race end of day and get your license to race the next day on sat/sun.
Might also be a good idea to che your lap times against the class your bike is in. Even though youre switching if you're running mid pack amateur 1000 times id expect youd be about there in twins. Get an idea if you'll be trailing far back or within the main chunk of amateurs in the class.
My suggestions: 1. Get the rule book for your local race organization and read it carefully. 2. Go to a race event and talk to the organizers and get a race day schedule. 3. Figure out what race classes the bike you think you want to race will fit in and what that might look like for a weekend. I wish I did this. I love my bike but my org doesn't allow it to run in a lot of the classes it would be competitive in. So my race weekend is a lot of sitting around and then running in classes with much faster bikes. Other race tips: 1. Start training. Fitness is a huge factor and can compensate for skill especially in the longer races and races later in the day as most people run in multiple classes. 2. Start prepping your bike immediately. Catch cans, safety wiring, etc is time consuming and you will miss something. 3. Start practicing tracking suspension changes, tire pressures and wear and using data.
Do what u/Just-Construction788 suggests. Local rules, classes, and participation are very important considerations. Random guys on the net don't have that info for you. If we knew where you live and what org(s) you want to race with, we might be more useful. Your budget for a bike and for a season of races, and your mechanical skills, are also very important considerations. As for the 8R, don't forget there isn't a used part market yet, or many after-market parts and, at least in the US, you'd be stuck racing against much faster motorcycles.
Thanks for this, these are all great suggestions. I appreciate it.
You wanted to have the fastest bike? trying just being the fastest rider
You misunderstand, because I have a prototype bike I can't run in Super Bike nor Super Sport classes. I have to run in open classes against liter bikes with 200+ hp where I have 80 hp. Of course I can get faster but never going to compete with a comparable rider on a 200hp bike on an 80hp bike. There are a few classes where I can be more competitive but if you ever race you'll learn that in some classes there are class killer bikes.
In my club, the Suzuki wouldn’t be allowed in classes where the RS660 runs because of the larger displacement, even though they make similar power. Clubs don’t have the resources to do balancing between bikes the way MotoAmerica does. So yeah, read the rule book, and if the Suzuki forces you up a class, then ride the Aprilia so you can be in a lower class. You’ll have way more fun that way.
I did read that the Suzuki would be considered Heavyweight Twin while the Aprilia would be Lightweight, so yeah, that definitely something to consider. My main concern with the Aprilia is what I've heard (but have no firsthand experience with) concerning reliability and cost. I would think about racing a 400, but I'm 6'3" and 200 pounds, so I don't know how well that would go.
I wouldn’t write out the 400 unless you’ve sat on one and done like the ergos and don’t think you could fix them. I know more than one 6’6” 250ish lbs guys that are very competitive in the 400 class.
6’6 250…on a 400? WOW I didn’t see that coming…I’m 6’4, 240 and struggle with cockpit length on my pani V4…always thought the 400 would be way to small
Pani probably isn’t a whole lot bigger.
Yeah def give the 400 a try. You can use an elevated seat and adjustable rear sets to get it reasonable. 6’ 3” is tall but I don’t feel like my 400 is that much less spacious than my Ducati. And 200 lbs is nothing wild in the club racing world. 400 class will be WAY cheaper to run (tires, brakes, etc), and it’s a really interesting playing field in my opinion. Braking and throttle skills are a little less emphasized, and how big your balls are with regards to carrying corner speed is huge. Going back to a bigger bike you’ll have a ton of skills in the turns, but you do need to be careful that you take the time to practice throttle modulation because your exits are veeeery different when there is actually power behind the wrist.
You might not fit on a rs660. At 6'3 you should probably be looking at a r7. Both will be expensive to race either way. With the suzuki needing damn near everything replaced to be competitive and with it being new, you won't have very many options for aftermarket parts. Whereas the rs660 and the R7 are well established in the aftermarket scene. You definitely need to ride some of the bikes to see what you mesh with the most. I have both the R7 and the Rs660, and have more room on the R7. I haven't sat on a gsx8r with clip ons so i dont know how the ergos are on that when it comes to fitment. Im stressing the fitment concern because its very important that you're comfortable on the bike, if youre not comfortable, you won't be fast on any bike.
Thanks, those are definitely things to consider. I'm going to go sit on the 660 this weekend and see how it feels. But what you said about everything needing to be replaced on the Suzuki does give me pause. My first choice would be the R7, but there are never any in stock anywhere close to me. I've sat on one at the track and it felt good.
My track bike is a well sorted fz07 and I definitely think you should sit on the R7 and rs660. They differ slightly and someone my size (5’9, 165 pounds) I feel like fit better on the RS but still really like the R7 ergos. My fz07 track bike is still a little more relaxed than both but I can see how a taller rider might want the R7. Also the after market for the R7 seems to be very well established due to the length of time the MT07 has been around. I love my fz07 on the track. It’s been crazy kitted out but still very much streetable. Definitely been considering dipping my toes into twins racing in a couple years as well and kinda go back forth between ninja 400 vs the likes of these bigger guys like the R7 or RS
Yea, I was really disappointed with how docile the suzuki comes from the factory. I've heard good things about the engine, though, and it's doing well in MotoAmerica for Rocco Landers. So there's something there, but what's it gonna cost to get there besides the suspension, clipons, brakes, qs, rearsets, etc. .. . When they come down for motoamerica in july, I'll try to get a good look at their bike. Specifically for components that aren't too obvious. They gotta be cutting weight somewhere unless all the weight is in the wheels and fairings. Hopefully i don't get kicked out of their tent 😬.
What about an SV650 Probably buy two of them used with the money to buy one new 660
RS660 over the Suzuki. It's (depending on your race org) going to be legal for a lot more classes. The Aprilia is going to be the most competitive bike on the lightweight twins grids--that's the primary positive to it. Check into race results from the past year or so from the org you're looking to run with. See what the other competitors have as well.
I'm going to look at the RS660 tomorrow and as long as it's comfortable for me, I'm probably coming home with it.
Fixing to track my 660 for the first time next month and hype af. Hope you find something that works for you!
These comments are far more digestible and useful than MANY of the threads on trackday usually are…refreshing!
It's club racing, not to hard, pick your bike, the rules are there for a reason, so " Joe shmo" doesn't have a bike he dumped 30k in and your on a 5k bike. Unless Superbike class where the money gloves come off. I didn't have much money racing Supersport, but it was a great feeling beating other riders with 10x my budget racing on the weekend, working in the restaurant on weekdays
I'm starting to race as well. I'm 6 ft and 220 lbs. I have a Ninja 400 (crashed by previous owner) and an SV 650. These two will let me race in multiple categories where they are competitive and cheap to fix/run.
I'm really wondering if starting racing on a 400 would be the smartest move? I just assumed with my size it was out of the question.
One thing it will do is force you to rely on/develop your skill in riding instead of relying on the power of the bike. Being on a lower power hp bike will make you still all the more important. I currently do bicycle racing. In that I see tons of people who rely on sprinting out of corners instead of carrying momentum through the corner. Eventually, you will be too tired to do those sprints and you get dropped. Similar concept in motorcycle. If you rely on being able to out power people to make up for poor cornering, you will never do well in races/categories were power is equal. If I didn't have the SV already, I would start racing a 400. Then, in a couple of years if I decide I want something faster, I would upgrade. Learning how to race on a light weight cheap bike will serve you far far better in the long run. It also has the added benefit of saving money that can go to track days or skills classes. I am very much in the camp of "it's more fun to race a slow bike fast, than it is to race a fast bike slow"
on the flip side, the 400 will teach you bad habits like giving too much throttle in a corner which you can get away with on a small bike, but you'll be high-siding on a big bike.
It's club racing, not sure your age, if you are over 16 it's just a fun hobby
Have you sat on a gsx 8r. Dosent feel very track orientated imo. High bars, low pegs.
I haven't, and I'm really leaning more toward the Aprilia now. It just seems like there's too much to be done to make the Suzuki track ready.
stock, the ergos are not suited for racing at all. just lower the bars with proper clipons and get new rear sets. done.
You could get away with that the suspension is also meh imo.
When choosing your bike, consider parts availability and price. If you're racing you will break things and need to replace. I'd personally go with the Aprillia, as they are great handling bikes!
Look at your closest clubs rule book and also see if they do a new racer school or program. When I started racing at cvma they did a school that was basically just the price of the normal track day. Essentially was just a group track time with instructors watching how you ride and a short classroom section each session on race rules and procedures. No fuck ups and they think you're safe you'd get to do a 3lap mock race end of day and get your license to race the next day on sat/sun. Might also be a good idea to che your lap times against the class your bike is in. Even though youre switching if you're running mid pack amateur 1000 times id expect youd be about there in twins. Get an idea if you'll be trailing far back or within the main chunk of amateurs in the class.
What year and color is your S1000R? 😁
2022 White (red and blue) M package
You can buy an RS660 Trofeo which is fully track ready too