Author Topic: FZS 600 track riding and cornering (Read 10555 times)

msewelly · « **on:** 14 May 2014, 12:32:40 pm »

Hello everyone,

I'd just like to see if any one has done a track day on there fazer? I'm just intrested as for the fun of it me and a few other bikers went to a open car park the other day (which was empty and no obstacles near by)
and decided to see if we could do some knee down runs, now I was getting very low (the footpegs scrapped) but without knee sliders I couldn't really complete it, the other bikers on there super sports seem to be able to lean more with less effort, is this because the bikes are better suited for the task? I'm certainly looking at doing a track day on the fazer and would like to hear if anyone here has done one.

fazersharp · « **Reply #1 on:** 14 May 2014, 01:17:19 pm »

The knee down thing in my opinion is just bull-poo most I see get their knee down not by leaning further over but by hanging off the bike more and it doesn't get them around the corner any faster than me who is actually leaning over more than them, and if you have scraped your pegs that's as far as it will go and if you want to get your knee down then you are going to have to hang off the side.

His Dudeness · « **Reply #2 on:** 14 May 2014, 01:23:54 pm »

you can do it but as fazersharp said I don't think it would make you go quicker on a fazer

wickedmonkey · « **Reply #3 on:** 14 May 2014, 01:36:44 pm »

I read or heard or saw (TOTW2 maybe?) that the idea is that the more you lean, the less the bike needs to lean and so makes the bike more stable around the bends.

Slaninar · « **Reply #4 on:** 14 May 2014, 01:43:22 pm »

Getting the knee down should allow you to lean the bike a bit less - since pegs start scraping rather soon. On track that should provide you with a bit more speed on slow sharp corners. If you do it right. I can't.

limax2 · « **Reply #5 on:** 14 May 2014, 01:54:24 pm »

The idea is that by moving your weight out (and thus moving the center of gravity out) you don't need to lean the bike as far for a given speed. In that way you stay on a fatter part of the tire or don't scrape parts of the bike on the floor. Or to put it another way you can go faster for a given amount of lean. The G.P. boys etc. sometimes use the knee on the floor to recover from a front end break-away. I wouldn't fancy your chances of that with a Fazer though!
Personally I'm the old school type of guy and keep everything tucked in.

His Dudeness · « **Reply #6 on:** 14 May 2014, 02:18:04 pm »

Here's some inspiration for you

Punkstig · « **Reply #7 on:** 14 May 2014, 02:45:06 pm »

It's fine for a trackday!

johna6968 · « **Reply #8 on:** 14 May 2014, 06:21:10 pm »

Seen quite a few fzs 6's used on trackdays.. The thought of the perfect commuter all week then thrashin the pants off it come trackday is very appealing

kawasutra · « **Reply #9 on:** 14 May 2014, 06:31:41 pm »

Funny looking Fazer that!

Quote from: His Dudeness on 14 May 2014, 02:18:04 pm

Here's some inspiration for you

unfazed · « **Reply #10 on:** 14 May 2014, 07:57:44 pm »

and it is a slow blue one.

msewelly · « **Reply #11 on:** 14 May 2014, 08:50:00 pm »

Thanks for the reply's!

Just a note I also don't don't knee downs everywhere, it was just a spur of the moment but I also agree that it makes little difference, I was following some knee down bikers and found I actually could pass them without getting my knee down.

Problem is my biking chums don't realise its a sports tourer and was never designed to set fast lap times! I do always have a chuckle at them however, supersports bikes but they can't be used for such on a public road

unfazed · « **Reply #12 on:** 14 May 2014, 09:04:20 pm »

Don't be so sure about it being a sports tourer never designed to set fast lap times, I have embarrassed many a sports bike with the Fazer 600 during a track day as well as public roads.

The last Fazer 600 to race in the TT set faster lap times than some sports 600, much is down to the rider.

Millietant · « **Reply #13 on:** 14 May 2014, 10:52:38 pm »

I've done laps at the Nurburgring on both our Fazer's (the 600 and the 1000).

Suspension wise, both were a little soggy, but perfectly adequate at sane (but not slow) speeds.

I'd have no worries at all about using either on a track day - and as others have said, if you know what you're doing, you'll likely be passing the sports-bikes.

Don't know who's old enough to remember the kiwi ex GP racer Paul "Loopy" Lewis - he laid down a challenge to any non-racer in the UK that he could beat them in a straight one on one race, riding his full dress Harley Tourer against any bike they chose to ride (road legal) on a race track - and if he lost, he'd give them the Harley.

After a lot of races, he still had the Harley - so don't worry about your FZS.

kawasutra · « **Reply #14 on:** 14 May 2014, 11:22:47 pm »

Some of the nice things about riding a track day are:

being able to rag your bike to it's limits,

finding your own with braking,

no speed limits,

no manhole covers,

one way traffic,

no car/van/ bus distractions.

So, it's not just about getting your knee down, it's a lot more to do with the above.

fazersharp · « **Reply #15 on:** 15 May 2014, 08:30:27 am »

I would do one but I think they cost too much, and I would not be covered on my insurance

apage16 · « **Reply #16 on:** 15 May 2014, 08:49:53 am »

I did one a short while ago. No kneedowns, but I wore a fair portion of my toe sliders off and my back tire is scrubbed right to the very edge.

It was £89 for the day, and tbh, I don't think I could have ridden that track any more. I was shattered!

I even made a little video...

Or this one if you want to skip the pre-amble...

All in all, I reckon the bike was more than capable. I was in the novice group as it was my first track day, so I'm not saying I'm the best rider, but I was keeping up with and on some of the bendier sections overtaking R1's and R6's. All on my 12 year old commuter!!!

It must hurt to be overtaken by a £500 granddad when you're on your £5000 sportsbike!

fazersharp · « **Reply #17 on:** 15 May 2014, 09:32:03 am »

Yes I think when a superbike first comes across a fazer they dismiss it,------- but the next time they come across one they give it a little more respect

apage16 · « **Reply #18 on:** 15 May 2014, 09:49:12 am »

It's so true! And one of the reasons that I'll probably not ever get rid of mine!

The guy I went with was on a Triumph Daytona (4 cyl) 600 (or 650, I forget). Anyway, he looked down his nose at my bike and then promptly struggled to keep up with me all day!

wickedmonkey · « **Reply #19 on:** 15 May 2014, 10:04:08 am »

Quote from: apage16 on 15 May 2014, 08:49:53 am

I did one a short while ago. No kneedowns, but I wore a fair portion of my toe sliders off and my back tire is scrubbed right to the very edge.

It was £89 for the day, and tbh, I don't think I could have ridden that track any more. I was shattered!

I even made a little video...

Or this one if you want to skip the pre-amble...

All in all, I reckon the bike was more than capable. I was in the novice group as it was my first track day, so I'm not saying I'm the best rider, but I was keeping up with and on some of the bendier sections overtaking R1's and R6's. All on my 12 year old commuter!!!

It must hurt to be overtaken by a £500 granddad when you're on your £5000 sportsbike!

Excellent vid. Looked like an amazing day. What tyres did you use? Do you have to wear a complete set of leathers on the track?

apage16 · « **Reply #20 on:** 15 May 2014, 10:50:08 am »

Cheers!

Yeah, it was an awesome day!

I had Metzeler Z6's front and rear. And tbh, they did VERY well.

And yes, full leathers or two piece that zips together 360º.

JoeRock · « **Reply #21 on:** 15 May 2014, 08:14:21 pm »

Quote from: apage16 on 15 May 2014, 09:49:12 am

It's so true! And one of the reasons that I'll probably not ever get rid of mine!

The guy I went with was on a Triumph Daytona (4 cyl) 600 (or 650, I forget). Anyway, he looked down his nose at my bike and then promptly struggled to keep up with me all day!

That's got nothing to do with the bike though, it's all about the rider! Put the same rider on both of your bikes, and he should've been able to eat your Fazer pretty easily.

The track is definitely not the place the FZS was designed for - I'm sure that many of you have overtaken sports bikes on track on them, but that just means the guy on the sports bike wasn't riding anywhere near its potential!

To be honest the only bit of the fazer that is okay for track is really the brakes, the ground clearance isn't exactly great, and neither is the suspension!
Engine, admittedly is personal taste, but compared to most 600cc sports bike is lacking, particularly at the top where should be for track riding.

Punkstig · « **Reply #22 on:** 16 May 2014, 08:04:05 am »

Quote from: JoeRock on 15 May 2014, 08:14:21 pm

Quote from: apage16 on 15 May 2014, 09:49:12 am
the ground clearance isn't exactly great, and neither is the suspension!

Both can easily be remedied making it more capable.

As for speed, take it on a small windy track like Rockingham and it's not an issue.

I was disgruntled on my faster thundercat at Silverstone due to the looooong straights, got nailed by bigger bikes everytime, I'd catch them up by the last corner every lap only to see them disappear down the straight.

So, don't take it to Silverstone.

Bedford autodrome was good for it as well with only one decent length straight!