| Author | Message | ||
     David Beaman |
Court, I made mention to you the other day about a tank bubble and what the dealer could do. You answered my question and asked that i let you know how things are going. Took the bike in last week, he looked at it and said he would see what he could do, but that they were still waiting on a tank for another customer from back in the winter. Some sort of problem with authorization number missing off the form and it was kicked back. He didnt know exactly what the number was for etc.. but said they would try. Why me.? | ||
| David Beaman |
Court, sorry to bother you again on this, but the service manager will not even dream of doing a warrantee claim on a 96 model tank that has a bubble. They said they were completly unable to reach the zone manager for this or any other reason, and asked that i try to call him. Who is the zone manager for Memphis Tennessee.? will he read this or should i beg his number from you. Thanks a million Court. David Beaman | ||
| Court Canfield |
David: It'll be a long time before ANY Buell owner "bothers" me. PERIOD. Buell Motorcycle Company's internet "lurker" will read this. In the meantime, keep in close touch with your dealer and strive to be patient and co-operative...the dealer is your best ally...remember the BIG check you wrote to him ? The dealer can consult the current ROADWORKS which will have a pager #, phone # and contact info for the Buell Zone Manager. If your dealer can not contact the BZM he should contact Mike Kennedy at BDC who is RESPONSIBLE for insuring that Buell Zone Managers are "contactable" and efficient in resolving the concerns of Buell dealers and owners. Buell will happily replace your bubbled tank. Expec up to a 12 week wait (this is pretty defensible because this tank thing is an odd duck in the P&A system) and be aware that you will get the new "paste on" letters. You'll never bother me....you paid top dollar for a bike and have every reason to expect your money's worth From the legal department...... The foregoing is based PURELY on speculation. I am not an employee of Buell, I have no official capacity, nor do I work for or have ANY association with any dealer, Buell or otherwise. Court | ||
| mike jaquet (Mike) |
I wonder what are the qualifications and competition for being a Buell zone manager. Hmmm, riding for a living visiting dealers and customers within a specified geographic zone. A job could be worse I suppose. mike '00 M2 (I am going through a career change, hmmm) | ||
| Don Casto (Doncasto) |
Mike: If the BZM's I know of are any indication, you will need to have worked for Harley Davidson's recreational vehicle company, Holiday Rambler. I suspect the corporate types are emphasizing sales experience over motorcycle experience. In some cases this could explain why Buell customers, and to a certain extent Buell dealers, have been having problems with support from East Troy/Milwaukee. | ||
| Mark_99M2_X1gone (Mark_99x1) |
Court, I have a real simple question. I noticed that the front muffler grommet on my 99 M2 was kinda chewed up at 2000 miles, the outside part that looks like a washer was gone. I replaced it with a new one, I must have tightened it too tight because within 50 miles the washer looking part of the grommet was gone. It is now about 300 miles later and there is metal to metal contact between the muffler mount and the muffler support. Is this something that is OK or should I replace it again? If I need to replace it again, what do you think the problem is? Thanks,Mark Stamper | ||
| Mark_99M2_X1gone (Mark_99x1) |
I meant to say the part looks like a RUBBER washer instead of just washer. Thanks, Mark Stamper | ||
| Aaron Wilson (Aaron) |
Court: Your opinion would be most appreciated ... I stumbled across a really nice '96 S2 today. Serial number 7. Dark blue, 2,000 miles, almost completely stock and the stock pieces come with it for the few parts that have been changed. No recall work. Took it for a ride. Real tight. Handles good. Feels way down on power compared to my M2. But it's not a fair comparison. Asking price is $9,000. Whadya think? TIA, AW '99 M2 | ||
| Sumo |
Court, How do I find the name and number for the BZM for London England ????? Sumo | ||
| Mark in Ireland |
Sumo, The person you want to deal with is Martin Ginns. He is contactable on 01280 700101, although actually getting to talk to him can be a very lengthy affair. Regards, Mark in Ireland (Home is 10 miles from Keswick) | ||
| Court Canfield |
MARK: The part you describe is no stranger to Buell trouble shooters. What APPEARS to be a rubber washer is, in fact, a rubber tube with a metal insert in it's center and a flat rubber flange on each end. These "flanges" are what appear to you to be washers. Early S-2 iterations failed to meet Buell's heat specs and the subsequent versions incorporated VIKON for elevated heat resistance. Current versions are VERY position sensitive and should be carefully and frequently checked for proper "stacking"....the sequential order that the parts are placed in. Your dealer will have a diagram showing the proper arrangement. This part I'd expect to replace every year or two under rugged use but failure at 50 miles warrants further investigation. Owners of early Buells knew the moment that baby went...sounds like the muffler was full of ball bearings. AARON: $9K would be "in the ballpark" for a VERY CLEAN S-2. I have seen them selling in a range from $4,915 (e-bay) to around $10K (folks who are intent on them being collector bikes). The S-2 is a marvelous Buell and one of the best handling. The flywheels are 4# heavier (larger in circumference and thickness) than what you are used to. Increased torque, but spins up a tad slower and can be perceived as "sluggish". Don't be afraid to hold the bike at a steady 5,000 RPM during sections requiring a combination of ready power and engine braking. The S-2 will feel FAR more "planted" than your M-2 in corners, technical sections and at speed. This is probably just a rehash of what your BZM told you but...for what it's worth...that's MY PERSONAL opinion. If you are unable to contact a BZM (I'm not sure there are any in Europe yet) let me know and I can hook you up with the folks who can help you. Court | ||
| Kennedy |
: Hey Court, : I hope I'm not out of line asking you if you know of any front wheels out there for sale for my 99 X1.Have stock black set.I didn't know Buells could jump! Tex | ||
| Anonymous |
Tommy, Please tell us what shop you have been dealing with. It sounds as if they installed just about every thing backwards. I have no idea how they could or would do it. R | ||
| Tommy Merritt (Tfmrt) |
Anonymous? Who are you. I think it was the wrong shock. I got the very first one that came in and the rest were put on the way it is now. They took care of it as soon as the problem was identified. The dealership is Earl Small's and they have been most helpfull, and resolve any problem as quick as posible. | ||
| Court Canfield |
Tommy Shock problem was an "easy solve" and the staff at Earl Small's has, in all the times I've ridden there, been willing to hop to and get things solved. Earl, likely due to his considerable VR-1000 and other racing efforts, has a special appreciation for Buells. Be sure to tell him and the gang hello and also give Alison and big HOWDY for me if you see her. She was one of the very first female S-2 riders and I enjoyed helping here and David form one of the first Buell clubs. Let me know if I can be of help in any way. Ride safe, lean much and smile more.......((I'm fraought with guilt over playing folf rather than riding on a day like today)) Court | ||
| Kennedy |
: X1 wheel brand new. Only 200 bucks!Got one ordered. Tex | ||
| Aaron Wilson (Aaron) |
Court: You mentioned once before that you did some measuring of Speedo and odo error, and guaranteed me that my speedo is 7% off. After some careful measurements myself, I've found that number to be correct. It takes 64 seconds to go 1 mile at an indicated 60, which works out to 6.67%, the difference to 7% is well within the error of my timing. Okay, now how about the odometer? Mine is a whopping 20% off! In other words, one mile travelled shows a full 1.2 miles on the odo. have you ever seen results like this? At the Taos rally, I did some comparing with a fellow '99 M2 owner. His bike is only about 300 serial numbers past mine. My top speed is an indicated 135mph, or about 126mph actual. His indicated top speed is about 125. Also, his odo seems to be right on the money. So it would seem his is pretty damn accurate on both counts. The way I see it, my speedo needs to be replaced. it can't be the sensor because the speed and the odo are off by vastly different percentages. I took it to the dealer but they wouldn't change it, they said they've got 3 other Buells in right now for speedo problems and they weren't going to throw parts at it until they could consult with Buell. Your comments would be more than appreciated. Thanks, AW '99 M2 | ||
| Court Canfield |
Aaron: You know too much. I'm going to have to find you and silence you ! What, you thought I was guessing on the 7% ? Yeah, I'm new to the Buell thing and I just took a lucky shot in the dark guess .......NOT. Seriously, the odo error's no secret....the speedo should not exist and is cause for concern. It's going to be (crrectly) treated as a low priority, at present. But, keep in touch with your dealer and see what he finds. If he strikes out or commences with "they all do that" or "it's normal" get back to me. Till then.......the contract on you stands.....I'm the only one who rides with stop wathces velcroed to the panel...hehehehe....RIDE SAFE and HAVE FUN ! | ||
| mike jaquet (Mike) |
Aaron, I read your question/statement to Court right before lunch. I had to run to the UPS station and pickup my Sportrack. On the return trip I had about 26 miles of freeway so I kept track of when I passed the mile markers. Allowing for several lane changes, one dodge of a camper/pickup towing a horse trailer that looked like he caught a crosswind and was trying to get his pickup up on two wheels (maybe he saw me coming up behind him and wanted to be on two wheels too?), (uh, lost track, new sentence). Over 26 miles, my odometer was within .2 (two-tenths) of a mile gauged by the freeway mile markers. Couldn't see in any cars to compare my speedometer readings, and didn't have a stopwatch velcro'd to anyplace handy, so can't verify my speedometer. Me and several cars all hit the brakes dropping from about 80mph to about 70mph when we all saw a highway patrol car in the opposite lane, so I figure we all were reading about the same to get the same reaction. Just another data point for you. It seems my odometer is accurate. Maybe I'll duct-tape my alarm clock to my mini-fairing and check my speed readings this weekend. Let's see, one lap of Micky's tail is a minute, or a mile at 60mph. Of course that bend in his tail makes accurate readings difficult. It's Friday, I'm at work, I wanna' go ride. mike. '00 M2 PS, Court, did I read that right, did you say his speedo should not exist? Hmmm, I though missing a tach was something. (Sorry, I'm feeling goofy. Next time you're around Milwaukee I'll buy you a beverage.) | ||
| Bob Stoll (Bob) |
Uhm Court, What gives here? I read this thread this morning so I decided to do a little testing of my own and you are correct. Compared to my Garmin GPS III, the speedo is about 7% off and the odo is close to 20% off. This jives with the speedo on my wife's BMW K75, which was within 2% of the GPS readings. Was there a bad batch of speedometers, or do they all do that? I have one more question for you too. I know that at one time you worked for Buell and you still have some connections there. For the benefit of those of us who haven't heard the story, (like me) would you mind posting a short autobiography? OK, last and final question for the night: Are you planning on attending the Open House at York, PA? Thanks much. Bob... | ||
| Court Canfield |
Bob: 1.) Your readings seem a bit odd but the odo error is on track with my measurements. 2.) I "worked" for Buell for a very short time, have been involved for something on the order of 11 years. 3.) A short autobiography would be tough, an honest one terminal. 4.) I am going to try to make it to York for a least a couple hours. Frankly, I've got a Buell that's barely running at present and an incredibly busy travel/riding schedule the next month. But, I'd love to get there to see Mike and some of the York staff who have represented Buell so marvelously with HD employees. These guys deserve LOTS of credit and be sure to look up Mike and thank him for his tireless efforts on behalf of Buell. Court | ||
| Rich Crow |
Court is it possible to have carb icing at 50 degress and 75 percent humidity if running about a steady 55 or 60 mph? The bike acted like it was running out of gas, giving more throtle and keeping thr rpms abut 3500 t0 4000 I made it home. The trip was only 10 miles and I had waited until the cylinders were warm befor taking off. The problem started at abut 5 miles underway. Thank you for any info on this. | ||
| Sam Nixon (Sam) |
Rich: At 50 degrees you don't have a carb icing problem. You problems are symptomatic of something like dirt in the bowl or bad fuel. Top off the tank w/fresh petro from a reliable source then drain about 1/2 cup fuel through the float bowl. You may even want/need to drain the tank before re-fill. Run the bike. If that doesn't fix the problem then remove the bowl and look for sediment. If all else fails you may need to remove the jets and inspect them for blockage, especially the pilot (slow) jet. This can be done without removing the carb. | ||
| dave gess |
Rich, it takes very little water to create the problem you talked about. I had it on my GB500 earier this year. Hit 70mph on the freeway just after goin on reserve. Full throttle gave me 40 mph and I am riding down the shoulder knowing that in a mile the shoulder ends with no exit possible. I tried putting the choke on and the bike ran ok again. Got home and drained the fuel line. There was less than tablespoon of water in the bottom of the bottle I used to drain the fuel into but that solved the problem. so start there. If that fails than Sam has the drill down. | ||
| Jim Armstrong (Jima4media) |
Rich, I haven't heard of carb icing on a bike, but that raises an interest question. Can it happen? I know for sure it happens on air-cooled small aircraft engines at temperatures up to 68 degrees, but it depends on altitude and humidity. That is why they have carb heaters. How many fliers out there can tell us about carb icing on motorcycles? Court? Jim | ||
| Court Canfield |
CARB ICING - as those of us who have neglected to apply carb heat until that sudden "surprise" accompanined by falling manifold pressure know can happen at relatively "high" temperatures. The temperature of a gas (work with me here) falls with a decrease in pressure (i.e. exiting a venturi like a carb throat) Need to prove this to yourself, just fire up any aerosol can and see what happens as you move gas from a high pressure to a low pressure. ((Yes, for you typical badwebbers, you can do the same thing by farting but that's another discussion)). However, pilots also know that even the slightest amount of water can play havoc on internal combustion. Many of us have even learned the hard way to drain our tanks not once, but twice, lest the first sample jar be ENTIRELY water. Airplanes (and motorbikes) subjected to cool night, following warm humid days do the same thing your glass of iced tea does. Check for water first. Court > Should we start a discusion on Bernoulli's principle, Graham's law of partial pressures and so on ? | ||
| Hans |
Mark, My conclusion about platinum plugs was once that they shorten the initial ignition time. Faster ignition has the same effect as more prae-ignition: Hotter engine and white deposits. All just guesses, but trying the old original plugs don`t cost a cent. Let us know what helped ? Smile&ride. Hans | ||
| dave gess |
Court Cut that out, people are going to start thinking of you as edukated ;)) dave | ||
| Mark in Ireland |
Carb icing is a pain in the neck and if left untreated i.e. keep on riding, you will encounter a dying engine which progressively requires more and more revs to keep going. Change down for a corner and as you pull the clutch in, shut the throttle slightly and bingo the engine stalls,clutch out to try and catch it, back end steps out..drift out into the path of oncoming traffic as the bike is freewheeling...not recommended. This is real and happens if you use the bike over the winter periods here in the UK. The additive helps a lot but the engine still keeps stalling at low revs and is •••• around town. Most manufacturers have developed kits, how about Buell to follow suit? | ||
| Sam Nixon (Sam) |
Okay, Okay. So maybe carb icing can occur at 'higher' temps. Another way to remove water from your fuel is to add a little (and I do mean a little) Methanol to your tank. Methanol will absorb the H20 and then burn w/your fuel. Most gas conditioners/treatments contain a small amount of Methanol to remove excess moisture (water) from the fuell. I add a small amount of STP gas treatment to my tank every so often as part of my Buell Uniterupted Riding Program (BURP). :-) | ||
| Darryl Salmon (Sparky) |
Court, many thanks to you, BMC and the great info on this board. I got the gas tank replaced on my '96 S1 which had paint bubbles around the filler cap. As this damage is not covered by extended warranty, I showed my dealer the Aug. 6 conversation with Mr. Beaman and you regarding paint bubbles. With this info, he was able to get BMC to goodwill a gas tank after a couple of phone calls to the right people. I glad to say a new tank arrived in a couple of weeks. You guys are the greatest!! Sparky '96 S1 | ||
| Ross Northwood (Pilot) |
Court I have a mission for you should you accept it. The mission is to blend into the background and follow Erik as he is about to leave town on an important mission. You will find out where he is going and if you plan it right you will be able to collect on that drink that I promised you, fun riding will happen and if Eddie can not find me a spare Buell to ride I am going to try to freight mine so as I can go ride with Erik.Hope you can follow the Master and "Feel The Force". This message will not self destruct in 5 seconds. Oh if you are coming or can arrange it I would like to place and order for some go faster bits . Cath you later Ross | ||
| Ross Northwood (Pilot) |
Court you missed a great weekend on Sunday the skies opened and rain fell down ,bad weather for bad weather bikers,The people at Morgan & Wackers really flew the flag for Buell .Maybe US dealers should come over here to see how it is done the card gun would have to be put in for regular service.Monday the weather was perfect and so were the roads lots of twisty bits interspersed with refreshment stops a great day. Once again thanks must go to the local dealer for great service and co-ordination . I will be back Ross | ||
| Court Canfield |
Ross: The reports I am reading prove what a fun bunch of Buellers we have in Australia. Have not talked to Erik but I'm betting her had a GREAT Time. Is there a name at Morgan & Wacker.....I'll drop them a note. G'Day.....Court | ||
| Ed Manning |
Court, Just wanted to drop a note and say my new bubble free tank has been in for a few weeks. Unfortunately you have to call my dealers 800 number and see if your stuffs in as he obviously has plenty of storage space. Thanks for everything Bro and come eat with us soon. Ed and Cindy | ||
| Ross Northwood (Pilot) |
Court the people to send a note to are the service guys, the parts and accesories guys, the sales guys and Eddie Todd (FAST White Lightning) owner.Infact everybody involved with the exercise deserves a special mention. Thanks again Ross | ||
| Peter Thomas (Petert) |
Damn Ross, No need to rub in the fact that I couldn't make it to Brisbane. Did you get a chance to try a Race kitted X1? Maybe I should have gone. It might have improved my attitude towards M&W. Seriously I'm glad you Guys had a good time. I'll have to give Paul Rogers a call so he can fill me in on the details. Pete T |
