Track your classic?! Are you crazy or truly in love?

[waktaylor]

I have a Daytona that I've built the engine in and is in great shape and I'm friends with its original owner who took it from the crate in 1979. Would I be crazy to track this bike? It's not show quality but it's in fine shape.

[m in sc]

I never have. the 72 R5 i currently have i had originally set up to use as a track bike wayy back. I then sold it and was just converted back to street use. Personally, i have no desire to track a bike. i would however, reconsider tracking a daytona. id get an rd250 or 350 thats been banged up and start there. plan to crash it.

[Djg8493]

I agree, there are a good amount of bikes that are already prepped for the track that can be picked up relatively inexpensive.  Going to the track on a track day or in this case vintage track day and talking to folks in the pits is usually a good way to find something for sale.  It may be tougher to find RD specific but you can find something that would be fun for track days.  Admittedly my opinion is probably not too valid for a Datona specifically as I have only rode newer bikes on the track and keep my RDs around town and back roads.   

[1976RD400C]

I would think that Daytona is worth a lot of money. When a first took my RD I worried that something would go wrong and it would break down or blow up. It's not good to be the one that causes them to red flag the session and bring the riders in until you can get your bike off the track. So, you have to make sure everything is perfect before you go. Will it be able to be run hard? Jetting and timing set right?
One of the modern 250's or 300's for a cheap price is really the right way to start doing track days. You will learn much quicker. I'm not saying don't take your Daytona, just maybe wait until you get the hang of it. As for being slow or not keeping up, that is not a issue at all. I think most of the track day organizations take the new riders under their wing and teach you everything to do to have a fun safe day and going down the straightaway like a man mad is not one of them.

[pdxjim]

I've done many trackdays (road course and kart track) on my TDR, TZR, 300XCW and triumph D675.

Unless it's a dedicated vintage event, it's probably best, easiest and safest to leave the Daytona Special at home and ride something faster and more crashable at the track.

Typical road course trackdays here will show front (and rear) straight speeds of +160mph in the A/B groups.   

Kart track days are fun on a vintage 2T but I wouldn't track ride anything I wasn't prepared to crash and subsequently repair.  Your Daytona doesn't deserve that kind of abuse 😊

[m in sc]

2nd gen ninja 250/300 or 390 duke would be my current choice to track thrash for shits and giggles.

[bitzz]

The Vintage Road Racing Assn. up here in Canada came up with a class  "Middleweight Production" that I figured a Rd400 would be a class killer.
I was right.
I raced a Rd400G  (3J7) for years... it didn't look like your bike. I wouldn't want to crash your bike, it doesn't look like it would crash very well.
On your bike I would be worried about crashing, while dragging all kinds of expensive and hard to replace parts, all the while climbling up on the gas tank trying to traction with the front wheel (A RD really wants clip-ons at the track).
Doesn't sound like much fun to me.
A properly set-up "track bike" RD is almost comparable to a TZ production racer of the same vintage... so your BIKE should have no problem with a track day.
Yeah, the squids will blow by you on the straights, BUT it's a lot of fun to go under them at the next corner, on a bike older than the squid... actually older than the squid's parents.

[waktaylor]

Yea im picking up an SV650 I don't wanna mess up my Daytona and it will be distractingly worrisome.

[1976RD400C]

Here's my SV track bike (even though I haven't been for 1 1/2 years). Never let me down. I'm not counting the time an idiot on his $32,000 Ducati clipped my front wheel and knocked me off the track. 

[busa1300]

Yes, Yes, Yes

[waktaylor]

This forum needs like buttons for replies. Great looking bikes!

[85RZwade]

Our like button: 

[Seizer]

I'm hopelessly addicted to the track currently.>



A few months ago, a left the hot pit a bit after everyone. Sears Point/Infineon/Sonoma raceway. Anyway, about 1/2 way through my 3rd lap, I get a real familiar smell in the helmet. "That's castor oil!" So I twist it a bit more and caught up to a guy just flogging the hell out of his RD350. I think his name was Stuart(?). Cool guy and a neat bike. It was nice shooting the shit with him for a minute between sessions.

[Bullockcm]

Why wouldn't you?

[bostontrackrat]

All bikes are track bikes.