| Author | Message | ||
     Poplifedc |
Every Wednesday evening there is a hangout of motorcycles at a restaurant called Cranberries in Forest Heights, MD just outside of DC. It literally has hundreds of motorcycles every week. However, in my heightened Buell awareness state, I walked around the bikes to see if I cold spot one Buell. I saw a couple of older Ducati's. Some custom choppers, Goldwings, a nice Victory course the "me too" Suzuki, Honda, Yamaha, Kawi sport bikes. Most of them had desperate work to try and make them stand out from the hoards of bikes by adding flashing lights, blue, green, red, yellow lights, chrome here, shield there. But they all looked the same when they are all together. When they are alone, I’m sure they really stand out. Out of all the bikes, not one Buell. Zero. Then I started thinking, why aren't there any here? After talking it over with a couple of friends I came to the conclusion that this is just an event to show off how slightly different one can make a popular bike look. Kind of like the hot rods of yesteryear. They all had different stuff going on, but they were still hot rods. The Buell owners don’t have to attend this "look at me" event because from ground up, it is so much different than anything out there. I've never been one to follow trends. Not a true rebel but to go and find your sport bike among the same kind would be traumatic for me. I chose the V-Rod because it looks nothing like any cruiser out there. If Honda made the V-Rod instead of Harley, I still would have bought it because it looks so much different right out of the box. Even the sport bike guys say, if they got a cruiser, that's the one they would get. But I also thought, there are a lot of insecure folks out here. Posers. The typical sport bike was built for the track. Most of they guys have never tracked their bikes and never will. Oh, and lapping the beltway, as some of them do, is their version of Indy 500. Dangerous to say the least. So I started to think, the Buell owners follow the beat of their own drum. They don't fly in flocks like birds...unless they are all together. They set a course for their own trip. Also, the bike is just a rolling work of “art meets engineering” if I've never seen one. It is different but in a functional way. No additives or preservatives. The uniqueness is baked in and logical. (Message edited by poplifedc on September 01, 2005) | ||
| Hammer71 |
Here Here. perfect observation Mikexlr and I have had damn near the same conversation a few times. Glad to see someone else out there agrees. | ||
| Ted |
I dont mind those type of events, I like perusing all types of bikes. I didnt buy my 9S to be different, its parameters just fit me... meaning the engine, riding style etc. My other choice was a Triumph speed4 (600cc). But my riding history is a yamaha 500 single, and a Norton 850... so you can see i'm used to lower reving torquey bikes, of course the Buell is big performance step-up from those. Riding at 9000-12000 rpms just goes against the grain ! I was pleasantly surprised at the attention, questions and thumbs up I get on the Buell. | ||
| Rpmchris |
Preach on, brother! You took the words right out of my mouth. I ride with this particular group of sportbikes because they have regular rides, and ride mostly in my area of Dallas (NE). We have an eclectic group with a Ducati 999, Truimph Daytona, the 'Busa, several 600cc metrics, and a couple of XBs. There are many more Buells in the DFW area, but we're all so spread out it's hard to get together. Anyway, the first day I showed up, a couple of the guys were out clicking pictures of my bike due to it's being so unique. Now there are three Buell XB riders - XB12R (Dalx19), XB12S (mine), and XB9S (Jaredkuper). We currently outnumber all the bikes but the Yamahas in the group! | ||
| Johnb |
New 2006 Yamaha YZF-R6, 17,500-rpm redline, shorty side exit exhaust, 33.5-inch seat height.. (fyi, I don't mean to hijack your thread..) http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Article_Page.aspx?ArticleID=2454&Page=1  (Message edited by johnb on September 01, 2005) | ||
| Scitz |
I like the retro yellow racer look of this bike but would rather find a RZ350 that originally had this style. I was looking at getting a RZ350 on eBay when I came across a 03' XB9R at a good price. Needless to say I went with the XB and don't regret it. The Yamaha bike with the retro yellow looked good at MotoGP in Laguana Seca this year. | ||
| Buelluk |
The rear light brackets etc look a bit weird, I like the exhaust though and the color scheme is great of course...however I have a Ulysses on order ! | ||
| Daves |
They are getting closer to having the exhaust in the right place! | ||
| Rubberdown |
Man, that engine must rev darn quick! 17,500 rpm redline! | ||
| Max |
I belong to www.chicagolandsportbike.com we have bike night at strats on north ave in lombard on wednesdays. I'm pretty much the only buell. There use to be some tubes when I first join couple years ago when I had the kaw.I get lot of people looking at my black firebolt Xb12R. I find the buell is under rated by most people.Some seem to like or hate not sure why. I guess if bike can do 150 mph in second gear it no good. | ||
| Olinxb12r |
I also always got really crazy looks in Chicago Max. Some people were snobs about the Buell and others were very interested in something so different. In KC I've been riding with mostly Buells, but I have a lot of friends from college that are in the metric scene and the Buells don't get much repect from those guys at all. It is really funny to hear the misconceptions that are out there and I don't even argue with them about it anymore because it is pointless. The only way to know is to ride one, and the only people that will buy a Buell were already interested in them to begin with. I love the fact that my bike is different and I even love the fact that some people hate them! It is really funny to ride a stand up by people that say that my bike has no power! | ||
| Cmm213 |
hey 12R right on about the stand ups, you just need to pass them on the same side that your exhaust exits from. Depending on your pipe that would really wake them up, and give them a sniff of twin fumes.ha ha take that | ||
| Duff24 |
Olinxb12r, you wouldn't have any experience with stand-up wheelies would you??? Yeah that's what I thought...me neither  | ||
| Tunes |
I recently rode with a group of metric sportbikers, none of which were familiar with Buells. I led the group through all the best backroads I know. After an expecially challenging section of road, we pulled in to fuell up. It was then they took notice of my bike... maybe cause they were unable to keep up? They all asked to sit on the bike and then noticed all the unusual gear... (front brake, belt pulley, etc...) I don't consider myself a speed-demon but I like a spirited pace... and no doubt they had the bikes: '05 Busa, '03 Suzuki GSX R1000, '03 Honda CBR1000RR, & 2 - Yamaha YZF R6's. On several of the straight-aways, they zoomed past. I got 'em back in the corners... All things considered, we were all pretty even. It's easy to go fast on straights but more difficult to go fast 'round corners. That's why I bought a Buell... ok 3. Great bikes! | ||
| Fullpower |
to speak to your original post, the Buells were out on the road being ridden. I occasionally stop my Buell at a restaurant, eat, and continue on my way. | ||
| Buellish0 |
AMEN POP !!!!!!!!  |
