| Author | Message | ||
     Fox |
XB9R seem to be distributed one to one to dealers. Is-it necessary to wait September to have one available?  | ||
| Superbad |
Wahoo! Looks like I can pick the bike up Tommorrow or Monday. Depends on Wife and kids schedules...  I don't want to be too pushy to the wife. She is being very cool about me adding another Bike to the garage.  I did take a close look @ the rear brake line. It is Braided steel with a clear coating and then a thick rubber sleeve over that. I will keep a close eye on it, but I think it will be ok. Bobby | ||
| Oldman |
let me refrase a little johnny-b, look at where i live opposed to where you live. first of all you can't get two people to agree on the same thing much less how a vote is going to go down here, you do remember that one don't you. in essence, you can't get the sales person to agree that it's better to put someone on a buell instead of a rice burner. it just seems down here that if it's not a harley there is nothing else. 2nd, you never see anyone posting a bunch of pictures of a buell ride somewhere like jose(squigly line) is always posting cause there is no buell community down here at all. like pammy puts it that she is the center of her universe, so is that of just about every person down here. i've only run across one person who tries to get people together for a run and that's buellistic. although he is retired now, he goes out of his way to try to get a bunch of buellers together for a day. i wish i had more time to ride with him when he's available but i work six days a week cause i want to get what i can while i'm still able to work. hell, i can't even get my old lady to agree on the same thing as i do. everyone has there own agenda down here. i've been around these dealers and i don't know one that owns a buell. my salesman will take the floor models home but he won't buy one. what's with that. fun to ride but you don't want your friends to see you on it. 3rd, you live where the unions are strong, some people take that a little more personal than other's. i just dropped my card last year after 18 years because i was tired of the attitude of the people i was working with. i still believe in what the union stands for, i served my country(USN, Army national guard)never been in jail and registered to vote, which in turn means i am an american and therefore will buy american. i will not show up at one friends house with anything but cause he fills the same way as do most of the other people i end up riding with most of the time. in short the only good thing about florida is the riding weather. i can guarantee that in one month i can go back to any of the dealers that i was at on friday and the only buell that won't be there will be the firebolt. one of the vendors at the cycle expo a few weeks back said that alot of the vendors weren't making any money at the show and don't intend on coming back next year because the biker community around here as a hole just sucks the big one. if i wasn't so tired of moving so much over the years, i would right now. i can keep on going on and on about what i think of tampa but i'll shut up so i can go to bed. | ||
| Buellistic |
ATT: Oldman RIGHT ON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You should have posted this on STORM FRONTS under TABOO........ In Buelling BUELLISTIC and/or Hardley-Harley | ||
| Paulinoz |
New Australian version XB9R shows it's Head Down Under. The South Australian Advertiser ( Sat 4th May 2002) Headline:WORLD'S WEIRDEST BIKE. America's all-new Buell Firebolt pushes the boundaries of technicall thinking and contempary styling, does it work? the article went on to sing the praises of the bike and it's makers. Nothing new about the bike you say that's what I thought till I read the Australian Spec's Wheelbase: 3120 mm (thats 10 feet 4 inchs) Australia is a big empty place we must need a big empty frame to match. So I still awaite the arrival of my XB9R looks like I might just be getting more bike than I bargined for. | ||
| Peter |
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| Superbad |
I must compliment Buell on one of the best owners manuals I have seen. The suspension setup section is so helpful. You would think most "performance" oriented companies would include something like this, but Buell is the first I have seen do this. What I am talking about is the section talking about base settings for the fully adjustable setting and advice on different settings for differnt conditions. It has the spring preload settings listed... Based on # of passengers, riders weight, and baggage weight. It then goes into giving base damping suggestions, for both compression and rebound! These are divided into: "Smooth Surface, Agressive riding, Max feedback(race track)", "Average roads, but high preload(2-up or heavy rider)", "Average roads, sport riding(Note: this is the factory setting)", "Moderately rough roads, more comfort, less sport", "Rough roads, long rides,'Max comfort setting'". Those are taken directly from the manual. It also gives you a diagnosing suspension problem chart, if it does .... then change this..... I have setup several suspensions on bikes, but I have never seen a manufacturer put this much helpful information in a manual. To me it shows that they are very committed to the idea of "Real World Performance" for the average rider, and not just targetting racers/magazine testers. Bobby | ||
| Court |
Booby: Which Buell are you talking about? Buell has always included a really comprehensive suspension section in the owner's manuals. I hope you are referring to the Firebolt. Court | ||
| Superbad |
This is the Firebolt page... I pick up my Firebolt today, but when I did the paperwork on friday, I was given the manual. I was just impressed by Buell. All my experiences so far have me thinking any Buell, is an enthustiasts motorcycle. Neither of my Ducati owners manuals even gave the base suspension settings, much less touring and racetrack settings. Bobby PS Court Its BOBBY! | ||
| Court |
Bobby: TOO COOL! We should start, and many of us can't wait, getting owner's riding impressions soon. I expect this bike to be the best Buell ever built. Court | ||
| Fontx1rs |
"I expect this to be the best Buell ever built" Unfortunately, that is not saying very much. | ||
| Csg_Inc |
Well I just have to add my two cents worth....I would have posted earlier but I was too busy riding every chance I could get. I picked up my Blue Bolt last Thursday mourning and it is so hard to be good during the breakin period. So I will try to get that over with soon. If you see me on the road say hi my plate is FRBLT. | ||
| Court |
Shame, because I intended it to be quite complimentary. I know some very talented folks who have listened very hard to what some very passionate folks have said and worked long hours to make sure this is the bike we want and meets our quality expectations. I know I've been labeled the enternal optimist. But sometimes what apperars as "optimism" is simply the absence of anecdotal unwarranted sarcasim and critism. I always avoided telling my children "well, at least you are not as dumb as that one kid". I expect this Buell to be spectacular (as the press has already found it) when compared against all the wonderful bikes avaialable. Court | ||
| Fontx1rs |
"annecdotal unwarranted sarcasim and criticism" Sorry Court, but I don't think my criticisim is annecdotal or unwarranted. (Weren't you yourself called an "annectdotal alarmist" by some people at HD?) I hope Buell hits a home run with this bike, I really do. But I will be watching it safely from a distance. I've already given Buell a second chance, and ended up getting burned. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice... well, you all know the saying. In my mind, Buell has to do quite a bit with this bike and the bikes that follow to ever get me as a customer again. (And my best friend in this world owns an H-D/Buell dealership) Excitement and words from a self-admitted "eternal optimist" and all around Buell cheerleader are not enough for me to not view this bike with a very critical and skeptical eye. And I think I'm exactly the type of customer that Buell needs to convince. | ||
| Court |
We, as so often happens, are 100% in agreeement. Mike Hilman, of Buell Distribution Corp. called me an "anecdotal alarmist" for suggesting that Buell needed to improve their parts delivery. I maintain that more needs to be done, particularly in view of the fact that the factory SWEARS that all parts leave within one week ARO. (Exception: Painted parts leave in 2 weeks) Recent concerns over clutch levers and Service Manuals threaten to re-elevate that concern. Perhaps time to have another Buell parts delivery exercise. I'm like you, in that I desparately want this bike to be what I think and hope it's going to. Erik, I am led to beleive, is as excited as I ever recall. Many folks at Buell are absolutely "off the scale" excited. A couple folks "formerly at Buell" are excited. I've learned to watch eyebrows as much as numbers. My concern lingers over seeing the meat on the bone. Dealers have bikes. Do they have service manuals and parts manuals? I am trying to find one. I have requested an owner's manual, as well and am counting the days. Meat on the bone. From a strictly PERSONAL standpoint, I'm pissed that I didn't have a Firebolt on order and that they weren't delivered 60 days ago. I had a chance (after HD declined) to put a Firebolt in the Rockefeller Center Motorcycle Show, next to the Honda NAS, and have a couple million folks walk past it. What I'd give to get to stand next to this bike for a couple hours a week and extoll it's innovation. I've never had the Buell experience you have, but lots of credible folks have and it's well documented. So well, in fact, that Buell has read it, acted and has now launched their collective response. Were I in your shoes, no cheerleader, free t-shirt or enthusism would lure me in. I'd want meat on the bone. I hope....in fact I REALLY hope, that 6, 9, 12 months down the road that fact and experience have us both singing the same song. By the way, thanks for a very knowing dialouge based on your personal experience. You, in my book, are PRECISELY the owner that Buell needs to recapture. Court | ||
| Buelliedan |
Hmmm? Cheeleaders to lure us in? That could be very interesting! Especially if they are the Dallas cheerleaders!! | ||
| Jim_M |
I don't know about the rest of you, but I know I don't want to see Court in a skirt | ||
| Ferris |
Court in a skirt? pray that he's at least wearing a thong underneath.... i FINALLY laid hands on a real live Firebolt last Saturday, at Buell of Fresno. of course, being CA and all, no rides or even a cursory blipping of the throttle, but what stands out to me, as a seriously veteran Buell owner and watcher, is the overall build-quality and attention to detail. you can tell a lot about something (person, machine, book, etc.) by the cover, and the 'Bolt is several quantum leaps forward in design and execution. how will it work in the real world? well, doncha just know that there are MANY interested eyes and ears out there (and on here), waiting for The Feedback to start coming in. my gut feeling (keeping in mind that Court once described me as 4,000 times more enthusiastic about Buells than he is)? i'm betting the Firebolt clears the upper deck in straight-away center field. ride to rah-rah, FB  | ||
| Doncasto |
There's two images I would just as soon not had placed into my head . . .Court in a skirt was bad enough but WEARING A THONG? Ferris, you have just forced me to fast track the timetable for my now unavoidable lobotomy. Don | ||
| Superbad |
Ok, I have gotten several E-mails asking for my impressions of the Firebolt. I picked it up yesterday afternoon, and these are my initial impressions/opinions. Its a beautiful bike, and my wife who couldn't care less about motorcycles thinks it looks good and loves the blue color (always good when the wife approves of new purchase). The weight of the machine feels down low and consequently the bike flicks well between lanes of traffic. The motor has lots of torque. The front brake feels good, but I need to fully break in the pads/rotor, but so far it feels good. Its kind of weird having the exhaust pulses hit your left foot when stopped, but I just place my foot a little forward and its no problem. If you think the mirrors are bad, don't ever ride a Ducati! I think the mirrors work great compared to my 748 and my 900SS. I do wish they didn't have the "Objects in mirrors are closer" kind of glass. The bike does shake some at idle, but nowhere as bad as my buddies M2 did. The vibration doesn't bother me that much. I do think Buell should have sourced different clutch and brake lever assemblies without the mounts for mirrors. It just doesn't mesh with the rest of the bike which was so well thought out. The rear seat is kind of difficult to get off until you learn the motion. Once you take the cover off and replace the rear seat, the fit isn't too great. The passenger seat wiggles around too much. I may try to shim it to get a more secure fit. The tool kit is quite spartan, no worse than my 900ss though. Yet the bike only needs a few tools to take it all apart. It is nice to see the fasteners aren't 10 different sizes. I will put a wrench for the Oil drain and primary drain in the kit. So far the seat seems very comfy, more miles are needed to properly test that. The shifting was a little akward, I need to find the right spot for the shift lever, as delivered it is in a bad spot for me more experimentation is needed. The fuel injection seemed extremely smooth. The switchgear works well and I like the "normal" key. I am trying to stay under 2500 RPM for the first 50, like the mechanic said to, then I will do my usual break-in procedure. It is very hard to keep this motor reving that low, I really want to "let her rip" but this bike is a keeper so I will be gentle for the first 50. these are just my observations made after riding the bike home and fiddling in the garage some. I will post more once I get more miles on. Bobby | ||
| Blake |
"...trying to stay under 2500 RPM for the first 50, like the mechanic said to..." That's sounds ridiculous and actually like the WRONG thing to do! What does your owner's manual say? I bet it says to vary the rpm, and with a 7500 redline, I'd think that 3750 rpm would be within the guidlines of a "gentle" break-in. I always understood that lugging a new engine is the worst way to break it in. If you are staying below 2500, you are lugging the engine. The primary chain hates low revs too. They get it all bouncing around and vibrating. | ||
| Superbad |
The owners manual specifically says to keep under 2500 for the first 50 miles. Normally I am of the "Break it in like you will ride it" school of thought. My 748 was not babied and had perfect ring seal. I will start turning up the pressure, but I figured Buell had a reason to put the 50 mile figure in there. I do wait until its nice and warm before riding it. Bobby | ||
| Blake |
Wow, I'm surprised. I'd follow the manual though! | ||
| Court |
Right | ||
| Sarodude |
All HDs and Buells seem to have the exact same break-in instructions... Anyone seen the V-Rod stuff yet? I would venture a guess that it's far easier to spout of some ridiculously conservative approach that will not harm the motor in 99.9% of cases without having to necessarily teach mechanically uninterested people something. Or maybe it's coincidentally the right way to break in every single HD product... Though I have a hard time believing the Blast's single 492cc jug sees the same conditions as the FXD's pair of 700+ cc jugs at 50 mph... BTW, ya know what's really fun? When the manual tells you to keep it under a certain RPM without giving you a tach. Nice. -Saro | ||
| Blake |
Saro, The 2500 rpm limit may be in defference to the break-in of bearing races and tranny gearteeth and such. | ||
| X1glider |
Is it possible that the FB now has plain style babbet bearings instead of rollers like the V-rod? I haven't heard. It would account for it's higher rpm capabilities by removing the surface feet per minute limitations of roller bearings. This might have something to do with staying below 2500 rpm. But there's more than engine parts that need break in time too. Even the final drive belt needs an easy break in as well as all the seals. All the parts need to condition themselves over time to do their job properly long term. High shock loads on unconditioned gears, bearings and valvetrain can cause premature failure. There's more to life than piston rings. | ||
| Csg_Inc |
Ok here is one for you...per the regular service intervals in bold print Replace belt and idler pulley every 15,000 mi. (24,000 km)Text | ||
| Anonymous |
Like the Sportster, the Firebolt uses roller bearings for the big-end of the con rods and for the right main bearing. However, unlike the Sportster's dual tapered roller left main bearings, the Firebolt left main is a single roller bearing with thrust washers to control flywheel endplay (no spacers required). Looking forward to you guys getting past break-in...us PDC engineers are excited to hear what you think about the powertrain. | ||
| Sarodude |
My comment about RPM was not about the specific RPM - it was that they're asking us to watch RPM on a bike with no tach. THAT's what's silly. PDC Anon - Thanks for the info! It's all good! I got to marginally stretch the legs on the one and only XB HD had at Laughlin. The motor is beautiful! I can't wait to see the torque LINE on a dyno graph. It seems to build steady, peak at midrange, and not drop off until the tach is somewhere in the 7k neighborhood. Man, the Laughlin test ride was pretty liberal... -Saro |
