| Author | Message | ||
     Sparky |
The Buell website also has pictures of Long Beach CW Show attendees on a blue Firebolt that was setup in a Rolling Stone booth next to the Buell demo truck. Looks like the charming Melanie of ASB is on the first page. The Beach Boys knew it all along, guys, there's something about those California Girls! Notice also the seating position of those gripping the handlebars. It's about a 15 degree forward lean. That's quite a bit more than my 96 Lightning and it's something I'll have to get used to. Tat was at the show too, no doubt getting lots of ideas (about Z bars and lowered footpegs?). The frame slider is something I was wondering about too. There was a Firebolt that someone had laid down in the gravel part of the parking lot (wasn't me!). It was under a cover and nobody was talking much about it. I wanted to see if there was any damage to the gas tank/frame area. Did anybody else find out anything? Sparky 96S1, 98S3 | ||
| Xgecko |
OK I give up where on the Buell website are these photo's and videos | ||
| Jasonl |
YEAH! I went looking and couldn't find squat. Then I was looking for my ass with both hands while using a flashlight..I couldn't find that either... But really...where are they? (grin) | ||
| Turnagain |
received a message from the Buell site last night with links to the movies. took some diggin' in the 'puter's temp dirs to find this link -- try: http://www.buell.com/xb_mini/xb.swf click on the 'Buzz'. I couldn't get the QuickTime link to work from this page, but the other ones seemed OK. Also, may cause some grief to the bandwidth challenged -- fortunately (or not) I'm still @ work.  Jason, the link is at the bottom-left on buell.com and is labeled 'Absorb the All New Firebolt XB9R'. I think loading Quicktime this morning enabled it to work (as it never did before today). If you follow that link, the QuickTime movie should work. Steve(2) | ||
| Jima4media |
Neil, Imonabus was right. RRW did like the XB. It is not the September issue, it is the January issue, that Chris Ulrich reviews the Firebolt on the Las Vegas track, and David Swarts reviews the XB on the street for 26 miles. My question for Imonabus is this, how did you get this issue early? Are you an insider? Jim X-2.5 | ||
| Blake |
Jim's ride report from SacBORG... More... OK, here goes. This will only be a couple of quick impressions because I'm going to write a whole article on the bike. First off when you walk up to a running Firebolt the muffler sounds hollow and tinny like a stock Blast. Of course 9 out of 10 buyers will change out the muffler anyway, so who cares? When you are sitting on a running bike, it sounds better. I killed it right away when we were getting ready to leave, and found out you have to have it in neutral to start the motor. Bad. You can't start it in gear with the clutch in. I first noticed the accelleration when I got it going and caught up with the four people who went by me in the parking lot. I was quicky in the number one position behind the demo leader. A couple of seconds later, Fireman Jim Higgins was right beside me and that is where we stayed for the whole ride. We were warned not to do wheelies, burnouts or stoppies or they would take the keys away, and we'd have to walk back, so we followed the rules. We pulled up to a stop sign and both Jim and I got on the brakes late and quick. This thing stops! No fade or grab or jumps. Just quick stopping when you want to. The rear wheel almost came off the ground, but I let loose of the brake and glided to the corner. The front end feels like it just isn't there it is so light. Your arms are just out in front of you and you are pointing in the direction you want to go in. Intuitive. It doesn't feel down on horsepower, because the bike is so light. It accellerates faster than my race kitted X-1, so it is plenty for me. The transmission is smooth as silk, didn't miss a shift into second like I sometimes do on my X-1. I was concerned that the ergos would be too far forward for my liking, but It rode just fine. I don't like Ducati 996's or Aprilia Milles because your butt feels higher than your wrists, but this was comfortable. I'm sure on a 450 mile trip like I took to get there it would be a different story. I'm 6 feet tall and 220 pounds, and the bike felt good to me. I have longer arms and shorter legs for someone 6 feet tall, so the bike fit me really well. Jim Higgins is shorter with shorter arms, and he said it fit him well too, but would like touring handlebars for longer rides. I hear there is a company working on a bar riser like a Heli-bar that will give more comfort on longer rides. On this bike the triple tree is the bar holder, saving on the number of parts. We went through a bunch of corners on the demo ride that were almost like BattleTrax, so they were slow and tight. It handled all of them without problem. Once in a while I'd glance in the mirror and see the rest of the pack a quarter of mile behind us. When we came back we filled out an evaluation and got a T-Shirt, and Jim and I were video taped giving our impressions as the first customer riders of the Firebolt. They asked if there were a single word to describe the bike - Jim Higgins said "Hooligan" and I said "Awesome" Jim X-2.5 | ||
| Bullitt |
In one of the pictures he posted sitting on the bike Jim looks happier than a Ducati owner in a carbon fiber factory. I just can't stand it. I'm going to put a deposit down. | ||
| Blake |
IMS Dallas, XB9R Firebolt reconnaissance. Source: Buell XB9R R&D Stuff I learned...  1. Steering head and swingarm utilize sealed bearings. WAY TO GO BUELL!!  2. Thermostatically controlled forced air cooling will maintain 3mph airflow over BOTH cylinders as required. 3. Like current Buells, upon sensing overheating conditions, the ECM will skip every other ignition cycle until acceptable operating temperatures are restored. 4. The stock muffler includes built-in structurally renforced jacking points. They are to facilitate dropping of the engine, which is reported to be very simple.  5. Rear islolators are no longer on axis with the swingarm pivot. The new elevated location is closer to the cg of the rider/frame; this will significantly reduce reactive loading throughout the uniplanar isolation/suspension system. So it is stiffer, stronger, better! 6. Heim linkages are fixed length, non-adjustable. Careful tolerancing pays real benefits, mainly in reducing fabrication/assembly costs, but also for reassembly after teardown. 7. Spark plugs are supposedly accessible upon removal of the airbox and with use of an extension and swivel joint. It may be easier to drop the engine. Extended life platinum plugs are probably in order. 8. It appears that topping up the oil will require a hose/funnel assembly to keep from spilling oil on the rear tire. 9. Development of the Firebolt engine was accomplished wholly separate from the Blast engine by a different team of engineers/technicians. 10. The XB9R engine has been undergoing testing for more than two years, much of it in the hot/high desert. 11. The rear pegs/supports can be easily removed via bolted connections. 12. Wet weight has been verified at 430 LBs. 13. Oil in swingarm, fuel in frame, perimeter front brake on the XB9R... were ALL proposed by Mr. Buell himself. 14. Sticker price has been set at $9,995.   15. The ergonomics fit my 6'-3" 210 lb extremely well. Sitting on the bike, it feels MUCH more spacious than you would ever imagine from the pictures or even from viewing the bike in person. I am psyched for a test ride. 16. When asked what he viewed as the major improvements brought by the XB9R engine, Buell R&D replied "The entire integrated package as a whole, designed from the ground up specifically for the job it is being asked to perform." Further discussion revealed that rocker box leaks and breather spewage are expected to be non-existant for the Firebolt. I hope to see a truly naked version of the Firebolt, maybe the next generation Cyclone, an M3, available in clear-coated black? . As expected, Buell ain't giving any hints on future models. But Dave Estok did hint that as far as AMA SBK racing, we may be pleasantly surprised in few years' time.  I wished I had more time to talk to the great factory representatives who Buell so wisely sent to the IMS. WAY TO GO BUELL!!! | ||
| Blake |
  Brad Galbraith is a WILDman! He's committed to stocking high performance parts for Buells. His impression of the Firebolt is best described relative to the twisty taming prowess of his own X1. After returning home from the track day test rides on the XB9R he said, that relative to the Firebolt in the twisties, the X1 feels like a stubborn pig. It was great to finally meet you Brad. Let me know when the XB9R is ready for a test ride.  | ||
| Peter |
I wish you blokes would stop telling me how good they are. My local dealer has ordered six and I'm really trying hard not to put my name on one of them. They will be about 30,000 guilders here. That's $12,283.50 at today's cross-rate which makes them nearly 25% more expensive than yours.... Anyone got a job for me in the States? I promise to buy a gun and assimilate. PPiA | ||
| José_Quiñones |
Blake, Excellent report/pictures! HOWEVER: A.
Blasts still do both, so I won't be surprised when somebody here posts "Help, my XB9R is puking oil/has a rocker box leak, how do I fix it?" That reed Valve must really work!  More secret XB9R interlal pictures here B.
Hey, that was part three of my Buellstradamus prediction, read it here! The only thing wrong is the word "FEW", that bike needs to be here NOW! Any word on Rear Wheel HP? The wet weight was pretty close to what I had figured (436 pounds) Great job. | ||
| Blacksix |
IMS at Dallas was great. The one thing that amazed me was the CROWD that was around the Buell area for most of the Saturday. Blake is right about ergonomics. I watched as people larger than I (I being 6' and 225) climbed on the bike and it seemed to fit everyone. It fit me. I walked around the display non stop, just listening to peoples reaction. Lurking almost like I do here. Everyone seemed real excited about the bike. I am. It was far smaller in person....but WOW...it is impressive. I can't wait to ride it. As far as Brad Galbraith... One gentleman was talking non stop to me about Buell in general. He didn't own one as he was always concerned with the negative stuff he had heard. I could only relate my experiences with my Cyclone to him. Always positive. I have never had any real problems with the bike. He was asking questions about who would have the Firebolt first in this area and where the dealer was located...blahblahblah. No problem. "You see the big guy with the goatee over there?" says I. "Yes...he's with the Buell people?" says he. "Thats Brad." The lady standing near us had been paying close attention to our conversation. She was one of Buells "up-north" folks. She immediately came over and introduced herself. She told the fellow that if he had ANY questions about Buells, aftermarket, availability in this area that he should really meet Brad. Very good. The last time I visited Dallas Buell in Allen, Brad and I talked for some time about the bikes. I didn't own mine just yet and he wasn't really trying to sell me a bike as much as he was selling me on Buell. I liked it. He got worked up I guess and told me he had to go for a ride. He had a beautiful S1. My wife and I shopped downstairs for a while and when we hit the parking lot....Brad came roaring up and pulled a stoppie right in front of us. She freaked. "You can't have one of those." I heard in the truck later. Hell....I'm getting ready to buy my second one now. Maybe a third after she saw the "purple" Blast I took pictures of. Who knows. | ||
| Imonabuss |
Jim, I get my RRW in the mail, by subscription. It just came, and there was the story. Good story, wasn't it? Sounds like those guys get to have too much fun. | ||
| Blacksix |
You know...really thinking about it... Another thing that impressed me was the overall fit and finish of the bike. I was really trying to find blemishes or something to point at...as all of us do when looking at something new I would imagine...and couldn't find anything discernable. This is almost the same reaction I had when looking at the VROD in our local dealership. I could only find one "bad spot" on the entire bike from the manufacture process. Otherwise the whole of the bike was very clean. The bikes didn't seem to have an abundance of exposed wires and rubber tubing. They were both very clean in appearance. The Firebolt, however, had a higher "neato" factor. IMO | ||
| Blake |
Lifted from SacBORG... Reg Kittrelle Rider Member # 246 posted 12-21-2001 05:47 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In these days of uncertainty and fear it is comforting to return to the very bosum of continuity and certaintude… Hi cecil. A little clarification about my Battletrax course in Las Vegas: It was the longest one ever at 1735 feet and an average lap time of around 1:20 (I used three variations of the course). Yes, Burns—an excellent rider—was beaten by 3 seconds. However, he was beaten by Don Canet. If you follow some of the racey stuff going on you'll recall that Canet is the promoter of Super TT races and an absolute master of motorcycle control. To beat the other journalists by that margin meant that he had to, in effect, dirt-track the Firebolt and at times had both wheels sliding. BattleTrax is a strange little event that takes a specialized skill, but a bad handling motorcycle will absolutely fail at it. Despite the arcane nature of BTrax it is a valid indicator of what a motorcycle—and rider— can and will do. I was at the Las Vegas track from November 3rd through the 18th and spent a lot of time on the Firebolt, all the other Buells and a Suz GSXR 600, Yamaha R6, Yamaha FZ1, Suz Katana Ducati 600 and 900 Monsters, Suz Tl000, Triumph 955, Kaw ZXR 1200 (Loved this bike!), Suz Bandit 1200, and Suz SV650. The result? The Firebolt is the real deal. Several of those bikes had faster top end, but NONE of them were a complete a package as the XB9R. To explain, were I to race one of them, the GSXR would be my only choice. Ride across country? nothing but the smooth, powerful ZXR. A bike with huge potential, but needs a lot of suspension work? The SV650. Most overrated? The TL. Most dangerous in the hands of a novice? Easy one here… the R6. The XB is not a perfect motorcycle. But it is far and away superior to anything Buell has ever produced. It doesn't have that big kick in the butt as does the X1, but give me two points connected by a mountain road and I'll (and you too if you were on one) will get there first. The motorcycle is uncannily good. Forget everything you think you know about 52-inch wheelbases and 21 degres of fork angle. You're in for a big surprise once you learn how to ride it. At the same time, the XB is a more focused bike. It will make a lousy long-distance tourer and carrying a passenger is out of the question unless you've a siamese twin, or have a significant other who adores you. You'll also be stopping for gas a lot; the 3.8 gallons goes in a hurry when you use the bike as it was meant to be used. If you use your M2/S3/X1 as a tourer/pack mule, keep it. If your seriously into drag racing, keep your X1. If you're seriously interested in kicking so backroads butt—and you know what you're doing— buy and XB. BTW: The fuel injection performed flawlessly on every different XB I rode. The Triump and the R6 broke down. Something else to consider… When you make a tight right turn on the R6, like you might do coming out of your driveway, your throttle hand will jam—not just contact—up against the tank. To my mind, this is an unforgivable design flaw. Yet, when was the last time you read about that in any of the magazines? And just imagine the uproar in those mags if Buells had that unfortunate trait. Strange. And to try and add a little balance here… I obviously like Buells, but I don't consider myself a Buell loyalist. There are many motorcycles that are (dare I say it?) better, and the company has let loose a bunch of turkeys in the past. Too often the owners have had to do the R&D work for them. And don't get me started on the dealers… there is improvement here, though. But if Buell keeps coming up motorcycles like the XB, their messy past will be forgotten (unless, of course, you're still making payments on on of their turkeys.) I know, I know, maybe I pought to go back into hiding. Reg Kittrelle |
