Apples and Oranges

[jride]

Ok as the title says this is a apples and oranges topic BUT i recently had someone tell me that the hayabusa

makes a great sport touring bike. This is dependent on the addition of risers, taller screen, and bags.

So my question as i have never ridden a busa is there anything to his statment or is it just bull? :huh:

 

[madmike2]

Welll....yes, it does. In fact, the owner of Pashnit (Linky Thingy) rides one all over NorCal and beyond (Pictures Here). Being more a GT bike than a pure sport bike there are many who hangs soft bags (some hard cases, like Givi) on them and use them as a sport touring bike. Much the same that some do with the Honda Blackbird, Suzuki DLs (Man-strom and Wee-strom), BMW GS, like motorcyclists have done for years with many different manufacturer's offerings from sport bikes to semi-standards to standards.

Is it a pure sport touring bike, purpose designed, like the Connie, Honda ST, FJR, Beemer RT, Norge, Triumph ST, etc.? Nope. But if you can ride in that position it would make an excellent "S-T" bike. Sure, you'd have to modify it to suit your comfort and purpose but some of us do that with the FJR.

It is definitely more powerful, quicker (above 100 mph), faster and has better brakes. The engine is very smooth and so is the transmission. On the down side, it will likely be more difficult to add electrical components (HIDs, heated clothing, auxiliary fuse blocks, etc., because of the limited space under the fairings, but it has been done and quite successfully.

AND, our own "Benevolent Dictator", Mr. Warchild his-own-self has one set up for long distance work.

Lookie Here

 

[dcarver]

It's ALL bull.

 

[CHRIS_D]

It's ALL bull.

In fact it's just a big scam by Suzuki. They secretly send out this random information to trick many poor unkowning people into thinking that a "busa is really a tourer" mind set. I mean I thought everyone knew that a Busa is really al "sport only" kill everyone evil motorcycle that only crazy people ride. :blink: :blink:

 

[happyPuppy]

The guy from pashnit does have a pretty cool ST setup base on a 'Busa. I saw him in the Gold country of CA on an organized ride. If you like SB's and occasional touring ( or going really fast) it can be done pretty well.

 

[El Toro]

Before you go to buy one, check the insurance rates. While its possible to set one up for sport touring, some folks have reported very large insurance premiums. Whether they're cost prohibitive depends on your sensitivity to cost.

As for riding position, it just depends on what you can get used to. My muscles adapt over time and repetition of the posture. I used to think that the only comfortable riding position was what I called SBRP, i.e., standard british riding position, which I enjoyed on the regular bikes of my youth. Today I can get comfortable on a very wide range of bikes.

 

[joeR6]

If you can handle the riding position (more weight on your wrists) than the busa can be a great sport tourer with some bar risers, bags (preferrably hardbags) and a larger screen. There are so many aftermarket parts for the busa too. I rode a bmw k1200s (bravarian busa) that had the optional hardbags for three days in socal -like the busa, if it had bar risers and definately a more comfy seat I could see it as a great sport tourer. Again you are leaning more forward than on the fjr (fjr having an upright seating position), even if the busa is equipped with bar risers so for some people this is more uncomfortable when going long distances. FJR is a true sport tourer right out of the box IMO.

 

[Bungie]

Sssh... don't tell my friend Sandy her 'Busa with hard bags isn't a sport tourer. Here she is on the Dragon on her way from Sudbury to FL last October

(Reason its in bold is I thought she was nuts, she got snowed on on the way home!)

 

[T/a Pierre]

I can tell you thing. The Busa is much more comfortable than my R1!

We did a 9hour trip, on my R1 I felt as if I was not going to make it. My bud on his Busa was full of energy, never complained once!!

 

[MotorToad]

The Hayabusa is a great bike, ruined by its capabilities and the baggage that accompanies that. (Also it looks porky, but that's another matter.) People rave about the CBR-XX and the 'Busa is Suzuki's version of that bike, just a bit more so. Maybe if they came out with a version that looked like a Bandit or a GSX-R people would see it more as a regular bike and not as a ghettofabulous, stretched-out, kustom-krome drag bike.

When people think Busa, though, they think this

and not

 

[madmike2]

The Hayabusa is a great bike, ruined by its capabilities and the baggage that accompanies that. (Also it looks porky, but that's another matter.) People rave about the CBR-XX and the 'Busa is Suzuki's version of that bike, just a bit more so. Maybe if they came out with a version that looked like a Bandit or a GSX-R people would see it more as a regular bike and not as a ghettofabulous, stretched-out, kustom-krome drag bike.
When people think Busa, though, they some think this

Y'know, I am soooooo far removed from that scene I never think of any bike modified like that. I see a couple 'Busas on my commute and 2 of my customers have them (Plus Warchild's and Pashnit's) so that's the image I have.

Er...uh...ahem...them laigs in thet pitcher wuz nice, though! :blink: