| Author |
Message |
    
Jedambrose
| | Posted on Thursday, August 14, 2008 - 10:41 am: | 
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Well I am taking the bike in today for the wire form clutch cable bracket and 1k services and I will have them reflash for engine issues (off idle hesitation and the pulsing at 2500-3000 rpm) Hopefully I will get the side effect of getting better MPG. I have had enough of getting low 30's. I will let you know how it goes. |
Petereid
| | Posted on Thursday, August 14, 2008 - 10:03 pm: |
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I have an 08 XB12XT and I'm getting 140 miles before the light comes on (a mix of rural and city driving). I also have no engine issues to speak of. Just a question but you guys are all running 92+ octane premium gas right?? |
Jedambrose
| | Posted on Thursday, August 14, 2008 - 11:47 pm: |
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yes, always |
Sincitydavid
| | Posted on Thursday, August 14, 2008 - 11:50 pm: |
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I just got about 37mpg after some pretty hard around town riding(4-5k). I'm just too addicted to the sound to keep off the throttle  Next fill up I promise to be good. |
Davidoforlando
| | Posted on Friday, August 15, 2008 - 01:42 pm: |
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My 08 XB12R runs good without popping, hesitation, etc, but I do only get 33 mpg. I wonder if after the reflash (scheduled for tomorrow) I will start to have those problems... sounds like a doubled edged sword.. |
Arctic_firebolt
| | Posted on Friday, August 15, 2008 - 02:19 pm: |
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Which once again shows that each reflash does something different to either performance or the ability to idle and take off properly.
I wonder if it's a pattern?  |
Mesozoic
| | Posted on Friday, August 15, 2008 - 04:45 pm: |
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Mine has a little over 6000km on it now and the mileage has started to improve a bit. I am getting 260km before the light turns on now. Highway riding seems to get much better fuel economy than in town. |
Jedambrose
| | Posted on Saturday, August 16, 2008 - 06:36 pm: |
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So when I got the 1k service done I had them check the ECM for possible updated flash to fix the off idle stumble. It went in with the B31US25o calibration and came out with the M31US25y calibration. The description is noted as "Stock United States XB12". I will let you guys know how it affect the mpg. |
Bartimus
| | Posted on Sunday, August 17, 2008 - 01:10 am: |
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being an owner of many Buells, I am not happy at all with my '08 XB12XT.
My tubers run no problem at all, perfect carburation, excellent handling, I couldn't ask for more.
My XB9XS runs like a bat out of hell, it has after market pipe, a race ECM, and gives me absolutely no problems.
My ULY on the other hand, surges, shifts hard, sometimes idles at 1500 or 2000 RPMs.
It was supposedly flashed during homecoming at Hals HD/Buell, when I had my 5000 mile service done, but I think I just paid for a $350 oil change, since the bike ran just the same all the way home, and nothing else appears to have been done.
It is now in the shop here at home, has been there a month now, yea, I'm pretty pissed. This has been the second worthless Buell I have ever bought. At least the first worthless Buell was used, and I can blame the previous owner for its issues.
So what are we expected to do when we purchase these POS with the crappy fuel maps, that don't work for shit?
How many months does it have to be in the shop before I can claim the lemon law??? |
Petereid
| | Posted on Sunday, August 17, 2008 - 11:01 pm: |
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Jed, Bart what is the date of MFG of your bikes? I know they are 08 but what month. Mine is April 08 and it runs great. Sure the mileage could be a little better but to be honest I didn't buy a Buell for the mileage. Anyone else care to post either the month or last 5 of their VIN and if they have any problems? Maybe its just select batch in MFG that are having trouble |
Jedambrose
| | Posted on Sunday, August 17, 2008 - 11:56 pm: |
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mine has a September 07 build date |
Sincitydavid
| | Posted on Monday, August 18, 2008 - 12:56 am: |
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My build date is June 08 and I can get anywhere from 37+ in the city and my latest trip I got around 51mpg. This is traveling at speeds of 70+mph. I think I could see 58mpg if i could stay off the throttle. |
Naiguy
| | Posted on Monday, August 18, 2008 - 01:18 am: |
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my 08 xt runs like a f...n champ! i let it warm up in the morning to proper operating temp air/oil cooled like that......owned lots of early vw's in my time.
i blip the throttle on down shifts but never just cause i want to like a "ricer"
145 miles till the gas light came on before i had 5 thousand miles now im in the 7's and i get 150 miles before the light comes on.
made a all freeway run down to mission bay to do some wakeboarding with a buddy and i got 170 miles before the light came on that tank.
no surges just smooth acceleration through the gears and i cruise just above 3500 rpm every day of the work week.
imho the more you ridem the better they work |
Xbrfirebolt
| | Posted on Monday, August 18, 2008 - 02:33 am: |
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Mine has a build date of Aug. '07. Bad flat spot/stumble off idle since day one. |
Jedambrose
| | Posted on Monday, August 18, 2008 - 02:53 pm: |
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Xbr,
When I was talking to the techs about my stumble off idle they said when they were testing to see what was wrong they notice the exhaust actuator on the intake keep activating. They thought that it was loading up the engine. When it happened you also got a puff of dark exhaust (too rich). Something to look at. |
Xbrfirebolt
| | Posted on Monday, August 18, 2008 - 03:53 pm: |
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Jedambrose,
Were they able to fix your bike? Mine had the new flash back in May. It didn't affect the flat spot at all. My bike did seem to have a little more power past that point. My dealer had it for a month trying to fix it. They thought the interactive valve was bad, replaced the muffler. No difference. New intake w/injectors and all attached sensors. No difference. They are waiting for Buell to come out with another fix for the ECM.
My mpg did increase to a high of 47, but has since dropped to around an average of 40 mpg at this time. |
Spacecapsule1
| | Posted on Monday, August 18, 2008 - 05:33 pm: |
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aug 07, #0061. (08 STT)
runs like crap down low. poor mileage.
(Message edited by spacecapsule1 on August 19, 2008) |
Boney95
| | Posted on Monday, August 18, 2008 - 07:06 pm: |
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Sept of 07. Runs like a CHAMP. But of course im getting shaty mpg, 33-35. I of course would like better mpg, but im afraid to bring it in and have them mess with it, causing performance problems. I still think im running rich. My Drummer exhaust tip becomes black with soot. Then again if the bike was running rich, the bike would run like shat? I don't know? |
Eicas
| | Posted on Monday, August 18, 2008 - 09:29 pm: |
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My '08 XB12Ss got 35 mpg on easy around town driving on the last tank, on the freeway at around 70 mph it seems to average in the mid 40 mpg range.
I have tried going easy, driving a bit harder, cruising at different rpm, etc .... and mpg wise the results are not predictable. Some days seem better than others, but do not know why.
So now I just try to keep the rpm at or above 3,500 rpm whenever possible because it just drives better.
Off idle acceleration is a bit rough, but once it gets going it runs fine. |
Xbrfirebolt
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 01:29 am: |
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If I want to take off smooth, I have to be at 2,000 rpm minimum. Any lower rpm and it just about dies like it doesn't have enough fuel. |
Edgydrifter
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 06:43 pm: |
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Call me weird, but I thought it was perfectly normal and necessary to bring up the throttle a little while letting out the clutch from a dead stop. Every manual-transmission car I've owned has been this way, and every bike I've owned has likewise been this way. You can't just dump the clutch at idle and expect the engine to do anything but bog or stall.
Are there bikes out there where this isn't the case? I'm not being snarky--I'm really very curious after reading this and other threads, and wonder if I've just been missing out on much better motorcycles over the years. |
Boney95
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 06:59 pm: |
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Call me weird, but I thought it was perfectly normal and necessary to bring up the throttle a little while letting out the clutch from a dead stop. Every manual-transmission car I've owned has been this way, and every bike I've owned has likewise been this way. You can't just dump the clutch at idle and expect the engine to do anything but bog or stall.
I was thinking the same thing? |
Ironhead1977
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 07:19 pm: |
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Let me start out that I have one of the 08's that works perfect and would not trade it for nothing else. Comparing it to my 06, you do have to get on the throttle more when starting out than with the 06-noticeably more and in a race the 06 would stomp the 08. The 08 is a lot smoother with no lean surge when cruising. |
Jedambrose
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 11:28 pm: |
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Edgydrifter/Boney95,
Completely agree that you need to give it some gas when letting out the clutch.
The problem that I was experiencing had nothing to do with the clutch. You could be in neutral with the clutch released and give it some gas off idle and it would bog down and dump dark exhaust (sometimes).
So far with the new flash it seems to have been fixed. It has been raining here so I haven't been riding much.
Jed |
Boney95
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 12:53 am: |
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This is what my 08 does. Example: Rolling to a stop at a stop light, bike in 1st gear, clutch disengaged, RPM's under 1k. Light turns green, dump the clutch and hit the gas, she coughs and goes poop. I then have to pull in the clutch and let up on the gas and start over. I also get this off of idle when I hit the gas hard. |
Mesozoic
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 02:53 am: |
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I have always attributed the XB12's rough idling nature to the camshaft profile. Having run a 290* duration roller cam with big lift in my old daily driver Mustang, I know what it's like to have a rough idling vehicle that makes no power under 2500 RPM. The bike is very similar in this respect and I don't mind it one bit at all because I think I'm used to it from my cars. Regardless, a heavily cammed engine makes big power in the midrange and top end which is where I prefer it for aggressive riding/driving anyhow. I just can't get enough time in the saddle of my '08 Ss. |
Snakedriver
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 10:00 am: |
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My bike is a Sep 07 baby. Last trip I got 34 MPG out of the first fill up and 41 on the second fill up.
Im waiting on the "final" fix before I take in for the reflash, or whatever... |
Randomchaos
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 10:21 am: |
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Has anybody tried tinkering with the timing on the 08s to see if that helps some of the off idle bogging? Wonder if it would even improve the gas mileage... |
Akbuell
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 11:40 am: |
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I'm beginning to think the problem is not necessarily in the programming. My TT came down the assy line within 6 bikes of Spacecapsule's, and runs fine, w/good mileage. Perhaps the idle air control, or the O ring for the idle air? I'm reasonably sure that is a subassembly that comes as a unit from some vendor or other. |
Edgydrifter
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 12:34 pm: |
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Jedambrose/Boney95: Hmmm... that does sound a little off, especially the puff of dark smoke bit. Jed, when you flashed your ECM did you also pull the plugs to check for fouling? With the original mapping it sounds like they could have built up a good layer of mung. |
Jedambrose
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 03:39 pm: |
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The plugs were bad enough that they changed them when I got my service done.
Jed |
Tarshi
| | Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 06:54 pm: |
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My 2009 12Scg also has flat spot/stumble, 35-38mpg. The interactive valve seems like nothing to move during run from day 1. I have appointment to 1k maintenance tomorrow. |
Imstellar28
| | Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2008 - 11:11 am: |
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Just got the reflash, got a fresh fill-up and 105 miles later the fuel light came on--absolutely no change. |
