Trackday fun for less! Scratch that short circuit itch with a used speed-seeker from £800

Of course you could pitch up at your very first trackday with a spanking new Panigale, tyre warmers and all… but you are putting a load of pressure on yourself to perform and what if it all ends up in the gravel?

Pure heartache. That’s why it makes sense to invest in a track bike and there are plenty of capable options, especially if you pick one with cosmetic damage.

Related: Motorcycle trackday essentials

If you aim to do a few trackdays a year, buying a dedicated track bike is a good move and if you are worried about the costs, why not split it with a mate and share the bike?

Read on for our expert guide to trackday bikes on a budget!

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MCN Recommended: 2001 – 2002 Honda CBR600F – £1,500 – £3,000

A world-class winner that you can ride to the shops!

Spec:

• Power 109bhp
• Engine capacity 599cc
• Seat height 810mm
• Kerb weight 200kg

The final generation of CBR600F before the RR makes for a great track day bike that can also be used day-to-day. Hugely capable (it won the World Super sport title in 2002) the CBR has a bullet-proof motor, superb chassis and strong brakes. There are loads of used examples out there and you can pick up one with a fairly high mileage (30,000 area) and a few scrapes for around £1500. All it needs are sticky trackday tyres, braided lines and ideally a new shock and you’re all set.

Honda CBR600F used buying advice

● Be very wary of crashed CBRs, especially ones that won’t start. When they go down the electrical system can spike as the cut-out activates, leading to a fried ECU.
● CBRs are known for a weak cam chain tensioner. Listen for a rattle that doesn’t go away as the engine warms up. A new tensioner is about £200 fitted or you can replace the auto-tensioner with a manual one instead. If in doubt, always change it as a trackday bike will be revving quite hard and a failure is costly.
● The F-Sport is a great choice but the F is just as good and more plentiful in the used market.

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1996 – 2004 Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat – £1,000 – £2,500

The Thundercat may be old but it’s still gold…

Spec:

• Power 100bhp
• Engine capacity 599cc
• Seat height 810mm
• Kerb weight 208kg

Don’t rule it out as a track day bike – it doesn’t take much to turn this old-timer into a more-than capable machine. Thanks to a gutsy inline four, the Yamaha Thundercat drives remarkably well out of bends and its ‘blue spot’ callipers, similar to those on the R1, deliver bags of bite. Suspension is a weak point but the forks are cheap to rebuild with stiffer springs and aftermarket shocks are plentiful.

Yamaha YZF600R used buying advice

● The nut that holds the front sprocket has a shallow thread so either replace it for a deeper threaded one or apply thread lock to hold it firmly in place.
● The Thundercat’s gearbox is clunky as standard but issues are quite common, especially on machines that are used hard on track. Check on a test ride.
● Check the exhaust downpipes for leaks, they rot through and could be a problem on bikes of this age.

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1994 – 2003 Kawasaki ZX-9R – £800 – £3,000

Strip off road components and you’re ready to rock

Spec:

• Power 144bhp
• Engine capacity 899cc
• Seat height 810mm
• Kerb weight 199kg

The ZX-9R’s 899cc engine is really strong and that means you won’t get left too far behind on the straights while its chassis is also good, if undeniably a little lardy. Get one as a pure track day bike, strip a load of its bulk off by removing its road components and you will be surprised at the transformation. It’s not a bad bike at all, and cheap, but it couldn’t match the R1 or Blade.

Kawasaki ZX-9R used buying advice

● Some ZX-9R models (mainly the B and C but also the E) suffer from gearbox issues with third gear often failing. Take it out on a test ride and accelerate hard in third to check all is good as well as shifting between second and third regularly.
● The six-piston calipers are poor quality, often seizing pistons which can lead to warped discs. Feel for a pulsing through the brake lever at low speed that indicates a warped disc and factor the cost of new ones (roughly £300) into any offer.

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1996 – 1997 Suzuki GSX-R750 – £1,500 – £6,000

Silky 750 SRAD can still cut it on road and track

Spec:

• Power 128bhp
• Engine capacity 749cc
• Seat height 830mm
• Kerb weight 194kg

It seems a shame to make an SRAD into a track day bike but they are the cheapest GSX-R750 models that are worth doing it to and if you don’t mind a few scrapes, there are bargains. As well as the lovely extra grunt you get from a 750, the chassis is impressive and where it is a bit underwhelming (brakes and shock) it can easily be upgraded. The SRAD was designed with a laser focus on its track ability, something that still shows.

Suzuki GSX – R750 used buying advice

● If you buy a fuel-injected model, check for fault codes during and after a test ride as by now sensors are starting to fail.
● As the SRAD is used in classic racing, replacement race fairings are common. Costing about £300 for a full kit, it is worth removing any standard bodywork and either storing it or selling it online to make a few quid back.

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2000 – 2003 Triumph TT600 – £1,300 – £2,500

It was never a sales hit but the handling’s great

Spec:

• Power 108bhp
• Engine capacity 599cc
• Seat height 810mm
• Kerb weight 187kg

The TT600 middleweight sportsbike was Triumph’s super sport challenger but despite the fact it came armed with a really impressive chassis, its truly awful fuel-injection system caused it to bomb. Well, that and the fact it looked dated. Good examples are cheap in the used market now and on track the on/off nature of the bike’s throttle response is far less of an issue. Keep up the corner speed and you will be amazed just how agile the TT600 is.

Triumph TT600 used buying advice

● Treat the gearbox with a bit of respect as they can be fragile, especially second and third gears. Check all is good on a test ride.
● Rust is quite a problem on the TT600, building up inside the tank and then clogging up the fuel filter.
● Give the TT’s fuel line connectors a thorough check over as they are known to fail, a potentially very dangerous issue.