| Author | Message | ||
     José_Quiñones |
Buell XBR9: 94 hp/385 lb dry is about 80 rwhp/430 lb wet gives us a 1:5.37 power to weight ratio. an X1 is about 85 hp/490 lbs for a 1:5.76 ratio. Better, but the FZ1 is closer to a 1:4 ratio. HD VRSC: 115 hp/595 lbs dry is about 100 rwhp/640 lb wet gives us a 1:6.40 power to weight ratio. _________________________________________________ Buell Lurker, why is the HD website already updated with the VRSC, and yours isn't? | ||
| Reepicheep |
I did a media search on firebolt... (gotta love Lexis-Nexis... or just pay 'em) Here is what I found. We may have a "hit" Large army excercicse called Grecian Firebolt testing large scale communications... A boat of that name that is running some races (that you Cap?) in Tasmania... A muzzleloader (stainless steel with fibreoptic sights no less)... A US Artillery ship now in Costa Rica... A supersonic high altitude arial target drone RPV... A tractor  (Nalco Chem. Co. FIREBOLT)... Now the VERY interesting one... A particular ship of the "CYCLONE" class... interesting.... From The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA) May 1, 2000, Monday, FINAL EDITION " Nearly everything about the Firebolt, one of 13 Cyclone-class vessels, is small. The 170-foot-long ship, which boasts four propellers, a shallow draft and a quiver of guns and missiles, is designed to perform against the fast boats, aircraft and sophisticated communications gear popular with drug smugglers. " There are also stories about this thing outrunning and hunting down some of the fast smugglers boats... Gotta like that. So... this sounds MUCH more then coincedental!!! Is the firebolt the replacement for the Cyclone, and there is still an X1 replacement in the wings!?!?! Bill | ||
| Jim_M |
After having thought it over last night, the bike is growing on me...don't like the fairing, butthat's a minor niggle. The "tank" and frame lines look wrong to me though. Reminds me of a Voxan. Anyhoo, it is growing on me, but it isn't as immediate as the Lightning series (S & X1s). I wonder if the engine can be fitted in to a Lightning? | ||
| Bradgross |
Reepicheep, I was thinking along the same lines as myself. If the rumor is true that this is the last year of the Cyclone/Lightning, then the Firebolt could be considered the new Cyclone. 6 months from now we should probably see the lightning replacement which might be the watercooled engine from harley. However Erik has stated that he isn't finished with air cooling just yet. He will go to watercooled kicking and screaming from what I understand. So lets say that the firebolt lays the groundwork for the new lightning. Where do you put the radiator for the waterpumper on that frame? No room in the front but I guess it could be done with some addons. You could put it in the tail ala Benelli but that would increase the thickness of the tail. There should be some commonality between the firebolt and the lightning replacement. The brakes would be obvious. Perhaps Erik is testing out how the fuel in frame/oil in swingarm trick to see if it will work out in the real world before he uses it for another model? My biggest gripe is if this is the cyclone replacement, that is a serious jump in MSRP! Folks I love this bike but I can't afford $9500 and I'm certain that many of you can't either on this. You figure that this bikes competition will be the sv650 and most 600cc sportbikes, this is priced well over that. You do the math. But I saved the best for last. What a great motorcycle. Although it looks like self maintenance will be more difficult than the current models, but what a great weapon to attack the streets with. Quick turning and relatively light. I'm curious about the multiple seats to see if that will help my long distance work. A small half fairing to take the big blasts but will let me revel in the air that I'm cutting through. And of course the brakes are going to be spectacular. Looking forward to more info on this bike. BradG | ||
| Court |
>>>Is the firebolt the replacement for the Cyclone, and there is still an X1 replacement in the wings!?!?! You know too much. Fitting the radiator will not be an issue. | ||
| Fontx1rs |
Hmmmmm, cryptic message from Court again. Does he mean that BMC has solved the problem of fitting the radiator into the frame? Or does he mean that fitting a radiator will not be an issue because the X1 replacement motor will be air-cooled? (I'm thinking it's the latter.) I don't care what kind of cooling the new motor has, but if they want my money, it better have 100+ RWHP out of the box. Otherwise, I keep my X1 until something else, Buell or not, catches my eye. JoeBuell 99 RaceStripe (but for how long?) | ||
| Reepicheep |
Don't worry Court, their secret is safe with me, I won't tell a soul ;) Do you know if that was the inspiration for the name... its REALLY cool, I just wonder how they found it? Now you all you hard core max performance speed junkies please rush out and get a firebolt, and take REAL good care of it, and sell it to me cheap when the Buell superbike comes out Unless Buell has a generous trade in program for my "Friday Cyclone", which I doubt... Bill | ||
| Jim_M |
Oooo, are we talking about a Lightning update? Fitting a radiator? hmmmm... | ||
| Jim_M |
Looking over the press that the V Rod has been getting, I can't get over one little thing...that engine belongs in a Lightning! Does anyone know how close the V Rod engine's dimensions are to the XL1200's? | ||
| Anonymous |
Buell site should be updated by 3pm | ||
| Eeeeek |
Buell's site should have been updated yesterday as the bike was unveiled... | ||
| Davegess |
Eeeeek.... "Buell's site should have been updated yesterday as the bike was unveiled... " Maybe they beleave the folks on the ground should get first look, maybe they are busy, looks like a lot of key people are out at the dealer show Maybe there is value in having a commercial motorcycle web page "break" the story Maybe,??? I could think of more good reason NOT to update the web site immediatly, waiting one or two days will not cost buell any sales at all and WAY more potential customers will see the bike on the MCN site than they will on the Buell site. dave | ||
| Eeeeek |
Dave: I'm not an expert on marketing, but I know a thing or two about the web world. If a site is static or worse, outdated, it is forgottten. If it get's the reputation of having cutting edge information, people will come to it. Is it a bad thing for the Buell site to break the news? No. The website is the easiest way for Buell to get information to the masses in a timely fashion. I can't tell you the last time I looked at their site because it's been so...static.
I agree with you; however, C.O.B. after the launch would have been timely.
I suspect the new site was ready to go at least a few days ago, if not weeks. The new site can be set into place and then very easily switched at a certain time; it can even be automated faily easily.
hmm...I'm not qualified to debate that; however, it would seem to me there is no harm in announcing it themselves...
So tlet's say I read the story on MCN and thought "Wow, that's the bike for me" and went to the Buell site to get more information...oh wait, there wasn't any. Dead ends are not helpfull. This is a moot point now as the site has been updated and from my initial impression, they've done a lot of wrok and though it out very well. Vik | ||
| Dhutty |
Comparing Load Capacities (according to the Buell site): M2: 405lbs S3: 397lbs XB9R: 465lbs !!! Does this suggest that perhaps the XB9R is the best choice for 2-up riding? Or at least that the thought of 2-up isn't entirely stupid, ridiculous and downright insane? Could the XB9R be the most perfect bike ever made? What do you think? 2-up? Court? Bueller? Bueller? | ||
| Hans |
Hurray: The dealer locator is modernized and updated. We have plenty dealers in Holland now.  |
