| Author |
Message |
    
Saintly
| | Posted on Sunday, December 30, 2007 - 09:52 am: | 
|
No, you're entirely right about the safety issue Stretchman.
As soon as they're ready, I'll be buying a Hella conversion kit from Steve McKay here on the board.
The frustration comes from the fact that Buell refuses to take responsibility for this issue or to even acknowledge it.
We see "anony" posts all over this and the other boards, and we're told that these are posts from Buell employees and such.
So if they're here, and they're actively participating in other threads with other customer issues, then why have they not chimed in for us Firebolt owners? Are we the perverbial "red-headed stepchild"?
Are we not good enough customers for them? I bought two new firebolts, have I not spent enough money with Buell to merit the attention that 1125r owners are currently receiving?
I bought a first year(03) XB. I was their guinny pig too once. Why did'nt I receive the great treatment that I hear so much about?
Fuel gets added to the frustration fire when the Buell cheerleaders tell us how great Buell is and how they are "light years ahead" of the competition with regards to issues like this.
I think that it stinks that I have to once again fix their problems myself if I want to enjoy my buells, but that's the sad reality of it.
(Message edited by saintly on December 30, 2007) |
Court
| | Posted on Sunday, December 30, 2007 - 09:54 am: |
|
>>>>Court, this is a good cause to chase.
I could not agree more.
At present, I'd pursue the personal fix for several reasons, the least of which is not that I am a HUGE fan of LOTS of light. I always upgrade my bikes anyway. Comes from traversing The Loneliest Road in America a number of times in the middle of the night.
In addition, regardless of who is at fault/responsbile, each person has an affirmative duty to ensure they are riding as safely as possible. |
Spatten1
| | Posted on Sunday, December 30, 2007 - 10:54 am: |
|
I think that it stinks that I have to once again fix their problems myself if I want to enjoy my buells, but that's the sad reality of it.
Honestly, I just see that as part of Buell ownership. It's been that way for both of my Buells. Makes me pause before buying a 1125 at full boat, especially in the first year.
Just simple things like the clutch cable boot leaking water into the tranny (because of the ••••••• HD derived cable adjuster design). I had to replace all of my XB's tranny bearings. And of course, I can't do it without special tools.
Other than the R headlights, the XBs seem to have the bugs worked out pretty well now.
I think the R headlights must come down to the huge liability if Buell admits fault. If there is an accident on any R at night, the insurance companies will look at the headlights first and blame Buell. A thorough recall would be the only other option, which I'm sure opens up the can of worms for Buell in the same respect.
So, Buell can't do anything without a recall campaign, and then anyone who crashed at night in the past will probalby sue. Tough situation. |
Saintly
| | Posted on Sunday, December 30, 2007 - 11:03 am: |
|
I know something was realized at BMC, because the 1125R's lights are 1000% better than the 'Bolt's.
And yet the 08 XB12R's are still produced with those same defective housings. No revisions, no nothing. I question their realization. |
Saintly
| | Posted on Sunday, December 30, 2007 - 11:07 am: |
|
I'm sure opens up the can of worms for Buell in the same respect. ......anyone who crashed at night in the past will probably sue. Tough situation.
Yeah, tough situation for Buell. I feel sorry for them. I guess if my mistakes were going to either hurt me or my customers, I'd throw my customers to the lions too. |
Ducxl
| | Posted on Sunday, December 30, 2007 - 11:13 am: |
|
The frustration comes from the fact that Buell refuses to take responsibility for this issue or to even acknowledge it.
We see "anony" posts all over this and the other boards, and we're told that these are posts from Buell employees and such.
So if they're here, and they're actively participating in other threads with other customer issues, then why have they not chimed in for us Firebolt owners? Are we the perverbial "red-headed stepchild"?
Are we not good enough customers for them? I bought two new firebolts, have I not spent enough money with Buell to merit the attention that 1125r owners are currently receiving?
I bought a first year(03) XB. I was their guinny pig too once. Why did'nt I receive the great treatment that I hear so much about?
Wow,good points Saintly,and very sad too.
I think the R headlights must come down to the huge liability if Buell admits fault. If there is an accident on any R at night, the insurance companies will look at the headlights first and blame Buell. A thorough recall would be the only other option, which I'm sure opens up the can of worms for Buell in the same respect.
So, Buell can't do anything without a recall campaign, and then anyone who crashed at night in the past will probalby sue. Tough situation.
Which is all the more reason for BMC to step up to the plate..pronto.They DO care about their product's safety,which is confounding that no solution has been presented.Potentially,people are being(or could be) killed.If BMC risk management can accept that....i can't..get it? |
Court
| | Posted on Sunday, December 30, 2007 - 12:43 pm: |
|
quote:we're told that these are posts from Buell employees and such.
Just to keep it "real" . . that's a patently inaccurate statement and similar to some of the misinformation that has characterized this issue.
I know now why I chose to walk away from it.
I'm waiting for someone to send me the link to the message telling folks they could assume or infer in ANY WAY that an anonymous post came from the Buell, or any other, factory.
This is not "circular" . . making the problem bigger, artificially with misinformation, does nothing to promote a solution.
I agree there IS a problem. I DO NOT AGREE with most of what I read here.
Good time to be a construction worker.
Court |
Glitch
| | Posted on Sunday, December 30, 2007 - 01:00 pm: |
|
Anonymous posts are from Buell employees.
There are of course exceptions, but they are few and far between.
Please post a link to any post that you feel is misrepresented.
I will out them in a heart beat. |
Saintly
| | Posted on Sunday, December 30, 2007 - 01:02 pm: |
|
Thanks Glitch!
I was beginning to think I was crazy! |
Spatten1
| | Posted on Sunday, December 30, 2007 - 01:03 pm: |
|
I'm waiting for someone to send me the link to the message telling folks they could assume or infer in ANY WAY that an anonymous post came from the Buell, or any other, factory.
http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/290 431/326358.html?1198997761
http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/290 431/326285.html?1198879102 |
Spatten1
| | Posted on Sunday, December 30, 2007 - 01:09 pm: |
|
Also this link:
We've been asked to post a collection of our best, most discerning and incisive questions concerning the new Buell 1125R so that Erik Buell and his associates might have the opportunity to answer. They are indeed a brave bunch, no doubt. Please be thoughtful and respectful.
http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/290 431/292796.html?1198727369 |
Court
| | Posted on Sunday, December 30, 2007 - 01:13 pm: |
|
No . . no . . no . . I am not going to play.
(Message edited by court on December 30, 2007) |
Spatten1
| | Posted on Sunday, December 30, 2007 - 01:14 pm: |
|
What is that supposed to mean, oh learned and well-connected one? |
Glitch
| | Posted on Monday, December 31, 2007 - 10:11 am: |
|
I ain't sayin' nuthin....
(Message edited by glitch on December 31, 2007) |
Brumbear
| | Posted on Monday, December 31, 2007 - 10:24 am: |
|
I have an ss so I am not in this situation however I can get aluminum heat tape very thick and polishable they use it in oven doors from one of my accounts if anyone is interested shoot me an email and I will send you some and you can try it and see if it helps. |
Stretchman
| | Posted on Monday, December 31, 2007 - 08:17 pm: |
|
Here's something I picked up from another post. The headlight reflectors are black plastic and are coated with a shiny material?
In the early 70s, my school did a field trip to Cape Kennedy. I bought a neat little thing called a radiometer/ It had fins mounted in a vacuum that were painted white on one side and black on the other. It spun under light because the white side reflected heat, and the black side absorbed it. Maybe this is why the headlight reflecting coat is getting baked off? Could be the same principle?
The shiny side reflects, light and heat, and the darker, black plastic retains it?
Might be baking the coating right off of the black plastic that way. Simply put, the black side gets hotter than the silver side.
Just throwing something out there. Might be the cause, but I can't say. |
Sparky
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 01, 2008 - 03:49 am: |
|
Stretch, I think we are realizing that something is amiss in the reflector's design or production process. Cars and other bikes have reflectors made from black plastic and they don't have this problem.
Maybe this is the reason: Wikipedia's description of automotive headlamp design makes note of a feature in reflector optics that is a key to reflector longevity.
quote:Optic reflectors are commonly made of compression-moulded or injection molded plastic, though glass and metal optic reflectors also exist. The reflective surface is vapor deposited aluminum with a clear overcoating to prevent the extremely thin aluminum from oxidizing.
So, I wonder if the vendor applies sufficient clear overcoating on these units or if they apply any at all.
Certainly those who have taken their headlamps apart after putting on some miles have noticed that the shiny stuff wipes off all too readily, as if there is nothing protecting the silvery finish.
Could it be that beancounters in Italy, trying to save a few lira, omitted this little "ounce of prevention"?
On a positive note, if this turns out to be the root cause, the fix may be something as simple as applying a clear coat of the appropriate material and thickness. Is there anybody knowledgeable in reflector optics that could chime in with some words of wisdom?
(Message edited by sparky on January 01, 2008) |
Buelltroll
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 01, 2008 - 04:29 am: |
|
can you believe how looooooong this thread is all you o skoo mofos?...............
happy •••••• new year from 420at........ |
Stretchman
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 01, 2008 - 07:16 am: |
|
On a positive note, if this turns out to be the root cause, the fix may be something as simple as applying a clear coat of the appropriate material and thickness. Is there anybody knowledgeable in reflector optics that could chime in with some words of wisdom?
That is actually good news. Maybe a break in the clouds, so to speak. Wonder if it was supposed to be done that way, but... |
Beatx1
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 01, 2008 - 10:20 am: |
|
On another website there was a Hayabusa with chrome plated plastic fairings. I wonder if there is a process that can be applied to the headlights. I also know of companies in the Mustang restoration field that re-chromes interior plastics for show cars. |
Starter
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 01, 2008 - 08:43 pm: |
|
Chrome plating is unlikely to work. I have already chased this option with a company that "chromes" anything from plastic to normal mediums like brass and their take on the situation is housing material is not up to task.
They declined to do mine for me. |
Swordsman
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 08:55 am: |
|
Ug, here we go again.....
Back on topic, ....
Paul, that tape should hold up just fine. I did a quick 'C to 'F conversion, and that tape is rated for 680'F ! No way in hell the bulb will ever get that hot... your whole front fairing will melt down before that tape gives way.
~SM |
Blazinc5
| | Posted on Thursday, January 03, 2008 - 10:27 pm: |
|
I never could get used to the low beam of my bolt even though it was replaced with a new assembly by buell (and under warranty) because something left the lense spotty and I think the reflective material pealed off. I bought the bike with that condition and I didn't see the old parts. but my dealer took care of it.. Lighting still was a pain in the ass at low beam. Imagine my disapointment. Last summer I had the bulb blow out in it, so I went to napa got a new bulb for 4 bucks and decided since the warranty was no longer with the bike I took the lowbeam housing apart.
I found that the reflective crap was already cracking in less than 1 year of use and there was some discoloration near the bulb. I cleaned it very carfully and removed the metal plate blocking the top half of the light output. It is better without the plate,, I can accualy see a little bit further ahead of me. moreso where it makes me comfortable I won't hit something without seeing it first. Sure, I can see the underside of a overpass when I go under it, but at least I have better vision and so far nobody has flashed me with their brights. I do alot of night riding with deer infested roads commuting to work. so the little plate on the stockers really sucked for me. Glad I took it out. But I can live with the lights for now,, even though I can fully agree that Buell/HD needs to do something.. It's not like we all test rode our bikes at night before we bought them. Eventualy I may have to upgrade myself to an HID. Since we are forsaken in that area by buell |
Sparky
| | Posted on Saturday, January 05, 2008 - 02:42 am: |
|
Welcome to club FEDUP -- the Firebolt En-Dangered Underlighted Pilots support group.
We come here to share tales of woe and forsakenness and offer each other glimmers of hope in the chance that the Mother Ship will show us a better light in the tunnel of darkness that is the world in which we thrust ourselves upon.
But they did. Ha ha! We've been waiting so long for an answer to the Firebolt headlight problem from BMC that they finally released the solution -- The 1125R, a motorcycle with properly designed headlamps.
BTW, HID upgrades won't work well in stock Firebolt headlight housings if the reflector optics is compromised by overheating. See post this thread. |
Damnut
| | Posted on Friday, January 11, 2008 - 11:43 am: |
|
A resolution to our problem is on it's way. |
P47b
| | Posted on Friday, January 11, 2008 - 10:15 pm: |
|
Hey back in Aug. 07 I got a hold of Buell and got Two new out of the box Lights thru the dealer in Wichita Ks. I was told that they are aware of the problem and I think if you get a hold of Buell and get with your local Buell dealer you might be able to get the lights fixed.
Don't just call and hang up. It took me an hour to get the results I was looking for. |
Diablobrian
| | Posted on Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 12:27 am: |
|
well, I hope that's true, but I KNOW that Steve Mackay has a conversion to 90mm Hellas
on the way shortly and after seeing how much light his "Uly-bolt" was throwing down with
the Hellas I know what my next major mod will be... |
Pwnzor
| | Posted on Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 12:43 am: |
|
uhhh... wow....
I never thought I'd see the day when Court would deny that the anonymous posts here are primarily Buell employees...
Maybe all us XBR owners are not the only ones living in the dark....?
 uhhhh... I'm sure he was joking... or something.... right? |
Court
| | Posted on Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 08:18 am: |
|
Anonymous post come from a variety of sources. The recent survey for instance was a commercial concern, gathering data, that did not want to use their name.
No relation to Buell, HD or any dealer based on what was said.
It'd sure be stretch to ASSUME that an anonymous post was "from Buell" and even if is was that's about as unofficial as you can get. . . try going to your dealer and telling them that "anonymous authorized something".
Several HD and Buell folks have lost jobs as a result of conversations on the internet. HD had a VERY rigid policy. Perhaps someday it will change. |
Pwnzor
| | Posted on Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 08:26 am: |
|
Well, I didn't mean to say that when a Buell employee says something that it's "from Buell"... and neither did anyone else, no offense meant Court, and I'm sure none taken. |
Court
| | Posted on Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 09:06 am: |
|
None. .. whatsoever .. this is the internet. . . . about 3 notches below the local pub after three beers in terms of it's impact on me. . . . one of the advantages of advancing age.
 |
|
