| Author | Message | ||
     Harleysdad |
I am wondering how these new XB9s and XB12s hold up to track days and racing. Do they hold together? I am thinking about getting an XB9 with a race kit because I think they are really cool but I do not have a ton of extra coin just to keep it running. I am asking about before I buy so if yer doing track days and street riding and have a basically stock bike I would like to hear from you. | ||
| Coolice |
I have a 03 XB9R with the race kit and the XB12 airbox cover. I have done track days, in-town riding, day trips and weekend trips. I bought new May 02, and have had no problems. Close to 8000 miles and several sets of tires. Just regular oil and filter changes. New belt about 5500 miles, just changed before I had a problem. Buy the Buell, its a great bike. | ||
| Lightning_strikes_now |
I have an XB12 which was also my first Buell. I talked to some Buell enthusiest in Wilksboro, NC who work for Cross Roads HD. They told me that they punish their bikes religiously and they hold up. Everyone I've talked to that has a Buell say you can't hurt them in a stock condition. They have a rev limiter which I've hit before that shuts down the ignition at the red line. I've also talked to Trip Nobbels who races for Don Tilley in Statesville, NC. He told me that the bikes are bullet proof. Buells that we read about in Fuell and other magazines are raced on the track with the stock bottom ends. They are consistantly coming in third place or higher most of the time. The stock valve trains are hard to beat for the street. However, I'm not sure about the racing bikes. They may have different valve train components. | ||
| Glitch |
03 XB9S 26thousandsomething miles. Stator went bad at 20thousandsomething miles or so. Broke a clutch cable 1thousand miles ago give or take a mile or three. Other than that it's oil changes, tires, and stuff. Oh yeah broke a belt my fault can't remember when, broke another belt somewhere around 12thousand miles. | ||
| Viros |
03 XB9R w/race kit 26 thousand miles, 5 track days... several long distance trips.. but so far so good.. no major issues, other than front light went out.. have gone through 2 rear light bulbs.. some slight oil leaks ... | ||
| Keith |
The '04s and newer have a revised, heavy duty belt. Buell introduced a tougher belt for the '03s earlier this year or you can do what I did on my XB9S: install the '04 belt and pulleys on the '03. Keith | ||
| Flick |
Have an '03 9S with the race kit, 12 airbox lid, which I just completed my second trackday on this past weekend. No issues with either track day. Bike ran flawlessly. Hit the rev limiter a number of times on the straights to avoid a late gear change before the corner - the bike never missed a beat! Probably the biggest expense is going to be tires - you can really chew them up on track days. Running Dunlop 208's and they have been sticking like glue! I think if you stick to a good maintenance schedule (i.e. frequent oil changes - preferably synthetic, etc.), the Buell's will be hard to beat for inexpensive racing (if there is such a thing?). I am still running the original belt at 22,000Km (15,000+miles), but plan to swap it for a new one at the recommended 24,000kms, along with the idler wheel. These bikes have a lot of guys on the rice-rockets taking a second look! Some can get by you on the straights, but the corners make for some entertaining duelling against the GSXR's, R6's, etc.. | ||
| Harleysdad |
That is great input! I have sold my beloved GSXR750 to my nephew and it had been trouble free for eight years. Some guys in my club have had the older Buells and have warned me against them but they do not have the newer XBs. I will likely leave it mostly stock in the interest of longevity and reliability. Is the race kit the best way to go? | ||
| Coolice |
Definately put the factory racekit on. If you get a older 9 change the airbox cover with a 12 version. I have the race kit and it should have come on the bike I think. You'll like the XB's, enjoy! | ||
| Aldaytona |
03 XB9R with factory race kit installed at pdi. Just about 10,000 miles and normal maint. only. NO REPAIRS! Front brake pads and a couple sets of tires are my only expense, ok gas too. Better than my tubers. | ||
| Maxima4xu2 |
04 xb12r no mods as of yet i religously run the s^&t out of my bike and have absolutely now problems except for when i wash it i always end up with water in the tranny (Message edited by maxima4xu2 on September 30, 2004) | ||
| Tucsonxb9s |
8k, just the K&N filter and 12 airbox for mods and absolutely zero problems! | ||
| Bud |
how long is the estimated livespan for a righthand crank bearing ?? or a bigend bearing?? bigend shot @ 20ooo km and crank bearing shot crankbearing has overload marks on it i had the hardness mesured and it's still 63 Hrc on the needels big end don't know yet it's still at the machineshop to press it a part i must say it's a little tuned  but just wondering... i have seen many 100 rwhp bikes over the years, and my xb9 only makes 97.. and you don't here alot off fallures ? is the stress on the bearings to big with a little tuning ?? or just bad luck with the bearings | ||
| Ingemar |
I know a guy with nearly 20,000 kms on the clock of an xb9, of which over 16,000 are track kms. He's been senselessly flogging that bike since day 1 on the track. All street riding he does is to and from the track. All he ever had to do to the bike is change oil and filter, and a lot of tires. My own bike has nearly 10,000 kays on the counter without a problem. | ||
| Harleysdad |
Really a good review on the XBs. Thanks. I have heard of at least one well publicised crank failure at the track. Roadracing World campained an XB9 last year and it had a crank or bearing failure. Guess I will just have to get a warranty. How about frame sliders to protect those gas tanks? | ||
| Glitch |
Check my profile for the carbon fiber frame protectors. Also the one's that Buell sell work very well. Saw the end result of Buell's and they took quite the impact with NO frame damage. crank failure at the track Are you planning on racing? Or the occasional track day? Or plain ol' street riding. If you buy a new one you'll get a two year warranty automatically. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Road racing world, as I recall, also ran an XB for about 1.8 laps with *no* lubricant in the transmission. As a not unrelated bit of trivia, didja know an XB can go exactly 1.8 laps without lubricant in the transmission, before it grinds itself to pieces?  | ||
| Harleysdad |
Glitch, those carbon fiber frame covers are sweet looking! Are they thick right where the tank sticks out? I will mostly be on the street with 3-5 track days per year. I need a fix about every month during riding season to keep my cool on the street. Reepicheep, yeah they were boneheads on that one but they did admit to it. I think it was the same bike that had the crank failure. From what you guys are saying I am pretty certain that either an XB9 or 12 will do fine for me. Especially noting the high mileage you guys have on yer bikes with only routine belt changes. Now I have to decide how much coin to part with. Thanks | ||
| Cataract2 |
1.8 laps on no lube eh? Interesting, wonder how the other makes would do on that. lol | ||
| Glitch |
They're the same thickness all 'round. Buell hadn't come out with the pucks when I bought mine. To be honest, after seeing Pete's bike, I would recommend the pucks, I think they would more than likely hold up best. | ||
| Starter |
1.8 laps - clutch feel would have been interesting. | ||
| Bluebuellxb9r |
Ill add my 2 cents worth - 03 XB9r - 8500 miles ish - XB12r air box lid ( race kits coming any day now), Ohilins shock ( also on its way ), several sets of tires , replacing my second set of frnt. brakes before my next track day, besides an oil leak that started @ 180 miles and was fixed @ 1k Ive had no problems with my bike ( othere than no time to ride ). Ive done 7 trackdays on her and have grown to really enjoy riding this bike on the track . Ive handed my ZX6-R to the Mrs. and pretty much only ride my Buell. I rode to bike week this past March ( also with my brother who rides a XB9s, about 1600 miles round trip )and have done several other longer type rides on it. All in all its a super bike, thats cheaper to maintain than my Kawi or any Honda Ive had. | ||
| Fullpower |
10020 miles on Alaska roads on my XB12. broke a belt once, but other then a bunch of tires and oil filters, bike has been real low maintenance. enjoy... dean |
