| Author | Message | ||
     Nevar |
Sure. It has that very-low freqency shake at idle but above that it is VERY smooth - as smooth as my 929RR or ST4S - and a lot smoother than my Moto Guzzi. How is this accomplished? Is the engine rubber mounted like the new XLs? If so, how did Erik handle the extra weight problem that the new XLs have? If not, how was the vibration eliminated? Is the XB12 engine as smooth? Tim (Message edited by nevar on September 09, 2005) | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
The XB9 is a shorter stroke engine than a 1200. The new sportsters are more porky because they don't use the engine to reinforce the frame like the older ones. To maintain rigidity, they had to make the frame into a boat anchor. | ||
| Nevar |
So, is the XB motor still rubber mounted and NOT used as part of the frame, with the frame being strong but much lighter than the XL frame? Tim | ||
| Holling |
Yes and Yes. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
One really can not compare the Buell and Harley rubber mounting systems and frames. The Buell is a masterpiece of engineering that uses a patented Uniplanar Powertrain isolation system to let the engine move somewhat freely in the vertical plane, and not on the other axies. The frame is also a totally original and stiff structure that was designed with the isolation system as an integral part of the design. The Harley is just a dumb old Harley frame with a couple of rubber biscuits to reduce vibration that doesn't work very well, so they made the frame too heavy to compensate. Doesn't matter very much really, as the Hog doesn't have the suspension or brakes to be going very fast any way. | ||
| Nevar |
GJ, You're not helping! I've been looking at Sportsters but you're making it harder. Thanks for the frame info. Tim | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Nevar- Happily, there is a sure fire cure for Sportsteritis. 1. Go to Buell Web site, look at the " Buell on Buell " where Erik explains the ideas behind the bike. http://www.buell.com/en_us/buell_way/buell_on_buell/ 2. Check out the Buell Demo schedule: http://www.buell.com/en_us/news_events/EventsListing.asp 3. Take a test ride on a couple of different Buells 4. Decide which model you prefer. 5. Find a local Buell friendly Harley dealer and SCORE!! 6. Live happily ever after. PS. Step 5 is the hard part. | ||
| Nevar |
GJ, You're preaching to the choir here. I already have an 03 XB9S - I was just looking for a Sportster to satisfy my 'once every few years' whim to get a cruiser... Tim | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
In that case, just take a test ride on the Sportster. I tried a soft mount 1200 last year at a Buell Demo day. Let's just say I decided to stick with Ol' Yaller:-) | ||
| Nevar |
Every couple of years I get this idea that I'd like a cruiser. Over the years I've had several metric cruisers (Honda Shadow VT1100, Yamaha Virago XV1100, Suzuki Intruder VS1400) and I usually get fed up with the forward controls. I really don't know why I'm looking at Sportsters. Tim It is a proven fact that the yellow Buells are the best and fastest. | ||
| Metalstorm |
I hear ya bout the forward controls. Me no likey. I got to keep a Harley Fatboy for 10 days back in June & the guys at work would laugh & shake their heads at me each morning when I arrived cursing & cussing about how much I hated riding that fatpig on my twisty road to work. In town it was just peachy but I live in twisty central & forward controls & semi ape hangers don't cut it. Edit: Not all Sportsters have forward controls. Mine (1999) has mid controls. You sit in a very chair like position. It drove my hips nuts. (Message edited by metalstorm on September 09, 2005) | ||
| 99buellx1 |
This is my favorite Sporty. Some dirt track style pipes and some motorwork, real fun, great lookin bike.  | ||
| Nevar |
I definitely like the Sportys that have wheels that mount tubeless tires. Tim | ||
| Cataract2 |
The one thing I give crusiers is the fact that you can add highway pegs. That makes riding sooo much better on long trips when you can just stretch out and relax. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
If you're thinking of getting a sportster, I would suggest getting a sportster sport. They had dual plug heads from the factory and fancy suspension. Also, you could get a late 1990's sportster and jam it full of Buell parts!  | ||
| 99buellx1 |
No longer making the Sport. I believe '02 was the last year. | ||
| Davegess |
Nevar, every HD powered Buell ever made had the Uniplaner mounting system. This uses many of the same parts as the HD rubber mount systems BUT is designed to not only reduce vibration but also use the engine as a stressed member of the frame thus allowing a greatly reduced frame weight. It does this by capitalizing on a unique feature of a twin engine that has a "knife and fork" crank shaft. On these kind of engines there is little side to side movement, known as "rocking couple" to the engineer types. Almost all the out of vibration in these engines goes in the same plane as the cylinders. The Buell system allows the motor to move in this direction freely but passes frame stress across the engine thereby increasing stiffness. With this type of system there is always a rev range were you can't cancel out the vibration (there may be two, a major one and a minor one separated by some sort of harmonic range but being the engineering illiterate that I am I will ignore this) everywhere so you tune the system to allow it in a range that will not be too much of a bother. Thus you get the infamous Buell dance. Never leave your bike running on the side stand, especially facing down hill. Don't ask me how I know but it can cover a large distance in a hurry. HD has been concerned about comfort and has little reason to worry about weight or optimizing frame stiffness so they have not used this kind of a system hence they must weigh more than a Buell (not to mention all the other areas that Buell has targeted for weight reduction). | ||
| Nevar |
Davegess and others, Good info here which answered all my questions. Thanks again! Tim | ||
| Nevar |
Davegess, I was introduced to the 'rocking couple' with my BMW boxers, which have a fair amount in their motors, despite the theoretical perfect primary balance of the 180-degree horizontally-opposed cylinders and 180-degree crankshaft. Tim | ||
| Crazyretard |
Did you ever consider a 'V-Max' for your cruiser? | ||
| Nevar |
Yes. I've had one, a 1995 red V-MAX. I liked it but it didn't handle very good, most likely due to old tech suspension and too damn heavy - 610 lbs wet. I expect a cruiser to handle bad but a standard (which is what I think the V-Max is) should handle better. But it did sound nice, even stock, Tim | ||
| Buell_less |
Frankly, if I were looking for a cruiser-style bike I'd get a late-80s/early-90s Guzzi Cal III. Cast wheels for tubeless tires, Brembo brakes, floorboards, better handling than a Sportster and, if you look around hard enough, you might find one of the LeMans-engined big-valve ones. | ||
| Opto |
The Buell consists of 2 main parts, 1)engine and solidly mounted swingarm and rear wheel hanging off engine, 2)frame and seat and front end and everything else The two sections 1) and 2) are joined together with rubber mounts and stays with adjustable tie-rod ends that keep the front and back wheels aligned at all times. This is a very unusual setup that works really well. | ||
| Nevar |
My short list for next bike but not necessarily in this order: - Buell XB12R - HD XL1200 Sportster - Triumph Bonneville (modern) - Ducati Monster 1000 (or MultiStrada) - MotoGuzzi Griso 1100 (not yet released) - MotoGuzzi Cruiser I need to sell a bike first to make room. Tim |
