Just a few years ago getting any real track time meant joining a road racing club and perhaps taking part in club race meetings. Now for those of us without the time (and budget!) to get involved in the motorcycle road racing scene, organised track days provide a great alternative. For this reason, the market for ‘trackday’ bikes is constantly growing. Most often road machines converted for track use by way of uprated motors, suspension and tyres, many ex-racing motorcycles end up as track day warriors, and can be a great buy if you know what you are looking at. Bear in mind though that, by definition, many race bikes will have had a hard life, though as many are owned by real enthusiasts you will find plenty that have been looked after extremely well and they can present a real bargain.
When you are ready to buy a race bike check out the market carefully and take the time to get along to a couple of meetings or track days beforehand. Motorcycle racers are a friendly bunch and will be only too willing to offer advice on the right sort of bike to buy. The UK motorcycle trackday scene is getting bigger every year with more and more events at circuits throughout the country. Though many riders choose to use their road bike, most track days will see a huge variety of machinery including ranging from the cheap and cheerful to full blown racing superbikes and just about everything in between. Having a bike dedicated to race track use means that you will need to arrange suitable transport to and from the circuit and many riders now carry as much in the ways of spares as club racers, plus the now obligatory set of tyre warmers!