| Author | Message | ||
     Mtburr |
I'm wondering if any Buell riders can provide an update on H-D's level of support for Buells these days. The last threads I've found on the topic are a few years old and were pretty speculative. What's the verdict? Is H-D continuing to make parts available? Are prices for parts going up? Are dealers still just as enthusiastic about servicing Buells as they were when they were selling 'em? (Which is to say mostly not). I'm in the market for a Buell that I would hope to ride for at least 10 years. I'm thinking '06-'08 XB9sx or something similar. I'm capable enough with a wrench but I don't have time or patience to be a part time mechanic, or to hunt for parts when I need 'em. Any input would be greatly appreciated. THANKS! | ||
| Froggy |
The situation is the exact same as it was even before the factory closed. Harley's support still is lackluster, as is the dealership network, but the parts are still available. Honestly you wouldn't know if it was 2013 or 2003, everything is still the same so far.
Every single factory part for every XB/1125/Blast is still available, and the lead time to get them is about the same for most parts.
Depends on the part, some have gone up due to them being more expensive to make in smaller batches, but most parts still cost the same they did when bikes were being built in 2009.
From what I've seen, the dealers that loved Buells before the closing still do. They may not have signs on the door to try and get you on a new Firebolt, but they will gladly work on your bike. Obviously the dealers that didn't want to deal with Buell in the first place still suck and won't give you the time of day. | ||
| Schwara |
If money is no object buy a Ducati .. I start my reply that way just because if you intend to have most service done at an HD shop then that implies that their rates don't frighten you, and that's assuming that there is a good shop nearby that knows what a Buell is. That being said I've had my Uly for about 2 1/2 years now and love it. No problems getting parts both HD and aftermarket. I have had some hurdles: clutch plates, shocks, rocker box gasket, but the only thing I've let someone else work on was the clutch and that was primarily because I was out of the country on vacation. Everything else I have done was my first time doing it, but it was worth it for this bike. I ride it every single day that I can ... one of the reasons I am wearing stuff out. I've put more miles on this bike in it's first 2 years than I put on my old bike in 10. I hate down time because it means I'm not riding and I also don't really like giving up my spare time with my family, but that downtime is generally not significant compared to my riding time and it also gives me the chance to learn a lot more about my bike. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I think it peaked in 2000 - 2003 or so. At that time there were a few really good dealers passionate about the brand who stocked pretty much every part and really knew how to work on the bikes they loved. Not many, but Modesto was one, F&S here in Dayton was one, DaveS in Iowa was one, Bumpus was one, and there were others. If you weren't near one things weren't so great, but if you were near one of those guys it was fantastic. But as Harley kept "helping" Buell, it kept getting worse. Right after Buell was closed it reached it's darkest hour... lots just dumping any memory of the brand, no new Harley path to the parts, lots of unknowns. Its much better now. Most Harley dealers can just order Buell parts. You are kinda on your own to figure out what you need, but that's not really new for any brand. In store inventories are nearly zero, but now Harley has made parts distribution a lot more efficient, so it will be there in a week or so. Like Froggy said, it's pretty similar to where things were before the shutdown. | ||
| Mtburr |
Thanks for the helpful comments. I appreciate it. I haven't set foot in a Harley dealership in probably 15 years, maybe more. So I have no idea how the ones around here stack up. I'll have to do some checking ... I'm not opposed to mail order but I wouldn't want to find out the hard way that I can't get the galloping shaft for the giddyup socket anymore. As I understand it H-D dealerships were asked to send mechanics to Buell school to become certified to work on them. Does that mean these bikes are actually complex and require a bunch of special tools and knowledge? I've heard a lot of Buell owners wrench on their own, so I assume it's not rocket science, unlike the reputation for some brands. (Few Ducati riders adjust their own valves, for example.) But then again I do read on these forums about stuff breaking on Buells that you never hear about with Japanese bikes. Seems like a lot of Buell riders have an ECM spy for example. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.  | ||
| Reepicheep |
The XB's are one of the best bikes I've ever worked on in terms of simplicity and repair-ability. The tubers were probably even better in terms of ease to work on, but they broke more so I'd rank them a close second. You have to rotate the motor down to do significant XB engine work, which is 20 minutes to drop and 20 minutes to put back, but in return for that you get wonderful and easy access to everything. The XB's lost the trap door transmission the tubers had, which is a real shame. On a tuber, you can start with a bike on a lift and some basic tools, and about 30 minutes later have the entire transmission on your bench ready to service. No valve adjustments (hooray!), no drive chain adjustments (hooray!), belts that can last for 30k or 50k miles (hooray!), no banks of 4 stupid carbs filled with jello and old hardened airbox boots that are impossible to reseat (double hooray) and will never need to be synced (hooray!). And no stupid monsterous airbox wedged into a frame that is always in the way of anything I try to do and can only be removed by a 9th level master of 12 dimensional time space physics. Brakes are easy to service (one caliper up front with trivial to replace pads), electronics are easy to get to under the flyscreen. No overhead cam in the way of everything, no cam chain to have jumped teeth, no cam chain tensioner or tensioner shoe failing and flopping about (hooray!). No radiators to puncture or move, no antifreeze to burp, no head gasket leaks caused by waterjackets and tiny mating surfaces blowing your coolant out the overflow and overheating your motor (hooray!). Two oil holes with two types of oil (so you can go 10k mile intervals with a proper gear oil for your transmission, and just change the engine oil with the best engine oil) (hooray!). And "a clutch of the gods" that often lasts 30k or 50k or 80k miles without rebuilding even though this is a high torque 100 HP motor (how do they do that?). I kind of take it for granted at this point because I mainly work on the Buells I have owned, a few dirt bikes, and a KZ-400 I'm doing a cafe conversion on. All of which are pretty simple to work on. Then somebody brings me a dead Virago or ZR-7 and I start working on it and think "this sucks". Not because it really sucks, but just because I'm so spoiled by Buells and 2 stroke dirt bikes. There are some special tools, but none you can't work around. To get the primary drive out you need a locking bar, which is really just a bar. An aluminum or brass scrap like a hinge works perfectly. You will need proper torque wrenches, but you need those anyway. ECM spy helps ($40 dongle and a laptop). Crank seals are supposed to have a special tool to seat them to the right depth, but a serviceable alternative is easy to build, and the real tool is straightforward to build or buy as well. A special tool to help remove sheared exhaust studs comes in really handy if you end up needing it, $100 for the real one, $30 for an ebay alternative that looks usable (I bought one and threw it in the toolbox, havent needed it yet). Great thread. I hadn't really thought about how nice the Buells are to work on... I just notice that everything else I touch isn't as good. And when I have to go work in a car now it is really miserable... everything is blocked by something else and too hard to get at. | ||
| K12pilot |
The stealers around these parts are pathetic!! My own dealer who I purchased 2 new BUELLS & a new Harley from, wouldn't even mount tires on my dismounted wheels last year. But he will sell me a washer for $5 (exadurating) I can't wait until The day when EBR turns the motorcycle world upside down.  Ride safe Chris | ||
| Froggy |
A decent torque wrench, a set of Allen keys and Torx sockets and you will be able to handle 95% of the things thrown at you. The service manual calls for special tools for things like a spring compressor for fork rebuilding, but ratchet straps work just fine. Also the fuel pump "requires" a special tool, but a pair of flathead screwdrivers seem to do the same. ECMspy/TunerPro RT are the only real special tools, and it is a must have for all fuel injected bikes. $50 for a cable, but the software is free, and it lets you do everything from basic diagnostics to remapping the bike should you desire. Even if you are not comfortable with the software, you likely can find someone nearby that is. The bikes overall are easy to work on. Some things will be harder than on other bikes (rear spark plug on XB/1125), but other things will be easier (ever do an oil change on a full faired Suzuki?) | ||
| Schwara |
Does every message that Court posts get deleted?  I'm looking forward to when that is no longer the case. I'm also looking forward to new EBR news. I broke down and joined facebook just to make sure I didn't miss anything ... from EBR. | ||
| Pagprivat |
Great post Reepicheep, most enjoyable read. I've had many bikes over the years, including HD, but none the last 10 for various reasons. This is my first Buell though, and living in South America it makes it all more of an adventure when it comes to service and parts... and I realize that I am stuck with most on my own. So far I've had nothing but fun, hope it continues   |
