| Author | Message | ||
     Moe |
New guy that's looking for a light weight sport tour for my 64 year old Dad to go riding with me. He's on a budget of about $3500 or so. We've noticed that the thunderbolts seem like a lot of bike for the money. He likes that they are different from the norm. How is the wind protection on them. He is 6'2" Is there an aftermarket windscreen that will get his head out of the buffeting Zone? Are there known problems or issues with certain years to know about? He's not a speed demon but likes nimble handling bikes. His current bike is an older honda Sabre. Is there any other buell models that we should consider. He is after some moderate wind protection. Thanks | ||
| Fahren |
The S2T and S2T models offer the most wind protection, as they also have the lower leg fairings. You may want to look into the Laminar Lip, which attaches to the top of the standard wind screen and lifts the air flow higher. Some here use one. The S3T went through more changes in its model run: went from carb to fuel injection from '98 to '99 years. Corbin makes a saddle for the S3 with a back rest - not so for the S2 (don't know if that would matter). Neither the S2T nor the S3T's bags are of the Hepco-Becker sort of "bullet-proof" modern design. They will need some more water protection for the goods inside; the catches may need some tweaking and fail-safe work. Your dad may love the handling. Otherwise, shifting over from a Honda to a Buell will be, well, different! | ||
| Moe |
DO you mean S2T and S3T offer the most wind protection? How much does the lamaner lip add for height? Are there pics of one? Thanks for the response. | ||
| Fahren |
The "T" in the model numbers stands for Touring. The T models (not Model T's :-) came with the lower leg fairings, but the upper fairings are the same as for the non-T models. Otherwise, the rider position is just a bit more relaxed on the T's: higher rise on bars, lower pegs, IIRC, those and the saddlebags were the only differences between T and non-T models. Saddlebags came with narrow and wide bags: the rear sections are the same piece, just a bigger front part to give more capacity. http://www.laminarlip.com/s3.php | ||
| Jvv |
Hey........ your Dad is just a youngster.  I have had dozens of bikes over the years........almost all the different brands. I really like my S2. Have had it way, way longer than any other bike. Have a '09 Road King as a "second" bike. Find a clean S2 and you can't go wrong. Very fun to ride. Sorta a primitive feeling power band. The wind is not an issue. I did a LOT of work on the Road King to get rid of the buffeting, but with the S2 you do feel the wind, but it is welcomed/embraced. just enough "wind" to let you know your are on a motorcycle, without having to "hang" on at all. These are my personal opinions and I am bias!! Ride safe.........Jack | ||
| Moe |
What is different about the S2? | ||
| F_skinner |
Everything...... Moe, you really need to have your dad look at one and sit on one. Generally speaking, wind protection and Buell do not go together. (unless of course it is a buell being built to race then the rules change) It kind of defeats the "naked bike" look and feel. However, i have the Lamar Lip is on my S2T and I like it. That being said, I did not have much protection as compared to a Honda ST 1300 or KZ Conny yesterday in torrential downpours of northern NE and southern SD yesterday. Having not looked at your profile to know where you are at maybe you can find a S2 owner close to you that will show you his or her bike. Or, like I said i do not know where you are at, you can come up to Christmas, MI this weekend and you will see the most S2s gathered in one place outside of East Troy. So, what is different about the S2? That, my friend is a loaded question. In a nut shell everything is different. I have had a lot of bikes and have similar requirements that your dad has. For me, everything I have owned has fallen short of the joy of riding a bike that no one is sure what it is, that was limited in production number and is NOT like every other bike on the street means a lot. The other thing is it is the only bike I never want to get off of. I do not have as much riding experience on the S2s as some have so maybe someone else can chime in about why the S2 is different. Frank | ||
| Fahren |
First of all, Moe, how much work will you and/or your dad be doing to the bike. Some of the nuances have to do with how it is to wrench on the bikes. Generally, though, the S2 was more of a "hand-made" bike. If you compare a lot of the details between an S2 and a late S3, they are pretty different bikes. The later S-3's share a lot of DNA with the concurrent X1's. The S2's are a rarer breed. I just love the lines of the S2 body work. The S2's have 1" bars and more Harley type switch gear (separate left and right turn signal switches, for example, with self-cancelling). The later bikes go over to 7/8" bars with more "modern standard" switches. The S3 bodywork is easier to mass produce than the hand-molded fiberglass body work of the S2. Carb vs FI is a big factor. Looking at a '99 or later S3 you will get FI. Check your local craigslist and see what is available, then check out the bike(s) with your dad. It's all pretty subjective. Also, there are some good threads here with comparisons between S2's and S3's, if you use the search function. | ||
| Fahren |
Here's a well-set up S3T: has narrow and wide bags, a Ventura luggage rack (nice aftermarket piece), looks like a Penske (?) aftermarket rear shock - nice kit. 54k miles, but could easily go another 50k (right, Buellistic? ;- ) This would be a carb'ed model, with the mildest of all the S3 engines (they changed head types in '98). Worth looking at, if it's close to you. http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/mcy/24811852 89.html | ||
| F_skinner |
Moe, Chris has some great advice and you do not want to rule out the S3 and do think about how comfortable you and your Dad are with a wrench. These days people get worried over what "might" fail (as reflected in the uly and 1125 boards)..... Expect to do some work with any bike as old as the S2s........ Frank | ||
| Fahren |
Moe, http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/21/ 637567.html?1310509568 not exactly in your back yard, but... |
