Stretching a Busa

[paulcee]

I have been having a wee nosey at some pic's of Busa's on here and most of them are stretched and lowered, I dont get it! Can anyone let me know what are the advantages of doing this, Is it quicker or more nimble through the corners? I live in Scotland and we have some awesome fast sweeping bends so if this makes it corner quicker for instance,, Then im up for doing itlease: Could someone please explain. Cheers Paul

[07vigorblue]

Leave it stock wheelbase for turns. Mines is stretched because I do a lot of drag racing and turns are fun but just have never really got into then prefer straight line power!!

[Fastfrog007]

It'll be a lil slower through the corners, how.much is a matter of opinion. The main reason to stretch is for drag racing, harder launches without wheelie'n. And they do look cool, but I would think that....

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[paulcee]

Guys ive got to agree it looks really cooooooooolllllllll on the Busa thats why I was asking about it, But if its gonna slow me down even a wee bit through the corners then its gonna have to stay the way it is, Most of my mates ride small sports bikes and its torcher as it is keeping with them in the bends, but the straights,,,,, well enough said I think lol

[Tufbusa]

Stretching has no advantages for the everyday Joe and creates numerous negative issues with suspension, braking, wheel spin, weight & balance to name a few.

[karnage]

I did mine for looks mainly but it launches better.I corners fine, just not as nimble as stock length.If I going to corner hard, I will buy another liter bike.Keep it stock for fast cornering.

[stretchabusa]

Stick some Maxton dog bones on her, 110 mm hole centres, that will quicken the steering.

Best regards Stretch

[paulcee]

Thanks for your replies guys but as this seems to be mainly for look's i'm afraid i'm gonna keep it as it is, it corners like it's on rail's and keeps with R1's and gsxr's through the twisty bits (a wee bit heavier) but im big enough to cope with it. Thanks again

[fallenarch]

Actually if you want it to corner correctly, add some 1" risers on the rear. This not only makes it corner better it makes it feel more stable all around. I guess this is from that Suzuki rear weight bias being tilted forward some. Other easy corner aids include running a 55 series rear wheel which makes the tip in feel much faster (I actually went back to the 50 as I like the stability more) and taking a link out of the chain so that you can slide the adjusters as close to the front as possible (reducing the wheel base).

I think the Busa corners plenty fast for fast backroad riding and decently fast for a track. It will never match a race replica for cornering as the laws of physics are the laws of physics. Another important issue for Busa cornering is clearence so those stock cans must go and you need some rearsets.

[Tufbusa]

Actually if you want it to corner correctly, add some 1" risers on the rear. This not only makes it corner better it makes it feel more stable all around. I guess this is from that Suzuki rear weight bias being tilted forward some. Other easy corner aids include running a 55 series rear wheel which makes the tip in feel much faster (I actually went back to the 50 as I like the stability more) and taking a link out of the chain so that you can slide the adjusters as close to the front as possible (reducing the wheel base).

I think the Busa corners plenty fast for fast backroad riding and decently fast for a track. It will never match a race replica for cornering as the laws of physics are the laws of physics. Another important issue for Busa cornering is clearence so those stock cans must go and you need some rearsets.

Cornering correctly covers a wide range of setup. What suits me may not suit you at all. Presonal preference.

Raising the rear an inch via dog bones does not make the bike corner better. What it does do is speed up the tip in but adds nothing to the cornering stability once the steering is complete. Actually the more the bike is raised the more unstable it becomes due to reducing trail. It also increases the anti-squat charistics induced by chain pull. There are no free rides with motorcycles, when you gain something in one area you give something up in another area.

However, the more demanding one becomes on the motorcycle the more pronounced these issues become.

[fallenarch]

Tuf,

Far be it from me to try and debate with your experience! But the Busa stock is strangely delivered with a tail heavy bias. This creats a slight aimlessness in it's straight line feel as well as slowing down turn in. I can find the article where I read this but don't have it now. I installed the 1" riser after reading this article and I don't know if it is all true for the reasons they give but it does work and it's clearly a noticeable improvement in both cornering and straight line stability. My best guess is that Suzuki wanted to keep the seat height as low as possible, otherwise I'm sure they would have delivered the bike stock like this.

Note that these are not drammatic changes to the basic geometry of the bike. I totally agree with you on the give and take idea. Stretching is a big change in the bike's geometry. The only negative of the 1" riser is a bit taller seat. As I said however, the 55 series tire does make the bike want to lay over much quicker and is something that does take some getting used to.

[dadofthree]

Don't touch it other than to adjust the suspension for your weight. Stretching is for keeping the front wheel down on hard launches at the dragstrip or LSR events, mainly the dragstrip. Lowering is used at these events as well. For cornering you need the ride height to keep from dragging hard parts.

[stretchabusa]

Tuf,

Far be it from me to try and debate with your experience! But the Busa stock is strangely delivered with a tail heavy bias. This creats a slight aimlessness in it's straight line feel as well as slowing down turn in. I can find the article where I read this but don't have it now. I installed the 1" riser after reading this article and I don't know if it is all true for the reasons they give but it does work and it's clearly a noticeable improvement in both cornering and straight line stability. My best guess is that Suzuki wanted to keep the seat height as low as possible, otherwise I'm sure they would have delivered the bike stock like this.

Note that these are not drammatic changes to the basic geometry of the bike. I totally agree with you on the give and take idea. Stretching is a big change in the bike's geometry. The only negative of the 1" riser is a bit taller seat. As I said however, the 55 series tire does make the bike want to lay over much quicker and is something that does take some getting used to.

+1 on the raising.
Having just bought a new Gen 2 Busa I decided I would run it standard for a while to see how it was, my 2 previous Gen 1's had both been raised, the new standard Busa was defo drifting wide when I was pushing it through the twistys with my mate on his Gixxer thou, however as soon as my Dog Bones arrived from Maxton's and were fitted, it was a different bike just like my other Busa's had been and the running wide on corners had noticeably disapeared.

Best regards Stretch :bigsmile:

[fastblackblur]

I always run a 55 series tire on the rear because it always seemed just a little too easy to get to the edge on a 50. It does seem to improve turn in but I would say the gain is negligible.

I currently run the 1" dog bones and I remember when I first put them on I was pleased with the improved responsiveness of the steering. I also didn't notice any change in stability. In theory it should make the bike less stable. However those were the observations of a fairly inexperienced rider. I didn't have the sag set when I did this and in hindsight that may be all I needed to do. I would surmise that the real issue I was having with initiating the turn was more a product of lazy steering than motorcycle geometry. Maybe next year I'll put the stock bones back on and do a back to back comparison.

The best modification to achieve a dramatic improvement in your cornering is track day or (even better) performance riding school.

and taking a link out of the chain so that you can slide the adjusters as close to the front as possible (reducing the wheel base).

I like that, might be worth trying...

I think the Busa corners plenty fast for fast backroad riding and decently fast for a track.

Agreed, if it is the bike that is actually holding you up on public roads...your going ridiculously too fast for the environment.

[GNBRETT]

If you bought a Busa to be quick and nimble thru the corners then you bought the wrong bike. if thats what excites you then look to buy a liter bike. chit, the new liter bikes are just as fast if not faster then Busa's (stock that is).

of course they dont have the same potiential as a Busa to make big HP but that doesnt excite everyone. two each his/her own. most of the newer liter bikes are about 190-200 hp and weigh about 425 lbs. give or take. compared to the Busa's 550+ lbs at about the same hp level. quick-nimble-Busa is kind of an oxymoron.

[megawatt]

[stretchabusa]

If you bought a Busa to be quick and nimble thru the corners then you bought the wrong bike. if thats what excites you then look to buy a liter bike. chit, the new liter bikes are just as fast if not faster then Busa's (stock that is).

of course they dont have the same potiential as a Busa to make big HP but that doesnt excite everyone. two each his/her own. most of the newer liter bikes are about 190-200 hp and weigh about 425 lbs. give or take. compared to the Busa's 550+ lbs at about the same hp level. quick-nimble-Busa is kind of an oxymoron.

Disagree, sort the Busa out and on the road it will be most effective against litre bikes, on the road in the real world the slight weight increase of the bike can be an advantage, bearing in mind you are not a fat b@stard in the first place.

My friend & I similar riding skills (fekinrapid) on the road to Ravenglass in the Lake District, two examples 1, he is on his sorted Busa I am on my Gixxer thou, feck mister, that front end was pawing the air chasing that Busa, next time we went he was on his ZX10 R and I took my sorted Gen 1 Busa, same road same riders piece of fekin cake on the Busa.

Only my personal factual observation absolutly no attitude intended.
Best regards Stretch.
PS God Bless all our Brothers in arms in Foreign Lands

[fallenarch]

If you bought a Busa to be quick and nimble thru the corners then you bought the wrong bike. if thats what excites you then look to buy a liter bike. chit, the new liter bikes are just as fast if not faster then Busa's (stock that is).

of course they dont have the same potiential as a Busa to make big HP but that doesnt excite everyone. two each his/her own. most of the newer liter bikes are about 190-200 hp and weigh about 425 lbs. give or take. compared to the Busa's 550+ lbs at about the same hp level. quick-nimble-Busa is kind of an oxymoron.

I'm not a speed freak but I do move pretty good on a twisty road. I like the weight of the busa over a liter bike and the riding position is comfortable for 9+ hour rides. Get on a track and the busa is not going to run with a decent lier bike with equal riders. I can't see heading out to a 500-900 mile ride on a liter bike. On the other hand I can't see trying to race a Busa, except maybe as an endurance racer.

I would love to see a few Busas on those TT runs though.

[07vigorblue]

Stretching has no advantages for the everyday Joe and creates numerous negative issues with suspension, braking, wheel spin, weight & balance to name a few.

I have none of the problems you mentiond. the only traction problems i have are when i decide to rip it in first and purposely break traction lol.

[07vigorblue]

Also im riding the bike at stock height untill i get my rear shock revalved and springed because it rubs when the wife rides when its lowered due to the stretch. When i want to race the i just slam it as i have soupy's adjustable links and strap the front. I am no cornering expert, the bike fights me in the turns and i do miss the stock wheelbase when it comes time to turn, but i love the look of a stretched busa and need it for my stlye of riding. Imho i would not buy a busa for a twisty bike i would get a liter or smaller, but thats just me to each their own on whatever they wanna do with their bike