First Track Day On The SD After Years Riding IL4's

I would be interested to hear from anybody here who was an experienced track day rider on jap sports bikes regarding how hard / easy they found the transition to the SD on track.

My situation is that I used to do quite a few track days. My pace was mid fast group, most of the currently racing types were faster but I was towards the pointy end of the non racers. I did the CSS etc etc and have dragged bits of my body round many of the UK tracks.

That said I have not been on track for about two years now and I’m reluctant to take the SD. I was very comfortable on litre superbikes but I find hanging off the SD feels very strange and the limited rev range and brutal rev limiter would be highly likely to catch me out at the wrong moment. I’m just not confident I would carry any pace and wobbling round awkwardly getting in the way wouldn’t be my idea of fun. It’s not a lack of confidence in general, I could jump on a fireblade or something and run the pace fairy quickly I think. I would just forget about it but then I see somebody going well and having fun (like the second post in the Donnington thread) and it makes me think again.

I know there will be many thinking just give it a go and find out. Perhaps I will but a bit of collective experience from the forum here would be interesting. What was the transition like for you, any specific issues / problems etc or just grin factor 10 and no problems.

Thanks in advance

Fairings are for homos.

I'm sure you'd love it.

The biggest thing compared to "sports bikes" is the lack of feel from the front end, although that's really only a issue if you trail the brakes heavily and in very fast corners.

I think the Duke is the perfect track bike for guys like me. I have run around on Gixxers, TL's Aprilia, Super Moto's and now the Duke. I set the sag and adjusted the damping, spooned on some Pilot Powers because they were cheap and went at it. The thing is excellent. I am a slow fast group, bottom 1/3 type normally. I can drag knees pretty much anywhere when I am going fast enough. I was able to stuff the SD up under a buddy on a Super Moto, that was awesome! The only thing to get used to for me was how good the brakes were. I did a double stoppie with wheel smoke going into a tight uphill right. I gathered myself, let off, trail braked and made the corner fine. The thing is forgiving and handles well. YMMV.

After zx10r, s1000rr and even a RC8 I am now back on a SDR as my track day bike. (I also have a SDR as my street bike)

I find it much easier and I have have much more fun. I feel safer and I don't even give up much speed. 1 -3 sec on a typical track.

Go for it - I'm sure you will love it

Yip.. that does work!! Also noticed if I get down on the tank it also loses the wobble... think it's more to do with light steering and getting used to not being behind the fairing like on a superbike.... Hoping the handle bars will drop my head a bit.. like a superbike!!

As I said in the other thread, once the suspension is adjusted correctly the wobbles are usually being transmitted into the bike from the rider.

We used to have that a lot with supermoto rookies.

Of course road surface can certainly contribute under hard acceleration.

You're not gonna be taking a big risk if you just give it a try, and maybe go in the inters... I'll bet you'll be moving back up to your normal fast group by lunchtime.

Nice thing about being on an SD, is every IL4 1000cc Superbike you pass on the brakes/corner will pass you back on the straight, just so you can do it all over again...