What Makes A "perfect" Trackbike ?

[documented]

Trackbikes - I'd like to know if others have this same problem & what is it all about?

Briefly - some guys, eg Rossi? - seem to be able to get on pretty much any bike & go fast - others seem to excel on one particular bike & no other eg Foggy/Lavilla/Leon Haslam on ducatis were amazing, but when they switched??...... middling.

Or the other way round - Casey Stoner on that ducati...... which no-one else can get to grips with, but it works really very well for him.

 

My point is this - over my 20 yr biking "career" I've only ever had 3 bikes that I could really "get along with" & they were - honda NC30 (VFR400), Suzuki SV650 & ducati 916.

More than that - as soon as I threw a leg over each one I could tell straight away - as if there was "nothing to learn" ie just naturally "correct" from day one. = "Fit like a glove" etc.

Conversely, I have a had a number of bikes that everyone else seemingly thinks are brilliant that I could just not adapt to, ie - none of them gave me any confidence, eg GSXR600, aprilia mille, R1, R6, Fireblade, RC30 (yes, I know). The Mille in particular frightened me to death - but others love 'em.

 

My kawasaki zx6R-B1H that I have now (+NC30) is OK, but still, it is nowhere near as confidence-inspiring as the little NC...... (you need to be fully "on-it" to make the most of the zx6R)...... so why?

Is it geometry, size, capacity, tyres, wheel size? what ? Or is everyone different ?

I thought that if I loved the NC so much then it's bigger brother the RC30 would be the answer..... er, no !

despite the glowing reports, at full lean it always felt like it was really pushing the front - change the front tyre size is the std fix = no different.

The ducati 916 IMHO is a GREAT bike in corners, but on the straights you have a job not to doze off - it really IS that boring (and slow, even with dynoed P/comm & lowered gearing).

So - any ideas? everyone says that the NC is an awesome little bike (even trackday instructors) and it IS - but WHY exactly ? I'm getting bored with a 400 but rapidly running out of options. Thanks to all. Ian.

[SvenCRen]

Sorry I don't have much to offer in the way of a suggestion Ian, but I do agree with the idea of your perceptions. I know that from the limited number of bikes that I have ridden, there are some that fit wonderfully well and other I plain just didn't feel comfortable with. My '05 GSXR750 and the school's ZX6r both feel great for me but all the CBR600RRs, Aprilia Mille RSV and the Buells all felt awkward and instilled very little confidence. I know that there are those can can ride these bikes really well so I guess this raises a question regarding riding style and how it is effected by the bikes one rides.

 

-scott