koth442 Posted July 23, 2017 Share Posted July 23, 2017 I've decided I need to do a trackday. Will be first time back on track since October 2015. First trackday since June 2015. I'll be doing Gateway Motorsports Park in August with MCRA. What kind of prep did you guys do? Mirrors off, tape lights or unplug? Suspension adjustments? Bonus if anybody has run Gateway on their FJ. '15 FJ09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member superfist Posted July 23, 2017 Premium Member Share Posted July 23, 2017 I haven't done any track days yet, but I'm really looking forward to participating in one at some point. Let us know how the FJ does! Here's the MCRA handbook for their track days. Page 7/8 describes what will need to be prepped for your rider group. I'd recommend removing the center stand for a track day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koth442 Posted July 23, 2017 Author Share Posted July 23, 2017 I haven't done any track days yet, but I'm really looking forward to participating in one at some point. Let us know how the FJ does! Here's the MCRA handbook for their track days. Page 7/8 describes what will need to be prepped for your rider group. I'd recommend removing the center stand for a track day. Thanks for the link. Looks like I've actually got quite a bit of prep to do... '15 FJ09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norcal616 Posted July 23, 2017 Share Posted July 23, 2017 I hit the track with the FJ-09 back in early june... this is what the track tech looked at for novice riders -Tape the wheel weights -I pulled the headlight and tail light fuses- don't wanna melt the tape and leave the sticky goo behind -Taped up the headlight and tail light -Pull the mirrors off -Drop your tire pressure to about 30/30 or whatever the instructors recommend...since then I have always left my tires @ 30/30psi...anything over 33psi feels like a rock hard tire and gets squirmy... -Make sure your throttle closes on its on freely with no hiccups -chain slack- don't want too tight or too loose - I did remove my center stand but not gonna do that again- novice riders are allowed centerstands unless you can already lean Rossi and get to the point where you could drag the center stand on the apron (the red/white edge) in corners I did a track day with Sportbike Track Time ( STT ) @ Grattan Raceway... only used 2 gears 95% of the time which where 3rd and 4th unless I hit the straight way I hit 5th gear to hit speeds of 120mph...4th gear pulls to 90mph at 10k rpms ...I find the little triple loves to be above 5k rpms, it just feels like a much smoother/better motor behavior wise... as for top speed I have personally seen 140mph at approx 11k rpms in 6th gear... Stock tires held up under my riding habits, was able to use the entire tire surface of both tires after I dropped my tire pressure to 30/30 after the 1st session, at 34/36 I was sliding... 2012 wr250f - C-class 30+ age group 2015 fz-07- Hordpower Edition-80whp 2015 fj-09- Graves Exhaust w/Woolich tune by 2WDW @120whp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koth442 Posted July 23, 2017 Author Share Posted July 23, 2017 ... you can already lean Rossi and get to the point where you could drag the center stand on the apron (the red/white edge) in cornersEww yea. Hadn't thought about the curbing grabbing my center stand. I might be pulling that off after all. '15 FJ09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norcal616 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 The day before drink water in place of your normal drinks to get you hydrated and when track day hits, drink lots and lots of water... 2012 wr250f - C-class 30+ age group 2015 fz-07- Hordpower Edition-80whp 2015 fj-09- Graves Exhaust w/Woolich tune by 2WDW @120whp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member betoney Posted July 24, 2017 Supporting Member Share Posted July 24, 2017 I find the little triple loves to be above 5k rpms, it just feels like a much smoother/better motor behavior wise... I agree. I lowered my gearing one tooth on the front to let it accelerate a bit quicker and still rarely use 6th except when over 80-85mph on the interstate, I am constantly keeping it above 5K rpm. I dont know if I have experienced a motor so willing to rev yet still so user friendly. My brother recently rode my bike and wrote an online riding impression on a different forum. "The engine is the most impressive part! I told Brian that as I was riding it I kept thinking either the tachometer, speedometer or gear indicator must be wrong. We were going through some sweeping corners and I was keeping the engine where it felt best. I looked down coming out of a corner and I was passing 70 mph, but I was still in 2nd gear! I opened it up a little bit on a straight and it got up to 100 and I noticed I was still in 3rd gear. I had to re-train my brain a little bit - I didn't need to shift as often as I normally do because the power is extremely broad and each gear can be ridden lower and also revved out further. You can come into a corner a gear higher than normal, and it has plenty of torque to accelerate through the corner, and keep pulling down the straight." ***2015 Candy Red FJ-09*** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wordsmith Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 I find the little triple loves to be above 5k rpms, it just feels like a much smoother/better motor behavior wise... My brother recently rode my bike and wrote an online riding impression on a different forum. "The engine is the most impressive part! I told Brian that as I was riding it I kept thinking either the tachometer, speedometer or gear indicator must be wrong. We were going through some sweeping corners and I was keeping the engine where it felt best. I looked down coming out of a corner and I was passing 70 mph, but I was still in 2nd gear! I opened it up a little bit on a straight and it got up to 100 and I noticed I was still in 3rd gear. I had to re-train my brain a little bit - I didn't need to shift as often as I normally do because the power is extremely broad and each gear can be ridden lower and also revved out further. You can come into a corner a gear higher than normal, and it has plenty of torque to accelerate through the corner, and keep pulling down the straight." Your brother knows whereof he speaks, oh norcal. I cannot comment on track day performance, but the little engine on the FJ/ MT-09 has to be one of the very best in any motorcycle these days. Overall it's my view that the FJ/ MT is a flawed execution (or, being more charitable, is a work still in progress), but the engine just about makes up for all other frequently found shortcomings - screen, suspension, seat. IMHO, YMMV, and all that. Riding a fully-farkled 2019 MT-09 Tracer 900 GT from my bayside home in South East Queensland, Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member 1moreroad Posted July 24, 2017 Premium Member Share Posted July 24, 2017 Nice find. What's the cost of the trackday there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koth442 Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 Nice find. What's the cost of the trackday there?$195 per day. Plus a $20 annual membership. '15 FJ09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koth442 Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 Do they make you guys flush the coolant out and replace with water? They do here... plus all the other bits. Yes, no glycol based coolant (ante-freeze). Safety wire drain plug, oil filter, and oil fill. I opted to buy a pre-drilled drain plug for $8 and save myself the hassle. The one thing I find especially strange is they require numbers on the front of the bike plus the back of the helmet. Good for identifying in a crash I guess... '15 FJ09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koth442 Posted July 27, 2017 Author Share Posted July 27, 2017 So it looks like I won't be doing a trackday on the FJ after all. '15 FJ09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koth442 Posted July 27, 2017 Author Share Posted July 27, 2017 Definitely the way to go... if I only had the space... :'( . Yours... or a loaner? Have a blast! Its mine. I traded my SM610 to make room. Also got some extra cash out of the deal '15 FJ09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattonme Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 actually, do the track day on the FJ and it'll open your eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member texscottyd Posted July 27, 2017 Supporting Member Share Posted July 27, 2017 actually, do the track day on the FJ and it'll open your eyes. I've been really pondering this topic recently. I have a dedicated Kawasaki 636 track bike, but now that I have the FJ suspension upgraded, I'm really tempted to take it out for a track day. It works shockingly well at a spirited street pace, and I think it would indeed be eye-opening at the track. Of course leaving the saddlebags on would be a moral imperative... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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