| Author | Message | ||
     Dickenscpa |
I ride a Harley Sportster 1200 Custom, although I did start out on a Blast! I'm looking to cover some miles without the hands going numb. I'd really like to go with the S3T. However, I have some questions. 1)Is it smoother than the Sportster or is it a paint shaker too? 2)Have they rectified the quality issues with the S3T? 3)Will my wife be more comfortable on it rather than the Sportster? I ride to work EVERY day it's not raining and the temp is above 35 degrees. It's a 60 mile round trip on the interstate. How does the S3T act on the interstate? Does it vibe and does it get thrown around like the Sportster? I need more storage and more comfort. At 30 yrs old a bagger/dresser just ain't me. I'd appreciate any feedback, especially from those who've owned a Sportster and S3T. TIA BRAD | ||
| Andrew |
Brad, I just got home from a 1200 miles trek thru Vermont, New Hampsha , and Massatuchits. My '97 S3, was awesome. Once over about 2500rpm the vibrations fade away. I've been told by several ladies it's comfy back there as a pillion. With a aftermarket exhaust and Intake I'm seeing MPG in the high 50's to mid 60's. The D205's are holding up really well. The only time the bike is at home, is when my kids visiting. I commute, socialize, visit, go out on, come home on Buell. Pre Buell did the same with a Sprint St, Night Train, and my beloved (of 13 years)'71 Shovelhead. Do it, you'll be happy!  | ||
| Blake |
The Buell twins are freakishly smooth at highway speeds. | ||
| Az_M2 |
Brad, I have a Sportster and an M2. There is a huge difference on the highway. The Buell is incredibly smooth. In fact, after owning the Cyclone, I really don't enjoy the Sporty anymore and ride it only when I have to. I have never ridden an S3 but have to assume they ride much like an M2. | ||
| Road_Thing |
Brad: Andrew, Blake and AzM2 have had the same experience I've had with 2 different S1's and and S2: they're all dead-smooth above 2500 or so RPM. My son's 1200 Sportster vibrates uncomfortably above 70 mph or so, but the Buells all stay smooth way past the "license and registration, please, and where's the fire?" zone. r-t | ||
| José_Quiñones |
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| Andrew |
Amen, Road Thing, Amen  | ||
| Dave |
Brad, I made the mistake of riding a Buell in 1998 thanks to fellow Sportster rider (and SLABer) JOsh. I soon ordered a 99 S3(T) "Nuked Demon" and rarely would ride my Sportster (XR1000). I sold my Sportster today .... Don't ride the S3 or any other Buell if you really want to keep that Sporty! DAve http://www.dcbrag.org/S3Td.htm | ||
| José_Quiñones |
1)Is it smoother than the Sportster or is it a paint shaker too? At idle, it shakes WORSE than a sportster, at speed it's smooth. However, I have never ridden an S3 which is as smooth as an X1 or an M2, I think the fairing does something to cause all the S3's that I have ridden(at least 5, mine and four different demo bikes) to buzz through the bars noticeably between 3800-4000 rpm. It's still better than a Sporty. 2)Have they rectified the quality issues with the S3T? The answer depends on this question: are you keeping the Sporty or selling it to get the S3? If you're keeping the Sporty, do it. If you are not, based on my 99 S3 and other owner experiences I am aware of, my opinion is no if it will be your only bike to use for long distance riding with a passenger. The later models, 2001-2002, have all the upgrades that have made my bike more reliable (the new heavier duty isolators, the new front muffler mount, etc.) If you get one of those, or an updated 99 bike, you should be ok. Just make sure you're on good terms with your local dealer, just in case. 3)Will my wife be more comfortable on it rather than the Sportster? Yes, as long as you don't try to throw her off the bike with your throttle hand! You might want to try the Corbin Gunfigher and Lady seat with the backrest, it works well, but make sure its comfortable for you. The trick about carrying a passenger is the combined weight of you, the passenger and your stuff. I discuss it in my S3 Files, but I'll recap it here: If you get a pre 2001 model with the old style of rear Isolators, the actual load capacity will be around 330 pounds, not 385 like the brochure says. This is because Buell neglects to mention that you have to subtract the weights of the oil, gas, battery, fork oil, etc from that 385 pounds. If you get 2001 or newer model, the bike has the new isolators and the new shock, which increase your ACTUAL load capacity to about 395 pounds. Hope this helps, sorry if I scared you any, just trying to let you know what may lay ahead. | ||
| José_Quiñones |
love your color combo, Dave! | ||
| José_Quiñones |
Btw, I still have the sporty, just turned over 38k on it yesterday, it's my "commuter" bike! The S3T is my weekend/long distance bike. 28k so far. | ||
| Dickenscpa |
I REALLY appreciate all the feedback. I went to get a more up close and personal look at it today. Too bad I didn't ride my bike over there, they didn't have a spare helmet for me to borrow, but were more than willing to let me test it out. My dealer is fabulous to work with. They have three locations and the one with the S3T is not the one I usually frequent. I didn't know the sales guy there. He said the S3T would shake like the Sporty and I was disheartened, but then he admitted he'd never ridden one. I trust this board with real world experience a tad more. I used to post here all the time when I had my Blast. The only reason I didn't get an M2 or S3T on my trade in was 'cause I kinda got a lemon with my Blast. I had it three weeks. I'm taking a weeks vacation starting tomorrow, they're inducing labor on my wife in the morning, so it may be the middle of next week before I get a new ride. Oh, BTW, I will be trading in the Sporty and it is a 2002 model. Hopefully a large amount of bugs are worked out. Thanks Again BRAD | ||
| Blake |
"Too bad I didn't ride my bike over there, they didn't have a spare helmet for me to borrow" Or throw your helmet on the front seat of the car?  "He said the S3T would shake like the Sporty..., but then he admitted he'd never ridden one." Yeah, I'd trust everything that guy says.  "I trust this board with real world experience a tad more." I hope you are being sarcastic! I'm curious, how after only three weeks did you determine your Blast was "a lemon"? | ||
| Dickenscpa |
I would have taken my helmet had I known when I left for the office at 4:45AM that I would be looking at bikes. As far as the Blast being a lemon, it wouldn't work. They couldn't make mirrors stay on it stock or aftermarket. For some reason the speedo, idiot, or headlights would not work. They played with the fuel mechanism forever, but for some reason, it would not run after burning about a half a gallon of gas. Fill it to the rim and 25 to 30 miles later it was dead. Couldn't switch to reserve or anything. You had to be ready when you suspected it was going to happen, because the engine died and the rear wheel locked. So, you had to be ready with your clutch hand. The shop I deal with are some top notch wrenches and Buell friendly. The owner rides a full dresser and a Blast. It's been in business since 1950. They apologised and gave me two options 1)They would supply me with a brand new replacement and throw in some doo-dads as a sweetener 2)Give me my money back. I could put it toward another bike or put it in my pocket and go home. I bought the Sportster. They never fixed that Blast, they cannabalized it for parts. BRAD | ||
| Blake |
"They couldn't make mirrors stay on it stock or aftermarket." Brad, Call me a skeptic, but that sounds completely and utterly ridiculous. If true, I would find another shop to work on my bike. "For some reason the speedo, idiot, or headlights would not work." Electrical problem... worst case... replace wiring harness and all components. "They played with the fuel mechanism forever..." What do you mean by "fuel mechanism"? I guess that would be the petcock. Did they check the tank vent or try replacing the petcock? This is pretty simple stuff. I'm getting VERY bad vibes concerning your dealer's integrity. "...the engine died and the rear wheel locked." Running out of fuel would NOT cause the engine to seize like that. Sounds to me like your Blast engine had a MUCH more serious problem than lack of fuel. Sounds too like your dealer is incompetent when it comes to servicing and diagnosing a problem. Suggest strongly that you might consider working with another dealer. | ||
| Dickenscpa |
The mirrors were tightened down, but about every 30 miles they'd spin around and fly off. I actually caught one while doing about 40 mph. They replaced the mirrors, same thing. Then they replaced the mirrors with aftermarkets. I caught one of the aftermarkets. So then they replaced the control housings and clamps. I don't know what else they could do in that situation. I'm not a complete idiot when it comes to wrenching and it looked to me they were giving a sincere effort. I took a basket case '79 Sportster and rebuilt it from frame to runner. The guy who owns it rides with my group every Saturday morning, weather permitting. I've done 3 883/1200 conversions and one 883/1200/1450 w/ nitrous. The owner and I double teamed that project. I'm not trying to be a smarta$$ or come off like an expert. I'm far from it. The only reason I stated those things was to let you get a better perception that I'm not a complete newbie and can pretty much tell when a stealership is jerking me around. As far as the electrical problem, we replaced the harness, battery, speedo, alt/reg and headlight. When we replaced it, it worked for about 20 miles. Sometimes when I started it, everything worked fine, but when I stopped for gas and turned it back on, nothing. When I said fuel mechanism, I meant everything to do with fuel. I was just too lazy to type it all. We changed the petcock, adjusted jetting, float bowl, etc. Even put a new gas tank on it. I'd fill it up and shortly afterward it would just quit as if it'd run out of gas. However to fill it back up, it would barely hold .5 gal. The funny thing was it never sputtered or lugged like they usually do to let you know to switch to reserve, it just died. I didn't say when it died that my engine seized. However, when your engine dies while your going 30-40 mph and you're in gear your rear wheel will lock until you clutch it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not bad-mouthing Buell or the Blast in particular. You can get a lemon with virtually any brand. I lucked up and got one and my dealer took care of me. Would I like to have another Blast? Probably so. It's a really fun bike. I love the Sportster, it's just not a long distance bike. Will probably wind up keeping it and getting the S3T. I do know I can sell my Sportster right now and make almost $300 profit or trade it in and breakeven. Can't do that with many brands. They're selling the used Blasts here for $2500 and even offering the trade-in get 100% of your money back on the used ones. BRAD | ||
| Blake |
"...when your engine dies while your going 30-40 mph and you're in gear your rear wheel will lock until you clutch it." Not on ANY motorcycle I've ever ridden. Ever hear of bump/push starting? As to the mirrors... ever hear of a substance called "Loctite"? Were the threads mismatched (oversized female threads)? How were your mirrors able to "spin off" such that you had to "catch" them? Call me a skeptic, but methinks something stinks. Who is your dealer please? | ||
| Dickenscpa |
I'll be honest, I've never had another bike quit on me while I was riding, dirt or street. However, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that when I was heading North on Briley Pkwy at approximately 4:45PM on August 24, 2001, my bike quit and the rear wheel locked and I skidded into the grassy median. I was under the impression that if you tried to start a manual shifting vehicle by "popping" second gear, that if the engine didn't actually start, the wheel would again lock. I could be wrong about that, all I can do is recall the specific event that applied to my experience.A fellow worker came along with a .75 gal gas can and it wouldn't take the whole thing, yet we filled it to the top. Not so full that it was overfilled, but you know what I mean. As far as Locktite, yes I've heard of it, but it irritates my thighs. We tried two different colors of Locktite. Someone even suggested that we try clear fingernail polish. They actually stayed on longer with the polish. As far as catching the mirror, I was about to enter a 4-lane hwy. The max speed on this hwy is 45 mph, but most people creep up to 50 or a tad more. I stopped at a light just before turning left onto the hwy. I noticed that the left mirror was shaking violently. I went to try and secure it and it just went limp on the bars. Half a turn and it was off and I stuck it partially under me on the seat to hold it there. I only had maybe 5 miles to the office. They are doing construction on this particular road and everyone merges to the right lane. After the under construction portion I have to get back in the left lane quickly in order to make my turn. Since I didn't have a left mirror, I turned a little more to check if I could get over. I turned to check and I suppose I only turned for a split second and something hit me just below the collar bone on the right side. The mirror fell into my lap and hadn't fell to the ground yet. So in essence I "caught" it. Maybe not the textbook definition of catch, but it released in my direction and I secured it to my person before said item touched the ground. My dealer is Boswell's Harley-Davidson/Buell. There number is 242-6067. I'm sorry I wasted you guys/gal's time. I believe I'll stick with the Sportster and maybe get a Yamaha FJR1300 as a second bike. I've given you the name and number of my dealer. I thought they treated me VERY fairly, I never had to get nasty once. They've had a ton of Blasts roll out of there without an ounce of problems, the owner even puts most of his miles on a Blast. I happened to get a bad one. I moved on with my life. However, if it becomes necessary to start a full blown FBI investigation, please inform me if dead bodies surface. Sorry Bye | ||
| Blake |
"I've never had another bike quit on me while I was riding, dirt or street." You never ran low on fuel and had to switch to reserve? My point was not that your rear wheel did not lock up, but rather the cause of it locking up. In my opinion, your engine was seizing. And if your mirrors went from tight to unattached in less than a full turn, or even less than two full turns, there was something very amiss with the way they were installed. You are not wasting my time. I'm just very skeptical is all. Sorry you took it the wrong way. What is the area code for Boswell's Harley-Davidson? | ||
| Dickenscpa |
Sorry that I'm so splotchy and irregular with my posts. My wife just had our first child, a beautiful son, Friday June 14th, and it's hit and miss to get to my 'puter. Point taken Blake, I did take it the wrong way, I thought you were accusing me of lying. The S3T is not completely out of the question yet. As far as sporty looking street bikes, there's still nothing more beautiful than a Buell. I mentioned that I may go with the FJR1300 to my dealer yesterday and his response was unexpected. He knocked $3000 off of MSRP for the S3T and added $500 to my trade-in. So, he's giving me the S3T for $9495, out the door, no freight or set up. Just $9495 plus TTL. Also, if I add up my purchase price for my Sportster, less sales tax, plus every dime I've put into it counting sales tax, I'll make $284 on my trade-in. Something smells a little fishy to me. Why does he want to get rid of the S3T so bad? It's a 2002 with 36 miles on it. 28 of those miles are my test ride. My Sportster is a '01 Hugger 883/1200 w/ 1200C tank and fenders. I bought it new in August of '01 and have put right at 13000 miles on it. Could it be that, rumor has it, Buell isn't gonna make anything but the Firebolt and Blast after the 2002 models? Should I be concerned with that? On paper this seems like a no brainer! But, I'm not above missing someone's hidden agendas. I'm to the point of not really worrying about the reliability of the engine. It's basically a "hopped" up superior performing Sportster engine. I can rebuild a Sportster engine. The FJR1300 on the other hand is a different story. After almost 13000 miles, I've never even had the dreaded oil leak from the rocker box. It's been SMOOTH sailin'. If anyone comes up with a hypothesis, I'm ready to listen. TIA BRAD | ||
| Dickenscpa |
BTW, I forgot to mention, my dealer is running a special on ALL previously owned Blasts. They are selling them for $2995 and if you trade up within a year, you get your $2995 back as trade in money. It's just like the original deal Buell ran on there new ones about a year ago. Also, if the previous owner did any mods, such as exhaust, added storage bags, winshield, etc., it's still just $2995. As for concerns about the Blast, I joined a local Blast club when I bought mine and to this day still do rides with them. Out of 28 Blast riders, 13 of them came from my dealer and they haven't had any problems to speak of. If my wife could even begin to ride a bike, I'd snatch one of those up in a heartbeat! BRAD | ||
| Oz666 |
Dickenscpa: Buy the S3T!!!! I cannot state it strongly enough. My `98 has all the desireable features of a BMW, only with character. The handling is superb and there is power available everywhere. Take some of your "profit" and buy a Zero Gravity +3 windscreen from American Sport Bike, it makes it just about perfect. (I bought mine in Tampa and rode it to Buffalo, never missed a beat...) | ||
| Dickenscpa |
That's what I wanted to hear! An enthusiastic S3T owner. Looking at it on paper, I just can't see how I could go wrong. They're giving me a fabulous price on my Sportster and let's face it, Sportsters don't appreciate like the big twins. With that kinda price on the S3T, I can get the 4 year extended warranty and have some decent peace of mind. BRAD | ||
| Josh |
All you needed was an enthusiastic S3T owner? I've got 39,000 miles on my 99. Been drag racing, track school, long-distance high speed touring 1-up and 2-up, been camping in Sturgis and riding down a 14,000mi peak in a hale storm (BadWeatherBikers for sure!). I normally commute to work (33mi each way) year 'round on it. Nallin Stage 1 heads, Race header & ECM, K&N filter. With 95RWHP, a Zero Grav 'shield, both size bags and the fairing lowers it's better than a Beemer! I paid at least $3000 more for mine that you will and consider it a great buy. Josh 99 S3T | ||
| José_Quiñones |
Brad, TO me it sounds like your bike is "vapor locking" You didn't mention if you checked/replaced the tank vent valve and hose. Your fuel tank vent valve might be stuck, or the vent hose is pinched somewhere. When you fill it up it runs fine, as the gas level drops, and if the valve or line are pinched, you will create a vacumm which will get stronger as the gas level drops, until the pressure is enough to keep the gasoline from flowing past the petcock. Find where the fuel tank vent line is, open the gas cap and blow on the line, you should be able to hear air exiting at the other end of the line at the tank. If not, you have a kink in the line that is blocking the air flow. Or, ride the bike, when it dies, open up the gas cap and see if you hear air rushing back into the tank as you open the cap. Finally, for that price/trade in deal, do it, get the S3T!!!!!! | ||
| Dickenscpa |
Jose, There may be a mix up here. I don't have the Blast anymore. I traded it in on a new Sportster a year ago. My dealer is having a good deal on used Blasts and I made mention of it in case anyone was in the market. We have to take our new son to the Dr tomorrow. We'll drive right by the dealership, I think I'm gonna go ahead and get it. I don't want to hee-haw around and it sell. They only have one left and Buells get gone pretty quick around here. BRAD | ||
| José_Quiñones |
Oh ok, I was just trying to figure out what the problem you described was, I guess we'll never find out Enjoy the bike and the baby, hopefully one will not take all your time and you can enjoy both. | ||
| 57sporty |
So how about those Firebolts? Good buy or go with X1, S3T, etc... Steve | ||
| Mikej |
Test ride them all, then go with your heart and soul. You'll know. | ||
| X1glider |
Steve, definitely get the X1. You can buy mine. Then I can buy the Firebolt! |
