| Author | Message | ||
     Blake |
Oops, I left out the XB's in my engine progression... The XB version hit the market in 2002 as a 2003 model. All 2003 models are XB9's with the 984cc engine. The XB engine is a complete redesign of the Sportster based powerplant. The XB12 (1203cc) version came online in the 2004 model year lineup. The XB's have new heads, new pistons, new cams, new lower end, new rods, new cylinders, completely new version of the 45o air-cooled V-twin. The XB9's rev to 7,500 rpm, the XB12's rev to 6,800 rpm. Go for the XB12R. | ||
| Mikej |
The XB's are the new kids on the block, just a couple of years old now. For a dedicated play bike an XB or S1 are your most likely choices. For me I'd get either an S1 or the new CityX, but I'd dump the headlight grill and brushbars off of the Cx. | ||
| Mikej |
Good to know about the stop words. I guess Data is better than some other names I've been called. Oh, one more thing since Stryder seems to be a home mechanic, the XB's lost the tranny trapdoor. Want to work on the gear box now requires you to split the cases. This, to me anyway, is a major issue - even though it may not be a real major issue unless something like the 5th gear bearing decides to act up or something or if you want to one day go to a 6-speed or something. Gotta run, crash project just arrived to take care of...... | ||
| Xb9er |
"What about the heads? I thought I had heard the Lightnings are the 1200 style heads. I'm pretty sure I want TS or XB heads. Which models have the TS heads?" Don't confuse the XB9S Lightning with the older Lightnings! Completely different animal, new design, "new" powerplant, etc. (as I tried to point out in my earlier posts). The XB Lightning and the XB Firebolt share all the same guts. Obviously you need to do more research. Mike. | ||
| Mikej |
Stryder, This bike is a nice S2T and is located near St.Louis: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/show.cgi?tpc=21&post=316584#POST31 6584 This bike is a nice S3T and is located in Greenbay Wisconsin, you can stop in and visit with Daves on the way: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/show.cgi?tpc=21&post=316373#POST31 6373 This bike is an S1W and is in Indiana: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/show.cgi?tpc=21&post=312759#POST31 2759 And if this one is still available it's probably the one you should buy: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/show.cgi?tpc=21&post=289927#POST28 9927 Besides, Josh is probably someone you need to get to know and meet down in your area. Well connected in the Buell realm and knows what's what and what's where. All found in the Bikes For Sale section of the site here. The deals are so good it makes selling one of mine impossible at my wanted price, which is why I'm perfectly content keeping both of them for now. Would like something different in place of one of them, but just fine keeping them as well. | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Beyond words....  | ||
| Davegess |
Here is a story on Jordan and bikes http://video.msn.com/video/p.htm?i=913361e4-01e0-4dea-925c-6133ee7878a5,08da09dc -ed28-4bcc-9796-8962dced072f,f56b5830-77ad-44fc-b7a7-e4ba5aea03e1&m=Sports&mi=Fo x%20Sports%20Features | ||
| Scrap |
Future member of the 200mph club. Whew glad I'm sitting this one out. | ||
| Tbolt834 |
OK - how many people think she knows that helmet is on upside down? | ||
| Tbolt834 |
Er - or is it backwards?  | ||
| Road_thing |
Wait a minute--is that Linda Blair on that scooter?? rt | ||
| Stryder |
MikeJ Posted: "All found in the Bikes For Sale section of the site here. The deals are so good it makes selling one of mine impossible at my wanted price" I'm sure those are great deals. Much like in the Harley world though I don't want to pay for anyone else's additions and quite frankly I don't want to pay a fair price.  (hey at least I'm honest right?) I've seen more than a few deals locally where someone bought the Buell, garaged it and then sold it after 2 years for $4K (or less) during the winter because they were broke. That's what I'm going to be looking for anyway. At any rate I'm not ready right now. After my wife backed over my XL (long story) we got the RK so she could ride with me. That put a CONSIDERABLE dent in my bike budget. I figure I'll hang out here... learn what I can and be an educated consumer when it comes time to pull the trigger. Maybe I'll get surprised and actually get a bonus this year and can do it in the springtime. Blake: Thanks for an EXCELLENT dissertation on the engines. That should be stickified somewhere easy to find so morons like me don't ask the same questions all the time. I'm saving that one in my "to remember" file. | ||
| Blake |
Oops, I misread that you were coming from a sport bike and assumed you meant repli-racer. Coming from a Sportster you will most likely find the "S" versions of the XB line to your liking. Do a test ride, we'd be real interested in what you think. Post your observations in the "Tale Section." | ||
| Hootowl |
"The T-Storm Cyclones sacrificed about 10 HP on top to their Lightning cammed S1W/S3/X1 sisters" Blake, I'll thank you to not refer to my motorcycle as someone's sister. Jeff | ||
| Blake |
But she is such a bitch, no? Hey, would you rather be straddling a brother?  | ||
| Rocketman |
Stryder, I approach the two different platforms much more simplistically. If I were you doing likewise, armed to the teeth with this information, I might make a choice. That said, me personally, I've never bought a bike for function first, so looks have always served as the primary influx of desire. That's of course in my mature years when I was able to afford a choice. In my twenties I damn near rode anything I could afford. If you want the riding experience of a motorcycle that exudes character that you'd associate with an old Harley or British bike, then you're looking toward a tube frame Buell. Everyone I've ridden smacks of the old world in a thoroughly modern market place. I've never held much water for the theory of the M2 possibly being 'the best Buell ever' as someone here once tagged it. Best work horse ever maybe. For me it was more about function than style. The poor mans Lightning if you will. You know, like an entry level model until you were man enough for the hunched prowess of the big hairy Lightning. As if that wasn't enough to put the M2 down, it's freekin ugly ain't it. Ugly though it is, American's seem able to ignore that small detail. In fact they positively embrace it. Wtf is all that about, I'll never know. Knowing or not though, like all other tube Buells it still feels like a modern version of an old bike. That's because the motor gives that kind of shake rattle and roll and power delivery like only a thumping V twin can, except in the tube frame case the rubber mount motor takes the harshness out of the job but not the character. Truth is, it actually enhances the character because it fits so well with the modern technology and design. When you spread your eyeballs over the tube Buells, you'll quickly see there are a few design quirks that you've not seen before. The under slung shock, steep steering angle, big single disc, exhaust under the motor etc. They all combine to make what would normally be just another Harley motor stuffed into another tube frame, but that's not the case given the way Buell has designed these bikes. They are not the fastest but faster than the days of old, so they can hold their own in a modern world and they are a lot of fun to ride, and that's probably where they excel the most. Old fashioned to most, as tube frame chassis are, in Buells case the technology mentioned previously actually works. Not only does it work but it works very well. So much so that once on the move, that old fashioned character takes on a modern riding feeling. If you want one of the best classic tube Buells to cherish, the S2 is your ride. It's not meant to be hammered at any opportunity, perhaps best served savoured. If you want a simple and very capable and groovy stylish tourer where speed up to 140mph on a good day without any luggage is your thing, the S3's have to be in your sights. If you want a balls to the wall hooligan back street brawler and an open road twister, the S1's are for you. Nope it won't do more than a ton forty either, unless you spend some serious wonga, but with the Lightnings that's not the point. If you like taking 'her indoors' out for the occasional burn this is not the bike for you if you married a fat lass. This bike is all about you and you alone. Yes you can buy a twin tail but the riding experience is best served to ones self without the hindrance of the old nag shouting in your ear "SLOW DOWN". Then we get to the XB platform. The XB is again a thoroughly modern Buell technological masterpiece sat well heeled in a thoroughly modern world of motorcycles. Two things let it down drastically. Firstly, it's poor performance pitched against just about every naked bike brought to market since and after the XB's birth. In a world of S4R Monsters, Benelli TNT's, MV Brutale's and now even the new Triumph Speed Triple, the XB's even in 1200 form are weak in performance terms. Sure, in the real world on the open road it might not matter so much, but if you rode the others for a performance comparison, you'd be disappointed getting back on your tidly XB. The secret is, don't ride the others. Speaking of tidly (as in 'winks'), that's the other problem. For a big guy I don't want to look ridiculous riding around with what looks like a surf board shoved up my arse. But wait, I'm the last person you should be listening to. I've never so much as fired up an XB, let alone rode one. That I guess sums up the XB's to me. They have never offered me a single drop of desire, unlike my S1W. When I saw that baby on the cover of a magazine I made every effort in the world to get one despite there exclusivity and premium price back then in the UK. It took a while but I eventually fueled my desire in 1998. Have I any regrets? Lots, but then I wouldn't still own it or still be here probably. It's that kind of ride. Rocket | ||
| Stryder |
Blake: "Oops, I misread that you were coming from a sport bike and assumed you meant repli-racer" Well both actually. 20 years riding rice rockets and then I went to the XL. I loved that bike and the 883/1200+ conversion I did really woke it up. I had every intention of moving more towards the CafeXL style and even in near stock trim I stayed leaned over on the pegs. I guess the root of my love affair was in the V-2 power plant. I've built Kaws and Hondas but no matter how unbelievably strong they got, they never felt like a V-2. Sure, you could put the curves against each other and prove that the Kaw was really stronger but it just never felt that way. Hell.... I'm preaching to the choir here... you guys get it. Anyway, after bowing to the pressure to get a bike my wife and I could both ride I decided that I needed to get back on an XL. A project bike if you will. I thought I had decided that anyway till I took a ride on the XB and I think I shouted "I have GOT to get me one of THESE!" when I got back. It was everything that I wanted my XL to be so why fight it? Rocket: Thanks for taking the time to so eloquently describe some of what I was looking for. The "Hooliganism" is part of it... the old true Cafe spirit. That's part of why I was looking to the tubers. Part of me though always wants the "best" base to start from and I just can't see me not tinkering so knowing that the XB heads are superior in most ways and starting with 100+ HP at the crank that is desirable. In reality I might not be able to swing the newer bike right away so I'll more than likely start with a tuber. Maybe then I'll simply fall in love with it and never change, who knows. Please, nobody take offense at me sounding like an S2 would be settling. I'm ignorant right now... without knowledge. I need to get on a tuber to feel it a few times. Hopefully I'll get that chance in the near future. | ||
| Bomber |
Stryd -- no offense taken, I'm sure, except, perhaps, by those who take offense at everything, including the sun rising in the morning ;-} Rocket has provided a clear, rational, cogent description of the Buell world -- I've got at least a little seat time in all the models he mentions, and agree with much of what he says -- he was also very clear about being moved primarily by looks, both of the bike and him on it, and by spec sheet data and performance (measured in the traditional manner of 0-60, top speed, acceleration, et al) -- there are LOTS of bike that make more power, go faster, quicker, are more technologically advanced (at first glance, anyways), and, as in any endevor, ya pays yer money and ya takes yer chances, yes? WHile Rocket is confused by those who hold the M2 dear -- chalk that up to living in a country where it's tough to ride more than 300 miles in any one direction, I"m thinkin -- (just yankin your chain, Rocker) I think the biggest divide lays between the S2 and the rest of the models -- S2 riders approach being religious in their ecstacy, and it's a sweet ride, but it is a sporty motor with a lot of miles/years on it, and it suits a certain type of rider, and few others, I beleive at the end of the day, only riding a couple of these scoots will help you make up your mind -- tubers, as you say, are close in spirit to the Cafe Racer avatar -- the XBs, on the other hand, are something else alltogether, tough to compare with anything else, and in a class by themselves good luck with the decision making -- tough to go wrong in this venue | ||
| Henrik |
Ye Olde Rocket is BACK !!! Thank you my friend for yet another fine piece of writing  Henrik | ||
| Road_thing |
Now that you mention it, Bomber, I am kinda peeved about the way the sun came up this morning. Shouldn't my dealer cover that under warranty?? rt | ||
| Bomber |
only if you hadn't done all that aftermarket work to the planets, Thang | ||
| Mikej |
"S2 riders approach being religious in their ecstacy" I'm not that religious, wanna buy my S2? I'll include a drill press for the right price.  | ||
| Buelliedan |
Religious? I guess that would make me the preacher then!!  | ||
| Rick_a |
Between the XB's and tubers, you just have to feel 'em out and ride 'em back to back. I see the tubers are a tinkerer's dream while the "X-frames" are really well sorted out and a package not worth messing with much. The feel of the slim tank/bodywork S1's in both ergonomics and the ride is why I've stuck with one. | ||
| Mikej |
"not worth messing with much" We can mess with anything no matter how well sorted out it appears to be. There is always room for personal adjustments and personally defined improvements. For example I wonder how many chain drive conversion kits HalsPA shop has sold for the XB's. Not worth messing with? Hah! Everything is worth messing with, where's the fun if not? | ||
| Thunderbox |
XBs are just a great bike if you are a little person. I could not ride one for several thousand miles in that position. So I keep the M2 (the near perfect ride) until the VRod engined Buell comes out. It better be fairly soon or I may have to buy something else. (ouch that hurt) | ||
| Court |
>>>>"S2 riders approach being religious in their ecstacy" | ||
| Rick_a |
A chain conversion is pretty small beans I think. It's just my opinion that XB's have less room for improvement...at least as far as the chassis. I consider the S2 the prettiest Buell. I don't do pretty. | ||
| Tripper |
Beatles ONE cd on the stereo and reading Rocket describe my favorite passion. It's a good day. | ||
| Midknyte |
while the "X-frames" are really well sorted out and a package not worth messing with much Where ya been the last year? XBs are just a great bike if you are a little person Tag! I'm it... I've never so much as fired up an XB, let alone rode one. That I guess sums up the XB's to me. They have never offered me a single drop of desire, unlike my S1W. It's all about desire, but in the opposite direction here. The XB's won me over period. I wonder when & where the Tubers (read, those who prefer the tubes) will fall into line eventually, or if a year or two or three down the line a retro model will be offered up. |
