Buell

[paulDJSCOTT]

hi, just wondering really,
has anyone on here ridden a buell or even own one?
i think the styling is pretty cool but what gets me about the newer ones is that the fuel goes into the frame work and the oil goes into the swingarm now to me that just sounds nuts, but apparently this helps make the bike 'flickable'.
oh yea n i nearly forgot they are belt driven to, no chains just a rubber belt!

all this witha massive 1203 cc engine too. sounds mental to me. what you recon?

oh yea its the Buell Firebolt that im talking about

https://www.buell.com/en_uk/bikes/firebolt/xb12r/features.asp
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www.myspace.com/paulscottdj

[McGee]

Marjay has a Buell not sure which model.

They sound amazing with a race can thats about as much as I know
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Its pronounced Jixxer!

[Fastgut]

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

I belive MarJay has the XB12R Firebolt.

He's the guy to ask . I think they are quality though. People say the XB9R is a bit gutless........
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[Chriss]

I've ridden one, if they weren't so expensive, I'd own one two, one of the best bikes I've ridden, and with hydrolic valves and stuff, it takes virtually no maintainance!

(Sorry about spelling, firefox sees there's a mistake, but won't correct it!)
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TheShaggyDA: I've got 3 or 4 pairs that predate my wife, so at least 11.5 years old.

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[bish777]

I think they do have a few wiring issues, and ive heard of them having valve issues occasionally.
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GSXR1100J

[keyser soze]

i've got an sx and love it. goes where i want it to go looks and sounds great. best handling bike i've owned. i get about 100 miles per frame around town and about 120 on the motorways. the brakes are brill and when the bike is all set up right not much comes close. i've had mine almost a year and put 6k miles on it with no problems.

[MarJay]

Hi,

Yes I have a Buell XB12R.

I love it.

I was looking for a bike that wasn't a jap 600, which had not necessarily got a great deal of power, but had loads of torque, low weight and good handling.

The XB12R fits all of those and more! The fuel in the frame means the tank range isn't massive, but its enough for me. is good for about 120 miles.

I wouldn't say the bike was flickable as such, it turns well but that is partially because mine has a Renthal bar conversion with wide bars. It is stable when cranked over, and I don't think I've ever ridden a bike which is as confidence inspiring. Its small, which is nice for me, but cramped for six footers. It has enough power for me, and has loads of torque. It redlines at 7krpm, and so if you're used to a jap bike you'll hit the limiter before you get used to it.

It does have an air cooled pushrod engine, 45 degree V twin loosely based upon a HD sportster 1200 mill. The valve tappets are hydraulically adjusting, and so valve clearances never need checking. It makes about 74 lbft of torque at peak but makes nearly that from 2000rpm upwards. Not many 170kg bikes can lay claim to that! This means it just has loads of get up and go. Open the throttle, any speed any gear and you are being propelled down the road like a stone from a catapult.

The gearing is high so that the bike passes noise and emissions tests at certain RPM, and to stop the front end from lifting when you open the throttle.

I've fitted the gearing from the US tube framed models which is lower gearing, but because the bike was so over geared as standard you get an increase in top end speed AND acceleration. Fuel consumption hasn't noticeably suffered.

The belt drive is a boon, as it never needs adjusting, and I have fitted a spring loaded belt tensioner which increases belt life. It also means you won't snap the belt when you land a stoppie! Belts are supposed to last 15000 miles on the 1200cc XB models, a lot less on the 900cc XB models. It doesn't just have a belt though, the primary drive runs in a bath of oil and is a three run chain. This is what I changed to alter the gearing on my bike.

The front brake is the best front brake for the road that I have ever used on a bike. It has loads of feel and power, and you can easily stoppie with two fingers. One finger would do it though... but I've never tried it. Apparently it is prone to fade on track however.

The bike will wheelie easily in second gear now, the belt smooths the engine harshness, and the fuel injection is well mapped so when you shut off the throttle and open it again you don't get a load of jerkiness like on some bikes. The fuelling is set up so when you let off the throttle the engine is still fuelled at idle so there isn't a lot of engine braking as you might expect from a big twin.

The bike has been reliable for me, and the only blip being the side stand bolt snapped. I don't think this happened on its own, as it happened just after a dealer had it up on a hydraulic lift, so I think they may have inadvertently stressed it.

Parts are cheap compared to most japanese bikes, and servicing is reasonable as the engine is simple. The only downside comes when you need to do major engine work, as the lump has to come out of the frame to access it.

Oil changes have to be done relatively frequently when the ambient temperature is less than 15 degrees C, this is because the oil is a mineral type which has more in common with diesel car oil than motorcycle oil. This is a good thing however, because the oil is really cheap. £12 for an oil change.

When the ambient temperature is above 15 degrees, the oil changes rise to every 5,000 miles which is the minor service interval. Major service every 10,000.

The bike could never be built by the likes of Honda. It vibrates like a bastard, and jumps up and down at idle. The cables foul on bits of the engine, and on mine a part of the frame which holds on the back of the airbox scoop has snapped off... (mainly because some muppet attached a heavy tax disc holder to it... not me I should add!) The tool kit even comes in a little Buell monogrammed pencil case which fits under the seat!

Its a fun bike, but it definately isn't for anyone. Its not fast by modern sportsbike standards, (90bhp) it vibrates, its quirky. You can't ride it at low speed for any length of time (like Kill Spills for example) as it will overheat. In the winter its freezing as you have cold fuel in the frame next to your legs. Some of the fasteners are imperial, and some are metric meaning you need two tool kits to work on it. The cooling fans which come on after a ride always drain the battery so you only usually get one go at starting it again in cold weather. Insurance is expensive for what it is (NU16... one less than a Blade or R1!). The wheels are very difficult to remove, and the tyre guy I use had to balance the rear wheel manually as it is so wide with the pulley on it.

However, I've always liked quirky bikes, and I found the last bike I had (a Triumph TT600) went too fast too easily. You had to do 120mph to feel like it was doing something.

The Buell is completely different. Its alive, you open the throttle and it does something. It goes around corners (helped a great deal by the table in the owners manual which tells you how to set up the suspension for your weight). It stops hard and is extremely confidence inspiring.

I think if you test ride one, and you like it you'll be hooked. I also suspect its like Marmite and you'll either love it or you'll hate it.


https://www.marjay.co.uk/photos/Buell1.jpg

https://www.marjay.co.uk/photos/frontwheel.jpg

https://www.marjay.co.uk/photos/BuellandRGV1.jpg
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[keyser soze]

well said that man.

[lilredmachine]

The bikes Buell are producing at the moment stand out anywhere you take them. The terms loud and proud come to mind. I'd have one in a shot.
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Bikes: too many, too much for one man to maintain anyway.