| Author | Message | ||
     Holling |
Hey everyone. I have been visiting this site for several weeks now after a fellow 9S owner turned me on to it at the bike rally in Myrtle Beach a few weeks ago. I love my 9s but all the complaints of broken belts, wheel bearings and driveability problems is making me paranoid. Are Buells that much lower quality than jap sport bikes? I am almost scared to ride now for fear of mechanical failure. Just a thought. | ||
| Kowpow225 |
In no way are XB Buells lacking in quality. And also in no way are Japanese manufacturers ahead of Buells in reliability, quality, etc. It is a mechanical piece and no matter what country of origin there will always be X number of malfunctions per so many thousand units. Buell XB models and the Japanese are very close on the X number. | ||
| Hanses25 |
I agree, actually my XB has held up awesome. June 16 I'm going 4000 miles or so in 10 days. No worries, I have around 12,000 miles on it and it has never missed a beat. The only problems were clutch cable, and I did break one belt. I think the belt may have had a flaw though, probably 1 in every million have flaws, oh well. I just put my old belt on and ride it like its stolen. These bikes rock!! | ||
| Bigeasy |
Warped rotor at 10000 miles, and thats it. I have been riding in every kind of weather and temps. Twice I have taken 2000mile trips and she ran great the whole time! Just be sure to keep up the service schedule. Oh I have a 04 xb12s by the way. art | ||
| Fran_dog |
Holling: Stop being paranoid, and get out and ride... | ||
| Xring |
Can't really comment on long-term reliability, since my bike ('04 XB9S) has just over 4000 miles, and only 1000 of those are mine, but... every time I look at it, or work on mods, or just figure out how something about it works, I'm more impressed. The build quality and engineering are very good, on my bike at least. Not to mention the feeling I get after some curvy roads.  Buy one if you can! Good luck, Bill | ||
| M1combat |
14K miles on an XB12R. It's been jumped at least 20 times (about 1' elevation, about 8' distance) It has run through the southern deserts of CA and AZ at >110 MPH. It has done >125MPH for 30 minutes at >6000' elevation. It has done >125 MPH for ~15 minutes at >105F temperatures at 5000' elevation. It's done an entire 900 mile weekend at a moving average JUST under 100MPH (and that was actually calculated on one of the bikes that wasn't in the "fast group" so to speak). I dropped it at 2mph once. I've bounced off the rev limiter in first and second at least two or three times. I accidentally left it idling outside on a hot day for about 20 minutes (it got pretty warm...). I swapped one belt. I've swapped six/seven rear and three front tires. I swapped the front brake pads once. I swapped the rear rim (which required moving the rotor and pulley to the new rim). I re-routed my breather tubes. I've adjusted the primary chain 3-4 times or so. Transmission output shaft failed at 8K miles. That's it. It has had the oil changed every 2000-2500 miles (by me). I wash it regularly w/o using a pressure washer. I routinely inspect for any changes to it's fit/finish (I need to replace the tape on all of the oil line fittings next oil change... One is seeping). It really sounds to me like Buell reliability is HEAVILY dependent upon the quality of the servicing dealership/person. I think you'll find the same thing with any other bike. | ||
| Stou |
I think bad reliability reputation come from bad quality services on some dealers! There's surely also some less quality bikes (lemon) in Buell like any other company.  | ||
| Unibear12r |
M1 are you talking about "our" ride? I knew we were riding hard but wouldn't of thought the average would be that high until you made me think twice about it. Loved chasing you on that high speed run Saturday morning. Wow, | ||
| Ortegakid |
I can only concur with M1,mine has been flogged like you would not believe and i've never had a serious problem or been stranded, last sunday alone it went 300 plus rediculously high speed miles without a hitch, has almost 10k on it now, original belt, twelve sets of tyres. Maintain it like it was a race bike, or something you love and it will treat you very right! | ||
| Truk |
Remember, By it's very nature, a great board like this is a terrific place to take problems and issues. And that is exactly what people do So, if one doesn't keep this in mind, you could get that impression that all XB owners are having problems. For that one person who asks for help, there are tons of XB owners, who are not having problems, you are just seeing those that are. Kind of like hanging out in a hospital lobby. Just cause those people are sick doesn't mean that the whole human race is sick Also, if you will look deeper in this board you will discover that things like the belt issue also have to do with the procedure used in removing the tire. If the SM is followed there is no problem. If it is not there can be problems with belt's braking. Plus, some take the belt guard off which will open up the belt to increased opportunities for premature damage In addition, many people make engine modifications, if not done right this can lead to problems I do a lot of the work myself using the SM. On bigger projects I take it to a professional motorcycle mechanic I trust, who is great at what he does, and who also allows me to watch and learn... I have a 03 XB9R with 5,500 miles. I bought it used in Feb with 1800 miles. So far two rear tire changes and still have original belt. Just did the last tire change at 4,900, inspected the belt and it looked great. I have left my engine stock. I change the fluids as recommended. My engine runs great. | ||
| Bbstacker |
I bought my 9R at the end of last year. Dec. 27th to be exact. (merry Christmas to me) It had 2400 miles on it when I got it. It now has 7800. It has been in the shop twice. Once for a new rear tire. (stupid roofing nail) Obviously not relating to build quality. The other time it was in the shop was for wheel bearing replacement. The bearings on it were just fine, but they were indicated in a service bulletin, so I figured I should get 'em changed just in case. other than that, like M1 said regular maintenance, upkeep and cleaning. As a side note...I used to hate farting with the carbs on my Jap bikes. | ||
| Fullpower |
My Buell runs great. you might enjoy your bike better riding it than reading about it on the web. | ||
| Eor |
It is easy to get a distorted view of a product or pursuit on a brand or activity specific internet forum. People who are experiencing problems or have questions seek out and come to such places for advice or support, and their presence will always be disproportionate in relationship to the "universe" of owners/participants. Some [mistakenly] view a forum in which they participate as the center of the [insert brand or activity of your choice here] universe. I am a member a various forums dedicated to motorcycles and other hobbies. If I don't keep my "filter" active and keep things in perspective, I can easily reach the conclusion that the _____ I own is a piece of junk and could grenade at any minute, that ______ dealers are incompetent and and dishonest, or that ______ is a dying hobby dominated by malcontents and poseurs. All the while, the majority are somehow managing to enjoy their _____'s, are generally satisfied with their ______ dealers, and find _____ to be a worthwhile and enjoyable activity. Find a competent dealer. Educate yourself about your bike. Ride it. Be safe and have fun. Come here and ask questions or search the knowledge vault if something doesn't seem right or you want to change something. BadWeb is a great place for Buell enthusiasts...perhaps the best, but it ISN'T the center of the Buell universe...that's on the road, powering out of a curve and smiling.  | ||
| Buellryder246 |
Kind of like hanging out in a hospital lobby. Just cause those people are sick doesn't mean that the whole human race is sick Hey Truk - I love that line! I have a 2004 XB12R with 4,000 miles. Absolutely no problems to date. The bike rocks! | ||
| Nadz |
Hey Holling, you must've read Raceghost's thread! (LOL) I dunno, got 5k miles and not one penny spent fixing anything. I blame that on synthetic, shop manual, and saying nice things to it. I agree with Truk and Eor- you can't know how something works until you take it apart, and you don't take it apart until it breaks (or wants upgrading). Ergo: when one of us fixes (or hotrods) something, we are all made smarter by proximity. -NadZ | ||
| Nadz |
Oh yeah, I just remembered what I wanted to say about American Quality... Sometime take a look under the fairing of a sub-$10k metric bike and you will see all the garbage engineering. Where Buell designs a strong, elegant part that does several things well, you will see cheap-o bracketry on the metrics. I actually saw signal wires attached with RTV! And the Duc Monster- fine machine that it is- looks like a trainwreck of parts that stuck together! In short- I always hated naked bikes until I accidentally bought one. Buell's are solid, elegant, and well-thought-out. I'm an engineer and I appreciate every nuance. -NadZ | ||
| Static |
"I am almost scared to ride now for fear of mechanical failure." Don't be scared. Conduct your own reliability research project. I've got an '03 xb9r w/25k mi, and ride it daily. The list of work reads like M1's list with one notable change. I've never "dropped" the bike at less than 25mph. (the marks add personality) Just go out and ride... often... for long distances. | ||
| Unibear12r |
Just to make up for being off topic before... My XB has been rode quite hard and has never had any problems.  | ||
| Cataract2 |
9300 miles on my XB9SX and 0 problems. A few concerns but nothing major. Just that when I turn the key on after letting the bike sit for a few days the speedo and tach needle sometimes don't sweep at all or just bounce. Turn key off and on again and they sweep fine. | ||
| T9r |
It's funny, this always seems to be an issue. It was when I was looking at my first Buell, the S2... I've since owned another S3 and now added the Firebolt 9R. These forums whether it be for Buell or for a Suzuki you will find many vehicle problems pop up in conversation. It's a place to seek advice and rant. There seem to be normal things that need to be looked after on a Buell, specific to each model and certain years. Once a person learns what to look after and how to maintain them, then more riding time seems to be the outcome. | ||
| Truk |
I have also found that bikes that are ridden do better then those that just sit and collect dust. Bikes that just sit lend themselves to more problems. One of the paradoxes of life...use or lose it.... Bikes were made to be ridden, Go ride it! It will do you and your bike good. Just remember to take care of it, so it can take care of you. Don't allow paralysis of analysis to keep you stymied. Any vehicle can leave a person stranded at some point. Instead of worrying about what might happen, have an action plan on what you will do IF it ever happens. If you are thinking of taking a trip here are some suggestions. Carry a cell phone with you and the Motorcycle Dealer Locater phone number for your make of bike in your wallet. Also,there are companies that specialize in motorcycle towing services. Check out the back of a motorcycle magazines. Subscribe to one of these towing services, then IF a worst case scenario happens, use your cell phone to call. Or just rent a truck and haul it home. I have taken countless trips on my bikes and so far nothing major. Besides, half of Motorcycling is the adventure... | ||
| Brucelee |
The XB is rock solid. End of discussion. | ||
| M1combat |
Glen - Yes, it was our Springfast ride. I think the last time I checked was just after "the good stuff" on the 191 and it was just a tad under 100. I know the guy with the GPS (forgive me for not remembering his name) left about ten minutes or so before us and we made it back to Show-Low about the same time. I'm pretty sure that the GPS'd bike was traveling a good 5-10 slower than Jerry&Denise, Bart&Mitsi, AZBueller, Kobie, Me, Reindog, You, Ski... About half of us anyway. | ||
| U4euh |
Ed I believe I am the one you met at Myrtle Beach, don't fret about the stuff you hear. We have all had a few minor problems, nothing that has faltered my enthusiasm(sp?) for the Buell. I am still trying to size my pictures from that weekend, you should see your bike on here soon. I am just up the road from you, in the Pinehurst area, about a an hour and a half to two hr ride. We got some great hills up this way. Plan a trip up here and I'll take you to some roads your bike was made for! Then you'll love that bike even more. JIM | ||
| Jeremyh |
I sold my XB because i was about to need new tires,new belt, 10k tune up, and all the labor involved. I figured if i was going to dump that much money into a bike i was just going to get a new one and then start piling the cash into it, that and i just wanted a new bike and the payment was dirt cheap. But in no way did i ever feel threatend by the build quality of my xb, just take care of your toys and they will treat you the same and maybe even better. | ||
| Paulson |
I have just over 8200 miles on my 03 XB9SL, and have only had the front blinker rattle loose. And it has ALWAYS started up for me. | ||
| Thepup |
24k miles here,second tranny problem and it's been in the shop for 3 weeks and who knows how long it will be in there.With that being said this tranny problem has more to do with the dealer who did the work last.So make sure you have a competent dealer near you for any problems you may have,that way you won't feel the way I do now. | ||
| Holling |
U4euh, Good to hear from you. I talked to you at SBB that saturday at the beach and then rode along side up ocean blvd. I was wearing a yellow helmet. Where did you get that cool Buell riding jacket? And how much was it? We need to get together one weekend this summer and ride your area you mentioned. I ordered a SM and headlight grille for my bike today at the dealer here in Matthews. Take care. | ||
| U4euh |
The jacket is actually a Fieldsheer M3 that I bought from a dealer in Charlotte. Then sewed one of those cheap patches on it. The armour on the back makes it look original though. I am always up for a ride, let me know when you want to come up. Got two other Buellers in the area, one is a frequent member here, the other has not made it yet. |
