Test drives...

[kdawg31337]

I've yearned for a busa for a long long time, but after riding a cruiser around for a bit in Thailand, I really enjoyed the comfort level. I've honestly never ridden a sport bike, and wasn't really considering one as a first bike, but what I really want to do is just jump on a 750cc something and see what it's got, and if sportbikes are really the thing for me.

So question 1, if I go to a dealership, how likely are they to give me a test drive on a new/fairly new sportbike? Ideally I'd go for 750cc, but honestly if they would, a test on a hayabusa would be cool too. In the perfect world I would do a 750/1000 followed up by the busa.

Question 2, my friend just got a '02 750 katana...my gut tells me it's pretty weak for a 750cc but that's just that...is that bike worth anything?

I don't currently have any set of 2 wheels, but I do have a license. I do have a helmet though. Good enough?

 

[BA BUSA]

Test drive a sport bike...not gonna happen my friend

Too much risk for a dealer to handle

 

[KanjiBusa]

yeah the 750cc Katana is hella weak, it has a solid steel frame so..yeah...lol..I had a 600cc Kanatuna...er Katana myself and it was so low on power, but I was used to racing motocross so it didnt do me over well.... but for starters katanas are very comfortable and are a good start to the sport bike world. Even better, start out with an Suzuki SV650..they are excellent starter bikes...very cheap too. very low cost if you dump it...IF you have sliders(frame sliders)



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[kdawg31337]

Argh....the only two friends i have with sportbikes are extremely protective of them...what can i do???

 

[frisbee]

just buy one . You know you want one

 

[kdawg31337]

i do, but at the same time i'd be so pissed if i didn't get enough bang for my buck

 

[black954]

buy my SV 650 and ride it for a season or two, then move to the busa if you still want one. It would work out great for the both of us!

 

[BigBSBusa]

Most dealerships won't give test drives on any of their bikes. Some may on used ones and others may if you have done lots of business or are a regular customer. Had a Kat 750 before the Busa and it was a great bike for getting back into riding, but you outgrow its capabilities pretty quickly. It is comfortable and the weight comparison to a Busa is good, so not a bad way to start.

 

[Over_Easy]

Do you want to be able to:

-Go 150+ mph at times w/ the greatest of ease?
-Go 0-100 in 2nd gear?
-Go 0-60 in under 3 seconds?
-Buy a new 190 rear tire every 4000-4500 miles?
-Finally. unless you have the discipline of a Buddhist monk, do you want to blow your wallet on the endless amount of mods available?

If you answered yes, then get the Busa. If not get the more tame Katana 750 or SV650.

*ALWAYS ride w/ gear (helmet, jacket, gloves, boots, moto/Kevlar jeans minimum).

 

[jaschil69]

I started with a 2001 Katana 600. I think it was a great bike for the money. I took it everywhere. Only downside for me was that it wasn't water cooled and this was a drawback in Texas. Gets too hot after a while a you lose a little power. I say get one and give it a go before moving to a Busa.

 

[Revlis]

i do, but at the same time i'd be so pissed if i didn't get enough bang for my buck

Any Bang for Buck is Better than NONE.

A Used Katana 750 is going to be really damn good time for a couple of years. Real Sportbike handling, really comfy, and enough power to have fun with without getting into too much trouble too quickly.

Should be able to find one cheap.

 

[Leo]

i do, but at the same time i'd be so pissed if i didn't get enough bang for my buck

Any Bang for Buck is Better than NONE.

A Used Katana 750 is going to be really damn good time for a couple of years.  Real Sportbike handling, really comfy, and enough power to have fun with without getting into too much trouble too quickly.

Should be able to find one cheap.

+1, I had an 02 kat prior to my busa

 

[LadyHawk]

i do, but at the same time i'd be so pissed if i didn't get enough bang for my buck

Any Bang for Buck is Better than NONE.

A Used Katana 750 is going to be really damn good time for a couple of years.  Real Sportbike handling, really comfy, and enough power to have fun with without getting into too much trouble too quickly.

Should be able to find one cheap.

+1, I had an 02 kat prior to my busa

+2 I had an 01 750 Katana also.

If ya get a gel seat you can ride that thing for days and never get tired.

The weight is similar to a Busa, so once you get used to that.. a Busa would be the next step. IMO

 

[cosmo]

What size are you?

 

[mofuggahere]

Katana was my 1st step before the busa and they can be found cheap usually!

 

[Kanati]

Get yerself a pre-98 kat 750. More horsies than the post 98 kats. It's a heavy bike but it has enough go juice for anyone coming from a cruiser. You can ask the fine people over at katriders.com about their scoot of choice.

 

[yellaboy151]

i do, but at the same time i'd be so pissed if i didn't get enough bang for my buck

Any Bang for Buck is Better than NONE.

A Used Katana 750 is going to be really damn good time for a couple of years.  Real Sportbike handling, really comfy, and enough power to have fun with without getting into too much trouble too quickly.

Should be able to find one cheap.

+1, I had an 02 kat prior to my busa

+2 I had an 01 750 Katana also.

If ya get a gel seat you can ride that thing for days and never get tired.

The weight is similar to a Busa, so once you get used to that.. a Busa would be the next step.  IMO

Ditto,

I started with a 01 Kat 750. Great bike to start with and lots of fun. In terms of weight, very similar to the Busa but less power. Good bike to start with to get aquainted to the weight of a sportbike and then jump to da Busa!

I loved my Katana.

 

[kdawg31337]

Honestly, I think a half-powered busa might not be the thing for me...I wasn't really considering it as a bike, just wondering about it. I know I would love the kat if I got it, but I'd love a gixxer more

Thanks for all the info though...

Just another question...around how much would you pay for a used 750 or litre gixxer in good condition with an average mileage? I pretty much am speaking to as old as they get having the same body/performance. I know the busa's about 7 years unchanged, so is that similar?



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[jaschil69]

Quote " I'd love a Gixxer more..."

You say that now, but when you want to ride more than a few hundred miles per day, you'll want that Katana seat.

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[mofuggahere]

The gixxer can eat you up and spit you out...........especially the 1k, in my humble opinion, it is a much more dangerous and scary ride than the busa. I haven't been on a gixer 600 or 750, so i can not speak on them. But the 1k will bring the front end up on you fast and can be looped before you know what hit you.

Don't get me wrong the busa can be dangerous as well, but is a MUCH more solid bike and alot more stable. Be careful no matter which way you end up going