Need purchase advice

[buda315]

Hi, I have finally sold my Harley V-Rod and am in search of a Busa. I only have 5k in my pocket that I am willing to spend due to other obligations, but it is as they say burning a whole in it. To avoid the loss of anything important to me, is there by chance any busa's available for no more than 5k or should I consider lesser bikes. I am also considering a 2003 Yamaha YZF600r that I think I can buy for $3,500 or a 1986 Yamahah FJ1200 for $1,500. I am used to high torque, thus my interest in the busa and desire something good looking, but want to limit the expenditure for this year anyway... Let me know if anyone is out there who must sell cheap or has suggestions/advise as to my other choices while I regain my financial standing and fix up a busa the way I really want. Having ridden Harley's with many engine mods over the past 15 years I am used to torque on the low end. Yes, I am aware that harley's are not liquid cooled and do not have the top end that Jap bikes do and I am ok with that. I enjoy acceleration, not top end. Up to 120-140 is fast enough thanks. Anyway, would the YZF600r be enough bike considering my hopped up harley and the V-Rod that I am used to or would I be quickly dissapointed and looking for more displacement??? Your thoughts are valued as I am not a traditional sport bike guy.

Thanks for any info/suggestions

 

[Devil Dog]

Well, you may find a Busa for that price but it will be hard. It will definately have high mileage. There are many bikes in your price range.......but not the popular ones. Typically 600s and 750s...and maybe even some 1000s. Check Cycletrader.com in your area.

 

[MN72Busa]

Well, umm, hmmm...

The Vrod aint no torque monster...thats for sure....anyhow, that another story. The YZF600r will smoke any Harley you have been on unless your harley's had an S&S/Revtech or similar engine...like 124C.I. and still not really a HP match, but the V-twins would have much more torque, however the weight of the custom harley would be a huge defecit, and the YZF would smoke em.

As far as being disappointed, well Im sure you had plenty of that with the V-Rod, and yes Ive rode em, and owned several high HP/torque V-Twins. If you get the Busa, I think you will poo your pants if you think your just getting on a hopped-up-Vrod....completely different creature.

A 600 is nice, but since you been riding them big V-twins, maybe you should look for a nice GSXR 750. Light, very powerful, and you wont be let down in performance. Great transition bike in my opinion, and think you can get em used for a reasonable price and have a hell of a lot of fun on it. If you do find a Busa in your price range, really get it looked at by a good mechanic...I see high mile Busa still demanding some serious coin.

Anyhow, glad to see you came over from the darkside. I been on 250 tire bikes / V-twins for the last few years, and went back to sportbikes...emmm I mean Hyperbike. Nothing Ive ridden has been so completely satisfying as the Busa. I wish you well in your search, and hopefuly you find yourself a nice Busa - you wont be let down one bit, than again I could be wrong - as I see people on their V-rods who think they own a mini rocketship, and nothing but a good Busa spanking can only convince em otherwise, tha I hear excuses like "Must of been tire pressure" or "bad fuel"...giggle...yup some people just cant get over the fact that the Vrod aint a Busa killer. bla, bla, bla.

 

[buda315]

Two different machines built for two different purposes. I, too was a little disappointed with the relatively low torque of the V-Rod. The top end rush was nice. It was the lack of handling that had me lose interest. Lack of handling was fine when my big bikes had only low down power, bend into a turn (not too low though) and power out. The V-Rod needs a sport bike chassis and not just the new R model. I have ridden an old 1984 ninja 600 that I thought was garbage. No power, lots of gear changing, but w/ little effect...just not a pleasant experience. I have driven the cheaper ducati model, I think it was the 888. I didn't care for that either. More recently I drove an '05 R1 that was blindingly fast, but too extreme for me in terms of ergos, and heat from the undertail exhaust. I did ride a busa, and loved it. This is the sole reason I am even considering getting into the sport bikes. I am looking for long sweepers, as opposed to extreme curves. I like to accelerate quickly and then back off only to do it again. I don't care much about speeds over 140 or maintaining speeds above 100 for but a short sprint. I know that virtually any modern bike I chose will offer more potential than I will use, the busa obviously included. It is not the peak #'s of the busa that interest me, it is the "effortless acceleration", comfy ergos and the looks that make me want to make her mine.

Long story short, if I can't afford one now I am thinking the '86 FJ1200 might be a reasonable alternative for now. I just don't know about owning a 20 year old bike...repairs, reliability, investment vs a more modern/reliable and probable smaller bike.

What are some opinions of the higher mileage busas out there? I have generally had bikes up to about 10k and then sold. Are bikes like cars these days able to do well over 100k miles. Even powerful and probably abused busas. Can you really abuse a bike that was designed to be redlined and raced? Of course mainteance must be done. I am referring to all modern sport bikes, I mean isn't this incorporated into there design??

Thanks again for input. Please provide more feedback for the YZF600r if there are any w/ experience on them. Again, keep in mind that I am used to high torque, low HP.

 

[shenoyp]

welcome to the board mate

... 5k in hand, I dont thin you will get a busa in a very good shape!! And even if you did find one they will have very high milage on em!! I suggest you look at something in the 600 range, or one of the older R1's ...

 

[MN72Busa]

heres a few bikes - right around your price range...links provided...something to chew on anyways. Good luck again to ya'. Amd welcome to the forum.

<span style='color:crimson'>23000 miles
New chain and sprockets approx 2000 miles ago.
Tires have about 75% tread left.
Heli-Bar risers.
Laminar Lip.
Nelson-Rigg soft, expandable saddle bags.
New front brake pads, not installed, doesn't need 'em yet.
Before I bought it, the bike fell over on the left side(sitting in the driveway) scratching the lower fairing and cracking it at a mounting point.
I have a brand new lower fairing from Ron Ayers that goes with the bike. I didn't put it on because you hardly see the damage that's there and I figured as soon as I put it on I'd drop it. Rolling Eyes
The bike needs nothing and runs incredibly strong.
VIN JS1GW1A332104109
$6500.

Thanks,
Rob</span>



<span style='color:darkblue'>VIN:JS1GW71A7Y2103858
Has ~32,000 miles.
Dropped it in some gravel last summer(doing about 5mph), this is the source of the scratches on the left side engine gover, rear fairing and grab bar. The imperfections in the front nose and side fairings are from unknown origin. They weren't on the bike when I get it. I cleaned them up and installed them in june.

A little info on the bike and extras:

Rennsport tires on the rims, and an extra set of rennsport tires available for $100

Muzzy full titanium racing exhaust, PAIR system removed, fabricated aluminum hanger

Shock and fork re-sprung and re-valved by Dave Hodges, owner of GP Suspension

Sebimoto carbon-fiber front fender

Zero Gravity clear Windscreen

Power Commander II with custom fuel injection map

Large air box mod

Sealed ram air

Ram air inlet screens removed

Engine counter-balancer removed

Custom billet aluminum stator cover

Red Line Water Wetter in cooling system

EBC Double-H “kitâ€￾ race brake pads

Goodridge -2 sized braided stainless dual front brake hose kit

Motul 600F degree full synthetic DOT 5.1 brake fluid

JCS billet aluminum handlebar mount

Intuitive Racing Products frame sliders, swingarm spool/sliders, and bar end sliders

Schnitz 3-position dog bones

Schnitz heavy-duty clutch springs

OE Suzuki slipper clutch (ever back in a Rhino?)

Genuine Suzuki GSXR all-aluminum foot pegs with peg feeler bosses machined off

White tachometer and 220 mph speedometer faces

Please feel free to ask questions: demian.mclellan@gmail.com

Bike is in Eugene, Oregon.

$5500obo</span>

 

[buda315]

Hey Valium,

Thanks for the links. I live in NY, so bike 1 sounds good. What mileage is considered high and how many miles before I should be concerned??

Thanks again.

 

[FJRider]

Save a few extra $$$ and buy a good low mileage Busa.  You won't regret it.  If you buy the wrong one, you certainly will.  As the saying goes, you pay for what ya get!  

 

[RandomNickname]

Hey Valium,

Thanks for the links. I live in NY, so bike 1 sounds good. What mileage is considered high and how many miles before I should be concerned??

Thanks again.

Depends on the year of the bike, as well as how its been run.

If you want to, check out the Hayabusa listings on Kelley Blue Book (http://www.kbb.com). When you get to the individual years of the bike, they'll have a listing of what is considered average mileage for regular usage (it varies by engine size). Makes for a good rule of thumb guide anyways.

 

[Mr Brown]

I'd skip the FJ, they were good bikes in their day, but not particularly fast even back then. If you don't want to save up enough cheddar for a good used Busa, (About $15-2500 more) I suggest you look at a ZX-11. many people have said that the Busa feels more like the natuarl progression of that bike than anything else, and I agree. Decent used models are readily available all over the country. I would suggest a D-model, say a 96 or newer. I think this bike would provide you with all the power, both high and low end, that you need to have fun.

 

[gsferrari]

Get a Kawasaki ZX6RR (636 cc)

Mean bike...more power than the 6's and a better sorted chassis than the Busa if you plan on doing trackdays (which I recommend you to plan on doing

)

<!--EDIT|gsferrari
Reason for Edit: None given...|1125532935 -->

 

[gtrpimp76]

Get a Kawasaki ZX6RR (636 cc)

Mean bike...more power than the 6's and a better sorted chassis than the Busa if you plan on doing trackdays (which I recommend you to plan on doing

)

+1

Look for BulletTrain!! He just bought one a month and a half ago and he totally swears by that machine. He once owned a Busa, and 10R so he'll totally vouch for the 636 power and handling.