Endurance Hayabusa

[PawnBroker]

Dale,

how does the Busa compare to the BlackBird as an LD bike?


PB  

[1KPerDay]

Wow... those bikes are much less fugly in black.

[Warchild]

I thought botched laser surgery hashed your eyeballs too bad to ride competitively any more.  

Correct. I really don't ride competitively anymore... but I can still do them, it's just the nighttime speeds are well below what is needed to run competitively. So I pretty much just run them for fun.  

Dale,

how does the Busa compare to the BlackBird as an LD bike?

The Blackbird is a much superior platform for this activity. In all candidness, there are only 2 areas that the Gen II Busa completely swamps the XX: the powerplant (duh!), and the suspension. Otherwise, the ergos, rider protection and ride comfort all go to the Blackbird, no question about it.

Interestingly, however, I get better gas mileage with the Busa.....

[DNA]

Nice kit - I really like it. Couple of questions:

1) Drink tube. I had a hydration tube similarly situated, but when I ran the tube under my leg, it annoyed me constantly.  When I had it outside my leg...let's just say jumping on and off snapping boni is not facilitated by untangling from another tube.  

2) I am planning on upgrading the Rally Sprint and was planning on an FJR next year.  Why are you moving away from your previously vocal support (I have not been following your exploits in to much detail).

3) Did your Hell week get approved yet?

Any chance you will come over and ride an East coast event some time?  There are several fun ones (as I anguishes over the MD2020 routes from hell for tomorrow)

[1KPerDay]

The Blackbird is a much superior platform for this activity. In all candidness, there are only 2 areas that the Gen II Busa completely swamps the XX: the powerplant (duh!), and the suspension. Otherwise, the ergos, rider protection and ride comfort all go to the Blackbird, no question about it.

So why switch? I'd imagine that total power and suspension were of minor importance on LD runs, while the other issues would be paramount. Correct me if I'm wrong

[Slonishku]

Well Dale, you say 10 gallons, but you never know what kind of random volume some of those goofy IBA tech inspectors might come up with...

[Justin]

Well Dale, you say 10 gallons, but you never know what kind of random volume some of those goofy IBA tech inspectors might come up with...

LOL

[Warchild]

So why switch? I'd imagine that total power and suspension were of minor importance on LD runs, while the other issues would be paramount. Correct me if I'm wrong

You are correct for long, multi-day events (Iron Butt Rally, Run What Ya Brung, etc), and for Endurance events held east of the Rockies.

But for the kind of mischief we typically see here out West, power and handling definitely take on new levels of meaning.  


 

[1KPerDay]

I'm hip.

[Specter]

 If romping up and down the Basins and Ranges of Nevada, it's more like 320 miles before the Low Fuel light illuminates....

So, that's about three fill-ups between rear tire changes

[Black Ice]

So, that's about three fill-ups between rear tire changes

This is WarChild we're talking about.  There's no way his rear tires last that long.  

[Warchild]

This is WarChild we're talking about.  There's no way his rear tires last that long.  

True.... I DNF'ed at the Utah 1088 last month due to the rear Dunlop Qualifier melting away under the extreme conditions.... I had mounted up this tire just 4 days prior:





Obviously, in hindsight, under these brutal conditions the Qualifier was a poor choice with regard to rear treadlife. But it sure stuck like glue while it lasted!  

[squeezer]

Obviously, in hindsight, under these brutal conditions (snip)

I love the phrase "brutal conditions" since it sounds like it was due to the "force of nature" rather than the "force of right wrist."
 

I should invest in tire companies before the 1088...  

[1KPerDay]

Shoot... that tire's got at least 500 more miles on it. *ptui*

 

[protondecay123]

Nice set up!