I am looking into getting some track plastics for my bike. I pretty much have a front/upper & a tail that uses the stock seat (haven't paid for them yet). I see some track pictures on here that pretty much have nothing on the front of their bikes as if they just took off the whole front fairing/headlight assembly and left it naked. Can I just do that or should I replace it with an upper due to the wind and it not feeling choppy?? Also a stupid question, if I have an upper do I HAVE to have a lower or can the upper be mounted on it's own? I don't want to spend money on an unnecessary lower. I am not a newbie to trackdays but I do like to have fun out there and just ride in novice. I don't "race" or need all the bells & whistles of a full race bike.
2005 SV650S track bodywork question
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Do you plan on racing or just doing track days? If racing is in your future, you will need an approved belly pan, which most full plastics have built in. Or you can get the belly pan separate.
Something like this:
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Something like this:
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maybe if you showed us a picture it would help. Most race fairings have to be mounted with the upper and the lower, otherwise the upper will flap around in the wind.
You don't have to have race bodywork to do track days or even race. If your track is small/tight and doesn't have a lot of long straights, I would just run the bike completely naked. Saves weight and is cheaper to crash. If you race, you will likely be allowed to use any type of sealed nonflammable container as a catch can, like a beer/pop can.
You don't have to have race bodywork to do track days or even race. If your track is small/tight and doesn't have a lot of long straights, I would just run the bike completely naked. Saves weight and is cheaper to crash. If you race, you will likely be allowed to use any type of sealed nonflammable container as a catch can, like a beer/pop can.
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you can probably find a way to secure the bottom of the upper to run it by itself if you wanted to.
or you could run it naked... it's just more windy.
A good friend of mine is the CCS ULSB Nat'l Champ & he races a naked Hawk GT... won at Daytona last fall.
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or you could run it naked... it's just more windy.
A good friend of mine is the CCS ULSB Nat'l Champ & he races a naked Hawk GT... won at Daytona last fall.
1stgentrakr- I don't plan to race, just do trackdays. I will probably never get passed novice and I am fine with that and just want to have fun out there. Main reason for track plastics is to not damage the street plastics. I have taken the SV out on the track before and I did remove the mirrors, tape up the lights, etc...
Pne-let me see if I can find a picture and I will post it. The track I am referring to is Jennings which is a great technical track, not too many long straights.
Oreogaborio- I thought for some reason I couldn't run it just naked, something about the guages/speedo or the fairing stay?? I can't remember the reasoning and I would prefer not to have a choppy/windy ride.
Pne-let me see if I can find a picture and I will post it. The track I am referring to is Jennings which is a great technical track, not too many long straights.
Oreogaborio- I thought for some reason I couldn't run it just naked, something about the guages/speedo or the fairing stay?? I can't remember the reasoning and I would prefer not to have a choppy/windy ride.
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I remember seeing that piece for sale, it was a great deal, but I don't see a point in running just an upper. If I was doing trackdays only, and I had a trailer or truck to get the bike to the track, what I would buy would be frame sliders and a spare gas tank. I'd take all the bodywork off and run the bare subframe and no fairing stay up front. I'd use the spare gas tank too.
That's how I ran my bike two seasons ago, and it was great. The bike was a lot lighter after losing the body work too, and without an upper fairing you get a really clear view of the track surface.
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That's how I ran my bike two seasons ago, and it was great. The bike was a lot lighter after losing the body work too, and without an upper fairing you get a really clear view of the track surface.
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^^^ I bet you got some strange looks, but that's awesome.
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a lot of guys came up to me and said nice street fighter. To which I replied, it's not a streetfighter...
The difference in handling is huge though, by taking off nearly 15 lbs of weight up high, it feels so much more flickable. It's like riding a different bike.
The difference in handling is huge though, by taking off nearly 15 lbs of weight up high, it feels so much more flickable. It's like riding a different bike.
That's exactly what I wanted to hear PNE!! Awesome!! I mentioned doing that before and someone somewhere told me it wasn't possible or wasn't a good idea to ride naked. I don't remember why they were saying not to take the front/upper off. Maybe something about the fairing stay? Maybe because mine is a 2nd gen? Maybe because mine is an "S" and it can only be done with the "N"?
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well it won't be a direct bolt-on, but i'm sure you could make it work with some ingenuity and a little bracketry fabrication.
Took all the plastic off my bikes tonight ;D All that is on there is the tank, front wheel fender & the seat. Trackday is next weekend and I'm excited!! I will see how it goes w/no plastics out there. If it doesn't workout hopefully I can afford some track plastics by the next event.
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