Can an old fart find happiness on a Busa?

[bjewell]

I live in Tokyo, have for almost 20 years.  I'm originally from California, and keep a house in Sacramento.  I go home for a while in the summer.

My all-time favorite bike was my new-to-me 83 GS1100EZ.  I loved that bike.  I've had Harleys since -- heck I'm 61.  But I am in great shape still have my reflexes and while I love hogs, I like Japanese stuff maybe more, especially Suzukis -- and my wife... -L-

I have a real craving for a Hayabusa, stock, used, clean and tight.  I would ride it when I am home, keep it stored when I'm back in Tokyo.  FWIW, these bikes are way cheaper here.

Can I enjoy riding at a reasonably sane pace to Mendocino or even to Denver to see my sister?  Is sports touring -- 400 or 500 miles a day -- really wrong for the Busa?

I am a careful rider, I did the dumb stuff early.  But I appreciate great engineering and style.  Any advice appreciated.

Thanks guys...

Tom Quinn

aka bjewell

 

[Vic_E55_2001]

go get one!

500 miles a day on a Busa is nothing...

 

[300Busa]

There are lots of aftermarket things to fit your needs. The posture may take a little bit of time to adjust to. You can get cruise control devices, raise the bars up, corbin seats, saddlebags, adjustable foot pegs, etc. to adjust the bike to your ultimate comfort level.

 

[cosmo]

You should visit pashnit.com and see what kind of miles the mighty Tim has accumulated leading tour groups thru California along the most amazing routes imaginable. Do a search here (username pashnit) and you'll find some of his photo essays.

 

[chrisjp]

hats off to you and your lifetime of enjoyment...i hope i can only be still rideing at your age

 

[kennym4]

My father is 60, has had 3 Harleys, and has not been on a bike for a long time. His back use to bother him, that's why he stopped riding. When I got my Busa he took it out for a ride, I haven't been able to keep him off of it since then.

HE LOVES IT !!!


GET ONE YOU'LL'WISH YOU DID IT YEARS AGO !!

GOOD LUCK

 

[solarbarack]

I think that the busa is one of the most modable bikes out there. Ive been riding for around ten years. and this is the nicest bike all around that ive ever owned.

 

[Rayabusa0818]

I'll be 57 in two months...I rode 342 miles in the North Georgia mountains Saturday...all twisty roads....no problem. Go get you one.

 

[Commuta_Busa]

I've done two up for 600 miles in a day. Yes it was a long day. The bike can take it no problem.

I agree with others that there are very few bikes that match the capabilites of the busa. It's a true renaissance bike.

 

[WWJD]

The busa can definitely tour, but if I put it on a scale with Sport on one side, Tour on the other, I feel it would lean halfway into the Sport side the most. The bikes a 9.9 of best over all bikes, but it is probably the BEST Sport bike to tour on - if that makes sense.

If you REALLY want to tour more than sport, might look at Yamaha FJR-1300? or some BMW type

 

[Learjett]

This is an interesting thread. I am 57 and have been ridinig the Busa for a couple of years now. I've found the riding position actually pretty comfortable and doesn't have any effect on my bad lower back at all. However, for me to ride more than about 100 miles at a time, I'm going to have to find some way to reposition the pegs a bit lower. I'm thinking about Buell pegs, or maybe some other aftermarket pegs. My legs will cramp to the point that I have to pull over for about 10 minutes, then I'm good to go.

Also, I've had carpal tunnel in both wrists and my throttle mister pretty much cured all that problem. I can take a nice break on the wrists while riding, I love the throttle mister.

Seems like there are all sorts of tricks to the age thing, and the Busa seems more than mod-able to do anything to satisfy one's particular needs. Right now, my needs are some kind of lower pegs. After all, there is nothing like touring on a machine that can exceed most anything on the road in any number of catagories.

 

[DaCol.]

I am 59, in great shape and do 500 mile plus trips on the Busa with NO problems. You just have to get use to the different position and relax. Much more comfortable than a Harley or other sit up and beg bikes. It's even more comfortable than my old Ducati ST4. I just LOVE IT  

 

[CCbusa05]

61?? Hell man, you're just a pup..............today is my birthday, 63 and feeling like 35!! Friends and I did a 430 round trip to Infineon May 20 and yes, we all were a bit sore, but nothing that a good night's sleep didn't take care of! Pit stops every hour or so and it's all good! If you're in good shape, I say go for it, you'll love the busa. Ahhhh yes, I recall with fond memories the 1980 and then 1982 GS1100EZ zuks I bought brand new...........loved those bikes!

 

[dmrowe]

(CCbusa05 @ Jun. 05 2007,08:52) 61?? Hell man, you're just a pup..............today is my birthday, 63 and feeling like 35!! Friends and I did a 430 round trip to Infineon May 20 and yes, we all were a bit sore, but nothing that a good night's sleep didn't take care of! Pit stops every hour or so and it's all good! If you're in good shape, I say go for it, you'll love the busa. Ahhhh yes, I recall with fond memories the 1980 and then 1982 GS1100EZ zuks I bought brand new...........loved those bikes!

Happy Birthday! 58 this August, been riding for over 40 yrs. and don't intend to stop. Have two HD's sitting in the garage but I have to say that this 'Busa is the most fun bike I have ever had.

 

[MET]

i think you would be comfy, but on more then 500 miles keep 2 bikes if you can. if you are doing a lot of touring, you can make the Busa very comy with bars and pegs etc.

 

[BUSADOOK]

I've ridden 300 miles no problems, never tried any farther. My dad has had harleys all his life, rode my old gsxr750 and hated it, rode the busa, and now he calls me every weekend to see if i'm riding it or if he can... P.S he still owns a 96 heritage softail custom with air suspension( that he still will not let me ride)... If this keeps up i'm going to have to put him on Busa restriction and see if he comes off of it.

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

57 here and I tour extensively on my Busa. Did a 530 mile shakedown cruise after some maintenance last Saturday from the Pacific over the Sonora Pass and then back west over the Tioga thru Yosemite. No complaints. 500 miles per day is the least amount of miles I have planned for my summer tour. Some days will be at or over 600 miles. In August I will ride to Estes Park CO in a couple days, and its about 1,300+ miles. BTW, I am NOT in shape!

http://s70.photobucket.com/albums....all.jpg

 

[Gunnybusa]

Round trips to Osaka and back on the Tomei or the Chuo will be no problem for you and the busa. MC Mustang was in Atsugi for a couple years with his busa.

 

[bigoltool]

+1000 to what everyone else just said. No other single motorcycle can claim to have as robust an aftermarket behind it than our beloved Busa. As mentioned already there are many ways to address the different ergonomic issues. I came to the Busa from an old GS1150ES and the first thing I did was start making comfort mods. Tall shield, bar risers, Heated grips, Throttlemiester, Corbin Seat, Buell pegs etc. Now I can ride all day. Oh and the Busa has lost none of it's sporting edge becasue of the changes either! Buy up and ride on!

 

[Nekosohana]

(bigoltool @ Jun. 05 2007,11:22) +1000 to what everyone else just said. No other single motorcycle can claim to have as robust an aftermarket behind it than our beloved Busa. As mentioned already there are many ways to address the different ergonomic issues. I came to the Busa from an old GS1150ES and the first thing I did was start making comfort mods. Tall shield,  bar risers, Heated grips, Throttlemiester, Corbin Seat, Buell pegs etc. Now I can ride all day. Oh and the Busa has lost none of it's sporting edge becasue of the changes either! Buy up and ride on!

Close but not completely correct. The Honda VTX series (especially the 1800) is probably at or more than the Busa for aftermarket crap.

However, regarding the long rides, I find the Busa to be an excellent long ride bike. The angle of your body (based on the way I set mine up) will put more pressure on your abdomen to hold you up, and a ride or two will help you get that nice balance to make sure that your wrists don't hurt either. I found the VTX would stress my back a lot more because I never had a backrest. When you are leaning forward you can rest on the tank if you want. So it's excellent for your situation (at least, as much as you have described).

I did find that my legs got a little sore after about 100 miles of ride, which is fine for me, because it happens to coincide with about the time frame that my girl needs to make a head call. A 5-10 minute break and I am good for another hundred. My personal range is about 130-150 before I get truly numb, then I am good until the end of time.