| Author | Message | ||
     Mikej |
Yeah, I was going to mention the "cruiser" aspect of those bikes, but I figured you'd know that already. I do recall on the short-site that some of them liked the Kawasaki Ninja as it seemed to offer a relativly low seat height, or at least was suitable once you were underway. As a comparison, if you and your wife are at a dealership and they happen to have an S1 in there, have her sit on that. You might be surprised, due to the narrowness of the seat height the S1 feels low. Not that it'd make a good starter bike.  Would be fun though. You might also want to wait on the Firebolts as they are supposed to have several seat options. I just did a quick search and came up with the The Short Bike List FAQ which may or may not be the site I was thinking of, but it sure looks familiar, but I thought it had been updated, so who knows. there I go rambling again, oops | ||
| Mavinwy |
http://www.ki.org/sbl/ For the short biker list. The only other machine I could think of offhand that would meet your list is the suzuki gs500e. or maybe the Yamaha v-star 650 custom, 25" seat height, but heavy. I have a Blast, My wife the GS500e. We both have that short thing going (she is 5'2"  Hers has a little more top end, is chain driven and a twin. Other than a fuel petcock and a battery no repairs have been made to it. Very reliable for 15,000 miles so far. The blast just turned over 2000 miles, so I can't really say yet about the long term reliability as well as some others here can. But it has been a kick, so much that my father just bought one as well. I am staying with the blast, and she is saying that she wants one when hers finally wears out. Hope it helps. Jim | ||
| Seanreid |
Thanks for the feedback so far. The Nighthawk 250 is a possibility but it really doesn't have enough top end to be on the highway. Otherwise, it would be an OK starter bike. The Ninja 250 has a seat height of 29" and the GS500 (which would be a great choice otherwise) has a seat height of 31". Thanks for the links to the short biker list, I looked at it again but haven't gotten any new ideas from it yet. So, I think the Blast is the way to go. In fact I admire Buell as being the only company, it seems, thats built a versatile standard bike for very short people. Any other feedback on experiences with the reliability of the Blast? | ||
| Mapes |
SeanReid, I can't speak much about the Blast's reliability as I have only had mine for 2 weeks. I did decide to go with a 2002 in the hopes that the roskerbox gaskets were the new type. I did not get that confirmed, but the dealer thought they were the new ones. What I can talk about is how much I like the bike. I am a new rider. Granted I'm taller at 5'7", but I feel really comfortable on the bike. I had tried to ride some other bikes (my boyfriend's BMW R60/5) and never felt like I could control them The Blast is very confidence inspiring for a new rider. I rode the Ninja 250 for my MSF class. I liked it, but was a bit uncomfortable size-wise the high revs were a bit unnerving to me. The Blast feels very balanced, is easy to start out and very easy to make tighter turns on. I looked at bikes for 2 years trying to decide whether I wanted to ride or not. The only other bike that I really liked was the BWM F650GS. That was a dream to ride, but way out of my budget as a beginning rider. I can't speak for the technical side of things, but as a new woman rider, I highly recommend the Blast. | ||
| Blake |
The Buell Blast P3 is one of the most reliable bikes you will find anywhere. It is one of the big reasons Buell recently won a J.D. Power award for customer satisfaction. | ||
| Dansherman |
I ride a Blast, my friend rides a GS500. We both do most of our riding with 600+ super sport bikes, and for the most part, we can keep up. Only on the freeway where they push it to triple digits do I fall behind. (top speed on my bike is 97mph) My buddy and his GS500 can keep up into the 110's but then he falls behind too. Not that riding that fast is a good idea or anything...  As far as height goes, the GS500 feels really tall (even for my 6' frame), versus the Blast, which is perfectly comfortable for almost anybody who has sat on it. (People ask too all the time. It's kind of funny, considering they ride GSXR750s and F4i's.) Anyway, I'd recommend the Blast with an aftermarket pipe (big difference) over everything else that I've heard suggested as a beginner bike. That's my 3 cents. (yes 3) | ||
| Kyuss |
O.K. if I were ever going to leave buell for another womanufacturer it would be her  I'm in love... enfield motorcycles 500cc's at about the same price as our P3's http://www.royal-enfield.net/new_bullets/BurtonBullet.jpg | ||
| Englishman |
The Royal Enfield is certainly a good-looking motorcycle..BUT you have to remember it is still virtually identical the the 1950's version, with the exception of an alternator and electronic ignition. The upshot of that is; performance is at a 1952 level. In stock trim, you are hard pressed to claw your way up to 60. There are also issues with the porosity of the engine and cover castings, and the questionable 'quality control' of the bikes that are being produced in Madras, India. Like anything else, though, you can soup them up with head/carb work, but it will still be a shakey sucker. The crossover to make the right side shift a left side shift makes for an uncertain feel,  I'd recommend switching back to the right side shift configuration. I've not experienced their new electric start version, so I can't vouch for that. In all, great value for money, but it still is 'classic' motorcycling. My Blast! is technically lightyears ahead, especially when it comes to ease of maintenance.  | ||
| Mapes |
Has anyone found a helmet lock that will work on the Blast? Are there any alternatives? | ||
| Mikej |
Cindy, There are the 7/8" diameter helmet locks that are designed to clamp around a tube. You could clamp one to your handlebars. The 1" diameter ones sold at Harley dealers fit the tubes of the twin-Buell, but the only thing I found to fit a Blast is the one for 7/8" tubes and clamp it to the bars. I've seen one or two Blasts where the owners drilled some holes in their bodywork under the seats and used a padlock. | ||
| Dansherman |
Yup, lock you helmet in somebody else bike. Sorry, couldn't resist. Actually, I read something somewhere about a cable that locked to the frame. You'd loop the cable through the chin straps on the helmet. The review that I read said htey were able to fit 4 helmets on the one cable with no problem. Can't remember the name though.. | ||
| Dansherman |
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=motorcycle+helmet+lock+cable | ||
| Dansherman |
Woo Hoo! Triple post! (just kidding) Anyway, I was exiting the freeway today, and when I got to the stoplight at the bottom of the ramp, my oil light came on. "Weird, I thought." Then I remembered all the problems that people have been having with the rockerboxes and such. I pulled my airbox open (don't know why) and saw a big puddle (1/2 cup) of oil sitting at the bottom. Since I have no idea where or what a rockerbox is: How bad is this? Will just putting oil in help? Or do I need service? Ugg, it just got nice out too. | ||
| Blake |
You need to have a mechanic look at that. Oil in the airbox can only come from the engine (crankcase/rockerbox) breather or maybe a really bad intake valve guide seal. With that much oil, you may have a serious problem. The rocker box is the assembly sitting on the top of your engine's cylinder head; the cylinder head is the part into which your spark plug is screwed. | ||
| Ezblast |
A tinny sound started in my engine just as I got home from picking up a part for it. Any ideas what it could be before I tear into it? ANY ideas would be apreciated. Keep Blasting! | ||
| Rd350 |
First off..How long were you driving on the freeway and were you running the engine at high speeds and high RMP? Are you always running on the freeway for long periods of time? If you are it is very comin for the bike to put out a lot of oil. I know Buell was supposed to fix this with the new design but they did not. It is better than the older twin but not by much. If you are just running around town it is fine. But long freeway trips will eat oil. I went through 5 quarts from Phoniex to Salt Lake running around 85 to 95 mph. All of it went out the breather hose and all over the bike on the right side. The rocker box is the silver shiney box under the fuel tank on top of the head. It has four big bolts going through it. If you are still worried take Blake's advice and have it checked. | ||
| Rd350 |
Ezblast were is the sound coming from? | ||
| Ezblast |
the left side - I can't narrow it down except that maybe its comming from the lower area in the case? | ||
| Dansherman |
Yes, I am at freeway speeds for at least half of my day riding (ususally). I guess that explains it. I haven't had any dripping out the breather hose though. In any case I'll take it to the dealer and have it looked at, don't want to make anything worse than it is. On a positive note, look in the ergonomics section, good news from Crossroads. | ||
| Blake |
I hate to pick on ya RD (well okay I kinda enjoy it ), but really, the amount of oil loss that Dan and you describe is far from the norm. I've owned three Buells, none ever came close to that kind of oil consumption. I rode from Texas to Denver to Sturgis, back through Colorado to Texas and only went through a quart of oil the whole trip (3600 miles). Likewise on my journeys from TX to NY and back. And yes, they involved significant high speed travel. Sometimes cruising at length tickling the triple digits. Dan, Let us know what you find. The tinging sound may just be your primary drive chain needing retensioned. Or it could be detonation, either from bad gas, or a possible intake leak. Check for intake leak by running the engine at a fast idle and spraying contact cleaner or WD-40 or a fine mist of water all around the intake manifold, both where it seals to the cylinder head and where it meets the carburetor. If the engine speed drops noticeably, you need to check your intake seals; they may need replaced. Let us know what you find. | ||
| Dansherman |
Question: When people had the problem with the rocker box, that oil didn't end up in the airbox, did it? I've put over a thousand miles on my bike, the buildup has been over that time, and I haven't put that much oil in. Less than half a quart. Course, it might take more.. I'm going to call the dealer tomorrow and see whats up. | ||
| Ezblast |
The primary chain was loose - now back to spec.Keep Blasing on the dark side - I'm going to go ride - thanks Blake on the tip. Keep Blasting! | ||
| Brian_Estep |
New Owner.... Buying a black Blast on Monday, hope I'm getting a good bike. Had a Ninja 250R before this (a few years ago) and just got bit by the bug the other day Anyhow, I've looked through these forums and I don't see where anyone has added a tachometer, are they just not to be found? I wouldn't really mind ditching the speedo for one | ||
| Blake |
Rockerbox leaks dribble then eventually pour oil down the outside of your cylinder head. You would smell the oil cooking and see the mess it creates very easily if you rockerbox gasket were leaking. | ||
| Dansherman |
Cool, I'm glad that's not the problem (yet, fingers crossed). | ||
| Englishman |
Hey Brian. A tachometer would only annoy you. It runs into the RPM limiter pretty easily  , especially if you dump the stock muffler. Of course if you intended to replace the ignition module for a higher RPM limit, then it may have a purpose. | ||
| Brian_Estep |
I am planning to throw on the V&H exhaust and the crossroads bar and rear set pretty quickly. I'm starting to have some second thoughts now, though. I'm 6'1" and 235 pounds, and the gorilla on a rollerskate still sticks in my mind I think I might rethink my strategy and get a Sportster, but my local dealer marks their prices up too much. I'm pretty torn here. Not much in the paper's used, and there's always the money issue. Can't afford a new M2, and I'm too old for a 'crotch rocket' (and I can't stand the colors anyhow.) | ||
| Brian_Estep |
Which reminds me, the Crossroads rearset, is it hard to install? The "Y" that hold the current pegs, how it it connected to the rest of the bike, i.e., is it just bolted on so that it comes off in a minute or so or is it welded? | ||
| Dansherman |
Might be better to post that in the Ergonomics..  But I hear it's tricky because of where the Y frame bolts are placed. | ||
| Mother_Big |
bolted yes. comes off in a minute, no. more like 15. i'd also like to know more about how the crossroads rearsets are configured though. |
