Hope he's spared the TZR 250....from parting it away...

I've still got all the bikes. Hard to find a buyer who isn't looking for the "deal of the century" which I never got in my life so I am not about to go around giving handouts

MT-01 was up for sale...still is. I think the time has come for either the R1200GS Adventure or the ZX14 Ninja. I am aware that the MT-01 has the potential to become a future classic and cult-bike but I want to live in the now. I altered the handle-bar angle slightly this weekend and dropped it down a bit so it "falls" into the hands more naturally and this has immediately given the bike a much more sporty feel and handling. Amazing what a little tweak like that can do!

I still love the bike but I am willing to sell to someone who wants an MT-01 at my price. Otherwise it is a keeper.

Too many bikes...too little time. Marriage definitely HAS taken it's toll on the amount of "single" time I have to go riding. Indirectly this puts pressure on the amount of time I have to spare for these machines and if they aren't cared for, they tend to fall apart.

Time for some deep introspection...

Just saw a R1200GS today on the road,it is very TALL and looks AWESOME. How can get the 14R in India??

Every story has a beginning and an end and sadly the story of gsferrari and Thor has come to an end

After 3 years and more than 30,000 Kms on the saddle of this great machine, I have decided to move on and let someone else enjoy the pleasure of V-twin motoring. The MT-01 has been sold and Thor and I have said our goodbyes.

He makes way for the "pulsar" of the Superbike world...the Suzuki Hayabusa which I have booked in the 2012 Black livery. Of all the bikes available in the market, the Hayabusa suits my build and it is the only bike that will not care if I ride 1-up or 2-up.

I will not be opening a ownership thread for the Eye-Abuser because numerous people have already done that.

I thank everyone who have patiently followed my reports on Xbhp and I hope it inspires some of you to go and get that "out there" motorcycle which might just end up making you so happy and serve you well over several tens of thousands of Kms. Conformity is never a good thing and the MT-01 was about as unconventional as bikes could get.

Cheers!

Dayumn! So back to Busa now... !
The story of Thor is\was\and always will be inspiring!

Its weird on what Yamaha is doing with the MT brand. Its such a wonderfully different product. With the tard named vMax, and the blade named R1, I guess Yamaha is quite happy with with thier kitty. Too bad. But yes, the MT definitely has the 'charm' to end up being a cult bike!

Congrats on the Busa

Thats sad news Indeed.
Wasnt the MT good enough when riding 2-up?
Congrats on your Busa!

The MT01 is good for 2-up from an engine performance standpoint. Plenty of torque to handle even heavy passengers. Running 2-up does affect performance at speeds above 130-140 and it takes longer to accelerate because you have only 85 or so Bhp.

The main issue is with the comfort. Beyond 100Km, the MT01 rear seat is not comfortable for the passenger.

Guru - Thanks for choosing the Busa not just for its performance but for its sheer practicality. My liking for the bike stands vindicated. It is one of the most sweet handling big bikes around and the engine is a major contributor to this redolence. Only one misgiving here though - the Ninja 650 will feel really anemic when you switch to it from the Busa .

The Thor had its measure in you and I doubt if anyone else has the guts and gumption to use it the way you have. An unusual innings with an equally unusual bike.

Do carry on the way you are rolling - it is no less an inspiration for us riders around you than seeing those pros perform distantly on TV.

Ride long and ride safe.

Thank you for the kind words OF. I don't understand why people buy these machines and do 2000 kms in 2 years. A round trip to bangalore and back over a weekend is 700 Kms for me!

I find more and more people doing big miles these days and that makes me extremely happy. We have decent highways with reasonable food/gas station services that can provide pleasurable motoring.

I am already pushing the bank to process my loan by today so I can get the Busa delivered within the week. I need to attend a few meetings in Mumbai/Pune and I plan to ride down.

People ask me "How can you ride in the monsoons?" to which I reply "Riding through the rains is much more peaceful and scenic than flying through the turbulent skies".

I am a wuss when it comes to flying during the monsoons...just can't do it!


Regarding the 650 - it has become the perfect track tool and trail bike. I don't expect it to fly...just be torquey when I take it into the hills. Plus I love the sound it makes with the HP Corse exhaust now. Everything important has been upgraded: Exhaust, HID headlights, Galfer and EBC front brake upgrade, Powercommander...it feels completely different now!

Damn! Thor no more...

I wish you more miles on the busa than on the Thor. Happy riding

With the kind of roads this country has now in general, weekend 50 km round trips on the big ones is a criminal waste of potential fun. And yes I agree that quite a lot of the big bike owners are beginning to venture out on the long road at least once in a while. We met a substantial number of such people during this GIR. Of course sustained high speeds are still not possible and I guess will not be for quite a while to come. At least not till we have fenced off expressways that allow bikes too.

The Busa shall be unusually quiet and vibe-free after the MT. Do take care to check on the speedo for how fast you're actually moving It is the most mis-leading bike as far as assessing speeds through the butt n ears go.

As for the 'evolved' 650, I guess I under-estimated GS when I assumed the bike will be close to stock. And talking of evolution, the Spiti valley awaits either of those two - the Duke and the 650. I shall do Spiti in Oct beginning - a long exploration tour on the Duke. Two heavy-weights will probably make the roads better for those who follow than me alone. Come over then

@gsferrari 30K is not a simple achievement that too on MT. Hats off to that and wishing many miles on the new BUSA.

Sir a humble question is that from your previous writes I have understood/thought like that you are kind person who believe in more "practicality". It doesn't mean BUSA is not a practical bike, but on the contrary there are many other bikes say Bandit, FZ1, CB1000R which is more to suit the Indian roads and can enjoy the power sanely than the BUSA which is said to scare the shit out of you in every gear. Coming to the point can you tell us what all reasons made you choose the BUSA. I have read from the previous post of yours that you chose BUSA which can do a 1 or 2-up all day comfortably, do the above bikes are not comfortable? Is that the only reason? Sorry to sound like a noob but from experienced guys like you we would like to know about these more.

Bandit - Yes
FZ1 and CBR - No

@Guru +1 on all counts! I always thought youd go for the GS... or the triumph when it comes. Busa is a pleasant surprise. (Though I wont be surprised if you surprise us again when triumph actually sees the day light!)

Thanks Sri...Thor had to go! They needed him for the Avengers Pt.II

Spot on OF...After a 190 mph spin on my 2004 Busa I wanted to put my feet on the ground when the bike was still doing 80 mph! 80 mph felt unbearably slow!

I will be VERY interested and so will "Pacha Molaga" (Tamil for Green Chilli) which is the name I've given my 650R. I'll call you shortly to discuss this.

Thank you Binoy

The Busa is a visceral experience...I don't think any other bike comes close to matching that sense of going really slowly when you are actually going at multiple 100 Kph speeds! I have driven a Porsche 911, BMW M3 and I've been taken for a spin in a Ferrari 360 but my first ride on the 2004 Busa made me forget all those experiences.

It is a practical bike in the sense that you can run it on Extrepremium / Speed and you won't have to use 97 octane. It has a HUGE gas tank that will allow 300Km on a single tank if ridden sensibly. It has silly torque and Bhp figures which means going 2-up doesn't make the bike feel slower on the road. In every other sense it is insane. I have the Ninja 650R for when I want to be "practical" and for commuting . The rest of the time I want to look forward to an exciting time on an in-line 4 engine and that was something that was missing for me with Thor.

A V-twin is fantastic and I wish I could retain the MT01 and get an I4 but I can't afford to keep both. A V-twin will never match the excitement, acceleration and the aural thrill that an i4 can provide.

R1200GS Adventure is my next stop after the ninja 650R. It will run in parallel with the Busa. I am not buying a Triumph now that I have decided to go for the Busa. The 650R will be replaced by the R1200GS...thats the next round in a few years time.

Thank you Sir for the kind reply