| Author | Message | ||
     Dre99gsx |
I'm new to the Buell experience, but recently when riding with other Jap bikes (R1, RC51, GSXR750, etc), they seem to know the Buell is killer in the corners, but a dog in the straights. I haven't done much highway riding with these guys, mostly short sprints in tight roads, but does a stock XB12 really underperform in the straights compared to these other bikes? I just rode a GSXR750. Funny how I was WOT at 2500rpm thinking it would pick up ;) There was 0 power at that range. In first gear muddling through traffic, it was slow since you were never in the proper rpm range. Once you were, the engine braking was just annoying in 1st/2nd gear. The bike was very light, easy to toss around (the gixxer). My XB12 felt much top-heavier. I barely noticed the engine running on the gixxer! Real smooth. Once I was in the upper range, the power delivery was definitely interesting. I think these bikes are 68tq/120hp at the wheels? Any thoughts/comments? | ||
| M1combat |
"they seem to know the Buell is killer in the corners, but a dog in the straights. " I guess you could put it that way... The XB's aren't as fast in a straight line as the IL4 bikes generally but over a stretch of canyon road they do quite well. I've never been much for the twist and go type of riding but I do like the canyons. Suits me just fine  . Overall speed through a canyon road or on a racetrack is VERY much more about the Indian than the arrow. If you can learn proper lines and technique you should generally be faster than a lesser rider even with very large HP advantages on a tight stretch of road or a tight racetrack. Once things open up and the IL4's can start to spend a decent chunk of time at WOT the handling advantage of the Buell goes away. That said... I once fought with a CBR1000RR for five laps at my local racetrack before finally putting enough distance on him through the twisty portion of the track that he couldn't get back around on the straight. I'd pass him every lap and he'd get back by on the straight. Every lap though he was getting back by me further and further down the straight. He finally passed me on lap five just before the brake zone at the end of the straight. I passed him coming back out and never saw him again. I heard him on the next lap at the end of that straight but he didn't get around. On a track that was larger with fewer turns I think I could have kept up but not kept him behind. On a large "real" racetrack that wasn't known for being real tight I don't think I could have kept up. The roads I prefer are tight canyon roads and the XB12 does very well in that environment. | ||
| Staindus |
I usually ride my XB9 with a Gixxer 1000 and a duc 620 Monster. The XB9 has about the same torque as the Gixxer I believe. While on a straight we both went WOT and I did keep up with him because we never went above 100 MPH. I am sure after that I would have run out of RPMs. In the twisty stuff I was able to keep up with the Gixxer. I wonder how the 1125R would compare to a Gixxer 1000. the 1125R has more torque, but the Gixxer has more HP. | ||
| Aldaytona |
Who rides with Jap bikes? Worse yet,who thinks a Buell XB is another Jap bike?  | ||
| Mtg |
I ride with a bunch of people with Japanese bikes, and I was one of the Jap riders until not long ago- on a 2001 Honda CBR600 F4i. My XB9R is 2 seconds slower in the 1/4 mile than my old F4i according to the spec sheets, yet I still don't have a problem keeping up with brand new GSXR 750's and R1's, etc in canyon roads. The rider is what matters. I've done a bunch of track days, they have not. I just signed up for a trackday at Miller Motorsports Park in a couple weeks, so we'll see how the XB does on the track vs my previous CBR. I'm thinking it will be better in tight turns and slower on the straights- which is why I sold the CBR and bought the Buell. and +1 for M1combat | ||
| Xl1200r |
The only time I've ridden with a Jap bike I was still on my 2004 1200 Sportster that I cafe'd and had a decent suspension setup on. The other guy was on a 2004 GSXR 600. After he pissed me off by blasting past me on the right (I was lead rider), he motioned me to go past him. I dropped the hammer and showed him what riding is all about. We were on a great road, and his "sport bike" coudln't keep up with my "cruiser". At our next stop he was speechless until he muttered "You ride that thing pretty good". At the time, I didn't consider myself a great rider, but I wasn't about to refuse the compliment. After seeing that guy ride, and many more like him, I'm come to realize that I'm still not great, but better than the vast majority out there. It wasn't the bike that made the difference. It seems that a lot of the guys on the cheaper sport bikes spend more time trying to learn how to stay on one wheel and be a neusance than how to actualy operate the machine. Anyways, he may have been fast in a straight line, but I looked WAY cooler getting way off the seat in the turns. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Oh boy! Another, Buells can match IL4's for speed thread. Buells have a better torque curve than many of the Japanese bikes but because of the HP difference will get left behind in the straights. When I ride with friends who have 600's, 1000's, etc., I can usually keep up with them just fine while we are in the turns, but in the straights, the walk away. My buddies have commented on the ability of the Buell to slingshot out of corners which makes a lot of different in the performance in the twisties. | ||
| M_singer |
Jap sport bikes will spank an XB in straight line performance. Straight line performance isn't what people buy Buells for. | ||
| Swordsman |
"I looked WAY cooler getting way off the seat in the turns." LOL! I bet! Bet they'd never seen a guy do that on a Harley!  ~SM | ||
| Greenlantern |
Oh boy! Another, Buells can match IL4's for speed thread. can there ever be "too many" of these threads  you ride what you ride because it's what you ride! all other reasoning is a colossal waste of riding time! now stop thinking, stockpile the brain cells for octoberfest and get your arses in the saddle!  | ||
| Dre99gsx |
Now at times when we are riding on the highway, I notice I am usually the last one to push through traffic. Say your doing 80mph, and you want to pass the car in front of you, nothing crazy. The GSXR would downshift 2 gears and rocket around the car in no time. I on the other hand took some 'time' to get around. I had tried downshifting to where the sweet spot would be torque wise, didn't really get me anywhere. Are these bikes really meant for sub-80mph driving/corner carving or strict city driving? I do more riding on the highways and am second guessing the XB12 for my own purpose. I have been eyeballing the 1125, might just hop on the bandwagon  | ||
| M1combat |
I think they're made for canyon roads and city riding (but having more fun than is allowed by the law in town...). | ||
| Jwhite601 |
My 9 can hang with any crotch rocket.........................until about 85-90, then i start seeing there taillights. Lucky for me 90% of my driving is on a very nice curvy road. If your trying to run with the Japs, the 1125r is where the moneys at. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
The world is curvy, very few of your roads are straight runway tarmac type things. Even more fun is leading a pack of race rice rockets to the head of a dirty road, and running that fast leaving them back where the pavement ends. There is nothing else like the Buell experience.  | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
I'd have thought it was just me when I got left in the dust by a Honda 954. Then I got on the 954 and the guy who rode my bike (XB9) couldn't lose me! My buddy is a r/d guy for HD, been a Rice Cake lover for over 25 years. The 1125 is the right bike to compete with the CBRR, GSX-R and others (Message edited by BuellinaChinashop on September 04, 2007) | ||
| 4cammer |
Any current 600cc supersport will spank my XB9R if all you look at are performance "figures". I bought my Buell for as much as what it is as what it is not. | ||
| Sslowmo |
slap a drummer on it and twist the throttle. now what more do u need. oh they look bad ass. and damn right carve a tight road. my buddy, on his cbr900rr can't leave me on the right roads. but, damn, straight roads become a blurr. buy what ever you want. i'm glad about my purchase. 06' xb12r, with a drummer. | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
i sure wish the CBR sounded like my 9 did....my neighbors love me now hahahaha ...i cant wait to ride the 1125 and see what the ole arse dyno says comparing the CBR and the 1125....i kinda miss the street friendly ways of the 9 sometimes...and guess what..its time to adjust my chain and oil it...something else funny...the CBR goes in for its first service at 600 miles...the 9 was what 1000 if i remember right and i waited til 1500 i remember that much...the honda has a tps reset..i love me new hondog...but its all about what ya wanna roll and how much u like doin it...me im lookin for an older buell or a 2 stroker..gotta have something to piss the neighbors off with or i just dont feel right. | ||
| Blublak |
Don't listen to all the nay sayers!.. The deep dark secret is..  Last time I was at the track.. My XB9R was running WAY faster then the 600 super sports in both the technical sections and the straights, while they were in the pits having a drink. | ||
| Cataract2 |
See, Buell riders actually ride. Jap riders drink. | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
drink what ? ... u got bourbon...then we can talk. | ||
| Cataract2 |
drink what ? ... u got bourbon...then we can talk. Eh, beer drinker here. Got some Orkney Skull Splitter? | ||
| Permagrin |
Every time ive ridden with anyone be a 600 or liter bike it almost always works the same.. Cat and mouse chase. Straits I get blown by but once they have to turn I 90% of the time will take a tighter inside line and blow right by them. Now the more experenced i4 riders will just flat out have to wait for me on my 9r. BUT when we stop my bike is always the one gettin attention so..... | ||
| Strato9r |
Strange as it seems, I've NEVER lost in a drag race, to about the eighth mile point, then anything with more than about 120hp will start pulling on me past that, as long as it's being ridden well. Of course, on the street, there is usually a pretty good reason to at least keep that sort of thing on a short leash, so I'm not sure that I'd really need any more than my 9 delivers. Then again, I'll have an Aberlour, neat, please. Then I'm sure I'll be able to justify the purchase of an 1125r......... | ||
| Dre99gsx |
How badly do these other bikes pull from you? I have noticed at 100mph, I have to tuck. Wind blast is huge. At that speed, the bike does feel more solid actually, but the front end feels more twitchy and "light". I'm sure on the Jap bikes, 100mph is still stable and solid as a rock... Its not that I speed for speeding sake, many times you want to pass a car doing 80 so you can do 85, and I may take it up to 100 quickly to get around, and slow down. Still, Jap bikes seem to handle that a bit better at those speeds I assume, especially with the lighter weight and full fairing. | ||
| Rah7777777 |
my last bike was a 600 I4 (modded FZ6) and on the highway, it would flat out beat the crap out of my buell. but corners, that buell just laughs her ass off as she leads the pack! that 600 sure couldnt do that! but if i did all highway, i'll have to admit, i'd have to go with a jap bike. unless i could get my hands on the 1125r!!!! but for now, in the city, with occasional backroad running, i'l be keeping my loved buell! | ||
| Luxor |
6 one half dozen the other. Same story here, straights I fall behind after 100, twisties I OWN. I do more "real world" riding so the Buell is a perfect fit. I really couldn't replace it with what is being offered on the market today, maybe the 1125 . My Buells just do a great job making me smile every time I twist the go handle. |
