| Author | Message | ||
     Rticwolf |
Hey there everyone! I am brand new to the world of bikes and I bought an American machine, a nice and shiny new Buell Firebolt XB12R. I just finished the MSF class and now I can ride (legally), only have 32 miles on the bike so far. I have been on bikes off and on in the past, but this is my first bike I have owned and legally rode. I started to notice a miss after about 10 miles (I was just riding around the block until I was legal to ride just to get a feel for the bike) when rolling the throttle off idle, mostly when stationary but it has happened while riding at slow speeds too. I have read not to rev the bike while sitting so I do not do that (not anymore anyway, did it a couple of times at first just to hear how it sounds), I just sometimes roll the throttle slightly to see if the condition still exists while sitting (it does it 90% of the time). I actually did a few things wrong when I first got the bike (nobody told me) like turning it off and not letting it idle down for a minute or two after riding (even in class they told me to shut off your bike right away when you are parking it), and not letting it warm up for a couple of minutes before riding off instead of just about 30 seconds or so (that was only the first couple of times though, again did not know). As for break in, it has not been over 50 mph or 4000 RPM just as the manual says and also I have varied the speeds (well, it did get over 4000 RPM once but only for a second or two). Anyway, can you tell I am quite green to this bike? Or biking in general? LOL! So, what could cause that miss being the bike has only 32 miles? I could not have done something to the bike already with what I wrote above, could I? When it misses, its more like a backfire, I can feel the air come out the intake of the airbox and out the exhaust too with a deep "pop" noise when it does it. It even surged once or twice when it backfired/missed while riding at slow speeds (I was not lugging the engine). Any ideas? Is this a dealer trip already? I also have to roll the throttle slightly before it engages, should that be adjusted? Is it something I can do easily? I have adjusted the shifter and both brake handles/pedals to my liking, adjusted the suspension rebound and damping (so I am not afraid to do things), and I work on cars all the time, just new to bikes. Please tell me what you all think, I just want to do everything right with my new bike and get rid of that backfire. Thanks so much!  | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
flooded/fouled a plug////they dont like bein babied too much...ya need ta put the spurs to her a little son.... | ||
| Usmoto |
I agree with Molly_hatchet in that you don't have to be gentle with ol' Buelly there, kick it a little from time to time, it can definitely take it. USA Baby!!  | ||
| Ustorque |
i always find for the first firing of the day after a brief warm up the best way to start the ride is buy really putting the boots to it in first and second gear to just clean her out the worst thing is to lugs these bikes they just don't like it........on a side note i thought the '08 had a little guy in the motor that clean off your plugs for you so they didn't foul? anyways keep us up to date i'd like to know how the new engine technology is working because the conditions you're describing really shouldn't occur anymore with ( no more TPS, and the DDFI3) | ||
| Wantxbr |
Water in the fuel or bad gas maybe? Just throwing ideas out there. | ||
| Glitch |
Also, let 'er warm up before taking off. Warming by idle, not throttle, don't wanna foul those plugs. | ||
| Xl1200r |
Just because he's babying it shouldn't make the bike act like that. Going on personal experience, I'm betting you have bad intake seals. Not terribly uncommon for these bikes. I had to get mine replaced around 500 miles - the bike was almost unrideable - constant misses and "pops" up through the airbox, like the thing just kept sputtering and caughing and coudln't catch it's breath. Yes, this a dealer trip (unless you realy want to fix a warranty issue yourself...). Broke in or not, babied or not, it shoudln't run that poorly. | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
true ..dealer run...i felt like a doofass when i fouled my plug...didnt think that could happen to such a new bike...but sure as sh!t...fouled plug...duur...but i had to move my bike one day so the garbage guy could get to the dumpster and didnt feel like pushin it...fired it up ride 10 feet and shut it down...fouled the plug....anywhooo take it to ur dealer or have them pick it up, should fall under warranty...get back on ur bike and listen to most of these guys they know their buells...let her warm up good and clean her out a little ...that dosent mean u have to go apesh!t on it just blow the cylinders out a little..i let mine idle for about 20 seconds or so before i shut it down too. | ||
| Dentguy |
Rticwolf...Just let it warm up before you ride it (no throttle) like Glitch said. If you start it and shut it off a few times without letting it warm up it may foul the plugs. Mine will come down to a slower idle after a minute or two then I ride. You do not have to let it idle for a minute or two after riding. It is a air cooled engine this will just make it hotter. As for fouling plugs or keeping the bike running well, you don't have to run the piss out of it. It should run well all day if you baby it or not. I would run it back by the dealer and have them take a look at it since it is new. It could be many things, some of the 08s have had a few issues. | ||
| Dentguy |
Looks like I type really slow. Some of what I said was covered while I was typing. | ||
| Bombardier |
Mine plays up when it gets hot as if the seals letting in more air and the lean condition is more noticeable. On VDSTS tha AFR shows 130-140 under 3000rpm so I think XI1200r is on to something. | ||
| M1combat |
What's the idle at? Make SURE it is warmed up before you drop it into gear. My method is to check the clock when I start it and not move it until the minute digit has increased by two. This always gives me between one and two minutes of warm up. ALWAYS do this even if you're in a hurry. It's VERY important. The other thing... If the idle isn't high enough it can sputter a bit just off idle. Idle should be JUST over 1000 on a hot engine. That said... I'd suspect intake seals if it's sputtering after you get it rolling. | ||
| Rah7777777 |
Do some of you guys not let your bike FULLY warm up before beating on it? Not only do you have to worry about fouling the plugs, but even more that oil needs to be hot and circulated good. Characteristics of oil greatly change from cold to hot. it needs to be hot, to provide your bearings and etc. good protection. If you plan on keeping your bike for a while, and problem free its very important to fully warm up before you get on her. But don't get me wrong, once she is good and hot, beat the piss out of her!!! sorry to get off subject. Rticwolf, I hope you get it fixed, I hate to see this happen to any one, especially a new buell owner :-( But since its is brand new, I'd march my happy butt back to the dealer!!!! | ||
| Lost_in_ohio |
I do not let my bike warm up fully before I ride. I start it and let it warm up while I put my helmet and gloves on, Meaning I am standing right beside it.....so what a minute or minute and a half or so of warm up. Now I don't beat the ponys for a while. I commute daily to work on it and I am not gonna waste time with a long warm up. I have not fouled a plug to date. You only have 32 miles on it. Relax let the bike break in. With that few miles on it the bike has never been up to operating temp anyhow. Ride it a hundred miles then if it is still acting up take it in. Far as letting it idle for a minute or two after a ride.....Never have, It doesn't have a turbo that needs to spin down. Just don't see the point to it. Now I have a few minutes of 20 mile n hour maneuvers to park. That may make a difference. If it calms your fears.....My bike acted the same way...Lets face it breaking it in by the book sucks.....painful. Pick a day and go for a nice long ride. | ||
| Rticwolf |
Hey there everyone! Wow, thanks for all the responses! I truly appreciate what you all have said and the ideas you have shared on what could be my issues. I went for a ride yesterday morning and yet again it did the same thing, this time from a stop light with an "eager" minivan driver behind me. Right from a stoplight the bike sputtered so I had to back off the throttle and get back on it again to take off. It also did it right after taking off (after a 2 minute warm up) and going a couple of blocks, it sputtered again. I was riding with my brother in law (he just got a new 2008 VROD) and he was like what is up with your bike? Anyway, I rode it for almost 30 miles and it sputtered about 3 times total. We hit speeds of up to 50 MPH and the idle when warm is between 1000 and 1100 RPM. Since I went past the first 50 miles now I can hit 5000 RPM (instead of 4000) for the next 450 miles. Also, I am not shy of the takeoff sometimes, I like to get on her from a stop or while riding, I am just "babying" it for the sake of break in and not exceeding their recommended RPM's. That bike loves to get on it for sure!  So, we got back after our ride and another friend wanted to go up to Mount Charleston so I figured I could cut my teeth on some curves (remember, I am a new rider) so I said sure. I got on the interstate for the first time and also did some hills and winding roads. It was really windy too....lets just say I know how "green" I am to riding! LOL! The bike seemed to like going up those hills and getting a little more of a workout because here in Las Vegas we are at about 2100 ft and we rode up to close to 8000 feet and that bike did good. It did not sputter up there at all (which I actually expected) and it did fine once back down. So maybe it really just needed to be run out a little, but I thought my ride in the morning would have done that. Anyway, I now have 130 miles and will get back on her today to see if that condition returns riding it around town. If it does, then off to the dealer and I will mention plugs and the intake seals. It sure is hard to have problems with something brand new, especially being new to bike ownership, but I am glad to have a forum like this to try to work the "kinks" out. Thanks again! I will keep you all posted! | ||
| Ted |
if the plugs arent an issue, then maybe the o' tps reset might do it, which the dealer will on your service anyways | ||
| Lukeduke |
"if the plugs aren't an issue, then maybe the o' tps reset might do it, which the dealer will on your service anyways" The 08's have done away with the TPS. One of the many improvements for the model year. | ||
| Indy_bueller |
Check your battery connections too, make sure they are good and tight. | ||
| Ironhead1977 |
My bike runs like that until it goes into closed loop.Usually takes about 3 or 4 miles. | ||
| Thespive |
Not sure with the new 2008 ECMs, but the older bikes have a learning mode when you ride at freeway speeds for a constant 15 minutes, maybe that is all it needed? --Sean | ||
| Maddiemsu |
Rticwolf, nice choice of bike, I have the 07 B/R Firebolt. Hope to see you out and about, maybe up at MT Charleston some time. Ride that thing! | ||
| Lost_in_ohio |
I am glad getting a few miles on it seemed to help your problem. I kinda figured that you had only ridden it 16 miles or so when you posted and it just need some miles on it. I remember my ride home.....the darn thing was sputtering and coughing......the whole time I was wondering if I had made a bad choice. I made a similar post and well got similar answers. | ||
| Thespive |
My '06 died on me on the way home, also sputtered and ran rough. I limped it a couple blocks to a gas station, filled it up with fresh fuel, cycled the ignition and it fired right up and never ever had another problem in over 5,000 miles. --Sean | ||
| Moleculator |
I also have a brand spankin' new 08 XB12R, Arctic White, and it gave some pops when I accidentally blipped the throttle (old 2 stroke habits die hard but I'm learning). In general is running OK - a little rough at times but feeling better with every kilometer. 79 so far - yes I'm Canadian. It feels like it needs a good neck ringing but I'm being good and keeping with the suggested RPM range, and regularly varying speeds. It reassures me to hear yours is behaving now. I think all the 08 must have the same roughness during initial break-in. Going to take it out tomorrow and get some miles on it.  Dana | ||
| Court |
Without delay. |
