Time to change?

[dm_gsxr]

Rita says my 'busa, with 106,000 miles and an 8,000 mile trip coming in a few weeks, will start falling apart during the trip and it's time for a new bike.    

While a new bike would be cool, I have time invested plus all the farkles to make it my bike. I'm a little OCD about maintenance (although I don't keep written track of the work; that mess hands thing I guess ) so there's no reason to even think of a new bike yet.

Maybe she just wants to see something new in the garage

(This came up because she's going to a mosaic class in Mexico in October for her birthday present, so I'm looking at a new guitar as my birthday present. Checking craigslist for a Gibson Les Paul here shortly )

Carl

[sagerat]

Well if the 'Busa is still running fine, why mess with a good thing.  If it dies on the trip, intone "dear, you were right once again.  I'm now going to go buy a new bike."

Then immediately start up a 43-page thread about what your new bike should be.  

[Kneescrubber]

Rita says my 'busa, with 106,000 miles and an 8,000 mile trip coming in a few weeks, will start falling apart during the trip and it's time for a new bike.

Funny. You never mentioned she was an experienced mechanic before. You have codependency issues. A new bike will not solve those issues in the long term.

[dm_gsxr]

Actually she's trying to talk me out of a new guitar by saying the bike will fail on the trip and I should wait.

Carl

[Kneescrubber]

Actually she's trying to talk me out of a new guitar by saying the bike will fail on the trip and I should wait.

Carl

Again, you never mentioned her mechanical prowess before.

[mxvet57]

What is this shit about high mileage.



I'll be puting another 2000 on this week end.

[Kneescrubber]

What is this shit about high mileage.



I'll be puting another 2000 on this week end.

You are for sure a manly man. All bow to the great and wonderful motocross veteran.  

[dm_gsxr]

Again, you never mentioned her mechanical prowess before.

It's because she doesn't have any  She's of the belief that 100,000 miles on a vehicle means it's going to break down. Personally I'm shooting for 200,000 miles

Carl

[Andrew]

Well if she wants you to get a new bike   Why should you argue

Was there any mention of getting rid of the Busa

No reason you should not have two bikes (well save the maintenance/farkling/ insurance and what have you expenses)

I say buy a Duc that way you will need to keep the Busa (just so you have a trustworthy dependable bike to ride while the Duc is in for maintenance/repairs  

[Prozac]

Personally I'm shooting for 200,000 miles

I guess there you have it.  Start a new thread in 94k miles.  

[06_wi_vfr]

Get the Les now!

[falconati]

Ed, are you still running the original oil in the FJR?  

[dm_gsxr]

Get the Les now!

Oh, I'm looking

I was checking a Gibson Les Paul Studio as not being too far out of craziness.





Carl

[HipGnosis]

I'm a little OCD about maintenance (although I don't keep written track of the work

So full of  

[dm_gsxr]

 
So full of  

Well, if I'm riding it until it crashes or breaks, it's not all that big a deal

I do keep copies of all larger receipts (not oil and stuff).

Carl

[Flyer]

My immediate thought is "there must be some big-assed mosaic doiley-making machine on e-bay", but hey, I don't know Rita!  
I've seen your 'Zuki, and wouldn't part with it either, unless it came unglued.

[Rogue]

Is the Busa burning oil?  

108k miles on a Busa.  Over 200k miles on an FJR.

Clearly, both these bikes should have exploded at 10k miles.
 

[dm_gsxr]

Is the Busa burning oil?  

108k miles on a Busa.  Over 200k miles on an FJR.

Clearly, both these bikes should have exploded at 10k miles.

I had a little drip but when I replaced the oil plug crush washer, it went away

I've replaced gallons of oil, used gallons of gas, replaced the oil filter many times, chains, tires, brake pads. I replaced the front shocks after my trip to deals gap when I scraped the underside of the plastic and the toe of my boot. I replaced the front and rear brake lines. I've replaced the seal in the lower clutch plunger and upper one. I've replaced the sprockets front and rear. I've replaced the clutch plates twice. I did the kickstand mod, replaced the radiator fan, added a blue sea fuse box, a luggage rack, a stebal horn, a yellow box odometer healer, a couple of gerbings plugs including a dash mounted one, replaced the grips twice, added heated grips, had a custom built rack (which I designed) so I could mount a 5 gallon tourtank, added a 12v power plug, rammounts for a camera, switched out the air filter with one I can clean, replaced the seat with a Corbin after it cracked and fell apart, cut the rear seat off because I forgot to connect the disconnect cable, patched a crack with fiberglass (I need to do the other side too). I had the stock exhaust with 4 into 1 Yosh and a Power Commander III and the engine seals replaced along with a new cam chain and new rings. The valves have been checked twice and adjusted once (when I had the seals done). The first time I replaced the headlight I had to disassemble the front end. The last time I only removed the left side dash. I've installed a modulating headlight (currently disabled after the headlight connector melted down) and brake light. I've replaced the headlight several times, the brake lights a couple, the turn signals never.

I've been to Alaska (got a flat 125 miles from Fairbanks), Labrador (missed the ferry and anxiously waited for morning), San Diego, and will hit Key West in a few weeks. The bike's been on it's side a few times, including some in dirt. It's been ridden in rain, sleet, snow, and on hardpack snow.

The only thing that's actually broken in the bike was when the rectifier/regulator melted down and I needed a ride home.

(It's hard to stop once you get going )

It might break down, but it sure seems unlikely.

Carl

[Justin]

It might break down, but it sure seems unlikely.

Carl

And the items that did need replacing, like the fork springs, I'd bed that has something to do with riding Alaska and Labrador  .

many 100's of miles of dirt road on a sport bike sure shakes the shit out of things.

[dm_gsxr]

And the items that did need replacing, like the fork springs, I'd bed that has something to do with riding Alaska and Labrador  .

many 100's of miles of dirt road on a sport bike sure shakes the shit out of things.

Actually those things were more to improve the ride. Most of the problems dirt roads caused were fork seals. One of the guys on suzukihayabusa.com did some testing and determined the stock springs were for a short skinny guy vs us hefty sized guys. When I was at Deals Gap with the group, I scraped the bottom of the front of the body plastic so I needed a stiffer setup. But yea, riding the dirt is an experience on a busa

Carl