| Author | Message | ||
     Pariah |
Howdy All, OK, I admit that I'm a relative newbie to motorcycles... just got my license a few weeks ago, and my experience thus far consists of 3 days of riding around on a Yamaha TW200 (MSF Basic Rider course). But I'm not a newbie to performance vehicles, and I've tracked my car and have autocrossed it considerably. I'm also an engineer, so I know my way around technology (supposedly). I'm also 37 years old, married with a young'un. Not looking to go fast outside a track, just want to become a proficient motorcyclist. I greatly admire Buell... their innovative spirit and enthusiasm, and that's the primary reason why I bought the 1125R. If the USA needs anything right now, it's that our engineers ought to think out of the box. I preface this post so you know where I'm coming from. I researched long and hard to narrow down my first bike, and my understanding of Buells is that they can be docile at lower speeds/RPMs and that power delivery of the V-Twin (either XB series or 1125R) is smooth. As long as I'm smooth and conservative, I figured, I should be OK on the 1125R, and slowly ramp up my speed as my proficiency improves. My recent experiences would indicate otherwise, however. Allow me to relate... I was doing some slow speed (10-15mph) parking lot riding, much like what we'd done at the MSF. Traveling straight, I downshifted from second to first gear (practicing my throttle blip technique), and rolled on the throttle as I leaned for a left turn. In the middle of the turn, the engine stalls. At no point was the engine chugging. The RPM was around 1500 to 2000, I think, though I had the clutch fully engaged. As you can imagine, my rear tire seized up and I lowsided. I was uninjured (a testimony to the Buell's safety features). I raised the bike up and took some deep breaths. My new Buell... clutch lever bent, scratches on the left fairing, marred paintwork. Only 50 miles! This is not the only time that the engine has stalled on me while applying more throttle. Unfortunately, this was the only time it happened while turning. On the way home from the incident, the engine stalled on me at around 3000 RPM, as I upshifted to 3rd gear. I heard a "pop" sound when the stall occurred... detonation, perhaps? I feared for my family jewels... I'm freaked out... is the 1125R not suited to slow speed maneuvering? Is it this high strung? Or do I just have a lemon? In addition, I should mention that I get a strong fuel odor from the bike after riding it. Can't keep it in the garage or it stinks up the whole house. Have to wait until it cools for the smell to dissipate. Any suggestions? Any advice from y'all would be greatly appreciated. Best Regards, Takis (College Station, TX) | ||
| Andella |
I would have a friend or somebody with more experience ride the bike to determine whether or not it is operator error. | ||
| Zac4mac |
At that speed, you should have been feathering the clutch. Takis, be very careful, this is way too powerful of a bike for a beginner. Get a dirt bike, put the 1125 in the garage for a few months and go ride the dirt bike hard. Fall down a few times. Learn how to land and not hurt yourself. Learn how NOT to fall down. Learn how to enjoy your ride for a LONG time. Ride safe Gig 'em Zack | ||
| Spectrum |
This bike has a real tall first gear and the engine is lugging under 3200 rpm. In other words, if your under 3200 rpm you'll need to be slipping the clutch or accelerating quickly out of the low rpm's. As for the gas smell, that's not normal. Take it back to your dealer. | ||
| No_rice |
well to start off, congrats on the bike! i wouldnt have really recommended it as a first bike, but hey not like i follow my own advice anyway! as far as having the clutch fully disengaged and trying to run 1500 rpm i would say it had to be chugging. that is only a couple hundered rpm above idle. you need some more motor speed even on an xb. or else slip the clutch. and going into 3rd at 3000rpm? crank it up a bit. you could have easily still been in second for awhile even during break in i am not saying this is your only problem, but it would be a good thing to change. it is a brand new motor though so it will take some time to get broken in. the fuel smell is not a good thing though. there are some others noticing the same thing currently. look for a post in this same section about the fuel smell. | ||
| Jpfive |
Well, I only have my opinion - but it is based on riding experience going back to when I was 14, and I am now 61. Takis, you are on way too much bike for your riding level. The Buell you should have chosen is the Blast, then an upgrade to an XB of some sort, and once your skills have progressed to the next level, to an 1125. It is good that you have taken the basic riding course, but there is no way that you are prepared to handle the power that this bike delivers. But you own the bike now, and it is not impossible that you can learn to ride on it. However, I can not in good conscience recommend it... My advice is to park it for awhile, and purchase a smaller bike to learn on. Buy some books on riding. First step to controlling a bike at parking lot speeds, and low rpm, is to learn where the 'friction zone' is. If you don't have a clue what I'm talking about, then buy a book. I can recommend two to start with: "Motorcycling Excellence", a Motorcycle Safety Foundation publication, and David Hough's "Proficient Motorcycling". PM me with your shipping address, and I will send you my copies. I know this isn't what you wanted to hear, but it is sincere on my part. Jack | ||
| Spatten1 |
At that speed, you should have been feathering the clutch. Yeah, this ain't a car engine, you have to feather the clutch at low rpm. However, at 3k there is not excuse for stalling. That might indicate a problem. As referenced above, get someone else to ride it and check it out. | ||
| Dentguy |
Some others have mentioned stalling problems so it may not be you. Get the bike checked out first to make sure it is OK and safe (no stalling). Stalling at 1500 is one thing stalling at 3000 is a problem. If it is OK then it may be your riding style and you can try to adapt. (Message edited by dentguy on February 25, 2008) | ||
| Baggermike |
I can not believe you bought a bike like this, I bought my son a Buell Blast to learn on and giving him my ulysses and I worry that the bike is to much power for him to handle but I will be teaching him as he goes and he will be following me and I can point out what he is doing wrong so he can learn from me and I hope for the best and worry about him just being on a bike, I have people cut me off and pull out in front of me all the time so I know how dangerous it is to just ride, never mind riding a bike like the 1125R. The one thing you need to do is learn how to stop fast, the rear brake is useless on a sport bike and I would recommend an advance riders course, take what you learn then go to race school, this is what a this bike is made for to go very fast and on the street a buell blast would give you all the power you need to stay out of trouble. I would like to know why you bought a bike with this much power, you need to be so careful with this bike or you are going to end up were you do not want to be. I have ridden for 35 years and I know I have to respect this bike on the street or it will bite me in the ass, if you want to learn how to ride slow in like parking lots get ride like a pro, and the best advice I can give you is to learn how to stop at the speeds you travel, so find a big parking lot and practice stopping as fast as you can using your front brake, this is the most important thing for you to learn, and if you panic on the street you will lock up the front wheel and go down, if you use the rear brake on a sport bike it is like useless and you will just skid and if you do you can still control the bike, but do not let off the rear brake if skidding or that will cause you to get hurt also, I never use the rear brake unless I am stopped at a light, sport bikes get its stopping power from the front brake, so go one speed and use the back brake only and mark how long it takes to stop then go the same speed and brake at the same place using the front brake only, you will see a big difference, have you not seen stoppies were the rear wheel is in the air, anyway practice stopping and practice, practice, practice, it can save you life, it is easy to go fast but stopping in a real life world is what will save your ass, and I agree what the other guys say park the bike and get a less powerful bike to learn on to go fast, and work your way up the ladder, you had to crawl before walking and you got to walk before running, I think you bought the wrong bike and probably for the wrong reasons. I wish you the best of luck and listen to the guys here they all know what they are talking about, I have been in some bad accidents and lost my wife in one, I assume you have a wife and kid and need to be careful, I am going to race school to learn how to control this much power and to ride fast on a track not the street, this is why I bought this bike for riding on a track, and I know that this bike can get you into trouble fast but it is only as fast as you twist the throttle so be very careful. Mike | ||
| Slypiranna |
Very strong fuel odor is GASOLINE evaporating at an ABOVE AVERAGE rate (really?)...NOT CORRECT or ok at all...but could it have something to do with this low side?!? Non the less, have it checked out by a Buell certified tech/dealer asap (NOT YOU) and or before anyone fires this production # up again or that will only lead to another drama post here...which WE DO NOT NEED DUE TO INEXPERIENCE. Nothing personal meant. As far as an 1125 being the chosen bike for a beginner...I ask this question...would you hand the keys of a brand new 2008 corvette over to ANYONE that just got thier drivers lisence passing behind the wheel of a yugo? Come on. We all have to climb the same ladder don't we? Is this not what we all refer to as experience...once experienced? Not meant to be taken in too negative light to the original post, just helping to look at reality here. Get a blast if it must be a Buell or get a used jap 600 and learn to ride. Engineer or Janitor makes no difference behind that helmet as both look the same dead coming off a bike they aren't ready for...or even worse, someone else taken out as a result of either or's ignorance. Make the call with that thought as this is not to be taken lightly. As for low speed riding at 50miles...forget it. After 1000miles you'll still have to slip her to keep her happy. Sell, trade down and or store...or just look at and admire late at night...but please don't ride your new 1125R anywhere near me...YET | ||
| Hwyranger |
I would advise parking the 1125 for a while and picking up a blast to get comfortable and build your skills before jumping onto this bike. I know from personal experience....my first bike was a Honda 600rr. That bike is more than 90% of riders can handle, and the 1125 will smoke that thing like a turkey. BTW..I did go down on the 600 because it bit me in the ass when I made a mistake. The 1125 is stupid easy to ride, but that's not to say it won't have you (or me or anyone else on this board) hanging from the tail section before we know what happened if we don't pay attention. Bottom line, you did pick an AWESOME bike and it will bring you more *&%t eatin grins than you can imagine, but it's an expensive lesson if you drop it. The Blast, on the other hand won't bite you (as hard) if you make a mistake, and it's a whole lot cheaper of a lesson. And in the end, you have two bikes to play with. There are only two types of riders: Those who have been down, and those who are going down. Stay safe and enjoy the bike...it will absolutely not disappoint you. | ||
| Cmonkey |
I've ridden bikes from 360-750 for a number of years, stopped riding for the last ten, and I'm looking forward to putting an 1125r under my xmas tree this year, and I know this is a lot of bike to start back in on again. That's why I've already gone to a superbike school, and plan to do so again before I buy the 1125. Spend a day or two at a bike school; use their bike and their gear, and you'll get a taste of what you've bought into. (you'll also be less tempted to push it in the streets) If anything, the school can teach you more about bike handling than you'd ever thought possible. When I went to my first school, I was cocky and ready to drag my knee.... The first class was about the basics, (boy did I get humbled), and now when I'm on a bike I'm still practicing those basics. Get to a school! It'll cost as much as a decent suit, but it's worth much much more. Definitely consider getting a smaller bike to practice on for a while too. And just to scare you, an acquaintance of mine bought a first bike that was too much for a first time rider(GSXR1000). Rolled on a little too much while trying to turn, lifted the front, and then dropped it. He high-sided, and the bike followed him into a fire hydrant. His family misses him. Do your family a favor, be really careful, and if you don't go the route of a smaller bike, at least take the class. Your family will thank you. Dave P.S. I attended the Keith Code super bike school in CA. Find a similar school near you and take it, it's well worth it. For a day class it costs something like $300+ if you use your own bike. Around $750+ if you use their bike and gear. It's well worth it to use their stuff the first time around as these courses do chew up tires. | ||
| Rustygas73 |
I won't pick up my 1125r until late May. I get back from Iraq early May. I plan on taking H-D riders edge(because I get a 200 dollar rebate and it's been 18 months since I rode) just to shake the cobwebs off. then I plan on dogging my little dual sport out on the ranch for a few weeks to remember what pain is....then I'll keep riding it as I ease my 1125R through break-in. I probably should have gotten a later delivery date as I am a danger in a car right now let alone a bike...but I'm a paratrooper, I'm stupid enough to jump out of a perfectly good airplane with a parachute made by the lowest bidder....so that beast ain't gonna kill me. ok it probably will..but what a way to go | ||
| Darkice19 |
I bought my wife a buell blast to learn on and she took the harley course. Wrecked 2 of their training bikes now she wont touch hers. So its sitting in my garage shadowed by my 1125r. If you want a blast to learn on PM me and ill gladly let you have it for what i paid for it. Im in nebraska so to save you shipping i can meet you half way if you like. You will kill yourself on the 1125r its not for someone learning how to ride. Like everyone said get the buell blast. Its very forgiving and easy to learn and cheap to wreck. | ||
| Svo1023 |
Looks like everyone has the same opinion on your bike of choice....i am no different..and i sell them..believe me i see it almost everyday..i just took my course how much is that gixxer 1000...(we sell used sportbikes sometimes) the largest bike i would try to put a grown man on would be an xb9...you definatly have WAY too much motorcycle for your ability at this point....i personally am by no means a professional rider..and i will tell you the 1125 is a pretty wicked machine.....and things happen mighty fast with just a simple twist of the wrist... Let me ask you this ....when you went to purchase your bike did you tell your salesman your situation? Did he ask you about your riding experience? I sell them and you know what? It is how i eat and provide for my family..but i also have to sleep at night....and you really do need to listen to the advise that all of the experiened riders on here are giving you....nobody has said it yet....but i can say that 99.9% of the people that have posted on this subject...would have avoided that low side you had in the parking lot by just pulling the clutch in......it's not the bike it's you... ride safe Mike | ||
| Rainman |
OK, as a current Blast rider (love the damn thing) a former Gold Winger and souped-Sportsterer (is that a word), I understand why you bought what you did. As a MSF coach/Rider's Edge coach, I'm cringing. However, my first bike had way to much power for my skills and, after dumping it once in a pile of pine straw -- long story -- I slowed down and really focused on what I was doing all of the time. I dropped it at slow speeds -- the usual time to drop it -- and scratched my pretty Harley, but they were my scratches. If you can get a Blast -- and they're pretty cheap -- you'll learn faster. If you can't afford it, just drive real careful. Read books and pay attention to what you're right hand is doing. | ||
| Zac4mac |
Takis - just a note. I've been riding 35+ years. I have 2400 miles on my 1125R since mid December and I live in Colorado, so I ride quite a bit. I have been FULL SIDEWAYS 5 times already on my 1125. We haven't gone down, but YOU don't have those skills or reflexes yet. Get your 1125 fixed back up, but keep her in the garage for a while. I can't stress enough the idea of getting a dirt bike to learn on. No cars, trucks or busses to watch out for. No teenagers yakking on the phone or soccer moms yelling at their kids. Just you and the bike, learning how to play. Bryan/C.S has lots of "country" to ride a dirt bike, get after it. Zack (Message edited by zac4mac on February 26, 2008) | ||
| Bearly |
Pariah: Congrats on your purchase of your new 1125R. I'm sure you will enjoy you new machine, the best sport bike yet from an American company. As far as just riding a bike that has over 50 hp's for your first bike... everything has already been said. Pariah: Buy the best safe equipment available. Wear the most armor that you can put on I don't car how hot it gets. Buy a pair of Sidi Vertigo Corsa boots or similar to protect your feet. Wrist protectors are good. Have your LEATHERS, have all the armor in them. OF course a Full face helmet. Your going to need it. You friends might be out riding in less, but you are more likely to wreck than someone that has been riding for more than a year. If one was forced to go out an buy a bike that was way over there head, a V twin with such a flat torque curve was the way to go. Dude, Have fun, but be careful. And Welcome! | ||
| Court |
>>>I would advise parking the 1125 for a while and picking up a blast to get comfortable Sage advise. Buy a used Blast. Read the material folks have offered to send and resolve to do a great deal of learning. The BEST thing you did was wander upon one of the best sources of sincere help, genuine concern and experience. We're with you on this. | ||
| Ccryder |
Takis: The hardest thing to do on a M/C is slow speed tight turns. I dropped my X1 5-6 years ago when it coughed in a 2mph tun in a parking lot and I went down. Besides a bruised ego, bent clutch lever, I tore my right bicep picking her back up (still paying for that!). I was lucky that is all that happened and, I've been riding since before you were a sparkle in your...... well you get the idea, over 35 years. Next hardest thing to do is STAY ALIVE! You mention you are "not a newbie to performance vehicles." Riding a M/C on the street takes a different state of mind. The issue of performance vehicles is one part, a small part compared to staying alive. If you add in the high performance aspects of the engine and brakes on the 1125r it really complicates the whole scenario. Zac and others mentioned various means to get some experience and to stay alive. These are all excellent suggestions. The main reason you should heed our suggestions is your "young'un". No matter how GREAT a Mom your Wife is, she can't take your place in the life of your "young'un". Time to make the choice, since you now have the responsibility. Time2Work Neil S. (guilt trips are a bitch but, they are the truth! You will not find a group of more caring people than the one's around here that are trying to look out for our newbies, IMHO. We want you to be around for a long time.) | ||
| Baggermike |
Parian I have three bikes a ulysses, a blast and a 1125R, I bought the blast for my son to teach him to ride and have seen him make many mistakes and had some close calls and he has ridden on the back of my bike from 8 years old. I like the blast and got it for a grand, it needed some work but I got it running good and it is a good dependable bike, I have been buying parts for it off of ebay like a big bore kit and I am going to rebuild the motor and this is my bad weather bike but it is a good bike and guys race them and if you go on bad web to the thumper forum and ask those guys about the Buell blast they will tell you it is a very good handling bike. I enjoy taking it for a spin, it is old and needs more power for me but I have been riding bike with allot more power but riding around town it has just enough power to ride around at a good pace. I am doing a complete tear down and putting in a big bore kit with cams, carb, exhaust and head work, I will have a nice all around bike that I will enjoy riding, and if I had a corbin seat I probably take it touring, I can strap allot to it because I do not have to be careful scratching it, plus with the motor upgrades the bike will have good power and will be my winter bad weather bike. The 1125R does not get good gas milage and the blast gets like twice the gas milage and is rated at 70 mpg and the 1125R gets like 30 mpg. I do not care about the blast because I got it cheap so I can sleep at a motel and not worry if my bike is going to be there in the morning or if I hit ice in the winter and go down, which I did this winter and had little to no damage. I would like you to think about what kind of riding do you want to do, like touring, racing, city riding, just to go for a cruise, drag racing, riding year round, etc and P M me with what you want from a bike and I can help you out with links to websites, plus I have had over 30 to 40 bikes and learned on a dirt bike. think as the bike as a tool? would you use a phillop screw driver for a flat head screw? if you tell me every thing you want from a bike and the type of riding you do I can help you, I think you might be able to sell the bike for what you paid for it and get a bike that is right for you, I know all the bikes out there and I am a motorcycle addict so let me help you stay alive. Mike | ||
| Xl1200r |
Pariah - Please, please, PLEASE don't think anyone here is trying to bitch you out or tell you how stupid you are, but you do need to listen to the advice given here as I haven't heard a bad bit yet. Taking the MSF course earns you a certificate that says you can ride a 250lbs, 15hp bike in a parking lot. You now have a 400lb, 146hp bike on the streets. Not even close to the same thing. The 1125r is an amazing machine, but you need to bellieve every single person on this board when they tell you it's WAY too much bike for a beginner. Things can get out of hand so quickly it'll make your head spin. Please take this entire thread as nothing more than genuine concern and solid advice for you. The last thing any of us want is for you to get a "I'll prove them wrong" attitude and hurt yourself or someone else. Buy a Blast, or a Ninja 250 if you want something sportier to learn on. The initial investment might be a little much, but you'll get it all back when you resell in a year. My girlfriend passed the MSF course and we got her a Ninja 250 to start on. I worry enough about her on that, let alone anything with the least bit of more power. Stay safe. | ||
| Pariah |
Thanks to everyone for the candor. Ouch!  You really have me thinking about trading down. Not because of the peak horsepower of this bike, because I know I have the restraint not to go there. But because from your posts, no one seems to have suggested that the throttle response should be smoother at lower RPMs. I personally feel that any bike built "from the rider down" should not stall as more throttle is applied... that's just not user friendly, whether or not one is a beginner. You might think I'm crazy, but here's how I came to the conclusion that an 1125R wouldn't be a bad beginner's choice for someone who has a lot of restraint: - for a larger person (I'm 220 pounds, a weightlifter and fairly strong), I've been told that the XB12S wouldn't be a bad first choice (again, assuming one has some mental discipline); - up until 7100 RPM (XB12S redline), the 1125R actually produces less peak torque than the XB12S (but the two bikes actually look the same up until 7100 RPMs)... only a fool would open the 1125R up to actually use the upper rev range on the road (I had been planning to do track days at Texas World Speedway, near where I live, so I thought having a redline of 10,500 RPM would be "useful"); - it's a 375 pound dry weight bike, so relatively light... I had no trouble raising it once it had fallen; - the handling is excellent. So, I dunno, in some ways, the 1125R seems like a better choice than a Harley Sportster, for example, a bike that many noobs seem to go for. I had been planning to ride the 1125R for several months in mostly deserted streets and parking lots near where I live, to become intimately familiar with it, before venturing on the street, so it's not like I'm reckless, folks. I'm no squid, either, and I do wear a full complement of gear at all times. I think my next step will be to have the dealer look at it to make sure there isn't a problem with the fuel delivery system. If it turns out there is no problem with the bike, I will likely sell my 1125R and get something else. Probably not a Buell, though. My next choice would probably be an entry-level Ducati Monster, or a BMW. Any advice on the best way to sell an 1125R with 50 miles on it that's been dropped once? Trade? Sell on ebay? (Message edited by pariah on February 26, 2008) | ||
| Xl1200r |
Paraih - Regardless of your weight, an 1125R, an XB12S, a Sportster, ANY modern Ducati or BMW are all bad choices for first bikes. You need to be looking at something under 600cc and less than 350lbs or so. The dirtbike idea is an excellent one. As is a Blast, Ninja 250 or 500, etc. You need a bike that is just flat out EASY to ride, not make excuses for anything else. You need a bike that you don't need any "mental discipline" as far as the throttle is concrned because you need to be concentrating on your technique - not how much throttle is too much. You're weight and ability to pick a bike up has absolutely no bearing on what bike you should choose. If you were 400 lbs it would be a different story. When I started riding I was 160 lbs and a stick. I can pick up a Goldwing from it's laid-over state, that doesn't mean I should have bought one as a first bike. As far as riding on deserted streets, keep in mind that most motorcycle accidents don't involve another vehicle - i.e., the rider just lost control on their own. Do yourself a favor and check out www.beginnerbikers.org - lots of good information there. My advice concerning the 1125R is to keep it. You're gonna lose your ass on it if you try to off it now, so may as well keep it around while you learn on something else. Stay safe. | ||
| Zac4mac |
Takis - What you NEED to do is learn how to handle a MOTORCYCLE. You don't need one that will spin the rear tire on dry pavement. If you do take it back out on the street, "Leather up". Every car on the road sees you and is trying to kill you. I hate to see anything bad happen to a fellow Aggie. Ride Safe Live long and Have fun Zack | ||
| Clutchless |
Think of it like ninja skills. A ninja can kill you with whatever weapon he wishes. This can be a blade, toliet paper, water, whatever he wants because he has been trained on them all. ok bad example.... But you wont do any better on any other bike I'm afraid, due to your training. You could kill (ride) anyone (anywhere,anything) if you would have been there before and done what happened before. Just takes practice my friend. Low throttle response at low rpm's is common for any motor with a higher powerband (I.E. more power over, lets say....5000-6000 rpm. not at 3000 like a aircooled buell) Us with low powerbands give up what you have at high rpms for a positive feel down low as you have seen. It wont stop the bike from dying out under 2000 rpm but it does make a difference if feathered. Dont get ahead of yourself here, if it is really the first time down there's lots of things going on that you have never experienced (remember ninja skills take practice). Thus making the next and all movments down low in the powerband will be tender pushes out on the clutch while keeping the motor turning, right? We live we learn. I wouldnt comment on this but I'm afraid your going to trade up on a sweet bike that will be meant for you in a year or so. Dont trade up now, you'll only scratch the new one as well. Treat it a little more gentle, you are going fast wether you think it or not, even in small parking lot circles and little bends in town. Once you find yourself making fast actions in town and below 40-50 mph without biting your cheek or shifting around on the seat, then I would start practicing my turning in controlled situations. If you bought it to ride, then just ride. I hear they do cruise very well, although not meant for it. Again, ninjas who start out do not get blades, they practice with sticks. Otherwise we would have lots of fingerless or dead ninjas. sorry bout your luck! pick it up, buff, repeat. (dont feel bad most of the people who comment probably dropped at least once in the passed 3 years due to laws of probability!!!!including me) | ||
| Ccryder |
Takis: The 1125r's engine is not designed for the low RPM's. Short stroke, low flywheel mass and, a tight engine all contribute to the problem you experienced at low rpm. The 25r I test rode acted the same. It needed 3,000 rpm to pull cleanly from a stop. Even navigating the parking lot, getting to the street required slipping the clutch and riding the friction point with the rpms around 3000. Coming from my 12r or even my ST1300, it was very different at slow speeds. There have been a number of 25r Owners that mentioned it stalling during the early miles but, seemed to clear up as the miles increased. For $1500 you should be able to find a Blast to get some seat/ street time under your belt. After 3,000-5,000 miles riding the Blast you should be getting close to experiencing the 25r, on better terms. I'm afraid that trying to sell the 25r at this point would be a loosing venture. Not knowing TX that well, I would still venture to say that there might be some Buelligans around that could help you at least to get some experience, if not find a Blast. Time2Roll Neil S. | ||
| Davegess |
When you were running at 1500-2000 rpm you were right at stall speed for a high reving bike like that, not much above idle. The engine was likely protesting BUT the slipper clutch was doing it's job and you wouldn't notice. I would not try to do a difficult turn, and low speed, tight turns are very tough, on any bike - 'cept maybe a little dirt bike- without slipping the clutch. I would slip my clutch on my GB 500 single doing that kind of thing at 1500 rpm. | ||
| Baggermike |
pariah if you own the bike out right then take it off the road and park it, find a buell blast cheap and ride it for a few months, go to race school, the one near me you can rent Dukes which is like the Buell xb bikes powerband I have read the ulysses makes a good track bike and I have one waiting for my son when he is ready to move up from the blast. I also am going to race school to get my license to ride on a track, but if I were to race I would not race this bike I would build a single cylinder dirt bike conversion, or the Buell blast, and was told that this would make me a better rider, I also want to get back into dirt bikes but do not like cars and is why I bought the ulysses but is to heavy for real dirt riding, a single cylinder race bike would be my comfort zone for racing, but for just going on a track I want to be able to go fast but not compete, I also want to drag race and my ulysses was to slow for me, the ulysses is tall and if you are tall that might be a good bike for you after learning how to ride fast and safe and would be the next step up from a smaller bike. like I said I am teaching my son how to ride and bought him a Buell Blast, they can be hopped up and make like 50 hp at the rear wheel which on a light bike would be good, and you can rent dukes at the track as well as leathers and helmet and the bike have like the xb bikes power band. Also you need something that will give you down low power from what you have said, a bike is meant to run a certen way or it will get carbon build up, so I believe in doing a wfo every time I ride to keep the engine clean inside, and the only way to do this is at full power and high rpms, you can not do that with the bike you have at your skill level, so the bike will start to not run real good because of carbon build up and that will cause other problems like detonation and a hoter engine and that can hurt the engine, so you see that a bike like this is made to be run hard and if you did that you would get in trouble. Here is an example of what I mean, I bought my friends bike when I was young a honda xl 350 it would smoke allot when started and had no power, I cut the muffler off and beat the hell out of it, two month went by and the bike did not smoke anymore and had more power, so my friend asked if he could take it for a ride and said sure but I did not say anything, he came back and ask me what it cost to rebuild the engine and I laughed and said nothing I just rode it like I stole it. Mike | ||
| Elvis |
Pariah, I think the big problem right now (at least what caused you to post) is the tall gearing. But once you master that, the more dangerous problem - as many have pointed out - is that it will be real easy to get yourself into trouble on a bike like this. But your points are valid. The 1125R is relatively light and managable. Also the flat power-band should prevent surprises. I would suggest - if you have enough money to buy a brand new 1125R - you should consider buying something like this: http://www.cycletrader.com/find/listing/1980-SUZUK I-GS-450S-87239801 . . . but I wouldn't be too quick to trade or sell the 1125R. The Suzuki will allow you to continue learning how to ride, and after 3000 miles on that, you'll feel a lot more comfortable on the 1125R. And after 3000 miles on the Suzuki, you'll likely have outgrown it . . . the 1125R will still be a big step, but much less of one than what you're trying to do now. You'll still need to use RESTRAINT, but you sound fairly level headed. And just to let you in on a secret: We all started out riding dirt bikes and 250 cc street bikes and we'll tell you now it's because we were careful, responsible riders . . . . . . truth is, if any of us could have afforded something like this, we would have bought it . . . and we probably wouldn't be here today. |
