| Author |
Message |
    
Jerseyguy
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 09:08 am: | 
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Moe - I just tell them its a Buell thing - we are "Different in every sense" we love to mess with you. I tell them the same thing when they tell me the headlight is out. |
Jeremyh
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 10:29 am: |
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IT DRAWS ATTENTION TO YOUR BIKE AND TO THE BUELL NAME......THATS A GOOD THING FOR ALL OF US. |
Austinrider
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 10:51 am: |
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I use mine to tell me when its time to change oil. I know it sounds weird, but if the fan runs longer than normal on a standard trip (to work, or short ride around town) - I change the oil. I know its probably wasting money on oil, changing it to early - but I rather keep that motor happy than not.
IF you dont like drawing attention to yourself or your bike - why'd you get a Buell? |
Signguyxb12
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 11:37 am: |
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A sticker like this solves it all
Or turbo exhaust |
Tucsonxb9s
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 12:31 pm: |
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I didn't think that Dat Phan was all that funny....oh, never mind we're not talking about Last Comic Standing...carry on amongst yourselves.  |
Glitch
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 01:14 pm: |
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I just say, if I say anything
Is das afta coola
or
It's to make little boys like you ask questions
honestly, either I don't notice it so much any more, or more people are becoming educated.
Funny thing is, I only really notice it when another bike rides up shuts their bike off and ... nothing ... |
Tbs_stunta
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 01:19 pm: |
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>>IT DRAWS ATTENTION TO YOUR BIKE AND TO THE BUELL NAME......THATS A GOOD THING FOR ALL OF US.
Yeah, but if all they remember is that Buells have that loud-azz fan that seems to run all the time, how good is that? |
Flick
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 01:41 pm: |
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If the guy on the Japanese crotch-rocket asks, I simply advise him of the fans purpose (i.e. to cool the oil temp. in the heads to avoid cooking the oil), and then ask why the Japanese haven't thought of this, that while my Buell is cooling down, his is just sitting there frying the oil, prematurely wearing out his engine...!?!?
I like to give them something to worry about...heh...heh...heh... |
Tbs_stunta
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 01:47 pm: |
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I guess his answer would be, because my liquid-cooled engine runs cooler and I have a radiator fan for when its hot. |
Doughnut
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 01:57 pm: |
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I like the fan. Test rode a 12R at the fan was one of my favorite memories of the ride. Wish my S2 had one. |
Flick
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 02:54 pm: |
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Ahhh...Tbs...yes, but the fan on his Japanese wonder machine IS NOT RUNNING WHEN HE SHUTS OFF HIS ENGINE...THAT'S WHEN THE OIL BAKES!!!!!!!!
And besides, with his wonderful water cooled engine, some day he may end up with water in his oil!!!!!!
Just ribbing... |
Tbs_stunta
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 03:47 pm: |
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Really, most bikes run the fan whenever the engine needs cooling, including after the engine is off. Triumphs do.
As far as water in the oil, just consider it a mixer.  |
M1combat
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 04:28 pm: |
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"Really, most bikes run the fan whenever the engine needs cooling, including after the engine is off. Triumphs do. "
Yes, but they don't direct the air directly over/around the cylinder heads where the oil is baking... They cool down the water in the radiator more so when you DO start it next time it's "really cold"... brilliant... |
Cataract2
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 04:43 pm: |
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Don't forget to mix you oil with the water dog... er wait. I mean oil with the gas.. Or was it water.... Hey, think of it this way, when the oil is mixed with the water it's lubing your water pump. |
Crip2nite
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 05:23 pm: |
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And dont 4get...When carbonization of ones accutrament is eminent, One must not Obsquadulate!(Meaning: When your clothes are on fire, don't run!!)  |
Cataract2
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 - 03:13 am: |
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wtf? |
Kaudette
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 - 08:03 am: |
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Funny no-one had said that the fan is an afterthought fix to a poorly designed frame and subframe that does not direct air as appropriately across the rear jug...
Boy, you guys are getting too complacent!
 |
Paulson
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 - 11:54 pm: |
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I really enjoy it when people ask me why it makes 'that noise' after I shut off my XB9S. It bugs me when I shut off my wife's FZ6 and the fan shuts off. Go figure. |
Bonesbuell
| | Posted on Thursday, August 26, 2004 - 01:05 pm: |
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SWITCH TO SYN oils!!!!!! Fan run time will be greatly reduced. |
M1combat
| | Posted on Thursday, August 26, 2004 - 02:10 pm: |
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"Funny no-one had said that the fan is an afterthought fix to a poorly designed frame and subframe that does not direct air as appropriately across the rear jug... "
Noooo, people are just learning that there IS actually a very well thought out function to EVERYTHING on the bike... How would the frame and subframe direct air over the rear head when the bike isn't moving? It's very rare that my fan comes on when the bike IS moving. Once in Tucson when it was over 100 degrees is the only time I remember, and I was putting along about 10 mph on a frontage road looking for a place and stopping pretty often... You'll notice there are air extraction ports directly in the low pressure area right behind the crook of your knee yes? Seems like good engineering to me. I think that NOT having a fan to cool the head after shut down is a sign of stupidity. It only pains me that I didn't think of it  .
Point out a flaw... I dare you... (OK, EXCEPT for the fact that they come with horrible tires...) |
Kaudette
| | Posted on Thursday, August 26, 2004 - 03:34 pm: |
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Now I feel like Dyna.
Flaws - terrible stock rubber. Rear spring too soft for riders 180 lbs & up. Front horn wire chafes & shorts main fuse. Clutch lever has vertical play from day 1. Paint on frame & subframe crackles after 1 year. Stand-up under braking (tire related). Flat spot at 3000 on the 9. Fan motor too loud & heat on inside of legs.
Oh, and let's not forget the 6800 rpm redline and "only" 100 horses... 
I can still see it next to the 999S, 1200 sportster and 1200 GS someday so I like the bike. |
M1combat
| | Posted on Thursday, August 26, 2004 - 04:54 pm: |
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Sorry, didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable...
Stock rear spring... I can't accept that as a flaw, it was a design decision made to please the intended market. They sell an upgraded spring if you like. I weigh 210 and I seem to find the rear spring just fine... I think the front springs are a little weak for my weight, but I still can't say that's a "flaw". On the fine line maybe...
Front horn wire... I think that's rare. More a QC issue than a "flaw". If it was happening to all or nearly all the bikes, I'd agree.
Alright, the vertical play in the clutch lever "could" be considered a flaw, but it's never bothered me.
Paint on frame and subframe - Maybe... Mine's almost a year and I see no sign of it. I'll keep looking though.
Flat spot on the 9... Again, not a flaw. It was designed to pass noise emissions and HAS to be that way yes? Bitch about the EPA, not Buell. Also, it's VERY inexpensive and simple to all but remove that flat spot.
Fan motor too loud... Well, it's the blades, not the motor, and it was designed for function, not form. Again, not a flaw. It functions VERY well.
Heat on the inside of the legs??? Hmmm, I don't see it as a flaw although I have noticed it. I see it as character but I'm not the type to like cars with no road noise either. I prefer the rude sound of a good sports car. I prefer to hear my tires howling around corners and to hear the exhaust note. I'd rather KNOW when it's running... Just FYI, you can get some heat reflective material and place it between the frame and head and it all but solves this "flaw". |
Charlieboy6649
| | Posted on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 01:44 am: |
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"Funny no-one had said that the fan is an afterthought fix to a poorly designed frame and subframe that does not direct air as appropriately across the rear jug..."
Actually Kaudette, according to testing you're wrong. It's a big misconception that because the lead cylinder gets the first air, that it's the cooler of the two. It has been shown that the rear cylinder actually gets more cooling in a V-twin, any V-twin.
Turbulent air is directed upwards toward the rear cylinder from the front tire as vortices and it is also the recipient of more of the oil splashed up from the crank, acting to only further cool it...
You notice the fan does not blow on the rear cylinder. It pulls the air through from the rear acting to cool both jugs... |
Kaudette
| | Posted on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 05:26 am: |
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M1 - you forgot the redline
Charlie - I was being sarcastic about the fan - I know (assume) it does what it is supposed to do - just a bit loudly for my taste.
In my view, the biggest "problem" with the rear subframe / frame is that it almost completely hides the rear cylinder from view. Not quiet as open and airy as the tubers which is unfortunate - I know, thems the beans... |
Jerseyguy
| | Posted on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 09:07 am: |
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I've owned a lot of machinery in my time and they have all had their pluses and minuses. That includes many Porsches, Beemers & Audis, all supposedly perfect German machinery. My XB is maybe a click or two down in sophistication from the "wundermachinery" or the Japanese overly engineered offerings, but I expect to have to tinker with a motorcycle. Its part of the fun of ownership to keep it running right and even improve performance. Most of all when I look at, sit on, hear and feel my Buell, I KNOW I'm on a MACHINE and not a conveyance. The sensory experience stirs my soul. |
Glitch
| | Posted on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 09:17 am: |
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Jersey, that's the way I feel also.
Being the way I am about never being able to leave well enough alone. My machine suits me better than any other new bike out there. |
Nadz
| | Posted on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 05:44 pm: |
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Jerseyguy, you're dead on, but I don't think it's a "step down" at all. I've looked at the finer details of some of the metrics out there, and seen cheapness on bikes far more expensive than mine. For example, the headlight wires on a Ninja are just RTV'd to the fairing. And the Monster engine looks like a trainwreck of parts that stuck together.
I said I'd never get a ricer or a "naked", but a week after I bought my 12R, I looked at it and realized that it was naked! The reason I never noticed is that it's elegance is designed in. No cheap-o bracketry, no square boxes, no drool welds. I'm an engineer, and I like how they did just about everything. Plus, it looks fast standing still!
-NadZ |
Frankie123456
| | Posted on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 06:41 pm: |
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Gentlemen- I can definately confirm the fan is a good thing, especially the climate I ride in, frequently over 125 degrees (in the shade), and no problems as of yet. The fan runs constantly, but no pinging, even in heavy traffic. I usually laugh to my self when I see a watercooled metric pinging in the traffic. But the Buell plugs along like no tomorrow, plus I have the only firebolt for about 7,000 miles. Massive cool points!
Frankie |
Downundabueller
| | Posted on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 07:15 pm: |
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Frankie where i am it gets up to 100 and 105 on the hottest days. At 125 what sort of gear do you wear? How do you manage to keep it all together? |
Charlieboy6649
| | Posted on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 08:06 pm: |
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Frankie, I know exactly what you mean as well. Here in the Sonoran desert is is commonly 110-140 degrees. My Buell just keeps right on going, no problem. The Busa's in town, overheat left and right. I did notice a BIG improvement in cooler running when I switched to Mobile 1 (I now swear by the stuff).
Downunda- I just wear a Rocket textile with all the vents open with jeans. I'm fine as long as I'm moving... Stoplights suck!
(Message edited by charlieboy6649 on August 27, 2004) |
Xb9er
| | Posted on Monday, August 30, 2004 - 04:18 pm: |
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With respect to fan actuation, I don't think the ambient air temperature comes into play at all.
The minimum temperature at which the fan will switch ON is 302°F.
Mike. |
Ivanski
| | Posted on Monday, August 30, 2004 - 09:57 pm: |
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At the local euro bike shop, the owner asked if I'd shut off the vaccuum cleaner on my bike before coming in. yuk yuk. He grudgingly admitted the XB's were the biggest jump in bike design he'd ever seen. "too bad they ruined it with that 70 year old motor though." How sweet it was when the only other customer in the shop decided to hold off on buying a new Ducati Monster till he'd tested an XB12S... yuk yuk
I loves my Buell... loves it
Ivanski |
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