1125R owners chime in please

For what you listed..... I would recommend a gen 2 busa over the buell! I am 5'8" at 170lbs. And the big girl isnt as bad as you think for around town riding. 2 up it is great at! My girl picks this bike over my 09 1k to ride 2 up one. The busa has been super reliable, ton of parts available, and a great source of info on. Out of the box it is a better made bike then the buell! Only mods I would recommend to you for helping you with owning a busa... Get a full pipe or slip ons to lose close to 33lbs. 2 up rear sprocket and speedohealer. Seriously you will behead in the long run!
 
Thanks for your help guys, I think I'm gonna keep looking for that right Gen 2 busa for now. I thought the buell would be easier to maneuver than my 650. It has a shorter seat height (30") and lighter than my bike by 15 -20 lbs. I do think I would keep wanting a busa though if I got the Buell. In the meantime, I will try to find some to seat on or test ride.

Any success modifying the busa's seat to be closer to the ground? I think I would seriously consider that in order to maintain the suspension geometry.

Last thing I'm thinking about for both of these bikes: I want to improve my cornering abilities. I practice on my bike when I get a chance (no track days yet). Now considering the supposedly great handling of the buell and the heft of the busa, would either of these help or hinder my progress in improving my skills?
Let me know what you think. Not sure if the buell would help cause it may be easier to mess with, or the busa would help cause I think it would take more skill to corner well with one.

Thank you all for your insight!
 
Man, what planet are you from comparing a Buell to a Busa!?! None whatsoever buddy, just get a busa no matter the year and be happy:thumbsup:
 
If your gonna look for a gen II post up what area your in and see if any of the Org members can help you find the right one.:thumbsup:
 
Thanks for your help guys, I think I'm gonna keep looking for that right Gen 2 busa for now. I thought the buell would be easier to maneuver than my 650. It has a shorter seat height (30") and lighter than my bike by 15 -20 lbs. I do think I would keep wanting a busa though if I got the Buell. In the meantime, I will try to find some to seat on or test ride.

Any success modifying the busa's seat to be closer to the ground? I think I would seriously consider that in order to maintain the suspension geometry.

Last thing I'm thinking about for both of these bikes: I want to improve my cornering abilities. I practice on my bike when I get a chance (no track days yet). Now considering the supposedly great handling of the buell and the heft of the busa, would either of these help or hinder my progress in improving my skills?
Let me know what you think. Not sure if the buell would help cause it may be easier to mess with, or the busa would help cause I think it would take more skill to corner well with one.

Thank you all for your insight!

I dont think the busa will limit your cornering skills.... in fact it may make you better at them. If you can move the busa around pretty good, then jumping on a smaller lighter bike will be easier. I for one find that out every time I go from the busa to my gsxr 1k.... I had a 02 1k (sold it in Jan. 2010) and a 09 1k at the same time with my busa.... And both were even easier to move around after riding the busa for awhile.

The seat can be cut down for you if you really need it... your stock seat sent out to Tobin may help. I have heard and seen 1" of seat removed from the stock seat. If you hav too. Lower the bike a little bit. Using spacer in the front of the triple clamp to lower the forks some and get a adjustable set of dog bones. Then if you only need a 1/2"( or an 1/8" etc.) more to make it fit you better you have it. And can do front and rear evenly.

The busa is a good all round bike... and for what your asking us.... it fits the bill pretty good.

And yes the busa can corner! A stock Gen2 busa weighs around 585lbs (stock) With a full system and a full tank of gas and my mods. mine weighs in at 548lbs. My 09 and 02 1k weigh in around 445lbs to 450lbs wet. Once moving on a busa the weight really goes away for the most part.


The rider on the 09 busa is Macon 454 and I am following him.

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You are talkin about two different animals...........I love my busa but the Torq of the 1125r and that fact that I can Spank ANY BUSA in the Twisties even with my limited riding skills. Reliablility is another story. Had the Stator Replaced at 2000 miles.............1 month later. :moon:

PS: The Buell is just PURE FUN !!!!!!!!
 
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IMO Buell's are crap. but to each his own. I would much rather get a Gen 1 than even consider a Buell of any kind.
 
I love my busa but the Torq of the 1125r and that fact that I can Spank ANY BUSA in the Twisties even with my limited riding skills.
PS: The Buell is just PURE FUN !!!!!!!!


Werd. Boss is a Busa Spanker (BS), been there seen that!
 
Get a ninja 250 for around town. Really, they're fun.
 
If your gonna look for a gen II post up what area your in and see if any of the Org members can help you find the right one.:thumbsup:
Thanks a lot for the offer. I'm in Santa Fe, NM. I'm willing to drive up to 12 hours for the right bike, but I think I have to wait just a tad longer to get lucky enough to find a nice Gen2 in my budget. Maybe as winter starts? We will see.

I dont think the busa will limit your cornering skills.... in fact it may make you better at them. If you can move the busa around pretty good, then jumping on a smaller lighter bike will be easier. I for one find that out every time I go from the busa to my gsxr 1k.... I had a 02 1k (sold it in Jan. 2010) and a 09 1k at the same time with my busa.... And both were even easier to move around after riding the busa for awhile.

The seat can be cut down for you if you really need it... your stock seat sent out to Tobin may help. I have heard and seen 1" of seat removed from the stock seat. If you hav too. Lower the bike a little bit. Using spacer in the front of the triple clamp to lower the forks some and get a adjustable set of dog bones. Then if you only need a 1/2"( or an 1/8" etc.) more to make it fit you better you have it. And can do front and rear evenly.

The busa is a good all round bike... and for what your asking us.... it fits the bill pretty good.

And yes the busa can corner! A stock Gen2 busa weighs around 585lbs (stock) With a full system and a full tank of gas and my mods. mine weighs in at 548lbs. My 09 and 02 1k weigh in around 445lbs to 450lbs wet. Once moving on a busa the weight really goes away for the most part.


The rider on the 09 busa is Macon 454 and I am following him.

Thanks for your input Warbird. What you're saying makes a lot of sense! I think I'm gonna wait for one and do what you said. Awesome suggestions :thumbsup:

I honestly think if I went with the Buell, I would love it, but wish I had a busa every time I got on the highway. My commute right now is 75 miles one way. I would really like to take longer trips comfortably. I've done really long trips on my ninja, but it feels more like I'm on a mission than on a trip lol. I think a long trip on the Buell would feel similar.

Thank you everybody!
 
the only thing i know about the buell is it's supposedly won some rating for best handling bike when it was new.. i'm sure the current liter bikes are comparable now.
they were selling stupid cheap when hardley anounced they werent going to be making them anymore. a dealer up in north fl was throwing brand new models away for less than 6 grand... ya i considered it!
as others have stated the busa and a buell are in completely different categories. there's a reason i still have a busa
 
I should've bought a Buell when they were heavily marked down.
 
Keep checking the market. Since the Buell's are not made anymore they are now on the future collectors list and the price has been slowly rising due to the increasing rarity. The price on some Buells in my area are comparable to a used Gen 2 08 Busa. Sad but true. Just have patience and hold out for the Busa. I know, I'm doing the same thing.
 
I had a Ninja 650 for my first bike. Rode it for a year, then got the Busa. My first impression of the Busa was that it felt much more stable both going straight and cornering (maybe the extra weight...). I thought to myself "This feels like a bike that costs twice as much as the 650". I had no trouble getting used to handling the Busa, just approached the beast with great caution and respect.
 
Thanks for your help guys, I think I'm gonna keep looking for that right Gen 2 busa for now. I thought the buell would be easier to maneuver than my 650. It has a shorter seat height (30") and lighter than my bike by 15 -20 lbs. I do think I would keep wanting a busa though if I got the Buell. In the meantime, I will try to find some to seat on or test ride.

Any success modifying the busa's seat to be closer to the ground? I think I would seriously consider that in order to maintain the suspension geometry.

Last thing I'm thinking about for both of these bikes: I want to improve my cornering abilities. I practice on my bike when I get a chance (no track days yet). Now considering the supposedly great handling of the buell and the heft of the busa, would either of these help or hinder my progress in improving my skills?
Let me know what you think. Not sure if the buell would help cause it may be easier to mess with, or the busa would help cause I think it would take more skill to corner well with one.

Thank you all for your insight!
A Buell 1125R will kick the krap out of a busa in most every department except for straight line speed. Its definately your better choice if you're a short and/or smaller person, ride in the city alot, and don't need the huge busa power :laugh:
Now if you like wrestling fat chicks then a dance with a busa might be in the cards for you :rofl:
 
What about repairs? On a bike that is no longer in production? I would worry about that....
The 1125R uses the rotax engine which is still being made, and is a way more powerful, lighter, and more reliable engine than the harley engine the old Buells used. I believe Eric Buell Racing is still using that engine in his bikes, and a bored out 1190 version as well. Plenty of parts around through harley, rotax, and Buell :laugh: I think by U.S. law a manufacturer has to supply parts for a vehicle for 20 years after it was made? So harley has to keep 1125R parts around for quite awhile :thumbsup:
 
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