| Author | Message | ||
     Norcalsaint |
I was wondering what your longest trip has been on your tube framed Buell? Please include any problems you ran into on the long ride. *Helpful to put together a tool/spare part kit  | ||
| Chauly |
Kevin Smith rode his from San Jose to Nova Scotia and back, folding in the Carving the Northeast BRAG trip in there as my roomie. Oil consumption was his only concern, if I recall correctly. I had some shifting problems related to an incompetent engine rebuilder, but my 4500 miles on that trip were trouble-free on my '97 S-3. I was never stranded. I did a gun-run with Court from VA to PA to East Troy  and back again, did a tire change on the way. I found that my isolators had mostly sheared on the way home. (Stopped at Schaefer's in Orwigsburg PA and had them replaced.). Soon after that came my second rebuild... :-( | ||
| Chauly |
Tire Change:  | ||
| Xl1200r |
Oil consumption was his only concern I rode from New York to California in 2010. No mechanical issues, just a lot of oil usage that I never have been able to track down. Tools are always a good idea to have on hand. A few choice wrenches and allen keys, zip ties, duct tape... shouldn't need much else. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Continuous high revving on the highway will puke more oil out of the breather than normal. I find 75 to be the sweet spot with over 85 being where the bike starts to protest. | ||
| Yo_barry |
I've ridden from California to Sturgis, SD five different times on my 2001 S3T. It's about a 3000 mile round trip. I had the temp sensor in the rear head die on one trip. I was close to Gillette, Wyo at the time. Deluxe HD/Buell in Gillette did an outstanding job of trouble shooting and replacing the part. Having a basic set of tools plus some duct tape and a selection of zip ties is necessary. I also carry a spare set of pre-gapped spark plugs and a quart of Mobile 1. My S3T goes through more oil when it is running 80-85 mph all day. It probably just pukes it into the overflow can. On the first trip, it puked it into the breadbox air cleaner where it leaked out onto my leg. Barry | ||
| Xl1200r |
Nate, that's my hypothesis. Getting out west meant lots of stretches of fast roads. Living on the super-populated east coast, it didn't use any measuarable amount of oil before or since. | ||
| Norcalsaint |
Great info... Oil, tool set & duck tape I was thinking some bulbs also. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
The bulbs are all automotive style. don't bother. Also, my first bulb failure happened after 40,000 miles Get a tire plugger kit. One of these fits under the seat on my X1: http://www.stopngo.com/products/Pocket-Tire-Plugge r-%252d-For-All-Tubeless-Tires.html Along with a small 12V compressor. I have used it and it stayed in the tire for 1000 more miles. Others have had problems with those mushroom-style plugs being sheared by the steel belts in the tire. Still better than walking! | ||
| Sportyeric |
Jaci and I did 5500 miles from Vancouver to Colorado and back on the S2. Started with about 75,000 miles on the clock but a rebuilt top-end. Two-up, we burned off a rear tire. Front iso failed, maybe because we exceed the vehicle's GVW with all our luggage. It may or may not have been that trip, but we lost an exhaust flange nut once. That can snowball into a major problem. Always travel with a spare and check them from time to time (but they don't take a lot of torque!) | ||
| Foximus |
i did 2300 miles in 8 days. And that was my Vactation.... ugh. | ||
| Court |
I rode through 37 states in 31 days. Got the bike serviced and new tires thanks to Jerry Johnson in Oceanside, CA. | ||
| Buellish |
I did 2900 miles on the Northeast Touring Adventure riding my '96 S2T.We had 3 Parkway Blue S2T's riding together on that trip. The only problem I had was finding room for all the crap I swore I wasn't going to buy on the trip.I did discover that an S2T handles pretty darn well overloaded once you get used to it. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
1300 miles in 3 days on an M2. More comfortable than my Uly. | ||
| Winston |
2,000 + miles on a X1 in 4 days from England to the Swiss Alps and back, taking in Germany Austria Switzerland and France,and just touching the border of Italy, only problem was a self destructing Supertrapp silencer that was wired up with some fence wire stolen from a German farmer and a very sore arse from the time in the saddle. | ||
| Rex |
Northern cal to bonneville and back. M2 Arizona to Death Valley and back M2 Jack Van Voast has also ridden his S2 forever. Good miles per gallon. I have not had any problem with oil consumption on my M2 or S2. | ||
| Rex |
I normally get 50-60 mpg on my M2. Six speeds, 70-80 mph.... | ||
| Rex |
Terry Parsley road his Blast across the country. | ||
| Outdoors |
Chauly, If you ever get the urge to head back to Nova Scotia get in contact with me. There are a few tubers around. Three guys in my vintage club have M2s as our modern rides. One of our local techs has an M2 and a S3T. I have never saw and S2 here however.(I would like to see one in my garage someday!) | ||
| Vecchio_lupo |
in May of 2010 I left Stuttgart Germany for Cherbourg, France aboard my 1999 S3T. Left at 0530hrs-arrived at 1500hrs, 650 miles, took the overnight to Wexford, Ireland. Spent the next 4 days making a lap of Ireland, it rained everyday for about 3 hours, some more some less, always wet and green. The Western route pounded my suspension so bad, by the last day one of my front wheel bearings crumbled and my V-Twin light came on (Unrelated), turns out the Engine Temp sensor shorted out and failed, mileage went to crap as ecm believed always had a cold engine. Decided to ride easy and watch the bearing. Short ferry crossing to England and a very nervous ride to Birmingham for a new set of front bearings from a UK Buell enthusiasts Group member (Super Cool Guys). Overnight in London and catch the Dover to Calais ferry in the A.M. before a mad dash across France back to Stuttgart. over 4000 miles in total and the mechanical issues made it an adventure worth having. That and the wonderful Irish roads. It's hard to beat thundering along a French Autoway at 100mph for hours on end with my race system echoing off of renault LeCars and Citroen 2CVs as we close in on Germany. LOVE my Tubers. | ||
| Oldog |
Lexington Ky to Leland NC 700+ Miles, On an X1 | ||
| Buffalobolt |
In 2008 I took a trip on the S2T from Buffalo around the west coast of the US. 8,400 miles in 11 days. Problems: - New rear tire (too much flat straight roads!) - Rear brake pads and master cylinder repaired (brakes were dragging) - 1qt of oil (high rpm running seemed to use some) 2009 trip from Buffalo to Buena Vista, CO for S2 Rally. Around 4,000 miles total. Repairs: - Speedometer cable (now keep one coiled in saddle bag lid, and haven't needed it since!) - Broken Belt. We'll blame that one on Loren for pointing out how thin it was in CO!  Knock on wood! Thats the worst of the repairs needed on long trips! 52K worth of trips total. I can't complain on the ol' girl. Started carrying tools and tire repair kit and haven't needed it to speak of so far. | ||
| Tod662 |
09 epic summer trip from wisco to bonneville (to ogden utah 1333 miles in the first 25 hours) then on to see Firemanjim in bonni, to burning man, to La, to jims near san fran to angels camp to Weed cali, back to jims, up to eugine oregan then to tacoma washington to replace top end gaskets, and then I was back inEugine for a while, about two monthes, about 10000 miles,(road piolets are awswome, changed tire right at the end of the trip). Imade the trip take long enough so i wasnt back in Wi for winter but ended up flying back and got the bike shipped back home for dirt cheap. With about 50k on er ive had almost every bolt off (save the lower end), though never been stranded, though after dirtbiking in a nevada mountain i tore the exhaust up, had to magiver it with a soup can and coat hanger, tool kit i had was duck tape vise grips a couple torx bits and several sockets,and locktite! fixen on the road is always an adventure  (Message edited by tod662 on March 25, 2012) | ||
| Alfau |
Now this is being seriously prepared.  | ||
| Trojan |
I once took our S3T to France for a touring holiday. It rained hard from the second we set off until the moment we got back in the front door two weeks later  The sight of 10 motorcyclists trying desperately to dry their gloves/trousers under the washroom hand dryers on the cross channel ferry would have been funny if it wasn't so cold! In between times we got two punctures (one new rear tyre required) and the V&H exhaust I had fitted broke and fell off every 300 miles or so! Once I got it welded in France it lasted until we got back. It put me off long distance motorcycle touring for life!! |
