New Year, new projects, same cycles

Remember a decade ago when the world was supposed to end on Y2K?  Apparently, that hasn’t happened.  On the other hand, the global economy is so bad now that you’d almost think it had.  First and foremost, we look to our own wallets.  Soaring unemployment and financial uncertainty have driven many TrackdayMag.com readers (and even a few of our contributors) out of the sport, at least temporarily.  To those of you on hiatus, we miss you! 

Even as those of us lucky enough to still be participating are having fun at an event, it’s both sad and sobering to look around the paddock and realize the faces that we aren’t seeing.  With luck, 2010 will bring better economic times and allow more of us the ability to return to the sport which we all love so deeply. Times have been unbelievably tough in the powersports industry with new unit sales down more than 70% and dealerships going out of business across the country.  To date, the highest profile and most tragic loss has been Harley Davidson’s decision to discontinue the Buell brand. (Read Buellogy for our report.)  For much of 2009, industry insiders were heard mumbling rumors about a backroom, hush hush, handshake agreement among Japan’s Big Four which would put the sportbike arms race on hold until at least the 2011 model year.  As new lineups are being released, it would appear that those rumors are true.  In fact, it’s possible that some manufacturers may not even produce 2010 models, since they still have warehouses full of 2009 bike left unsold.  The “new” models which have been announced for the upcoming season are pretty much the same old bikes with fresh paint and graphics.  As far as we can remember, this is the first year since the tube framed, air-cooled, early Eighties onset of the crotch rocket craze, where not a single all-new sportbike model is being released by a Japanese manufacturer. So where does this leave us, the trackday enthusiasts?  If you’re still employed and solvent these days, there’s never been a better environment in which to buy a new machine.  Prices have been slashed across the board on models left over from 2008 and 2009, so if you’re looking to upgrade, now is the time.  The descending prices of new units have affected used bikes as well, meaning that there are smoking deals out there for those with cash to spare. We recently saw a pair of sub-2000 mile 07 GSXR 600s on a showroom floor, both mint and either for just a shade over five grand.  There’s no doubt that a savvy buyer would have been able to talk the dealer down from their asking price.  Unbelievable. With clean, used streetbikes selling so cheaply, you can guess what effect that’s had on our battered racetrack warriors.  Right now, a sharp, well prepared track bike with a salvage title is worth less than used coffee grounds.  For this reason, most of us will be sticking with what we currently have in the garage.  Since we here at TrackdayMag.com are swimming in the same economic pool as our readers, one of our main feature projects for the upcoming year will be the rebuilding of our venerable CrankyApe.com Salvage Sweetheart Gixxer.  This machine has given us tremendous pleasure for the last two seasons and like any machine with a few years of racetrack abuse beneath its wheels, is beginning to show its age.  Since it’s far cheaper to rebuild something you already own than to start from scratch, that’s exactly what we intend to do.  Look for a series of “Rebuilding your Rocket” articles to begin in the near future. War is one business that always seems to be booming.  In 2010, a close friend of the TrackdayMag.com staff will be retiring from the military with a fat wad of hard earned combat pay to burn and a ten year absence from the sport to make up for.  We’ve acquired a wrecked 2008 Kawasaki ZX6R for this serviceman and will be rebuilding it into a racetrack weapon worthy of the desert vet who’ll be riding it.  Watch for this buildup series under the title, “Operation Racetrack Freedom.” While this is currently no more than a concept, we’re thinking seriously about a road trip to Texas this summer.  There’s a world of trackday action going on down there that we know very little about.  Heck, the Lone Star State is like a whole ‘nother country!  We’ll be studying schedules and such to plan how we might be able to hit several events in one trip and will make our decision once we’ve figured it out.  Needless to say, we’re always thrilled to make contact with the natives, so if you’re into the Texas trackday scene, we’d love to hear from you!  (Email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) Here’s hoping that 2010 will bring us all the opportunity to do the thing which sets us free.  For those with the addiction, racetrack riding is the reward that keeps us jumping through life’s daily hoops.  If you can make it, see you there!  If you can’t swing it, consider this:  Your track bike is currently worth peanuts.  If you can’t afford to use it, do whatever it takes to at least hang on to your baby.  Throw a sheet over her and pretend she’s not there.  When things get better, you and she will become “we” once more.  Until then, keep the faith.  We’ll save a spot for you in the paddock. Comments or questions on this article?  Click here.