09'+ zx6r is the way to go IMO I'm 6'3" 270lbs and it fit me just fine from novice to advanced. Look into vortex rearsets for what ever you buy, they have a lot of adjustability to size of your legs. Also I recommend starting on a 600 no matter how big you are, once you have mastered it, then move to the big boy bikes
6'4" 205 and r6 is great for me .. also had a cbr600 and it felt fine too .. more comfy than r6 IMO .. either way u need a 600 track prepped preferably to save some dough .. my bike cost $4500 and since ive put about $4500 into it in parts and labor and i bet if i sold it today i couldnt get more than $4500 to $5k so track prepped is way to go ... gsxr r6 cbr600 or zx6r will be golden for ya
Well unlike me, a) this guy doesn't seem fazed at all by the grinding, b) he doesn't have trouble keeping up with bigger bikes, especially on the curves!
Well this is a very active forum I see! thank you for your anwers and your suggestions. I don't know about the GSX-R600, I went to try one and it didn't feel much more powerful than my old versys (granted I only tried it on the freeway and didn't spend much time on the top 3K RPMs), leaning more towards the 750 as a relatively good compromise as I also tried a CBR1000RR and that did feel a little too powerful. For the 3 or 4 trackdays I do a year I think I'll keep it a street bike to be able to use it to commute to work too
FWIW: I just got a GSXR750 (from an RC51 which I still have) and it is a great track bike. Lighter and less of a handful than the literbikes yet it has more grunt than a 600 from what I can tell. Lots of goodies are available for mods and the suspension on my '11 has amazed me on how good stock is. I am still running stock settings and things have not felt way out of shape even though I am getting close to my times on the RC which I have dialed in to me well. It limits you on classes if you plan on racing but for track days I would highly recommend one.
There is some great information in the first few posts... Once you start talking brands, everyone has an opinion. Some other things to consider: Popular bikes mean parts are available in the paddock and someone may have the part you need should you have a small tipover. This goes for aftermarket stuff, too: Almost everyone in the paddock has a spare Vortex or Woodcraft footpeg or rearset in their toolbox. SV650s are the world's most popular first racebike. (I made that up.) Anything you learn on a smaller bike will translate to a bigger one. Not so the other way around! Be patient. The right bike will come to you! -Tom
R6 or GSXR. Get either setup for the track. You can find parts for both bikes really easy and fairly cheap depending on the year. I have a GSXR but if I had the money I'd probably switch over to the R6. Going from a Versys you really can't go wrong with either one. Good luck.
Well, thanks to all of you for your pieces of advice. End of June I found a deal I couldn't resist on an '07 GSX-R1000 with really low miles and haven't regretted not heeding the advice: I love it! The older guy I bought it from had used it so lightly that the exhaust manifold pipes hadn't even changed color. As it is a street bike I've had the chance to get used to handling it's weight, dimensions, more limited turn radius and it's precise response while riding on the street. Commuting to work on it is not so comfortable though and for that purpose I almost regret having sold my Versys. I've been to 3 track days in Grattan and Gingerman since and am getting used quickly to the ergos (much more appropriate to speed), so much so that in my last session I got bumped to intermediate group *fistpump* Here's a photo of the new bike. I'm taking her to Autobahn next weekend (I haven't been to that one yet, but a track called autobahn promises) so if you see me around feel free to stop by and say hi.