| Author | Message | ||
     Dstthomas |
Hi, Everyone WARNING – this is long post introducing myself and documenting how I got through my first test rides on the Buell XB and 1125 models. To those I haven’t “met” yet, my name is Dave and I live in Boulder, Co. I’m 55 and I’m strongly considering getting back into motorcycling after a 20-year break. My last bike was a white 1983 Moto Guzzi Lemans III. Here I will kindly resist the temptation to expound, for many paragraphs, the trials of owning an exotic make within a (way back then) exotic genre (“flash bikes”) without the benefit of the internet (really just the MGNOC monthly newsletter and community). Y’all should know how good you’ve got it today! I started off looking at the BMW F800ST. I had always been interested in the F650 series since it’s introduction as the Funduro, (which I realize were BMWs in name, only, really…) the F800ST is an expensive and “sophisticated” (read “gawd help you”) machine. I also started to look at MGs and the Kawasaki Versys. Then I became intrigued by the Buell 1125CR, as it was in every magazine reporting the Berlin debut. I started reading everything I could find, while I got a new helmet and gloves and about this time autumn was in full swing and I used the nice days to ride my mountain bike hard instead of test riding motorcycles. I put on a lot of pedal-bike miles every year. The more I read about the 1125CR and 1125R, the more I realized that it would not realistically fit my needs. I’m not at the point in my life where I have the youthful time and energy to feed passionately into the beast. Well, as luck would have it I had struck up a friendship with a man who is an avid motorcyclist and rides a Moto Guzzi, and he also rides an ‘07 Buell XB12Ss. He highly recommended the XB to me, for the usual reasons – if you “get it”, then the Buell is easy to love. And this I could see without riding one. By this time I was lurking on Badweatherbikers.com and sucking up both the culture and the technology. I know no one cares, but it needs to be stated that I have never aspired to own a set of SAE tools. There, I said it. There are two Buell dealers near me. Either is closer than the only MG dealership in my area. Sun is the name of the dealer in Thornton that I went to on Wednesday. It was much too windy to ride, but I wanted to look. I got hooked up with a patient and knowledgeable salesman, so that was off to a very good start. Sitting on the XB12Ss that my friend had recommended to me, the pegs are just too high. The seat comfort is “OK”, but my ancient knees won't make it for long on that bike. Next, I sat on the special duty, (XB12XP) which is basically the XB12X fitted with outdoorsman cases and a comprehensive wiring harness for siren, lights, etc. All things that would be fun to have, mind you. “Would I want the beefier forks and the added ground clearance of the XB12X?”, I wondered aloud as I moved over to the XB12XT. The XT is a very comfortable bike, and this is the bike I fell in love with. The seat and the riding position are wonderful – not sure about the stepped seat, it might be nice to be able to slide back a skoche now and then on a long ride. The bike is pretty complete - I like the layout of it, and it's very comfy. A 600 mile day would be possible. Well, at least back in the day. The only thing missing is some versatility. This is not the scooter one takes to run out to the groceria to pick up a can of beans. I did sit on the CR, but this bike had pretty much already been ruled out. With the stock bars and pegs it’s pretty dang sporty. Yupper. High Country HD is the name of the other dealer. I went there Friday to sit on the XB112XT and XB12X to try to see which I might want to ride more. It was too cold/windy to ride. This was my first time there. It’s a very large store. This is just the Uly section:  The HD dealers astound me - quite different from your basic MG/Euro bike showroom. Huge buildings that tend to be brand new. Dozens and dozens and dozens of Harleys - huge clothing and accessories departments, service department open 7 days. I always am awe struck when I walk in - "My goodness, what a store front. Just what does all this cost to operate????" I was surprised that they had all the Buells in stock that I could want to look at and ride. What a change from the little hole in the wall shop called “The Sport Spot” in NJ where I bought my first Guzzi 850 T3… I sat on the Orange X and thought about ergonomics and suspension travel. Eventually, and in good timing, this led to a long conversation with an experienced and enthusiastic salesman who owns an ’07 X. He’s done a lot to it (such as updated triple trees for a tighter turning radius, and the XB9 gear ratios), and likes to ride it off-road. He’s a large frame man. His take on my situation was that because of my bias toward on-road riding, I would probably prefer the XT, since the X is biased to off-road and is therefore inherently compromised on the highway. High CG, 2-pound heavier front wheel, block-pattern tires, etc. He also believes that the XT is also a good deal with the taller windscreen and the nice luggage set. (well you lose those nice 47mm forks and I would want to buy more plastic for the XT, starting with the front fender set….) I cannot imagine, with my medium build and scarce off-road skills taking a bike this large, with a front wheel this small onto single track. I agreed to come back Saturday and ride both. I asked him if they could set them up to my weight, and he said that all the bikes on the floor were set up for a 180-lb rider, which I said would work for me fine (this is my winter weight when I’m not lying about the extra 4 pounds I gained). He showed me an 1125CR sitting on the floor that had the higher bars and lower pegs. He mentioned that I should ride that when I came back, as well.  I promised I would, (twist my arm, please!). So, it was a bit crisp Saturday, but I wanted to get to riding, and I made it over there mid-afternoon. I started with the XT. This was a black ’08 leftover that’s a bit more broken-in. Well, let me tell you that climbing on a bike after 20+ years was quite an experience. I think the low CG on the XB made it possible to start off with the big Buell. These big bikes ride like 650s. No problems. The heated grips were nice, and the front brake took some real getting used to. It stops – even the 6-piston version.   Initially, I was surprised at the amount of vibration coming through the pegs, but it’s just fine after a while. Finding neutral was a bit more of a chore than I like, but I suspect that that will get better with practice, and my friend assures me that the clutch and/or primary chain adjustment may not be quite right. “Both are really easy to set.” The tranny is really just OK as brand-new, but if I remember correctly, the Guzzi Lemans III was um, fickle. The suspension was too soft, with a lot of dive under front braking (which I was still learning to control 2 finger style). Overall, I enjoyed it quite a bit and nothing really stood out as being horrible. I admit that all I needed were the linked brakes of my old Guzzi and I would have been right at home. Jeepers, with the level of technology they (especially companies like BMW) put into every other frickin’ thing, why can't they come up with linked brakes you can turn on or defeat if you don't want them??? I know brakes are potentially a liability issue, but still. Please, make me happy. I'm just asking for a choice between linked brakes and non. Flip a switch, or issue a power-on sequence. Or aftermarket - whatever. For highway driving and in traffic, the linked brakes are perfectly fine and work quite well. I know it's "bush league". I just honestly like them, and I realize that I'll never find someone who agrees with me. I don't like to have to think at all about braking in traffic, especially during panic stops. It's one of many places where I don't shine brightly. I can train myself away from it, sure. Sport riding is another issue altogether, and I get that – but it’s a totally different focus. So, I came back from about a 25-minute ride on the XT and jumped on the X, which was still in need of break-in.  As requested, I kept it under 4000rpm, and the suspension was so different. I liked sitting even taller on the road for some reason, and the bike seemed to ride better despite the higher CG. It felt like it had a slightly longer wheelbase.  It was getting colder, so the heated grips were something I already knew I was going to miss when I got onto the CR.  The CR felt like a tiny little thing after the X. Despite the comfortable riding position, moving the stock mirrors to the accessory bars makes the mirrors absolutely unusable. They were pointed somewhere at the ground behind me, and nothing can be done about it, according too the store. This needs to be sorted out, and badly. As it is, bar-end mirrors and then of course custom turn signals would be needed. This adds to the “still under development” feel of this machine. The mirrors work OK with the clubman bars. The handling of this bike is wonderful, although the suspension (which was set up for “gawd knows whom”) seemed so much harsher after the X - who knows what setting it up for my body weight and simple skill level would do? I know it’s a sportbike, I just don't know how it was set up or what the potential of the suspension is. The acceleration was very enjoyable – supposedly the bike has a 6th gear, but I can only assume it’s above 5th. I discovered that I don't like digital speedometer, because it seems to turn speed into a very abstract concept. This would be hard enough in a car, but it seems like a liability on a fast bike on public streets, where I’ve got to have an accurate concept of how fast I am going. Maybe I’d get used it.  The engine was quite noticeably harsh at all speeds, but especially under hard acceleration – like miniature, very fast-moving jackhammers – and it made me long for the Evo engine of the XB. The hammering came through the grips at all engine speeds, and I found this very draining energetically. Also, at slow (parking lot) speeds the throttle was awful – it went into on/off mode at the bottom end where, whatever was really going on, it felt as though there was significant cable slop. The Thighmaster clutch lever is a “hand-full”, especially at roll-off from stop. The shifter started to bite into my foot after a while – I didn't have great boots on, but the XB was a lot kinder to my foot. Maybe I was pulling up too hard on the CR shifter after driving the XB.All-in-all I liked the 1125CR bike. It’s not effortless to ride, but I can see that it would provide great reward and satisfaction to many riders – there is a lot to like. With the handlebars and lowered pegs the riding position was quite acceptable for my wimpy idea of sport riding. My salesman thought about my suspension comments (XT versus X) and suggested that the actual setup on the bikes was unknowable in this environment, which makes perfect sense. Who knows what has been ridden when and how? But no one in the store would believe that I preferred the ride of the X to the XT on the street, so something's not kosher. My salesman offered to let me come back and ride the X and XT again when the suspensions could be set up especially for me. (My own pit crew? Really? Garsh...) We’ll also take the bags off the XT at this time, so it’s a more direct comparison. Who knows what driving around with all that empty luggage on does to the dynamics? If I do decide on the XB, I’ve got a list of mods already to do – headlights, front fenders, breather, ceramic-coated headers, and so forth. I’ll update when I have more. Meantime, thanks for your patience if I post something inane. And puleeze - don't tell my mother. DST | ||
| F_skinner |
DST, you went to the right shop. Dave is a great guy and sold me a X last week. He is all about making sure you are happy but also that you make an informed choice. a couple of us had the chance to ride that same CR last week or the week before and compared to stock it made me think a little before I got the X but because I have ridden the X a few miles I knew what is was capable of. Check out the Storm Fronts section of this web site for CBR (Colorado Buell Riders) section and welcome to the madness. BTW: the mods on the X are endless. I am going through the same thing right now but no matter what you want to do someone on this site has already done it and will be happy to help you out. I have spent a lot of time using the "search" function for planned upgrades to the X. Frank | ||
| Paint_shaker |
FWIW, I have ridden the X with bags and w/o bags. The bags are barely noticable and I almost forgot they were there! | ||
| Rogue_biker |
I think the 1125CR would be too much bike for you anyway. That thing is for experienced riders and not for returning ones. They have 130+ rear wheel horsepower and weigh only 450 lbs soaking wet so they are really fast! Your liking for the XB's would do you very well. These bikes are much easier to ride with a very linear powerband. They are also very low maintenance. They require very little attention from the rider, just get on and go. Having said that, they can go fast if you want them to. Much faster than your old Guzzi. If you do get a Buell, make sure you extend the warranty as far out as you can afford if you plan to keep it. I'm not saying the bikes need it, but for piece of mind. | ||
| F_skinner |
extend the warranty as far out as you can afford That is a personal choice, I do not recommend it for the simple reason that I do not like to make payments on a service plan I may never use. But, like I said it is up to you. I get piece of mine from fixing the bike myself. Besides you get a very good two year warranty on the bike anyway. | ||
| J2blue |
LOL: Dave "rather large frame" Prygocki! He is tall, isn't he? High Country and their staff are the best in our area. Don't forget to talk to Zack "Tricorder" Warzecha at the parts counter, you will make a friend for life with him. Join us in the CBR sub forum and maybe we will get to meet you on your new Buell soon. | ||
| Redbuelljunkie |
extend the warranty as far out as you can afford If anyone who has owned Buells suggests spending the money for extended warranty- I would take their advice. It has come in very handy for me. You do not have to finance the warranty, either. I would much rather have something and not need it, rather than the other way around. I look at it this way- if it's paid for and never used... then it must have worked! | ||
| Simple |
"I look at it this way- if it's paid for and never used... then it must have worked" or been a waste of money.  after the 2yr factory warranty is up, you'll know your bike well enuf to perform most any tasks or repairs it might need (badweb is good for that). i might suggest looking for an '07 holdover, it seems they have less issues then the '08's do. might be able to get a better deal on it too and still have the oem 2yr warranty. | ||
| Ourdee |
Welcome aboard. I like the XT, and it is great for the long rides and bean can runs. | ||
| Skinstains |
I just picked up my fourth XB (I still have the other three) and didn't buy or need the warranty on any of them. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Welcome to the insanity. | ||
| Schleppy |
I wish there was a Buell dealer like that up here in MA (NH is the closest "good" dealer). They actually seemed like they wanted you to buy a bike, and enjoy the test ride. A novel concept for sure. Thanks for posting your thoughts! As someone who is also thinking about getting a Buell I like reading other peoples impressions. | ||
| Chippy |
schleppy, go see precision hd in providence...also, check the nebo thread in the storm fronts section. and my thoughts on buell-easiest and most fun motorcycle i've ridden.  | ||
| Itileman |
I recently traded my Road King for an XT. I had been off bikes for almost 40 years before getting back into it two years ago. Had a couple of other Harleys before the King and was never really happy with any of them, especially the RK. The XT is everything I want as I turn 64 this spring. It's too fast, handles too well, goes off road to the limits of my inability, there's almost nothing you need to add to the stock bike and it carries more shit than the RK. You're doing the right thing in riding them all. Find the one that you like. See you out there. |
