im going to bring my stock 07 gsxr 600 to track days this year and with some nice tax return money am looking to improve the bike..wondering where the best place to start is?...ive read things about getting race fairings because they are cheaper and easier than if i wreck the stock set..but a race set wont fit my bike with the stock exaust...are there/what are the drawbacks to slip-on exausts vs. full systems? am i spinning my wheels even going this route? should i be focusing on other things i.e. brakes, suspension...any ideas are great! thanks!
Make sure your gear is up to snuff and do a base line suspension set up like Lance hinted at... if you need springs, get them. Spend the rest of your allocation on tires and events for the summer. After that, you'll know where to spend your money next year.
Since you live in Milwaukee and I assume plan on doing Road America, I'd do the front brakes and lines first. For me being on a strict budget, it was brakes and anything that would protect the bike during a crash. Spools, frame sliders, engine case covers, clip-ons, body work. Survivability means lower repair costs.
Slip on exhausts are mostly for sound. Save your money. With race body work, cut away what you need to make it fit the stock exhaust, or . . . ride the bike without the body work (naked) if you're concerned. Ride the bike stock first. Even brake upgrades aren't necessary and will actually hurt a novice's learning curve. The best way to learn to go faster is use the brakes sparingly/lightly. That is why the no brakes drill is done. When slamming on the brakes, trying adjust the speed, get the bike leaned over and then accellerate out of the turn, well . . . that's a whole lot of learning going on. Its much easier to take it one at a time and find out what speed is good for the turn; and . . . as you get better your speed will increase. Another point for the no brakes drill, when this is done you'll realize how slowly you are going through the turn or how much faster you can enter the turn and next time you'll go a bit faster. When overwhelming your brain with lots of braking and then wacking the throttle open (no one should be wacking the throttle open but I see it done a LOT) you will think you're fast when your not. Not attacking, just offering the same advice everyone gets. There's a reason for this advice, it works when followed. The most important things are to be smooth with everything you do and stay relaxed. Don't develop the death grip. When it comes time to brake, brake. When its time to turn in, turn in. Even if you think you're going too fast, get off the brakes and turn in. Very close to 100% of the time you'll make it if you stay relaxed.
thanks for all the input...i like the idea about simply cutting away the race fairings where not needed...going with that are race fairings highly recomended? and how tough is it to remove the stock set and lights and then put on the race set before getting to the track?(because i still want to use the bike on the street between track days)
Switching between street and track is not that difficult, especially if you get a few ziplock baggies and label them for where the bolts were taken out...ex..left side faring lower. It takes about 2 hours usually if you have a full set of race fairings