Buying my first Busa

Hoangdonghai

Registered
hello busa owners,

1st sorry for my poor English.

I am a Busa enthusiast living in Japan (I am not Japanese tho) I am planning to buy a secondhand Busa gen 1 in a small bike shop here. The shop doesn’t provide any maintenance. They just sell the bike as it is. I went to the shop to check the bike. It is very clean considering the age (1999 model year. 48,000km in the clock). I have no problem with the outside conditions. However I cannot tell of the engine is still okay. They let me rev the bike for couple of minutes but since I am a novice, I cannot tell if there is any problem. I found a video of the bike on YouTube posted by the shop, I would appreciate if someone could take a look (or a listen) and tell me if the engine sounds okay. I want to buy it for the reasonable price but if the engine have problems, the cost of fixing it can be overwhelming here.
I would appreciate any help. Thank you!

URL:
 
Hello brother,:welcome: to your new home for all things Hayabusa.
That motor sounds UGLY. I do not hear bad bearings,but it has severe cam chain rattle. An easy fix,as long as the chain and gears are not toast.

99's have a bit of a list of issues. Any details on whats been done?
Your English is fine my friend...its ours that needs work. :laugh:

Good idea to tell us what their asking price is...convert that to US dollars for us.
We can help you BIGTIME. We have 10,000 years of Busa know-how on this site. My name is Rubb...I am at your service. :bowdown:
Rubb.
 
hello busa owners,

1st sorry for my poor English.

I am a Busa enthusiast living in Japan (I am not Japanese tho) I am planning to buy a secondhand Busa gen 1 in a small bike shop here. The shop doesn’t provide any maintenance. They just sell the bike as it is. I went to the shop to check the bike. It is very clean considering the age (1999 model year. 48,000km in the clock). I have no problem with the outside conditions. However I cannot tell of the engine is still okay. They let me rev the bike for couple of minutes but since I am a novice, I cannot tell if there is any problem. I found a video of the bike on YouTube posted by the shop, I would appreciate if someone could take a look (or a listen) and tell me if the engine sounds okay. I want to buy it for the reasonable price but if the engine have problems, the cost of fixing it can be overwhelming here.
I would appreciate any help. Thank you!

URL:

I agree with rubb that sounds like the cam chain is slapping pretty bad. I thought that there first gens were known to have an issue with the tensioners but not 100 percent sure. Like rubb said let us know what they are asking for it and how mechanical you are because a tensioner swap isn't that bad add long as it hasn't damaged anything else. When taken care of the busa engines last forever.
 
I know the kind of Busa shops that are around the world. They may not want you to dig in too far,but there are a lot of tests a good mechanic could do for you for not much money that might stop you from buying a piece of krap.(sorry,my bad english,:D)
If they let you do your own video,I want to hear it started when cold. I want the motor rev'd up to about 4000RPM and held there for 5-10 seconds. I would like the motor taken up to almost the rev limiter (about 10,000 RPM).
I would like to hear the motor rev'd from idle to about 4-5 thousand RPM in very qwik,short bursts. I would like to see your video camera pointed at the end of the exhaust pipe.Show us the temperature gauge when fully hot. That for starters if possible.
Rubb.
 
There's been some work done to that bike . . . and some not done. I would dedfinitely try to get more history. Welcome!
 
Thank you Rubb and Dopey

They ask for 4300usd (may not be relevant since the prices here is considerably higher than in the state)

I have no ideas what has been done to the engine @@ there is a full system exhaust and a air fuel controller (all domestic). The shop owner told me that he think the engine is in good condition lol.

I am mechanically inclined but I am afraid don't have enough tools to work on the bike if it needs serious fixes. I don’t even have my own garage (I live in small apartment). Most people here will have to bring their bikes to the shop. They charge very expensive for even the smallest works.
 
I thought that there first gens were known to have an issue with the tensioners but not 100 percent sure.
Hoangdonghai Dopey is correct.
Also,off the top of my head:
Fuel pump,fuel filter,etc problems.
The sub-frame can crack.
Second gear issues.
Throttle pin.
Voltage reg/rec.
There's more.
all easy fixes.
If its the original sub frame,someone will swap you for a steel one.
Rubb.
 
I know the kind of Busa shops that are around the world. They may not want you to dig in too far,but there are a lot of tests a good mechanic could do for you for not much money that might stop you from buying a piece of krap.(sorry,my bad english,:D)
If they let you do your own video,I want to hear it started when cold. I want the motor rev'd up to about 4000RPM and held there for 5-10 seconds. I would like the motor taken up to almost the rev limiter (about 10,000 RPM).
I would like to hear the motor rev'd from idle to about 4-5 thousand RPM in very qwik,short bursts. I would like to see your video camera pointed at the end of the exhaust pipe.Show us the temperature gauge when fully hot. That for starters if possible.
Rubb.

I wish I post here sooner. I went to see the bike a week ago. I think they will not welcome me to come again and they will not let me do some video :(
 
Welcome, the bike has a lot of good mods on it.....my question is-are there not a lot of Hayabusas for sale over there? Maybe try to look for a little newer copy at a reasonable price...this is not a good bike for a novice to buy with that engine noise...it sounds like valves to me but hard to really hear without being there.

If you have a decent service shop you know of and trust, it might be worth the money to have them check it over before buying...
 
Welcome, the bike has a lot of good mods on it.....my question is-are there not a lot of Hayabusas for sale over there? Maybe try to look for a little newer copy at a reasonable price...this is not a good bike for a novice to buy with that engine noise...it sounds like valves to me but hard to really hear without being there.

If you have a decent service shop you know of and trust, it might be worth the money to have them check it over before buying...

Thank you bumblebee,

There are plenty for sale here in Japan however I have budget constraint. To be honest, I like this one just because it looks cool and kind of different from other Hayabusa here. I guess I should look for better copy then...
 
Thank you bumblebee,

There are plenty for sale here in Japan however I have budget constraint. To be honest, I like this one just because it looks cool and kind of different from other Hayabusa here. I guess I should look for better copy then...
I would personally....there is nothing which will sour you of a bike more than if it has problems before you even ride it. If the shop selling it did service work and guaranteed it, I'd say go for it but as this is not the case, I'd walk away.
 
Hello guys.
I am still looking for a used Hayabusa gen 1.
I found this red 04 busa with 14k on the clock. I’d appreciate if you guys could tell me how the engine sounds
 
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