| Author | Message | ||
     Gentleman_jon |
 I pulled in to gas up this afternoon, and I noticed that I had exactly 16,000 miles on Lil' Blackie's clock. That put me in a reflective state of mind. Several other milestones have appeared recently. I am now living, (and riding), in the seventh decade of my age. Buell has ceased to be, at least as the company that we have known for the last 25 years. So when the service station attendant inquired as to my mount, I found myself saying - "It's a Buell. They don't make them anymore. It's a classic." "Sure looks like one", said the attendant. Made me feel a bit better about things.  | ||
| 46champ |
Mr. Gentleman_Jon I see by your bio that you raced in the US GP in 63. Was that a separate race or did they count the 200 as a GP race back then? | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
The USGP took place at Daytona, but it was a different race than Daytona 200 which was an AMA race. The then current rules did not allow 500cc. GP bikes to race against the Harleys of the day, which were 750's if I recall correctly. They were too fast. Still are, now that I think of it. As we were packing up to go home, the good ol' boys were bringing in their stock cars. They thought our motorcycles were rather unsuitable devices upon which to race. We thought the same thing of their Dodges and Chevy's! | ||
| Court |
Was he talking about you or the bike?  | ||
| Mqracing |
That a stunningly beautiful bike!!! And kudos to you... seventy and still draggin' your knees through the turns??? If you have time...tell us more about your bike... year, model, what you've done to it. I'd also be interested in learning more about what other bikes you've ridden over the years and your various impressions of them. What part of the country you live in? Can you ride year round? Yours I have a feeling would be a neat story to hear!!! | ||
| Christopher12 |
What Mqracing said. Christopher | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Court - pretty sure the attendant was referring to Lil' Blackie. Mike and Chris - Thanks for your remarks. I bought Lil Blackie on eBay in 2004. Since then, I have made the following modifications. Details on them can be found by doing a search on this web site, (if you are lucky.) I have made almost 3500 posts. Performance Mods: 1. K+N air filter 2. Snorkel removed 3. Open air box 4. Buell Race ECM 5. Original Drummer muffler 6. Front Suspension - Ohlins FG 43 1676-17 front forks 7. Rear Suspension - Ohlins 46HRCLS shock, remote preload, 1092-34 spring 8. Hal's competition chain conversion swing arm 9. Secondary Grearing - Sprocket Specialties 46 tooth rear sprocket / 20 tooth steel front sprocket. 10. XB 9 primary gears - 57/34 tooth sprockets 11. D.I.D. 520 ERV3 racing chain. 12. Ohlins side mount steering damper with custom mounts 13. Michelin Pilot Road 2 tires 14. Denso Iridium Sparkplugs - IXU24 15. Drummer Catch Can 16. CRG Brake lever # An- 531 (modified to suit Shindy 14mm remote reservoir front brake master cylinder 17. CRG Clutch Lever # An-621 18. Custom Billet shift pedal 19. Custom Billet rear brake pedal Other Mods/Misc/Customization.: 1. Firebolt tail section/ quick release front seat 2. Buell Deluxe Seat 3. Remove all decals 4. Prototype Drummer front sprocket guard/ cover for electrics made from stock Buell cover 5. Painted primary chain inspection covers to match engine cases with Buell Magnesium Tone spray paint. 6. Replaced inspection cover screws with longer Stainless Allen heads 7. Polished headers with 3M Scotch-Brite Fine Finishing Sander # 9416NA, 320, 600 and 1500 wet or dry sandpaper, and Luster Lace Metal Polishing Strips, (wide) 8. Trojan low profile air intakes painted to match frame. 9. Tommasselli adjustable Clubman's handle bars. 10. Modified Joker Machine billet custom risers. 11. Buell Traction grips/ opened ends 12. Shindy 14mm front brake master cylinder with remote reservoir, CRG levers 13. Shock Racing Mini 9 LED directionals with 10 watt 10 ohm resistors to correct blink rate connected in parallel. 14. Buell frame pucks 15. Dipstick visibility mod: covered dipstick with yellow shrink tube 16. Crystal orange fork and swing arm sliders by Ricta/ custom s/s front mounting axle 17. HVMP Heavyweight Stainless steel handlebar ends 18. Third Eye bar end mirror on custom stainless steel mounting bracket 19. Buell X-1 domed Timing cover, Pegasus engraved, painted Magnesium Tone to match engine cases. S/S Allen head 10/32 mounting screws, to match primary side covers 20. Buell Chrome, (brushed), front heel protectors 21. LSL Billet round foot pegs on 1" dropped mounts 22. Carbon fibre extended rear hugger 23. Buell Carbon fibre front fender 24. Powdercoat swing arm graphite black to match frame 25. Powdercoat wheels: graphite centers, polished rims, clear coated. 26. Buell Aluminum, (brushed), upper chain guard 27. Frameless Plexiglass license plate mount 28. Personalized license plate: "XB12SR" 29. 90 degree Ariete valve stems/ custom machined rims to suit 30. PDG Moto "Black Kleen" Dash Face 31. Precision Engineering Billet brake line clamps, front and rear. I live on the east end of Long Island. We often have mild winters, so one can ride all year round if there is no snow on the ground, and it isn't too damn cold. So rarely a month goes by when one can't get out at least once or twice. I have owned about thirty bikes over the years, most in the 50's, and 60's. Here are a few of the memorable ones.  I bought this Moto Rumi in Perugia, Italy in the late 50's from a local motorcycle racer, Alberto Capocci. It was a 125 two stroke twin. Weighed about 200 lbs. Started my love of light weight Italian motorcycles. Stock photo  Perhaps one of my favorite photos of my favorite bikes, taken in 1959 in Cambridge Mass, by Peter Gregg who went on to be a great Porche endurance driver. The bike is a 1959 Ducati 200cc. Elite. Bought in Rome, I had this bike modified at the factory in Bologna. Created quite a stir when it arrived in the USA. One of the first Ducatis on the street. The shot was taken on what passed for a "track day" back then: riding as fast as possible on the rotaries until the Law arrived:-).  Back in the day, sporting bikes were mostly English in the US, with Italian bikes being a bit exotic. This Velocette Venom Thruxton 500 was the epitome of English sporting iron. Erik Buell was also a Velo fan, and that may have influenced him to design the Blast as a big single. Stock photo.  The Manx Norton really defined the best of 60's motorcycling. These bikes were the standard professional road racing bike, and every English star of the period, which included most of the world Champions, rode one at one time or another. The Featherbed frame and Roadhandler forks set a world standard for motorcycle handling back then. These bikes are still produced and raced all over the world. Stock photo Well that's about it for today. Been an interesting ride and it ain't over yet!! Cafe Racer Magazine is threatening to do an article on my career as a motorcyclist, and I will post up if it ever comes out. | ||
| Technomad |
Lil' Blackie is gorgeous. I'd be tempted to evolve my new XB12Ss in this direction, but my only joints would probably protest. | ||
| Rkc00 |
Jon, Let me know if you need photos for that article. Mike Long Island, NY 09 XB12X Red/Black 09 1125CR Black 06 VRSCR Blue/Silver Hope to be heading to Pa this weekend to get the 1125CR. | ||
| Buell_lee |
Very interesting Jon, I had a Velocette Sportsman back in the late sixties early seventies it was the same sort of love hate relationship I have with my Buells. Love the work you have done on Lil" Blackie. Thanks for posting. | ||
| Christopher12 |
That Norton is sweet! Christopher | ||
| Court |
That Norton is REAL SWEET ! | ||
| Paint_shaker |
Congrats Jon! |
