ENDURANCE K8!!

[CCbusa05]

Sounds like you had a great trip! Just curious, I'm from Carson City, how far down into our fair state did you travel before turning around? You got lucky, the weather was perfect for you, warmest days we've had so far this season were on Sat/Sun. Today the wind is gusting upwards of 60MPH, arghh!

 

[Warchild]

Just curious, I'm from Carson City, how far down into our fair state did you travel before turning around?

Just a pinch northeast of you... stayed with another Long Distance rider buddy of mine over in Fernley.

 

[COLDSTONE1298]

Busa looks good! I pray all goes well for you on your endurance runs.

 

[Mr Bogus]

Well I would say that is probably as comprehensive an eval as I have seen so far on the 08..

I have two 1200 mile days on the 06 (one on the stock seat and one on the Corbin) Needless to say, my tail aches today even thinking about the stock seat..

What I was wondering is that Performance Suzuki told me they sold approx 80 Gel seats for the Gen1 bikes and the got all but 2 or 3 back... (they peddled them off on ebay over the last year)

Is the gel seat a better design for the 08 or are you just easy to please?

I would love the lights myself... nothing worse than a 180mph bike with 50mph lights...

 

[Warchild]

Is the gel seat a better design for the 08 or are you just easy to please?

Well, I never sat on a Gen I gel seat, so I can't comment on those.

Easy to please? Well, maybe, but... more likely, I think I am just well accustomed to significant non-stop hours of saddle time, having been doing these 1000-mile day rides for well over a decade now.

Many years ago, I used to run a Corbin on several different bikes for a combined 250,000 miles. I would rate this Gen II gel seat as fairly close approximation to the dense-foam Corbins of the late 90's/early '00's.

 

[EtrnlSoldier]

So, are you going to be marketing your light mounts? If not, then why not?

Great work. Very cool to see.

 

[BadWeather]

Hey War sweet ride can you say how you piped the aux tank into the main tank.

 

[Z-Faucon]

War...thanks for your review and good to read that you are back.  
1)  Maybe the Zero Gravity Touring screen could help with rider protection. They are not in production yet for the K8 (I checked).  Could be 6 - 12 months.  Nothing much we can do for added leg coverage though.  Body coveage in wheather is the characteristic that I miss from our FJR

2) I'm happy to hear the lights worked out so well for you.  And really suprised at the stable power draw.  They are a very nice set up you have.  
3)  I have a Russell Day Long on my FJR.  I plan on going back to Russell shortly for a fit for my K8.  I really like the comfort.

4) I've been studying luggage options. BTW I agree Linda Tanner makes a nice product. I have her FJR gizmo bag on my K8 bagster tank cover. I think I'm going to try something different and go w/ the Ventura system this time. Ample liter capacity, no rub on the plastics and tested at 180 mph. But I don't know where to get a fair price/service?

My hat is off to you.

You are a creative guy with the fuel cell.

 

[Warchild]

So, are you going to be marketing your light mounts? If not, then why not?

Hadn't really thought about marketing them.... I dunno how many Busa owners really do any significant night work. And I appear to be in the extreme minority in using the bike for competitive Endurance Rallies. Not sure the demand would justify the startup/fabrication costs.

<div class="iF-Passage"><div class="QUOTEHEAD">Quote:[/Quote]<div class="QUOTE clearfix"><span class="quoteBegin"> </span>
Hey War sweet ride can you say how you piped the aux tank into the main tank.[/quote]
I installed a 9/16" O.D., 5/16" I.D. brass bulkhead fitting on the very bottom of the stock tank, on the far right. Always a nail-biting experience, taking a Uni-Bit and drilling a big-ass hole in your stock tank, knowing that if you f*ck up the job, you've ruined a very expensive OEM fuel tank!

<div class="iF-Passage"><div class="QUOTEHEAD">Quote:[/Quote]<div class="QUOTE clearfix"><span class="quoteBegin"> </span>

I think I'm going to try something different and go w/ the Ventura system this time. Ample liter capacity, no rub on the plastics and tested at 180 mph. But I don't know where to get a fair price/service? [/quote]
I also have a Ventura Rack for the K8 coming. I've used these for well over a decade on most all my bikes. Good stuff.

As far as where to get it at a killer price: surf over to http://www.casporttouring.com/ and call up the owner, Kim Leong at (888) 799-5445. Tell him Warchild referred you, and he'll knock off a good 15% for ya.

 

[Z-Faucon]

Thanks.

 

[BadWeather]

Thanks for the info on the aux tank hook up I thought maybe you had T'd it into the existing supply line. I notice you changed your location I had to laugh becuase I have been doing a lot of work in the Muscle Shoals/Florence area of Alabama and can relate to your opinion. I've done a number of endurance rallies myself all through Iron Butt but to be honest I don't want anything further to do with that association.

 

[Warchild]

May 8th, 2008: I believe I am about done prepping this for competitive Endurance Riding events.

Does this bad-boy here look like it is ready to hit the road for the LONG HAUL?!!!

The big obvious additions since page 1 of this thread are the Ventura Bag (pretty much solved the carrying-capacity issue), and the insulated 1-gallon Drinking Jug you see sandwiched between the Venura Bag and the Aux Fuel Cell.

Note the drinking tube that runs forward to a janitor's lanyard on the tankbag. When I want a drink, I just pull the end of the tube to my mouth and take a big swig, the let go of the tube and the lanyard returns it to the tankbag side, ready for the next drink. When you run the Desert West here in the summer, you really, really appreciate the opportunity to pound down ice-cold water in the hot blazing desert....

Also got the Pro-Oiler completely dialed in; it is soooooo sweet! It was a complete bummer that Suzuki eliminated the centerstand option on the K8 (as far as lubing the chain goes). The Pro-Oiler eliminates that as a concern. Twin nozzle dispenser placed oil right where it's needed to disperse oil equally by centrifugal force:

Oil level after 1500 miles... lean but not too lean, with o-rings nice and moist:

Also finished up a nice clean install of a Hella 12v female connector for using a Warm-N-Safe liner. This connector receives its power from the *output* side of a Heat-Troller:

With the tankbag in place, the Warm-N-Safe power cord never has the opportunity to contact the bodywork paint... sweet.

Departing tonight after sundown for another long-range strike in northen California/western Nevada to scout bonus locations for an upcoming Endurance Riding event. Gonna be coooooold at night, hot during the day... typical mid-spring weather in the Sierra Nevada Range.

Can't wait!

 

[mr8ball]

I have to give it to ya, You are ready for the trip

Please be safe and keep us posted

 

[Mr Bogus]

sure is a long ways from

 

[Tybalt71]

War, have a safe wonderful trip bro, you da man!

 

[foresure84]

i think warchild needs to be on suzuki payroll

 

[Warchild]

Back safe and sound.

A pretty good run this time, a bit under 2000 miles, only badness was central-southern Oregon between 1-4AM..... 27-degrees Fahrenheit!

Got lots of bonus locations for the Cal 24 Endurance rally next month. Here's a few shots (that are not bonus locations!):

 

[ChrisSK]

That thing looks straight out of some futuristic Movie...

I commend you for thinking outside of the box with things.. That is a crazy setup, and looks like it's ready for a really serious trip..

Be safe.

 

[Jamez]

W/C, where'd you buy your Pro-oiler from? Do you run chain saw oil in it?

 

[bigoltool]

Warchild you might find this article interesting. Gary Eagan's latest endeavor. A Cannonball run on a 1098 Ducati! Attempting to go from NYC to Redondo beach in 35 hours!