| Author | Message | ||
     Gschuette |
I just bought the new cycle world magazine with the ultimate streetbike test in it. The 12s was included and I just wanted to make a comment or two. The magazines are so biased and anti-Buell it's not even funny. They complained about the bikes bad handling traits when trail braking. Isn't that a bad riding habit? I was always under the impression that it was. How can a reputable magazine criticize a bike because of their bad riding skills. If they had crashed on the tuono while dragging brakes through the corner they would have said the crash was caused by surface irregularities or some BS like that. If they had crashed on the Buell they would blast it in the magazine. I am just sick of reading articles where the autor/rider already decided they were not going to like the bike. This is just my opinion so let me know how you feel about the media's presentation of the Buell. I would give more examples but I left the magazine at a restaurant this afternoon so that's all I can remember. | ||
| Raraf |
That was funny how they ripped it and it killed most of the bikes on their course! But I do not think they singled out the Buell. They seemed to want touring bikes this year. The Yammie won this year yet last year it was 3rd. Going against the same bikes that beat it last year NO CHANGES to those bikes either. The Kwak Z1K was second and the Tuono was 1st last year. They complained about the Buell seat not being comfortable for touring. Duh. | ||
| Moedank |
its a harley man. you should know those jap loving magazines arent going to give the harleys two thumbs up.  | ||
| Moedank |
there is also another review i've seen in another magazine. they did a roadtest on the xb12s, and they frickin loved it. they had very minimal complaints about it and the way it handled. oh, i forgot to mention...the magazine that reviewed it was hot rod bikes.  | ||
| Outrider |
Yeah, I love the way they rip on both Buell and Harley but never refuse the advertising income. Then once a year each of the MC Rags seem to toss HDI a bone with a nice review just to keep them coming back. | ||
| Gowindward |
I read the review too. It really didn't didn't cast a positive light on the Buell. It's really to bad for the readers not getting the real deal on the bike. Look at it this way, I tell everyone I meet that my XB12R is a great handling, awesomely smoothed powered, quick bike. That one recommendation from someone they meet that rides a Buell is way more powerful than a few paragraphs in Cycle World. Money can't buy that kind of powerful advertising. | ||
| Gschuette |
I don't really care that they don't like buell or Harley but a fair test would be nice. I mean come on bashing a bike because of poor riding habits is ridiculous. | ||
| Todd_martin |
I think everyone is just a little(lot) sensitive. I read that and an article in a mag from England this weekend. Cycle World said it was a fun Hooligan bike, but was not good for putting 500 miles in on a day. They also pointed out that all bikes in the comparison are winners to even be in the comparison. I do not think the Aprilia won either. Concerning the trail braking, that is a very common practice in aggressive driving or riding. The ability of a vehicle to do this well is mention often. The Buell happens to get reviewed poorly on this area. Motorcyle.com loves the bikes and they even mention that issue in their reviews. Of course they seem to feel a lot of it can be reduced with proper suspension settings. By the was the English mag. It was doing cornering comparison. They were scientific, or at least used a lot of data collection equipment. What they found was that the Buell out cornered everyone. That included I think the Duc 998, Suz GSXR1000, Yam R6 and others. Equally clear in the graphs was that the Buell 12XBs did not match any of them accelerating out of the corners. The Buell in my opinion a very fun bike. It is almost as fun as it is interesting. It has ok reliability, but not as good as the Jap bikes. Only if the venues are hand picked will it beat the Jap bikes in a race. As fun as the engine feels it does not meet the sport bikes in 0-60, Quarter mile, or top end. I am looking at buying a Cyclone or a XB. I am looking at them because they are fun at city speeds up to 90mph. My last sport bike was boring until about 85, but was a blast all the way to the max speed I had it of 165. I want the fun where I can use it more often. Additionally they are different, interesting, and have a lot of character. By the way, both articles I read this weekend reinforced my interest in buying. | ||
| R1DynaSquid |
The magazines are so biased and anti-Buell it's not even funny. I can pull up many many articles from the past which speak favorably about Buells. Have read writeups on the M2, X1, S1, XB9S etc that were very positive. These guys ride a huge selection of bikes every day & have nothing to gain by slamming a bike. Maybe its just that on that day they called it like they saw it??? Not every article is going to be or has to be a tribute to Buell owners around the world praising the bikes. Funny how if someone doesnt see something the same way you or I do, then automatically they are labeled as being biased. | ||
| Shorty_ii |
The first thing I noticed was that strange "handling" course they used. I live in the Ozarks of Arkansas and we certainly don't have roads like that. Ours have a huge variety of tight turns, sweeping turns, increasing radius, decreasing, mostly blind, lots of hills with blind rises--the real world for me. Also, I own or have owned four of the bikes. All are good but each is different and has its own plus/minus points. I'll say the VFR (mine was an 01 before they added all that weight and dumped the better engine with the gear driven cams) is probably the best all around--touring, sport touring, comfortable, large tank, mechanical perfection.. After it I bought a FZ-1, probably the best value of the bunch at under 8 grand. Wind protection, large tank, centerstand, and R1 engine, but like the VFR a bit porky at 514 full of fuel. But that engine pulls smoothly from 2,000 up to a screaming 11,500. Now I have a Ducati Monster 1000S. I know it's not the same as the Multistrada, but would likely have fared better as it's 50 lbs. lighter with the same great 1000DS engine. Rock steady in turns and nothing seems to upset it. Great for an old geezer like me--mostly. Riding position has too much reach to the bars and bars are too flat. Downside: costly maintenance and high price. And finally, my 03 XB9S that I've had only a month. Like the Duc a lighter bike, only about 20 lbs heavier than the Monster and one that fits short guys like me (5'8) A better bike around town than the Duc', which along with an abrupt clutch, is tall geared in 1st and the engine lopes at low rpm's. Very comfortable reach to the bar which is just right for me. Easier clutch engagement. But seat was like a slippery rock. Just got the Sportfigher seat which looks to be far better. Lower maintenance costs and much better fuel mileage. But the big issue is the grin factor. I like to grin as I've got a helluva lot of wrinkles at age 70 and grinning smooths them out. The Monster and the XB9S win easily. The first two are great technical achievements and perform very well, but lack the "soul" of the lighter, less powerful twins. | ||
| Gschuette |
Shorty your right that's what i wanted to say. The amount of fun had riding a bike should be taken into account. And you other guys thanks for correcting me . I didn't know that trail braking could be good. I was also off in saying all magazines are biased cause they're not but I do think their are more negative buell articles than their are positive ones. I guess I let my emotions do the writing. And R1 you seriously need to buy a magnum those things are sick. | ||
| R1DynaSquid |
The gas mileage would kill me. | ||
| Gschuette |
I know but imagine the fun of a 345hp STATION WAGON! HELL YEAH | ||
| R1DynaSquid |
Already been there done that. Years ago after I ripped the leafsprings right thru the floorboards in my Gremlin with the 360 in it...was running low 12's at the time..I installed the entire drivetrain into a 79 AMC Concord wagon. Loads of fun, but 6 mpg was ridiculous. | ||
| Gschuette |
You are now my hero! | ||
| Xbolt12 |
I just wish for once the American magazines would try a tire change on the xb (to fix the trail-braking and turn-in issues). xbolt12 | ||
| Vaughn |
I agree, trail braking standup goes away with Diablo tires. | ||
| Brucelee |
"I ripped the leafsprings right thru the floorboards in my Gremlin " Sad to say that I too owned a Gremlin back in the day. Had that 258 straight six and a three speed on the floor. Very very strong first gear with lots of torque. Then, nothing. I reall piece of crap! I loved it though! | ||
| Glitch |
I loved my '73 Gremlin. I guess we all love our first car. Remember this little guy?  |
