| Author | Message | ||
     Spike |
How's this for charcoal?  Mike L. '99 Cyclone | ||
| Warp2 |
Now,can you make it with an extra 30hp?  | ||
| Ralph |
Oh man, warpie dude, you nailed it. I just laughed my ass off. bighairyralph | ||
| Spike |
 | ||
| Spike |
 Mike L. '99 Cyclone | ||
| Mikej |
Stopped in and got the story on the full race bodywork and the body pucks. Also got to hold the main piece in my hands. Man that main piece is light, like one-finger light, sweet. And the direct word is that it is extreamly slipery in the wind. Anyway, there are a few issues to discuss and possibly resolve and get cleared before the full bodywork could become available to the public, but there are also a few side benefits for certain people if it is. Also, if it does become available over the counter then Hal's PA will probably become the sole distributor for it. The shop making the carbon fiber XB9R race bodywork is currently swamped with work, which is another hurdle to overcome or deal with before the public will be able to get their hands on body parts. The guy at the shop is going to do some checking and will let me know. But the PA shop is moving into the back of the new building in the next few weeks or months, so the feedback may be a little delayed. But the bottom line on the race full bodywork is that it will probably be mid summer (by my speculation) before any ultimate decisions on marketing the stuff will get decided. And as far as adding the teflon(?) slider pucks to the framework on the XB's? Well, that won't be a simple bolt-on application, and most likely will be out of the realm of most of us to do at home. The work I saw of the #2 Daytona finisher XB's frame looked like a nice job of the mods to add the sliders though. Would be super sweet if the factory decided to add the mounts as a standard option, especially since so many current sportbikes readily accept the slider pucks (as far as I can tell anyways, maybe I'll wander down to the local Duc shop and ask one of these weekends). So, in summary (I probably should have started with the summary and just deleted the rest of this rambling drivel), no final decision has been made to offer the XB9R race full bodywork as seen on the Hal's race bike to the general public, and it will be a bit of a job to add slider puck mounts to the frame (not a major job, just requires some metalurgical expertise). Hope this is possibly good news as it appears that there is some desire to offer the bodywork. And trust me, it is super light.  MikeJ (Thinking now that maybe I'd want an XB?R to play with.) | ||
| Red Sonja |
Mike, how about pink (pastel and hot) bodywork and black framework? ok, ok, i just like pink. maybe even put flowers on it. lol. my second choise would be a pastel blue, sky blue what ever and a gold anodized frame. Red Sonja ps. anyone know of a GOOD buell shop within 200m (or even more) of Tucson, AZ?? | ||
| Ralph |
Mike, I believe the sliders for frames are ususally made of Delrin. bighairyralph | ||
| Mikej |
Thanks Ralph, Anything white and slippery I just assume is teflon. Still gonna take some welding to mount them though. (Are those a couple of straight lines or what???) Red Sonja, Last I heard, the words Good Buell dealer and Arizona don't go together. Maybe things have changed over the last year or two though, hopefully I'm wrong. You might have to go mail-order for good service. Sorry. | ||
| Eeeeek |
30 more HP? Here you go!  Vik | ||
| S2no1 |
I'll take the red or burgundy please. Don't need the extra 30hp. Arvel | ||
| José_Quiñones |
Vik, great job, but put the mufflers under the engine, where they belong! | ||
| José_Quiñones |
Mikej, thanks for the followup with Hal's I posted these pics back in January showing the idler sprocket with a chain as used in the Pro Thunder bike:   | ||
| Ocbueller |
Spike, Any color will do, but can you color the frame the same as the body color?  SteveH | ||
| Spike |
 Mike L. '99 Cyclone | ||
| Eeeeek |
Polished frame, wheels, swingarm, etc:  Vik | ||
| Pilot |
Can I have mine in "delivered" or at least "shipped" Every enquiry I make the delivery date gets pushed further and further into the future. Surely Buell has some sort of manufacture schedule and can be accessed by my dealer to give me a date of within a week time frame.The rate this is going it will really be a 2003 model and my Harley Davidson that I orderd in May 1994 will turn up before it.Will somebody in the know email me so as I can plan my time off to pick it up as my dealer is 700 miles away.  | ||
| Kevyn |
Hey Vik, yowza, yowza, yowza! Now that is one fine looking beast! The red 'bolt oughta really put Big Red on edge...nice lines on the bike. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Jose` Thanks for the post... I saw the inletting to allow the wheel to move to allow chain tension to be set, and recalled wondering if this was special to the race bike or not... Sure enough, the nice pictures spike so kindly posted show the swingarm without the adjustable axle. Curious. Wonder if they just machined out the slot, or if there is a buell "race only" swingarm for the chain conversion... | ||
| Ocbueller |
Thanks Spike, I may try a few attempts myself. I like the way a painted frame ties things together. I don't really like the exposed aluminum spar it's too much like everything else on the market. Viks' polished frame looks much better than I would have thought possible. | ||
| Warp2 |
Did you notice how they "filled in" the right side of the swingarm on the Tilleys F-Bolt. Do you think this was for strength or for aerodynamics? Or maybe both.  | ||
| Anonymous |
Firebolt is for smaller guys with big money!I heard Buell is going to axe the tubular frame bikes next year! What are the big boys going to ride? Yamaha is on my list and beats the hell out of the Firebolt in a 599cc form . Buell needs to think a little harder!  Have you guys sat on a R6? | ||
| José_Quiñones |
Yeah, and it's unconfortable!  | ||
| Court |
Anon: Information is power, ignorance is bliss. Just for the sake of empirical fun, why not take a Firebolt for a thorough test ride fist. I have no info, having not yet ridden the bike. I am impressed with the number of people (Fireman Jim Higgins) who are of substantial size and were duly impressed with the ergos of the bike. For the record, you are in a GREAT place. If you don't care for the Firebolt, the R6 is a wonderful motorcycle. I say again...trying to find a "bad" bike in this age is pretty much an exercise in futility. Court | ||
| Mikej |
I think I'll go sit on an R6 this weekend, I think I'll take some Advil first though. (Uh, who makes the R6 anyway?)  | ||
| Xgecko |
Mikej, I think it's made by some Piano Company  | ||
| Eeeeek |
As an interesting side note, Court, FiremanJim just bought a Daytona instead of a Firebolt... | ||
| Sarodude |
Piano Company? I thought they made flutes. You know what they say about guys that play the skin flute... Seriously, everyone that keeps knocking the XB REALLY needs to shut up and just ride one. Don't buy one if it doesn't have enough horsepuckypower for your tastes. Let the rest of us enjoy it. Interestingly enough, the last couple of times I've been by the Rock Store (on weekday afternoons no less) there were guys admiring my silly little Blast and talking VERY positively about the XB. These guys all rode import machines. A CBR1100xx and a Duc 750ss come to mind. -Saro | ||
| Court |
And note that the Piano Company is 17.65 times larger than Harley-Davidson. Wanna draw me into a "size matters" argument?. . come to New York City and ride an MV Agusta and tell me that "small is bad". The response is somewhat illogical and unrelated to the question. The Yamaha R6 is a spectacular motorcycle, ditto the Triumph. For me, in terms of personal opinion, the styling of the Trump doesn't spark my personal interest but I am thrilled with what the group in Atlanta has done promoting them and backing them in America. If FMJH bought one, he'll love it. The Yamaha, I am sorry to say, is a fabulous bike that is light years beyond my personal capabilities. To date, in this dense urban environment, they've found their greatest use cleaving young skulls on Armco. Shame. I'd love to play with one on a track for a day. The ergo's of the Buell Firebolt are well thought out to accentuate what the bike is, purports to be and will, I predict, shine at. Look...with a 52" wheelbase the idea that Fireman Jim Higgins could even have gotten on one to ride it tells me that Erik and Co. succeeded in providing the benefits of geometry melded with the ergonomics forgiveness. My personal jury is out and I intend to hold a spirited "Court Session" before sharing my thoughts on the RIDING. In terms, however, of design. . I know the Elves and their Boss. They are smart, driven and motivated. They've been bitch slapped (forgive me Rev. Blake) by the industry and the press the last several years. I, along with others, have kept their little elf toes to the fire. I refuse to condemn or comment on a bike I have yet to ride. In terms of an ACTUAL PERSONAL PURCHASE, the Firebolt is likely not for me. Frankly, I'd spend money on a pristine 1996 S-1 or 1998 S1WL before I'd buy it. Matter of simple preference. But, let me hasten to point out, I'd spend money on a 1967 SS396 before I'd buy a Pontiac "Vibe", as well. However....in terms of a strategic move for my beloved Buell Motorcycle Company, the Firebolt thrills me. It attacks the market Buell MUST have (Europe) and a time is MUST arrive with a product I'm betting a lot of Europeans decide they MUST have. Trust me, you think you dig showing up at Alice's on a Yellow SuperLight, you ought to see an Italian or a Frenchman on a Buell. This, you've learned by now, is my personal opinion. No slings, nor arrows....just the way I see the world. My bet is that FMJH ain't far removed from this opinion either and that he'll love the Triumph. Court | ||
| Mikej |
Well, If things work out well I should be test riding an XB in about 4.57 weeks from now. Sat on one last summer and it felt fine for my near-6' frame. I expect to see one at the next Slimey Crud run in May, maybe more, who knows. MikeJ (former owner of a 1967 Chevelle SS396 with slightly shaved heads, 13.13 1/4 mile dogging it off the line without traction bars, loved to play tag with tri-power 'cudas.) |
