| Author | Message | ||
     Rainman |
Dang dudes, I think I posted this, but I can't find it. Crazy day. Thumper wouldn't start this morning....first time ever and it felt like the battery is just out of juice. It makes since being as it's the orginial (2003). How long are these good for? How much do they cost? If I take it out for a long haul (most of my riding is 5 to 10 miles in town) will that help the charge hold as the battery gets older? | ||
| Rainman |
Hey KR, I'm not sure what they'd use without the Blast. The 883 is too big by MSF standards to use. The Blast meets everything that's maximum, size (500cc) horsepower (30) and all of that. The 883 is too big by displacement and horsepower. The GS 500 (Suzuki) is sometimes used, but it has a little too much get up and go for rank beginners. The Blast was designed for newbies at low speeds with the idea of serving us experienced folks with other performance. The RE programs in my neck of the woods are having issues getting enough folks in for classes. It's not cheap, although I think it's worth the money. Of course, I teach it ..... | ||
| Ezblast |
Check the quick board - there was a good price on a Blast battery - new. EZ | ||
| Blastronomer |
You can take the MSF course at the community college for $25 or from HD for $360. The only reason I took it with HD was b/c they threw it in when I bought the Blast. The classes at the college are always full. It's not just the bikes that are overpriced. | ||
| Rainman |
I hear that. The RE course is good for those who want to be around bikes for three days. It's a lot more detail and more fun for most of the students. The "state" classes I teach tend to be somewhat of a rush job. The range is equal, but I think the classroom suffers. Still, the cost difference is significant. | ||
| Fahren |
In MD, the local college MSF courses are still $250 -300, and Riders Edge is 335-350. The only really cheaper alternative is at one of the MVA (DMV) locations, you can get in for $175. Guess which class schedule is always full....... | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
It would certainly be ironic if the Blast is the only thing that survives the Buell shutdown. The "Buell Wars" might actually happen! | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
PS While I jest, I'm still deeply saddened by the recent state of affairs  | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Rainman-6 years is very good for a battery. Some report that if they are well taken care of they will last longer, but usually 4 years is to be expected. If you ride the bike every day or put it on a battery tender, you can 'milk' a failing battery for a while. I took the advanced MSF course for free. Seems to happen only once a year and I dont remember why. | ||
| Tortoise |
There is way too much irony in all of this. Especially if the Blast continues to be in production. I like to tell myself not to be like some of the v-twin riders that were so mean to us when the Blast got cubed. Like we were never really one of them. But then I remember comments from another Buell site like "you ride a scooter not a motorcycle" and "It was never a Buell, it was HD's beginner bike". Is it wrong to feel a little vindicated? I can handle being treated like a joke from the Harley riders. But, when hearing it from Buell riders it really hurt. (Message edited by tortoise on October 19, 2009) | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
I'd say your feeling was right on, but if the Blast really does stay in production, there may be more animosity to come | ||
| Rainman |
I caught a lot of crap when I went from a 82 Gold Wing to a Blast. When the cube happened the crap changed to real nastiness. I think the Blast is the best training bike out there because of its design. It has built in crash bars, plastic body work, incredibly maneuverable and the fact that you can take it off the range and roll 85 mph down the freeway. There is a lot of Buell engineering in it that makes it that way. I think, if the B is the last Buell built, there should be some pride in that. It's a great, general purpose bike that does everything decent and no one thing great. I like that. I'll toss the battery on a tender. I usually ride every day, but the battery's been acting weak the past couple of weeks. I'm sure it's toast. | ||
| Rainman |
For anyone who thought the Blast was HD's training bike and not a real Buell, I point out the under-engine exhaust, the steering geometry, the plastic body work, the oil in the frame, the front brake design and the Kawasaki switch gear. Nothing built like that but a Buell. | ||
| Ezblast |
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| Babired |
Rainman the motorcycle safety program up here in Maryland are all chatting about what RE's next training bike will be they suggested the 883 too. I think the Buell Blast will be the last link or thread for the Buells. The next couple of years are going to be interesting. Gearhead if you are in the military you get the ERC free once a year, are you? K | ||
| Fahren |
suggested the 883 too. I don't see how or why the MSF would change their bike size req's just to let sportsters (and thereby, a heckuva lot of other bikes 883cc or under) be allowed in basic rider courses. I think the "under 500 cc" rule is wise, don't you? Heck, just mount everyone up on a Yamaha TW200 or something. BTW, Babired, do you only each at Howard? Looking for a basic rider's course for my wife, but we are on the Eastern Shore.} | ||
| Rainman |
I'm pretty sure the biggest bike is 500 cc with a maximum of 40 or 50 hp. I'll try and find out. The 883 is definitely not approved for MSF use. It's also just a bad idea. At 500-pounds, it's way too heavy for rank beginners, it has too much torque and it's top heavy. As often as training bikes go down hard, the poor Sporty would be toast. It's no where near as tough as a Blast, which was designed to take a hit. (Message edited by Rainman on October 20, 2009) | ||
| Crackhead |
"Gearhead if you are in the military you get the ERC free once a year, are you? " It depends on the service and I know the navy does BRC and a military specific sports bike course. I want to take my Blast to the sports bike course and see how it does compared to the bigger bikes. | ||
| Rainman |
Heck, the RE folks here are talking about 883s for RE....I hope that's not the case. That would be a tough workout picking up all those Sporties! | ||
| Rainman |
OK, best as I can tell, bikes for training are limited to 500cc or less with an unladen weight of 400 pounds or less. That should eliminate 883s. (Sorry, some things gnaw at me until I track them down. Bad professional habit.) | ||
| Babired |
Fahren last year I was a QAS for the state and Wor Wic CC was one of my training centers I supervised. Take your wife there. They were my favorite training center. They have good instructors and a really nice training center. Rainman Yeah the 883 would be really scary, and I think the MSF has to approve the training bike anyway. I'm pretty sure there are 550s out at Glen Burnie they use them for the basic rider course for taller students. The Blasts are scary enough with all of the torque they have. When the students loose control of the Blast I cringe. Crackhead The Blast on the sportbike course.... you will smoke them with it. I've had the Blast on Battle Trax a couple of times and the larger sport bikes can not beat the time  | ||
| Rainman |
The Blasts are scary enough with all of the torque they have. When the students loose control of the Blast I cringe. -- As Court would say, "that is an accurate statement." Also, as Court would say, "remind me to tell you a story sometime." If you're QA, you have more inside info than I do. We had a GS500E years ago and gave it back, quick!The Blast works better, but it can be scary. Especially with experienced riders in the quick stop eval! | ||
| Babired |
I was a QAS last year and did have some pretty good inside info but I am no more  I asked my Chief in Md what if there could be a bigger bike the MSF would approve I'm waiting for the answer and will get back to you here on the board. K Endos on a Blast are fun! okay here ya go we had some Kawi Vulcans in the MVA training fleet that were 500s nothing bigger Until HD came up with the Rider's Edge Program approved bikes were the 250 ccs then Harley got the MSF to up the CCs for the RE program. 883 sportys were a joke, but this was a second forum I saw it mentined on, I was a little concerned! I wouldn't want to pick one up either! (Message edited by babired on October 20, 2009) | ||
| Babired |
Blast torque on cold days teaching RE I remember a couple of times getting on one, putting it in first gear and as I was taking off the rear tire chirping skipping on the pavement. Have you ever had that happen to you? | ||
| Kustomklassix |
Only on purpose  | ||
| Rainman |
No, but I've accidentally scraped foot pegs in the swerve...sometimes it's bad to teach on the bike you ride every day.....  | ||
| Crackhead |
yea, you shouldn't be dragging you knee in the long sweeper too | ||
| Slowhand96 |
Rainman, Babired I think... think... that for a bike to qualify to be used as an MSF training bike it has to meet 3 of 4 or 2 of 3 requirements.. It's been a while, but I used to solicit donation and loaner bikes for an MSF training provider in MN, in 2002 my partners and I bought 6 Blasts, I still have two of them since our school went belly up. Seat height below XX inches. Less that 350CC. Less than XXX lbs. I think there was one more requirement but I can't think of it right now. The MSF didn't change or bend any rules to let the blast be used. It qualified by it's height and weight. Just like the YAM TT250's that MN has a ton of right now. They exceed the MSF height standard but meet the other two or three requirements.... weight and displacement. If it were light enough and the seat low enough, I think a sporty 883 could be used???? | ||
| Slowhand96 |
Ok I did some checking, 500cc is an absolute max... so no sporties in the MSF. It used to be 350 but it was raised to 500 sometime in the late 90's, before the Blast was introduced. So this change wasn't Blast or HD specific. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Yeah, at $7000 and 560lbs, the 883 is a bad candidate for MSF! No, not military, close, but..... |
