Busa at the Track

[L.A. Don]

Me and my Busa at the track.  

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[PsychoZ]

nice looking bike, are those the stock tires?

[Kirk]

Looking good. Tell us all about it. Your bike set up, how many track days have you done, how did it go?

[Kirk]

nice looking bike, are those the stock tires?

Metzeler Rennsports.

[L.A. Don]

Looking good. Tell us all about it. Your bike set up, how many track days have you done, how did it go?

Actually, that picture is 6-months old.  Here is another one from the same day, taken as I exited the final corner, straightening up to fly down the straight-away (and blow past those 600's that passed me in the tight twisties!  I think you can see the reflection of one of them in my visor.     ).



The suspension is still stock setup.  I am not really knowledgable enough to adjust the settings properly.

I have done a few track days and I am also now a "level 4" student at the California Superbike School.  I would highly recommend to anyone that they attend a racing/cornering school if they want to improve as it helped me tremendously!!  

Kirk, you are correct, those are Metzeler Rennsports, a great tire for track days!

[Cecil_Stringer]

Very Cool!


Got any more pics?

[foresteronw]

I didn't think you would be able to keep the mirrors on there?

Looks good, I've been wanting to try that but the only track near me is Loudon in New Hampshire and it's a very tight track, not big bike friendly.  I might still give it a try though.

[02BluBlkBusa]

Track Days are GREAT!!!!!  

[foresteronw]

so you guys that have done track days give me the 1 - 10 list from most important to "buy it if you can" as to items I would need for the bike (not gear for me).

[L.A. Don]

02BluBlkBusa - Do you have rearsets on your busa?

[L.A. Don]

so you guys that have done track days give me the 1 - 10 list from most important to "buy it if you can" as to items I would need for the bike (not gear for me).

In my opinion, these six items are essential:

1.  Sticky tires
2.  Race quality front brake pads!! (I speak from experience on this)  
3.  Single-sided exhaust (performance gain and weight loss!!!)
4.  Rearsets (my next purchase)
5.  Synthetic Oil (your engine takes a beating at the track)
6.  A trailer to transport your bike to/from the track

[foresteronw]

now do the tires have to be race tires?

braided brake lines to go with the pads?

how bad do you drag your plastics, do you recommend a rashed set?

I've got a rashed upper would you recommend fiberglassing over the headlight/turnsignals and use it as a race only plastic or just do what you did and tape the headlight?

[Yngve]

When you up the pace you will find that the fairling will grind pretty easily and the left hand gen cover also rubs down.  Then you have to adjust your riding style ( like I do ) or stiff up/heigten the suspension.

[TufBusa]

so you guys that have done track days give me the 1 - 10 list from most important to "buy it if you can" as to items I would need for the bike (not gear for me).

JUST ADD "BALLS"!

If you have never been on the track, I wouldn't buy anything for your busa. Just go have fun, enjoy the day and learn how to improve your riding skills. If you have instructors available, rent one for an hour to give you pointers. It's very important not to develope bad habits. Bad habits are hard to overcome.

You are not going to out ride your stock busa on the first trip to the track. You won't out ride your stock tires either. Any good performance street tire will work fine. Learn how your bike rides in stock form before adding mods. Only then will you appreciate the additions you make to the suspension, gearing, tires, brakes, etc.

Chat with other riders at the track. Ask questions about how their bikes are set up, especially guys with numbers on their bike? Most of them are more than happy to give you advice on how to set your bike up for the track. You will be surprised at the difference after your first day on stock suspension and the first time you are on the track after having someone help you set up your stock suspension for your body weight? Great improvement in handling. I would try this before I sent my suspension into GP or ? for a track overhaul setup?

[bigman]

I have found that new fork springs, braided steel lines, EBC Race Kit front pads, an extra set of plastic and tank, up three teeth in the rear with a stock length chain, and the extra 1 7/8 inch of height in the rear, in combination with good tires to work well.  The next addition will, however, be rear-sets.  Oh yah, don’t forget frame sliders, they don’t do much for the plastic, or the engine tab, but they do help keep it from completely grinding through the frame and the engine covers.

I would post some pictures, but I am at work, and our network will not allow me to view my photo bucket account.

Well, I’ll do the next best thing; here are some links to the photographer that was at the track for two of the track days last year.  


This was the day after low siding in turn 7, so the bike is literally taped and fibreglassed together and I was feeling quite timid.
http://sliderphoto.com/bin/photos.asp?Racer=3007&Event=080804


This was the second day back after my low side, and I was getting back on lignes, and the bike was somewhat intact.
http://sliderphoto.com/bin/photos.asp?Racer=620&Event=091104

[02BluBlkBusa]

1.  Take the riders safety course at the track and learn what you are suppose to be doing on the track.
2.  Tires.  I'm running Pirelli Super Corsa.  Number 1 on front and Number 2 on the rear.  I also went with the 180-55 on the rear.
3.  Brakes.  I have SS Braided lines.  I also use the 188HH race pads.
4.  Suspension.  I'm running stock suspension but it has been adjusted for my weight.  (Recommend upgraded suspension.  Once $$$ is available).
5.  43 Sprocket
6.  Change Rear Sets.  (When $$$ is available).  I'm still running stock.
7.  Frame Sliders.  
8.  Old or replacement plastics would be nice.  I don't have any.  
9.  Truck or trailer to take the bike to the track is a must.  Riding to the track, then setting up the bike for the track, then making the bike street legal again for the ride home, then the ride (90 miles) home is a little too much.  Trust me I know.
10.  This is not for the bike, but for the rider.  Ride your pace, and have fun.

[IL_BusaBoy]

Nice looking pics.  Wish I could ride like that.  Not sure of any tracks/schools near Chicago, although I haven't looked very much.

[Kirk]

1) The correct fork springs for your weight, especially if you're any faster than a C-group rider. It will really improve your confidence and safety. If you're an A-group rider, a better rear shock and the correct rear spring might be a good idea also. Revalving the stock rear shock is fine, although Penske, Ohlins, and Elka all make triple-adjustable shocks now. You can ride it with a stock shock, it's just going to spin easier.


2) Once you've got the correct fork springs in it, set your front and rear sag and adjust your front and rear rebound settings before heading out onto the track. It's not hard to do.
 
3) Tires. If you are a C-group rider, then any late-model sport tire with enough tread will work, although I highly recommend a 180/55 for safety. If you are a B-group rider, then a new set of track day tires like the Diablo Corsa will work, but if it starts spinning on corner exits, you may need to run race tires. 180/55 on the rear. If you are an A-group rider, then you're probably going to need race tires. I do not recommend Dunlop race tires on the Hayabusa. There have been a number of Dunlop race tire explosions on race bikes a lot lighter, slower and with less torque than the Hayabusa. I also cannot recommend Michelins because they're French. I have no experience with Bridgestone race tires. The Metzeler Rennsport and the Pirelli Supercorsa are the same exact tire, with a slightly different tread pattern. They also have a 190/55 rear that is optimized for the 6" rim that comes on a lot of the bigger bikes like the Hayabusa. The 180/55 will also work. Your tire vendor should be able to advise on compounds, but it seems that most of us run the blue label RS1/SC1 "Supersoft" (soft) compound front, and the green label RS2/SC2 "Soft" (medium) compound rear. They warm up in one lap, even without tire warmers. Get a fresh set to start every track day.

4) Adjust your tire pressures to what your tire vendor tells you. I run 30/30 cold. The 180/55 and 190/55 will change the handling of the bike (for the better), and it feels a little odd the first time you run track-type tire pressures, so feel it out before you start to push it.

5) Brake pads. I prefer the EBC "kit" race Double-H pads. The correct part number for the Hayabusa is GFA188HH. They work as good or better than the regular FA188HH pads at lower speeds, and when you really start coming down on the brakes from over 150 mph, you'll like them even better. They will go a long ways towards making you more comfortable at speed on a race course. There may be better brake pads out there, but I haven't encountered them yet. If you haven't ridden with really good brake pads yet, pay special attention as you're bedding them in. The inital bite of these pads, as well as the impressive power, can take you by suprise. Make sure your front tire is warmed up before you start hiking the back tire.

6) Braided stainless brake hoses, especially if you're any faster than C-group. Turning truly large speed into truly large heat can melt the stock rubber brake hoses. Any brand of braided stainless brake hoses will work. The dual hose kits do away with the stupid "cross-over" hose and make it easier to bleed. This will give you better brake feel, and combined with something like Motul's 600F degree brake fluid, will make your brakes pretty much fade free. I have powerful hands, but if you don't and you're not getting enough braking power with this set-up, a Brembo radial brake master should be next on your list. You'll probably be fine with the stock one. I was. You should be able to hike the rear tire at pretty much any speed on the track.

There are any number of things that I could list for items 7-10, but putting another inch or so of ride height into it (shorter dog bones), taking weight off, and shortening the wheelbase (any combination of chain and sprockets that is up to 3 teeth shorter than stock), and doing stuff to minimize crash damage (notch levers, bob rear brake lever, remove mirrors and rear signals, install full set of sliders, billet stator cover) would be good ideas.

[02BluBlkBusa]

TufBusa is right.  Ride it stock at first.  I did my first 4 track days on street tire and OEM brake pads.  Once I started really pushing the Busa and myself it was time to make the upgrades.  I still have more to learn and I don't ever expect to compete in races at the track.  I just enjoy the track days and riding the Busa like the sport bike it is.  I surprise a lot of folks at the track with the Busa.  I always leave my TX license plate on the bike so when I pass a race bike, they know a street bike just passed.  

[Kirk]

I'm gonna contradict a few others and say that I don't think that you really need rearsets to use a Hayabusa on the track. I had Gixxer 600 pegs on mine. I bobbed the rear brake lever so it wouldn't dig into the track, and I ground off the peg feeler bosses on the undersides of the tips of the pegs. My toes and the pegs hit the ground about the same time as the fairing and the stator cover. Rearsets would not have gained me any cornering clearance.

The fork springs are a pretty important safety thing though. You may be able to nurse stock brake pads through a day in C-group by not doing any real braking. Likewise on stock brake hoses. You may be able to take it easy enough in the corners to get by on stock tires. But the stock fork springs are so weak that even if you're not doing any serious braking, you're still going to be bouncing off of the compression bump stops on any little mid-corner bump. It will wear you out mentally, having to use the throttle to hold it up off of the compression bump stops mid-corner. Trail braking would be asking for a low-side. You'll be running out of cornering clearance sooner, because the bike will be riding so low in the suspension travel. Put the right springs in it, and you can concentrate on riding, instead of riding around a problem. It's one of those things that you don't realize how bad it is, until you get it fixed and you don't have to deal with it anymore. Then you'll be kicking yourself for not doing it sooner, and wonder how on earth you were able to ride it before without crashing.

[Kirk]

The width of the engine on the Hayabusa is a challenge on the track once you start picking up the pace. For that reason, your body position is very important and worthy of an investment of your time to develop it. Most of the time it feels like you're getting off the bike a lot more than you really are. Some people even push the bike down and climb higher on it because they're uncomfortable doing it. You can see this by looking at a picture of yourself. If you draw a straight line up the front tire, through the headlight and look where your helmet intersects it, you'll get a good idea of how you're doing. If your helmet is on the high side of the bike, you might as well not even scoot your butt off the seat, because your upper body is just counter-acting it.

Don's first picture is a really good example of good body position, maximizing ground clearance. If you don't, you run the risk of using the engine as a fulcrum to lever up one tire or the other (or both) and crash.

[bigman]

I agree with not needing rearsets on the Busa, however, I am tipping the scales at near 300lb and more with gear, and when I put weight on the stock pegs, setting up for a turn I can feel the pivots give under the weight, and I would just like the more solid design of the rearsets, more for assurance that I am not going to rip one off than anything.  I know that they won’t give, as after I low sided, I rode the rest of the day with the right peg pivot stop bent, allowing the peg to flex the wrong way considerably, and it held, but I just want the extra insurance.  

And yes, I know loosing weight is a cheaper solution, and I am, it just isn’t as quick of a solution.

[Twisted]

don, you taped your lights but left the mirrors on?

[WWJD]

I think he taped the mirrors, which is allowed some places.  I like removing them    

[dcnblues]

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