| Author | Message | ||
     Ratbuell |
First, thanks to Dave who sold it to me. Fortunately he's a "bike guy" (his garage makes mine look EMPTY) and was nice enough to avoid his first buyer who was going to chop it, and sell it to me because I'm going to bring it back to life. Correctly. For a little background (maybe all there is, at this point...but I'm digging!), see here: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/4062/160826.html and here: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/47623/441905.html?1236827832 I've been in touch with Brankin already, and actually with EB briefly, and am trying to get all the information I can about the bike. From what I can tell, this bike is one of twelve built. The decals all look correct, complete with factory bubbles on the tank stickers! Although my bike has the raised "Buell" tank logos and the photos I've seen had the under-clear logos - could they have done a recall tank on this Defender? My bike also has the "touring" seat that wraps down around the front of the tail section while the photo bikes have the standard saddle-horn design. The rear of the tail section has an AMA sticker over the emergency light mounting hole, and if you look at the photo you can see a hole in the left side screen where they ran the wire. And I'm still trying to figure out the body damage. Scraped like something got dragged along the TOP of the bike - missing windshield, damaged dash and speedo, damaged front master cylinder, tweaked bars, scrapes on top of the tank, scrapes on the seat and tail, and busted taillight. It's also been down on the right side - broken lower, scraped airbox, rashed header, scraped right saddlebag lid. Front end appears straight, WP forks look good, six-button rotor rattles like a sumbitch  , front motor mount has a broken bolt but the head doesn't look cracked, the engine starts and runs fine, battery is dead though. BONE STOCK - original muffler and all. It does have a K&N, so it might be re-jetted, but I'll figure that out once I get a chance to dig into it. In the meantime...it's going to sit safely in the garage, waiting, while I accumulate bits to fix it: New original decals (working on a couple leads now) RH saddlebag lid, S3T, ice white pearl, narrow RH leg fairing, S3T, ice white pearl Tail section, S3T, ice white pearl "standard" early S3 seat S3T handlebars S3T dash and speedometer Front rotor wave washers and top hats Remove broken front mount bolt (hopefully without damaging or having to remove the head) Fix broken RH saddlebag latch mechanism Replace stock 2.5" early thunderstorm header (98 S3/S1W) Other than finding bodywork and decals...this should be standard maintenance-type stuff. I'm psyched to have this motorcycle in my stable, and can't wait to have it back on the road. Correctly restored. Bone-stock. (and I'm hoping someone has information on the light kit that was on these...THAT would be fun!) Now...some pics     (Message edited by ratbuell on October 27, 2012) | ||
| Ratbuell |
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| Blackm2 |
Very cool! Great save Joe. I tried saving an S1 last week. Alas the guy feels it's worth more than I am willing to pay. | ||
| Tbolt98 |
Awesome find, can't wait to see it restored to her former glory! | ||
| Onahog |
Rat.. I might have the rotor wave washers new in a pack..I think you got em for me and i never used them..Whats the part #? I will look in my Buell box which has little bags of NOS stuff in it... I may have some S3 stuff in there too.TTYS..HB | ||
| Onahog |
Joe.. FYI: I just got a NOS S2 Tank Bra from South Eastern HD..They have a fair list of NOS Buell parts still.. Contact Chris @ 440-439-5300 | ||
| S1owner |
Rat i have an s3 seat in like new condition i would sell it or maybe trade for something you have around[IMG]http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o578/s1owner/The%20Lightning/For%20Sale/IMG_1338.jpg[/IMG] (Message edited by s1owner on October 27, 2012) | ||
| S1owner |
ok so my pics will not post Know! | ||
| Stev0 |
Here you go.. you need a space before the first image bracket.  | ||
| 1313 |
Hey Joe, Look here: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/43/ 18323.html?1042600999 About a quarter of the way down the page Newfie posted a couple of shots out of (what appears to be) some book and it's pretty clear that 1 of the S3-T Defenders has shallow lids and the other has deep lids. It is definitely very difficult finding out info on these bikes... 1313 | ||
| Bikerrides |
Very cool. I remember seeing the Police version in an issue of Battle2win back in the day. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Hm. Dunno what to tell ya on bag lids there Brankin. I'll probably stick with the narrows - I have both sets for the S2 and usually run the narrows. if I need to carry something that big and bulky, I have a Ulysses And the real pisser is, there's a NIB set of wide S3 lids on ebay right now. IN ICE WHITE PEARL. Grrrr. | ||
| S1owner |
Rat you interested in the seat? | ||
| Onahog |
Are those deep lids on ebay S3 or S2? One must look real close to be sure as they are so much alike, but then so much different!! | ||
| Ratbuell |
what are you looking for, or what are you asking for the seat? Good call, Hank - they're S2. Latches are totally different, and S3 has "S3T Thunderbolt Touring" decals on them... | ||
| Onahog |
Joe..i thought so..They got the 4 hooks for the locks, & only 1 tether screw.. The S3 has that wierd bungeee cord thing , but that may be in the back housings. | ||
| Onahog |
On another note...If my Memorie serves me correctly..The S2 Lids are fibreglass, hand hewn style, and the S3 are plastic molded..Correct me if im wrong on this one..?? | ||
| S1owner |
Rat i could use a s1 wind screen, tail piece, any cool trinkets to spruce things up, need bottom handle bar clamps what you got i am open i am not looking to get rich or anything | ||
| S1owner |
Or just make an offer | ||
| Onahog |
Joe..There is a NOS right lower fairing on ebay for an S3T tho.. 260948521322 Auction # | ||
| Ratbuell |
The bungee is in the back, but yes, the lids are black plastic. I know this because my right lid is pretty well rashed  | ||
| Ratbuell |
y'know...I just had a thought. Was there a white-frame S3 option for '98? Or is that a Defender-only color scheme? It didn't dawn on me before because both my other early tubers (S2 and S1W) have white frames, but I'm trying to think back and all I really remember seeing is silver frames and black frames on S3's...and that odd poop-brown/gold in 97. | ||
| 1313 |
 odd poop-brown/gold in 97 I hate to pull a Court, but remind me to tell you sometime what some used to call that color. You're not very far off, to give you a clue. Can't comment 100% right now on white '98 S3 frames, but I seem to recall that the Escort Bikes were unique in that respect (except for the S1W Enforcer, of course)... 1313 | ||
| Ratbuell |
S1owner - I don't have a lot of "dress up" stuff...I leave mine pretty much stock. I may have an *upper* handlebar clamp, but the lower (I saw the other thread) should be part of your triple tree. 'bout all I have that's not stock is a Corbin S1 solo seat with yellow piping that I'm not sure about keeping...or having reshaped...or what. Good shape, just don't fit my bony ass | ||
| Ratbuell |
Hank - that's salty, esp since I'll have to strip and repaint. Thanks tho. | ||
| Littlebuggles |
Joe, I think I've got some turn signals, those look just exactly like the stockers from my 2000 M2. They should be clean and undamaged if I've still got 'em. I'll check my box o' parts if you'd like. | ||
| S1owner |
If you want to trade seats i will do that also looking for a stock top triple tree mount | ||
| S1owner |
Rat if you do not want to trades seats how about 75 shipped |
