| Author | Message | ||
     Spatten1 |
"All the talk about the belts and unreliability I believe is because they have been abused, wheelies, etc" That would be correct. I would have bought a cruiser if I did not intend to ride hard, wheelie, etc. If belts cannot handle all of the horsepower the bike can make in the most abusive manner, PUT A CHAIN ON THE MACHINE. It is great if some of you ride Buells with a soft touch. I do not, and I want a final drive that is the most reliable possible. Chains are stronger than belts, and do not get compromised from gravel. Just make it an option for those that buy a sportbike to ride hard. | ||
| Spatten1 |
I should also state that I did not buy my bike for transportation. I bought it as 100% toy, and treat it like one. I would not drive my truck like I ride my Buell. I would also not ride a touring bike like I ride my Buell. However, if you build a sportbike, it should be expected that people will beat on it very hard. Some call that abuse, but I consider it normal and expected. | ||
| Xring |
I thing the "handling isn't that good" comment was meant to be read "handling isn't THAT good" i.e. good enough to make up for perceived reliability problems. 10600 miles on my 2004 XB9S with no problems. Except my smile muscles hurt all the time. Good luck, Bill | ||
| Diablobrian |
The 03+ sv's have their problems. Suziki deleted the thrust washers from the crank on the new models and a good number have grenaded on the street and track. I should know, the one we were racing blew a week before RRW broke their story on the problem. All in all it wasn't a bad thing though, that started the chain of events that landed us with the Mid-America Buell race bike. Buell has done very well with the XB models. The 03's unfortunately suffer from belt problems, but they are easily, and relatively cheaply remedied with a chain conversion. The conversion to the 06 style belts is just too expensive in comparison, or more people would go that way. The 03 belts for the most part are not damaged by riding, they are damaged by handling during routine maintenance, or just by handling prior to installation. This is not a surprise to anyone, least of all Buell. They changed belt design for a reason. | ||
| Skyguy |
My 03 has not been all that reliable. Three belts died way early. If the 06 belt fails someone at Buell someone is going to get an earfull. I have had a series of issues and I don't do wheelies or burnouts. The belt sucks and had I had more cash I would have converted to a chain. Other than the belt nothing has left me stranded. The motor runs like an animal. I have not had to adjust my primary but once at 5,000 miles. Bike shifts fine and all in all I trust the motor. Headlights are useless stock. Belts are crap. Stock steering and wheel bearings are crap. The rest of the bike is top notch. | ||
| Redstar11 |
As an owner of 4 different motorcycles, including an 04 XB12S, 04 GSX-R1000, 96 VFR 750, and 01 RC-51, I can say that my Buell has been just as reliable as any of my Japanese bikes. My Buell currently has well over 14k hard miles on it. Of course I employ proper care and preventative maintenance on all of my motorcycles. Being a motorcycle mechanic by trade, some steps you can take to prolong the life of the components include: NOT using a pressure washer on the bike. Pressure washers can force water into water resistant connectors, damage gaskets, and accelerate corrosion. Keep your bike clean. Wipe dirt, bugs, dust off of your fork legs so your fork seals dont take quite a beating. Use brake cleaner to remove brake dust from the caliper piston area. Inspect your belt before rides. Don't let your sprockets get dirty as sand and grime acts as a fantastic abrasive. | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
hey court...did u read the new issue of sport rider....according to them the buell handling was ok...but needed serious help before actualy living up to what is claimed here so often...u agree or disagree. | ||
| Pmpski_1 |
For those of you that didn't have problems, did you buy used or new? | ||
| M2nc |
Both - My M2 was an Ebay purchase. The biggest problem it has are leaks. Part of the problem was the 2nd owner's fault, though I would not blame him. He was in the Navy and on the Ronald Reagan on 9/11. He was out to sea for a year and the bike was not stored properly. The other part was a modification on my part that blocked the vent tubes. At 44,000 miles that motor sounds better than most other HD products I have heard, but the first owner was a mechanic and took very good care of it. I've ridden the M2 to nine states and have been up to 650 miles away from home on it. The Uly was purchased new so you can say my M2 did not scare me off because of reliability issues considering I had the CB750 at the same time. I bought the Uly because I wanted something for long distance trips that handled as good as my M2 and more comfortable. I've been to nine states on it too and been as far as 720 miles away from home. | ||
| Snackbar64 |
Bill, you're right when I said the handling ain't that good that was exactly what I was referring to. | ||
| Diablobrian |
Molly, the credibility of the sportrider article took a huge hit when they got rid of a factory race pipe because it was too loud, then put on a ti-force exhaust that made them happier. The exact opposite of those results is what I've found true. The handling issues they allude to would have been easily fixed by reading here and changing the tires, which they eventually did. What they accomplished, setting suspension swapping in a set of heli's, and changing tires, they termed a long term project. For most badwebbers, with a very little research, that would be less than a weekend worth of work. I usually like Trevitt's articles, but this one was a clunker. It shows how little time they really invest in a bike that they admit that they don't really care for, and why not, they have a stable of IL4's to choose from, why bother learning how to ride the Buell? Obviously they didn't, what they did do was to try to adapt the Buell to them instead of vice-versa. | ||
| Court |
>>>agree or disagree I absolutely agree. Buell went, with motorcycle suspension and geometry, where very capable engineers before them feared to tread. It was less than 49 months before Buell shook the 2-wheel world with the XB that a Ducati guy declared to me that 54" had hit the lower limit of where it was physically and mathematically possible to put the wheelbase. When Buell announced the 52.5" and the head angle folks fell out of their chairs. Here's the deal. The suspension needs to be properly set up. This is something we've always been told but it's never been a big deal. You take an M900 Monster and launch it, come back and dial it in there is a difference; some will notice, others won't. With the Buell it's not "advisable" it's NECESSARY. Good dealers (we'll continue that conversation later) will not let you out the door without doing some pretty detailed set-up work. Heck, it's in their best interest to ensure you see the bike in it's best form. Others, including many here, have sought advise on Badweb and similar virtuenues to get the info. In fact, if you have NOT set-up your suspension, I direct you to the portion of the Buell Owner Manual . . . . . . . . .  Hint from Court: That list of suspension adjustments if from the POCKET SIZE owners manual that COMES WITH the motorcycle. In the SERVICE MANUAL there is a complete dissertation on suspension adjustment. You have a responsibility, as the rider of a fine piece of equipment, to KNOW it inside and out. Buell went to a great deal of work. Now read it before I ground you.  | ||
| Court |
By the way, I think I sound bitchy today.....agree or disagree ? | ||
| Glitch |
How reliable are they? 45,000 miles on my '03 XB9S bought new in '03. 20,000 miles my stator went out. Out of four belts, three of them were broken/shredded by yours truly. | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
To the wag who tried to excuse my Buell's unreliability on it's M2 heritage- the difference between M2s and XBs is mostly the frame/fuel tank and swing arm/oil tank. Otherwise the real improvements have been gradual over more than a decade. Thusly a new XB has little reason to be more reliable than a late M2. And for those who have suggested that I "try" an XB as a solution for my M2's problems, My budget doesn't allow for replacing the M2 until at least 2010. Of course, if the Motor Company wants to compensate me for the horrendous depreciation on my M2, I might consider a trade. Otherwise the M2 will be my first and last purchase from the Motor Company. | ||
| Glitch |
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| Buellgrrrl |
Court, I have yet to see those much vaunted "highest reliability in the industry" numbers. Where do they come from- warranty claims that pretty much cover the first year of ownership only? Internal customer surveys? JD Power? Looking at the publicly available data like reports on high mileage bikes in the registries at micapeak.com in comparison to all the low mileage failure reports here, it's painfully obvious that HD/Buell are competing with Ural in the reliabilty race, while the Japanese manufacturers, BMW, etc. have much longer mean times between failures. | ||
| Diablobrian |
The motor in the XB's is a different beast from the prior generation. The new motor is shorter front to back, and uses a different transmission, the Block is different too. It is a new design, not a gradual refinement. It is also cooled differently, with the scoop and fan instead of the natural cooling of the tube frames. The intake, and injection systems are different, as is the active exhaust valve (on the 12). Once again pretty dramatic difference. Not to mention the increase in stock HP | ||
| M2nc |
Buellgrrrl - When a new model line comes out, the manufacturing process is revamped as well. The design of the frame not only addresses rigidity, it also addresses manufacturing improvements. The XB had a design target to address the warranty issues of the tubers before it. I am an owner of both and can tell you that the build quality and materials used on the XB are far superior to the M2. But that is by design. In each major design revamp, the engineering team addresses the problems of the past and improves the product by changing the design and manufacturing processes to insure repeatability. As far as for high mileage, a chain will last twenty thousand miles according to Honda. The belt on the M2 out lasted that measurement. You can buy a chain conversion for your Buell for under $200 dollars and that is allot cheaper and easier than the BMWs which have had problems with their final drives too. As far as for mileage, the HD motor and transmission are design for long mileage. Out of all those complaints I have heard on BBB, blown engines or transmission are not there. In contrast how many I4 sport bikes make it to 100,000 miles without engine rebuilds, clutch replacements and transmission rebuilds. Apples to Apples, as someone mentioned above and I agree, Buells are meant to be ridden hard. If you do the same on a CBR, GSX, ZX, R1/6, Monster, etc, etc, etc, how many make it to 100,000 miles with the original engine and transmission. Not much. High revving I4 sport bikes are 30 - 40,000 mile bikes be they Japanese or not. Was my Honda junk because I stretched the chain? No, but the clutch was gone at 15,000 miles. Operator, probably but this same operator has gone longer on both the clutch and the cables that operate it on my Buells. BMWs are great bikes but more touring than sport, and they are ridden accordingly. Not to many BMW owners posting pictures of them wheeling their bikes. Not to say they don't do it, just not as often. I would compare a BMW more to a Harley and many of them have lasted well passed 100,000 miles. They are a favorite among those who like to ride long distances. | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
Guys, XB and Tuber powerplants come out of the same Capitol Drive plant. There have been few changes that improve reliablity, with the exception of the rocker box cover redesign. And again, having been sold one lemon (M2) by the Motor Company I'm not about to buy another (XB). If the Motor Company cared about customer satisfaction they'd at least be offering substantial trade in allowances to Tuber owners to get us onto XBs. The fact that they don't suggests that 1) the XBs are no more reliable than the Tubers, and 2) they don't give a damn about customer satisfaction anyway. | ||
| Diablobrian |
Just because they came out of the same plant does not mean they are the same motor any more than it makes either motor a "big twin" which come out of the same plant. That is faulty reasoning. You bought the tube frame M2 knowing the model had been superseded by the XB. Why should they give you incentive to buy a bike you turned down the opportunity to buy in the first place? As for the implication that the M2 you bought is a lemon, there are some differing opinions on that. But that thread has already run it's course. Sell it and let it go, or better yet trade it in on another one of those Wunderbar BMW airheads. If you are going to be as miserable as you obviously are, and attempt to make all of us just as miserable,how much is that worth over the course of the next 4 years? that is around 1450 days of misery and the same Bitter posts and feelings that we've been seeing lately. Is your happiness worth that little to you? | ||
| Whodom |
There have been few changes that improve reliablity, with the exception of the rocker box cover redesign. Improved reliability doesn't necessarily require redesign. Most reliability improvements have come from better Quality Control- making parts the way they're supposed to be made and assembling them properly. I'm sure Buell has made a LOT of changes in this area since 2001. | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
DiabloBrian, I bought my Tuber some months before the XB was announced. As for dumping the Tuber, I'm not about to take a several thousand dollar loss in depreciation by selling it prematurely. My trade cycle is at least 10 years, and I'm currently riding two bikes that are over 20 years old. And sorry if the reality of Buell unreliability is making you bitter and unhappy; I'm not shutting up. | ||
| Jpdog |
Hmm lets see on my 2004 XB12. In 8000 miles, Front wheel bearings twice, drive belt 3 times, TPS reset 4 times, replaced battery once, front isolator once, failed to start because of fouled spark plugs 4 times, and blown fuses for unknown reason leaving me stranded on the side of the road twice. In defense I also can go on and on about how much fun the bike is to ride and how top notch the frame and suspension are. Or how great they handle. But by far the most unreliable bike i have ever owned in 25 plus years of riding. Alot of problems with the bike YES! but i could also blame 1/2 the problems on the dealership for maybe not installing things right. (like the drive belt) | ||
| Davo |
On a more positive note, thanks to Buell there are more patriotic people with new found mechanical skills! It is a "fish and cut bait relationship". | ||
| Glitch |
And sorry if the reality of Buell unreliability is making you bitter and unhappy; I believe it's your bitterness and unhappieness that is shining through here. Brian has never sounded bitter or unhappy. I'm not shutting up. Bitter women seldom do. | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
Davo, sounds like of some of the Yaesu ham radio gear I bought in the '80s- about every week I had to repair that junk and I used to joke that it was slowly becoming an american made radio. I've got a made in Tennessee Ten-Tec ham rig bought about the same time that's still going strong in comparison. | ||
| Diablobrian |
I'm not Bitter or unhappy, every day above the grass is a good one. I try to help people wherever I can, not drag them down. I was referring to your posts. You've demonstrated a pronounced preference for BMWs I just wonder why you strayed from their fold. If you're this upset with your Buell you should trade it for another of your beloved airheads. If you are refusing to get rid of it solely on principal, you may want to re-examine your priorities. What good is life if you spend it being unhappy? I'm not trying to be antagonistic, I really would rather you were happy, which you clearly are not with your Buell. Just as not everyone is cut out to be a rider, not everyone will be happy riding a Buell. The trick is to learn the source of your pain and move on. In this case you've made it crystal clear what makes you unhappy. | ||
| Davo |
Buellgrrrl, I understand completely. Regardless I am an optimistic Buell owner even when it gives me trouble. I believe that people are never tested beyond their strengths. That is coming from someone that used to race Pinto's......yes the car. | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
DiabloBrian, I don't buy a new vehicle whenever I'm "unhappy". From years in the transportation business I've learned that you need to keep a vehicle at least 10 years to keep your depreciation costs from getting out of control. By making sure I get at least 10 years service out of a vehicle I can afford to buy them cash- if I were buying new ones every couple years I'd still be in debt. BTW, the last loan I took out was for my first new car in 1978. Since then I've bought a truck, 2 more new cars, and 4 motorcycles, paying cash for each. |
