[Ducati999]

Originally Posted by adouglas

Which bike for track and which for street?

Consider this: Last season, you expressed the "I'm not really enjoying the street anymore after riding on the track" thought to me.

So why not rethink the way you approach the street, and do something that makes it enjoyable again?

As those who ride, rode or are familiar with small bikes -- and therefore recognize what a hoot they are in the real world -- we know that they're hard to beat when it comes to having fun on the road.

Pick the best sportbike you have for the track, sell the other one, and get a little bike for the street. That way you can have a bike that rewards all those skills you're picking up on the track (aside from the "scuffed leather" achievement badge ) when you're riding on the street.

You'll be able to play with limits and finding the edge a little bit in a way that you can't when riding a full-on sportbike on the street.

That's the thing I really miss about the Ninjette. I love the instant power and handling of the GSX-R I ride on the street, but it's too easy. Wrong gear? No problem. The Ninjette rewards skill. The full sportbike lets you get away with a lot more, so it's less satisfying in the end. Unless, of course, all you care about is powah.

Some advantages of this strategy:
- MUCH cheaper insurance, parts and consumables (e.g. tires) means you have more money for track days
- "More fun to ride a slow bike fast.... " - you know the rest
- Less maintenance means you can spend more time working on your track bike, which is good because... Ducati
- Cheaper bike to begin with, so you can get a newer one. Even a brand-new one. Or just pocket the money you're saving.
- You can designate the small bike as a "safe" rain bike if you want, for those days when the punch of that literbike is way too much
- You can try it for a month because you already have a small bike in your garage. Do a deal with Cheryl to borrow her Ninjette.

Disadvantage of this strategy:
- It's an approach based in practicality, not emotion. Riding a bike you love is important. A "meh" bike is just going to sit in the garage anyway.

@adouglas,
You know me better than anyone elso on this forum and when it come to the track --better than my wife. I agree with nearly every thing you said above and this is mostly my strategy for the future. I always have the wifes bike as an option since I tend to ride her bike more than she does anyways. Money is not what keeps me from buying any bike new or otherwise. You hit the nail on the head with emotion! I cant explain it and some will and some will never understand what I get from my 999. The bike just works for me and I just outright love the bike! I sold my SV (proably the bike I should be tracking) because it was not enough like the 9 and I bought the 7 hoping it would be enough like the 9 that I could keep miles off the big bike. I have excepted that I need to ride the 999 on the track, nothing else will satisfy the need I have for that experience. I know there are faster bikes and bikes that I would be faster on but that is the bike I need to ride. I have been working on the 748 to make it feel like the other bike and I hope to get it close enough (possibly with less power) to provide the thrill without the same SR inducing issues. I will get the 748 ready and running correctly and then decide if I want another bike to fill that slot and which bike will be for what purpose. I have worked out the possibility of wrecking the 999 but I am willing to risk that to enjoy the bike I want and need to ride.

I am also very aware that all my issues are caused by me and not the bike. The bike is not perfect (either one) but at this point I need to focus on the issues I have listed in this thread, endurance and physical conditioning at the top of the list. I really value your input since you see things that I cant in my riding and have watched me improve as I have watched you also. I think you will see a vast improvement in my "smoothness" this season and a dramatic reduction in speed (at first). I feel with the help and direction of all the great friends I have on this forum, I will have my best year of track riding ever and I am glad you will be there riding with me!

I don't know which bike I will decide to dedicate to the street and which for the track but either way until I improve my skills they will both give me issues if I don't change my technique and get in better shape. I am working on both aspect as much as possible in the off season!