I've been trying to get my hands on a 'Busa for a longterm test bike for years. While I was working in Europe the plan was to go sightseeing all over the continent at triple-digit speeds, then on the East Coast I wanted to drag race one for a season. For various reasons it fell through repeatedly, but finally I have my hands on one, and plans have changed again.
Initially the idea was to install go-fast parts and examine just what it takes to get into the 9-second mark at the quarter-mile strip. Now some of you are likely scratching your heads because the stock bike has been reported making passes in the 9s. And that's true, but there's a catch-the pilots making those passes are small enough to fit in my pocket.
The scale tips over in the 240 range in street clothes, so once I'm geared up there's well over 250 pounds on top of the bike. To some of you that might even be light, but the point is that riders in the 200-plus category need to do some serious mods to make good time. Not only does our weight sap power but our size kills the aerodynamics that the designers worked so hard to achieve.
Just about the time I was accepting the key for the Suzuki we learned that our only local strip in the L.A. area had been shut down-time for plan B.
The Maxton Monster Mile event in September immediately came to mind because we'd also heard of the new 'Busa breaking 200 mph with minimal mods. But again, this was with a pint-sized jockey on board. Our modified plan for the bike is to see what it will take for someone in the 200-plus-pound club to break into the 200-plus-mph club. We'll be bolting on various go-fast goodies while trying to reduce weight (but I'm not skipping any lunches!).
Look for a full exhaust, some lightweight wheels, and all the rest of the go-fast goodies that will hopefully help me achieve 200 mph in September. Hell, we might even throw in a trackday or a trip up the coast in the course of the build as well.