| Author | Message | ||
     Captpete |
"My dad, dog, bicycle, girlfriend, science project, etc., etc., etc., is better than yours." Yeah, but how 'bout your ex-girlfriend?  | ||
| Rick_A |
Yeah Roc...my bike is only twitchy when the front wheel is skipping off the ground on hard accel. Mine was twitchy as stock, too. After making a couple changes that trait disappeared. I did 'em both at once so I don't know which had the biggest effect: a steering damper and clipons. Clipons really reduce unwanted steering inputs due to wind buffeting. I'd advise against dropping the forks unless the bike is already stable enough. I've heard bad steering head bearings can contribute to a "notchy" feeling, as well as dying isolators. You build that turbo Gixxer, I'd be happy to test ride it for ya  Most motorcycles have their merit when used for their intended purpose(s). If I had the resources I'd own a handful. The one I ride is the one I decided to purchase seeing that I could only afford one. In my mind, the S1 is, and likely will remain, the coolest bike on the planet. Y2k...Being narrow minded over the country of origin is being just as bad as all those Harley/Buell bashers. | ||
| Iamike |
It's a good thing we all have different tastes, life would be awful boring otherwise. Why put down what someone else likes? | ||
| Snail |
You can get rid of some twitchy by installing the alum. bartels isolater from Tat. My s-3 was rubbing the swing arm on the frame when I cornered hard, once I installed the alum. bartels it was cured. Also drop a bit of rear preload. What a day, I just got back from a 150 mile errand run (on the Busa) to a marine store. I think I forgot something and have to go back... Paul | ||
| S3dave |
Hey Snail...you said "Buell makes a damn fine beginners bike. Keep practicing, you'll get the hang of it. " I turn 48 next month, been riding for 36 years, I have owned; (some but not all)1 - Kawi H-1, a Honda Goldwing, a Honda CB 750, a Suzuki GS 850, 2 - RZ350's, 1 - RZ500, 1 HD FXRT, 2 - GS 1150 Suzukis, a 1200 Suzuki Bandit, and finally a Buell S3..and now someone tells me its a beginners bike. I feel that owning, riding and fixing all my other bikes before have enabled me to really appreciate this fine finicky, high strung machine..I don't want to ride something that just anyone can make work. | ||
| Libnosis |
Thanks Roc, I laughed out loud over that one. Sad but true.   | ||
| Loki |
trolling for a big bite....... remember when honda, yamaha, suzuki all started making 700s instead of 750s? Why didn't kawasaki? btw: I still own a 82 KZ750R1(otherwise known as the GPz) | ||
| Mbsween |
Loki, were you asleep in '84, the year of the tariff? The kz750l3 became the 1984 kz700A1. BTW the kz750l3 is the 82kz750R1 with handlebars vs clipons and different graphics (okay and no hand ported heads!) Finally a topic I know something about! I have 97000 on the L3 all stock motor. I'm planning to take the X1 that far. Probably use a little more oil tho (damn rockerbox gaskets!) Check the site out for 82 750R1 tests, parts diagrams, shop manual etc.... | ||
| Eeeeek |
Snail is one of the last of the Renaissance Men around. Not only can he work on his bikes, he does his own work on his truck, his boats, his Cats (I think I counted five on his property) and various other mechanical goodies. He mills his own lumber, raises his own pigs, Crab and Salmonfishes by the ton, Manages his own Forest (cuts down trees, bucks them and stacks them for pickup, then replants), makes his own furnature and went to law school, to boot. All that and he's almost as good of a rider as me  . I value his opinion and can guarantee you he understands the mechanics of his bike. Vik P.S. Snail, | ||
| Ferris |
Y2, i can't decide if you're just kicking our ant hill 'cause you're bored, or whether you really mean the mean things you say. everyone is entitled to their opinion, here in the great ol' USA, including you and me. you've had a chance to state your opinions, now here's mine: your language, tone and overall rudeness are unnecessary and unwarranted. like i said, just one man's opinion. FB | ||
| Grizzlyb |
Y2, Hmmmm, I like this one ..... More Buellers then you can possibly grasp ride Beemers. I loved my X1, I love my GERMAN BMW R 1150GS Flat-twin as so many of my other bikes.  Talking about US built motorcycles, ...did you know that HD company copied a beemer in WW2? No? just read the story about the Harley Davidson XA model. but maybe you don't want to know? Grizzly | ||
| Anonymous |
FB1, I won't claim to have never made a subjective statement here or to be perfect and for as much as I hate to... I agree with you. However I've also learned that if you stand in Y2's corner of opinion there's very little anyone can do to change it. BTW, I'm still trying to break or trash this '02 Viffer before the warranty runs out six months from now. Still no luck.  Anon2 | ||
| Court |
Tell ya what.....it's been such a good day in the world of Buell that I up'n missed my chance to mud wrestle here guys Er....make that  Life is good.....damn good. | ||
| Buellzebub |
don't we live in a quasi-global economy now? i challenge anyone to find a vehicle out there that is 100% built in one country, tain't as easy as it appears. in fact i'd bet that your standard h-d product is less than 50% american manufacture. the world is run by accountants and we all know how they shop. | ||
| Chainsaw |
I was impressed with the funny looking BMW when I saw Grizzly ride one up Aaron's 1/2 mile gravel driveway. Don't know how fast he was going, but he was kicking up quite a rooster tail of gravel behind him. My Firebolt was swimming all over on that gravel at 15 mph. Way to go Grizzly! | ||
| Chainsaw |
I buy American when possible, but taking quick stock of my attire: Old Navy T-shirt: South Africa Levis: Turkey Joe Boxer's: Thailand Skechers Boots: China Mean Ol' Mister Globalization strikes again. | ||
| Ferris |
I won't claim to have never made a subjective statement here or to be perfect and for as much as I hate to... I agree with you. geez dude, that must have been HARD for you to say! think i'll make a note of the date and time in my diary, in case you ever forget this day! lookin' very forward to our next ride, bud FB1 | ||
| Jester |
Hey All, Wondering if any of you "Mechanic-Types" can help me out; My Buell has shall we say "Failed to proceed", I am needing to remove the heads to check the valves and pistons. Following the instructions in the Service Manual, I have removed the engine, tranny and swingarm assy, along with the upper portions of the rocker boxes. Prior to removing the lower section, you must first make sure both valves on the cylinder you are working on are closed; however, they fail to elaborate on how you can be sure that both valves are closed. Anyone have any pic's or a laymen explanation. Thanks all. Jester | ||
| Loki |
nah, I wasn't asleep.... But why were the Kwak 750s not affected by the tariff? My kwak is a franken-kwak. Started life as a 82, now its a 82,83,84 cross of 1100 and 750. Next evolution will add some zuki to it. The original kwakazuki.... | ||
| Loki |
mb, looks like we may need to chat some, lots of good info on your page. The Zed is in state of hibernation till this winter. When I picked up my M2 it was parked. Some much needed tlc is required. I do miss riding it though, wicked fast now and it handles fairly well(big changes). Not on par with my S1, but a lot better than it was stock. | ||
| Loki |
So is a Goldwing a Japanese motorcycle or is it an American motorcycle? | ||
| Aaron |
Jester, I hate to say this, but the top end comes off easily without removing the engine/swingarm/rear wheel assembly from the frame/front wheel assembly. You can even get the front head out without removing the rear if you want. In any event, to close the valves, rotate the motor as you're watching the intake (I put the rear on a swingarm stand and bump it over ith the rear wheel with the bike in top gear, plusg removed). Both valves are closed from the time the intake valve closes until the time the exhaust starts to open. Put the motor about halfway betwixt those two events. Don't try to put it between exhaust close and intake open, that's overlap and there's no point there where both valves are closed. | ||
| Mars |
Last I heard the motores are still built on the island and assembled in the USA. | ||
| Josh |
>Talking about US built motorcycles, ...did you know that HD company copied a beemer in WW2? >No? just read the story about the Harley Davidson XA model. Ever seen one? Wheels Through Time Museum (was Mt Vernon Il, now somewhere in NC) has at least 2 done up in full military garb. Way cool. Way funny looking too | ||
| Nevco1 |
I read a good article a few years ago about WWII and the US Troops in the South Pacific finding Japanese motorcycles that were almost identical to Harley's. Turns out Harley licensed a company in Japan to manufacture them prior to WWII. Dang, I wish I could remember the source of that article. Just don't flame me until you check it out! | ||
| Mbsween |
Loki, send me a pic , I'm interested to see what you've done. Email me at gpz@mbsween.com. I've left mine stock (I'm the original owner) except the body work which I managed to break in my youthful ignorance. Nice bike, a bit underpowered and heavy tho. Brings back the good old days when you had to hang off to make the corner. The friggin X1 is telepathic comparatively. Are you on the KZ/GPz list? I think i may have email you when I was thinking of putting an 83 swingarm on. I see you also work on C130s, Kinda the Buell of modern airplanes; questionable styling and tons of power. I was an 11B awhile back, the accomodations were on par with an S1 seat. Josh, The wheels of time is in Cheerokee NC right off the Blue Ridge. A group of us went during Deal's Gap 2002. I only went in the foyer tho. They have a rocket built by HD, as in the kind that launches a missle. Cool stuff. Racerboy got the tour. | ||
| Dave |
Maggie Valley, NC me thinks DAve | ||
| Loki |
Mb, The 82 had all the juice the frame could handle, dropped a big bore into it. Talk about some zip.... Let me think here. Questionable styling? I believe it is the only design from the skunkworks that KJ never signed off on. It was to ugly for him. The plane can do some pretty amazing things. I don't think they will ever be able to design a replacement for it. I think I know why I am so weird to most. I like Buells ,C-130s and old Kwaks(GPz). What an eclectic mix that is. popped you an echo | ||
| Madduck |
Nevco1, The story is actually a lot more interesting on the Japanese Harleys. H-D sent tooling and essentially reproduced a factory in Japan in the late 30's. Those are identical to the Harleys of that era except they are all labeled in Japanese. I have a friend in Minnesota that has one, you should see the attention that gets at a Harley event. The motor company is not at all pleased with that chaptor in their history. Paul | ||
| Y2k01x1 |
Those of you who have not followed the current debate from the beginning are kindly asked to visit the archives, beginning with my post from Friday, October 4, 2002, 3:03pm, and familiarize themselves with exactly what transpired between then and now. Others may wish to do the same for some memory refreshment? In my post, I tried to explain why I rode an X1 and tried to share my thoughts and feelings with respect to Erik, BMC, and how their perceived course affected me. Unless i'm outta my friggin' mind, I don't recall writing anything about the X1 being better than anything else or suggesting that the X1, or any Buell for that matter, should overwhelmingly, be everyones first choice. However, at 9:26pm, Snail felt motivated to respond to my post with the following: "Y2k01X1, ever heard a Busa at 11K? It will get your attention! Compared to that, your old air head sounds like a drunk snoring." Ouch! OLD AIR HEAD SOUNDS LIKE A DRUNK SNORING? Now, that wasn't very nice, was it? Was Snail talking about me or my X1? I dunno. But I think I should be a little upset either way, huh? Now who's the mean mean man? Well, I'd like to hang around and chit chat, but you all have some reading to catch up on and I need to go and patch up this gaping would in my chest. Bob P.S.-Snail, you can apologize any time you're ready, I'm open 7/24. |
