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Medic_2512
| | Posted on Saturday, December 03, 2005 - 10:00 pm: | 
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I have a Buell XB12 and a 05 GSXR 1000. The GSXR is much cooler to ride anytime.
If your stuck in traffic for 15 minutes in 90 degree weather the buell gets very, very hot. How hot? Who knows because it desperately needs an oil temp gauge! Also you feel a huge drop in power due to the heat of the aircooled motor.
The GSXR will get hot too if your stopped for 15 minutes. The hottest i`ve ever seen it run is 223 degrees, but the fan turns on at 220 and will then knock the temp down to around 210. Normally as long as your moving 10mph or more she run about 170 degrees all day long.
They are two different animals, but in this case the GSXR runs much cooler. |
Old_man
| | Posted on Saturday, December 03, 2005 - 11:50 pm: |
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That Suzuki is much cooler to ride. Do you use the Buell as your winter bike? |
Hippo888
| | Posted on Sunday, December 04, 2005 - 06:37 pm: |
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I meant I'm cooler riding an air-cooled bike than a liquid cooled bike. As long as the bike isn't melting down, I don't care how hot it runs... 
Over 150mph, my K5 GSXR1000 won't stay at 170*F.  |
Chadhargis
| | Posted on Monday, December 05, 2005 - 05:54 pm: |
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I used to be a huge proponent of liquid cooling. My first three bikes were aircooled, and I was determined to get a liquid cooled bike because I believed it would run better when hot than an air-cooled motor. For the most part, I was wrong. The only time I felt my water cooler was better was when I was stuck in traffic with no air moving over the cylinders. The liquid cooled bike still got hot, but the fan would kick on and cool it back down. So, in essence, the fan is what made the bike run cooler, not just because it was liquid cooled.
Enter Erik Buell and the XB motor. Why did my other air cooled bikes get so hot when not moving? No air flow! Erik put in a fan to cool the motor. Sadly, he didn't duct it so it cooled the front cylinder too, but I'm sure there was some research done that indicated it didn't need it. Same thing for right side ducting. I'm sure it makes the bike run cooler, but why didn't Buell put a duct there in the first place if it worked that well?
I guess I am too trusting. I trust that the engineers did their job so I don't have to worry about it. Just ride. |
Blake
| | Posted on Monday, December 05, 2005 - 06:52 pm: |
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"Sadly, he didn't duct it so it cooled the front cylinder too,..."
You sure about that? If we knew what they put those bikes through say, just imagining here, during a mid-Summer desert testing regimen, maybe sitting in a box (zero ambient airflow) and idling for hours on end in 100+ heat and direct sun, we might feel our trust is justified.
Cooler is not always necesarilly better. |
Spatten1
| | Posted on Monday, December 05, 2005 - 08:23 pm: |
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"Over 150mph, my K5 GSXR1000 won't stay at 170*F."
I wonder what temp your Buell is at over 150mph. Probably cool, when you drop a bike from an airplane they don't need much of a load to pick up speed. |
Spatten1
| | Posted on Monday, December 05, 2005 - 08:24 pm: |
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Don't fry me guys, I ride the slower of the XBs, I'm poking fun at myself. |
Kootenay
| | Posted on Monday, December 05, 2005 - 08:33 pm: |
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"The only time I felt my water cooler was better was when I was stuck in traffic with no air moving over the cylinders."
What are you doing sitting still on a bike? Get outta the city, man! |
Brucelee
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 06, 2005 - 10:30 am: |
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The right side air scoop not only keeps the fan off, it seems to move the heat out from under the seat much more effectively than the solo scoop.
Best mod I ever bought for the XB. |
Spatten1
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 06, 2005 - 04:56 pm: |
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Bruce, that right side scoop looks great too, unusual for such a functional piece. |
Brucelee
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 07, 2005 - 10:34 am: |
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"Bruce, that right side scoop looks great too, unusual for such a functional piece."
Yes, it does. I think they would both look good in say titanium, but who could afford that? |
Roly
| | Posted on Thursday, December 08, 2005 - 05:28 pm: |
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hi medic 2512
how do you find the handling on the buell after riding the gsxr, i know the gsxr will wipe it up no trouble in the power stakes. i swap from a aprilia tuono factory and a city x on a daily base. |
Sokota
| | Posted on Friday, December 09, 2005 - 03:08 pm: |
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Hi Roly, How do the Tuono and City Cross compare, magazines do nothing but rave about the Tuono......I have a Cross nevr rode a Tuono |
Medic_2512
| | Posted on Friday, December 09, 2005 - 05:06 pm: |
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I`m not loyal to the death with Buell like many of the other people on this site. I love all motorcycles period. I love my Buell, but i don`t think its the greatest bike ever produced.
Truthfully, the gsxr handles way better, hands down. It`s hard to compete with a bike with as much race development as the GSXR line. And most Buell people, (who have never really ridden other bikes) will tell you otherwise.
The Buell gives you the sensation that your going alot faster (when in reality your not) because of the noise and it doesn`t have the power to get you into trouble in the turns. Your not going to break the rear tire loose or pull and unexpected wheelie with the 90rwhp of my XB12. But with 161 rwhp of the 1000 you need to have good throttle control or the bike will throw you off very quickly. Other than being much more careful on the gsxr, it will turn quicker, is more stable, and easier to flick into the corners. The Buell is not even close.
I just bought the XB cause i love the way it looks and its alot of fun to ride. But GSXR`s are on a different level in terms of handling and performance. |
M1combat
| | Posted on Friday, December 09, 2005 - 05:22 pm: |
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If you can't break the rear tire free on the Buell with it's 90RWHP then that just means that you aren't capable of bringing it to it's traction limits.
In other words... The XB is faster than you are.
Do you know what an unexpected wheelie means?
Sorry... I'll shut up now. |
Buellerx
| | Posted on Friday, December 09, 2005 - 05:35 pm: |
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If the Buell doesnt out handle the GSXR then it either still has the stock Dunlops or the suspension isnt set up correctly. I have ridden many bikes over the years including American, Japanese and European and the Buell handles better than any bike I have ridden. I only ride on the street though. People who race or ride a lot of track days may have a different perspective. |
Chadhargis
| | Posted on Friday, December 09, 2005 - 06:10 pm: |
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I think there are two definations of "handling". Once is an absolute scientific measurement and one is a percieved "feel". I think race replicas such as the Gixxer 1k will most likely outhandle the XB in scientific terms, but you'd have to be a VERY talented rider (most likely on a closed course) to do it. The draw of the XB line is that it's easier to ride fast than most high powered sportbikes. |
Blake
| | Posted on Friday, December 09, 2005 - 06:28 pm: |
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Interesting opinion Medic. I've seen the exact opposite view expressed on this site and by a longtime GSXR rider.
I've not ridden a GSXR1000 or a CityX, but I've ridden an XB9S and any number of Italian and Japanese sport bikes. My honest experience is that the new Buells out-handle all comers, hands down. |
M1combat
| | Posted on Friday, December 09, 2005 - 06:37 pm: |
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The GSXR will not out handle an XB by "scientific" means. The testers from Bike magazine gave the XB12R a rating of "10" in the "corner speed" catagory and the GSXR1000K5 received an "8". There were three bikes in between them too. Two Ducks and one Aprilia. Only the XB12R and the Duck 999R were given the 10 in the corner speed catagory. The XB received a 10 in lean angle and an 8 in flickability as well, while the Gixxer got eights in both of those catagories. The Gixxer won hands down in "drive out" of course...
I'm sorry you can't bring either bike to it's limits. That said... Neither can I. I can bring the Buell close enough that I don't have to worry about those pesky literbike headlights shining in my mirrors on my favorite canyon road though... |
Medic_2512
| | Posted on Friday, December 09, 2005 - 10:11 pm: |
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Thats just my own seat of the pants evaulation. Nothing scientific or anything. I`m not a racer or anything, but i`m sure that someone who race`s Buell could be faster than many other bikes. Including gsxr`s |
Medic_2512
| | Posted on Friday, December 09, 2005 - 10:17 pm: |
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If buell could add 20-25hp and an overdrive trans it would be the perfect bike. Its already got good breaking, handling, and looks, now its time for alittle power! |
Buellerx
| | Posted on Friday, December 09, 2005 - 11:23 pm: |
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If buell could add 20-25hp and an overdrive trans it would be the perfect bike. Its already got good breaking, handling, and looks, now its time for alittle power!
I agree with that |
Blake
| | Posted on Friday, December 09, 2005 - 11:24 pm: |
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In my best Time Allen... More power, ohyeah-arrr-arrr-arrr! |
Blake
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 14, 2005 - 10:08 pm: |
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Bottom line for this thread... no worries!  |
Steve899
| | Posted on Thursday, December 15, 2005 - 12:16 pm: |
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For me riding is about turns, going fast in a straight line is fun, but when that turn comes up and you have to slow down to much because of big HP in your bike,that just takes the fun out of it. Learn to turn, Buell makes it easy to learn turning. I have a XB12R 05 (my first Buell)and it is fun to turn. And yes I do know about big HP bikes, I also own a 2005 Kawasaki ZX10R, it too is fun but in a different way.
I never learned to go fast in a turn until I rode a lower powered bike(2001 Kaw ZX6R)in 2001. If you like to ride in a staight line all the time,a Buell will not stand up againest a Gixxer1000, but at some point the road will turn,learning to carry entry speed is everything. For most riders the Buell will teach you more than the Gixxer1000 ever could. I guess it depends on what you want from riding.
Give me the turns, I'll see you at the apex. |
Spatten1
| | Posted on Thursday, December 15, 2005 - 12:36 pm: |
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"If you can't break the rear tire free on the Buell with it's 90RWHP then that just means that you aren't capable of bringing it to it's traction limits.
In other words... The XB is faster than you are."
Let's not trash peoples riding skills if we don't know their backgroud.
At max lean, whatever that may be for a specific rider or turn, the GSXR is more likely to high-side you if you aren't judicious with the throttle. The Buell will too, but half throttle on the Buell coming out of a turn is like 1/8 throttle on the GSXR. Besides, as you get to max throttle on the Buell while your lean angle decreases you could spin up the gixxer at half throttle. 90 rwhp is entry level to some people, and yes, it will seem to never spin up if you are accostomed to riding something much stronger.
In both cases you should maximize your traction, but it is much easier to screw up and land on your ••• with a bike that makes real power. |
Hippo888
| | Posted on Thursday, December 15, 2005 - 10:33 pm: |
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In the ultimate case of equally skilled riders, ie. the same rider on two different bikes running against a timer, the GSXR 1000 is going to be faster. Track or street.
The GSXR 1000 is pretty boring to ride on the street though. I'd rather ride a Buell on the street. |
Spatten1
| | Posted on Friday, December 16, 2005 - 08:43 am: |
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"The GSXR 1000 is pretty boring to ride on the street though. I'd rather ride a Buell on the street."
In addition to the concerns about arrest, injury, or death with the GSXR, I also agree that the Buell is more fun. On small race tracks I like the Buell too, it is a hoot to ride and really frustrates people on faster bikes. |
Old_man
| | Posted on Friday, December 16, 2005 - 09:03 am: |
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Any number of motorcycles make more horsepower than a Buell, and cost less to buy. But my XB9S makes all the power I'll ever use. It will never attain the top speed it is capable of doing. I ride on the public roads. If you ride the roads as if it were a race track, you are too trusting of the others on those roads. On the issue of engine heat, an engine should reach at least 220 degs. to boil off any water. if it stays cooler than this you are bound to have problems. The Buell is an excellent motorcycle. If it is important that you have the most horsepower and top speed you should not buy a Buell. |
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