Not really on the topic of your track day, but how are you liking that Buell? Hows the maint. costs, fuel mileage, etc? How long do those drive belts usually last? Hows the torque? Sorry, I've just been dreaming of riding something lately that has gobs of go down low, like right now. When I had my RM125 and my buddies dad had a YZ426f that I rode more than anyone, I loved getting on it and just having the torque, right now like. Is it like that at all compared to the FZ? Sorry for all the questions just curious about torquey v-twins...maybe it's just a phase I'm going through
I absolutely LOVE the Buell!!! It is very comfy, I really like the v-twin feel, and it fits me like a glove
Maintenance costs: I do my oil/filter changes myself, so costs are very low. It is VERY easy to access both the engine and tranny oil, along with the oil filter, so changes are a breeze (15-20min). That's about the only maintenance you'll ever have to do on the Buell, as there is no valve adjustment (self-adjusting valves FTW), no lubing the chain, no adjusting the belt or anything... even changing the tires is easier than the typical Jap bike (no need to align or adjust anything, as Buell made it all plug and play).
Fuel mileage: In the city I get 40mpg, riding quite aggressive. On the freeway I have seen close to 50mpg. MPG increases quite dramatically as you pile on the miles on the v-twin... some ppl on the Buell forum are seeing 50+ mpg consistently, but I ride pretty hard in general (I don't try to save gas at all).
Belt drive has a lifetime warranty on it
they made some real good improvements in the past few years and Goodyear claims their belts will last a lifetime. The manual states that NO maintenance is required on the belt ever.
The torque: I LOVE IT!!!! I`ve always owned inline 4 bikes, so riding the v-twin took some getting used to, but once you have it down, it's really a blast... the torque is basically everywhere, and it makes for much less shifting and less hectic ride (at least for me). After my last FZ, I knew I wanted a change... I wanted to avoid having to hit 8-10k rpm to feel some pull, so I knew a v-twin was going to be my next bike and I am not disappointed by the 1200cc. I considered the Triumph Street & Speed triple, but both of them still require 8-10k to get to their max power, so I ended up with a true push-rod v-twin which is currently stoking me, especially for the streets.
I will certainly stick to the I-4 for a track bike though... but an older RC51 or Aprilia is not completely out of the question.
It'll be interesting to see how I do in Group B next time...