| Author | Message | ||
     Pariah |
Hi, Thought I'd start a new thread on my experiences with my 1125R as a totally incompetent ferkin' moron rider... oh, and, by the way, I'm an engineer (if you recall) which means that I'm automatically better than most people in nearly every respect, including motorcycling, but especially in the Art of Pleasuring.  Seriously now, my 1125R has returned to me from the dealer, and they found absolutely no problem with the bike. No fuel smell, and no stalling. I can't confirm that the fuel smell is actually gone (the dealer parked the bike in a large warehouse rather than a confined space like my garage). After a test ride, this is what I have honed in on: -> my 1125R seems to stall on downshifts to first gear as I blip the throttle, just BEFORE I engage the clutch at speeds of approximately 20-25mph. I do this downshift before tight turns (like a slow right hander). Question: does this happen to you? To avoid the stall in tight turns, I've been keeping the tranny in second gear and feathering the clutch through the turn (this avoids the blip and the stall). Seems silly that I'd have to do this, but this might be my car experience talking... Question: am I doing something wrong here? Another question: how do you handle tight slow speed turns? Does anyone downshift (with a blip) to first for such turns? I should also point out that I can use the friction zone in first gear for tight parking-lot maneuvers (counterweighted turns, figure eights, etc.) and the bike never stalls on me. Some feedback here would be helpful as I'm not sure if it's just me... In other news, I took y'all's advice and got myself a proper beginner's bike: a Suzuki DR-Z400SM. Suzuki has a promotion right now (only $49/month for the first two years), which helped to make the second bike purchase (in almost as many weeks) seem sort of sane. I have to say that after two weeks of commuting and riding around on the Suzuki, I felt much more confident and in control when I got back on the 1125R... I plan to continue commuting on the DR-Z while I train in seclusion on the 1125R. Here's a picture of my 1125R (before I dropped it) :  BTW: what's the command for directly posting images from an external website? [Blake: thanks for the tip regarding the "imagelink" command--- the photo now shows (above)] Best, Takis (Message edited by Pariah on March 17, 2008) (Message edited by Pariah on March 17, 2008) | ||
| Zac4mac |
Takis Hit the "upload attachment" button at the bottom of the reply window. That will give you the option to upload a picture from your computer to the post. The image must be less than 70KB and I think max size is 600 x 800. Glad you're doing OK, the 1125 is the most fun and definitely the best handling bike I've ever ridden. Zack | ||
| Luisemilio25r |
It has happened to me more than 5 times the exact way you describe it Pariah. It's been a couple of weeks now since the last time she did it. I guess it had to do with the engine breaking in. I'll post again if this keeps happening. Also I have the same problem with the fuel smell after riding it and storing it in the garage. | ||
| Baggermike |
when downshifting do not blip the throttle, this method was used so the rear wheel would not skid or hop when down shifting, this is what a slipper clutch is for and the way the buells work is by engine vacuum, anyway do not give the bike any throttle unless it is to accelerate, now there is a dvd called ride like a pro, the guy teaches police bikers to ride there big heavy bikes at slow speeds, if this is a problem for you get the dvd it is worth it, so just keep the rpms up, look to were you want to go with you head strait, use the clutch in the friction zone, and keep you right foot on the brake aplying a little pressure, do not touch the front brake or you will go down, and if you get into trouble just let the clutch out and accelerate out of the turn, he also say's to practice every week no matter how good you are, and he also says to practice stopping from the highest speed you go, I am teaching my son and plan on going with him to an advance riding school, and then I am going to race school, I learned young on a dirt bike and was crazy, but riding today is crazy with everyone pissed off at the price of gas, talking on there cell phones, text messaging, looking to put in a cd in there radio's, and I would not be surprised of some cars run bikes off the road on purpose, I do know when lane spitting I get people who try to block me and others I swear they are trying to kill me, you need to ride with a six thence, and even the best rider in the world can be taken out by a car pulling a left right in front of you, bike accidents have been on a rise by 5% each year for the last ten years, you are safer on a race track than riding on the streets around were I live. Mike | ||
| Baggermike |
also blipping the throttle could cause the spark plugs to get dirty or fouled which would make the bike run bad, at the end of a ride I open up the bike to give it a good clean out, my bike starts first time every time and I never give it gas unless it is to go. Mike | ||
| Hwyranger |
Sounds like you're doing everything right in the tight parking lot maneuvers. Carry those skills on over to the street when you are handling slow speed turns. No need to blip the throttle, just feather the clutch and feel your way through the turn. If I am slowing to <25 mph for a turn I downshift to 1st before I start the turn and treat it like a normal corner (not much need for clutch). Between 25-30 mph, I leave it in 2nd and feather the clutch through the turn like I would when practicing the figure 8s. You are absolutely going to love this bike!!! Especially since you are building your skills on the suzuki and dont have to fear messing up on your baby. She will reward you ten fold. BTW...engineers dont have the market cornered on "the art of pleasuring"...cops have fun toys to play with too  | ||
| Rainman |
OOOOOH,the police! Wait, I'll assume the position (I know it well) Now search me, I might have a gun! | ||
| Baggermike |
April 2008 rider magazine has an article on Building Blocks, Total Control Motorcycle Training. I highly recommend RIDE LIKE A PRO D V D for anyone that wants to ride there bikes at the slower speeds. | ||
| Bdutro |
Mechanical Engineers do it with Stress and Strain. Civil Engineers do it in the dirt. | ||
| Blake |
"BTW: what's the command for directly posting images from an external website?" \imagelink{URL of existing web resident image file here} Example: \imagelink{http://homepage.mac.com/tzourntos/Motorcycling/P2192701_big.jpg} Results in... The "Help/Instructions" link at the bottom of any forum page will take you to more such information regarding customized posting/formatting. BTW, NICE photo!  (Message edited by Blake on March 17, 2008) | ||
| Pariah |
Blake: thanks!! That's exactly what I was looking for... allows me to bypass the file size limit. I tried "\newimage" and "\image" but I couldn't guess it right... Mike: even with a slipper clutch, I think that you still want to blip the throttle for downshifts... the slipper is there to soften the transition, but proper downshifting technique should always involve a blip to better match engine and rear wheel speeds (and lessen the abuse on the clutch)... let me know if you strongly disagree; again, this is my four-wheel experience talkin'... Maybe my blips aren't right... I sorta twitch the throttle quickly... maybe I need to roll on it more slowly? Or is it that fact that I'm in the break-in period that the engine sometimes stalls on throttle blips? Hmmmmm... I might call Buell Customer Service about this... my DR-Z never stalls on me unless I release the clutch lever too quickly, which is what you'd expect with a motorbike. Best, Takis (Message edited by Pariah on March 17, 2008) | ||
| Citified |
I believe the computer does the blipping for you, I think you are stalling because of that. | ||
| Baggermike |
Pariah the buell slipper clutch works on vacuum not like the other slipper clutches out there, so when give it the blip you are not allowing the clutch to work properly but I might be wrong, I was doing this on the highway, I would come into the rest area around 70 mph and just down shift with out the front brake or using the throttle, then I would cruise through and hope it was clear coming out and would nail it in third if it was all clear and the bike would just pull up to triple digits, I will start a thread on this and see what we get for answers. Mike | ||
| Court |
>>>the buell slipper clutch works on vacuum not like the other slipper clutches out there, Mike: How do the other slipper clutches out there work. Which motorcycles, other than Buell, have them? | ||
| Court |
HINT May 2005 issue of RoadRacing World has a complete write up. good info Frankly, I'm eager to see what other manufacturer adds a $1,000+ clutch to a street bike. | ||
| Blake |
Court, Don't the Aprilia RSV's have much the same clutch? And I believe that at least one of the other manufacturers are selling bikes with conventional slipper clutches. No? Might be the Ducati "R" version or something exotically prices like that. | ||
| Dentguy |
Which motorcycles, other than Buell, have them? Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha all have a slipper clutch. | ||
| Court |
Found it . . .thanks.
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| Slypiranna |
Call me slip-er-ee but I prefer the old method and forgo the slipper clutch. Seems that most earlier bikes don't have to have this sort of a clutch mechanism for a true street purpose built bike. An open liter big four rocket though...mainly derived from racing, I can understand but I do not agree on this sales or design tactic applicable for 90+% of street applications. I've owned Yamaha rz 350s THRU v-maxs over the last 20 years and now this Buell 1125. I feel I LEARNED to ride, on the street, even in the rain, BETTER, without a slipper clutch (or computer throttle blipper) in the mix. As is a hyd clutch...versus a cable, without that feel you have to go on experience, ear and feel of the engine. If you don't have that experience, well, chances are, you will learn the hard way in the end...or maybe even the beginning. Please read again which clutch/downshift is better for a street application by the threadstarter that is learning the right way on a suzi 400. Please note that I do understand that a slipper clutch is now widely accepted as the norm by almost all. I only argue the above by a true daily or street driven bike application. By the way, I do not blip the throttle and usually click two gears down at a time prior to sliding out the clutch to engine brake. This should show the gear ratio spacing and mph speed used in a daily commute on what this machine was, last time I read, designed for. Two clicks down from anything less than 50mph, then two more...all the while just a hint of front brake...click neutral and front binder to a stop WITH RIGHT FOOT DOWN...makes a difference if you gotta get the hell out of what ever might just be coming up outta the blue in your rear view mirror! Keep your left foot and both hands ready and on the controls at all times...that is if you can balance with only one foot. 2000+ miles now and my 1125r has never stalled on any downshift without any throttle angle applied...or blipping. By the way, from a street standpoint, the rear brake on this bike is barely sufficient as a hill holder...go figure. Not that most use it but really, why would you design it there with this sort of mentality to disclaim it as useless? Useless redundancy? p.s. Smart move to the threadstarter for the new purchase to learn on...peace out and ride safe | ||
| Nefariousc |
Nice choice on the DRZ400-SM to start out with....we've had about 5 of them in the last few years...now we've sold all of them in favor of my husband's/daughter's new passion for mini-moto ... |
