| Author | Message | ||
     Jima4media |
Now about that X-X-2.5 Story - you can repost this where ever it makes sense. The reason it is X-X-2.5 is because I no longer have it. I gave it back to Harley-Davidson Buell this week. Here is the whole story from my website at http://caferacers.editthispage.com/stories/ From time to time people ask what the X-2.5 means. Here is the condensed story so far... All of these items have be documented on badweatherbikers.com, americanthunderbike.com, and caferacers.editthispage.com Bought a new Onyx Alloy colored 1999 Buell X-1 from Bob Dron Harley in Oakland on December 23rd 1998. Broke 4 exhaust head studs in a 3 month and 2200 mile time frame from January to March 1999. 1/23/99 1083 miles 2/02/99 1399 miles 2/27/99 2319 miles 3/22/99 3280 miles Broke chin fairing bracket twice. Broke rear exhaust bracket. Broke numerous front exhaust bracket grommets. Bad ECM module. Upgraded software to version 06G. Engine Temp sensor failed. O2 sensor failed. Two bad batteries one bad voltage regulator Oil leaks from front and rear heads - replaced rocker box gaskets several times. Oil leak from primary gasket Oil leak from crank seal in transmission. All recalled parts fixed in July 1999 - 0812, 0813, 0815. Broken primary chain tensioner Broken front exhaust bracket in August 1999 Broken seat latch This bike spent 9 weeks in the shop out of the 10 months that I owned it. While this bike was in the shop in Santa Cruz, Buell loaned me an S3. I took it to L.A. and hit a log in the road at 80mph. It blew both tires and bent both rims. See Battle2Win picture. Buell replaced the Onyx Alloy 99 X-1 bike with a 2000 Blue Streak colored X-1 in October 1999 - This is why the X-2 version. I put 12,000 miles on the first bike. Broken chin fairing bracket in November 1999. ECM not working right in December. Dip in the mid-range will be fixed by a new exhaust pipe to be installed soon, I hope. Rear brake locks up going up Empire grade outside of Santa Cruz. No problem found at Santa Cruz Buell. December 23rd - While going up Mount Hamilton, rear brake locks up low-siding me off the bike. Broken air box, broken brake pedal, scratched exhaust pipes, other minor damage. Bike was in the shop for a month. Replaced leaking Showa shock. May, 2000 - Sears Point raceway - Primary chain tensioner breaks, tearing the transmission bolts out. Motor has to be replaced. This makes it Buell X-2.5 with the new motor in it. Bad battery on the way up to Old Highway 40 Days. Replaced by Rocklin Buell. Race ECM upgraded to 04J version by Buell Techs. Stock muffler broke into two pieces at the front weld. The exhaust problems were finally fixed with a 2001 exhaust bracket and a SuperTrapp IDS muffler. Do a search on SuperTrapp to find the problems I had with it. 3 different SuperTrapp IDS mufflers installed. SRP kit installed on Showa shock at Santa Cruz. Broken clutch cable - Replaced by Modesto Buell Bike was in the shop for a total of 83 days in 2000. Bought extended warranty for it from Santa Cruz Buell. 4 rockerbox leaks this year - one oil pump leak, and one primary gasket leak. 13,800 miles - Leaking Showa shock replaced for second time by San Jose Harley Headlight wires break. Wired up a 12 volt outlet and plugged in a 12 volt searchlight, bungied to my tank bag. I've spend $200 on deductables for extended warranty so far. 16,837 miles - the speedometer goes out. It is a speedo sensor failure. 16,837 miles - Rear exhaust header tears at the O2 sensor. 16,837 miles - Supertrapp IDS breaks at the inlet again - third time 16,837 miles - starter motor gasket replaced. 16,837 miles - rear brake locks up - condensation contaminated DOT 4 fluid - not covered by warranty. $232 total for the repairs. 17,200 miles - Rear Dunlop 180 takes a nail 17,800 miles - 2001 replacement Showa shock leaking - replaced by Modesto Buell. This is the fourth Showa on this bike. 18,170 miles - broken head stud, race header gasket missing. The bike has been in the shop a total of 11 days out of the last month, and I've spent more than $1,000 on service and repairs. 6/12/01 - Kicked out of San Jose Harley by Richard the service manager. 7/01/01 - Modesto Buell notices another starter motor oil leak. 19,685 miles - Front brake locks up at 10MPH on Palomares road and cart wheels over me. - See Accident Report for the whole story. Hit a rock and skidded the front wheel before it locked up and endo'd. 21,100 O2 sensor went out, exhaust clamp broke on ride to Donner Pass. 21,300 Primary gasket oil leak 21,726 Fixed Primary and starter oil leaks.Battery replaced for 6th time. Right swingarm isolator is bad. 15amp fuse responsible for trip meter resetting. 23,090 Had the new Harley rocker box gaskets installed and had the breather modification done as well - See breather story and pictures. 24,492 Buell race muffler split at the inlet weld - replaced by Modesto Buell. 25,200 Shift arm broke - threads stripped out on trip to Long Beach. Mark from Buell had a new shift arm on the Demo truck. 25,400 Major oil breather blow out on Long Beach trip. Lost more than a quart of oil out the breathers. Jay and Don at Modesto Buell rigged a catch can for me. 26,600 Broken chin fairing bracket 26,830 Broken exhaust stud 29,400 Brake light wire broke 33,915 Rear exhaust header came apart again with the nuts unscrewing. 35,915 - Actual mileage - gave the bike back to HD-Buell. Mileage differs from indicated because of speedo sensor failure, but only you and I know that. Jim X-X.2.5 | ||
| Dynarider |
Jim, exactly what do you mean by "gave the bike back"? | ||
| Kevyn |
Jim, that is an awfully long tale of nagging problems. I'm truly sorry and wish you the best luck on your next bike adventure. I've enjoyed your cafe-racers site many times and your enthusiasm and dedication to riding is clear. I can understand if your Buell experience has dampned your enthusiasm for the marque and perhaps even for HD. I do hope that the XB series develops a stellar reputation for reliability. So far their rideability is garning rave reviews. Lacking true insight into your situation with repairs, the dealer network clearly has had it's hands full with Buell products. Technical support at the dealer level has been less than adequate nearly across the board across the country. But I think that can be said for nearly all the manufacturers. Sportbikes are becoming more complex technologically as we demand higher degrees of performance and as the manufacturers scramble to meet those demands. This much is apparent in any sporbike magazine and from talking to the riders. I can't offer any real solutions. You have my sympathy and respect for sticking out this long. Others with fewer problems bailed much sooner. Without question, owning and riding Buell motorcycles has brought me to people I now call friends and given me riding experiences I would never have had any where else at any time. For this, I am forever grateful. Now go find yourself a nice S1W or an S2 and relive the Buell experience as it should be...among good friends on the road!  | ||
| Grndplane |
Man you sure are hard on bikes. I have 25,000 on my 2000 X1 Lightning, and I have changed my brakes maybe 3 time, my clutch cable once, and that was very easy compared to my 80 XL1000. Now I have a rocker box leak, but thats not bad in 25,000 miles. I think you may have gotten a lemon, or you were very very hard on your bike. Just my 2 cents. |
