| Author | Message | ||
     Mikef5000 |
I just picked up a 2000 M2 Cyclone! I got a great deal on it with my 2001 Suzuki GS500e trade-in.   I absolutely love it! So much more powerful than my last bike... But it's all easily managed. It's very easy to ride this bike normal! (I was a little worried about this, because the only other sportbike I've ridden was a GSXR, which was NOT fun to ride normal, like around the city. It was made for the track... and it felt like it!) I can't wait to go on a decent ride! Maybe find some twistys! Saddly it'll probably have to wait a few months. (Darn this winter season!) It has the Carbon intake on it, a D&D slip on muffler, and the carb has been rejetted accordingly. It also has a Corbin seat on it with inlaid flames. The thing is LOUD! And sounds just Awesome! 2 Questions: 1) On my first ride, the headlight went out. It doesn't work on low, high, or with the high beam flasher. I checked and the bulb is not getting any power. Is there a fuse I can check somewhere? Or something else I can look for? 2) Anybody know if the Corbin seat is lower or higher than a factory M2 Low seat? Also, how comfortable is the M2 Low seat? Also, Any information on setting up the suspension for a lightweight would be greatly appriciated. I weigh in at 135 fully clothed. This summer I'm planning a 3-4 thousand mile trip on this thing! I absolutely cannot wait! | ||
| Sickquad |
Welcome, I have the same bike in Orange. I don't know the answer to your questions, but you might want to take a look at that shock. There was a shock recall and I think yours should have been replaced. Maybe somebody else here can confirm this. I know mine is different and the shock was replaced before I bought it. | ||
| Mikef5000 |
I heard about the shock recall, although I have not checked mine yet. Thanks for reminding me! Luckily I live about 5 minutes away from a BUELL dealership! | ||
| Zenfrogmaster |
The fuse block is under the seat. If you're standing on the left side of the bike, the one you want is in the upper right hand corner (the owner's manual calls it #3, the service manual says #4, but that's the one). Use one of the spares or switch with another 15A. Sometimes these fuses look good but aren't, so use a meter. I can scan the suspension information for you if you didn't get an owner's manual. -mark | ||
| Mikef5000 |
I forgot to mention I did not get an owners manual. Sorry, I should of mentioned that before my simple fuse question too. | ||
| Danny_h__jesternut |
Nice bike, great lines on them old M2's, ya gota love um, thats what a bike/hot-rod oughta look like. Congratz and good luck. Get your hands on a service manual & a partz catalog. Start studying, there will be a test. | ||
| Chasespeed |
Welcome... The tubers, are definately the hotrods of the sportbikes... Again, welcome... Check the fuses, and the wiring in the swtich on the bars...(IF the fuse is good)... Chase | ||
| Bad_karma |
Mike Welcome aboard. Enjoy your buell. I recommend you spend the bucks for a service manual and parts book. Joe | ||
| Mikef5000 |
Bingo! It was the fuse!!! Thank goodness! I was not looking forward to digging into the wiring. MORE QUESTIONS: Anybody ever put High wattage headlight bulbs in these bikes? Can the wiring handle it? Or would it be a bad idea. How about Driving/Fog lights? I have an idea which ones I want to get (very small ones) and where I'm going to mount them (upper fork tubes). As long as I wire them up properly, there shouldn't be any issues right? | ||
| Rex |
check with al lighton from american Sportbike. americansportbike.com he could answer your questions, and may even have the items for you......rex welcome to buell enthusiasts! if you are ever in northern cal on the first monday of each month, come on in and see us. americansportbikenight.com. san leadro cal, strawhat pizza parlor, 6 pm.....rex  | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
What a nice looking bike. Congrats. | ||
| Nevrenuf |
got an 02m2. have a corbin and it does sit higher and the one i have is wider. don't like it at all cause i have no arse. very uncomfortable for me. i let my buddy who also has an m2 use it and he loves it. i had found an earlier m2 seat at a swap meet for 35 bucks and was alot more comfortable than the low seat which my first m2 was. the second bike that i got had the custom buell seat with the orange piping on it and this thing is just as comfortable for me. stay away from the low seat if you don't have no natural padding. if the corbin doesn't fill right to you than it probably isn't. post a message in the parts wanted of the classified section and see if anyone has one of the softer stock seats around. you'll like it alot more i think. i could be wrong though. anyhow good luck and i know you'll love the m2 cause it's a great bike. btw what part of columbus do you live in. my mother and brother live in pickerington, right around the corner from the ama museum. | ||
| Djkaplan |
Your bike may still have the old primary tensioner shoe - this part was replaced by a much stronger unit but wasn't a recall part. Find out if the shoe was replaced. If it wasn't, it should be your first project. | ||
| Djkaplan |
My headlight fuse kept blowing because the insulation wore away where it was rubbing against the frame. You may have to track down a short if the fuse blows again. | ||
| Djkaplan |
The M2L seat is lower and more comfortable than a standard M2 seat (I just got a Low seat for my M2). It'll shove you a bit further forward than that Corbin, too. Al at American Sport Bike has higher wattage bulbs for sale. | ||
| Bomber |
MikeF Congratulation on the MaDeuce -- it's a great scoot, better than most of us are riders . . . .easy to maintain, and reliable, once the original silliness is tracked down +1 on the shock -- that one shoulda been replaced regarding headlights, I've a higher powered one, and have had zeor problems with it -- something to be said for (comparatively) heavy old school metal and glass! also, the headlight siwtch will, over time, get spoogy (that is the technical term) around the contacts -- open it up and spray with contact cleaner or WD40, and you're good to go oh, yeah, get the service manaual -- it's the best dough you'll ever spend | ||
| Djkaplan |
Oh, btw, the M2L seat isn't that much lower than standard seat once the standard seat's foam sacks out. The standard seat pushes you even further forward than the M2L seat does. The M2L seat is actually wider (at the butt/seat interface) and roomier than the standard seat. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Run your belt scary loose, not the way the manual says to run it. The O2's had the new front exhaust mount from the factory, right? The Y shaped one? I think the 02's had the new primary tensioner as well. Keep a close eye on your exhaust header nuts, especially any time you mess with the exhaust system. Nice bike! I loved my M2. | ||
| Leftcoastal |
Congrats on the New Bike- Welcome to the crazy Buell world, Mike!! For everyone BUT Mike, the 'new guy': Wow - here's a new Bueller that not only buys a great looking M2, but immediately gets right on the badweb, asks several intelligent and pertinent questions, (which all of you have been answering so well) posts photos including one of himself with the new-to-him bike, wearing excellent gear(!) and all with that "new bike $hit eating grin" in every line he writes! Don't ya just LOVE IT when that happens?! Let's make him take us all along on that summer ride he's got planned - BIG FUN there! Lest you forget - that "135 fully clothed" equates to Horsepower gain - especially when compared to some of us who are fatasses er I mean - somewhat heavier! AL | ||
| Vinny |
hi mike nice bike, im new here too,great site ye,have a 1998 x1 lightning made a few changes too stock bike i love it.  | ||
| Aesquire |
SWEET bike, Mike. Welcome to Badweb. Seat comfort is very personal. I like the "Buell Custom Color Matched seat" I have now. ( see profile pic, it's old, but the seat shows. ) It's lot's better for the passenger than the stock one. The M2L seat feels to me like my privates are being jammed into the tank. All the time. But, I'm xlarge, & YMMV. I haven't tried a Corbin an a ride, just in the showroom. The gaskets for the rocker box covers was changed in mid 2001 from paper to metal. When you get a leak, it's a cheap & easy fix. I know, mine is an early '01. I do suggest you get both the part & service manuals. The nice dis-assembled drawings in the parts book make things easier. Both when doing service work, and at the dealer. "This part, here. This part #, & it looks like this, see?" | ||
| Hippyjoe |
'00 M2, excellent choice. I think a lot of us here are offering advice 'cause we don't want your next post to be something like... "My bike broke, I had it towed to the dealer, now I'm looking at a $2K bill and 6 weeks of down time and 6 mos of arguing w/them to get it right." Especially at your mileage, 15,000, there are some things you should be getting after before they let go. A dealer may or may not know about these things. Some things on a Harley (and an old Buell) fit the category of, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The following things on your bike, however, don't fit that category. They came weak from the factory and should be updated if they haven't already been: 1. Check your exhaust hanger. It should look more like a "Y" than an "L." $100 in parts and you will need basic tools and a floor jack. A rear stand is also a big plus for working on your bike. Air tools also help with this job. 2. As DJ said, your primary chain tensioner. This is a technical job but not huge. Part costs $15, plus gasket and fluid. While you are in there I would recommend a Uly clutch spring, as well as scoring 3 extra clutch plates (often for a six-pack from the Buell tech at your local dealership) and replacing the inner spring pack with them. 3. Fluids- run what Ma Harley sells and keep the levels low, as noted in these forums. 28 oz in the pri, low on the dipstick on the engine oil. Harley 20/50 in the engine if you don't want to invite blown seals (with synthetic oils), tho some may contest this point. Stick with the factory oil filter, tho some may contest this also. 4. Wheel bearings. Again, it's a good idea to work in a couple things as long as you're taking things apart. Like, if you need a tire, replace the bearings when you pull the wheel. Rear stand and floor jack are great for doing both wheels. 5. Eventually you are going to have to think about your oil pump drive gear. When you do, you should be thinking about some SE cams, as the M2 cams have shown premature wear. These 2 jobs go together. SE cams bolt right in. 6. Going along w/#5 above, you will need to pull your rocker boxes to do the cams/opd gear. So if you've got a leaking rocker box, that's a good time to go after the gearcase. 7. Check your brake pads and look into changing your fluid if it hasn't been done w/in the past 2 years. 8. As Reepicheep said, run your belt loose. As almost everyone else said, get a Factory parts catalog and a Factory service manual. You've got some nice mods on your bike, so you should really be thinking of updating the weak links first of all. Everything I mentioned above is specific to your bike and has been treated extensively in these forums. Also, probably the single best thing you can do for your transmission is, do not let the bike fall over on the left side. Ever. Not on the kickstand, not pushing it in gravel, not lowsiding 'cause you lost it in a curve. Unlike big Harleys or UJM's, Sporty transmissions do not tolerate any kind of crashing on the shifter shaft. Ah, #9. You should look into an updated shifter, you have the recalled version. An excellent replacement is the Banke, possibly the best choice. They show up on ebay, as do the Factory manuals. As for your electrical concerns, some bikes have 'em, some don't. Obvious checks are clean battery terminals. There are other ground points and fuse points that need to be checked, they are covered in the KV. You have to do your homework. Research the maintenance specs in these forums and in the manuals. Ask any questions here and you will get help from people with decades of practical experience with these bikes. I got my first Sporty when I was 20, 20 yrs ago. Back then there was no internet so you had to find an old biker who wouldn't kick your ass, who would take you to his garage and show you how to fix your bike. That's still the best way, if you can find someone in your neighborhood who knows Buells, has tools and a garage, and doesn't mind helping out. If you can't find that, you have this. I for one will lend you my clutch spring compressor if you get to that point. Of course if you don't plan to work on your bike you're rolling the dice to have anyone else do the work. For sure you'll be out big dollars and in big headaches. See the "Demise of the M2 Cyclone" thread here. Also the current thread "Don't take your bike to Dealer XYZ." Really you shouldn't be riding a Harley unless you work on it yourself, tho that is strictly my opinion. At least the basics, and everything mentioned so far is just basics, honestly. It's not like we're splitting cases or truing flywheels just yet. For sure you have the knowledge here on this board to tackle anything the bike brings your way. Not trying to sound preachy, just trying to keep you in the wind. It's easy to get caught up in the flash and the speed, but if you don't take care of the basics, it will bite you in the ass. good luck and welcome. Joe | ||
| Hippyjoe |
Not knocking the dealers btw, especially if they sell a lot of Buells or have Buell techs/service managers who ride Buells. For sure they are good sources of parts and info. You can have them run your VIN to check on updates that aren't visible, like your primary tensioner. In fact the main advantage to a Factory parts catalog is it improves dealer relations. If, every time you go in w/ a part # written down, not only will you get your goods quicker, but the parts guys will actually be happy to see you, instead of the 5 million bozos arguing about ill-fitting chrome gadgets that they normally get. | ||
| Chasespeed |
Aftermarket style lights... I have the 55/100w bulbs. The lens gets REAL hot, but the wiring has been holding up with no issues.   There are a couple pics of the lights.... BELT BELT BELT... Run that puppy loose, as has been stated.. And, FWIW, IT WILL NOT JUMP!!! I have had too many people look it, and freak out... Trust me, with the way I ride, if it didnt jump.. it wont.. Lest you forget - that "135 fully clothed" equates to Horsepower gain - especially when compared to some of us who are fatasses er I mean - somewhat heavier!  I guess I fall in the middle category, not "a little heavier", and not 135 lbs either... Chase} | ||
| Mikef5000 |
WOW! Thanks for all the info everyone!!! I'll try to respond to everything I can remember: As far as comparing the Corbin seat to the M2L seat. I like the corbin seat, I think it's very comfortable. My only problem is that it has the yellow flames to it. Yellow's not really my colors, and I was considering repainting the bike. If the M2L seat was just as comfortable, then I'd go ahead and get it. I know comfort is personal preference, and there seems to be many different opinions on the seat... So I'll probably just hold off on it all together. My dad's had a Harley for years, so he has some general Harley knowledge. He's got 75 thousand miles on his 99 right now. I I'm 100% able and willing to work on the bike myself. I'll probably get a rear stand for it over the next few months. I'm in Columbus OH, Grandview heights to be exact. 5 minutes from downtown Columbus, and 5 minutes from OSU campus. Hey CHASESPEED, First of all, your bike looks great! What brand/style bulbs do you have that come in 55/100? ALSO, is that a K&N oil filter? I run those in my car, they are supposed to be the best. If that's what you're running, Do you know which model number it is? Now BOMBER, What wattage bulb do you run? And finally HippyJoe, Thanks for all the great info! That was of great help! The belt is quite loose on the bike. It worried me a little before... but now I know better! I checked the oil, and it was halfway between low and full... which is actually a bit higher than what I hear most people saying is normal. By spring time I plan on doing the following: Change oil Change tranny fluid Change Brake fluid Take it in to the dealer to check all recalls (shifter, shock, etc.) Also replace other questionable parts (exhaust bracket, primary chain tensioner, etc) Install driving/fog lights on upper fork tubes. Another Question: How do I check the fluid level in my tranny? It makes noise when I'm engine braking and sometimes when I'm stopped in neutral, I just want to make sure theres fluid in it and it's supposed to sound like that. Hmmmm, there was something else.... but I forget now. Well, that's a long enough post anyway. | ||
| Bomber |
MikeF -- I'm running a 100 watt high beam -- it's been on for hours at a time, with no problems at all . . . out in the toolies, it looks like a Baldwin Locomotive comin at ya! check Primary/Gearbox lube -- stand the bike up straight (ask yer dad to help), remove the "derby" cover (big ol round shiney thing above your muffler in the left hand foto, also known as the clutch cover), and the lube level should be just touching the gear teeth on clutch pack noise at idle and engine braking -- sounds like your primary chain tensioner could use a look -- remove the lil round cover above and slightly forward of the derby cover (behind the shifter arm in the left pic) -- there should be about 5/8" of slack at the tightest postion (put bike in gear, pull plugs, and find the tightest position -- trust me, there WILL be differences) -- the adjust in on the bottom of the primary cover before you do any of that, call one of the sponsors on the board, and order up a service manual soonest -- all will be revealed! | ||
| Mikef5000 |
Wow! Thanks for the quick reply! Is there an easy way to tell if I have the old chain tensioner or the newer one? I'll crack it open and check the fluid level and chain tension tonight when I get off work. | ||
| Bomber |
Mike -- if it's a Y2K, it's a really good bet you've got the old style tensioner -- if it was me, I'd order one at the same time as the service manual, add a primary gasket to the order, and do it cheap insurance | ||
| Djkaplan |
"Is there an easy way to tell if I have the old chain tensioner or the newer one? " If you had a colonoscopy scope and knew what to look for... yes. I had to take primary cover off to check - I had the light duty 'bad' one, but it never failed in the 18,000 miles I used it. Glad I got the new one, though. As hippyjoe stated, bleed and flush the brake reservoirs out with fresh DOT 4 while you're changing fluids and such. He did a great write-up with pics on the procedure. I already knew how to do it, but I enjoyed reading it anyway. Don't forget to get the service manual - you'll be glad you did. | ||
| Chasespeed |
Mike, the filter is K&N HP-3001, yeah, the Ford V8 filter, FL1A equivilent), its nice and big, which means extra oil, adn better cooling.. The lights, are a set of driving lights I bought from Pep Boys, H3, kept the 55w for the low beam, and bought a 100w H3 bulb for the high beam. Chase |
