| Author | Message | ||
     Seanp |
Ok, I am thinking about getting an XB12R. This is going to be my first bike, and I really should start out on a Blast or something smaller. However, I can get a good deal on an XB12 for $11,663, which is better than any price that I can get a dealer to quote me. And the XB12R is just really calling to me. So if I started with a Blast or a little 250 Ninja, I just know that six months from now I'd be pining away for an XB12R. (Well, actually, six months from May, when I get home.) So, mostly to justify it to myself, I'm thinking that the break-in period for the motorcycle might coincide with the break-in period for me to learn to ride it. I've been to the MSF course twice, and I have a strong grasp of the basics. I've got plenty of places around my house (on a military post with strictly enforced speed limits) where I can ride without worrying about traffic, obstructions, or unknown roads. So what is the break-in period and what is the actual break-in procedure for the XB12? Thanks for your help. Sean McCafferty | ||
| Dynarider |
First off the bikes go for $10,995 os that $11,663 figure is high..unless that also includes prep & freight. 2ndly an XB12 for a first bike is a horrible choice. Get the Blast & learn how to ride first. I know some will come on here & advocate it as a good choice, but I disagree completely. Far too many new riders get a bike such as a R1, Gixxer1000, R6, XB12, etc & promptly wad the bike & them selves up. It takes more than 6 months to learn how to properly control a bike, & then you have the entire testosterone deal that is the hardest part to control. | ||
| Buelliedan |
Sean Dyna is giving good advice. I see you have taken the MSF course which is good but you still need to learn how to ride well on the street. You can buy used Blasts all day on e-bay for under $3000 and then resell them for the same money. Once you have learned how to be safe in real world street riding then go buy that new XB12. Six months should be just about right and the price might even come down by then. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Buy a used blast cheap. Or even better, get yourself a dual sport (KLR-650 or something), and spend some time throwing it around in the mud and the street. And take the MSF classes (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) Lets keep it simple... new riders have two things to learn... how not to wreck a motorcycle (harder then it sounds) and how not to get run over on the street (also harder then it sounds). These things go hand in hand... if you do either badly, the other will suffer as well. The dirt bike will help with the "how not to wreck a motorcycle" part, ironically, in part, by allowing you to wreck a motorcycle in a repeatable fashion. The MSF course will help with the street part, and is also a huge payback for the amount of time it takes. In many states (including finally Ohio), if you pass the MSF you get to skip your on bike test to get your motorcycle endorsement. I think it takes about 2 years and 15k miles or so of street riding before you can throw a high power sport bike into the equation without raising the amount of risk you are taking through the roof. So after you tire of the KLR for the street, you can then pick up an XB9 or XB12, and keep the KLR as a trail / wheelie / urban assult / loan to a buddy bike. The XB's will have depreciated enough by then that your total cash outlay will probably be about equal either way, but with the above method you end up with two motorcycles. IMHO. In hindsight, I wish I had done it this way. | ||
| Buckinfubba |
Seanp All this advise is right on. and this is coming from a guy that sells buells to pay my bills. question would be different if you had experience on other bikes like say you have been riding dirt bikes all your life and that kinda stuff. You maybe able to handle it but its the testoterone that most of us have trouble with. now I only have one guy that bought a xb9s off of me for his first bike. and it been fine with him for well over 6 months . but this was after very long conversations with him and feeling that he was a very responsible guy did I feel safe selling it to him. he is little older than you and since I don't know you personnaly I can't say if its a good Idea or not. BTW I could get ya abetter deal than that. Brian Tilley hd/buell buckinfubba@hotmail.com | ||
| Mikej |
For a first bike, if this is a long term thing and you're not trying to play with friends who are goading you into getting a bike, buy used and cheap. Something like the Honda CM450E that I bought with 10,000 miles on it for $600 and put another 70,000 miles on it before giving it away and doing nothing more to it than replace tires and chains and sprockets and brake shoes and change the oil every once in awhile. You're link shows you as military and you're probably looking at that service you get for new vehicles. If so then go ahead and get what you want and have it shipped home. Then when you get back stateside leave it parked and find a used beater bike to practice on. This way you can put the most miles on the beater bike and use the new one for your Sunday Afternoon ride until you get more comfortable on it. If you're looking at an XB12 then a little Ninja 250 might be a good beater bike to find. Only you know you. We know people we have known over the years and base answers on what we have seen happen in the past. Some people can go out and get a 'busa as a first bike and do fine, some go out and get a moped and wad it up in the first 100 miles. One guy I knew out west bought a brand new Harley Heritage Springer and totaled it in a crash with just 3,000 miles on the odometer due to his own drunken stupidity. Break-in is basically keep it easy on the engine and gears until they have a chance to run in a bit. All covered in the owners manual when you get one, and any decent dealership should be willing to let you read through an owners manual before buying a bike. Not sure about your current situation if that would be an option though. Would be pretty strange to break-in an XB12 on the streets of Iraq. I'd be concerned with finding the 92 octane minimum fuel the XB requires. Let us know what you decide. | ||
| M1combat |
The breakin is 500 miles, keep it under/around 3K RPM's for that period. I have heard it's best to vary the RPM's through this period. The manual states that the first oil change is at 1K miles, but I did mine at 330 to get the first wave of particles out. I also changed at 500 miles. I have 1800 miles on it now and I'll switch to Mobil 1 or Shell Ultra Helix (If I can find it and if it's rated for Diesel engines) pretty soon. I can't/won't tell you what to do. I do SOMEWHAT agree with Dyna though. I rode a Honda 750 for about one year before I got the Buell, and I grew up on dirt bikes. I think that someone CAN successfully learn to ride on an XB12R (it's NOT an R1, GSXR1K, CBR1K etc...). They say that when you start riding you are given two bags... One is full of luck, the other is empty. The trick is to fill the empty one with experience before the luck bag gets empty. I can tell you right now that even after only one year of riding that Honda it saved my life. There was a time that I entered a corner too hot and my mind told my I needed to TURN! I imediately went into straight moto-cross mode, pushed the bike under me and stuck my inside foot out to the front and nailed the gas. Just after that I got lucky because by all rights that shouldn't have worked. I think the Buell would have liked it even less. Another thing to remember about sportbikes is that the more capable the motorcycle the more it AMPLIFIES mistakes. They are NOT easier to ride. All that said... I say get a $500-1000 motorcycle for the first six months. Do a track day with it. You don't want to crash a $12K sled. You will crash. There are two types of riders... Those who have crashed and those who will. I will. "Twist of the Wrist I" Kieth Code "Twist of the Wrist II" Kieth Code "Soft Physics of Motorcycle Dynamics" Kieth Code "Total Control" Lee Parks I've read Twist I and Total Control so far, I'll be picking up the other two soon. VERY good info including proper riding position which, on an XB, is VERY important due to the short wheel base. I rode dirt bikes all my life, I know how fast things can go wrong. When you start riding a street bike (even if you rode dirt) you are in "reactive" mode. You CAN'T be there. You need to be in "pro-active" mode. If you get a bike that's more of an older "lightweight cruiser" so to speak and learn on that you will be MUCH better off in the long run. Anyway, good luck and WEAR A FRICKIN HELMET PLEASE! edited by m1combat on February 10, 2004 | ||
| Daves |
Sean, The break in period should last for 500-1000 miles. Take it easy on the RPMs,vary your speeds, just use some common sense. It will go by faster than you think. You, on the other hand will require a more extensive "break in" period. I feel that about 25,000 miles will put you in good shape to become a "rider" You can speed this up by taking the MSF classes and then after you have enough time in the saddle I would tell you to do a track school or 10! I have been riding for 32(250-300,000 miles) years and I'm still not as good as I could be! I still learn every year. Buy the bike you want, just use some common sense. Get trained,take it easy for a while, you'll be fine. Ride to the edge(not at first though) Dave Iowa HD/Buell (Buell Cycle Center) | ||
| Kcfirebolt |
Sean, These guys are giving you great advice. Just so you know, my first bike was the XB9R. I had ridden other motorcycles for very brief periods of time, but I had never owned one before. I used the break in period to get acclimated to riding on street, avoiding congested areas and sticking to back roads/streets. I was very cautious and methodical to riding for the first 5,000 miles, and I would strongly recommend you do the same, no matter what bike you get. Still, I scared myself silly in more ways than one, and I was lucky on a couple of occasions that I prefer to forget. I've ridden 17k miles in the 20 months since I bought the bike and have no regrets. For me, this was the best way to let the passion take root. I just wanted you to know it could be done. Just understand that I exposed myself to signifcantly greater risk than you might encounter if you follow the good advice in the other posts. If you've taken the MSF class twice and you have a passion for the 12, you stand a chance. However, if you have the patience and the maturity (two things missing from my genetic makeup), get a beater to start with for the first 3 months. It is the better part of valor. If you can't go that route, understand that you are not alone and be smart about your abilities and your expectations. Good luck. KC Firebolt | ||
| Henrik |
All great advice here. Let me add a few; - buy your PPG (Proper Protective Gear) before you buy the bike. Buy quality stuff, and if you're uncomfortable with the price, just think of how much you would be willing to pay the moment you know you're going to crash - just a split second before you hit the ground ... hard  - Check out Amazon.com for David Hough's books on street riding strategies. Much more useful than the more track oriented books in the beginning. - Dirt and beater bike before big horsepower. Henrik edited by henrik on February 10, 2004 | ||
| Daves |
Good point about the gear Henrik, can't believe I forgot that part. Dave | ||
| Captainplanet |
Just my 2 cents here. An XB9 or 12 is not a good first bike. I would highly suggest a ninja 250. You can buy a brand new one for about 3300 out the door, ride the piss out of it for a year and sell it for 2000 or more after that year. Insurance is dirt cheap too compared to an XB. The 250 has plenty of power to teach you to be a good rider, yet no so much to get you in immediate trouble. I love my XB, but I would not ever let a new rider on it. And not because I would worry about the bike, but because of how easy it would be for a new rider to get in a seriously dangerous situation on an XB. Unless you are super disiplined, I would stay away from the XB series. | ||
| Austinrider |
Sean - The XB9S was my first bike ever. I did the Riders Edge MSF course. I had no problems with the course. I would strong advise against getting an XB for a first bike if you are going to ride it in any kind of a populated area with stop signs or traffic. There are alot of things to learn, having all that torque at the flip of the wrist is big responsibility and takes a great deal of discipline. I flipped my first XB with in 2 months, I learned the hard way. You make your own decisions, just keep in mind that its not a good beginner bike | ||
| M1combat |
I guess the key is that the XB12 has no more power than a 250. Unless of course if you insist on USING it, then it has LOTS more. I remember riding mine home the first day after it was delivered... It took me a while to get used to the torque as it has boatloads of it, even VERY low in the rev range. It's one of those "guns don't kill people, people do" things. If you ride it in a responsible fashion you should be alright, but like Henrik said, buy good gear first. I don't know if you necessarily need to go whole hog and get a $3000 full race leather suit as such, but at least get a good jacket and some armored pants. Find a good set of boots that look like they will take a few falls, get a GOOD helmet and get a good pair of leather riding gloves (ebay). Before you get the gloves, go to your local Honda dealer or something and figure out what size you need, same for the helmet. Here's one thing to consider... I'm leaving a gas station on my 12, I rev it out to about 6K in first, pull in the clutch quickly while rolling off the throttle, pop it in second, basically dump the clutch (keep in mind I still haven't rolled on ANY throttle) and the flywheel inertia ALONE launched the front wheel about a foot and a half in the air and about 10 feet distance. I weigh 205lbs with my riding gear on and I am at 5K' elevation. I can only imagine what can happen to a guy who weighs 150lbs at sea level... BE CAREFUL! | ||
| Hardluckxb |
There are many lessons to be learned as a novice rider. The bigger the bike, the larger the financial impact. Last spring, I bought a '76 Honda CB360 from a buddy at work. It is a great bike, but needed some TLC to get it up and running. The mechanic I took it to took his sweet ass time on what should have been some pretty simple stuff. Needless to say, I really wanted to start riding and I got impatient. After seeing my first Buell (a beautiful Tuber) at a Waffle House, I found Buell's website. After learning as much as possible about the XBs I decided the Lightning was made for me. I went to the local HD/Buell Boutique (Cycle World of Athens) to get up close and personal. After asking the salesman about the new Lightning's he said, "I didn’t even know there was a new Lightning." I told him all about it and left extremely frustrated. That weekend I gave Stone Mountain HD/Buell a call to see if they had any in stock. The guy on the phone said yes, so I told him I was on my way. Let me tell ya'll that I had absolutely no intention of buying a bike; I just wanted to see it and figure out what I had to do to make it happen. When I walked in the door, I told the guy who greeted me I had called and spoke with so and so and that I was interested in Buell's. He said cool, I will go get him. When the two of them got back the guy I originally spoke with on the phone said that he was a Harley guy and I would be better off talking with Pete, the guy who greeted me. To me, that was really cool and I immediately relieved some of the anxiety I had about being in the boutique. Pete was awesome. He never tried to sell me the bike, he only told me about all the cool and innovative technologies that make the XBs great. He was passionate about the platform and not just spitting a bunch of bullshit. This just confirmed my beliefs that this was the perfect bike. I told him I had some high balances on my credit cards and no money to put down but we ran an application just to see where I stood. Unfortunately, it went through. After that, there was no turning back. 17 days after the purchase (just after getting the damn thing broken in) while approaching an intersection, a girl in a Mustang pulled through some cars across 3 lanes of traffic going in the opposite direction and I t-boned her at 35 miles per hour. I flipped heels over head over her vehicle and landed on my backside in the road. $4000 worth of damage to the bike and I got a broken pelvis that had me layed up for 10 weeks. After healing up and getting my bike back I could not have been happier. Hell, I just spent everyday of the last two and a half months wishing I was riding. I bought a new helmet and a Joe Rocket jacket with plenty of pads. I was ready. 700 miles later, while hangin out at a BBQ with some friends, one of my buddies asked if he could take her around the block. All of my buddies ride on a regular basis and the bike is so much fun for me I never thought twice about sharing the joy. That was one of the stupidest things I have ever done. The guy dumped my bike on a fricken trip around the block! He did more damage than I did and the insurance company totaled my bike. So I was again without XB! In the first 4 months of owning it, I spent twice as much time dealing with insurance issues than I did in the saddle. Granted, neither incident was directly my fault, but I was the one left to pick up the pieces. Literally! Learn these lessons on a beater!!! Too many things can go wrong and they most certainly will. It will be a whole lot easier to stomach this shit on a bike that does not cost 10 large. I promise you, you do not want to experience the frustration that I have been dealing with. It affects every aspect of your life. Get a bike you can grow with. As for me, I am back on the CB. I am doing my own wrenching now and having a blast. I will get a new XB as soon as my settlement is finalized, but 'til then I have some more dues to pay. Steps to big Buellin' 1. Protective Gear (boots, gloves, jacket and helmet) 2. MSF or Riders Edge Course 3. Adequate time on a beater And once you get a nice bike...don’t let anyone else on it! edited by Hardluckxb on February 10, 2004 | ||
| Spiderman |
You start off in life with two bags; One full an labeled luck. The other empty, labeled experience. The trick is to fill up the bag of experience before you empty the bag o' luck. | ||
| Dasxb9s |
Ditto what the majority has advised... Get a bunch of experience on something more tame... personally I'd love to have a KLR650 or even a KLR250. I started on a 125 Allstate in the late 60s... and after a year moved to a 360 Bridgestone... which was a screamer at the time... I scared myself shitless a couple of times (or more) on the Bridgestone (they were known for their racing bikes at the time)... scaring yourself is not always a bad thing... when you start to get a little too comfortable, scaring yourself kinda reminds you to refocus... cause you slipped... but was saved by the bag of luck. I feel that if I ever think I have mastered the machine... I should get off...walk away and sell all my bikes... You get more experienced as time passes (assuming you take riding serious)... but in general when one thinks they have mastered the machine... and factor in other variables we have no control over (traffic, weather, road conditions, being distracted) something will catch up with you. Shit happens... that is what good protective gear is all about!!! I will add my favorite motorcycle quotes/sayings... There are three rules of riding bikes. 1. never ride beyond your skill 2. everyone falls down 3. everyone falls down As a kneedragger so aptly put it, "Shit happens, and more shit happens when you're learning, and shit happens a lot faster on a high performance bike." Good luck in whatever path you select... ride paranoid... because everyone is out to get you! There are two major threats... your skill level when learning... other vehicular traffic that has no clue or does not care you are there learning!!! | ||
| Wyckedflesh |
hey Hardluckxb, I happen to have a spare '74 CB360 with clubman bars sitting unused and lonely if you might be interested in giving it a good home, it will be good for parts if you need. drop me an Email. wyckedflesh@hotmail.com | ||
| M1combat |
Yeah, I second the "other vehicular traffic" sentiments... http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/4062/42610.html | ||
| Darthane |
<~~agrees with Dyna and in fact did exactly that (although I bought an XB9 - the 12s were still over a year out and unannounced). Who knows, like me, you might even decide to keep the Blast after getting a new bike. They are phenomenal little machines. | ||
| Dynarider |
I feel that if I ever think I have mastered the machine... I should get off...walk away and sell all my bikes... You get more experienced as time passes (assuming you take riding serious)... but in general when one thinks they have mastered the machine... and factor in other variables we have no control over (traffic, weather, road conditions, being distracted) something will catch up with you. Shit happens... that is what good protective gear is all about!!! Damn straight. Years ago I crashed a perfectly good 600 Katana because I had the feeling that I was the master of the bike & knew it all. Now I know my limitations & the bikes, I dont push either one unless I am on a track & even then that self preservation deal we all seem to aquire as we get older kicks in & I tone it down a notch. Too many times people have that attitude where they wont crash because they are a good rider or the dont push it...but as pointed out shit happens. It doesnt have to be your fault, damp corner on an otherwise dry day, dog, etc can all ruin your day. With years of experience you tend to be able to avoid such things. I have 2 rules that I follow at all times when on the bikes. #1. I am invisible & everyone is trying to hit me. Be pro-active in your awareness & watch everyone & everything. #2. Always leave yourself an out. Dont allow a car to ride right along side you. I personally wont ride int he center lane of a 3 lane road. I prefer to only have traffic coming from 1 side to deal with & if need be I can easily hit the shoulder. In other words, always have a place to turn to quickly if need be. A safe zone. | ||
| M1combat |
Another thing I try to do is follow cars that are in the other lane at the right distance so I can center the driver in their own side mirror. I have about one person a month just move on into my lane when I'm alongside. They just don't see us. Hey, I just found the only good argument for bolt on chrome... | ||
| Seanp |
Well, I guess the XB12 will have to be my white whale for a while. You've all brought up some good points. I really really want that bike, and I've been looking for any excuse I can use to get the bike. Having just turned 30, I'm looking at all the things I wanted when I was a kid, and couldn't afford, and realizing that I can now afford them. And I want to get them before I get old, (like 35 or so). And I am a mature individual, but I am also, unfortunately, an impatient individual. That's why I wanted and tried to convince myself that I could start out with the XB12. But it's not smart. So I will continue to look at the Ninja250, and now I may take a look at a KLR250. That is an option I hadn't thought about. It's only $1000 more than a Ninja 250, and I could use it on a lot of dirt roads in Louisiana, where I am stationed. There are a whole lot of tank trails where I usually go "exploring" in my truck, so I could just go exploring on a motorcycle instead. Interesting idea, and no winch required... Thanks for your words of advice. I appreciate the wisdom of people that have been riding for a long time. I will just have to make myself wait. I don't, after all, want to die before I get to be old and decrepit, like when I'm 35... Thanks. | ||
| Dynarider |
I don't, after all, want to die before I get to be old and decrepit, like when I'm 35... Around here 35 is young..real young in some cases. Im 41 & it seems like the majority of tube frame owners are of advanced age as well, but the XB's are primarily the domain of you young snot nosed kids. | ||
| Ezblast |
http://www.beginnerbikes.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl This link will help with beginner basics - they are pretty sharp there and almost all their advice has already been echoed here by the Buell faithful - so please heed - Now for the funny part - my crashes - lol - First one was a nose itch - I let go of the clutch to scratch - oops! Engine was still in gear - my other hand firmly on the brake - the bike engages and starts spinning - I leap instinctively - proud of my self for clearing the moving bike - I realize too late my one mistake - I still haven't let go of of the break side - so the bike's still spinning and I get leg swept by the bike - finally let go - bike stops, I pick myself up, the bike and head on home asap hoping no one saw - yea right on the middle of 19th ave. - lol Second time I had just got the bike back from service - 500mi - and it was fog, at 5am going to work - didn't check the air pressure in the tire - did a turn - tire folds and I slip - moving quick I pick the bike up cussing and air up a block down the road - ouch Third time, three buses lined up - last driver waves me forward and as I go around the middle bus pulls out - I put her down - no choice with the rain, oncomming, etc. - again - a quick pick up and ride home cussing and a very sore knee. You will feel a lot better on a Blast or other going down than you would on your 12R - trust me on that! Got Thump?! Just Blasting on the Dark side! EZ  | ||
| Dasxb9s |
but the XB's are primarily the domain of you young snot nosed kids. I must be a young snot nosed kid trapped in a 50 year old body! I am also just starting a restore on a Honda CT70 Minitrail!  | ||
| Captainkirk |
Seanp- Good advice from everyone including yourself! You're doin' it right, man. I'd tell you to buy the Buell and store it...but you won't. Do the dirt riding. The reactions won't leave you and they may pop up when you need them most and are thinking the least (as in panic reaction). Buy a cheap beater and master it. If you trash it, you've still got the XB to look forward to. Ride the beater every day you can, in ALL conditions you can stomach. Learn to lean on a $500.00 beater. When you throw that XB into a turn you will be amazed at how much better it handles, and how much better of a rider you are. Read David Hough's "The Proficient Motorcyclist". I've checked it out from the library and read it cover-to-cover three times and every time I learn something new. Good gear is ESSENTIAL! Don't skimp- buy the gear before you buy a bike. It WILL save your life. Ride like they're out to kill you-'cause they are. For real. I like to take turns with my M2 and my Yamaha Seca 550 because I can't fully appreciate the Buell until AFTER I've ridden the Seca...and vice versa! And good luck! We've all been where you are now and know it's easy to go for broke. Stick with your plan, you've got your act together. | ||
| Evil_twin |
"Ride like you are invisible, and like everyone is trying to hit you." My tattoo artist told me that a couple years ago, and it made perfect sense. Apparently, Dyna has heard the same thing. Words to live by. Oh yeah, wear your gear. Spend the money. You won't regret it. I have the scars to prove that not wearing gear sucks. Whatever your decision may be, ride safe. You are going to have all the support you could possibly need here on the BadWeb. All you have to do is ask. Just be safe. My $.02. Rich | ||
| Seanp |
EZBlast - That's funny that you linked to the Beginner Bikes website, since I've also been reading their site extensively. To be honest with you, I came here looking for another viewpoint, thinking that maybe all the folks on that site were overly cautious, and that I wasn't getting a good cross-section of riders. But apparently they're not overly cautious, and they are putting out the same advice that you folks are putting out. So I guess there's really no need for me to shop around for a different answer, because obviously a different answer would be a bad answer! Dynarider - That $11,663 figure is the total delivered price including the 4-year service plan. Does it still sound like a good deal? If this is like a once-in-a-lifetime good deal, then I may get the XB12 anyway and buy a beater when I get home. I won't be back in this part of the world for at least a year and a half, (keeping my fingers crossed) so I won't have this opportunity again for a few years. Plus, I believe I've convinced my wife, (partly out of sympathy because I've spent a year away from civilization) that $12,000 is not a lot to spend on a motorcycle. I need to strike while the iron's hot... CaptainKirk - I think I have the self-control to not ride the XB12 until I'm ready. Like I said, I am impatient, but I'm also kind of fond of this life thing I have going on, and I don't want to lose it for any stupid reason, except maybe to ensure the survival of democracy. And even that, hey, I don't really want to lose my life over - I'd prefer to make "the other poor bastard" lose his. So, does anyone live in the eastern Texas or Louisiana area that knows where I can pick up a used KLR250 or KLR650 cheap? Hmm... | ||
| Buckinfubba |
41 years old and as snot nosed of an ass that I can possibly be on most any given day.... thats why I sold the harley |
