| Author | Message | ||
     Tedk |
You ever notice that MOST Buellers' are more intelligent than other motorcyclists? Most of us know how to do simple maintenance/modifications on the bikes. We know how they work. We apply our knowledge beyond motorcycles; work, home & car maintenance, computers...etc. Not to say other brands don't have 'intelligent' riders, but that Buellers' are unique. Is it a love to 'hack' motorcycles? The engineer mentality or curiosity in us? Hmmmm......?} | ||
| Metalstorm |
I don't know how intelligent i am, probably not very, but at least I'm smart enough to know a real good motorcycle when I see one.  | ||
| Reepicheep |
LOL! I was just looking at a $20 programmable controller with built in LCD thinking "I bet I could turn that into an on bike TPS reset device". Tomorrow, I get a couple of those CVS "disposable" video cameras to solder in a USB cable and start playing with them... | ||
| Tramp |
no 'engineer mentality' here, but i'm a purdy smart feller. smart enough to leave my buell's innards alone and just ride the snot outta it, anyway.... | ||
| Koz5150 |
Maybe it's because we have to be to keep our bikes running... | ||
| Jlnance |
I'm not going to claim that I'm smarter than other people. But I will claim to be able to recognize technical excellence better than most people. Probably has something to do with 9 years of engineering school.  I think a lot of Buellers share this trait. I remember the first time I saw a Buell. It was a Blast in the back of my Riders Edge class. It just blew me away. I could look at it and tell how much thought went into it. | ||
| Road_thing |
Trampster! We missed you! I trust your trip to N Ca was a good one? rt | ||
| Tramp |
thanks, RT! that's very nice of ya- it was a good trip, but looking after my 90 yr. old grandparents was zany. barely had time to step out of the house and enjoy the view. came home a week earlier than i'd planned, as i have a lot going on back here in NY. as to this here much-ballyhooed 'engineering mentality', it's the opposite for me- the absence of any NEED to bust out a dial gauge and shim valves that draws me to these simple, modern antiques. to me, buells are a sort of motorcycle equivelant of a 1960s-70s 911, manufactured in the '90s and 21st cent. old, reliable 'anti-tech' with moderate, but useful, performance. | ||
| Loki |
don't know about the rest of ya'll. But I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express the other night. | ||
| Typeone |
"to me, buells are a sort of motorcycle equivalent of a 1960s-70s 911, manufactured in the '90s and 21st cent. old." Wow, that comment hit the nail on the head for me, Tramp. I've been a rabid vintage VW/Porsche fanatic since I was a child. My XB sleeps next to a '66 912 after all. heh. But as far as the 'recognize technical excellence' comment.. the XB ain't no Honda (owned 'em my whole life and i'm sure I'll get flamed for that comment) but I think that's what intrigues me, she's got personality all her own! I gotta be honest though, I worry about my XB every time I ride it... failed front isolator, leaky oil cooler fittings, rust, chaffed wires, nasty ping in warm weather, etc. all within ~3200 miles... but there is an emotional bond with this machine... Just like my quirky VW and Porsche! My IQ is definitely sub-par but man do I get a kick outta this motorcycle  (Message edited by typeone on August 29, 2005) | ||
| Seth |
Ted.K, Always a pleasure To me Buellers are more reminiscent of the (I hate the term) old school biker. Able to spin a wrench or two; able to do what ever it takes to get going again. Yeah... maybe we are a bit smarter, we bought a Buell  | ||
| Jlnance |
as to this here much-ballyhooed 'engineering mentality', it's the opposite for me- the absence of any NEED to bust out a dial gauge and shim valves that draws me to these simple, modern antiques I'd argue that what your describing IS engineering mentality, ie, do it as simply as possible. The tendency to cover everything with "high techish" stuff to me is marketing not engineering. | ||
| Lake_bueller |
Good to hear from you Ted!!! I was just thinking something similar the other day. My lawnmower decided to take the rest of the day off after getting through 1/2 the yard. I wrenched until after dark but to no avail. I wrenched again the following night (after replacing the plug and then ignition. Still no luck. Wanta know what really pissed me off....if it had been one of my Buells, I probably would have had it running the first night. Instead, I have a mower in the shop and a yard half mowed!!! | ||
| Oldog |
Me smarter than average - NO WAY - I have the sled because theres not one on every corner here. I do a lot of basic stuff for my self because of bad experiences in having "professional" services done OR in some cases I'm just too bloody cheap, I have to admit that "customizing" my sled started out dealing with what I saw as problems and has turned into a pleasurable hobby of sorts, that has in some ways led to a slightly lower cost of ownership. | ||
| Djkaplan |
I'm with Oldog. I know how to work on my cars, truck, motorcycle, and lawnmower mainly because I'm too cheap to pay someone to do it for me. | ||
| Jugallo94 |
Hey it worked on paper I dont understand what the problem is.hehehe | ||
| Seth |
"...I'm with Oldog. I know how to work on my cars, truck, motorcycle, and lawnmower mainly because I'm too cheap to pay someone to do it for me..." Friends ask me how I learned how to fix cars. I tell them, simple, I've never owned anything that didn't need to be wrenched constantly! I had no choice but to learn  . | ||
| Tramp |
"I'd argue that what your describing IS engineering mentality, ie, do it as simply as possible. The tendency to cover everything with 'high techish' stuff to me is marketing not engineering" -jlnance jl- the 'engineer mentality' that i was referring to was that referred to in the original post of this thread, which was being ascribed to the rider, not the production engineer. AAAAAAAnd, "typeone": the "recognize technical excellence" comment you quote is NOT mine, it's jlnance's..you know....just for the record..... | ||
| Typeone |
hahaa, I know Tramp, sorry, I was responding to you in part 1 and jlnance in part 2 of my post | ||
| Blake |
Great to hear from you Ted! Good to see that you are still plowing ahead with that irrepressible determination that so inspired a lot of us, me for sure. As to the superior intellignece of Buell riders here, I agree. ![: ]](http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/clipart/proud.gif) Does "wisdom" always accompany "intelligence"? Unfortunately no.  I've come to respect and admire a lot more folks for their wisdom and gentle considerate nature than for their intellect. I rank intelligence with good looks and physical stature as being pretty much determined at birth. | ||
| Bigdaddy |
Hey Ted, Great to hear from you. I still need to make that trip over to see you. I've been kind of stuck in the RDU keeping all three of the kids in college :-) Jlnance, 9 years is timely :-) Wow,,,,I took 10 but who's counting. Bring your woman over to Creekstone (let me know first) and I'll bring something over for ya'll to test ride. G2 | ||
| Tank_bueller |
...wisdom and gentle considerate nature... I treat folks purdy good... and I turn a wrench purty good.... and I aint blowed nothin' up yet(well, nothin' with a motor  ) guess I'm doin' alright...... (the redneck side of me got loose again, sorry.) (Message edited by tank_bueller on August 29, 2005) | ||
| Jlnance |
Greg, when are you comming down next? I'd love to see what a corbin feels like. | ||
| Bigdaddy |
Hey Jim, I'm working in the RTP right now -- leaving in the AM. I'll be doing Seacacus backbone upgrades starting next week so I'll be way out of the loop for 3 or 4 weeks. How's October sound to you? You may just have to make that trip to Pumpkin Center :-) G2 | ||
| Jlnance |
Greg you are one hard guy to get up with! I might just have to go to Pumpkin center. But the M2 will need a new rear tire first. You were going to tell me what you were running? I was thinking about putting a Uly tire on it, but I just read in another thread that they seem to wear out at about the same rate as everything else. |
