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Big_T112

Pro
Posts: 1061

posted October 03, 2010 08:23 PM

Busa vs ZX12R back in 2000 (my viewpoint)

This was fall of 2000, A friend called and wanted me to come down to Eutaw Alabama and run a guy on a 00 Busa named Killer with my brand new 00 Green ZX12R. It was stock down to the exhaust. Seems a guy had a stock Busa that he wanted to run somebody with. All he had was a Muzzy round pipe and a powercomander. I agreed. It's about a 25 minute ride from my house. We met in the Gas staiton parking lot by the Dog Track and headed to the road that they wanted to run on. I pulled up and it was a 00 blue and silver Busa with a pipe. sitting stock heigth just like me. He was a little heavier than me so my buddy asked them what they want to bet. after some serious trash talking we agreed on $400. Now Eutaw is a small town and the guy I was running was a local motorcycle hero. But I consider myself better than average and the new 12 pulled pretty hard. Plus we are on an old country back road so I figured there was no real advantage he had. The road was lined with people on both sides. I guess all the locals had come out to see the race between the Busa and this new Kawasaki flagship ZX12. It came time to pull them out on the road. As we rolled out I took the right side of the road he took the left. A flag man was going to wave us off and there were people at the finishline to signal who wins. As I am pulling out I start getting those butterflies in my stomach, although people are talking on the sides of the road I am focusing on what I need to do. Both of us do a Burnout just to clean the tire off. We pull up and make sure we are lined up even.... I shift to neutral then back to first just to make sure the bike is in the right gear. The flagman walks out in the middle of the road... He looks at the Busa rider to get the OK and then he looks at me. I signal OK. Both bikes rev up, I can see the Busa to my left. We are both waiting for the guys hands to drop..... My heart is racing in my chest.... Hands drop,We both move at the same time. I give a little too much throttle and release the clutch to much and the 12 spins a little. The rear starts to kick out to the right so I pull the clutch back in some to slip the plates but still apply power to the rear wheel. It hooks and the front tire comes up a little but I am still able to apply power. The Busa is now a tire ahead of me. I can see he is in front but not by much. We are in second now and I am able to go wide open and so is he. I ride the 12 by feel. I really was not looking at the tach. Right before I shift to 3rd I am back up beside the Busa in the top of 2nd. Both of us hit 3rd, we are tucked in and the bikes are pulling hard. Towards the top of third the 12 starts to pull ahead of the Busa, I can see him on my left as I inch forward. I get far enough ahead I cant see him as I am looking forward. I hit 4th and go through the finishline winning the race. It's close, only half a bike. We turn around and head back to the crowd waiting to hear about the race. I took my $400 and asked if he wanted a rematch and he said he could not get me. This was back when a bunch of people just got out on everyday rider bikes and had fun. Man I love those butterflies before a race. I ended up grenading the cluthbasket in the 12 and busting the cases later on. But it was a great bike when new. Those were the good old days. That day the 12R was a Busa Beater.

smokinZX14

Needs a life
Posts: 10197

posted October 03, 2010 08:30 PM

Cool story ... Thanks ...

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Wheelie

Needs a life
Old Man
Posts: 6902

posted October 03, 2010 08:46 PM

That brings back memories lol, I've got some great street racing stories from way back. $400? not bad.

wee

Hellmutt

Needs a job
Posts: 2013

posted October 04, 2010 05:41 AM

Nice..........I love the old backroad brawlin' days when people would break the law in groups of 50 or more..........can't find that much anymore -- I'd posted a similar situation at another forum about my V6 Toyota truck vs. a Z71 Chevy and crushed him.........they all gave me shit about how street racings illegal and just tore me a new one over it...........ridiculous..........and it's bullshit too -- I can't speak for everyone but I'll wager way more of us learned racing around on backroads and sidestreets than have at a track ANYWHERE...........
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