Using a CRF450R for track days

[disco!!!!]

Hi all,

I've got a crf450r and I was thinking about throwing some supermoto wheels on it and doing a couple of track days.

I'm based up in the north of Scotland and as far as I'm aware the closest tracks are Knockhill and crimmond. Is there any other tracks that people can recommend?, ideally closer to the north.

As far as I am aware Golspie track don't do track days for bikes.

I'm a novice to track days and I'm just looking to get into it for a bit of fun, hence using the CRF rather than buying a dedicated bike.

Any advice welcome

[KTMsm]

I would think amongst other track attendees you'll be massively down on power

I would think it's more suited to a go kart track

(I have a 525 supermoto and a CBR600 track bike)

[disco!!!!]

KTMsm said:

I would think amongst other track attendees you'll be massively down on power

I would think it's more suited to a go kart track

(I have a 525 supermoto and a CBR600 track bike)

Yeah, I know I'll have to play about with gearing etc but I''l still be considerably slower than others. It's more just going to have a bit of fun than anything.

The go kart tracks will be a better shout but i'm not sure who would do track days for bikes.

[vw_99]

Crail in fife?

[too_wobbly]

Hi, Boyndie might be worth checking to see if they do bike track days?

I’m far from knowledgeable, but have seen the occasional super moto style bike at Knockhill. Even in novices a lot of the bikes will be hitting 120 plus, but if you are ok getting overtaken on the straight(s) you could have a lot of fun catching up in the corners again!

I looked at dyno curve for 450r out of interest and power is not a million miles off an older 400 with a good bit more torque so maybe doable! Have fun if you do decide to give it a go

[Dog Star]

I used to have a CRF450R supermoto - its was quite trick. It was a bit of a hoot on track. At Cadwell I’d just roll off a bit for the straights as it obviously was a bit slow top end, but I’d then actually accelerate into the bends. It’d just ride around people - it was amazing.


This was about 13 years ago now.

[smifffymoto]

As long as you can about 100 mph you should be fine,the limitation is your brakes.
Sliding 2 pots will fade very quickly.

[disco!!!!]

vw_99 said:

Crail in fife?

I'll have a look into that, thanks. The annoying part is living so far north, everything is at least a couple hours drive away.

too_wobbly said:

Hi, Boyndie might be worth checking to see if they do bike track days?

I’m far from knowledgeable, but have seen the occasional super moto style bike at Knockhill. Even in novices a lot of the bikes will be hitting 120 plus, but if you are ok getting overtaken on the straight(s) you could have a lot of fun catching up in the corners again!

I looked at dyno curve for 450r out of interest and power is not a million miles off an older 400 with a good bit more torque so maybe doable! Have fun if you do decide to give it a go

Thanks,

The go kart tracks would be the better place for the CRF but it definitely would be fun in the bends on the bigger tracks.
I already own a CRF so I was planning to use that and if I enjoy it all then go and buy a proper track bike.

Dog Star said:

I used to have a CRF450R supermoto - its was quite trick. It was a bit of a hoot on track. At Cadwell I’d just roll off a bit for the straights as it obviously was a bit slow top end, but I’d then actually accelerate into the bends. It’d just ride around people - it was amazing.


This was about 13 years ago now.

That looks awesome.

smifffymoto said:

As long as you can about 100 mph you should be fine,the limitation is your brakes.
Sliding 2 pots will fade very quickly.

I picked up a brembo 4 pot and mounting kit a few years back, I'd just need to find a decent disk, hose and master cylinder to run it all and hopefully that would be enough for the use.

[Tam_Mullen]

I've just started doing track days at knockhill, with some playing around of the gearing I think you'd be fine, there were novices on CB500s on the day I was there and I think(?) A CRF450R would have more power than one of those?

There is supermoto racing at Crail, but I'm not sure if they have track days as such.

You probably know but just putting it out there you do need an ACU/SACU/Full road motorcycle license for Knockhill and I'd imagine most, and probably all, other track days.

[DeanAngell1234]

I ride my CB500 on track days all over the place and they aren't that fast top speed, probably not much more than your 450 with some good track gearing on it. You'd have no problems in a novice group on most track days, as long as you don't go to tracks such as Donington and Silverstone you would have a right blast.

[waynedear]

I used to go and watch the bike racing at three sisters super moto's were very capable of winning against race bikes, it was a hoot to watch... It's not a big track.

[disco!!!!]

Thanks for the information and advice all.

I'll do some more digging into tacks etc

[poo at Paul's]

Stiffen it up a bit, knockhill doable, but you’d need to be careful with speed differential on straights at any circuit that doesn’t have go karts on it.
Stick a small rear sprocket on it, I had one that let my off-roader do about 85, for beach races and hare and hounds with wore open sections then single track stuff! Blast past them all on the fast bits, hold them up in the woods, clear off again on the fast bits! Naughty, but worked!