No, it's not just you :cheers: I have a 125 as well and it's soooo much fun!! I have only a hand full of sessions on the bike (it's mostly not running. don't get one unless it comes with a mechanic ;-) ) but it's definitely a lot of fun!! Then there's the R6 track/race and 600RR street. I had 600RR for track as well as an F4i. I've ridden many different bikes on the track, but the R6 and (newer) GSXR 750 felt the best. :cheer:
My track bike is an '04 R6, my street bike an '05 R1 and my dirt bike is a '05 YZ250F. Yes I like Yamaha. My wife has an '08 CBR600RR she lets me ride it every once in a while.
I ride a tractor, that is the nick name given to my Buell Xb12r. Fun to ride and sounds great. Street bike in also a Buell an 1125r, and hope to be adding an EBR 1190rx to the stable some time next year. Yeah, I think my tractor is sexy! lol
Ninja 650 for the street SV650 (very modified) for the track I am very short at 5'1" and both are lowered for me. I rode a stock GSXR750 one day and could barely touch but went on a backroads ride for a bit. It seemed very narrow and like it had no front end on it compared to my other 2 bikes (I used to have an old ninja 250 before as well). Not sure I liked it, hurt my wrists and I kept feeling like I would fly over the handlebars going downhill if I used the brakes. LOL! I would love to try other bikes but I'm so short that riding them is impossible unless they hold me up as I take off and I come back and the "catch" me which is dangerous of course.
I'm 4'11, I used to ride my lowered zx636 on the track but found I actually scraped the fairings, pipe, and pegs in the corners. Since its my baby I bought a zx6r for the track and didn't lower it. Instead I shaved the seat down and basically have to hang off the seat to get a foot down at pit out. If you can avoid it, I wouldn't suggest lowering a track bike.
For a long time I wasn't comfortable unless I had at least both toes on the ground. Very tall dirt bikes, dual sports, and a motard taught me to get comfortable with scooting around and dealing with only one foot on the ground. The upside of learning how to do that on those types of bikes is that they're pretty light vs. heavier sport bikes.
I can't touch on my SV (I am 5 foot and it's a stock '03) but I have also gotten used to sliding a cheek over and using one foot. I have also gotten used to pushing it around to where I want it from the ground
I have an 07 Ninja 250 for long rides only - comfy and great on gas, but usu only ride it a few times a year. For the street I'm usually on my 05 Honda CBR 600 F4i and I just got another F4i but that one's 01 and track-only. A recent crash proved to some of my cynical friends (who wanted me to get a different track bike) that having two *almost identical* bikes with interchangeable parts is priceless. Thus, while parts arrive, one of the bikes got parts from another without disrupting my track season
Choose your weapon. Liter bike for the horsepower tracks, 600 for the technical stuff! The new ZX10 may be a good compromise with some modifications though. Pick the right tires and use warmers, makes all the difference!
Shorty, I just saw this but sold the SV last week and am getting a ZX6R and am also just going to shave the seat and learn to hang off to get a foot down. My "advisor" told me we aren't lowering anymore bikes for me because of the handling and scraping as you stated. I'll change my pic as soon as I get my new bike.
Congrats on the zx6. You can take quite a bit off the seat if your just using it as a track bike. You only need to be comfy 20 min at a time :rawk:
I'm down to 1.5 bikes now, 2010 RC8, and 1999 TL1000 minus the engine( I started to part it out to pay off the ex husband and then got deployed). I am in the market for a street bike as I want to turn the 8 into a track only bike. It's hard to choose these days. My past sort bikes have been a ZX7, R6, R6S....but I am addicted to v twins lol.
2011 RC8 RS is my main track bike...luv it!:rawk: You won't be disappointed when you get yours on the track.
It can also be a genetic disorder...... '00 SV650 track/spare '06 VFR800 street '02 VFR800 hubby's '95 CB1000 hubby's project '06 Ninja250 for the 3 boys pw80 for all the kids mini bike to get the princess ready for bigger things. Oh, and my dad's '69 Electraglide that he customized. Being restored by Son#1.
I got a new-to-me R6 over the off season, and the darn thing is actually raised! Talk about not being able to touch... I can tippy toe both sides but I can feel the day coming when I drop the thing in the pits. I am not exactly coordinated, or graceful but I am sure watching me almost fall over quite frequently makes for good laughs. The switch from honda to yamaha is still giving me troubles and leaves me frustrated, but I do my best to be forgiving to myself and give myself time to learn the new bike. Take it slow.