Looking to purchase a Busa

[Albanydawg]

Hello to all.
I am new to the board so please excuse me if I do not communicate correctly.

I am trying to decide what type of bike is right for me.  I am concerned that the Busa is too much for me at my current skill level.  Would you current Busa owners give me your opinion?

I am 37, 5’ 10â€￾ and 185 lbs.  I grew up riding small trail bikes generally.  I owned three Honda trail bikes and one small street bike.  I quit riding when I went to college and the only riding that I have done in recent years is on a couple of 750s that friends had. I am about to take the HD Riders Edge program and after that I am going to purchase a bike.  I live in a small southern town with good access to open two lane roads and not too much traffic.

I am considering purchasing a Busa.  Baby it to begin with and grow into it.  The alternative would be to purchase a lesser bike now and purchase the Busa after I get used to being on a bike again.  I want to use it for Saturday morning open road riding and occasional errands around town.

I would appreciate your opinions and it would be nice to know how long you have had your Busa as well.

Thanks
Albanydawg

 

[Bugsy]

Follow what your heart tells you.

Be mindful not to full throttle at the begining stage......

 

[Revlis]

Greetings A.D...

This question is asked by just about everyone here when they first start to get serious about getting a new bike.
Frequently it leads to some debate as to whether or not someone without a lot of experiance belongs on one, or if they will kill themselves soon after because of the power, size and speed.
Really what it comes down to is are you serious about getting a Busa, Do you have a pretty level head, do you have a good amount of self control and maturity, and finally what do you want the bike to do?
If you are not just crazy in love with the Busa it may not be the best bike for you. It does a lot of things real well and I could never tell someone with a straight face to not get one, But... There are bikes out there that handle better, tour better, are easier to insure, are more comfortable, and arguably more sensible.
You don't sound overly excited about the Busa so I would recommend looking at a few other bikes first. Honda's Interceptor, Kawasaki ZZR12000, or Maybe even a GSXR1000 if you are looking for handling.
Don't get me wrong, There is nothing wrong with the Hayabusa, I am just saying that you will appreciate and enjoy the Busa more if you REALLY want one. Otherwise some of it's shortcomings may really ruin the experiance for you and you will not be happy. If you are looking for a relaxed cruise around and enjoy the air kind of bike the Busa is a poor choice. If you want to get out, and experiance the rush till your feet are shaking on the pegs and you can't walk properly than the Busa is for you. It can be ridden slowly, but not for very long, it will constantly beg and plead to be whooped...

So you have to decide that a Busa is what you really want...Then go for it and take it easy for just a little while. It comes down to you, You know if you have the self control or not, nobody else does...

 

[jwcfbd]

Welcome to the board.
The biggest thing is that you have rode in the past and understand what to do. It may not be a bad idea to get something else but it is totally up to you. You do have some experience and that will help a lot. No matter what bike you decide to buy just take it easy and get use to it. I went from the dirt to a CBR 600 and then made the jump to the Busa. There are some guys heat that started out on the Busa and have lived to talk about it. Just respect the throttle and you should be OK. Remember STUPID HURTS

 

[Albanydawg]

jwcfbd

Thanks for your comments. Is the Busa that much harder to handle than the CBR 600? I sat on a new CBR 600 and the riding position was a little aggressive. The riding position on the Busa seemed better especially after adding the risers. Would you agree or am I missing something?

Thanks again. I need all the info I can get.

 

[amsctalx]

The best way to "grow into" riding a Busa proficiently is ride a lighter, more forgiving bike with lower limits proficiently first.

I think that most people believe that the only real challenge in living with/enjoying a large sport bike is "not going too fast", or something to that effect. A bike like a Busa has a lot of everything - brakes, weight, torque, etc.

Most of the people that I know that haven't spent some time on lighter bikes never feel completely comfortable with thier big-bore. Having never ridden a smaller bike to it's limits, these people have no idea where the limits are on a bigger sport bike. Many of them have quit riding, or purchased 600s.

And I am not referring simply to cornering, but incident avoidance. Being able to respond well to suprises means having total control over the bike. A lighter bike gives newer riders more "reaction time" to sort-out how they will respond to suprises.

I know that there are people that have bought big-bore sportbikes as first (or "near-first") bikes and are enjoying themselves. That's great, but it isn't neccessarily the best way. And most of the ones that I know personally have some degree of regret over their decision...

Good luck with your decision, and ride safe!

Mike

 

[EAKbusa]

Well said Revlis, I agree. The Busa is awesome but not for everyone and certainly it is no canyon carver like a GSXR1000 or the like. I do think it is much more comfortable than many sportbikes, and it is one of the only ones with a decent back seat, but the real reason to buy a Busa is for the speed and the power. And after all it actually handles pretty darn well considering its size and heft but is not for a beginner by any means.

I have owned 7 sportbikes over the past 15 years. If I had started with the Busa, at the very least I would have wrecked it numerous times and at the worst I would be dead.

Think about it long and hard my friend befoer you buy one of these baby's, at least as your first bike. Owning a Hayabusa is almost a priviledge not a right and it needs to be earned. Otherwise you might regret it. If you feel you can make the commitment and be mature and responsible then go for it and be extra extra careful.

 

[Albanydawg]

amsctalx and EAKbusa

I have the fever to buy a Busa right now. Your cautionary comments are probably what I need to hear just now. I think that I will take my rider safety course first and see how comfortable I am with a sportbike before I make my decision.

I appreciate your comments and opininions.
Albanydawg

 

[Revlis]

Do you know anyone with a Busa in your Area? Now I am not saying that they loan it to you but if you can spend a little time away from the dealers with it letting it run a little getting a feel for it's size etc. It may really help.

The only real concern I would have about getting a Busa as your First serious street bike would be the intimidation factor.
The Busa is pretty intimidating as sportbikes go, more so than any other bike I have been on. It has the rep you know? But I knew going in that I was intimidated a little, and I was sort of counting on that intimidation/respect to keep me out of trouble for the first 1000 miles or so. Problems could arise however from a combination of intimidation and lack of experiance. What I would worry about happening is you get too intimidated by the Busa and end up not having any fun, not being able to just relax and enjoy the ride. Not havig enough experiance to really enjoy what the thing is capable of. I see Busa's for sale frequently with 500-2000 miles on them, I think a good number of these are being sold because the owners got in over their heads and were not able to work through it.
What really matters again, is do you REALLY want a Busa? It has an amazing motor, great handling, good touring ability, and is fairly reliable. It is also a pussycat to ride if you want it to be. Keep the RPM's down below 6K or so and the thing will trundle along just like any other bike. Keep in mind it's physical size and slight porkiness pretty much dissapear once your moving but can be pretty spooky at low speeds.
Oh, and something else to consider is insurance. Call your insurance agent and find out what your looking at, given your driving record, age, marital status. That could also be a deciding factor.

My next thought (Lots of Caffine) is about just plain fun. I still have a blast riding my buddies cbr600f4. It's fast enough, doesn't weigh much of anything, is easy to insure and over all it's lack of mass or intimidating habits or feel make it a seriously fun bike that while still good to 160 or so won't get you into as much trouble as easily as the Busa can. Not to mention Honda's high quality and reliability. Something to ponder...

Good luck and do not buy until you are certain you know what you want.

Rev

 

[The Oracle]

Welcome to the board...

F4i is cool and so is the RR. But, it is ultimately up to you. If you start on something smaller and used, it won't hurt (emotionally) as much to drop it. I rode a Kawasaki Consours (1000 cc's and 120 lbs heavier than the bus) for two years before trading up. However, I have been riding for 19+ years. I think you will find that the 'busa is the most comfortable sport style bike out there. Try a Suzuki Bandit on for size for at least 6 months, then move up to the 'busa if you feel ready.

Also, MOST DEFINITLEY take the beginners and advanced MSF Courses.

$.02, Rip.

 

[Charlesbusa]

I've had my busa for a year and been riding for over 5years, all street riding.  If you want the busa, get it.  You may not get the chance later on in life.  A lot of people play up its power & speed, but really that's all in control of the rider.  If you make poor decisions you'll die on a 600 also.  You can ride the busa like a rocket or a moped, your hand is on the throttle.

 

[Deputy]

I swear there should be a section on EVERY forum that caters to big bikes titled "Should I buy this or not". Wonder what they ask on small bike forums? Is this bike too SMALL for me to start on?  

Anyway, I'll take my traditional anti-traditional stance and suggest you NOT buy a small bike and move up. Small bikes will NOT give you any idea of what a Busa is like.
They are lighter, slower, and perform completely different than a Busa. If you can twist someone's arm and they let you ride a Busa (don't ask me...my answer is a firm NO!), then maybe you can form your own opinion on whether it's for you.
You could ride EVERY smaller OR bigger bike in the world and NOT get an idea of what it's like to ride a Busa. If you are short on street-riding skills, then take a training course. But as far as starting smaller and working up...pure rubbish!

Dep
P.S. Asking for people's riding experience won't tell you much.
Usually they will BS you to try and get their point across. And even when they aren't BSing you, they may say "I've been riding for 10 years" but if they live in Minnesota you can generally lop off 9 months of that time per year.

 

[ksheldon]

Ok - I have to weigh in.

I think that a 'Busa is too much bike for an inexpierenced rider and not a good, or safe bike to start riding on. Your expierence on the smaller, lighter trail bikes won't count for much.

You are on the right track starting with a safety course as a first step - I took the MSSF class with a friend that was a new rider and I have been riding for over 35 years.

I would reccomend looking at the Suzuki SV650 at your dealers showroon as your first bike - fast, fun, flickable and a perfect place to start, with enough performance to not become boring to quickly.

If you continue to want to ride after spending a year on the 650, then think about a 'Busa. It is too much bike in every sense for a new rider.

Kent

 

[monsterspeedfreak]

 The alternative would be to purchase a lesser bike now and purchase the Busa after I get used to being on a bike again.  I want to use it for Saturday morning open road riding and occasional errands around town.

AD........welcome to the board dude.


If it were me I'd follow what you wrote here.
It would really suck to drop a $10,000 bike just cuz ya couldn't wait a bit.
Alot of guys here have had mishaps lately.....and these guys have experiance.

I would never start with a bike like this........acceleration is mind boggling, front wheel comes up like nothing, backtire spins like nothing, and I don't have to tell ya that if ya ride in the rain, or get caught in it.....it can be a hair raising experiance.
I would take the MSF course......get used to riding on a cheap 750........sell it after 5 or 6 months then buy a Busa.
Just my .02

 

[Deputy]

Hmmm...I think everyone who suggests starting with a smaller bike should agree to buy back that smaller bike when it becomes time to get a Busa. You guys will accumulate quite a collection when the year ends

BTW...all those warnings about back tire spinning and front wheel coming up...never had that ONCE since I bought it. At least...not unless I INTENDED for it to happen. If you are immature and ride like a nitwit on the street, then it won't matter if you are on a 125CC dirtbike or a bored and stroked turbo Busa...you will still be DEAD.

Standard disclaimer...not pointing the finger at anyone on this board. Just saying the street is already dangerous enough without adding to it buy stunting on it.

Dep..."a man has to know his limitations"..."Dirty Harry" Calahan in Magnum Force

 

[monsterspeedfreak]

BTW...all those warnings about back tire spinning and front wheel coming up...never had that ONCE since I bought it. At least...not unless I INTENDED for it to happen.

Dep.......have you never pinned the throttle in first dude..........has nothing whatsoever to do with stunting.
With the power these bikes have I sometimes feel the urge to use it..........I'm sure I'm not alone.
If you don't use the power.......why buy a Busa.....may as well ride a HD    

 

[Deputy]

If you can't control your urges, then you probably shouldn't be riding or driving ANY vehicle. That was my point. If you are mature and have enough grey matter upstairs to do your performance riding AT A TRACK, then the Busa isn't any more dangerous than a Honda 50. It will also be a lot cheaper insurance-wise (more tickets = higher insurance costs) and you'll be able to get FULL coverage instead of just liability.
Plus you'll be helping out other Busa owners by not giving the Busa the reputation of being a "killer" bike on the street and we'll all benefit from lower insurance rates. To say nothing of less posts of "just wrecked my Busa". Some accidents ARE unavoidable, others are the RIDERS fault.

Dep

 

[monsterspeedfreak]

then the Busa isn't any more dangerous than a Honda 50.
Dep

Yer right....... I agree.
Don't want to wreck the new guys post so that's enough for me.




Dep

 

[Albanydawg]

Many thanks to all who have posted.

I have not made up my mind at this point but I did get a good quote on an 03 and my insurance will be less than $600 a year. Seems like a lot of bike for the money and insurance is not an issue.

More thoughts on alternative bikes would be appreciated. Something a little more tame than the Busa but with a little more charisma than an SV650.

Many thanks
A.D.

 

[Deputy]

MonsterSF: Didn't mean any offense and I hope none was taken. I've just seen too many posts this year of "another rider down". I apologize if I came off sounding like a stodgy old fart. I am!  
My Busa will spend most of it's time at a drag strip, and eventually ALL of it's time there. Nothing wrong with riding it on the street. But you DO have to be careful about all that power. And definitely be aware of the nutballs driving cars with cellphones glued to their ears and no idea what is coming up next to them.

AD: I don't know what to suggest as an alternative to the Busa. A sportbike like aGSX100R will also be a pretty wild ride and a lot less comfortable on the street. Perhaps you should tell us what you will be doing with the bike? Is it just for riding around town or do you plan on "track days" with it or is it for two-up riding with a passenger? Do you plan on long cruises out of state or mainly close to home? Oh crap...just saw where you said around town and errands. Hmmm...well you COULD use a Busa for that but just about ANY bike could be used for that. It all boils down to what YOU think you can handle I guess.

Dep