There’s just something about putting taking a fast engine from one machine and sticking it into an inappropriate host body for the purpose of shits and giggles that speaks to the heart of every motor-loving enthusiast. Especially when the end result is both uncontrollable and trying to kill you. Meet the ‘Busa Buggy, it is very much both of those things.
The Suzuki Hayabusa, the motorcycle from which this thing gets its kick in the pants, was the world’s fastest motorcycle upon release in 1999 and boasted the largest sportbike engine by 200 ccs. Its top speed was quoted at 188-194 mph (depending on the GPS used), which was 10-14 mph faster than anything else on the road.
Despite my feelings that the Hayabusa was actually one of the best sport touring bikes around, many of them can now be found with turbos, massive rear tires, extended swingarms, and covered in flashy paint and flashier lights.
Today, there are bikes that put out more than the ‘Busa’s 162 horsepower and 99.6 foot-pounds of torque, yet, no bike has come close to taking the Hayabusa’s place in the phrase “We should put a ‘Busa motor in it!” Although, in a decade from now, I fully expect to see all sorts of H2 powered stupidity killing off the dumbest among us in a blaze of YouTube glory.
So, with that spirit in mind, we have this hero who tossed the 1300 cc bad-idea facilitator into one of the best ideas of all time: a tube-framed, sequential-shifting, disc-braked buggy of beauty. And, with a vast expanse of grassy land to mow into tracks of all sorts of layouts and the skills to keep this monster right-side-up and on track - he shows wants to show you just what a good idea this is.
God bless him.
Contact the author at sean.macdonald@jalopnik.com. Follow Lanesplitter on Facebook and Twitter.