A first trackday is an unforgettable experience, no matter how much history you have on the road. The opportunity to refine the strategy for every turn, to push as hard as your skill and machine will let you, is like nothing else.
When you first twist the throttle in that environment, though, it’s helpful to be on a machine that facilitates productive skill development. Something that will allow you to work through an entire gearbox your first time out, for instance. Something that will force you to refine your clutch and braking techniques throughout the day or weekend. Something that won’t bankrupt you if you bin it.
So we’ve selected five phenomenal examples of bikes that would be perfect for a first trackday. These bikes, brand new, are relatively easy on the wallet, but are also widely available on the used market if you aren’t sure if trackday riding will be your thing. More importantly, they are all great platforms to hone your track skills.
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2023 Honda CBR500R: $7,299
Honda’s 471cc twin-cylinder engine is really approachable. It’s not going to knock your socks off, but it rewards well-timed shifts with a steady increase in through the gears. The transmission is also very smooth, the ergos are comfortable while still demanding riders assume a sporty position. It’s a solid bike that does much of what the other machines on this list do, namely, provide a reliable platform upon which to develop your skill as a track rider. If you sense some hesitation in the writing, you’d be right. This is bound to be one of the more controversial picks on this list, particularly considering the price, but the Honda is such an easygoing bike that I can’t help but include it on a list for riders new to the track experience.
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2023 Kawasaki Ninja 400 KRT Edition: $5,899
The Kawasaki Ninja 400 is a fantastic all-around platform for trackday riding, for beginners and for riders with a few weekends under their belt. It’s slightly more substantial in the engine department over the KTM RC 390, but has fewer electronics systems and performance settings to experiment with. It handles like a dream, and the 399cc engine pays riders who are able to keep revs somewhat high with a responsive and lively power delivery (relatively speaking, of course). The slipper clutch is a nice way to smooth out clunky downshifts, but the Ninja 400 is an otherwise pretty straightforward bike that functions as a phenomenal learning tool for beginning trackday riders. Another nice thing to consider if your mind is drifting toward a Kawi is the fact that there are countless Ninja 300s on the used market that are pretty dang good as well.
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Shelling out an extra $400 over the Yamaha YZF-R3 will get you into an almost completely different league with the KTM RC 390. This platform is powered by a responsive 373cc single engine with race-developed internals, it features a slipper clutch standard and has an optional quickshifter available, the WP suspension is adjustable front and rear, and electronic systems like traction control and cornering ABS provide some additional safety measures on track. The ergonomics of the bike are much more race-inspired and even with all the additional bits and bobs, it weighs about the same as the R3. This bike may make the learning curve steeper at the front end of your trackday, but will pay off a lot more on the back end once you have your footing.
Related: Can There Be A Perfect Motorcycle For A New Rider?
2023 Suzuki GSX250R: $4,999
Brand new, the GSX250R is under five grand, which is an increasingly rare price point these days for a new motorcycle. The 248cc parallel-twin engine is going to be the mellowest of this bunch, so if you’re feeling timid about power management on track this might be the best choice for you. It’s lacking many of the enhanced features found on some of the other bikes, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Take the lack of a slipper clutch, for example. You’ll be forced to keep your downshifts nice and smooth for optimal performance entering a corner, a valuable skill to have on track. Ultimately what makes this bike great for a first time out is the fact that you’re not likely to get in over your head. Rather, you’ll be poised to focus in on the finer points of your inputs as a rider, which will in turn make the entire trackday experience more fun.
2023 Yamaha YZF-R3: $5,499
For a little more money, the Yamaha R3 is a really enticing option. It’s lighter than the GSX250R and the seat height is lower, there’s more output available from the 321cc twin-cylinder engine, and suspension settings have been refined over the years to allow the bike to provide better feedback to the rider. All really nice elements out on the track. Our previous tests of the platform reveal a bike that handles effortlessly, has a buttery-smooth transmission, and a high-revving engine that provides a decent amount of pull even near the top end. This is a fantastically balanced trackday bike that ups the ante in terms of performance over the Suzuki, but that still allows you to take your skill progression one step at a time.
Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com