Trackday Comparo - RC51 vs. 600RR

A couple of months back I added a new ride to the stable - a very nice '06 CBR600RR, loaded in full race kit, to complement my baby, an '02 RC51 that is also pretty loaded.

In early November I took them both to Spring Mountain Motorsports Park in Pahrump, Nevada, where I got to have some fun on both, with an emphasis on the 600, as it's the new one and I wanted to get it set up properly and "learn" the bike.

The 600 came with fairly new Michelin Power Race tires, and I had recently put a new set of Pirelli Diablo Corsas on the RC. I love the PR's, but couldn't resist the free front deal on the Corsas, which I had found previously to be an excellent track day tire.

I pushed a little harder on the 600, largely due to the tire situation, but definitely was aggressive with both bikes. The RC was definitely more "comfortable" to me, mostly because I've spent a bunch of time getting it set up perfectly for me - rearset and clip-on positions, suspension settings, etc. As the weekend went along, the 600 became more comfortable as I adjusted it. Initially it was not comfortable at all, as the previous owner was not as tall and had it set up very aggressively for his racing.

I love both bikes. It's fun to rev the crap out the 600, but you can't beat the sound and torque of that RC. The 600 has a quick-shifter, which is awesome. I might want to put one of those on the RC too! But I'd sure love a slipper clutch on the 600 like I've got on the RC.

Overall lap times on the 600 were about a second and a half faster than the RC, but I was pushing it harder. I'm hoping to do a comparison next season with the same tires on both bikes.

I posted photos in my Pahrump trackday thread (http://www.motorcycleaddicts.org/track-days/135-pahrump-february.html), and it was fun to compare how I looked on each bike in the same turns.

One of the guys over on the Speedzilla RC51 forum saw my photos, and did a cool little Photoshop job, overlapping my image on the two different bikes in the same turn. It turned out pretty cool, and shows some pretty decent consistency between the two:

So you were 1.5 seconds faster on the 600 but more comfortable/familiar on the RC...


...what's going to happen when you get comfy on the 600?

Geesh...he told me he'd sell it to me. SSG is buying you a KLR650, you don't need an RR.

I know where a 600RR is available.

Yo BDA, welcome

Thanks.

Ah crap. Who let him in?

There goes the neighborhood.

how come when i click on the pic it says i am not authorized to view it

Hmmm...your reputation must preceed you...

that doesn't suprise me

I did some hotlaps at Grattan with my brother's RC51. (I of corse ride a 600rr). That RC is a very forgiving bike. You can use the torque to cover many of your mistakes. You can't beat the corner speed of that RR! The hardest thing was getting used to that lower redline on the RC. I felt like the motor was just getting started and I'd bounce off the limiter.

it let me open it today, nice. that is spot on as far as being consistant

You must of snuck up on it...

sneaky sneaky

Thanks for posting this comparo, Whip!
To those of you who have ridden both types of bikes, which would you recommend to a first time track rider?

Generally a 600 is going to be more forgiving to a first-time track rider than an RC.

For anyone's first time on the track, the key is to take it easy on whatever type of bike you're riding, and not try to race or do something you shouldn't do. Go out there, be smart, and have fun!