| Author | Message | ||
     Hooper |
"A simplistic tinkers delight" - Hey, I resemble that remark!   | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
Honestly haven't ridden a newer one so don't know about all these little 'improvements' that get rid of these little 'gremlins.' '06 I bought new, upgraded with newer parts (wheel bearings and rider comfort kit) but never had an issue with the old bearings or issue with the heat (at least one that was resolved with the comfort kit). Also never had an issue with fork springs sucking, turning lock being too little, or oil not lubricating the engine and helping it cool it a little bit. If you are a die hard believer in motorcycle marketing that make you think there are major differences from one model year to the next without a real design/chassis change then yeah, you got to get an '08 or newer. If you understand that very little has changed that effects the rider from '06 to '10 then you are level headed and will be fine on an '06. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
I can balance the service manual on my noggin. | ||
| Froggy |
The 06s and 07s both had their own much needed improvements over the older bikes, but they still weren't immune to oil issues. http://badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/3842/22 8144.html?1164158700 http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/580996.html?1279859543 http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/384 2/578692.html?1283490748
You would be mistaken, given that the entire electrical and fuel injection system along with the front suspension was changed, it makes a noticeable difference on the rider. Ride a 2010 about 15 feet and you will notice "Hey, that clutch feels nice, oh wow its not herky jerky off the line. Did it just automatically give it throttle for me? Wow, it doesn't feel like I'm gonna do a stoppie when slowing down! Cool, I can actually see in front of me with these headlights, I won't be forced to put HIDs in." Most of those were my thoughts after borrowing an 09 X when my 06 was in the shop. I honestly didn't want my 06 back. | ||
| Baybueller |
Thanks for the input. I am shopping as we speak and only held back waiting for tax returns. I plan to buy, dial in, then sell the multi. If anybody needs the stupid fast version of the Uly, albeit higher maintenance, let me know. | ||
| Froggy |
I'd do some dirty things to get a Multi.... | ||
| Baybueller |
Its hard to explain. the Multi will do daily duty but its heart begs for track like operation. | ||
| Froggy |
I've ridden one, easily the best bike I have ever ridden. Motor feels like my 1125R, but the suspension is more forgiving for the street. Oh, and I can press a button to adjust it when loaded up. ABS? •••• yea! | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
Like I said, I don't have experience on a newer Buell but as to what you say. I don't think the bike is jerky off the line (well any more jerky then any other air cooled v-twin I've ridden... which is a lot of them). Also I pin my high and low beams on at the same time at night so don't have any visibility issues. That said I'd love to ride a new one but if new fork springs, imaginary oiling improvements and a new electrical system is all I get then it wouldn't be enough to sway me off my current rig. What would sway me off my current rig is a nice, smooth and powerful say... v-4... liquid cooled, 6-speed transmission. MMMMmmmm I would go for one of those. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
If you get an 06' for a good price then you will enjoy it just fine. Don't listen to those that never had a motorcycle they couldn't immediately wreck or just expected it to maintain itself and then wondered why it caused them problems. Or worst of all, let a dealer flunky find ways to ruin their bike. Most of us that have owned the 06' and still do have taken care of them and had little if any problems that we couldn't handle ourselves. I have ridden an 08' ULY and wondered why Buell decided to neuter a perfectly good motorcycle. Always felt like I was starting out in 5th gear. I understand what they did to cause that but have never understood why they'd want to ruin the off idle response like that. And I believe that the increase in oil cooler size was only in response to the "updated" engine working the oil harder and Buell needed to try and tame the temperature. It certainly doesn't cool the oil to lower temps than the 6 row does on the 06/07 year ULY's. At one of the Buell homecomings I gave Crusty an EG oil temp dipstick. After we went for a ride on our respective bikes I checked my Uly's oil temp and checked his and his was 20 degrees hotter and he was on an 08' ULY. My son's 07' ULY is always spot on with my 06' ULY in regards to oil temp at the swingarm when we go for a ride. Finally, the 08/10 year bikes have the fan running constantly and then not at all after shutdown unless the engine is about to melt. I for one, like the 06/07 ECM fan handling much better. I actually have the original fan running just fine on my 35,000 mile 06. Why run the fan when the engine is doing it's best to get up to operating temp where the gas mileage is optimal and the oil is thinned out and moving freely. When the engine gets hot enough the fan is signaled to help keep the engine from getting any hotter. I always used the fan as a means to know that I've ridden far enough on a short jaunt so that condensate doesn't much up the engine oil. Those that want to believe that their 08 upgrades are the bomb can feel free to do so but I've personally have never felt like my bike has missed out on much of anything except for the better sidestand. And froggy, please do me a favor and try to keep from dissecting point by point every thing I wrote. | ||
| Nipsey |
I have had an 06 for 4 trouble free years - and love it. Keep in mid that Froggy's bike committed suicide rather than face the indignities of his mounting it.....  | ||
| Blackdog |
I'm with Froggy on this. I had a 2005 XB12R and now have the 2009 XB12XT. The 2009 is a well sorted out bike that has many improvements over the early bikes. I have the Comfort kit with the latest reflash and I love the way it operates. | ||
| Yo_barry |
I also have an 2009 XB12X. I've added the comfort kit but haven't got the reflash. My fan only runs when the bike gets hot and when you stop and turn it off, the fan kicks on and runs for a minute or so. It doesn't run constantly. AFAIK, it's completely stock. | ||
| Uly_man |
I do not want to get into anything with Froggy and EG1997. What I do know AS A STONE COLD FACT is that my 06 bikes oil cooler did NOT work as it should. Even with the bikes fan running at full blast, near zero C and burning your ass off it would be cold enough to keep your hand on. Thats what I mean by bike specific. This was also checked with ECM-SPY which gives the oil temp from the probe and given that the engine is a dry sump is the one to use and not the oil in the swing arm. I had no specific problems, with the 06 bike I could not deal with but it is better to have a "normal" (and why the f++k not) steering sweep or an engine temp that is not close to going Supernova on your a+s. (Message edited by uly_man on February 09, 2012) | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
You can't rate an entire model year of bike on one experience. For your oil cooler issue there have been thousands without an issue. Same with any bike or car no matter how many years it has been in productions. As to Electra Glide 97's comment about oil temp, take into consideration oil type. HD marketing says syn3 runs on average 15 degrees cooler then conventional oil. Could that be the difference? I don't know. Just something to keep in mind that user variables do exist in the scenario. | ||
| Datsaxman |
Any sentence starting with "HD marketing says..." Good one! | ||
| Datsaxman |
BTW, Robert... Mine is for sale a nice day's ride South of you. saxman | ||
| Baybueller |
Saxman, I would prefer to buy from a site member but I have a delay with the tax return gods. If you have a couple months please get in touch. As far as the years go I had the first year xb and put 35k on it. Had to replace the fan at 34k. That, my friends, is what I call low maintenance. | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
Lol Datsaxman, my entire argument is based on not listening to marketing about the minor changes made and how vastly they impact ridability so don't think I take that seriously. I'm sure there is some difference, doubt it is to the extent of marketing claims (never is right) my point was just to get across the fact that other factors apply to EG's temperature comment. | ||
| Datsaxman |
Terrible, Gotta agree with you. That is why the marketing comment was so LOL funny. My 2006 XB12X and my 2009 XB12XT sure seem pretty different, though. (Ridability" sounds like an adaptation of "drinkability", from the beer commercial. What Dixon likes to call a "content-free" term. What exactly is meant by that, anyway? I am different each day, the roads and the traffic are different each time. So I am riding differently anyway. "Ridability", outside of a marketing term, = "It started!" Sorry about that...just had to vent about something I suppose...not meant as an attack at all...now, where were we? Right. I DO have a thermometer dipstick I made. Goes in whichever X model I am riding that week. Seems like the 2006 runs a little hotter, but no side-by-side comparisons. Just looking at the temp at the end of the same 15 mile uphill slalom through the cages. And the 2009 fan does not run constantly on mine... saxman | ||
| Skifastbadly |
Holy shit guys, we're on the same team. Now that you're all lathered up let's all run over to ADV and give the GSpot guys crap about their final drives. Who's with me? | ||
| Mnrider |
Ski-I'm in-----not.  To me the bigger crank in the 08 and newer is the best change Buell made to the XB12 bikes. | ||
| Ulyranger |
My 08xt has a 25th anniversary badge on the bar clamp with E.B.s signature...... | ||
| Datsaxman |
Baybueller, If I still have it then, we could do that. Hoping to sell to help finance an investment, but not in a big hurry. saxman | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
 Ulyranger | ||
| Baybueller |
Found an 08 today. Un molested and low miles. Looks like I will be here soon as an owner. | ||
| Baybueller |
It followed me home. Can I keep it? Photo too big, operator to dumb. Bike has 6k miles and stock except a huge bailey windscreen. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Congrats Bay! Sounds very nice! | ||
| Baybueller |
Now to the homework. Arms too short for the config,need a stock screen/cluster cover. Always loved these bikes but got pissed and sold the xb and road glide after the killing. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Rox risers can put the bars 1" closer without fussing with the cables, for what that's worth... |
