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AR918

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That's a magnificent model. The problems you had certainly don't show on the finished result. 

 

Is it a coincidence that the most recent issue of Ride magazine has a feature called "Why we love the Hayabusa"? I've never been able to justify owning one but I certainly understand the attraction. 

 

:goodjob:

 

Dave G

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On ‎23‎/‎02‎/‎2019 at 12:51, keefr22 said:

Knowing nothing about bikes, I have no idea why the colours were 'infamous', but I think they look great! Can I ask what the paints were you used?

Thanks everyone for the generous comments, it's really motivating😎.

 

Keith, the colours used were all Mr Color lacquers: Copper, Super Silver and Super Clear III as the clear-coat.

 

Back in 1999 the Hayabusa's "big and blobby" but functional styling proved rather controversial. The copper/silver colour scheme apparently highlighted everything that was wrong with it and/or failed to make the right statement about the 190mph brute. It was a little bit like a brown Austin Allegro: Why?

 

20 years later the colour still divides opinion but in that time, this colour scheme has gone from almost universal hate to now one of the most sought after. The same can't be said of the aforementioned Austin...

 

All the best.

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Thanks for the info on the paint, I think I've actually got a pot of that Mr Color copper - & I also think it might be a good colour to use on the Nissan 350Z I've had in primer for quite a while because I couldn't decide what colour to paint it! :)

 

Keith

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Very nice :clap:

 

I had a 1999 model albeit being 2000 registered mine was Black and Red, it was a little before it's time a bit like the Sierra when it first appeared.  The bike looks heavy and bulbous but it's not, it handles very well.  The engine is superb and very easily tuned, with just simple mods (non engine/mechanical) almost 200hp at the back wheel is achievable, start playing the the engine and well over 200 bhp is possible.  It was also the first production bike (with the mods) to reach 200mph, mine did 202.2 at Bruntingthorpe, they were restricted to 186mph in the 2000 which could also be gotten around fairly easily, if you knew how.  All that said it wasn't really about the top speed on the road it was the torque, twist the throttle in any gear and it went and oh boy did it go 😲 top gear 3k is 100 mph.  It would pull like a train, yes the R1's GSXR1000 would accelerate slightly faster from the off and I mean slightly say a couple bike lengths up to about 50 the Busa just kept going by 70 odd your level 90 they're going backwards at a rapid rate.  I use to commute from Germany, mates who had the other bikes stated couldn't stay with me on the Autobahn.  It was also very comfortable compared the theirs and could carry a passenger in comfort, it was also very easy to ride sub 30 mph something neither the other two are good at due to riding positions.  Of course they were quicker on tracks but that what the R1/GSX-R's etc were built for, the road isn't a track and the Busa real world is way better and I speak from experience I also owned a Gixxer 1000 and have ridden many R1's. 

 

The downside as there always is, the Busa eat back tyres the least I got out of one was 870 miles :yikes:a lot less right hand and about 3500 was average, one of the best bikes I ever owned.   I believe the gold and silver livery is now the most sort after :yes:  

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I had one in 2000, a 1999 model in black and red. I only kept it for just over two years, but it was the best bike I ever owned. I would love to find it and buy it back, not sure where it is but it hasn't been taxed or mot'd since 2007. If anyone ever sees W814MWB let me know 😉

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8 minutes ago, Steve Noble said:

I had one in 2000, a 1999 model in black and red. I only kept it for just over two years, but it was the best bike I ever owned. I would love to find it and buy it back, not sure where it is but it hasn't been taxed or mot'd since 2007. If anyone ever sees W814MWB let me know 😉

I sold mine in May 03 W805 VLT it's not been taxed or mot's since Nov 03 no doubt it was wrecked :facepalm: 

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On ‎24‎/‎02‎/‎2019 at 23:12, keefr22 said:

… I also think it might be a good colour to use on the Nissan 350Z I've had in primer for quite a while because I couldn't decide what colour to paint it!

Go for it! The copper paint is a little more deeper in reality, my obsolete camera tends to wash out the colours... Maybe if you add a touch of clear orange/gold to the copper, you might get something like Nissan's Le Mans Sunset, which the 350Z came in.

On ‎25‎/‎02‎/‎2019 at 10:06, Kev The Modeller said:

… top gear 3k is 100 mph.  It would pull like a train, yes the R1's GSXR1000 would accelerate slightly faster from the off and I mean slightly say a couple bike lengths up to about 50 the Busa just kept going by 70 odd your level 90 they're going backwards at a rapid rate...

Would like to experience that sort of power one day. All I have at the moment is a 1999 Hornet 600 which goes backwards at the slightest headwind...😢

 

All the best.

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11 hours ago, AR918 said:

Would like to experience that sort of power one day. All I have at the moment is a 1999 Hornet 600 which goes backwards at the slightest headwind...😢

 

All the best.

Have a look at the FZS600 "Fazer" 99 - 03 non injected, really clean are picked up for around £1500 but prices will start climbing as time goes on.  These are way better the Hornet, 4 litres more fuel in the tank so a lot more range, nose firing way more comfortable and faster in the real world, cheap to run and totally bulletproof.  I had one to commute on to save using my bigger bikes I had it while owning the Busa,  I often found myself picking the Fazer over the larger bikes, it just did everything so well, fantastic in traffic, great 2 up and 230 mile tank range if your was good with the right wrist this was 280 plus.  

 

I really couldn't fault it.    

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Great model.  I was working in bike dealers in the 1990s and remember the 'Busa: it was an important bike because Suzuki re-ignited the 'outright speed' war that had gone quiet after the Kawasaki ZZR1100 and Honda CBR1100RR 'Blackbird'.  It was deemed risky for motorcycle manufacturers to draw attention to how fast they could take anyone with enough money for a Honda Civic.  And 200mph is a great headline.

The Suzuki's place was really guaranteed when Kawasaki tried and failed to recover their 'fastest bike' crown.  As Kev says, the fact it was a very practical and useful bike as well has guaranteed its place in production, with only evolutionary change, for almost 20 years (if I'm not mistaken).

I do remember test-riders crashing these things repeatedly.

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