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Court
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 10:11 am: | 
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>>>>Man, you guys are harsh.
Wait a minute. You hit the first volley with a load of inaccurate information regarding Buells, followed by the KTM chatter.
Let me clkaify two things.
1) The Buell statements were flawed.
2) Many of us are big KTM fans. I used to own a 250MX and would love to put my paws on the 640 my friend Chauly is selling.
Your inference that you'd go with KTM as a result of deficiencies in the Buell product were the err of your arguement.
Court |
Xb9er
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 02:16 pm: |
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I never implied that I would replace my XB with a KTM (I've never owned or ridden any KTM product). The shortcomings I mentioned (I could have complained about the stock tires too, but I forgot) about the 2003 Buell XB9R's compared to the 2004 and later XB9R's were things I considered to be deficiencies but I don't buy the standard responses mainly regarding the original 2003 belt. It remains to be seen if the first RC-8's will be bulletproof, but I am banking they will be based on KTM's reputation. I was under the impression that I could post my opinion that an RC-8 in it's first year will not have issues as bad as the first Firebolt did. I forgot this is Blakeworld.
I said I like to be an early adopter. I will buy new stuff, knowing what I am getting into and that I may get shafted. Think of the Bobby Knight interview with Connie Chung.
It is interesting that I can get such a rise out of you die hards by bringing up what I disliked about the first Firebolts. You guys take this stuff too seriously (I'm guilty of this sometimes) especially those that live and breathe motorcycles. I would be the last to disagree with anyone who says XB9 Firebolts are unreliable pieces of crap. From 2004 on I might even call them bulletproof!! I just talked about some issues (that have been brought up before) that are significant to me.
I guess I should post with warm and fuzzy emoticons all the time if you can't take some of this stuff with a grain of salt.
Mike. |
Aldaytona
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 02:51 pm: |
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Maybe I'm dense, but I've been following this thread from the beginning and I own one of the first Firebolts, what are the bad issues? Did'nt get all the upgrades for free? I hardly think that makes the Firebolt have bad issues, the bike is fine overall. I didn't get any free upgrades either. |
Xb9er
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 03:05 pm: |
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The most critical one is the wheel bearings, front and rear. If your 9R has black bearing seals, they may be unsafe. The replacements have orange seals. If you still have the defective ones, I would advise against spirited riding until you get them replaced (for free) by the dealer. You don't want the front bearing giving out on you at speed.
Mike.
You can ignore the rest of my drivel. |
Flick
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 03:12 pm: |
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Original belt on my '03 9S has nearly 23,000 kms on it (almost 15,000 miles) and does not appear to have any defects at all. I will change it at 24,000kms as recommended by the factory and keep it for an emergency back-up. Yes, I bought the upgraded '03 replacement belt.
I have done all the wheel-related maintenance myself (i.e. removing wheels for tire changes) and know the belt was handled with loving care! I do not ride like a wimp...I have attended 4 track days to date and thrashed the **** out of this bike, and it just keeps on tickin'. Man I love Buells! Rode it to work this morning with a temperature of 0C!
KTM's are good bikes...my son has an '04 525 converted for supermotard racing, but I still like the Buell better! |
Court
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 03:24 pm: |
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>>>I was under the impression that I could post my opinion that an RC-8 in it's first year will not have issues as bad as the first Firebolt did. I forgot this is Blakeworld.
You are more than welcome to post your opinion, as am I.
You may well be correct about the RC-8. My opinion is that it may never come out, having gone "stale on the board".
If it does, it will benefit, as have several other manufacturers, from innovative quality and production techniques, pioneered by Buell, that have the XB well on it's way to being one of the most reliable motorcycles ever made.
This, by the way, as many were tolling the death nell of Buell just 3 years ago.
You opinion is good, valid and well stated. I'm particualrly impressed that you didn't threaten to come to NYC and kill me and make me invoke, as recently happened, the office of AG Spitzer (  . . that's half joking, half serious)
The Buell wheel bearings SHOULD have all been changed promptly. I shudder to thing (am am perfectly willing to concede the possiblity) that any dealer is not aware of the program or has not updated the few effected units.
My greater hope is that Badwebbers, moved by this dialouge, go in search of "black" units around the world and spread the "hey, yer dealer'll fix that free" word.
Court |
Ingemar
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 03:56 pm: |
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go in search of "black" units around the world and spread the "hey, yer dealer'll fix that free" word.
I have been. Seriously. Even to people in the showroom eying a buell with the infamous black bearings. I even told the manager he should watch that these models should not leave the building without the wheel bearing upgrade done. But when I had to explain to him what that meant I knew what time it was ... |
BadS1
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 04:40 pm: |
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Xb9er your really not getting a rise out of us it more like we get alittle chuckle about someone that really doesn't make any sense.Enjoy your KTM whenever that may be.I get little updates from time to time as to what the dealers even hear and my BUELL dealer which is also KTM has no info. |
Darthane
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 07:49 am: |
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XB9er, I replaced my belt with the upgraded belt because it was called for at the 15K maintenance interval and when I ordered the belt from DaveS he sent me the upgraded one.
Stop looking for conspiracies. 
(Message edited by darthane on November 03, 2004) |
Xb9er
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 11:34 am: |
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If everybody made sense, then motorcycles and the BadWeb would be boring.
I'm not worried about the arrival of the KTM, I'll buy one when they get here if I think they are the best bike around at that time. I don't need a KTM, I already have an XB to ride.
How many dealers replaced original 2003 belts on all the XB9R's they still hadn't sold when the new Gates belts came out?
I haven't run into many 2003 XB9's on the road around here that I haven't seen before, but when I do, I always look at the bearing seals... I remember two individuals who did not get the letter about the bearings and who were not contacted by their dealers. They were not pleased and posted about it on the BadWeb. I'm sure there were more.
I won't stop looking for conspiracies.
Mike. |
Court
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 11:58 am: |
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>>>I won't stop looking for conspiracies.
Please don't. This is part of what makes this wonderful means of communication so powerful. Many times a dealers lack of knowledge or familiarty has been quickly overcome by information from Badweb.
Please be sure, if you do find those old bearing, to let the folks know and point them to the service bulletin.
Thanks for making us aware that there are still some out there.
Court |
BadS1
| | Posted on Thursday, November 04, 2004 - 03:44 pm: |
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XB9er I stand corrected.The new naked bike is slated for January according to this months MOTOR CYCLIST magazine.But also this months CYCLE WORLD states that the RC8 and the Venom are not slated for production anytime soon.Hmmm to mags different facts. |
Budo
| | Posted on Thursday, November 04, 2004 - 11:43 pm: |
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The current issue of BIKE magazine shows the KTM SuperDuke as being available next month, the Yamaha MT01 (with the Warrior motor) is supposed to be out March of 05, that is there, England of course, no telling when they will be here. |
Moe03xb
| | Posted on Friday, November 05, 2004 - 07:15 am: |
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I hate to sound stupid, but how can I tell if I have one of the old belts. My vin tag says that it was built in May 03. |
Darthane
| | Posted on Friday, November 05, 2004 - 08:16 am: |
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I believe the new(er) part number ends in an 'A'. It should be written on the belt itself somewhere.
I doubt you have the upgraded belt if that's when it was assembled, but I'll say again - the only problem with the original '03 belts were the nuts putting them together. If care was taken during installation there is no reason that that belt will not last until its scheduled replacement. |
Gentleman_jon
| | Posted on Friday, November 05, 2004 - 08:41 am: |
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The number of the latest model belt for the 2003 XB 9 is:
G0500.02A8R
The number is printed on the outside of the belt.
Daves has them in stock.
Actually there were three versions altogether.
(Message edited by gentleman_jon on November 05, 2004) |
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