Anyone know anything about Buells?
Discussion
Ive started to think I must buy a bike again.
With a modest budget (£3k or so) and a terrible insurance history, I am stuck looking at an oldish R6- or I have discovered a Buell which excited me greatly. They are bizarre brutes.
However, despite 1000cc+ engines the insurance is peanuts.
Does that mean they are actually slow?
I intend to do trackdays on whatever I buy, but I obviously don't want something that cant keep up.
Someone also mentioned that they were very unreliable. Anyone know about that?
Cheers
With a modest budget (£3k or so) and a terrible insurance history, I am stuck looking at an oldish R6- or I have discovered a Buell which excited me greatly. They are bizarre brutes.
However, despite 1000cc+ engines the insurance is peanuts.
Does that mean they are actually slow?
I intend to do trackdays on whatever I buy, but I obviously don't want something that cant keep up.
Someone also mentioned that they were very unreliable. Anyone know about that?
Cheers
I'm a long time Buell owner and have followed the marque closely. The best answers to many questions you might have will be found at badweatherbikers.com
They are great bikes, and they have a feel and performance pretty much of their own. The XB models (alloy frames) are superb handling machines rated by many in the industry as amongst the best. Don't be put off by their seemingly low power figures compared to some. You can get more than enough out of them to hold your own along any road, and you will definitely embarrass a lot of super bikes at a track day.
Don't fret reliability. They're no better or worse than any other brand. That's not to say they don't have their problems. But all mechanical objects can have problems. Do your homework and buy wise is all.
They are great bikes, and they have a feel and performance pretty much of their own. The XB models (alloy frames) are superb handling machines rated by many in the industry as amongst the best. Don't be put off by their seemingly low power figures compared to some. You can get more than enough out of them to hold your own along any road, and you will definitely embarrass a lot of super bikes at a track day.
Don't fret reliability. They're no better or worse than any other brand. That's not to say they don't have their problems. But all mechanical objects can have problems. Do your homework and buy wise is all.
Indeed sir, i believe you are correct in your description of the buell, 'Bizzare' is at best.
I borrowed one 5 years ago, (it was blue and had a Vance and Hines pipe, thats about all i know about it)
As i got on it the thing was shaking like a epeleptic elephant, i slowly trundled out of the carpark trying hard not to topple off the damn thing (you sit on, not in these things)
Opened the throttle and almost dislocated both shoulders, the torque...Good lord, then proptly ran into a metaphorical power sapping brick wall around 7000 rpm.
I was used to a GSXR1100 where everything kind of goes blurry at 7000 revs, the buell caught me by totally by suprise.
I suppose it was fun in a kind of horrified but morbid curiosity way.
Watch out for worn drive belts (that much torque does stress these things) and crumbling engine mounting bushes, yes, it shakes so much the engine mounts have bushes.
I borrowed one 5 years ago, (it was blue and had a Vance and Hines pipe, thats about all i know about it)
As i got on it the thing was shaking like a epeleptic elephant, i slowly trundled out of the carpark trying hard not to topple off the damn thing (you sit on, not in these things)
Opened the throttle and almost dislocated both shoulders, the torque...Good lord, then proptly ran into a metaphorical power sapping brick wall around 7000 rpm.
I was used to a GSXR1100 where everything kind of goes blurry at 7000 revs, the buell caught me by totally by suprise.
I suppose it was fun in a kind of horrified but morbid curiosity way.
Watch out for worn drive belts (that much torque does stress these things) and crumbling engine mounting bushes, yes, it shakes so much the engine mounts have bushes.
I had a look at these over the weekend.
They look awesome bikes. Supposed to be tremendous handling. I Had a go on one at the bike show on a slow speed course which should they manoeuvre very easily and lightly.
The new 1125 is supposed to be the performance machine. Although they don't quote power figures, I guess they need to be ridden differently from a IL4.
They look awesome bikes. Supposed to be tremendous handling. I Had a go on one at the bike show on a slow speed course which should they manoeuvre very easily and lightly.
The new 1125 is supposed to be the performance machine. Although they don't quote power figures, I guess they need to be ridden differently from a IL4.
I was looking at a Buell as they look like the perfect commuter. Loads of grunt, quite tall, loud, belt drive and funky looking.
The one I rode was a 1200cc Ullesyse. It immediately felt wrong. My head seemed to be further forward than the headlight. It vibrated like a wonky '60's spin dryer and as mentioned above, the power ran out like I'd hit the brakes.
On the plus side it had bucket loads of grunt and had bucket loads of grunt. Did I mention the grunt
For me it looked 21st century and rode like an 80's part bin special. That torque is addictive though. Shame the riding position just felt so very wrong.
I decided that I loved the torque but couldn't live with the rest. I'm now waiting for the Harley XR1200 to be released and already have a test ride booked. I'm hoping this will be a more traditional riding style and be a great bike for everyday use. In the meantime I've bought a VFR800 which does what it says on the tin.
The one I rode was a 1200cc Ullesyse. It immediately felt wrong. My head seemed to be further forward than the headlight. It vibrated like a wonky '60's spin dryer and as mentioned above, the power ran out like I'd hit the brakes.
On the plus side it had bucket loads of grunt and had bucket loads of grunt. Did I mention the grunt
For me it looked 21st century and rode like an 80's part bin special. That torque is addictive though. Shame the riding position just felt so very wrong.
I decided that I loved the torque but couldn't live with the rest. I'm now waiting for the Harley XR1200 to be released and already have a test ride booked. I'm hoping this will be a more traditional riding style and be a great bike for everyday use. In the meantime I've bought a VFR800 which does what it says on the tin.
blindswelledrat said:
Ive started to think I must buy a bike again.
With a modest budget (£3k or so) and a terrible insurance history, I am stuck looking at an oldish R6- or I have discovered a Buell which excited me greatly. They are bizarre brutes.
However, despite 1000cc+ engines the insurance is peanuts.
Does that mean they are actually slow?
I intend to do trackdays on whatever I buy, but I obviously don't want something that cant keep up.
Someone also mentioned that they were very unreliable. Anyone know about that?
There was a bloke at Pembrey in the inters (or fast) with a buell. Slow... erm, no.With a modest budget (£3k or so) and a terrible insurance history, I am stuck looking at an oldish R6- or I have discovered a Buell which excited me greatly. They are bizarre brutes.
However, despite 1000cc+ engines the insurance is peanuts.
Does that mean they are actually slow?
I intend to do trackdays on whatever I buy, but I obviously don't want something that cant keep up.
Someone also mentioned that they were very unreliable. Anyone know about that?
Buy a pet squirrel to pick up the nuts as you ride along...
Brother of a mate has one and has to spanner it regularly to keep it together.
First few months he owned it he was losing bits just about every ride. Tried everything from threadlok to super glue.
Now, he's replaced as much as can be replaced with nyloc nuts and lockwired the rest.
Oh, and it's also not very reliable...
Brother of a mate has one and has to spanner it regularly to keep it together.
First few months he owned it he was losing bits just about every ride. Tried everything from threadlok to super glue.
Now, he's replaced as much as can be replaced with nyloc nuts and lockwired the rest.
Oh, and it's also not very reliable...
Listen Tom. Everyone in this thread knows someone that knows someone that had a Buell, or they rode one around a block themselves.
I've owned mine 10 years from new this coming August. It's an S1W 1200CC. Yes I've worked endlessly on it and it's not been without its faults or problems. But on the other hand there were times when I went along on a group ride with the local Japanese dealership. R1's, Blades, ZX10's etc etc. I can't begin to tell you how good it feels to overhear a ZX10 rider to a Repsol leathered and Repsol painted Blade rider say "who's that effing idiot on the Buell". You can easily pi55 some people off when you beat them on a tractor!
Your budget puts you into tube frame late 1990's S1 or S1W territory. 100rwhp is easily achievable with little effort and little money. Most if not all these models have had there problems ironed out, and they've had the benefit of aftermarket goodies bestowed upon them already. Belts are 50000 mile life on the tube framers. The engine mounts never give problem, though the two swing arm to frame rubbers might need changing once in 20000 miles or more. Tube frame models use higher quality components than the Sportster motors they are designed from. Thus the motors are pretty bullet proof unless you ride it to the limit all the time. If you do, like I do, then you will spend lots of cash making it more powerful and reliable.
See mine at myspace/rocketpepper and think about this. It's seen track days here and in France. It's done a full season of Straightliners and came third in the championship. It's run the quarter in 11.25 sec. It's been thrashed to Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland and Monaco several times. I'm a member of the Bonneville 130mph Club riding an S1W four runs on a two mile course at Bonneville Salt Flats. Each run has to be between 130 to 140mph. My fastest run at Bonneville on a street legal road tyred Buell was 144mph. I was on the team (Team Elves) that broke the land speed record for pushrod V twins when the RR1000 Buell with a Cycle-Rama prepped motor went from 186 to 214 mph over a few seasons development. And before you think that's nothing special today. Seldom do 400 + hp Hayabusas crack 200mph at Bonneville.
Like I said earlier, check out www.badweatherbikers.com it's the worlds leading Buell website. Tell 'em Rocket sent ya. Just remember, Buells aren't for everyone, but when you get good with one they're bloody hard to fault. Don't let anyone tell you they're slow and don't handle. Just give it time and get use to them. They do have very steep steering and will feel uncharacteristic. But then again, my 916 didn't handle like everyone said they did until I'd owned it a month and put some miles on it. Then it was sublime. Buells are a little like that. You have to get use to them is all.
I've owned mine 10 years from new this coming August. It's an S1W 1200CC. Yes I've worked endlessly on it and it's not been without its faults or problems. But on the other hand there were times when I went along on a group ride with the local Japanese dealership. R1's, Blades, ZX10's etc etc. I can't begin to tell you how good it feels to overhear a ZX10 rider to a Repsol leathered and Repsol painted Blade rider say "who's that effing idiot on the Buell". You can easily pi55 some people off when you beat them on a tractor!
Your budget puts you into tube frame late 1990's S1 or S1W territory. 100rwhp is easily achievable with little effort and little money. Most if not all these models have had there problems ironed out, and they've had the benefit of aftermarket goodies bestowed upon them already. Belts are 50000 mile life on the tube framers. The engine mounts never give problem, though the two swing arm to frame rubbers might need changing once in 20000 miles or more. Tube frame models use higher quality components than the Sportster motors they are designed from. Thus the motors are pretty bullet proof unless you ride it to the limit all the time. If you do, like I do, then you will spend lots of cash making it more powerful and reliable.
See mine at myspace/rocketpepper and think about this. It's seen track days here and in France. It's done a full season of Straightliners and came third in the championship. It's run the quarter in 11.25 sec. It's been thrashed to Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland and Monaco several times. I'm a member of the Bonneville 130mph Club riding an S1W four runs on a two mile course at Bonneville Salt Flats. Each run has to be between 130 to 140mph. My fastest run at Bonneville on a street legal road tyred Buell was 144mph. I was on the team (Team Elves) that broke the land speed record for pushrod V twins when the RR1000 Buell with a Cycle-Rama prepped motor went from 186 to 214 mph over a few seasons development. And before you think that's nothing special today. Seldom do 400 + hp Hayabusas crack 200mph at Bonneville.
Like I said earlier, check out www.badweatherbikers.com it's the worlds leading Buell website. Tell 'em Rocket sent ya. Just remember, Buells aren't for everyone, but when you get good with one they're bloody hard to fault. Don't let anyone tell you they're slow and don't handle. Just give it time and get use to them. They do have very steep steering and will feel uncharacteristic. But then again, my 916 didn't handle like everyone said they did until I'd owned it a month and put some miles on it. Then it was sublime. Buells are a little like that. You have to get use to them is all.
Edited by Rocket Pepper on Tuesday 17th June 00:23
Rocket, you seem to have SOME experience on Buells !
I was one of the first Buell mechanics in germany, 1990,
when the RSS 1200 tube framed ones were imported by a Harley Dealer in Frankfurt.
Even met Eric, must have been the Dortmund Show in 1991.
Build quality was quite crap, especially considering price of ~16.000€......
Tanks vibrated apart, tank inside coating was dissolved by petrol,
WB forks leaked (once had to take 13 pairs out of still-in-crate bikes,
then had them fixed at WB in NL), etc etc.
Even the Axle nuts that were welded on the hollow axle shafts (one side)
came loose because the welding was crap......
BUT :
They were great bikes to ride, and, as you stated,
these early bugs will have been taken care of by dealers/owners.
I like the tube framed Buells even more than the alu-framed ones,
even though they are probably the better ride by some degrees,
never had the chance to ride an alu-frame.
Then there were customers who wanted a Mikuni/Sreaming Eagle carb on them,
together with cams/ignition/exhaust parts (more discs in the stock Supertrapp).
So I had to fit these carbs not only to the motor,
but customize/weld the carb tube to the breadbox air cleaner,
that was integrated in the fairing (pre-Helmholtz days).
Then the test rides, full throttle and cut engine out for plug check.....hmmmmm....,
how do I get to the plugs on the side of the road without burning my fingers ?
(The fairing was quite wrapped around the engine)
OK, lets replace stock fuel tank with a lawnmower thing
Done, but found out that the tank was integrated part of the fairing,
and the fairing parts started to wobble/almost fall off @Autobahn speed without tank.
My mate who was student had a brill idea :
He took one of our many -leaking- warranty tanks and cut BIG holes in them,
so he could mould two "downpipe shafts" in them with fiberglass.
This way I could fit the tank AND reach the plugs, through these "chimneys", hehe.
All this "old-timer" talk should not discourage BSR to take a good look at
tube-framed Buells, they are great bikes with GOBS of torque,
not Autobahn killers but the king of back roads , and tracks, if well ridden.
I guess you have to put them into a lunatic angle to scrape some parts,
I never managed it.
Plus they sure have character, lots of V-Twin rumble (no Potato-Potato here),
and are quite rare nowadays.
Cheers,
Benni
I was one of the first Buell mechanics in germany, 1990,
when the RSS 1200 tube framed ones were imported by a Harley Dealer in Frankfurt.
Even met Eric, must have been the Dortmund Show in 1991.
Build quality was quite crap, especially considering price of ~16.000€......
Tanks vibrated apart, tank inside coating was dissolved by petrol,
WB forks leaked (once had to take 13 pairs out of still-in-crate bikes,
then had them fixed at WB in NL), etc etc.
Even the Axle nuts that were welded on the hollow axle shafts (one side)
came loose because the welding was crap......
BUT :
They were great bikes to ride, and, as you stated,
these early bugs will have been taken care of by dealers/owners.
I like the tube framed Buells even more than the alu-framed ones,
even though they are probably the better ride by some degrees,
never had the chance to ride an alu-frame.
Then there were customers who wanted a Mikuni/Sreaming Eagle carb on them,
together with cams/ignition/exhaust parts (more discs in the stock Supertrapp).
So I had to fit these carbs not only to the motor,
but customize/weld the carb tube to the breadbox air cleaner,
that was integrated in the fairing (pre-Helmholtz days).
Then the test rides, full throttle and cut engine out for plug check.....hmmmmm....,
how do I get to the plugs on the side of the road without burning my fingers ?
(The fairing was quite wrapped around the engine)
OK, lets replace stock fuel tank with a lawnmower thingDone, but found out that the tank was integrated part of the fairing,
and the fairing parts started to wobble/almost fall off @Autobahn speed without tank.
My mate who was student had a brill idea :He took one of our many -leaking- warranty tanks and cut BIG holes in them,
so he could mould two "downpipe shafts" in them with fiberglass.
This way I could fit the tank AND reach the plugs, through these "chimneys", hehe.
All this "old-timer" talk should not discourage BSR to take a good look at
tube-framed Buells, they are great bikes with GOBS of torque,
not Autobahn killers but the king of back roads , and tracks, if well ridden.
I guess you have to put them into a lunatic angle to scrape some parts,
I never managed it.
Plus they sure have character, lots of V-Twin rumble (no Potato-Potato here),
and are quite rare nowadays.
Cheers,
Benni
Indeed Benni. Those early bikes really were hand built by just a few people in a barn in Mukwonago. Parts supply was sporadic and specialist. Pretty much what you'd expect back then for hand built limited production. Things really did move on big time after 1996. Buell now reside in a purpose built state of the art factory in East Troy. Before I'm accused by anyone of favouritism, I've never met Erik though we've had several run ins on the forums, and he is no fan of mine. He didn't appreciate my fierce criticism of Buells failed race effort with the XBRR , nor how crap I spoke of the Blast. Don't get me started on the 1125 either. That's the ugliest motorcycle ever to grace the planet. And to think Buells Lightning S1 is one of the greatest style minimalist bikes ever built. Some great bikes but the man himself is a stubborn prick with his head up his arse when it comes to listening to outside influences!
Rocket Pepper said:
I'm a member of the Bonneville 130mph Club riding an S1W four runs on a two mile course at Bonneville Salt Flats. Each run has to be between 130 to 140mph. My fastest run at Bonneville on a street legal road tyred Buell was 144mph. I was on the team (Team Elves) that broke the land speed record for pushrod V twins when the RR1000 Buell with a Cycle-Rama prepped motor went from 186 to 214 mph over a few seasons development. And before you think that's nothing special today. Seldom do 400 + hp Hayabusas crack 200mph at Bonneville.
Excellent post Rocket Pepper and Benni.
Thanks for your time.
I get the distinct impression from you that they are enthusiasts bikes?
My problem is that I am completely mechanically disinterested/s
te thus any labour of love type bike is definitely not for me.
Tell me Im wrong please because I still really want one
Thanks for your time.
I get the distinct impression from you that they are enthusiasts bikes?
My problem is that I am completely mechanically disinterested/s
te thus any labour of love type bike is definitely not for me.Tell me Im wrong please because I still really want one
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