Thinking about a Hayabusa as a first bike?

[TheBodyGuard]

Once again, I think you're making many assumptions here - I don't appreciate any of them. Maybe you're used to talking to 20-somethings here with their mind already made up - as alluded to in your otherwise decent post. I've been pondering a bike for YEARS. Understand? And now here in NJ we're heading into the cold months... My mind is far from made up. I don't appreciate your tone - and that's the nicest way I can think of to put it. Thanks for the other information though.

[RACER_X]

can you justify why a busa makes a good first bike other then, you want one?

[dalaster88]

I have a friend of mine, in his 30's, raced bikes for years on the track, help me make my decision. I know I'll get some heat from this but... He told me to get the bike truley wanted. It's nice to start out on a 600, but to buy one and be wanting more power in a year and try to resell it was a waste of money. Go ahead and get what you want, take it slow to learn on and get comfortable with it. You don't know how many kids get 600's and think they are the sh** and hop on a bigger bike with the same mentality and hurt themselves. It's all about respect for the bike. I started out on the hayabusa and i love the comfort of it. All bikes are death machines, only thing that controls it is the rider. Other's have good points about starting smaller, but if you respect the bike, it will take care of you.

[RACER_X]

Originally Posted by dalaster88

I have a friend of mine, in his 30's, raced bikes for years on the track, help me make my decision. I know I'll get some heat from this but... He told me to get the bike truley wanted. It's nice to start out on a 600, but to buy one and be wanting more power in a year and try to resell it was a waste of money. Go ahead and get what you want, take it slow to learn on and get comfortable with it. You don't know how many kids get 600's and think they are the sh** and hop on a bigger bike with the same mentality and hurt themselves. It's all about respect for the bike. I started out on the hayabusa and i love the comfort of it. All bikes are death machines, only thing that controls it is the rider. Other's have good points about starting smaller, but if you respect the bike, it will take care of you.

i have students who respect the 125/250's in MSF class....they still crash........what gives?

chances bodygaurd dude will be alright he's older, and has some bike experience.......but how many come on here are young and are as you describe? and who says 600's are good beginner bikes? a busa may actaully be a better bike for a noob over a 600ss bike.......

whats wrong w/ learning to ride, then getting the bike of your dreams. you got your drops outta the way and it's not on a shiny busa......but a beater bike.......

hey look, dated 6/28/09

Originally Posted by dalaster88

I started on a 07 Busa, never rode a bike before, unless you count my friends PW50 when we were kids. I'm taking it slow and respect it a lot. Have dropped it already, but would of been the same on any other bike.

as i said earlier, most peeps who recommend it as a good first bike are new riders.........crazy.......and i disagree, you prolly wouldn't have dropped a 400lb ninja 250 vs a 600lb busa.

that makes 2 guys w/ 3-4-5 mos "riding" experience recommending a busa a first bike.......they're a fountain of knowledge......lol

[TheBodyGuard]

Originally Posted by RACER_X

can you justify why a busa makes a good first bike other then, you want one?

Why are you such a d ick? Where in my any of my posts did I take a position. I seem to recall asking a question and asking for informed replies. Your lengthy post adequately addressed some of my questions and I thanked you for it. Where exactly did I take a position or imply that I had an answer? If I have a question, it means I don't have a decision. If I'm openly questioning, it means I don't have any "justifications". What is your malfunction? And finally, why are you such a d ick?

[TheBodyGuard]

And by the way, if this is about dropping "heavy" bikes, well that's not a concern for me. I tinker with 500lbs and that's not a brag. And like I said, I can pay for it.

Otherwise, I have real concerns about getting myself hurt. I'm not a dumbass. I know how I drive. I know how I ride my big quad. I'm very athletic, with good reflexes, timing and judgment. I can toss around a big sport utility quad like some can a sport quad - wheelies, you name it. I've got track time in various cars and track time on driving courses for executive protection. In other words, I'm quite the wheel man. And yes, I know this means NADA when it comes to a bike. To be quite frank with you, I have quite a bit of healthy fear of a bike. And that's why I'm here, attempting to learn.

My questions were in earnest. I was not looking for justification to "get what I want". I may never get a bike. Your post for the most part was great, but some of my original questions still stand. I'm very interested in potential panic responses, etc. in the scenarios you raise, but I'm also interested in knowing why it makes a difference between bikes. I understand one being more forgiving - that analogy holds true in cars whether you like it or not. But the end result is often the same. If I panic on a smaller bike, I believe I'm still in a heap of trouble.

I understand the power issues and the arguments. But you're talking to a guy that took the most powerful cars from the beginning and the most powerful quads. I learned my limits as I gained experience.

I do completely understand the mind set of starting with something smaller...I get it. It's "ideal". I'm wondering if its completely necessary, because frankly, not all of the CON arguments are solid. They have holes quite frankly and I pointed what I believed to be the holes in my OP.

I'm looking for a sport bike to fit me. Don't tell me a smaller one fits me...it doesn't. I've had neck surgery with fixation. The position on other sport bikes would kill me. The busa has a better sitting position for me. I'm not looking to cycle every day. Quite frankly, I'm looking for something nice to hop on and take a spin on a nice day...little local runs. I'm not looking to run to Daytona. Strictly recreational. I'm not looking to see 3 digits on the speedo. I do that in my car quite nicely. I'm not looking to be a victim.

I can be a victim in my car if I don't respect it. I can be a victim on my quad - 4 wheels or not, and have narrowly escaped that a time or two.

Again, I have no decisions, no opinions, just questions. If you care about what you preach, you'd do well to change your style. You might reach more minds.

[killaessien]

i just took my busa out for the first time today and it was first time ever on a bike on the street. i practiced for a few hours on a 250 in a parking lot. and i was very suprised on how easy it is to control the bike and speed, i rode through city,freeway,twisties, bout everything and i did not get scared once or ever come close to dropping or crashing. i am very happy i bought my busa as my first bike so far its goin great!

[RACER_X]

Originally Posted by killaessien

i just took my busa out for the first time today and it was first time ever on a bike on the street. i practiced for a few hours on a 250 in a parking lot. and i was very suprised on how easy it is to control the bike and speed, i rode through city,freeway,twisties, bout everything and i did not get scared once or ever come close to dropping or crashing. i am very happy i bought my busa as my first bike so far its goin great!

?, how much is ins. for an 18 y.o. on a busa? full coverage?

[Rick Slattery]

Just a note on busa as a first bike, DON'T DO IT. Having owned over 50 bikes of all kinds I can assure you that the busa is just to much for a newbe. This bike does things that a less powerfull bike will not. As a male I don't care how much you say you will be good the testosterone will kick in and you will not be able to help yourself. There are no drugs in the world that can equal a busa. Please if you wan,t to have fun start with a smaller bike and you won't regret it.

[TheBodyGuard]

thanks for the thoughtful reply

[twotonevert]

Thank you for trying to remain civil. Lets do our best to keep it that way. People come here looking for answers to their questions. This topic has been debated to death and we all have opinions on whether a busa makes a good first bike. There are many reasons why buying a busa as a first bike is not a good idea. There are also many reasons why it may not be a bad choice. For anyone considering the purchase of busa a first bike, you have to look at your mental engagement and maturity. A 21 year old can ride this bike just fine if they use good judgement and not get in over thier head. Is it easy to override thier limits, sure is. These bikes are deceptive with speed and are heavier than smaller bikes. On the flipside, a 41 year old can get hurt on the first day out. The busa is a solid machine, but can go from this isnt so bad to OMG in the flick of the wrist. This thread was meant to be good reading material for those who are considering purchasing a busa as a first bike.
If you feel the busa is the bike for you, its your money, your time, go buy it and be careful. We will be here to answer questions and help you along the way. I think most folks will always recommend a MSF course because it is there you will learn the skills to keep you alive, regardless of what motorcycle you ride. Because we care so much for each other, we get heated in conversation and stick to our guns to defend our positions. Even the best of us can have an accident, you have to ride like everyone on the road is trying to kill you.
Look at the demographics for this type of bike, for the most part, owners are between 30 and 50 years old. We also have many members ranging from late teens to late 60's. Because this bike has so much power, it requires more maintenance than other bikes. Tires, chains, sprockets, etc. add up over time and it is not uncommon to have to replace tires after 2500 miles. Again, if you have the money to own one, go get it, have fun, be sane and safe.

[LeDauz]

I like a quote i heard once "if you first thought is I wounder how fast this will go? or I wounder what this can do?; then you should probly not drive at all" and there are alot of people who think this but fewer that think about that with a busa but stupid people may or may not try to show off. So it depends on the person just remeber a new rider will be straped for cash when they learn everyone goes down and some people dont get back up

[WaTi_BuSa]

Originally Posted by killaessien

i just took my busa out for the first time today and it was first time ever on a bike on the street. i practiced for a few hours on a 250 in a parking lot. and i was very suprised on how easy it is to control the bike and speed, i rode through city,freeway,twisties, bout everything and i did not get scared once or ever come close to dropping or crashing. i am very happy i bought my busa as my first bike so far its goin great!

Wow! Congrats to U! The Busa is a great bike. I can still remember how scared I was whenever my guy friends who own Busas asked me to try their bikes. I have a phobia to even sit on it, let alone ride it and I couldn't even straighten up the bike from its side stand. It was huge like a bull! I never thought I could ride one until 6 years later. My hubby was taking his class 2 (license to ride big bikes, 401cc and above in Spore) and was looking around for a big bike. A friend offered his '99 Busa, which was still in excellent condition and I asked my hubby if he wanted to ride that bull. My hubby is only 45kgs and about 1.6m tall and since I have already passed my class 2 and was riding a CBR1000 '04, I agreed to ride the Busa for the time being until he pass his license (he had his eyes on a Busa). My very first experience riding the Busa wasn't intimidating at all and it was very pleasant. I find that Busas are the easiest to ride especially if I have to make a U-turn. Unlike the sportsbikes I rode before, a Busa has that extra allowance to safely manouever a U-turn, without fearing that I'll lock the handles and fall stupidly. Also, I feel so much secure riding a Busa perhaps due to its size and looks. The '99 Busa has been traded-in for the K9 Busa. It's still a rare sight here in Spore to find a girl who rides a Busa. There's only less than 10 of us riding such bikes.

[AzGhost]

Very interesting reading.

[Sylviekrawec]

Hi,
You totally described me. I didn't want any other bike than a Busa. Everything you said was me and I appreciate the posting, I was laughing while I was reading it but it is not funny anymore when I dropped the 2009 Busa. It hurts my heart to see the white scratches on the black color so I decided to put a shoe polish on it and it is less visible until I decide to paint it and when I am really good, I will replace the side panel. I love it so much more than having a boyfriend now that I decided to get a dirt bike to shake me a bit while I save the Busa in the garage. I can't wait 'till I respect the bike so to speak.

Thanks again,

Sylvie

[ZRXMAX]

Great advice all over the place from those that know, and very well said I might add.

Here is just a small history of what I went through while working my way up to the hayabusa. I started on a brand new CB750 Honda in 1971. I was lucky to have survived that experince ! Way to much bike for an ignorant 18 year old kid ! However, I was in the stunt mode by the 2nd year... doing wheelies from a dead stop ( sprockets were 16 / 52 vs stock 18 / 48) and power braking like a man possessed. I couldn't afford the back tires so I quit doing all that crazy tire burning stuff.

Like other have said, they, which includes me, are still learning. After many ( 9+ ) many of them 1100 cc sport bikes, a V Max, a ZX-11 and other thrilling rides, I find the Busa the best one of the bunch. In the beginning I was a bit intimidated by the image and power these bikes have. After going out to a deserted backroad and doing a few tire smoking holeshots and gear banging runs I knew I had better be very careful with the power. I was actually scared to do the 1sr power hole shot. I had visions of it getting away from me and crashing. Well, the Busa does have a bit longer wheelbase so the ride is not that twitchy when shortening the life of your rear tire!

Powerful bikes demand serious respect at all times. You have got to be keenly aware of your braking distance when using a lot of throttle, or you will have problems. It is definately best to learn on a smaller bike before choosing the option "torque of the town" for your 1st ride.

[Hobo]

Originally Posted by MeltDownZ

The bottom line is simple... a high powered low weight bike greatly increases your opportunity for death or disfigurement during the 100's of mistakes you will make when riding your motorcycle. If you are comfortable with the idea that you may end up paralyzed or dead because you wanted to ride a motorcycle, by all means, go get the most capable bike out there. If that thought scares you, buy something a little more tame until your skills more closely match your bikes capabilities.

Either way, remember, your bike may lure you into thinking it's your best friend. But, given the chance, it will snap your back and plow your face on the pavement until your brains hang out where your nose used to be. Don't forget that and you'll be fine.

Ride safe and you'll look back on the experience happy you did so.

Either way, remember, your bike may lure you into thinking it's your best friend. But, given the chance, it will snap your back and plow your face on the pavement until your brains hang out where your nose used to be. Don't forget that and you'll be fine.

[exc911ence]

Self-control is the key. Someone said above that testosterone will get the best of you on a 'Busa and that's true. I'll be 40 in the spring and even I can't resist turning the throttle just a little more than I should some days. Still, it always comes back to respect. Respect the bike's power always and keep a little fear in your heart and you should be alright.

The Hayabusa is a very stable platform and the ample torque makes it very easy to ride. Some beginner bikes need their necks rung to death just to get moving... I'm not sure that's very good for a green rider. That being said, I bought a GS500F for my wife this summer as a learner bike which has worked out very well. Enough power for her to stay interested as her skills improve yet not so much that she's scared to take it out of the garage. She loves my 'Busa but has no interest in riding it yet.

It really comes down to the individual. An mature 18 year old will be fine on a Hayabusa whereas an older guy with a lot to prove wouldn't last long at all. Know your limits, respect the machine and it will take care of you.

[twotonevert]

Originally Posted by exc911ence

Self-control is the key. Someone said above that testosterone will get the best of you on a 'Busa and that's true. I'll be 40 in the spring and even I can't resist turning the throttle just a little more than I should some days. Still, it always comes back to respect. Respect the bike's power always and keep a little fear in your heart and you should be alright.

The Hayabusa is a very stable platform and the ample torque makes it very easy to ride. Some beginner bikes need their necks rung to death just to get moving... I'm not sure that's very good for a green rider. That being said, I bought a GS500F for my wife this summer as a learner bike which has worked out very well. Enough power for her to stay interested as her skills improve yet not so much that she's scared to take it out of the garage. She loves my 'Busa but has no interest in riding it yet.

It really comes down to the individual. An mature 18 year old will be fine on a Hayabusa whereas an older guy with a lot to prove wouldn't last long at all. Know your limits, respect the machine and it will take care of you.

Good post. No matter what age or what bike, the weakest link on any motorcycle is the part that connects the throttle to the seat.

[stevey b]

I got my wife the ER6-n by Kowi and she took too it well, its a great beginner bike for those just learning ,but if pushed its fun as hell i steal it all the time lol.it has great power do too the low gearing and the 650 inline twin.handels great in the twisties or on the track (with a tire change of corse) and best of all its cheep.