New Toy

Good luck with the bike, looks like a beast. Here's my bike... just a little 636.

 

Good luck with the bike, looks like a beast. Here's my bike... just a little 636.

How do you like it? I would really like to get one of the new 636s.

That does look good!

Love the bike!

 

I just picked up a '78 CB750K two days ago myself, plan on turning it into a cafe.

 

Very cool! Looks like a classic. I just got back home with the bike. Almost 600 miles today to pick it up and truck it back.

That thing looks like a beast! I picked up this Hayabusa last week, its stock and I can barley handle it. I cant imagine doing mods to the bike. Choppers are horribly uncomfortable you made the right choice. Congrats!

 

Hayubsa.org has a good forum.

 

Definitely get some good riding gear: good helmet, leather jacket, gloves, back protector etc. Well worth the investment.

 

Some good riding trips, copied from the Hayabusa forum:

 

50 Ways to Stay Alive

I pulled this from Katriders, thought it was pretty good.

 

1. Assume you're invisible.

To a lot of drivers, you are. Never make a move based on the assumption that another driver sees you, even if you've made eye contact. Bikes don't register to the four-wheel mind

 

2. Be considerate

The consequences of strafing the jerk du jour or cutting him off, start out bad and get worse. Pretend it was your grandma and smile.

 

3. Dress for the crash, not the pool or the pub

Sure, McDonalds is a 5-minute trip, but nobody plans to eat pavement. Modern mesh gear means 100-degree heat and is no excuse for a T-shirt and board shorts

 

4. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

Assume that car across the intersection will turn across your bow when the light goes green, with or without a turn signal

 

5. Leave your ego at home

The only people who really care if you were faster on the freeway will be the officer and the judge

 

6. Pay attention

Yes, there is a half-naked girl on the billboard. That shock does feels squishy. Meanwhile, you could be drifting toward Big Trouble. Focus

 

7. Mirrors only show you part of the picture.

Never change direction without turning your head to make sure the coast really is clear

 

8. Be patient

Always take another second or three before you pull out to pass, ride away from a curb or into freeway traffic from an on-ramp. It's what you don't see that gets you. That extra look could save your butt

 

9. Watch your closing speed.

Passing cars at twice their speed or changing lanes to shoot past a row of stopped cars is just asking for trouble

 

10. Beware the verge and the merge.

A lot of nasty surprises end up on the sides of the road: empty McDonalds bags, nails, TV antennas, ladders, you name it. Watch for troublesome debris on both sides of the road

 

11. Left-turning cars remain a leading killer of motorcyclists.

Dont assume someone will wait for you to dart through the intersection. They're trying to beat the light, too

 

12. Beware of cars running traffic lights.

The first few seconds after a signal light changes are the most perilous. Look both ways before barging into an intersection.

 

13. Check your mirrors.

Do it every time you change lanes, slow down or stop. Be ready to move if another vehicle is about to occupy the space your planned to use

 

14. Mind the gap.

Remember Drivers Ed? One seconds worth of distance per 10 mph is the old rule of thumb. Better still, scan the next 12 seconds ahead for potential trouble

 

15. Beware of boy racers.

They're quick and their drivers tend to be aggressive. Dont assume youve beaten one away from a light or outpaced it in traffic and change lanes without looking. You could end up as a civic hood ornament

 

16. Excessive entrance speed hurts

Its the leading cause of single-bike accidents on twisty roads and racetracks. In Slow, Out Fast is the old adage, and it still works. Dialing up corner speed is safer than scrubbing it off.

 

17. Dont trust that deer whistle

Ungulates and other feral beasts prowl at dawn and dusk, so heed those big yellow signs. If youre riding in a target-rich environment, slow down and watch the shoulders

 

18. Learn to use both brakes.

The front does most of your stopping, but a little rear brake on corner entry can calm a nervous chassis

 

19. Keep the front brake coveredalways.

Save a single second of reaction time at 60 mph and you can stop 88 feet shorter. Think about that

 

20. Look where you want to go.

Use the miracle of target fixation to your advantage. The motorcycle goes where you look, so focus on the solution instead of the problem.

 

21. Keep your eyes moving.

Traffic is always shifting, so keep scanning for potential trouble. Dont lock your eyes on any one thing for too long unless youre actually dealing with trouble.

 

22. Think before you act.

Careful whipping around that micra going 7 kph in a 30-kph zone or you could end up with your head in the drivers side door when he turns into the driveway right in front of you.

 

23. Raise your gaze.

Its too late to do anything about the 20 feet immediately in front of your fender, so scan the road far enough ahead to see trouble and change trajectory.

 

24. Get your mind right in the driveway.

Most accidents happen during the first 15 minutes of a ride, below 40 mph, near an intersection or driveway. Yes, that could be your driveway.

 

25. Come to a full stop at that next stop sign.

Put a foot down. Look again. Anything less forces a snap decision with no time to spot potential trouble.

 

26. Never dive into a gap in stalled traffic.

Cars may have stopped for a reason, and you may not be able to see why until its too late to do anything about it.

 

27 Dont saddle up more than you can handle.

If you weigh 95 pounds, avoid that 795-pound cruiser. If youre 5-foot-5, forget those towering adventure-tourers.

 

28. Watch for car doors opening in traffic.

And smacking a car thats swerving around some goofballs open door is just as painful.

 

29. Dont get in an intersection rut.

Watch for a two-way stop after a string of four-way intersections. If you expect cross-traffic to stop, there could be a painful surprise when it doesnt.

 

30. Stay in your comfort zone when youre with a group.

Riding over your head is a good way to end up in the ditch. Any bunch worth riding with will have a rendezvous point where youll be able to link up again.

 

31. Give your eyes some time to adjust.

A minute or two of low light heading from a well-lighted garage onto dark streets is a good thing. Otherwise, youre essentially flying blind for the first mile or so

 

32. Master the slow U-turn.

Practice. Park your butt on the outside edge of the seat and lean the bike into the turn, using your body as a counterweight as you pivot around the rear wheel.

 

33. Who put a stop sign at the top of this hill?

Dont panic. Use the rear brake to keep from rolling back down. Use Mr. Throttle and Mr. Clutch normally and smoothly to pull away.

 

34. If it looks slippery, assume it is.

A patch of suspicious pavement could be just about anything. Butter Flavor Crisco? Gravel? Mobil 1? Or maybe its nothing. Better to slow down for nothing than go on your head.

 

35. Bang! A blowout! Now what?

No sudden moves. The motorcycle isnt happy, so be prepared to apply a little calming muscle to maintain course Ease back the throttle, brake gingerly with the good wheel and pull over very smoothly to the shoulder. Big sigh.

 

36. Drops on the faceshield?

Its raining. Lightly misted pavement can be slipperier than when its been rinsed by a downpour, and you never know how much grip there is. Apply maximum-level concentration, caution and smoothness.

 

37. Emotions in check?

To paraphrase Mr. Ice Cube, chickity-check yoself before you wreck yoself. Emotions are as powerful as any drug, so take inventory every time you saddle up. If youre mad, sad, exhausted or anxious, stay put.

 

38. Wear good gear.

Wear stuff that fits you and the weather If youre too hot or too cold or fighting with a jacket that binds across the shoulders, youre dangerous. Its that simple.

 

39. Leave the iPod at home.

You wont hear that cement truck in time with Spinal Tap cranked to 11, but they might like your headphones in intensive care.

 

40. Learn to swerve.

Be able to do two tight turns in quick succession. Flick left around the bag of briquettes, then right back to your original trajectory. The bike will follow your eyes, so look at the way around, not the briquettes. Now practice till its a reflex

 

41. Be smooth at low speeds.

Take some angst out, especially of slow-speed maneuvers, with a bit of rear brake. It adds a welcome bit of stability by minimizing unwelcome weight transfer and potentially bothersome driveline lash

 

42. Flashing is good for you.

Turn signals get your attention by flashing, right? So a few easy taps on the pedal or lever before stopping makes your brake light more eye-catching to trailing traffic

 

43. Intersections are scary, so hedge your bets.

Put another vehicle between your bike and the possibility of someone running the stop sign/red light on your right and you cut your chances of getting nailed in half

 

44. Tune your peripheral vision.

Pick a point near the center of that wall over there. Now scan as far as you can by moving your attention, not your gaze. The more you can see without turning your head, the sooner you can react to trouble

 

45. All alone at a light that wont turn green?

Put as much motorcycle as possible directly above the sensor wire usually buried in the pavement beneath you and located by a round or square pattern behind the limit line. If the light still wont change, try putting your kickstand down, right on the wire. You should be on your way in seconds

 

46. Every-thing is harder to see after dark.

Even You. Adjust your headlights, Carry a clear faceshield and have your game all the way on after dark, especially during commuter hours

 

47. Dont troll next toor right behind Mr. Peterbilt.

If one of those 18 retreads blows upwhich they do with some regularity it de-treads, and that can be ugly. Unless you like dodging huge chunks of flying rubber, keep your distance

 

48. Take the panic out of panic stops.

Develop an intimate relationship with your front brake. Seek out some safe, open pavement. Starting slowly, find that fine line between maximum braking and a locked wheel, and then do it again, and again

 

49. Make your tires right

None of this stuff matters unless your skins are right. Dont take em for granted Make sure pressure is spot-on every time you ride. Check for cuts, nails and other junk they might have picked up, as well as general wear

 

50. Take a deep breath.

Count to 10. Smile at the idiot. Forgetting some clowns 80-mph indiscretion beats running the risk of ruining your life, or ending it

 

That thing looks like a beast! I picked up this Hayabusa last week, its stock and I can barley handle it. I cant imagine doing mods to the bike. Choppers are horribly uncomfortable you made the right choice. Congrats!

 

Hayubsa.org has a good forum.

 

Definitely get some good riding gear: good helmet, leather jacket, gloves, back protector etc. Well worth the investment.

Dude! WTF is wrong with you! You cant even drive a car! You got a death wish?

Dude! WTF is wrong with you! You cant even drive a car! You got a death wish?

:thefinger:

 

I got bike skillz though!!

Good luck with the bike, looks like a beast. Here's my bike... just a little 636.

 

 

Bike looks great!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i'm noticing a theme with all of your vehicles.........

Lol, thanks! I plan to unload the bike from the truck at my parents and then try it out in their neighborhood before I venture home. Can't wait. That lost is good!

I ride street and track,Safety course doesn't do shit. Get to a track school like California superbike. You will learn some proper skills then. I raced bikes for years and still go to courses to keep me sharp. This is me at miller in Utah 2 weeks ago

 

From what I've seen of the Superbike website, I'd agree (same as Las Vegas, right?).

 

Nothing against the normal MSF safety course which is good, but superbike school has a "lean bike", "brake bike", etc. training wheels in a safe location. It's too good to be true I think.

 

Nice lean there, Mr. Gravano.

Congrats on the Busa, Chip!

Congrats on the Busa, Chip!

 

Thanks! Even MSF has a lot more courses but at this point, just practicing will do me good. I won't be able to do much leaning on this tire in the twisties anyways lol

Thanks! Even MSF has a lot more courses but at this point, just practicing will do me good. I won't be able to do much leaning on this tire in the twisties anyways lol

 

 

Anything can be leaned over.

From what I've seen of the Superbike website, I'd agree (same as Las Vegas, right?).

 

Nothing against the normal MSF safety course which is good, but superbike school has a "lean bike", "brake bike", etc. training wheels in a safe location. It's too good to be true I think.

 

Nice lean there, Mr. Gravano.

 

 

All true and thank you.

38. Wear good gear.

Wear stuff that fits you and the weather If youre too hot or too cold or fighting with a jacket that binds across the shoulders, youre dangerous. Its that simple.

I dont want to be one of those guys. But good gear is awesome! I have a Shoei Helmet, I always thought they are a waste of money, you can get a Scorpian for 200 and they are decent. But after my Shoei I am sold, its all Ill own. Its light, comfortable, has vents to keep you cool, they are truly great helmets.

I had a Shoei before but am trying out a Speed and Strength helmet now. I rode the bike this morning. About 15 miles of a mix of everything. Surprised at how easy it is to ride but I haven't even gotten 50% throttle. Doesn't feel too bad in turns either, just a bit more push to turn. I love it though!

 

So. Much. Fun. Put about 50 miles on it today. I wish I had gotten another bike sooner. It's such a nice option to have AND filled up the tank for....$15.

Glad you are enjoying it! Riding is one of the most enjoyable things ever, Ill put 50-100 a day just joy riding. stay safe!

So. Much. Fun. Put about 50 miles on it today. I wish I had gotten another bike sooner. It's such a nice option to have AND filled up the tank for....$15.

I love that part of it. Filled up my car yesterday for the first time in a month, only drive it to get groceries really. Bike $12 a week.

I love that part of it. Filled up my car yesterday for the first time in a month, only drive it to get groceries really. Bike $12 a week.

 

The shitty part is, I bring my work laptop home almost everyday and I don't really want to have a heavy backpack on to and from work. So i'll try to leave it at work some days and ride the bike more.

Figured I would update this. I've put about 1200 miles on the bike, including a 350 mile round trip in one day. LOVE IT!!! However, I rolled the bike out of the garage and was about to get on it and noticed my front chain (with the extended swingarm and jackshaft setup I have 2 chains) was very, very loose. Put it back in the garage but it turns out my front chain is toast. Guessing it was already going but I just had to order all new chains and sprockets and a new jackshaft from the swingarm maker...not cheap. But at least I'll know everything is done right now and good for a while. Ended up getting a good deal on some custom pink alligator skin seats at the same time lol. Also gold chains. Hopefully get the parts in next week and I can get back to riding soon!

That sucks. At least you noticed it before you were riding it.

 

I noticed this about a week after I began riding my bike(bought the bike in April then Winter came back). Riding to work I noticed the rear tire spun a lot, which is weird because the other Buells I have ridden just lift the front tire. Turns out the weather checked original tire on this bike wasnt as good as I thought. That happens when you buy a bike that has been sitting for 3 years.

Yeah, definitely could have been worse. And all the parts were like $800 and should last a while so it's really not terrible.