| Author | Message | ||
     Mrsuperbuckets |
Many times throughout the years, I have asked myself why I love buells. I believe I have finally nailed it down, to the engine. I have owned many bikes, probably more than I should have, but every buell I have ever owned has been amazing. I love the handeling, looks, feel, sound and the way the bike just feels complete and unique. I was reading articles on the 1125r, and I found something interesting, on a compression of the ducati 1098s, 1125r and some screwed up Italian brand I forget the name of.  This dyno shows Why I love the engine in buells soooooo much. I mean just look how flat that power curve is, it is almost a flat line! | ||
| Foxy_1 |
Amen to that  | ||
| Sprintst |
Not quite following here. Is it that the power curve follows the Duc, albeit at a lower level? That is kind of why I like my Buell. Road a buddy's 1098 and it was impressive. The Buell has a similar feel, though SOP not as strong. I could definitely crank up the front end easier on the Duc | ||
| Mrsuperbuckets |
There is a massive dip in the yellow line "the ducati" and it actually dips bellow the buell in terms of power for a brief period. I am not sure how you misread that, but my point was how stupidly flat the power on the buell is, which makes it better to ride | ||
| Noobuel |
I think this is the graph that depicts the point you're making.  | ||
| Hybridmomentspass |
a little larger than the Duc and yet 20whp down on power. dang. | ||
| Mrsuperbuckets |
The duc runs crazy cam profiles, and also sacrifises ridability for power, being that they put all the power up high and not useable on the street. While yes the buell is down on power, with the money you saved buying a buell you could buy a keda rt-3 and ebr ecm and produce the same power for a fraction of the cost, while still sounding better and hadiling better. | ||
| Oldog |
Buckets, You miss many important issues, LIKE the Buell valve train is simple and easy to adjust VS the desmo @&^^$W@ing dumic for those with a love of complexity the Ducs use toothed belts which have to be replaced at valve service time, VS a chain ( belt final drive is wonderful! ) folks who worry about specs should keep sand paper on hand for their racing benches splinters in the fanny are bad .... | ||
| Mrsuperbuckets |
I mentioned the insane cam profiles, because the duc uses mechanical valves, so no need for valve springs. This type of valave setup is desmodronic, and they hold advantages and disadvantages. To me, it doesnt matter what peak hp and tq values are, it matters how and were it makes power. Buells are amazing at being butter smooth with power, and making it in useable places for street racing. | ||
| Sprintst |
The 1098's dip below the 1125 looks pretty slight. I haven't ridden them back to back, but the 1098 definitely had "more". I can power wheelie my 1125 in 1st, and get a hint of lift in 2nd. The Duc pulled up in 1, 2, and 3rd easily on throttle only. Brakes were insane. That said, between the valve adjustments, the added price, etc.... I'm super happy with the 1125R. I feel I get most everything the Duc offers, and it's less expensive and easy to work on myself. American made is a nice bonus too | ||
| Mrsuperbuckets |
I owned a 1198 for a beief period " i say owned loosly" the brakes had more initial bite, the ztl2 sytem lacks initial bite but has what feels like more grunt overall. The wheelbase is longer and you can feel that, along with the higher center of gravity, the buell will out handle it, albeit in my hands, results will vary person to person. To me the buells engine felt more... More.... Nice. The duc had a lot of power, and the throttle was very nice and controlable, but the engine felt...... Racey. I mean that as in, the engine "woke up" around 7k rpm, and had a noticeable dip in power in the mid. Which was wierd because it was a twin. And remeber i had the 1198 not the 1098, and the 1198 was better than the 1098! The engine also is absurdely clanky because of those desmodronic valves. | ||
| 1313 |
 folks who worry about specs should keep sand paper on hand for their racing benches splinters in the fanny are bad .... | ||
| Tbowdre |
>>>>I can power wheelie my 1125 in 1st, and get a hint of lift in 2nd<<<<< my bike would loop trying a wheelie in 1st! Powers up easy in 2nd and also in 3rd... this is sitting down with a tug on the bars. Standing with left foot on passenger peg she powers up easy in 3rd. EBR ECM, drummer pipe, K&N filter, inner air box removed | ||
| Nikoff90 |
Like Tbowdre my bike power wheelies in first and will loop without extreme care. I cant say that about second and third as I have next to nowhere that I can open the bike up for that long or nearing the speeds that it would be hitting, anywhere near where I live. I would love to put the 1125 on the track "cant knock in turn handling one bit" but the cost of front brake maintenance is stopping me from even considering that. I picked up a Duke 690 for running around on next year. Next to the 1125 the Duke feels like a toy or a BMX with an engine but will do all the fun stuff in much more confined areas where I drive. | ||
| Ogobracing |
First a disclaimer, I no longer am a Buell owner. I sold my 1125r in a deliberate move away from sport bikes. I had a tendency to ride them in the fashion for which they are designed, and that was no longer practical. Over the years I've had the good fortune of being able to ride a wide range of the best sport bikes out there. I have no doubt that in the most competent of hands some, including the Duc, would out perform the Buell. However, few of us if we are honest are in "the most competent of hands" classification. Perhaps talented and good, even maybe at the amateur racing level, but not at the top of the class. Of all the bikes I've had the good fortune of owning and/or riding the Buell was the easiest to ride fast and competently, which made it by far the most fun to own. | ||
| Mrsuperbuckets |
Its funner to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow. But in the 1125r's case, its funner to ride a buell fast or slow than any other bike! |
