Anyone holding out for a 2019 Gen3?

[fallenarch]

A 600 lb bike can corner and there is no physical reason why it can't corner to the maximum on the street. Where the weight gets you on the track is when you want to change lines in a turn or take a less than perfect line through a turn (i.e. racing). I think a lot of people mistakenly think the Busa' cornering is limited by it's weight but it is the geometry that makes her lumber. The Busa has straight line stability built into it's DNA where sport bikes are "purposefully" unstable like jet fighters. For street riding, even at very high speeds, this is a very good thing. Put simply, a track coach told me a touring bike is made to go straight unless you tell it to turn and a sport bike is made to turn unless you tell it to go straight.

To turn a Busa fast, even on multiple corners in succession, you must master counter steering. The Busa's weight and power mean it is simply not going to turn any other way. I get reducing the weight generally speaking makes all bikes handle subjectively better. But the truth is the way to get the Busa to turn faster is to change the geometry (Notice I said faster not better). There was a guy on here named Tim (aka Earlybird) who used to wiggle his Busa between the dashed white lines on the road at 70+ mph! Not many can do that on a 600! He is a very skilled rider but of average size, not a monster guy and the bike was pretty stock. He just knew how to ask the Busa politely to do things!

I had this epiphany when I climbed aboard my BMW at a hefty 750 lbs and it turns lighter than the Busa. Problem is you have to watch that bike every second. Take your eyes off the road and the bike wanders off, I'm constantly catching it! The Busa is so much easier to ride because it is rock solid stable and only leaves a line when you tell it to. That's Geometry and if the Busa was 200 lbs lighter it would still be a deliberate turner. Lighter wheels, brake discs, and weight loss in general do improve handling but the basic character is baked into the frame.

 

[Bumblebee]

I find mine handles just fine and just like you pointed out, it tracks straight on the hiway. I haven't owned it long but have logged hours on it everyday so far and have purposely taken it to many various roads-some complex others straight and boring. In each instance the bike was predictable and easy to ride. I even rode down a local dirt road and it tracked perfectly.

Your write up was very informative and well done.

 

[Rocketmn]

You guys talk lighter , but guess you never rode 670 lb FJR or 700 lb ST1300 . My 543 pound Bird is no R6 @ 430 , but it sure isn't a fat pig either . If I took the racks off , and a few other changes it would be 518 lb approximately. With today's strict Sound , and emissions regulations any big bore bike is going to be near 600 lb . The Kawasaki H2 SXE is 574 lb , and its 1000 cc super charged . That is 31 lb heavier than my Bird !

That's Right! A lot of people don't know that Man..

 

[groran1000]

I'm holding out too. I expect the price to be along with other new sport bikes due to electronics. I thought long and hard about getting rid of my 09 for a new 18, but if did that, I might get rid of it when the gen3 comes out, but with my 09 and a gen3, I might keep the 09 and have both. Anywhere from $16 to $20k. Can't wait, I'm ready now. If it was at the dealer today, I would be there now!! I hope a bright red one is first, yeah man yeah!!

 

[Mathewrussell52]

People have been waiting 5 years for the gen 3.

 

[Tb3]

A 600 lb bike can corner and there is no physical reason why it can't corner to the maximum on the street. Where the weight gets you on the track is when you want to change lines in a turn or take a less than perfect line through a turn (i.e. racing). I think a lot of people mistakenly think the Busa' cornering is limited by it's weight but it is the geometry that makes her lumber. The Busa has straight line stability built into it's DNA where sport bikes are "purposefully" unstable like jet fighters. For street riding, even at very high speeds, this is a very good thing. Put simply, a track coach told me a touring bike is made to go straight unless you tell it to turn and a sport bike is made to turn unless you tell it to go straight.

To turn a Busa fast, even on multiple corners in succession, you must master counter steering. The Busa's weight and power mean it is simply not going to turn any other way. I get reducing the weight generally speaking makes all bikes handle subjectively better. But the truth is the way to get the Busa to turn faster is to change the geometry (Notice I said faster not better). There was a guy on here named Tim (aka Earlybird) who used to wiggle his Busa between the dashed white lines on the road at 70+ mph! Not many can do that on a 600! He is a very skilled rider but of average size, not a monster guy and the bike was pretty stock. He just knew how to ask the Busa politely to do things!

I had this epiphany when I climbed aboard my BMW at a hefty 750 lbs and it turns lighter than the Busa. Problem is you have to watch that bike every second. Take your eyes off the road and the bike wanders off, I'm constantly catching it! The Busa is so much easier to ride because it is rock solid stable and only leaves a line when you tell it to. That's Geometry and if the Busa was 200 lbs lighter it would still be a deliberate turner. Lighter wheels, brake discs, and weight loss in general do improve handling but the basic character is baked into the frame.

Some good info there arch!
I dont have time at the moment to digest it all but when I get a chance I'm going to respond and ask a couple questions

 

[fallenarch]

PS: I would like to make it clear that reducing weight is always a good thing on a motorcycle. I am told that 10 lbs equals 1 hp. I take that with a grain of salt but weight is weight and physics is physics. What I was saying in my post on handling is that geometry has as much if not more to do with how a bike handles as weight does. So if you have your bike (or yourself) on a diet, this is a good thing and will help improve performance.

 

[jellyrug]

A 600 lb bike can corner and there is no physical reason why it can't corner to the maximum on the street. Where the weight gets you on the track is when you want to change lines in a turn or take a less than perfect line through a turn (i.e. racing). I think a lot of people mistakenly think the Busa' cornering is limited by it's weight but it is the geometry that makes her lumber. The Busa has straight line stability built into it's DNA where sport bikes are "purposefully" unstable like jet fighters. For street riding, even at very high speeds, this is a very good thing. Put simply, a track coach told me a touring bike is made to go straight unless you tell it to turn and a sport bike is made to turn unless you tell it to go straight.

To turn a Busa fast, even on multiple corners in succession, you must master counter steering. The Busa's weight and power mean it is simply not going to turn any other way. I get reducing the weight generally speaking makes all bikes handle subjectively better. But the truth is the way to get the Busa to turn faster is to change the geometry (Notice I said faster not better). There was a guy on here named Tim (aka Earlybird) who used to wiggle his Busa between the dashed white lines on the road at 70+ mph! Not many can do that on a 600! He is a very skilled rider but of average size, not a monster guy and the bike was pretty stock. He just knew how to ask the Busa politely to do things!

I had this epiphany when I climbed aboard my BMW at a hefty 750 lbs and it turns lighter than the Busa. Problem is you have to watch that bike every second. Take your eyes off the road and the bike wanders off, I'm constantly catching it! The Busa is so much easier to ride because it is rock solid stable and only leaves a line when you tell it to. That's Geometry and if the Busa was 200 lbs lighter it would still be a deliberate turner. Lighter wheels, brake discs, and weight loss in general do improve handling but the basic character is baked into the frame.

I dunno Arch, for riding at higher speeds there is no problem with any bike 600lb and above, providing we are not racing the twisties. But in general, the one thing I will always miss about my GSXR600 is the 150lbs less weight. Handling the bike in heavy traffic, parking it, loading it on the back of my truck and just the ease of riding around in the city and doing lots of 90 degree intersection turns easy and fast, there is no comparison to easy of handling when considering a heavy bike like the Busa. For me the Hayabusa is a darn heavy bike and it is pretty much at the limit of acceptability for me. Any heavier and I am out. In the city, I would much rather ride around on my Husky TE610 Dual Sport at 290lbs, simply because the weight makes it so easy and fun to ride. We have a retired crowd here who ride every Thursday and they always have a ride leader and stick to the posted speeds. I ride with them sometimes and honestly I just can't ride the Hayabusa with them, at those speeds it is just an uncomfortable frustration. They are all on 600+ lb bikes and most of the time I will ride my 290lb Husky with them and still kick their butt on acceleration and in the twisties they have no chance against me. ( sharp turns below 55mph)

 

[fallenarch]

I dunno Arch, for riding at higher speeds there is no problem with any bike 600lb and above, providing we are not racing the twisties. But in general, the one thing I will always miss about my GSXR600 is the 150lbs less weight.

I think we agree Jelly. But just to point out how geometry and CG are critical, My 750 lb BMW is easier to move around than the Busa that is 200Lbs lighter! But get that BMW past 20-30 degrees of lean under 20 mph and it's going down unless you are the incredible Hulk. The weight is astonishing when it catches you out because the bike feels so light generally. My rule now is when the weight gets unbalanced I'm out of there because whatever I put down to save her is getting snapped like a twig.

 

[08BusaKY]

I don't see anything new on the link below indicating a new Busa. When does Suzuki announce? I see a number of GSX 1000 cc models.
https://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/onroad/cert/hmc/2019/2019.php

 

[ZeePopo]

I find the Busa can be what you want it to be. Out of the box she is too stable to be an excellent canyon carver. But change to fast cornering tires the rear to a 190 55, a few geometry changes and she will be too much bike in the corners for most people. Of course this is if ya know what contersteering is and do it purposefully, not as a byproduct of leaning over. She's a big girl and needs a good amount of rider weight on top to make her shine. I bought a 2018 after my 08 was stolen last year. When the Gen 3 comes out I'll make up my mind then. I'm not averse to having two Busas

 

[sixpack577]

The only problem I had with my Busa(and the few Busas I had ridden before it) was putting it down Too low in a corner(coming from riding 1ks)
You can drag both pipes, and the fairing over the clutch(dragging hard parts is bad).
I could definately feel the weight, but never had a problem making it do exactly what I wanted it to.
It corners excellent. There came a time when I truely belived that I was riding the Busa to it's limits in curves. I needed (still need)another 1k, shorter wheelbase to keep up with fast guys on 1k's.

 

[1busa]

I’m interested in seeing a Gen3 but have no interest in buying 1...... They had their chance and that ship has sailed as far as I’m concerned. I’ll keep my Gen1 and ride that till the wheels fall off. My next bike will be an adventure/ Scrambler style bike of some sort. Whether it’s that New Indian Flat tracker or a Desert Sled. I want something with upright seating and dirt bike ergos that I can ride hard and put away wet.

 

[busabobh]

Well never say never, but my next ride probably will have a lid and brass handles.

 

[busabobh]

Well never say never, but my next ride probably will have a lid and brass handles.

 

[ROADTOAD1340]

I am also looking forward to the next Busa Gen , think it will be something special once it finally appears ! I may invest in one some day , but won't be selling the L2 , and will be adding another Busa project sometime in future .

 

[sixpack577]

I’m interested in seeing a Gen3 but have no interest in buying 1...... They had their chance and that ship has sailed as far as I’m concerned. I’ll keep my Gen1 and ride that till the wheels fall off. My next bike will be an adventure/ Scrambler style bike of some sort. Whether it’s that New Indian Flat tracker or a Desert Sled. I want something with upright seating and dirt bike ergos that I can ride hard and put away wet.

Years back, I think here, someone posted pictures of a late 90's gsxr750, with dirtbike/raised suspension with more travel and ground clearance, on the stock frame.
So it was basically a fast, heavy dirtbike.
Imagine a 1k, dirt bars and clamp...with dirtbike suspension and lighter wheels.
I can flatfoot a gsxr, so tip toeing one side from taller suspension is typical dirtbike height anyway.
1k quick and offroad. Sounds awesome together. Could probably put one together for $10k. $4-5k gsxr1k from Craigslist, rest in suspension, wheels, tires, bolt-ons.

 

[ROADTOAD1340]

Years back, I think here, someone posted pictures of a late 90's gsxr750, with dirtbike/raised suspension with more travel and ground clearance, on the stock frame.
So it was basically a fast, heavy dirtbike.
Imagine a 1k, dirt bars and clamp...with dirtbike suspension and lighter wheels.
I can flatfoot a gsxr, so tip toeing one side from taller suspension is typical dirtbike height anyway.
1k quick and offroad. Sounds awesome together. Could probably put one together for $10k. $4-5k gsxr1k from Craigslist, rest in suspension, wheels, tires, bolt-ons.

Six , so a radical dirtfighter eh bro !! Sounds totally do able and very radical , like arm stretch from hell !! A fit fella like yourself , a rider with dirtbike experience would certainly be lining up for a blast on such a weapon . Yes , I definitely can see the appeal of this build ... but not for my delicate ass !! Hahahaha

 

[fallenarch]

Years back, I think here, someone posted pictures of a late 90's gsxr750, with dirtbike/raised suspension with more travel and ground clearance, on the stock frame.
So it was basically a fast, heavy dirtbike.
Imagine a 1k, dirt bars and clamp...with dirtbike suspension and lighter wheels.
I can flatfoot a gsxr, so tip toeing one side from taller suspension is typical dirtbike height anyway.
1k quick and offroad. Sounds awesome together. Could probably put one together for $10k. $4-5k gsxr1k from Craigslist, rest in suspension, wheels, tires, bolt-ons.

Make a supermoto GSXR

 

[busa2001]

I'm very happy with my turbo Gen1, making about 350-360 hp, runs great and corners great, to me, i have no complaints, but i would entertain the possibility of purchasing the Gen3 if suzuki step there game up, always room for another busa in the garage.