| Author | Message | ||
     Nitro |
I have a 03 RC51 a little tricked out. I went down to the Daytona Buell and they do not allow test ride...and I am not dropping 12000 on a sealed box of chocolate. It's a shame that they lost a potential customer already. Anyways, if any of you has ridden both, a RC51 SP2 (not SP1), how do they compare in terms of handling and power? I have to say that the SP2 is a near-perfect bike for me and she's a keeper, but I'm looking for another twin and Ducati is out of my reach plus I like the fact that the Buell has a Rotax. | ||
| Jersey_thunder |
i have riden both...the 1125R is a much better handling bike a smoother power band...if you like the RC you will love the 1125r | ||
| Xl1200r |
Go to a different dealer and ride the bike. You'll love it. | ||
| Nitro |
I just phoned Sanford Buell and they do allow test rides. I guess I'm off early today... | ||
| Nitro |
By the way, does anybody know the REAL WET weight of the 1125r? | ||
| Jjk |
Hey Nitro - I've ridden a friend's '02 RC51 a couple of times on good twisty roads here in Texas and it is an awesome bike. I almost bought one the night before I bought my 1125CR but I'm glad I bought the Buell. The Buell has a lot more torque, even sharper throttle response, and steers better. His RC has Yoshimura pipes and an Ohlins shock so it sounds much better and rides over bumps more smoothly than my stock CR. I also own a TL1000S and love big-bore V-twins, too. You will LOVE the 1125 in either iteration. Good luck. John | ||
| Carbonbigfoot |
By the way, does anybody know the REAL WET weight of the 1125r? Right about 440-450 wet with fuel. R | ||
| Madav8tr |
I have owned 2 RC51's, a 2002(SP2) and a 2000(SP1) and my 1125R is a far superior motorcycle. Better power, easier handling, and VASTLY more comfortable. The brakes on the RC are at least equal(probably better) but the 1125R is a superior overall motorcycle. | ||
| Georgehitch17 |
i thought the wet weight with fuel was about 420lbs. | ||
| Carbonbigfoot |
My wife works at Cotton Gin in the office during the summers... The scales for the trucks are for like 80,000lb trucks. When my bike is parked on it, it flutters between 440-460. Yeah. 20 lb increments. R | ||
| Ron_luning |
I read in motorcycle consumer news that they measured the wet weight of an 08 1125R as 466 lbs. If you take Buell's specs for GVWR (850), then subtract their load capacity (390) you'll end up with 460 lbs for a wet weight of the bike. It's definitely not 420 lbs; that is more in line with the wet weight of a Daytona 675 and you can clearly feel how light that bike is compared to the Buell. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
I love that 675. If I was to buy a bike other than a Buell, that would it in a heartbeat. | ||
| Sruzhyo |
Nitro! How was the ride man? How'd you like it? If you decide to go with an 1125, I have an 08 for sale that I am willing to sacrifice. I am losing money but I need to get rid of her. Drop me a line if you're interested =) And yes, the 675? Hawtness. Just sexy, plain, hotness. | ||
| Slojon |
I shall take delivery of a new 08 1125R from Shelly Rossmeyer BUELL next week. I test rode one last yr. at Sanford. Been a Rossmeyers' customer for years and have a very satisfactory relationship. Seminole is also a good Dealer. They have BUELLS to test ride pretty much on demand. Have scale at job and weigh all my machines. Reads in 20lb. increments & shall check 1125R. | ||
| Nitro |
I test rode one and it's a no go. | ||
| Bikejunky |
Nitro - If your decision was made based on the butt dyno performance aspect I would encourage you to try one out (if the demo you tried didn't) with more than 2000 miles on it as the motor tends take between 2k and 5k miles to really loosen up and perform like it is built to. This has been the case with my 1125 and every 1125 we have sold. It might change your mind... | ||
| Nitro |
Actually the engine is what I like best about the bike! | ||
| Bikejunky |
If it's ok to ask, and I won't (the rest of you better not either  ) take it as Buell bashing (end all is that you gotta buy the bike that fits YOUR bill) - what swayed you away from the 25? | ||
| Pizzaboy |
nitro, if you lived closer, id let you test drive my 1125! unfortunately we're on opposite ends of the country- im in reno, nevada! | ||
| Nitro |
I think the 1125r is a great bike and possibly the keeper if I did not have a bike and wanted a new twin. I also own a 01 R1100S that's another keeper. The Buell's engine is great, what more to ask? It is not as vicious as the one on my SP2 but it is more linear and well mannered. It feels like it's not cammed as high and those extra 125cc are felt in the middle of the power range. No way it has the brutality of the Honda but damn it's a nice engine...A set of cans, unrestricted air box, and a race map and I can see the thing taking off! The tranny is great also, as smooth as the one on the Honda. I have a direct GP shifter on the RC so there is no linkage. Style: To each their own. I like everything but the radiator covers. I think this bike would look phenomenal with a full fairing. There is too much discontinuity going from such a wide fairing and covers down to nothing. The current style would have worked very well for a large inline 4, like the older 1200 Kawasaki. It just does not work with skinny twins. The swingarm and frame are great. I did not like the "gas tank" too much either (I understand where the fuel stores). The instrument cluster is nice. The riding position is perfect. The brakes are OK. The throttle is very smooth for the displacement, much more so than my Honda. The handling is where I cannot say anything too exiting. The bike just steers heavy, the front-end wobbles over bumps, and overall it lacks of feels. It reminded me a lot of my 00 M2 Cyclone the way it handled. I do not know that this bad handing was just on the bike I was demoing. Possibly the suspension settings were allover the place for me, I don't know. I think 1.5 to 2 extra inches of wheel base, 2 extra degree of rake, and .6" of trial would get this bike in the ball park. I think the 1125r is just way too heavy for the geometry she has, she feels about as much as my Honda, weighted @ 455 full wet. Those numbers would work OK on lighter bikes like the 600s and even 250 two srokers. Great bike! But I'll wait for Buell to release the next model with that engine... | ||
| Hughlysses |
Dude- think about what you're suggesting. In one test ride, you know more about the optimum chassis geometry than than a staff of the some of the world's best motorcycle designers? Sorry, nope. 99.97% chance that the suspension was not set up properly for your weight, and that is CRITICAL for all modern Buells to handle correctly. If you really want to give the bike a fair shake, try another test ride with the bike setup properly. It takes less than 10 minutes to do the suspension adjustments. | ||
| Jjk |
It sure sounds like the bike you rode wasn't set up properly. As I stated earlier, I've ridden a tricked out SP2 ('02 RC51) and done it back-to-back on the same roads with my 1125CR and other than the Honda feeling maybe a touch more stable over bumps in corners, the handling of the Buell is vastly better. I find myself steering way too late on the Honda, meaning I have to yank on the bars to finish the corners because I have gotten used to the faster steering of the CR (I'm using the factory recommended settings minus a couple of clicks of rear compression). And the front end on the CR is excellent, stiff but still soaks up bumps well. Shoot, even hard on the gas in 2nd or 3rd gear on a bumpy back road, it will sort of waggle the bars a little (when the front wheel is skimming the pavement) but never feels like it's going to get too far out of hand. Trust me - I love the RC51s (and agree with you about the RC brakes being sharper/better), but the Buell really is a generation or two ahead in terms of handling. The harder I ride it, the better it feels. And, just like my old XB9, my more aggressive-riding friends like it more than those who don't ride as hard. | ||
| Ccryder |
Nitro: You are pretty much on the mark except for the handling. Properly set up, it is light in handling and quick to transition and very stable without any front end wobbles. The frame geometry was kinda designed after a 250 or a 600 but, Erik and his Engineers have carried it waaay past that state of the technology, again proper set up REALLY makes this bike shine. The brakes, especially the front, if it is bedded in, it's a very aggressive setup that hauls you down FAST with minimal effort and very controlable (IMHO). Is it enough of an improvement over your SP2, probably not, especially after the couple of things you did to yur SP2. I have lusted over the RC51 for years, but it had too many issues for it to do what I wanted it to do. As my 5th Buell, the 1125 does what I have wanted from a Buell since 1999. Yeah I too have spent some $'s to get it to fit my specific needs but, most of it has been in ergo's and tourabilty. Stay around and keep watching, I really think Buell is on the move. Time2Ride Neil S. | ||
| Nitro |
Hughlysses, motorcycle geometry is what it says it is, geometry, and yes I used to study that. Jjk, I did write it could have been the bike I was demoing. In any case, I should have not posted my impressions. | ||
| Sruzhyo |
LoL quite on the contrary. Nitro thank you for posting your impressions, I think Hugh took it a bit strong. Apparently he gets bent outta shape easily. You STATED could be the bike wasn't setup right, and these are your IMPRESSIONS you didn't say buell makes a POS bike. =) | ||
| Fresnobuell |
Nitro, your impression of the Buell is very welcome here. I just appreciate that you cited issues that could be legit, although I am in the crowd that thinks your bike was not setup correctly suspension-wise. Glad you didn't bitch cause the bike doesn't have a gas gauge or the instrument cluster is too low. When are dealers gonna start spending the 5 minutes to setup the suspension for the test rider? If I managed a dealership, no one would go on a test ride unless the bike is setup correctly. | ||
| Court |
I enjoyed reading the account. I finally, after 2,000 miles, properly adjusted the suspension on my Ulysses prior to riding 800+ plus miles over the last 2 days and it absolutely transformed the bike. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Nitro- Didn't mean to sound "bent out of shape", but just think about it. What's more likely- (1) Buell's team of talented engineers completely screwed up designing the chassis geometry or (2) the dealership didn't bother to properly adjust the suspension before you took it for a test ride? If the bike's design was THAT screwed up, you'd see that in print in a lot of places. Otherwise, I thought your riding impressions were completely valid and well-stated. | ||
| Paint_shaker |
If you want another test ride, get over to Gainesville H-D/Buell. Ask for Paul. He will let you test ride one with a drummer pipe! He can also help set the suspension right. | ||
| Unibear12r |
Thanks Nitro. Thoughtful and well spoken as well as polite. We're not always mean, grouchy, old, bears  |
