What's more fun at the track? A monster or something else?

[gm2]

I didn't do well with the R6 because I'm not used to spinning a bike up to 10k to get into the power band. 

you were just in the wrong gear   

[ducpainter]

you were just in the wrong gear   

I have ridden the 620, 1000SS, SV1000S, R6 and the 675 at the track.  Without a doubt, the 675 was the most fun and easiest to get around a track quickly.  The big SV and the 1000ss are very similar in performance (sv has gsxr front and penske shock).  Both are a lot of fun and not powerful enough to get in trouble because of your right hand.


I didn't do well with the R6 because I'm not used to spinning a bike up to 10k to get into the power band.  I can only assume, any Japanese 600 or 750 will be an excellent track choice and at the moment you can buy one for a song.

So you're saying you don't like to go fast?

 

 

[GregP]

you were just in the wrong gear   

Yeah, the gp shift pattern didn't help matters.  A lifetime of 1 down and 5 up doesn't go away in a 20 minute track session.

I might be the only guy ever to go from running a 1:30 lap on a 35hp thumper to a 2:45 on a 120hp screamer.  The corner worker passed me on his bicycle on his way to lunch.

So you're saying you don't like to go fast?

 

 

Unfortunately, I'm not very fast, just hella sexy!

[ducpainter]

Yeah, the gp shift pattern didn't help matters.  A lifetime of 1 down and 5 up doesn't go away in a 20 minute track session.

I might be the only guy ever to go from running a 1:30 lap on a 35hp thumper to a 2:45 on a 120hp screamer.  The corner worker passed me on his bicycle on his way to lunch.

I did the same when I went from a 750SS to a 996.

Weird.

[gm2]

gp shift is teh gud!

[zooom]

ya know....I just thought for a second about the title posted by the O.P.

"Topic: What's more fun at the track? A monster or something else?"

the bike that is the most fun, is one that you are having fun with riding, no matter what it is or where...if you don't enjoy your Monster, whether on the track or street, then it isn't bike for you to be riding in the 1st place....find a bike you enjoy riding...period....and if you happen to also enjoy it in different environment as well...then even better....lets pair it down to bare essentials here since you aren't talking about racing or riding to set your hair or the world on fire....just pick a bike, sit with it, and enjoy riding the ever living piss out of it as you see fit....when you cease to enjoy riding it, then you move on to a different machine with a knowledge of exactly what you want that is different and have a very specific need and the knowledge as to why.

sorry, but the K.I.S.S. principle seems to apply here...

[desmoquattro]

ya know....I just thought for a second about the title posted by the O.P.

"Topic: What's more fun at the track? A monster or something else?"

the bike that is the most fun, is one that you are having fun with riding, no matter what it is or where...if you don't enjoy your Monster, whether on the track or street, then it isn't bike for you to be riding in the 1st place....find a bike you enjoy riding...period....and if you happen to also enjoy it in different environment as well...then even better....lets pair it down to bare essentials here since you aren't talking about racing or riding to set your hair or the world on fire....just pick a bike, sit with it, and enjoy riding the ever living piss out of it as you see fit....when you cease to enjoy riding it, then you move on to a different machine with a knowledge of exactly what you want that is different and have a very specific need and the knowledge as to why.

sorry, but the K.I.S.S. principle seems to apply here...

While there's an element of truth there, I think it's also possible to have two entirely different kinds of fun. On the track, I want a bike that turns in quick, keeps me low to the bike, and tracks through the corner well. But on the street I like to sit upright and occasionally loft the front wheel...two different bikes are perfect for that.

[zooom]

While there's an element of truth there, I think it's also possible to have two entirely different kinds of fun. On the track, I want a bike that turns in quick, keeps me low to the bike, and tracks through the corner well. But on the street I like to sit upright and occasionally loft the front wheel...two different bikes are perfect for that.

true, but he diluted the topic by saying he wanted a single bike to be able to do both or any and everything...and that is a task in of itself, being that generally speaking without modification, there is no perfect do it all and then some machine...so it becomes a question of what and where do you sacrifice something...whether it be in that you end up with 2 machines, or you accept certain aspects of inability of a singular machine in regards to some specific aspects of all possible and/or likely usages.

[gm2]

ya know....I just thought for a second about the title posted by the O.P.

"Topic: What's more fun at the track? A monster or something else?"

the bike that is the most fun, is one that you are having fun with riding, no matter what it is or where...if you don't enjoy your Monster, whether on the track or street, then it isn't bike for you to be riding in the 1st place....find a bike you enjoy riding...period....and if you happen to also enjoy it in different environment as well...then even better....lets pair it down to bare essentials here since you aren't talking about racing or riding to set your hair or the world on fire....just pick a bike, sit with it, and enjoy riding the ever living piss out of it as you see fit....when you cease to enjoy riding it, then you move on to a different machine with a knowledge of exactly what you want that is different and have a very specific need and the knowledge as to why.

sorry, but the K.I.S.S. principle seems to apply here...

ok, Captain Pedantic.  =)

he didn't ask what's more fun.  he asked what's more fun at the track.  if you ask that question and then give me a list of more sportier ergo'd bikes, plus a monster, the answer is not-the-monster.

[il d00d]

ya know....I just thought for a second about the title posted by the O.P.

"Topic: What's more fun at the track? A monster or something else?"
the bike that is the most fun, is one that you are having fun with riding, no matter what it is or where...

I don't think we disagree philosophically here.  But the question was: given a choice, what is more fun at the track?   Ultimately, what is the best compromise between ergos and performance for the type of riding I plan to do?  Is the monster big fun on the track with the added benefit of being easy to ride off of it?  Or, does the bike's shortcomings make it less than ideal for the track?

Mentioning trips may have been a bit of a curveball.  My point was that having a sore back and wrists is something I can live with every few months or so if I am buying the right bike for the type of riding I plan to do.

[zooom]

my Monster has been worked over and I find it comfortable for my tastes for track riding....I am not tearin up the track at AMA or even club level expert pace. Nowhere even close...but I have fun and it is easy enough for me to manuever the machine around and do my thing...but it isn't my only bike...but I could turn it into a streetbike if I absoluely needed to...

[Munch]

I suggest something beginning with a 7 and ending with an R

[Greg]

I will probably be bikeless for a period of time, but I will likely pick up something in an SS or similar spec for mostly event-specific riding.  I am planning on some of those events being track days.

So, what do you like?  Monster, other naked, SS, motard?

First let me be clear that I've never done a track day, but am seriously considering one this year, so this topic interested me. Personally I'd love to ride a Duc at the track, except for one thing, eventually it's going to get dropped and when that happens I think i'd rather be on an SV650 which would be "fairly" cheap to fix, rather than a Duc which which would be very expensive. I just think I'd have a hard time giving it everything if I was constantly worried about how much it was going to cost to fix.

[Triple J]

First let me be clear that I've never done a track day, but am seriously considering one this year, so this topic interested me. Personally I'd love to ride a Duc at the track, except for one thing, eventually it's going to get dropped and when that happens I think i'd rather be on an SV650 which would be "fairly" cheap to fix, rather than a Duc which which would be very expensive. I just think I'd have a hard time giving it everything if I was constantly worried about how much it was going to cost to fix.

You'll worry about that while on your Monster the first couple days.

Then you'll get hooked and buy a dedicated track Ducati and forget about it. I never worry about dumping the 748...it only cost me $4K, and that's what it is for. 

[GregP]

A 748 is not a Monster!  

I would gladly hustle a $4k 748 around the track.  [moto]

Let me know when you're ready to sell for $2000.