Learning curve

[UncleSteve]

Start out small and slow and work your way up. When you so decide to buy. Set aside funds for quality helmet,and gear. Not a full face helmet, tennis shoes, shorts and a T-shirt. Protect yourself from bad choices, your inexperience, the motoring public and the weather. Enroll in MSF. Take the BRC and ERC. Remember these are only basic schools. If you have a local track, seek out training there. The street is no place to push the envelope, there are too many variables you cannot account for or control.
Most of all listen to the people who have experience. Most Busa owners are mature safe and responsible riders. (I have not met a squid on a Busa yet) Making a Busa your first motorcycle is a bad choice for most.

 

[SAMBUSA]

I've read a lot on this and other sites from riders that are buying 'busas as their first bike and I have to comment...

If one buys a 'busa as their first bike, they are limiting how good a rider they can become.

How?  Because pushing the envelope is how you learn, going too far could get you hurt, and the edge is a fine one on a 'busa.  One needs to slightly scare themselves on a bike as they approach a bike's limits, and once the bike is mastered (I'd say the level you need to get to before moving up is being able to use 80+% of the potential of the machine, no mean feat on a modern mototrcycle).

Every time I moved up (RD350C to GPZ550 to KZ750E to GS1100E to ZRX1200R to '07 'busa) I took most of a season to become accustomed to each bike.  Even going from the GS1100E (lightly modded about 100 hp, good for 11 flats at 120+) straight to the 'busa without the ZRX between them would have flattened my learning curve.

If someone I knew wanted to start riding today, I would recommend at least one season on an SV650 or something comparable.

What do you think?  And people that got a 'busa as a first bike are not qualified to answer, given their lack of perspective...

You saying that I shouldn't answer this due lack of perspective could go both ways.  You yourself have a lack of perspective.  You could have gotten a Busa as your first bike and be just as good of a rider as you are now.  You have no idea how good or how bad you would be. Just as you have now idea how good or bad I am.

Of all of those bikes that you've had, how many did you wreck?


I get tired of hearing the "Busa as a first bike is a bad idea"  It's almost as bad as the guys on the smaller bikes dissing guys on Busa's.  It gets old and your perspective is no better than mine.

Nothing personal, but how can you comment on something you haven't done?

Answer:  you can't.

Nor can you.

Are you a better rider than me? Probably. Is it because you have progressed from small bikes to larger ones? We'll never know. I dont ride competitively. I ride to get the wind in my face. I bought the Busa for a few reasons. Appearance(you know she's hot) Comfort(compared to smaller sport bikes). And lastly, I wanted to grow into the bike and not of it.

You didn't answer my question. How many of those bikes did you wreck?

 

[ThunderJohn]

You'll put your eye out
You'll put your eye out
You'll put your eye out
You'll put your eye out
You'll put your eye out
You'll put your eye out
You'll put your eye out

 

[kml]

Let's hope all you mature first bike Busa riders, who chose to diregard the "wisdom" of the curmudgeons, display that maturity by riding ATGATT.

cheers
ken

 

[SAMBUSA]

Wisdom? More like opinion

 

[WishinOnABusa]

my comment was to blue1 for saying how can we comment on something that we havent done... so i said the same thing...

 

[JuiceSC]

Busa as first bike, not a good idea. You will never be as skilled a rider if you don't trash on (and crash a few times) on much smaller machines.

Dirt is a VERY good teacher of riding skills. Having experienced a power slides on a small bike, you won't shid your pants if/when it happens on a big bore for example. In an emergency situation, this can mean you will react and save it or panic and freeze up.

Not everyone has the same level of natural riding talent. IMO, this is one thing you cannot learn, your born with it.

You WILL drop your first bike, likely more than once. To learn, starting with a cheap used bike is the way to go IMO.

 

[SANDFLEA85]

Busa as first bike, not a good idea. You will never be as skilled a rider if you don't trash on (and crash a few times)



You WILL drop your first bike, likely more than once. To learn, starting with a cheap used bike is the way to go IMO.

WAIT!! did I read that right "you will never be a skilled rider if you dont trash and crash a few times"

?

?

???

are you fukn serious,I think i heard it all now,let me go out and tash and crash my bike now so im a better rider......thats the dumbest thing i ever heard anyone say and i've heard alot of dumb things in my life.

and why will i drop my bike??? im 6'3" 290lbs...I can bech press more then this pig weighs,i definately wont drop it?

thats it,im not even gonna ck back into this post,its too comical now

goodluck trashing,crashing and dropping your bike bro

 

[BrianK]

Busa as first bike, not a good idea. You will never be as skilled a rider if you don't trash on (and crash a few times) on much smaller machines.

Dirt is a VERY good teacher of riding skills. Having experienced a power slides on a small bike, you won't shid your pants if/when it happens on a big bore for example. In an emergency situation, this can mean you will react and save it or panic and freeze up.

Not everyone has the same level of natural riding talent. IMO, this is one thing you cannot learn, your born with it.

You WILL drop your first bike, likely more than once. To learn, starting with a cheap used bike is the way to go IMO.

 

[JuiceSC]

Busa as first bike, not a good idea. You will never be as skilled a rider if you don't trash on (and crash a few times)



You WILL drop your first bike, likely more than once. To learn, starting with a cheap used bike is the way to go IMO.

WAIT!! did I read that right   "you will never be a skilled rider if you dont trash and crash a few times"

?

?

???

are you fukn serious,I think i heard it all now,let me go out and tash and crash my bike now so im a better rider......thats the dumbest thing i ever heard anyone say and i've heard alot of dumb things in my life.

and why will i drop my bike??? im 6'3" 290lbs...I can bech press more then this pig weighs,i definately wont drop it?

thats it,im not even gonna ck back into this post,its too comical now

goodluck trashing,crashing and dropping your bike bro

There are only 2 kinds of riders, ones who have crashed and ones who will crash. But you missed the point I was trying to make. Oh well, I suck-at-da-english.

And WTF does bench pressing xxx lbs have to do with riding a motorcycle?

 

[SAMBUSA]

Busa as first bike, not a good idea. You will never be as skilled a rider if you don't trash on (and crash a few times)



You WILL drop your first bike, likely more than once. To learn, starting with a cheap used bike is the way to go IMO.

WAIT!! did I read that right   "you will never be a skilled rider if you dont trash and crash a few times"

?

?

???

are you fukn serious,I think i heard it all now,let me go out and tash and crash my bike now so im a better rider......thats the dumbest thing i ever heard anyone say and i've heard alot of dumb things in my life.

and why will i drop my bike??? im 6'3" 290lbs...I can bech press more then this pig weighs,i definately wont drop it?

thats it,im not even gonna ck back into this post,its too comical now

goodluck trashing,crashing and dropping your bike bro

+1

 

[ibified]

I bet if jesus got a first bike, it'd be a Hayabusa....

I also bet he'd have no issue with throttle control.  

I really need to STFU here....no matter HOW funny this thread has become...but, i know I'm not gonna...


Here's my take:   The busa was not my first motorcycle.  However, if it had been my first motorcycle, I am pretty sure i wouldnt have an issue with riding it.  Could I make it do all the things I can make it do right now, with my experience riding other things first? of course I couldnt.  But with the same amount of experience and after the same period of time of riding it, i think id be fine.

Is the busa a good first bike?   I think it depends on the person.  if it's an irresponsible 18 yr old kid (and im not saying all 18 yr olds are this way) then heck no, its only good if you wanna donate organs.  if you're responsible and have a healthy respect for the bike though, I dont think it's an issue.  Heck, ive seen some people who are obviously not responsible enough to ride the 600 that they have.  You all know the ones im talking about, too.  the ones who are always going on about how great a rider they are (with their 3 months experience), the wheelie riders, ones who do stoppies in front of hooters on bike night just to get attention, etc.

It's not really an age factor at all, its a SELF CONTROL ISSUE.  have some self control and exercise some common sense, and you'll be fine on the busa as a first bike.

 

[SAMBUSA]

Busa as first bike, not a good idea. You will never be as skilled a rider if you don't trash on (and crash a few times)



You WILL drop your first bike, likely more than once. To learn, starting with a cheap used bike is the way to go IMO.

WAIT!! did I read that right   "you will never be a skilled rider if you dont trash and crash a few times"

?

?

???

are you fukn serious,I think i heard it all now,let me go out and tash and crash my bike now so im a better rider......thats the dumbest thing i ever heard anyone say and i've heard alot of dumb things in my life.

and why will i drop my bike??? im 6'3" 290lbs...I can bech press more then this pig weighs,i definately wont drop it?

thats it,im not even gonna ck back into this post,its too comical now

goodluck trashing,crashing and dropping your bike bro

There are only 2 kinds of riders, ones who have crashed and ones who will crash. But you missed the point I was trying to make. Oh well, I suck-at-da-english.

And WTF does bench pressing xxx lbs have to do with riding a motorcycle?

Sounds like a quote from Biker Boyz

 

[Zoinks!]

I bet if jesus got a first bike, it'd be a Hayabusa....

I also bet he'd have no issue with throttle control.  

I really need to STFU here....no matter HOW funny this thread has become...but, i know I'm not gonna...


Here's my take:   The busa was not my first motorcycle.  However, if it had been my first motorcycle, I am pretty sure i wouldnt have an issue with riding it.  Could I make it do all the things I can make it do right now, with my experience riding other things first? of course I couldnt.  But with the same amount of experience and after the same period of time of riding it, i think id be fine.

Is the busa a good first bike?   I think it depends on the person.  if it's an irresponsible 18 yr old kid (and im not saying all 18 yr olds are this way) then heck no, its only good if you wanna donate organs.  if you're responsible and have a healthy respect for the bike though, I dont think it's an issue.  Heck, ive seen some people who are obviously not responsible enough to ride the 600 that they have.  You all know the ones im talking about, too.  the ones who are always going on about how great a rider they are (with their 3 months experience), the wheelie riders, ones who do stoppies in front of hooters on bike night just to get attention, etc.

It's not really an age factor at all, its a SELF CONTROL ISSUE.  have some self control and exercise some common sense, and you'll be fine on the busa as a first bike.

+1. VERY WELL SAID! Unfortunately, based on what I've seen in the rest of this thread someone is gonna come up with some argument as to why you're wrong. But whatever. Who cares. The ones of us with some more open minds and that can think beyond exactly what we, ourselvs, have done, know you're right.

 

[JuiceSC]

Did champs like Rossi, the Haydens, start with superbikes/gp bikes? Did Michael Schumacker learn to race in an F1 car? Did jeff gordon, tony stewart, etc start out driving cup cars?

No. Why is that?

 

[ibified]

Apples and oranges, man. Apples and oranges. The question you need to ask is COULD they have. To turn that question around for you.....those guys started racing when they were 5 yrs old or so....if you owned a F1 or Nextel Cup team, would YOU put a 5 yr old in one?

 

[Burger King]

For young riders, a tiered licensing system would be an excellent idea. High levels of testosterone and mega-hp make for a toxic mix on the streets. Handing a 18 year old male a 130 + hp motorcycle for his first bike and expecting him to exercise throttle control is like asking him not to ogle the girls at the beach. Now if you're 30 or older maybe you can twist your wrist a little slower and won't need to prove your manhood every time you hop on the bike. Too many kids are crippled or dead because they said they could handle that type of power responsibly.  Besides, they're invincible......it will never happen to them.....yada yada.

It was always fun watching the guys get on the track for the first time, doing all they could do, going so fast and dragging that knee. They were flying........or so they thought until  an experienced racer came flying around them twice as fast through the corner and then reaching out and touching them. You could almost see the brown spot forming on their leathers.......point being......many people think they have the ability to master any high horsepower machine they hop on, but few take the time to really learn the capability of the bike they ride or have any clue about their own riding abilities and unfortunately that can mean the difference between an enjoyable day riding or very bad riding experience when the unthinkable happens in front of you.

Do me a favor. . .Don't generalize ALL teenagers as stupid, immature, and irresponsible.  When I was 18 I was plenty responsable.  Don't believe me. . Ask my parents and every other adult I was around.  They will all tell you.  How do I know this, because they have all told ME and others around me that am, and was, A LOT more responsible than most ppl my age.  (I'll be 21 in a few months)  I never thought I was invincible. . .  While my friends were off doing something "death defying" I was the one sittin back goin, "Y'all are stupid".  If you have enough of a brain to know that this thing could kill you at a moments notice before you can even figure out what's going on and that you had better respect it if you want to live, then you can be perfectly fine on one.

I'm not sure where you get the "stupid, immature, and irresponsible" inference from, but let me apologize if thats the way it read.
I salute you and anyone else that is young and can control the urge to show off or try to impress the ladies or their buds on a bike.

Just because almost anyone can learn to ride the busa as their first bike does not change my opinion that the busa is not the best choice starting out learning the necessary skills that might save their life on the street.

I "personally" would feel like an irresponsible parent giving my 17 year old daughter a busa to learn on as a first bike or my 19 year old son a 500 hp Corvette for his first car. Maybe they would do fine BUT IF something happened to them then I would feel like I had been neglegent in my parenting responsibilities.

No flames intended to anyone......just presenting my opinion and only mine.

 

[SANDFLEA85]

Did champs like Rossi, the Haydens, start with superbikes/gp bikes? Did Michael Schumacker learn to race in an F1 car? Did jeff gordon, tony stewart, etc start out driving cup cars?

No. Why is that?

ummmm....because those vehicles are really expensive and they couldnt afford them??

did I win??

 

[ThunderJohn]

Did champs like Rossi, the Haydens, start with superbikes/gp bikes? Did Michael Schumacker learn to race in an F1 car? Did jeff gordon, tony stewart, etc start out driving cup cars?

No. Why is that?

ummmm....because those vehicles are really expensive and they couldnt afford them??

did I win??

That is what I was thinking. Unlike allot of other racers some of those guys do not spend 10 years on dirte and move up. Some have skills and money to go right to the top.

Besides the fact I am not buying it to join the AMA today I just want to enjoy a comfortable ride.

I know I am a new rider and I never rode dirt. I know I do not have enough time in the seat to comment on this. I just ahve a question I have heard several people reference the two kinds of riders and it seems to me that there are some riders that have not wrecked and have rode for years. I am not sure about that reference then. I think it kind of equates to the guys that say it is not the size of the boat and we know why they say that. You dumped yours I don't plan on dumping mine but I know you will be there waiting for it so you can say I told you so.

 

[SAMBUSA]

Did champs like Rossi, the Haydens, start with superbikes/gp bikes? Did Michael Schumacker learn to race in an F1 car? Did jeff gordon, tony stewart, etc start out driving cup cars?

No. Why is that?

Because of money.