| Author | Message | ||
     Msetta |
Just got a look at the first bike delivered in Vancouver's Deeley House of Buell. The mechanics were psyched on getting it preped and taking it for a ride. No demo rides until the bike is broken in a bit, but with their first impressions, that should be done in a week! They said the bike was very light and handled better than the Blast. The fit and finish (as has been mentioned) is first rate, much superior to my M2. And yes, the bike is tiny! The sound was OK at idle, but I heard it picks up nicely when wound up. The first thing to go in my books would be the muffler, better position hiding it than on my M2, but still pretty ugly. The front wheel looks so light that you could probably wheelie without any effort at all. White looks alright, but I would like to see it in black at some point. The driver said the bike drew a lot of attention on his ride, looks like Buell is going to draw some good attention with the Firebolt. Can't wait to test it! The Setta | ||
| Cro13 |
WOW! I took delivery of my XB yesterday. WOW! This is the second XB that my dealership has received and instantly sold. First 50 is PONDEROUS!!! Working on the next 100 trying to keep it under 55 My last several years spent on a 98 S3 is my point of reference but their can actuly be no comparison (apples/oranges). Carter | ||
| Superbad |
It sure is hard keeping the RPM down on this bike. I rode into work today and hope to pack some miles on @ lunch. So far the bike feels like a sportbike crossed with my former CCM Supermotard!! I loved that bike for around town and would have kept it but it sucked on the interstate or at high speeds. I LOVE THIS BIKE!!! Buell has done an exceptional job with the bike, there are a few places it could be improved but it is good enough I feel my 748 is going to be very neglected! Bobby | ||
| Wayne |
Does anyone know when the tuning kit is availible for the FB ,I have ordered a FB in Britain will get it at the end of may ,cant wait as all reviews rave about handling but a bit down on power so will be fitting tunig kit asap and any othr mods as they are produced  Wayne | ||
| Cro13 |
Wayne, I asked about a service manual, my dealer's comment was, it's a 2003 model so that's probably when they will be ready. Carter | ||
| Blake |
The owner of Lonestar HD/Buell/Triumph in Tyler, TX, and a Buell rider, told me that their first XB9R is shown as a 2002 model. Superbad, Carter, Wayne, Anon: Thanks for your input. We are all craving more details. Exciting stuff! Anon, got any dyno plots?  | ||
| Superbad |
I will dyno the bike by the end of the month. I want to get the first 1000 miles on it first. I will have it Dynoed at the first service. I will change the oil @ 500 miles though. Bobby | ||
| Buellistic |
ATT: BUELLERS Has anyone relized that the TWO-BLAST ie:Firebolt has the 1952 K-Model design engine cases as in transmission trap door!!!!!!!!!!!!! In buelling BUELLISTIC and/or Hardley-Harley | ||
| Anonymous |
Is anyone else tired of hearing the Firebolt referred to as the TwoBlast? | ||
| Superbad |
Buellistic.. I have no idea what you are talking about, nor the significance of it. My other bikes have been Exotic Japanese bikes (NSR250 SP, RVF400, Hawk Gt) or Ducati's(900 SS and 748). I think you cheapen the bike by saying it is a 2 cylinder blast. The blast has what 27 Hp so 27 times 2 cylinders doesn't equal 92 HP(@ crank). Personally I love the handling of this bike. Peak HP doesn't mean much to me anymore since I stopped roadracing, Torque is what I like, and the more low down the better! Bobby | ||
| Xgecko |
Buellistic, you may want to check your info  . Neither the Blast nor the TwoBlast (Firebolt) have a transmission trapdoor. I know this from lots of study of the manual and the fact that my dealership has to split the cases to work on my slipping second gear . All is not what it seems on Buells new bikes | ||
| Mikej |
Maybe I wasn't paying attention, but is the XB a cassette type transmission, or a split the case type of affair? I find it hard to believe they require a total disassembly to remove the tranny, but maybe so, don't know. Okay, I'll go back to sitting on my rock in the corner now. | ||
| Xgecko |
though I may be wrong on the FB the Blast requires that the cases be split to remove the tranny...no trapdoor. since by numbers (and looks) the tranny seems to be the same on the bolt and the blast I am assuming that the bolt also has no trapdoor. If the problem with my Blast is indeed tranny related I will be Blastless for a few weeks while the part are ordered as it would be a waste of time to reassemble my engine just to tear it down again. | ||
| Blake |
If they had the same frame I could see "Double Blast" making sense, but the bikes are WAY too different in just about all respects. Plus the XB9R's price is significantly more than twice that of the P3. Yep, kinda cheapens the Firebolt to call it a "Two Blast". So does calling it the "Lil 'Bolt". Ain't that right Eeeeek?  What trap door? Does it trap breather spew?  | ||
| Matty |
Cro13, all the manuals for the XB are available - our service department has them and I have mine on order. The tranny issue was addressed at the Las Vegas ride/test. The trapdoor was ditched in favor of beefing up the cases for less flex in the transmission shafts and more positive shifting, or "strength and dimensional accuracÿ". | ||
| Xgecko |
 I thought so | ||
| Buellistic |
ATT: Anon,Superbad,Xgecko,Mikej,Blake(The MIND),& Matty This is what makes BWB the BEST. In buelling BUELLISTIC and/or Hardley-Harley | ||
| Ferris |
i second a couple of things: BADWEB IS the best, and PLEASE all you new Firebolt owners, please keep the comments, impressions, likes, dislikes, dyno graphs, what you plan to mod, what you HAVE modded, mileage figures, reactions you get from the riding and non-riding public, and anything else you can think of coming -- "crave" is not too strong a word ride to learn, FB | ||
| Raymaines |
<SNIP> I posted something on the wrong board -or the wrong page of the right board- or whatever. You can see the GenDisBoard for what used to be here | ||
| Oldman |
i'm getting so jealous, i want to pawn off all my tools and my truck, that will force me to go find a different line of work. but it would sure be fun getting there. | ||
| José_Quiñones |
A short pictoral history of XL/XB gearboxes   1996 S1 tranny closeup. Notice it still has the trap door. Enter the Blast, and say goodbye to the Trap door.  And finally the new Firebolt, notice the new shift fork rails.   | ||
| José_Quiñones |
"TwoBlast" or "DoubleBlast" From what I read, the XB engine was developed first and the Blast was derived from it. So it might be more accurate to call a Blast engine a "Half-Bolt" or maybe even a "Boltnugget" | ||
| Buellzebub |
so... if ya kill a gear or tweak a fork you have to split the cases? isn't progress wunerful | ||
| Xgecko |
Buellzebub  that is not something that I wish to discuss right now I'm facing a possible bent shifter fork | ||
| Two_Buells |
what Buellistic is saying is that you must split the cases of a Firebolt to get at the trans. No trap door like the 1952 K model cases. Still waiting for my Firebolt....... | ||
| Xgecko |
yes I know what he is saying and my Blast has to go in for tranny work today and it will likely be there a while because the dealer isn't gonna split the cases then put it back together while the parts come in. Trapdoors make maintainence easy. | ||
| José_Quiñones |
AnonyPDC: I hate to bring you down, but did you hear about the new Firebolt owner whose bike sounded like he had a lifter go bad? No? Do you know why? He posted at AmericanThunderbikeclub and started a topic called "Firebolt Break-in" on April 27th. He posted the following:
I cross posted this to the General Discussion Board on Saturday April 27, here He didn't get many responses in that topic, so he then posted the same message in the Firebolt XB9R Topic, where he got some responses and a phone number to get help. This was a good thing, the help he might have received might have discovered that maybe it wasn't so bad as he originally thought or was told by his HD tech, but we'll never know because a funny thing happened: The "Firebolt break-in" topic misteriously dissapeared, and his repeat post in the "Firebolt XB9R" topic and the responses he got also dissapeared. If you click on the link to the original topic here nothing comes up anymore. Would you be interested hearing about and folowing up on this? I think you would, unless you are the same person that made Jay remove those posts from his site. | ||
| Buellistic |
ATT: Jose' Quinones & Two Buells Very good !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For every 12 pounds of weight off the reward is one rolling horse power(HP)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In buelling BUELLISTIC and/or Hardley-Harley | ||
| Buellistic |
ATT: Jose'_Quinones It used to be said that if HDI did not have so many LAWERS they could build better motorcycles!! They are building better motorclcles(ie: V-ROD & FIREBOLT), but they still have the LAWERS!!!!!!! In buelling BUELLISTIC and/or Hardley-Harley | ||
| Anonymous |
Jose, I don't know for sure, but the Firebolt post may have been removed by the original poster because the problem turned out not to be one. The owner heard some engine noise when the engine got warm, and called the dealer, who being conservative, thought it might be a lifter. The bike was checked out, and there was no problem. Owner is now riding happily. This is the truth; check it out. |
