[alnleslie]

Howdy All, *I've been a member of all the Hayabusa boards I could find since I bought my first one in 1999, and this one is the best. *I don't post very often because I burn up all my "free time" reading everyone else's posts. *This is the best Busa site I've found, keep up the good work!

Anyway, I've been riding for about 32 years (minus 6 for when kids were born), and I've owned (mostly used) 13 bikes. *The wife and I started touring in 1975 on a new Kawasaki H1F 500, and have been on the "sporting" side of the bike world ever since. *It seems like we always had a Kaw in the garage until I was looking for a larger, smoother touring replacement for our 1984 Kaw 750 Turbo. *we had always wanted a ZX11, and went up to the dealership to buy one. *They had one in stock, when the (younger) salesman said "as long as you want a big sport bike, take a look at the new Hayabusa" *Once we sat on it, it was all over. To tell you how I ride, we got 10k on the first rear tire. (No threads showing, either.) *Getting to my point, after 3 years on the Busa, I *bought an SV650 for me to use as my "mid life crisis" machine. *I can run her to redline, pull the front wheel up when I'm feeling goosey, and I'm not at 120mph when I toe it into 3rd. *We are on our second Busa now, have toured two-up with soft luggage on 3500 mile trips to Americade, and I still treat her with respect. *It's not the speed, it's the "ohmagod power" available everywhere, and the ability to make 100mph two-up, seem like rolling across a parking lot. *At least the SV makes you AWARE of the effort. *I love my SV, and I'll probably keep it as long as I have a Busa.

Side-note...If you have a Busa, and you like it, NEVER get rid of it, you'l regret it and have to go in hock for another. *Been there, done that!

Al