| Author | Message | ||
     Skyguy |
No chance. a broken clutch cable is not a safety issue like say drive belts and headlights.................................. 500,000 miles ridden without me EVER being upset with any of the previous bike manufactures does not count for much around the faithfull Buell addicts. Because I am mad and am going to do something about it. I must be unreasonable. What a freaking joke. I haver NEVER gone after any other brand. Why? Because I did not have the massive problems and resulting B.S. I got from Buell. Your right though I should just be freaking happy and follow the mindless chanting of others. NOT! | ||
| James996 |
Sky- Clutch cables only break if you use them, thus not a safety issue. Only kidding. I see u point about what you have experieced. For the money we spend we should expect more. | ||
| Mainstreamer |
Sky, GO TO YOUR ROOM, you're giving me a headache. Enough is enough. It appears the powers to be will not give you the pleasure of ousting you, guess they don't want to give you bragging rights on those other boards you play on. The only thing your missing is the scarlet letter "A" around your neck. Yea, "A" for you guessed it. I feel much better now, back to normal programming, | ||
| Asdf |
In the "Old" days, headlights were required to be Sealed Beams. The reason for this was that experience had shown that the reflectors in non-sealed beam lights deteriorated. The Feds therefore mandated sealed beams, so that the reflector lasted longer, and so that when the bulb filament finally burned out, both the reflector and the lens were replaced along with the filament. This ensured good safe lighting for the life of the vehicle. Fast forward to EPA mandated mileage, the quest for aerodynamic efficiency and wind tunnel testing. Aerodynamic headlights were deemed to be a good thing, despite the known problems with optical degradation over time. Light weight plastics were preferred over heavier glass for fuel efficiency. Modular aerodynamic light systems with replaceable bulbs and easily fogged or scratched plastic lenses and reflectors were therefore accepted by the Feds. We knowingly accepted these safety deficiencies to get to lower emissions and better fuel economy. In the process, STYLE (Good and bad) was also incorporated into the modular systems….. With every heating and cooling cycle of a modular light, air is exchanged within the housing. If the air contains certain pollutants or corrosive ions, the reflector will be attacked. Some reflector coatings are better than others, but all will eventually fail. Those that are exposed to certain things in the air will fail sooner than others. Fortunately, reflectors do not fail suddenly and catastrophically. They simply degrade over time. Such degradation is easily noticed by the vehicle operator when a simple pre-trip inspection is done. I will inspect a vehicle in daylight with the lights off and then again with the lights on. The lights-off inspection is specifically done to check the condition of the lenses and reflectors. Anyone can identify reflector problems when performing a daytime lights-off inspection. The inspection will identify problems before they can be noticed at night while driving with the lights on. Should I choose to ignore my observations and continue to use equipment that has degraded, then I am the safety problem, not the equipment. If I choose to continue to operate a vehicle with a known or easily identifiable deficiency, then I will get the Fix-It-Ticket. I may even suffer a Vehicle Impound situation. Even worse, I may become involved in an accident. The safety problem with modular headlights is not that the reflector will degrade over time. THAT is expected and known. The safety problem is with those who knowingly choose to drive a vehicle that has a maintenance deficiency. Historically, lights, bulbs, tires and many other items have been considered to be routine maintenance items. Routine maintenance items are seldom covered under warranty. I would not expect any company to cover routine maintenance items after the warranty has expired. Food for thought…. | ||
| Blake |
Oh the drama. It is miserableness, pure unadulterated miserableness. Seeking to harm others out of vindictiveness for various problems while refusing to communicate simple yet vital detailed history of the problems and efforts to resolve them, yep, that's miserableness in its purest form. | ||
| M2nc |
For the record, my last commentary was for Jiffy and wondering how many miles and years of riding he has on his 250 for my own information and his. As for Sky he wants to vent to hear himself vent. There is no conversing with him at this point. At our  Western NC Adventure to Boone last weekend there were two 2003 XB9s there, both had past broken drive belt issues. One upgraded to the 04 belt the other...  So while Sky has ranted his 10,000 words, two ers have ridden up to 800 miles on the bike last weekend from Myrtle Beach Bike Week to Boone mountain riding for I think he said $150. People react differently to the same situation, you can't blame them for who they are. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
What is the expected average number of miles to be ridden on a bike in a year? Cars are expected to average 12,000 miles per year. I am assuming bikes are less (in the dark world of financial bean counters and actuaries). So let's say that the average expected number of miles in actuary world is 7,000 miles per year. Normally a car is expected to last about 120,000 miles. The warranty period is approximately 5 years or 60,000 miles. The warranty period is approximately 50% of the life of the vehicle. The Buell warranty is 2 years unlimited miles. In actuary world, that would cover approximately 14,000 miles. If you only rode the actuarially expected number of miles, you would have only 40% of the life expectancy of the bike covered by the warranty. Many here ride many more than the expected number of miles per year (all covered under the 2 year warranty). That said, assume that your reflectors or belts lasted 35,000 miles. In actuary world, that would be the working lifetime of a bike, 5 years. It would be the equivalent of a car's 120,000 miles. I don't know what the mileage of the bikes with problems is. I would be interested to know. If the reflector and belt failures are occurring at around 35,000 miles, then in actuary world they have lasted the life expectancy of the bike. If replacement is required, it is a matter of a wear item. If the belts and reflectors are failing earlier than 35,000 miles, there is indeed a problem. I would hope that the problem would be resolved by the manufacturer, but not all manufacturer errors are corrected. How long did it take Ford to reconcile the Pinto or the Bronco? How many people had to die before there was a movement by Ford to replace the tires on Explorers and Expeditions? Would they have done anything had there not been public outcry (and lawsuits)? Skyguy, I hope you have some sort of resolution to your problem. | ||
| M2nc |
FB - According to Honda the life expectancy of a final drive chain is 20,000 miles. That is about what mine lasted on my CB750. I got 36,000 miles out of the M2 belt. It did not break per say, I ripped teeth off it at the drag strip. The bike still made it home with 2/3rds the teeth still on the belt. (Message edited by M2nc on October 15, 2006) | ||
| Sik_s |
Tim, Don't go away mad, just go away. Both of us know you are not going to accomplish anything by bad talking BMC, so why make threats. It should be apparent by now that you are full of you know what. Your existence on here is a waste of bandwidth and I wish I had my 15 minutes back after having read your thread. Goodbye. | ||
| Jiffy |
I have 10,000 miles between both of my Ninja 250's. I ride daily on my bike but unfourtantely my commute is short. My Ninjas have been flawless. I am actually surprised because they have not really made an update to the Ninja 250 since 1988. The Ninja 250 probably is the most reliable and fun ride in town. You can wring it out completely till your heart is desired and have fun. The only reason I want a XB is because of the highway roll-on. I ride a lot of highways in Texas and roll-on power is nice when you ride the slab often. The Ninja 250 is a great around town bike, but also I have done 400 mile days. It can do it all. I want something that does highway differently. | ||
| Buellfighter |
Skyguy, sorry to hear about your miserableness. No I mean I'm REALLY sorry to hear about your miserableness....over and over and over. Perhaps you could seek out buellgrrrl and the two you you can wallow in it together. Makes me love my 10 year old tuber that much more. Thanks for the laughs, sucks to be you! | ||
| Court |
There's a significant difference that I feel compelled to shine light on here. Buell has a well established history of stepping up to the plate and accepting responsibility long before owners or any Federal investigators are aware of any problems. I've had the great pleasure, during the past 6 days, to see Buell step up to the plate for items light years removed from any warranty or legal obligations. The most salient of Buell's examples is the much discussed shock recall. That would never have been detected by any owner or detailed investigation. The way it was discovered was incredible and the way Buell responded (ignoring for a minute the stumbling over themselves trying to hurry a fix SRP debacle) was indicative of the responsibility the company feels and exhibits. Everybody, me included, wants folks Buell to be trouble free. Lots of folks are dedicated to precisely that end. In fact, there is a talented team of folks who get PAID to do that. They are the central repository for ALL information Buell gathers from owners and dealers .....they are the Buell Customer Service Team. I continue to be amazed that most folks I talk to (and I am not making reference to the instant situation here) have never contacted either their dealer or Buell Customer Service. I'll share, once again, a tip to help you get things sorted out without delay. The FIRST STEP is always your dealer. The dealer is the front line and Buell "on the scene", "boots on the ground" representative. The dealer experience needs attention, but fact of the matter is, if you don't start there, you're delaying the resolution of any problem. BUELL CUSTOMER SERVICE has tons of resources and some dedicated folks who have the advantage of being the central repository for all Buell issues. For instance, I'm aware of one present issue that appears related to a belt/pulley alignment. Although it's not common and I'm not familiar with it and let's say for the example that it's affected 7 of 10,000 bikes or 0.0007%. It'd never send a signal and it'd be totally unfamiliar to the local dealer. Think, however, of the advantage of having the guy/gal on the phone who has personally resolved the OTHER 6. You with me now? This is why it's essential to work through the dealer toward Buell Customer Service. Buell Customer Service, in my PERSONAL OPINION, is not perfect. There are differences between Buell Customer Service and Harley-Davidson Customer Service and the "negative transfer of knowledge" effects have slowed the development of some Buell specific components. I will say that Buell Customer Service is as good or better than any of the 4 other motorcycles I own. And I will say, and this is the HUGE difference, that the folks at Buell listen carefully to their customers and there are some exciting changes and improvements in the wings. Court | ||
| Brucelee |
Court, Can I pile on and ask a question on belt guards? There are nice stainless guards available from Buell but they say they are for 04 XBs and newer. Will these fit an XB9S?? Thank you. | ||
| Bads1 |
Bruce...yep they fit,as long as you have updated to 04 or newer belt I believe. | ||
| Blake |
Richard, the '04 and later model Buell twins use the Goodyear drive belt and of course the newer configuration of sprockets and idler pulley to match. The belt guards for an '04 or later model will thus not fit an '03 model, unless that '03 model has been upgraded to the '04 version final drive (sprockets, belt, idler pulley, pully cover). | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Court, You missed my point. Buell has stepped up to the plate in a couple of ways. They have addressed many problems with recalls AND they have addressed many of the problems through their unlimited mileage warranty. Both methods have been of their on doing. I applaud their efforts and have been satisfied with BMC so far. I don't know of a single other manufacturer that takes as many gambles and changes the paradigm on motorcycle design more than Buell. That said, I, as a purchaser, understand that I am to a certain degree a beta tester for real world results. As such, we have discovered that Uly fans don't meet actuarial assumptions when the bikes are ridden off road and in extreme conditions. I feel BMC will address this issue. I was just looking at the issue from a strictly actuarial standpoint as it pertains to component expected life span. They don't last forever. If it takes $120 to buy new reflectors, do it. If it takes $400 to swap over to the 06 belt, do it. | ||
| Bads1 |
Blake I think thats what I said.  | ||
| Brucelee |
Thanks Blake and Bads1. | ||
| Court |
I got a sneakin' suspicion, without absolutely nothing but what I've read on the various Buell boards, that the Uly's are getting more "dirt duty" that was ever anticipated as well. I own a BMW F650 and I'd never (although many do) take it in the dirt. The Uly just looks like it's itchin' to get to a fire road. | ||
| Blake |
I rode a Uly once. We never saw pavement. It performed wonderfully. The most fun was when I pulled up next to the guy on the R1 looking to run him. He nervously waved me by. Smart man.  | ||
| Rocketman |
Would you run an R1 anywhere but on pavement. You might want to rephrase that Blake, lol. Rocket | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Court, I'd agree. I think that's part of the subtle message in the tire switch (besides the abysmal performance of he D616). If you put nobbies on a bike, people expect to take the bike where you use nobbies. When you show the bike on gravel roads, buyers expect to be able to do the same. I think Buell will eventually address the fan issue. I hope they do, at least. Why? I'm getting the nice little "rattle" under my seat. Tell tale signs of an impending fan failure. It will get worse and worse until.............. The fans used in the Uly are the same as used in other models. The only variable I can see is that the fans on the Uly's are exposed to conditions that other models aren't exposed to. Are the XB9SX's equipped with the fan as well? If so, do they have the same failure rate? | ||
| M2nc |
Court, Yes they do and they do it well. NF-4 to Suches was a beautiful ride though sitting on a dirt one lane ledge with no guard rails on a side of a mountain was a bit disconcerting and that was kid stuff next to the hill climbing Jlnance and I did in Boone last weekend with our Ulys. | ||
| Court |
I'm eager to try a Uly on the fire roads of New Jersey. The sate has a regulation that any bike legally registered for street use may use the fire roads in the state parks and there are TONS of them. It just looks like fun! | ||
| Skyguy |
This is my last post on this site. I know why pwnzor does not bother, I know why someone posted a rather risque photo of Blake at a party. Get off the Buell-aide folks it ain't healthy. As for a couple of you that got personal it is now my turn. I live in Crestline and will be hanging out at the Rim tavern Saturday night. lets see if you got more than keybaord muscle, come on by and introduce yourselves............ | ||
| Blake |
You complain about folks getting personal and condone the criminal posting of a disgusting pedophile porno intended to insult another? Now you are seeking physical conflict via discussion board? A real piece of work you are. You call yourself honest, yet you've violated and continue to violate about every rule we have for participation on this board. You are not honest, nor are you honorable. You need schooling. Enough. I don't have time. You are not welcome here. (Message edited by blake on October 16, 2006) | ||
| Skyguy |
Whatever. The opinion of a black kettle is moot as far as I am concerned. You opinion of me matters not one bit. To think I defended you on sacborg makes me ill. You got some nads though. BTW I never condoned the posting of that Porno shot. I think it was a bit out of line. I was somewhat amused by the fact that somone would take so much time to do it though. Says something dont it? Now quick, get the last word. (Message edited by skyguy on October 16, 2006) | ||
| Hogs |
Sky , I think He all ready got the last word in his last post in among the words, At least I can see it... | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
  "Can't we all just get along?" | ||
| S1eric |
Thread hijack (maybe) Hey Court, Did you ever come across those brake pins for my front rotor 97S1. It`s been a while but just thought I would ask Still riding, And still happy with my old tubers. TUBERS RULE ! Take that you XB riders. One more thing. Hope to see all you Buellers at Daytona this weekend. S1Eric |
