New to busa, hows it as a tour bike?

[subzeroheat]

Hail Busa,

I'm new to busas, and planning on getting one soon. My main purpose for a bike is touring (atleast few hundred miles at a strech). Hows the comfy level on a busa? my friend who rides a katana suggested the Katana-750 as a better cruiser. any thoughts? i even got suggestions for a yamaha v-max 1200!

I wanna make sure i dont feel a lot of pain after long distances on the busa!! especially lower back cramps due to the ride posture..
need some useful fedback! thanx.

 

[DAB]

If your main purpose is touring, why aren't you buying a touring bike?

The 'Busa is one of the more comfortable sports bikes, but it's not designed with that as the primary purpose.

 

[warbrown]

Even though the primary purpose isn't touring, the Busa is still remarkably comfortable on long rides. I had always loved the looks and power of the Busa, but held off buying one for many years because I mistakenly assumed it would be incompatible with long rides. I was wrong. I switched bikes with a longtime riding buddy for a day (my Valkyrie Interstate for his 02 Busa.) Within three months the Valk was gone and a Busa was in my garage. I loved the Valk, but my wife and I never got to go ride together much on it like we had planned. The Busa on the other hand fulfilled my needs much better. Ming-boggling acceleration combined with comfortable ergos for the casual day-trip.

On a different note, I had an '85 V-Max for many years, and while it was a blast to ride around town, it had a few serious shortcomings as a touring bike. 100 miles max on a tank of gas, horribly uncomfortable stock seat for a long ride, and lots of engine heat in the summer cooking your legs. I rode my Max cross country several times between semesters during my college years. One year I went from Dale City, VA to Salt Lake City in 3 day (2100 miles, 700 miles per day) It's amazing the foolish decisions we make in our youth! I couldn't walk normally for days and I had a sharp stabbing pain between my shoulderblades for months afterwards. If I'd only been on a Busa with risers instead...

 

[Red05]

I agree with DAB. The Busa is very comfortable, specially on the highway as the wind takes the weight off your wrists. That said, the Yamaha FJR, Kawasaki ZZR1200, or maybe a Bandit would be better for touring. One note about the VMax...neat looking bike but the FJR and ZZR will beat it handily in every aspect.

 

[NCBusa2001]

Decent for touring, but again it's not a touring bike. A set of helibar or reaper risers, tobin or corbin seat and a double bubble windshield should make things more comfy. If speed is first and touring is second, the busa makes a great bike. Chris

 

[zukracer]

a Katana is a good bike.... technically its a GSX750 and the hayabusa is a GSX1300R, so they are sorta kissing cousings if you will. I have found the busa very comfortable to tour on, provided you make some necessary mods, such as heli bars (or risers), making sure its height is correct for your height, double bubble wind screen, possibly a new seat.

I have done a few 10+hr rides on my bike and was a little sore at the end of the day but really not any more than you'd expect for that kinda riding

FWIF, You will find that the busa's luggage capacity *can* be considerably less than a "true" cruiser bike.

 

[subzeroheat]

Thanx for the feedback and info!!

 

[Lamb busa]

I tour on mine, stock entirely.  I've owned it for 7 weeks now.  I did 2 400 mile days back to back.  My hands went numb, but figured out by squezzing the tank a little more I could take a little weight off my wrists.  I'm 6'1", and have never had a back issue when riding it!

 

[BusaFever]

Here is what I am thinking.

A Busa
+ Touring screen
+ GenMar/Reaper Risers/HeliBars (choose your poison)
+ Stock/Corbin/Sargent/Gel Seat (choose again)
= A very capable and fun touring bike.

PM sageronin for his opinion, he has a FJR1300 and a Busa.

You could also get cruise control.
Many have Givi Bags or Corbin Beetle bags too.

The thing with the Busa, is that the possibilities (and aftermarker items) are endless. It is argueably the most versatile bike on the planet.

 

[frisbee]

Rode mine all the way around the country , 37 states. Did one day 981 miles and the only thing that hurt was my right side neck musle. I needed a cruze control . I live in Wa. and plan on riding to daytona bike week next year. A corbin seat would be nice . I camped out at KOA campgrounds most of the way and did an average of 500 a day with a 4 day stay at Sturgis and a 1 week stay in Va. at my Moms. I rate this bike the best ALL around bike ever!

 

[BulletTrain]

Personally I'd want something with less forward lean angle than a busa for "touring". My current ride requires less lean and has a shorter reach to the bars and is therefore more comfortable for me on longer rides. Just my $.02...

 

[frisbee]

How much touring have you done BT . I'd like to check out a 10 .

 

[BusaFever]

Personally I'd want something with less forward lean angle than a busa for "touring". My current ride requires less lean and has a shorter reach to the bars and is therefore more comfortable for me on longer rides. Just my $.02...

Yes, but your point is exactly what makes it comfortable for the taller crowd. The longer reach to the bars and the extra leg room is what fits us. So it depends on your body size/composition and personal preference like ya said I guess.

I know when I climb onto the 750 after getting off the busa, I am thinking man this thing is tiny! Plus I'm sure I look like a monkey riding a football...

 

[BulletTrain]

Personally I'd want something with less forward lean angle than a busa for "touring". My current ride requires less lean and has a shorter reach to the bars and is therefore more comfortable for me on longer rides. Just my $.02...

Yes, but your point is exactly what makes it comfortable for the taller crowd. The longer reach to the bars and the extra leg room is what fits us. So it depends on your body size/composition and personal preference like ya said I guess.

I know when I climb onto the 750 after getting off the busa, I am thinking man this thing is tiny! Plus I'm sure I look like a monkey riding a football...

Excellent point. Different strokes for different folks. The busa would be a better fit for a taller rider.

 

[BulletTrain]

How much touring have you done BT . I'd like to check out a 10 .

No real "touring", just long days of 150-200 miles of riding twisties. The busa toasts my wrists, neck, lower back, and shoulders on those long days. I can't imagine a 400-600 mile day on it. The 10 doesn't. Only thing I feel after a day on the 10 is leg fatigue from weighting the pegs and slidin' my but back and forth across the seat. No arm, neck, shoulder, back problems... That's what I'm basing my opinion here on.

 

[frisbee]

I'm 6' 190lbs and I have bad wrists so I don't like to lean to much . I'm going to put in spacers to lower the front and bones in the back. that will get me up a little straighter

 

[BulletTrain]

I'm 6' 190lbs and I have bad wrists so I don't like to lean to much . I'm going to put in spacers to lower the front and bones in the back. that will get me up a little straighter

I still have a spacer set and a set of three hole dog bones from TheRotorWoman if you're interested...

 

[frisbee]

I only have problems with my wrists when I do city riding . I thought i'd have knee problems but was suprised not to the whole month I was gone.

 

[BulletTrain]

Oh, and I meant to add... I'm not saying the 10R would make a good touring bike. I just used the difference in reach between it and Train as a reference to explain why I'd want less lean/reach in a tourer that I planned to do high mileage days on.

 

[frisbee]

I already have them but my buddy might be interested , how much $ and what size spacers are the front?