| Author | Message | ||
     Kiwi |
I know this is a Buell site,but i feel the knowledge here is way more extensive than the XL site.I have many sportster questions .Do you guys mind. | ||
| Wile_ecoyote |
well, not me. anyone? | ||
| Buellistic |
Steve: We are "ALL" waiting !!! Feel free to ask me questions, Ljenne73c@verizon.net ... All the TUBE FRAME BUELLs have a EVO Sportster Engine of various factory or owner tune ... In BUELLing LaFayette | ||
| Aaomy |
some of us even have both,,, 96 s2t 62 xlch and i know im not the only one,,, | ||
| Zenfrogmaster |
I just bought my second Sportster - the first is heavily modded and cafe'd, the latest one is still in progress. Ask away - whatcha need? | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Fire at will, 2 sporters in the garage now, and if they build that XR1200; it will be 3! | ||
| Brokeneck |
My best friend who turned me on to Buells sold his a few years ago and has been riding an FJR. Or as I like to call it his teapot. Both our motorcycle roots reach back to Iron Head Sportys. I could tell he had been itching as of late -- So yesterday we picked up a '94 883 Sportster thats going to become a little Buellified. Different heads, Buell wheels, 1250 kit, upside down forks, cafe seat etc. I think the tubers here would understand -- so I for one say ask away -- | ||
| Rex |
yea, cool....fire away. Bay area sportsters in california might be able to help too....If it has to do with buells, you are at the right place.rex | ||
| Wile_ecoyote |
did we scare him or is he thinking? | ||
| Brokeneck |
Since he's now a Harley Rider it may be to cold to write --- | ||
| Kiwi |
Sorry for the delay. Going to pick up this am,xl 1200r that I purchased off ebay ($4500).All the tests that I have read claim that it has an xb motor,yet it only makes 60hp to the rear wheel where the hell is missing 30hp. My list of mods in order 42 flat slide Khromewerks tapered slipon Ohlin rear shocks Gold valve emulators 7000 rpm ignition (which brand) Cams !!!!!! Any input,Oh I ride An 02m2 so the sporty is for the wife,honestly stock would be fine for her,but as my buell needs no further mods I looking forward to tinkering | ||
| Kiwi |
Opps,sorry for the bad grammar I do speak english (just cannot spell) and I do have a green card(honest) | ||
| Werewulf |
ive wondered about the hp thing myself.. isnt the sportster version supposed to be more durable? | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Kiwi, The difference is the cams and pistons if memory serves. The pistons are domed on the Buells for a higher compression ratio. Someone will chime in if I have a bad memory (very possible....). Brad (Message edited by bluzm2 on January 20, 2008) | ||
| Zenfrogmaster |
Exhaust, too - you'll make more power with a good 2-into-1. For the Sportster, try a Supertrapp or Thunderheader, or whatever suits your style. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I don't think the 1200r uses an XB *motor*, but a version of the XB *heads*. Bottom end is heavy flywheel, lower compression pistons, less potent cams and slightly softer ignition curves. | ||
| Blackm2 |
I believe the Buells have a lot more doctoring than the run of the mill Harley motor. Isn't the actual capacity of a Harley motor 1198 compared to the Buell at 1203? Also head work and larger valves in the Buell? I imagine lighter stronger rods amongst other things as the Buells redline at 6800 vs the Harley @ 5500. Corrections anyone? | ||
| Wile_ecoyote |
That sounds about right, Black. Well everyone here actually. So, another guy in the quest for HP. Getting popular round here. We must ride better than the other guys.  | ||
| Djkaplan |
"Isn't the actual capacity of a Harley motor 1198 compared to the Buell at 1203?" The 1200 Sportster and 1203cc Buells have the same bore and stroke, hence the same displacement. "Also head work and larger valves in the Buell?" The current 1200 Sportster has almost identical heads as the XB12. The only difference I am aware of is the Sportster heads are threaded for the carb/injector support. "I imagine lighter stronger rods amongst other things as the Buells redline at 6800 vs the Harley @ 5500." I'd be surprised if the rods were different, but I don't know really. I assume XB9 rods are even heavier than XB12 rods (they're longer) and that engine revs to 7500rpm. | ||
| Wile_ecoyote |
So Dj, where is his 30 some HP he's missing? Tranny? Final drive? Thats what he wants to know. | ||
| Oldog |
My GUESS would be as stated above CAMS and Ignition timing, as well as other small differences in the internal parts of the engine also the intake and exhaust are likely more restrictive, that being said part of the power difference is likely in the final drive, a tuber ( mine specificaly ) puts RWHP in the high 70 ~ mis 80 depending on the dyno. | ||
| Djkaplan |
I would suspect, as mentioned earlier, that the power is lost to milder cams, less aggressive ignition timing, slightly less compression (according to the specs in the Harley website), a less efficient airbox, less efficient exhaust system, and a fuel injection system tailored for more low end and midrange (the XB has a downdraft injection system vs. the Sportsters sidedraft which makes it possible to use an airbox with a much larger plenum volume - this in itself is supposedly good for power). That's were I would think the 30hp went (the heavier flywheels on a Sporster shouldn't reduce measureable peak power at all). The real question is what source would ever say a Sportster and XB use the same engine? | ||
| Wile_ecoyote |
Yes, thats what I wanted to hear someone else say! Who said they were the same motor? I think he either was told they were the same or shared components. They are and they arent. All the differences pointed out are those missing 30 ponies. Very few people realise how much went into a Buell motor to get where they are at. | ||
| Blackm2 |
Duh, that would make sense that they would both be 1203. Read somewhere a long time ago that the HD's were 1198. Looking at my '01 service manual, although more comprehensive and detailed than the '07 Harley service manual, they give no valve sizes. Interesting too they do not give hp and torque ratings whereas Buell proudly print theirs. It would be interesting to tear these 2 engines down side by side. Must be significant differences in the valvetrain to produce that much more horsepower and rev that much more than a Harley 1200. | ||
| M2nc |
Latest Cycle World has the XL1200R at 62rwhp and the Uly at 82rwhp. That said the HD has more torque down low with the cam profile. | ||
| Buellistic |
LOOK LIKE THERE ARE PLENTY OF "ANSWERS" !!! | ||
| Zenfrogmaster |
Actually, I have a Sportster question: Are the recent (say, 2002) service manuals of the same high quality as the Buell books? | ||
| Buellistic |
IMHO, FACTORY SERVICE MANUALS are good for reference ... When you reference one you have to be able to separate what is correct from the wrong information ... If you find in a mistake or the wrong way of doing something and send the correction form in the front, it may or may not get corrected as HARLEY-DAVIDSON makes that decision ... And anyone that has an incorrect MANUAL will never know as HARLEY-DAVIDSON has no way notifying them ??? If it was corrected the one that sent in the correction will never know unless this person proof reads the later MANUAL printings ... | ||
| Court |
I have every manual Buell has published since 1987. The current ones are very good, in fact likely the best. I also have manuals for Hondas, Kawasaki’s, BMW, Suzuki and Cushman. The Buell are likely, they are done by the Technical Publications group at HD, are the best. If you are buying one of the 2000 era be aware that it was a consolidated 1999/2000 edition and there were many changes in that span. So you'll find things like, the front brake (which is totally changed from '99 to '00) there are two pages. . .a 1999 and a 2000. One thing Buell is very poor at is information. Harley-Davidson is scared to death (note you will never find an e-mail address on the Buell website) and that prevents you from ever, except by accident, knowing of an update. I always recommend folks send in the update pages. It's a start. Buell SHOULD use the constantly updated .pdf editions they have and make, on a nominal membership fee (I recommended "BUELL GOLD") them available to bona fide owners and dealers. The current system allows your dealer to be servicing your Buell with a woefully outdated manual. That's archaic. That's my "company line". Court  | ||
| Blackm2 |
I was hoping you would chime in on this subject Court. Know the differences between a HD 1200 and a Buell 1200 to justify 30+ more horses and significant increase in revs? That's an awful lot of 25th anniversary patches btw! |
