| Author | Message | ||
     River |
The April 2008 PB mag (performancebikes.co.uk) has a ride-off between a standard Honda CB600R and a modified Buell XB12R. "The modified Buell is outclassed by the stock Honda, but the gap is nothing a determined and talented Firebolt owner couldn't overcome" Bugger I thought. Beaten by a bike half the size. But then they went on to add this little heart warmer: "(The Firebolt) is one of the last air-cooled performance bikes that will ever be built, and should be remembered well. Furthermore it's probably the planet's best balanced road bike. It's handsome, wacky, clunky, amazing and flawed. And tellingly, it was the Buell we wanted to ride home (after the ride-off)". Handsome, wacky, clunky, amazing and flawed - that pretty well sums up all Firebolt riders too don't it? | ||
| Barker |
"it was the Buell we wanted to ride home" IMHO: 0-60, Track "tests" Dyno charts etc. That is all fine and dandy but the "If we were to ride one home, witch one would we pick" is the test/evaluation I want to see in all moto rags shootouts. Glad to see the bolt come out on top of that test.  | ||
| Jos51700 |
The best street-bike made. | ||
| Acejay |
er, it didn't come out on top, it was a track test. and it was a modified buell too, exhaust, some kind of fuel tuner box thing that trojan sells, and from memory a new shock too. but PB is an awesome magazine, it full of different modified bikes. they seem the like the buell, but dont shy from calling out its problems. | ||
| Blake |
"it was the Buell we wanted to ride home" "(the Buell) didn't come out on top"  Twice the size with one fourth the valves and throttle bodies, half the cylinders and half the rev limit. Hey, if you'd rather ride a bike that has to rev to 8K to hit its power band, by all means, the 600cc repli-racers are great. Not my cup of tea, ever. | ||
| Sparky |
Yeah right. There is nothing "standard" about a Honda CB600R. What do you suppose the "R" stands for? Race, I say. So, what goes into a race bike? Millions of dollars (yen) and thousands of hours of engineers time perfecting every ounce of performance that a company's reputation has to stand on. All well and good if you are into that sort of thing. But, where does that leave the Buell XB12R? It's a frickin' street bike. And which is the one the magazine testers want to ride? The Buell. Why? Because it's got balls. It instantly goes when you snap the throttle. It's not a wind-up toy! Give me growl not snarl! | ||
| Retrittion |
Lets see how a CBR600R race repli-bike stacks up against an actually race modified 12R -- how about a 1250/88" kit, a 41-42 tooth swapped in, purpose built race shocks, SpecialOps/K&N/ECMspy tune for race specific performance and then lets talk. Unfair? not really -- the 12R is a street bike going to the track, the 600R is a race bike on a track. And the test for best bike on the street (where we all ride except on weekends -- well most of us) was clear when they said which one they would ride home -- the same one I choose to ride home, and everywhere else.  Oh, and they forgot to do the famous time-spent-grinning-like-an-idiot measurements. In an informal survey, I've found evidence that repli-racers have a extremely low TSGLAI, which they attempt to treat with large books full of shiny bits. So far the outlook remains bleak.  | ||
| Mnbueller |
"Its not a whinde up toy" That is best phrase ever for a jap bike! | ||
| Interex2050 |
"Its not a whinde up toy" Or a toaster... after all it is an appliance And you guys got the name all wrong too! its a cbR600RR geesh! all those extra Rs are soooooo critical to the coolness of a bike and because the XB12R only as one R it can NEVER be as cool, hip and trendy as the honda with its three Rs didn't you guys know? I know the next generation will be even cooler, the MIGHTY CBR-R-6RR-00-RRRR^2+2R Then no-one will be able to compete with it's "awesomeness" factor | ||
| Freezerburn |
More than two 'R's makes it a joke. Ar ar ar. | ||
| Firebolt32 |
I pulled up next to a guy at the Sam's Club who was riding a CBR. He didn't have his membership card to get gas so I hooked him up with mine. He says "You like that Buell?" Hell yeah I like my Buell. He says I'm tired of riding mine, I'm thinking about selling it..." and paused to look at the pump. I said why, it's a beautiful bike. And gas is to damn expense to drive anything else. He says "It's a piece of garbage, I want a Buell." | ||
| Retrittion |
You know, it's funny but nobody says driving a race car is fun on the streets -- a tuned import car is fun and all but they are not fun to drive on a daily basis. Heck, anyone driven a BMW M3? Great car -- I mean GREAT CAR but on your average city street with potholes and such it is less than fun after a bit. I found the same thing with race-replica bikes -- tightly tuned and fun but only in small doses or specific circumstances. For me the XBs are fun for a daily rider but I feel it is stretching it when it's goes on the track -- though I still have fun on the track. Personally getting an 1250 or 88" on my bike and swapping a 42 toother in would make me the happiest camper around -- nothing like going 80mph in 1st gear.  | ||
| Freezerburn |
Buell = Joe Satriani CBR = Yngwie Malmsteen Apart from the technical wizardry, the CBR lacks soul when compared with the XB. Malmsteen has his place but he's never spent much time in my CD changer. | ||
| Darth_buell |
Oooo, I wanna play ok ok alright ok.... Buell = Grand Theft Auto 4 CBR = Duck Hunt how long can you play duck hunt before you are bored | ||
| Badlionsfan |
Buell- local stripper CBR- porn star A porn star might be a better performer, while a stripper won't be as refined and is a litter rougher around the edges, is more fun. |
