Trans question...

[jeff355]

I have a friend looking for a new bike. He's been riding a CBR 900 Fireblade for a few seasons now. He's been asking about Busa's, and has this idea in his head that the Busa tranny is weak, and that 2nd gear is prone to failure. I told him, this site has 30000 members+ and it really doesnt seem that common of a problem for most of us. Mines fine, nobody I know personally has ever had a problem... I want to help get him on a Busa- what can I tell him is the real story?

I know there is some trouble with a few, whats the cause? Abuse? Age?

 

[sixpack577]

It's only a gen1 issue, the gen2 is a little beefier and any other tranny flaws have been fixed.
As for why the gen1 fails there are design issues, but it seems to be a hit and miss problem. As it doesn't happen to all gen1's, but if it does, don't be suprised.
From all the threads on it here it seems to average around $400 to have your transmission gears undercut to fix the problem. That's just the machine work though, you have to take/send your tranny to one of several folks that do them. So the cost/time to take your engine down and put it back is on you.
Just buy a gen2, or save some money, buy a gen1 and pay to have the tranny fixed up front.

 

[BA BUSA]

2nd gear is a weak point on any bike...if you don't shift it right you can easily cause damage. Seems to me that a lot of 2006 Busa's had problems. The Gen2 2008 has a stronger trans...have him look for a '08 or '09
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[jeff355]

Only gen 1 in the budget. Is it just a matter of time before they all go? Mine seems to be just fine...

 

[sixpack577]

Only gen 1 in the budget. Is it just a matter of time before they all go? Mine seems to be just fine...

Some seem to be fine. SleeplessRed just posted up 77k miles the other day. I can't speak for him, but I don't recall him ever reporting any issues.
I've know a few folks with gen1's too that beat on them daily, and they never had a problem either.

 

[BA BUSA]

Only gen 1 in the budget. Is it just a matter of time before they all go? Mine seems to be just fine...

Out of all my Busa brothers that I have riden with...more than 500 bikes mostly Gen1's only ONE has had a tranny problem. He had over 100k on his bike and did quite a few track days on that bike.
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[icemansid]

The biggest issue to cause failure in 2nd gear is a mis-shift/poor shifting skills. I agree they should have been back-cut from the factory but many busa go without failures. I caused my own, didnt have any $$ to pay for it so I spent 2 weeks tearing it down, paid 65$ for a tranny fix and put her back together. Purs like a tiger now.

 

[jeff355]

Thats what I wanna hear and tell him. I gotta get him off that old slug of a Blade.

 

[Goatkart]

Calling the busa transmission a weak point is actually kind of a silly thing to say... really its built like a freaking tank...


Of the whole bike, yes 2nd gear is a common failure..


But all the same, these transmissions are COMMONLY put up against OVER 300rwhp and more with out even skipping a beat... Stronger springs for the clutch, and off you go...


Calling anything that can handle well over twice its stock output and keep on ticking a "weakness" is a bit misleading..

Just sayin'