| Author | Message | ||
     Varmint |
my last Buell, 97 cyclone, taught me new ways to hate, what an unreliable piece of shit. a decade or two later i am tempted by a 2003 thunderbolt local to me. what should i know first? what were the problems with this model? how is parts availability? etc. | ||
| Mnscrounger |
"what should i know first?" 1. This is the most supportive group of people you will ever find to keep your bike on the road. 2 XBs are a different animal than the tube frames. they have less flex in the frame, better brakes, and more horsepower than your 97 had in stock trim. 3. Parts in the new aftermarket are almost extinct, but are plentiful and relatively affordable on the used market. Being a smaller division meant Buell seems to have done a lot of customizing with bolt-ons to common platforms. Lots of parts across the XB platform although different will "bolt in". There are a few exceptions, but this group of people will help you select, and find the correct replacements. (some of them might even help you install the parts) 4. While I'm sorry to hear your first Buell product didn't live up to your expectations,(can we presume it was issues created by the PO?), Buells are the best kept secret in motorcycles. Because they're "Different In Every Sense", the used market is depressed. Air cooled V-twins don't fit what the sport bike riders think of, and these bikes don't fit the cruiser mold either. So, the prices stay flat until the right buyer comes along. (as a cheapskate, I like the idea of a v twin muscle bike that can scrub the pegs off in the corners for about 1/2-2/3 the price of its competitors.) 5. I should warn you, owning one Buell is just a gateway to owning a few. I've gone from just one 2002 S3T bought in 2010 to adding one of the EBR 1190SX beta prototypes, and a mutant Blast destined for dirt logging roads. Erik Buell's companies' creations are addictive, and so is this website. You have been warned.  | ||
| Varmint |
Correction. It’s a 2000 T bolt. My cyclone went through base gaskets like tampons. Swing arm crack. Bad bearing in front wheel, bad shock, Grenaded clutch, puked oil through the breadbox, Red headed step child treatment from the dealership. I’m scanning eBay now to see what parts availability is like. Going to see the bike next week. | ||
| Varmint |
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| Mnscrounger |
Nice looking bike. Soooo... did you bring it home? | ||
| Varmint |
Still hesitant. There’s a guy with an S2 next town over. He doesn’t want to sell. But will probably break in a year or so. | ||
| Varmint |
Have to unload something so there’ll be room in the garage. Anybody in Alaska want a road king? |
