The other side of my garage

[busa1300]

  Thanks.
Which one to ride would be great if I lived in the South West.....but in Northern Indiana....it has been Since last October 

Quite a big gap between the 1988 FZR and the next bike I bought....a 2002 Hayabusa.
Bought brand new as a present to myself for getting my seriously screwed up life finally straightened out, and completely out of the system....
....(clean and sober for over 20 years now).... Bikes are my only addiction now.

Not many pics of the Hayabusa, as black seems to be a hard color to get good pictures with.....
Here it is in 2012 when I went to the first annual Wilmington Mile with the ECTA....rain at the starting line....



And on a ride I took to do some white water rafting, and ride the Tail of the Dragon.

[Evans Ward]

Love your stable/ collection! 

[busa1300]

Thanks 
It has taken a while to get there, but I think I'm only 3-4 years away from having all my projects done....

Project burn out is what ended up causing me to buy my KTM 1290SDGT.
After spending a ridiculous amount of $$$ for my RZV500R project, and then to find out it had rust in the cylinders (only 6000 miles from new)
And knowing with rust in cylinders, a good chance of bearing issues as well.....The thought of splitting the cases and the expense of parts caused me to throw in the towel (for about 5 months anyway) and get a bike I only had to put gas in and ride.
And with 175HP I was too weak to resist it....The test ride had me signing papers.

In the showroom



Riding it home from the dealer



Ready to go, as my RZV sits on a table to continue to collect dust

[yaman]

gotta have a working bike to let the projects roll
heh, was at the track riding with a guy that had come strait from the dealer with his KTM, oh that sound!!!

[busa1300]

I took my wife with me for the test ride...as I was initially buying it for two up travel.
She has never had positive things to say about any type of exhaust sounds before.....but when on the KTM she said she really liked how it thumped 
Just one more reason to take it home

The Hayabusa and the 1290SDGT were both beaten with the ugly stick.....but you never see it while using up that 175HP

[SoCal250]

Here it is in 2012 when I went to the first annual Wilmington Mile with the ECTA....rain at the starting line....

I like this shot of the 'Busa. Looks like you're clear for take-off!

[busa1300]

Thanks 
I was actually waiting to be cleared for take off......bike sat on the line for over an hour before track was dry enough for a run...
Standing on the line in wet leathers in about 50 degree weather. I swore off ever doing top speed running again, until last year when I went to Bonneville to get back on track for the salt this year.

[busa1300]

And one for my wife.
KTM 390 Duke
Very fun little bike, and great for beginners to start out on.
Or if you like practicing wheelies 







After pulling the rear fender off







Sadly it only has 220 miles on it in 3 years.
Wife says if she doesn't ride it the beginning of next year, it will have to go to someone who will enjoy it.
She'd rather take the easy route and sit behind me....

[RDryan]

I took my wife with me for the test ride...as I was initially buying it for two up travel.
She has never had positive things to say about any type of exhaust sounds before.....but when on the KTM she said she really liked how it thumped 
Just one more reason to take it home

The Hayabusa and the 1290SDGT were both beaten with the ugly stick.....but you never see it while using up that 175HP

Hi busa1300 sorry I don't have any pics to back my claim here but I to own a 16'1290SDGT. Mine's the one that wears the orange fairing shrouds along with orange/black hard bags. At first it was a bit too orange for my taste and I really wanted to get some kinda graphics sticker kit to subdue that but the color scheme has grown on me. Also mine is pretty much all stock with exception of some R&G frame sliders,radiator guard, and tinted windscreen that the previous owner added. I got her with 9k on the odo and  what a beast. At this point I really like the bike a lot and only have a few legit gripes. Being 5,10 I can't flat foot it at stop lights except when I do the peg leg to one side but that's fine as I get used to it and really bikes are made to be ridden anyways not idling in traffic. On that note I also find it a bit frustrating to snicker that gearbox into neutral which seems so much harder to find coming to stops than say your Hayabusa or my 06'gixxer 1000. Again I except this and often times I just keep the clutch pulled in a a stop. I do find the shifts to be buttery smooth if and hard to explain one attempts just the right timing of on/off throttle clutch work in the attempt at spirited riding otherwise the shifts can be in the words of Jay Leno a wee bit "agricultural" and in my words just plain clunky,

Seriously though my bike in stock form with no power mods what soever sounds quiet yet purposeful and has more power than I really get the opportunity to use, Exciting! The handling seems to be far beyond it's dry/wet weights as well. It's also amazing how practical the bike can be going grocery/cloths shopping and or picking up my favorite brews on the way home ;D. It's an overall amazing do all bike that I didn't want to buy new and glad I had the means to get into used. However looking back maybe well worth trading up for a new one next year or two. It's the ultimate compromise bike.

[busa1300]

I took my wife with me for the test ride...as I was initially buying it for two up travel.
She has never had positive things to say about any type of exhaust sounds before.....but when on the KTM she said she really liked how it thumped 
Just one more reason to take it home

The Hayabusa and the 1290SDGT were both beaten with the ugly stick.....but you never see it while using up that 175HP

It's an overall amazing do all bike that I didn't want to buy new and glad I had the means to get into used. However looking back maybe well worth trading up for a new one next year or two. It's the ultimate compromise bike.

That was one of the biggest reasons I got mine....it can do basically ANYTHING you ask of it.
Drag race / track day / haul a couple gallons of milk on my way home from riding it to work / nice rides around the lakes or to wineries for the wife / wheelies and stoppies / or anything else other than big jumps on a dirt bike track.
I lost all interest in every other bike I had in the garage for the first riding season I had it....
At 0.9 percent financing and over 25% off the list price I couldn't find a reason to say no to a new one.

[busa1300]

One of the reasons I bought my KTM was because I was tired of working on two strokes so much.
But I had a large investment in my RZV and I had to finish it.
I went on to build another two stroke project....and I have found myself burned out again with never ending work on projects.
Because these strokers always need some type of attention when you have more than one....
Along with my trip to Bonneville this year...I found myself wanting the newest baddest sports bike possible for a future run.
And a bike I could just turn the key and go...every time every day without any concerns....
I ended up selling the CBX on the previous page as well as a RGV project that was languishing for too many years.

This is what I got
217HP...a two stroke powerband has nothing on this bike.

[SoCal250]

Congrats Randy, that's a bad-ass machine!

Quite the museum in the background. I totally understand the need to just jump on and go riding, instead of doing continuous maintenance and wrenching. I can relate and I have nowhere near the vintage 2T quiver you're hoarding.

[busa1300]

Thanks 
Yea...the constant need to search for parts for the bikes I have has turned into a serious pain in the ass.
The last straw was when I had decided that I wanted to start doing track days next year on my RS250, tried starting it and the right cylinder started fouling out and had major smoke coming from it.... Need to do a leakdow, but guessing a crank seal letting trans oil burn... Either way, a like new engine has to be rebuilt because it sat too long.

[busa1300]

The same time I bitch about too many projects.....I get an offer I can't pass up.

1983 CB1100F.....one year only model....
Makes 20 more HP than the new CB1100 Honda produced....progress.
Not a Honda guy, so not sure if I'm going to have it long, but always liked the 1100 version. If I keep it, first thing is a repaint back to original red/white...
Although, if I do keep it I might turn it into a CB1100R if I find a deal on the aluminum factory tank.

[dgorms]

"Offer I can't pass up" ! Story of my life...............................D