The full-length metal chainguard...
The full-length metal chainguard from Tiger Racing is designed to provide protection in the event of a chain failure. All the blue bits in this picture (including the axle adjusters and swingarm spools) are from Tasty Nutz. This shot also offers a good view of the super-light, U-spoked Dymag-forged magnesium wheels.
We also used a Lee's Perfomance special windage tray in the oil pan to prevent oil slosh from starving the oil pump pickup, a $95 addition for parts and labor. Shierts' own clutch support helps brace the engine cases from flexing under the load of the MTC two-stage lockup and inner hub that we also added. This clutch mod doesn't count directly toward power production, so we chose not to count its $815 price against the engine budget. Similarly, an aftermarket shift star was added to ensure quicker, more positive shifts for $175.
In addition to the above costs, the general labor charge for the basic engine tear down and rebuild runs $750, plus another $300 to break it in on the dyno and map it. Splickety-pow, next thing you know you're rolling out the door with 225.88 all-motor horsepower and 295.54 hp on the bottle. The grand total for the engine portion of this project added up to $7650, which is right on budget and exactly what we wanted in terms of power. Nice work, Lee!
Chassis Mods
To look the part of a serious street bike (and to help put all this power down to the pavement) we had to lower this Bad 'Busa. Shierts hooked us up with his billet upper triple clamp to drop the forks a few inches, and we also added a set of front-lowering straps to get the front down as low as possible. To drop the rear we added a set of fully adjustable (turnbuckle-style) lowering links, also available from Lee's Performance. These allow complete adjustability and make it easy to either raise or lower the back of the bike in just minutes. With the bike riding this low, the stock kickstand is now worthless, so we also picked up a billet adjustable stand from Lee's extensive parts inventory.
Perhaps we should budget for...
Perhaps we should budget for upgraded brake rotors for the next stage of this project: After a couple hard stops from over 200 mph, the factory rotors were toasted beyond recognition.
Wheels
One of the first things you will notice looking at this bike is the trick, silver-colored Dymag Ultra Pro Forged Magnesium wheels. These are the new hotness from Dymag UK, and not only do they look good, but they save a bundle of rotating weight, too. This makes the 'Busa handle much better than stock. Unlike many aftermarket wheel offerings, the Dymags are also DOT-approved, which means they are street legal and capable of taking the abuse that you'll invariably encounter riding on American roadways. They are not the least expensive wheel on the market at $2951 a pair, but in our opinion, they're well worth it if you're considering upgrading your hoops. To the rear Dymag we bolted on some superlight Vortex sprockets from Street & Track Import Parts, and to ensure that the nitrous-powered 'Busa would not snap a drive chain at the drag strip, we tied these to the motor with one of DID's high-strength, gold-colored, ZVM 530 chains.
Tiger Racing makes quick-disconnect...
Tiger Racing makes quick-disconnect products that allow for easy access under the tank or seat and don't require any tools to use. Once they are locked down, their design offers absolutely security against accidentally coming open.
Accessories
Since one of the primary goals for this bike was to break the 200-mph barrier during the East Coast Timing Association's sanctioned competition at the Maxton Monster Mile, aerodynamics were a chief concern. Adding a Zero Gravity Double Bubble windscreen from Street & Track helped to smooth out airflow over the rider at speed. To clean up the rear fender area, we added a HotBodies undertail, with the rear turn signals integrated for extra good looks.
Some of the coolest bits on this bike come from Tiger Racing, owned by fellow nitrous Hayabusa racer (and multiple record holder) Guy Caputo. Tiger Racing supplied us with a quick-release mechanism for the rider seat as well as the fuel tank. Both of these are easy to install and once in place allow you to quickly remove the seat or raise the tank without tools. Tiger Racing also makes the full-length metal chain guard that is required by most land speed sanctioning bodies (which should be part of any serious rider's safety equipment).