Hank

Hayabusa engine and aftermarket (car) pump here. If memory serves me from building her the pump is a Walbro unit.

I attached my rear arches (fenders) with 12 zip ties so that the rear fenders shear off in a collision. The lower body is really expensive and I doubt the Brits have shipped one by itself to the States. http://hanksmegabusa.com/images/050409/01.jpg I haven't autocrossed yet, but if/when I do I will probably take the front and rear fenders off. It may look funny, but it only takes 1 cone in the wrong spot to do major damage. I'm not going to chance it. The roadcourse is a different story. Higher speeds require as much aerodynamic help as possible and if I hit the wall the lower body is damaged anyway. Therefore, I will run front/rear fenders on track days.

Binnacle = Instrument cluster (heard on "A 4x4 is Born")

The only person I would EVER let drive my car is my wife as we don't have children. Good thing is she can't see over the aeroscreen. So... it's just me! *maniacal laugh* Laurens looks like they had fun!

If you get an iPhone purchase the phone case called "OTTER". Absolutely amazing. Be sure to take out the white material (felt?) inside the case in all 3 spots. Otherwise you will not be able to hear the other caller and they probably won't be able to hear you. The 3 pieces are filters to keep sand out of the phone. I can tell you this, if I go to the beach my damn phone ain't coming with me. I took the 3 pieces out and I can hear and speak clearly. $50 case with the paddle holster from AT&T. It's a 2-piece plastic case that snaps over the phone and a rubber sleeve goes around the entire case. I highly recommend putting a clear film over the iPhone before you put the OTTER case on as the clear protector on the OTTER doesn't fit snugly and it makes the screen hard to see. A few dollars for a clear protector and it's perfect! Local AT&T store took an OTTER cased iPhone and dropped it from the 2nd story mall balcony. Then I placed a call on that phone to mine. SOLD!

Helluva deal! I'd get the go-kart (in 2nd pic) too.

John, do you think me wearing a full motorcycle helmet has anything to do with it? I just assumed Harley guys would frown upon my white rollerskate with Yoshimura pipe and crotch rocket engine. I guess I was wrong.

First: Drove to a car show and the bottom fell out of the clouds. The 20 mile drive home in the rain was uneventful. No rain in the cockpit above 30mph. Beautiful. Second: Driving to my mom's house and a motorcycle rider coming towards me put his arm down and pointed to the ground. I hesitated for a split second, but I quickly gave him my left arm out the left side before I passed him. I couldn't go too far down or I would have hit my hot exhaust pipe! Next encounter was a Harley rider passing me in the same flow of traffic. Once he passed me he slowed down to admire the Yoshimura exhaust and the factory Hayabusa dash. I got an actual thumbs up from the Harley rider. I'm excited to say the least! Maybe motorcycle owners do respect us BEC guys/gals.

Spent most of the morning watching "A Plane is Born". That Mark Evans is a joy to watch building things. So far I've watched "A Car is Born", "A Helicopter is Born" and I'm finishing off the "Plane". I'm downloading the "4x4 is Born" right now. After getting to episode 13/15 I decided to mow the lawn. Next I washed the Megabusa. A quick shower later and I'm ready to go to the monthly car show. I head out on the 20 mile journey with rain clouds to the Northwest. I took the scenic route past LSU along Nicholson highway to Gonzales, LA. When I arrived at the car show the parking lot was wet, but ~50 vehicles were attending the show. I pulled in and parked amongst a few friends. I popped the hood off and answered the usual questions. 1. What is it? 2. Is it yours? 3. Where did you get it? 4. Who built it for you? 5. What engine is that? An hour into the show the bottom fell out of the rain clouds above us. I quickly put the hood back on and found refuge under the event organizer's tent. I struck up a conversation with 3 beautiful, older Russian women who have been in the states for 8 years. Turns out one of the women was an Electrical Engineer and she designed chips for control systems at Chernobyl. She was slated to work there, but things didn't pan out and she stayed at her former job. Wow. I told her that I'm a Mechanical Engineer at the River Bend Station nuclear plant in St. Francisville, LA. Small world. The rain stopped and I decided to check the water damage. Thank god I brought my trusty chamois. I dried the seats, dash, and roll cage. My stomach was rumbling so I drove a few hundred yards to the edge of the shopping center and I pulled into Wendy's. Uneventful dinner with a few drive-thru patrons stopping their vehicles to admire the Megabusa. A scary moment when a huge passenger van pulled up next to my baby and 8 kids got out. Not one of the kids touched the car, but they got close enough to get my attention. I switched visors on my helmet from the "Stig issue" iridium blue to clear. I put my iPhone in the clear chamois case to keep the water out. I found the Simpson helmet bag to be a great tote for all of my belongings (wallet, flashlight, keys - hood/house, hat, shirt with helmet shield wrapped up, chamois, .45 Glock, headphones, and spare shop towels). A few youngins peek through the Wendy's windows to watch me strap in my harness and fire up the Megabusa. I slowly drive out of the parking lot and into traffic to exit the strip mall. Damnit, it's still raining. I pull out onto the highway and I notice the rain isn't coming off the helmet as quickly as I thought it would. No use wiping the helmet as it only smears. Although the highway has a 55mph speed limit I settle at 45mph. Not much traffic on the way home. I had to drive out of the typical two asphalt ruts which put me a tire width off the center line. I am not in harms way, but it kept me in full concentration with oncoming vehicle spray. The alternative was to drive in the ruts and risk hydroplaning. I made it home and the only thing wet was my t-shirt ringed collar. The windscreen definitely helps in the wet weather and so does driving at least 30mph. Any slower and the rain starts to hit me instead of being deflected. I actually got more wet once I stopped in my driveway for a few minutes than I did over the entire journey home. Sorry for the long story, but I figure it's the first blat in the rain so it is yet another Se7en milestone surpassed by Hank is his Megabusa!

I laughed just a bit harder when they mentioned the driver was female. Sorry.

Dude, I love you guys and all, but we didn't land on the moon. I agree with the Red Hot Chili Peppers on this one.

Got stopped in my Megabusa the other day while cruising through a small town. 3 cops were standing by 3 cruisers at the side of the road. When I pulled over I had to turn my iPhone off and I still had my helmet on and earphones in. Cop leans over as I kill the engine and he says, "I'm not giving you a ticket or nothing, I just wanted to see what the hell this car was." I killed the engine and BS'd with them for 10 minutes before heading off for more blatting. Good cops around these parts.

Nice plate. Nice power slide. Welcome aboard!

Someone sent me an article with more information. http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/Custom%20Bikes/2wd_yamaha_r1.htm

Congrats Jon! My inspection and title process took over a month and 3 boxes of donuts to get through.

Weird. Original. I want to see it launch! Maybe I could purchase 2 of his systems and make my Megabusa 4wd. Hmm... :driving:

We always called those places SATAN.

Okay, after 6 months of delays my 13x7" Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2 wheels finally made it to my doorstep from Britain. They are light! What tires should I go with? I need to put a few autocrosses under my belt before I hit any lapping days. I currently have 205/50R15 Falken Azenis RT-615's on 15x7 rims for street duty. Could I plan on autocrossing the 15" wheels and purchasing full slicks (Hoosiers?) for the 13's for lapping days? Suggestions are welcome. I know nothing about racing slicks or competitive tires.

Nice. She didn't get THAT mad. My wife is still mad she can't see over the aeroscreen, though.

Thanks for the comments. I deemed it necessary to keep myself out of the pics because I had been driving for 3 hours in 100 degree heat and I would not have been desirable on camera. I lost 4 pounds in the process. Much better than dieting. I'm now going to the other 2 Hooters locations today. hahaha

http://www.hanksmegabusa.com/images/070309/_IMG_0360-47-18.jpg

Words cannot express how much a $5 tip can go at the local Hooters restaurant. :drool: http://www.hanksmegabusa.com/images/070309/_IMG_0326-12-1.jpg http://www.hanksmegabusa.com/images/070309/_IMG_0333-19-5.jpg http://www.hanksmegabusa.com/images/070309/_IMG_0354-39-13.jpg

:leaving:

And the horrible celebrity week continues... Billy Mays (infomercial guy) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31596003/ns/us_news-life/

Farrah Fawcett this morning, and Ed McMahon on Tuesday. Sad WEEK.