| Author | Message | ||
     Blake |
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| Glitch |
I love how we've gone from "Under powered, and quirky handling" to what is being printed lately. Whodathunk? | ||
| Eor |
Nice to see Buell getting some props in the motorcycle media. With the introduction of the new models, some minds seem to be opening a bit. I am concerned about the 3%'ers though. All this positive press may make them obsolete...they may have to upgrade to 4 or 5%'ers. Anything above that would make the hand sign problematic while riding, wouldn't it? | ||
| Djkaplan |
I thought you were talking about the American HOT BIKE magazine, not the British mag. This is stunning news! | ||
| Fdl3 |
For heaven's sake, don't let the Buell Haters™ see this! | ||
| M1combat |
Someone please DO NOT send this to Chop or Vik... | ||
| Firebolt428 |
can anyone post the article? I have never seen that mag and visit Barnes and Noble often.. | ||
| Tramp |
this should be no shock to anyone familiar with the unexpected carveability of the BMW GS when the newer genration models came out.... The extra height and clearance afford exhilarating centripetal leverage, as i'd mentioned in several posts this past week. this is one of the multifold reasons i keep cautioning the armchair chuck yeagers (reg. trampmark) to step off a bit... | ||
| Imonabuss |
Hmmm, Tramp, this is not the Ulysses, but the Firebolt that won. | ||
| Buelluk |
I coulda told them that...Bike BTW is the top selling monthly in the UK , similar in quality , if not pure analysis , to Cycle World | ||
| Tramp |
tamatah tamahhhtah! (i know, I perused it as well....) that's why i didn't mention any buell model, only the phenomenon of something being unlike what you'd expect from pictures, until you try it. The BMW GS (Oilhead) was thought to be a continuation of the airhead GSes, which had similar geometry, and yet IT cleared incredibly in turns due to the higher CG and the jug-to-road clearance. the '06 buells may prove to be surprising.... | ||
| Budo |
I like BIKE magazine alot, I am very impressed with that review. The British guys will really rag on a bike's problems. So, that is a great article. | ||
| M1combat |
"the '06 buells may prove to be surprising...." To some I'm sure  . They note progressive rate springs and the "designed for the Uly" Dunlops. I've taken a cursory look at those tires and I think that at twisty lean angles they'll grip better than your standard sport/touring tire. The bike "should" drop to a height more commensurate with pavement corner carving  . It should handle VERY well indeed . | ||
| M1combat |
I must be an idiot google user... The only "bike" magazine I can find is for mountain bikes... Anyone have a link to their site? Do they have a site? | ||
| Choptop |
Someone please DO NOT send this to Chop or Vik... why? what are you afraid of? questions like... what did the mag say about the bike when it first came out and compared it to other bikes, and what has changed on the Buell since then to make it different? | ||
| Anonymous |
Chopchop, Nothing has changed except the opening of minds... | ||
| Choptop |
P.S. neither Vik nor I said the Buell didnt handle well, we said there better platforms for a race/track bike that are more practical, get you more bang for the buck, and do handle better. Thats from our perspective as racers and having ridden wel lset up race bikes of many types. | ||
| Choptop |
So the press has gone from an overly pesimistic vieew of Buell to an overly optimistic view... gotcha  | ||
| Dsergison |
looks like a new style swingarmin that picture. CONFIRM? | ||
| Anonymous |
Chopchop, Sorry, according to this magazine, there are NO bikes that handle better. But I'm sure you and Vik know better than they do...being well known racers with lots of knowledge of set up. How many times have you guys beaten Cicotto and Higbee, anyhow? | ||
| Bud |
best cornering bike ever dhuuu....tell us something new regards, bud ps. looks alot like a 06 swinger | ||
| Dsergison |
are all the 06 swingarms longer? or they just look similar? | ||
| M1combat |
"why? what are you afraid of? " Not much ... least of all a Mille or 999 . The statement was both sarcastic AND designed to haul you over here . Seems to have worked brilliantly if you ask me. "what did the mag say about the bike when it first came out and compared it to other bikes, and what has changed on the Buell since then to make it different?" It doesn't matter what they may have said before... They have now gotten to know the bike (and probably changed the tires to a set that doesn't suck) and they seem to like it. I believe that was Anony's point and it hits home quite nicely doesn't it . I don't believe anything has changed geometry wise that would affect the handling of the bike. Well... I suppose I have to take that back... They did move from 41mm to 43mm forks. I doub't that it's exceedingly noticeable and I can almost assure you that it didn't "transform" the handling of the bike from something inferior to something superior. It was superior all along. On a side note... I'm STILL sorry you haven't ridden a firebolt with something other than the crappy stock tires that come with it. Maybe you should. "neither Vik nor I said the Buell didnt handle well, we said there better platforms for a race/track bike that are more practical, get you more bang for the buck, and do handle better. Thats from our perspective as racers and having ridden wel lset up race bikes of many types." Yeah... and I mostly agreed. The issue is that you both came at it from the wrong direction AND from left field. The discussion was about street bikes as I recall. The CORRECT direction to have taken it was that I can make EXACTLY the same point using the XB as your SV. Save $6-12K (based off MSRP) and put it back into the engine and suspension (mostly the engine and you'd have plenty left) and you'd have a bike that's more practical, offers more bang for the buck and STILL handles better than a Mille or 999. Oh, and it's still lighter . "So the press has gone from an overly pesimistic vieew of Buell to an overly optimistic view... gotcha" IF that's the case... They're way ahead of you . Maybe you should make the turn and give the XB a fighting chance. Ride one with a widely recognized set of "good" tires that work WITH the geometry as opposed to AGAINST it . You know what the funny thing about THAT is... If you ride the XB with it's stock D207's and use proper technique it doesn't handle TOO badly... It's just when you arent riding well that the problems with those tires reveal themselves. I suppose that's all I'll say about that . I'm sure it was all in the setup. Remember... We're still talking street bikes. The racetrack is a whole other topic that I don't have a ton of experience with (when it comes to motorcycles) so I wisely tend to stay away from it . If you'd like to talk race craft its self, I DO understand that... (Message edited by m1combat on July 29, 2005) | ||
| Anonymous |
No, Lightning Long and Ulysses are 2" longer, all other '06 MY are the same length as '03-'05.. | ||
| Seth |
Some people make me laugh... The Buell remains the only bike that holds my interest, I'm glad to see that the rest of the world is finally starting to see what we’ve all known for years. O.K., for all the naysayer… no Buell is going to be competitive at Dakkar or win an AMA superbike race. No Buell is going to take the pole at Indy, go to the Moon, or make a decent cappuccino. THESE BIKES WEREN'T MEANT TO. Stop trying to judge Buells in a narrow view and try to expand your sights to accept all the BMC has to offer.  | ||
| Choptop |
Chopchop, Sorry, according to this magazine, there are NO bikes that handle better. But I'm sure you and Vik know better than they do...being well known racers with lots of knowledge of set up. How many times have you guys beaten Cicotto and Higbee, anyhow? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ never said I've beating Cicotto or Higbee, what do they have to do with it anyway? But since you brought them up... I havent beaten them, but the list of people that have is long... Bringing racers up out of the blue? Mike Barnes... ask him which handles better, his Buell, or his R6... his lap times might give ya a clue. I've said that in our opinion, having ridden a good deal many well set up race bikes, that there are better handling bikes out there than the Buell. Your opinion may vary... so, which bikes have you ridden? and how do they compare? BTW, if anyone would like to show up with an XB12 I'm sure we can arrange our own comparo. I can have the follwoing bikes on tap for the comparo.... 00 SV650S (stock) 00 SV560 (race prepped) 00 SV650 (race prepped and fully suspended with top notch kit) 04 R6 (stock) 05 636 (stock) 01 GSXR 750 (stock and or race prepped suspension) 01 FZ1 (stock) 01 954 I'm sure I could scare up a few more... anyone have a XB12? Whanna come to a trackday and ride all these machines? | ||
| Benm2 |
Oh! Oh! Pick me! Pick me! Too bad you're in Kalifornya. Too damn far to trailer the M2. (trackday only setup) | ||
| Choptop |
oh and M1, you assume yer baiting me to "come over here" worked... well that assumes I dont read this site on a regular basis anyway... nice try, keep thinking yer fishing. | ||
| Anonymous |
Chopchop, Your comparo doesn't matter. The results are in from the professionals. And, yes I have talked to Barney, and know exactly what he thinks. He wishes the race Buells were lighter, but has no issues at all with the handling. And, if you think your top notch race prepped SV is so good, come on out to the FUSA Thunderbike class and let's see. | ||
| Choptop |
My comparo doesnt matter? Ok, gotcha... so even if one likes a certain bike better, or thinks it handles better than another... that doesnt mean anything, as long as a "professional" says otherwise. ok... Dont bother making up your own mind about which you like better, do bother to actually RIDE the bikes in question... Its prolly best that you form your opinions based on what other people say, not direct expereince... thats prolly best for you. P.S. I seem to recall winning money racing motorcycles, and getting paid to produce motorcycling media.... Does that make me a "professional"? |
