buy a bike or build a track car?

Syvo

Syvo

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been toying with the idea for a couple of months now still carn't decide if to buy a bike do all me test and that or build a track car.

bike gear came to £1500
test £600
Bike £5000 looking at a R6

track car.
172 or golf vr6 £1000
Parts £1500
track days £120 per day

it one or the other although the track car will be used as much as the bike during summer as may keep it slightly road legal so can take it out every now and then.

ive been on the back of a R1 and it was a totally different game when it came to speed against a car.

only benifits for a bike i can think of is.
cheap tax
cheap fuel
no waiting in traffic

downside is only can be used in good weather and having to retake a test with theory again.

track car upside
go on track
easy to build
less chance of injury compared to a bike.

downside extra tax and insurance cost of running fixing it after track.

Any suggestions people would be much appriciated
 
WTF ! Where are you buying your bike gear from ? I've just starting motor cycling ... getting ready for the DAS route and my gear came in less than £500 new... and thats no cheapy brands (Frank Thomas clothing and a Caberg helmet). My learner bike (only a 07 plate YBR 125) wasn't even the same as what you've spec'd just for gear.
 
i had a quick look at some stuff on demon tweeks.

i dont have a clue when it comes to bike gear it was a rough figue the main point is is it worth it as you are doing your test would you say its worth it or not.

also would i have to buy a bike for the test or could i hire one of theres and also can i buy the r6 once i have passed or would i have to get a 125 or 250?
 
I had a similar dilema about track car or bike, as I was toying with getting my Nat B race license. In the end I went for the Bike route first. The up keep of a second car worked out a damn site more than a bike.

Your best bet on the bike front is to ring a bike school to find out the costs. This is what my local school are doing for me;

CBT (passed on 9th of April) £110 for the day including bike and helmet hire - Honda CBR 125
Theory/Hazard perception test £31.00
Mod 1 training and Test including 500cc bike hire £225 (DSA fee is £15.50 of this £225)
Mod 2 training and Test including 500cc bike hire £275 (DSA fee is £75.00 of this £275)

I was advised to get a 125cc on L plates to practice and I'm glad I have. I've not ridden bikes before and there is no way on earth I'd jump straight on an R6 with out some time on something a lot less powerfull. You can pick up second hand R6s for as little as £2k, and my 07 YBR 125 was a little over £1200.

Not sure how old you are (I'm 30) but also be aware you can't go the big bike route until your over21 or over as well.
 
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I would love a bike again, had a 125cc when i was 17, and i now regret not doing my test then.

Now when i approached the subject last year, the missus was far from keen.
 
im 23 24 in 3 weeks my idea was to get a r6 and have it restricted so i couldnt go stupid on it then when confident enough could take the restrictor off its just the fact all my m8s who ride bikes have come off once or twice.

its one of them do you or dont you.

im still leaning more towards a track car i know how to do it how to fix it and costings and dangers off it.

with a bike i have never rode one havent the slightest clue how to fix it and would it only be used for 3-4 months of the year as we are in england 9/10 times it rains lol.

but its just the sheer thrill of how quick it goes i know they are leathel but manily it comes down to where will i use the speed unlike the track car its gonna be on track and will get a great buzz from that.

its so hard to decide.
 
i think its gonna be the track car spoke to a few of my m8s who got bikes they said yeh the bike is great fun but it comes with a cost i.e your life also the fact off you can push a car to its limits and be in less danger of pushing a bike to its limits.

any thing goes on a bike your getting thrown off a car it will probs stop.

cheers for the help auroan but will stick with what i know, also wanted to build a track car since i was 15 only had the bike in mind for few months.
 
Think you may need to up your budget on your track day, have to include brakes/tyre's every other time or so (Obviously depends on how hard you drive it). especially if your driving it home at the end of the day.

I'd go for having a fun car over a bike everyday of the week, but thats just preference.
I know bikers who laugh at comments like that, and other that have come off and never got on one again.
 
Had a few friends who did race bikes and ended in bodybags, not funny ! Get a track car, buy a trailer, fit a towbar and use the car just on the track: no insurance and no road tax/Mot to worry about. I had a nice VR6 highline as a track car, sold it a couple of weeks ago for peanuts with a blown head gasket ! It was in really good nick (bar a few rust bubbles) scorpion full exhaust,polibushed, coilovers, upgraded brakes, nice BBS 16" wheels with Toyo tyres and corrado 2.9 engine in it ! Still feel sorry but it had to go as it was too hard on juice (9 Mpg at full chat!) and when the head gasket blown it was the last straw...
 
I would say going the bike route would be cheaper. Track cars are surprisingly expensive and I think you have under estimated the cost.

As a rider myself, here my 2 pence.
Your probably looking at 1k for decent gear, e.g. arai helmet, alpinestar leather. Go into any bike dealer and they will cut you a good deal on the lot, including bike. I defintely wouldnt consider getting a 5k r6 first off, and theres probably about a 50% chance you'l send it down the road and ruin it. If it must be a 600, look at spending around 2-3k. My first bike was a 600 gsxr, and it took me ages to get used to it, and I do wish I progressed from a 250 or 400.

Also I always hear story of people ending up in bodybags, but they usually forget to mention there 150mph overtaking manovure... And alot accidents are sheer reckless riding. But you are more exposed, so more at risk, so you need to always be super observant.
 
Never been into motorbikes so can't comment on that side of things.

I've run a road legal track car for 6 + years. I think it's worth keeping it road legal as it gives you a car you don't give a s**t about for taking to the tip or going to the supermarket. It's nice to be able to park whereever you want to and not be paranoid about dings or scrapes.

I also agree that your costs for the track car are on the low side - trackdays seem to be in the region of £150 - £200 atm - you only tend to get days close to £100 in the winter.

In terms of running costs - I normally get at least 4 trackdays from tyres; I get 10 plus trackdays from Ferrodo DS2500 pads.

You other costs will be all the endless mods you start to make to your car - unless you buy one ready prepared: Suspension, anti rollbars, rollcage, seats, harnesses etc. etc.

Plenty of other cars to consider - e.g. Ibiza GTi 16v if you want to stay with VAG. They can be got for £500 on eBay.

Finally I've learnt an awful lot about driving from doing 25 plus trackdays. It is through practice in a safe situation that you learn about car control and feeling. As an example, we all know that if a car starts to skid, you should steer into the skid to regain control. In the past I found my instinct overruled what I knew when skidding, and I did the wrong thing. Having been on track in the wet a fair few times, my natural reaction is now to do the right thing and steer into the skid. I don't think I'd have got into that position without the practice I've had on track.
 
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Buy a track bike :D best of both worlds

Bike will be cheaper, both will be fun, and anything on a track is dangerous
 
maybe a lil under with the track days but the car will only cost about £1000 roll cage is basically free know people at ninemeister who will help me with that.

brakes get decent set up will last a couple of trackdays. £500 calipers will probs be porsche get the on massive discount depends what has come of one of the porsches at ninemeister

tyres 30% discount on toyo's through as above

i would like to have it non road legal but dont wanna splash out on trailer and having to tow it when can just drive it there i can see your point if it breaks at track you can trailer it home so i may look into it.

ive got the choice of a 172 clio or a vr6.

the clio is like building a kinda egg easy but it is french

the vr6 the sound is awesome never messed about with a v6 so dont know what to expect

another 106 gti would also be considered as i built the last one with help from brother and that was very easy to build, built it all ready for track but never got round to putting it on lol
 
i think the bike idea is getting pushed away the noise and thrill is great but its not how good you can ride it its the other people on the road they dont notice you 50% chance your coming off.

i will probs get a cheap track car get some experiance then start looking for something better only 23 so can allways get a bike in the future
 
the clio i can but on boddies to give the sound will have a look at some more clio's they pennies to fix compared to vw
 
how about a kit car like a caterham or westfield or tiger or locost.
what im looking at for under 5k can get one with pinto engine or bike engine and about 500kgs and 150+ hp
more fun on road and cracking for track but best of all to insure you are looking at 100-150 quid a year as second car with no no claims etc.

i too fancied a track stripped car but they come under modified car and just sticks costs through the roof.
 
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