Track Craft
Dean Ellison is back with more track wisdom
Finding or building the perfect track bike is an impossible task. Even with an unlimited budget you would still have to choose the right bolt-on parts suitable for you and your pace, and with that likely excursion to the gravel trap, you need to accept that you may need to buy some of those aftermarket parts again… and again.
Trackday riding isn’t cheap but you can be smart with where your money goes. This issue I want to give some tips for buying a track-ready bike, which could be an absolute bargain or a huge mistake plagued with problems, with a follow-up piece next time on buying new and building your own track-ready machine.
If you have a fixed budget, it might be a little easier to find something pre-loved and ready to roll, but the biggest problem you will have is finding out the bike’s real history. You can get some real gems from trustworthy race teams by going down this route; you’d expect these bikes to be professionally maintained, the engine refreshed, kitted out with all the latest performance parts, and even some data to help get you started. However, I could share a hundred stories that have gone the other way, where a
customer has purchased an ex-pro racers race bike from a few years back and it turns out certain components are missing or held back, and the bike becomes a lifetime of messing around and missing out on sessions due to breaking down.
If I had a fixed budget to buy a race bike, I would consider the following points:
Age – The older the bike, the more problems you’re likely to have. Wires and electrical connectors weaken, bearings and bushes wear, sensors start to fail, and badly maintained engines can let go at any time. When looking for a machine to fit your price range, definitely go for as new as possible. Each year, higher quality materials and new technologies are used as manufacturers develop their machines.
Engine – If you are only riding on trackdays then you probably want to avoid any highly-tuned engines. Race engines can be really hard to ride if not mapped and fuelled properly, and they need regular maintenance, so make sure you check what max RPM the bike has been run at previously, when the engine was last refreshed, and when the next rebuild is due. It might seem like a bargain at the time, but it could be due a £5k engine refresh after two trackdays.
ECU – I know I’ve mentioned this already in 2021, but having a replacement ECU is beneficial if you understand the capability fully, and what to do in order to get the best from it. If you want to just turn up to a trackday and keep turning in the laps and topping up the fuel, then I recommend sticking with a standard ECU, a standard RPM limit, and an aftermarket refuelling device such as the Dynojet Power Commander V, which, if set up correctly on a rolling road, will give you a really nice throttle connection and improve power throughout the range, especially in the mid-range.
Wheels – Some older superbikes can come with magnesium wheels and at least one set of spare rims, which really does save money – and it is extremely useful to have a spare set of wheels with wet tyres for those typical March trackdays in the UK. I would check the age of the race wheels because they do have a recommended life and I have experienced old race wheels eventually cracking and even collapsing. Check with manufacturer or even take advice from an engineer. If the wheels are stock, then check the mileage and consider replacing the wheel bearings and valves at least.
Workshop Tools – This is an opportunity to make your trackdays easier. If it’s a race bike from a race team, you should ask about purchasing some of the special tools and paddock stands. Buying cheap paddock stands can be the worst purchase to make, so at least strike up a deal for the front and rear stands. You might also want to consider having some footrest stands, a ride-height measuring tool, some race-spec tyre warmers, or wheel stands. Even some suspension tools and additional springs could be really useful in the future.
Receipts – It’s a trustworthy seller who provides a history of receipts, more so for any engine work and engine components that have been recently purchased. You can’t check the tolerances of an engine when purchasing a race bike and once you’ve paid your money, there’s no comeback for any failure because all race bikes are sold as seen.
Recent Dyno – If I was buying last season’s race bike from a reputable team, I would expect them to provide me with the mileage on the engine and have it prepared like their rider was racing it again that weekend, so a run on the dyno to check fuelling and power isn’t too much to ask.