After not riding for 20+ years I first bought a Victory Cruiser (love the bike and still have it) then after a couple of years I began to get the speed itch but there was a BIG hitch I was Big VERY big 6'1" 365 LBS so the R1 I liked was out. SO I bought a 05 off the showroom floor knowing it was going to get a Turbo 60 days and a Hahn kit later I had speed. Now as it happens I have since lost 130lbs and I have even more speed.
What Brought You To Your 'Busa
- Thread starter IlveMyNissan
- Start date
Dwala
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For a long time I was shown the videos on youtube of the 'Busa, and was very impressed, and a bit in awe of the bike. I had always sworn I would never own a sportbike, a bit of narrow thinking on my part, when one day a mate of mine in Alabama talked me inot taking his 05 or 06 LE out for a ride.
Now his bike had a TRE, slip on exhaust, was lowered and a few other performance mods that slip my mind at the moment. Needless to say I was more than a little hesitant to sit on that bike, even though I have been riding since I was 14. That was the MOST comfortable, MOST exhilerating, scariest damn ride I have ever had. 1 year later I convinced the wife to entertain the thought of me having a sportbike and not a cruiser, so off the the stealership we went. I have not and will not regret the decision.
Now his bike had a TRE, slip on exhaust, was lowered and a few other performance mods that slip my mind at the moment. Needless to say I was more than a little hesitant to sit on that bike, even though I have been riding since I was 14. That was the MOST comfortable, MOST exhilerating, scariest damn ride I have ever had. 1 year later I convinced the wife to entertain the thought of me having a sportbike and not a cruiser, so off the the stealership we went. I have not and will not regret the decision.
I have ridden a 600 for years but have laways LOVED the way the Busa looks, so I took my time and spent many years learning how to HANDLE a lighter bike and it took years for me to decide to get the Busa. But to be honest, BEFORE I got it I took lots of time to get on the Org and learn everything I possibly could about the beast, this site actually helped me to make my final decision, but that decision was based on the wealth of knowledge, candor and honesty shared by Org members, along with great advice, now that may seem weird, and I am not by any means turning you off getting one, but research is key to things like this and it looks that by communicating here you are moving in the right direction RIDE with SOMEONE who is a seasoned and SANE rider no matter WHAT you buy, let them train you on the road aspects of performance handling with baby steps...and of course, if you havent taken it, start with the MSF Course.
Good luck whatever you decide
Good luck whatever you decide
Zoinks!
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Thanks for assuming that ALL newbies are #1 shitty riders, #2 retards that are gonna do stupid things and ride way out of their limit. I rode a buddies 600 for a total of probably 200-400 miles before gettin my busa. Have I killed myself? No. Have I riden out of my limit? No. Why? Because I value my life, and I love my bike and I don't want to loose either one. Was I scared? No. Just respectful of the beast. I can't stand it when people on here say that no matter what it's the dumbest decision you can possibly make buying a busa for your first bike. It's not. It's all in the maturaty level of the one buying it. Would you give a 16 year old a lambo for his first car? No. Why? He's not mature enough. I bet that IlveMyNissan probably isn't 16. If you're mature enough to handle it and respect the power that it can deliver and you understand that if/when you drop it, it will cost you a pretty large amount of money to repair. Just from not having experience riding and the fact that the thing weighs 500lb. Get some frame sliders or crash bars and you'll be fine. Most newbie drops are parking lot speed.
I don't think anyone "assumed" all newbies are stupid or going to do something dumb, in this thread
My little bro's friend started on a zx-14 around the same time and he still can't get the bike leaned over. He hasn't done anything stupid... But he can't ride very well either. Not saying I am great, just that he gimped himself so he could look cool.
couldn't have said it better. Not everyone who buys a busa plans to take it out and push the edge of the envelope. Any bike, including the busa, is only going to go as fast and hard as you want it to and as long as the rider is mature enough and smart enough to respect the bike he should be fine. As long as they understand that if they screw up it will cost them.
I also agree with the thought of why buy something you know you won't be happy with. I've done that, had a 600 Katana in the garage for awhile that I hated. I had rode, and raced, over 10 years ago and figured I would get back into it slowly and get something I could sharpen my skills back on. A buddy of mine wanted to sell his bike, shot me a great price and I bought it. Needless to say it all came back much, much quicker than I expected and within a couple thousand miles I hated the 600 so much that my riding time dropped off drastically.
As for how I chose, I went to my dealership to order a front tire for the 600 and they had a used 06 white and silver limited and shot me a great deal on trade. I didn't buy at that time, thought about it, came back two weeks later and it was still there. Dealer offered me the same deal so I got serious but still took another two weeks before I bought. In my mind the busa chose me.
Zoinks!
Registered
The fact that your buddy is scared to lean the thing over doesn't mean everyone is. I got my busa back in September of last year and from reading some of posts from the more experienced riders and doing some cautious experementation of my own and gradually working on it I can drag peg through a turn and feel completely comfortable on the bike. Is the learning curve scewed a little. Sure, I can understand that, and I'll agree. I may not learn QUITE as fast as someone who started smaller, but I'm learing quick enough. Going from never owning a bike to dragin peg on a busa in 7 months isn't that bad in my opinion. Are there others out there that can easily out ride me? Deffinitely. But am I happy with my decition to get the busa first? You had better believe it. I'm much happier that I went ahead and got it rather than owning a 600 for 2 months, a 750 for 2 months and a 1000 for 3, just so I could feel comfortable on the busa, and be able to ride it well. I've felt comfortable on it from day 1, and I feel I can ride probably just as well as anyone else of the same experience level.I don't think anyone "assumed" all newbies are stupid or going to do something dumb, in this thread. That being said, the main theme is that your learning curve is gimped on a bigger bike. Which I believe is entirely true. I started on a smaller bike and worked my way up. I still had a little bit of the chicken strips to work through when I stepped up to the Busa, but I am confident that I can handle a bike now, and I have no fear of it, only respect for it and myself.
My little bro's friend started on a zx-14 around the same time and he still can't get the bike leaned over. He hasn't done anything stupid... But he can't ride very well either. Not saying I am great, just that he gimped himself so he could look cool.
Zoinks!
Registered
Let me make one more point. I'd be willing to bet that if you take a guy that's been riding a 600 for 7 months, put him on a busa, and put the two of us on a track, I'd out ride him. I started on the busa, therefore it's all I know, and I bet that because it's what I started with, and I've gotten to know the machine and how it reacts, that I'd be able to beat him.
Silent Shogun
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double post. Sorry
Silent Shogun
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Do i think all newbies are shitty riders?? No. Do i think all newbiew are inexperienced riders. Hell yes. You can't gauge a persons maturity level on there age. I have seen plenty of people in their thirties buy a top end sports bike because they just had to have the biggest and best thing out there. They get on the road and go into "look at me" mode and get hurt.
There are some people out there mature enough to handle it as thier first bike I will admit. They are few and far between though IMHO.
I wasn't implying nissan was 16. I was comparing a person who just got thier driver's license to someone who is just starting to ride a bike.
Now i applaud you for not going crazy on the bike. I do feel though that you don't have the experience that is necessary to handle a bike with the capabilities as a Busa. Esecially if something goes wrong. Is that saying you ARE going to hurt yourself? No. Not at all. I am saying the probability is greater for you to get hurt on this bike as opposed to a smaller bike just starting out.
OK,
I probably have one of the most ridiculous stories here. I had wanted a motorcycle all thru highschool, but was unable to get one.My dad was a big bike rider, when we lived in Australia he took a Harley from Sydney to Aeres Rock, for anyone who knows Australia thats one hell of a ride. Anyways I could never decide whether I wanted to get into a Sport bike or a harley type of motorcycle, and then one event started the wheels spinning for me to own my very first bike. I was and am still a huge NFL fan (Go Bears!) I play fantasy football and that year had as my QB...you guessed it Ben Rothlisberger. He had been injured that preseason on his Hayabusa he owned, it was the first time I had heard of the bike and decided to do some looking into it. After alot of researching on it, reading reviews and the praises of it, I decided I had to have one.
I bought A used 2000 with low miles (2,350) from my nextdoor state (Ohio). It was and still is the first motorcycle I have ever owned. I know it is not recommended for this to be a first bike, but I respected the bikes power, and did not buy it to goof off and pull stunts. I wanted it because I was a larger rider, 6-2 235, and wanted a larger type of sport bike..whats more of a beast than the Hayabusa?
The story is kind of silly looking back on it, but I dont regret my decision one bit. I love my bike,have put lots of upgrades on it..and still more to come ,rode thousands of miles on it, never layed it down..it has been a pleasure owning it.
Good topic, it was fun
I probably have one of the most ridiculous stories here. I had wanted a motorcycle all thru highschool, but was unable to get one.My dad was a big bike rider, when we lived in Australia he took a Harley from Sydney to Aeres Rock, for anyone who knows Australia thats one hell of a ride. Anyways I could never decide whether I wanted to get into a Sport bike or a harley type of motorcycle, and then one event started the wheels spinning for me to own my very first bike. I was and am still a huge NFL fan (Go Bears!) I play fantasy football and that year had as my QB...you guessed it Ben Rothlisberger. He had been injured that preseason on his Hayabusa he owned, it was the first time I had heard of the bike and decided to do some looking into it. After alot of researching on it, reading reviews and the praises of it, I decided I had to have one.
I bought A used 2000 with low miles (2,350) from my nextdoor state (Ohio). It was and still is the first motorcycle I have ever owned. I know it is not recommended for this to be a first bike, but I respected the bikes power, and did not buy it to goof off and pull stunts. I wanted it because I was a larger rider, 6-2 235, and wanted a larger type of sport bike..whats more of a beast than the Hayabusa?
The story is kind of silly looking back on it, but I dont regret my decision one bit. I love my bike,have put lots of upgrades on it..and still more to come ,rode thousands of miles on it, never layed it down..it has been a pleasure owning it.
Good topic, it was fun
Zoinks!
Registered
I will agree with you that you can't judge maturity solely on age. You're right, there are a lot of grown men and women out there that are extremely immature. I'm done with this argument because it's never going to end. I'm never gonna convince you that you're wrong, and you're never going to convince me that I'm wrong. But my point still stands, there are some out there that can handle it, and I really don't appreciate you and others on this board acting like it's the dumbest thing in the world for someone to buy the busa first. Basically, if they're not responsible enough to have a busa, then their simply not responsible enough for a motorcycle. Period. Any bike is dangerous, and at least the busa has more of a tendancy to keep the front end down than say a 600 or liter bike. Both will pick up the front very quickly, and without much, or any, warning. That, in my oppinion, is more dangerous than simply having a fast bike. Sorry to nissan for the thread jack; I'm done with my arguments in this thread.
Vigosama
Registered
What brought me to a busa? well that is a great story, one for the ages. It's a story about great friendship, divine intervention, the love of all things two wheeled and a bit of learning how to weld.
We all have that one friend, you know, that one who can fix anything. That one friend who may not be the most tactful, or best educated but still manages to teach you more about life than anyone else. My friend was named Walt(or Lee depending on who you were talking to). Walt was one of those guys who was born taking things apart. You could give that man a pile of scrap steel a motor and a welder and ask him for a helicopter. Well by the end of the week you would have one, it make look like it would take your head off but by golly ( did I just say that?) you would have something that flew. Walt started teaching me how to ride, at the time He had a chopped out Vulcan 1500 and his wifes 800 nomad. Years of riding with him beats any motorcycle saftey class you can take.( plus you learn great riding games as "road kill soccer" or spray your friend with the water bottle at 30mph) Walt was always doing repair work for people, mainly people in his CMA group ( Christian Motorcycle Association). He was also helping me with my cb550 chopper. One day whilst working on the chopper He told me that he was getting a wrecked sport bike as payment for doing some repair work for a guy. All he knew was that it was greater than 600cc's and it was a sport bike. He told me that if it wasn't fixable he was going to turn it into a go-cart.
Anyway a few weeks later I get a call from Walt, He was so happy, he was like a kid on christmas day. His new/wrecked sport bike came in. "Guess what I got?"
"I dunno, a box of twinkies?"
"No, man come on guess..."
"Umm, I hate these games,"
"Dude guess"
"Now you are sounding like my girlfriend.."
"Dude!!!"
"Umm ok your bike didn't come in did it?"
"Yeah, its a 2000 hayabusa..!!!!"
"No-Freaking-way"
"Yup. come over I got it running already"
So I Hightail it across town, and arrive at his house only to be greated by this monstrosity of a bike in the driveway. It was half stripped down. No front cowl/headlight, no side panels, scratched up, bent right handle bar.
"Hop on, you wont believe how fast this thing is"
"Ummm is this agood idea?"
"yeah why?"
"cause with you and I on a bike, thats like 600lbs of male"
"So, it doesnt matter"
SO I hop on, and am treated to the fastest trip around the block ever.
Anyway after getting it all straightened out. We went on to ride that and his 1500 Vulcan for the next 3-4 years.
Unfortunatly Walt died last summer, the week after we took one of the best rides to the omaha zoo. I have sort of inherited this bike from him. I have come to realize, that in life you spend times as "That guy with that friend" or sometimes you get to be "That friend" to someone.
We all have that one friend, you know, that one who can fix anything. That one friend who may not be the most tactful, or best educated but still manages to teach you more about life than anyone else. My friend was named Walt(or Lee depending on who you were talking to). Walt was one of those guys who was born taking things apart. You could give that man a pile of scrap steel a motor and a welder and ask him for a helicopter. Well by the end of the week you would have one, it make look like it would take your head off but by golly ( did I just say that?) you would have something that flew. Walt started teaching me how to ride, at the time He had a chopped out Vulcan 1500 and his wifes 800 nomad. Years of riding with him beats any motorcycle saftey class you can take.( plus you learn great riding games as "road kill soccer" or spray your friend with the water bottle at 30mph) Walt was always doing repair work for people, mainly people in his CMA group ( Christian Motorcycle Association). He was also helping me with my cb550 chopper. One day whilst working on the chopper He told me that he was getting a wrecked sport bike as payment for doing some repair work for a guy. All he knew was that it was greater than 600cc's and it was a sport bike. He told me that if it wasn't fixable he was going to turn it into a go-cart.
Anyway a few weeks later I get a call from Walt, He was so happy, he was like a kid on christmas day. His new/wrecked sport bike came in. "Guess what I got?"
"I dunno, a box of twinkies?"
"No, man come on guess..."
"Umm, I hate these games,"
"Dude guess"
"Now you are sounding like my girlfriend.."
"Dude!!!"
"Umm ok your bike didn't come in did it?"
"Yeah, its a 2000 hayabusa..!!!!"
"No-Freaking-way"
"Yup. come over I got it running already"
So I Hightail it across town, and arrive at his house only to be greated by this monstrosity of a bike in the driveway. It was half stripped down. No front cowl/headlight, no side panels, scratched up, bent right handle bar.
"Hop on, you wont believe how fast this thing is"
"Ummm is this agood idea?"
"yeah why?"
"cause with you and I on a bike, thats like 600lbs of male"
"So, it doesnt matter"
SO I hop on, and am treated to the fastest trip around the block ever.
Anyway after getting it all straightened out. We went on to ride that and his 1500 Vulcan for the next 3-4 years.
Unfortunatly Walt died last summer, the week after we took one of the best rides to the omaha zoo. I have sort of inherited this bike from him. I have come to realize, that in life you spend times as "That guy with that friend" or sometimes you get to be "That friend" to someone.
Zoinks!
Registered
Awesome story man. Sorry to hear about your friend. It's always hard losing someone that close. I hope you have many more years of riding enjoyment, and every time you get on that busa I'm sure you'll think of the story you just shared with us. And welcome to the org. We're always happy to have new members.
Rocket_Man
Registered
I sold my CBR1100 in 2002. To get back in the saddle again, I purchased a Shadow 1100 in May 07, but I sure missed riding a sportbike. At the shop last December:
- Hopped on a ZX14 and "Not bad, but too ugly and not a Kawa fan"
- Hopped on a CBR1000 and "Oh my back!"
- Hopped on a Gixxer1000 and "Oh my butt!"
- Hopped on the Busa and "Oh my gosh, gotta have it". Bought it that day.
The only down side is you WILL go fast, so keep a keen eye out for LEO. But there's never been time when I didn't get off smiling and saying to myself, "Man, what a machine".
- Hopped on a ZX14 and "Not bad, but too ugly and not a Kawa fan"
- Hopped on a CBR1000 and "Oh my back!"
- Hopped on a Gixxer1000 and "Oh my butt!"
- Hopped on the Busa and "Oh my gosh, gotta have it". Bought it that day.
The only down side is you WILL go fast, so keep a keen eye out for LEO. But there's never been time when I didn't get off smiling and saying to myself, "Man, what a machine".
Rayabusa0818
Never Forgotten
Grip it and rip it
IlveMyNissan
Registered
Wow, those are some great sories. I think I will try something smaller to learn on. Also I am only 18, but I am one of those very mature youngins. My car is, well I guess you could say it's fast but I am probably one of the best drivers I know. I never speed when theres people around I actually hardly ever speed, but when I do it's when i'm alone on the freeway, don't streetrace or nothing dumb like that either. But on occasion I have torn up some parking lots drifting, but also at like 2 a.m so theres no one really out. So when I get on a bike i'll be the same way, just taking is slow for a while until I learn how the thing reacts to turns bumps etc. I just want to say thanks for the advice everyone! and keep the stories coming.
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