| Author | Message | ||
     Danxb9r |
Thinking about buying a Buell XB9R? I really love the looks of them and I'm a current Harley owner and love the sound of the v-twins and i'm thinking I will like this bike as well. I came across a rather disturbing website that said Buell quality is nothing like Harley-Davidson's and I should beware of buying a Buell. It seemed that majority of the complaints were from blast owners and not the XB series. Do I have anything to worry about when it comes to reliability with these bikes? Are they rather comfortable to ride? What maintance is required? Thanks | ||
| Deuceman |
I have over 10,000 miles on my 03 9R, and I don't have a single problem (haven't had one either). I think Buell and Harley have improved their quality in the last few years. I have owned Hondas, and I would venture to say that this bike is as well built if not better, in my experience. I also have a 98 Ducati which has been problem after problem. I have heard that Ducatis are really well built bikes, which has not been my experience. What you hear from non owners can be misleading. I think the new Buells are great bikes, as others will attest, I'm sure. | ||
| Rubdoggy |
i did the same research on that very bike. there are whole sites against buell, all of them are blast owners. i bought the 9r, because of the researching, and am very happy. as for comfort, i'm 6'1" and am not having the aches that i used to get from my last sport bike(yzf600). let's not forget the compliments  . i get'em from the harley riders AND sport racers. i ride with both. i was even invited to be a part of a local ducati group. they're not too close minded but i was happy for it. yeah, you could say i'm happy  | ||
| Buelltroll |
Blast's look and ARE crap.The XB's ARE a bit troublesome SOMETIMES but definetly not any more than your harley. | ||
| Coolice |
I have owned my XB9R since May 02. It now has over 10,000 miles on it. I too was a Honda only rider, but always liked the Buell lines. My XB just keeps getting better the more I ride it. It has about 1500 miles of track time and the rest city and highway. It has the factory race kit, and I changed to HD Syn oil at 500 miles. NO problems. Check my profile for all the extras on it. I recommend the XB9R to you as a great all around fun bike. And keep readin here at Badweb for any questions you may have. | ||
| Knotrider |
danxb9r, if you want some data to factor into your decision check my profile. also on my 039r there is (was) a real weak belt. the factory changed the entire drive for 2004. and if you want to run clip-ons the 04 tubes stay clamp diameter (54mm ?)further down the tube so both of your clip-on bolts will be holding aluminum instead of air. as for liking the bike. i hate myself for not buying one when i first saw it in july 2003. so do yourself a favor and buy one now! | ||
| Butch_xb9r |
My 03 Firebolt has 49,500 miles on it. It has the factory race kit as far as mechanical mods go. It'll probably be in the shop by next week for the 50k service. I got it used in Feb with under 44k so I've been in the saddle quite a bit. I love the bike. | ||
| Jlnance |
Blast's look and ARE crap. I have to disagree. Personally I prefer the looks of the Blast to the XB bikes, but that of course is subjective. What isn't subjective is that by warantee numbers, the Blast is the most reliable bike HD makes. The fact that they can survive being Riders Edge training bikes is in itself impressive. That being said, I do know 2 people who have had problems with their Blasts. In both cases they were early models 2000 & 2001 and they were minor problems. I know a woman who bought a used Blast and didn't check the oil for over a YEAR. When we convinced her that she should check it, it wouldn't even show up on the dipstick. The bike seems just fine despite that neglect. It is that kind of person, who has no prior motorcycle experience, to whom the Blast is marketed. It is a tough little machine. | ||
| Danxb9r |
The site I was referring to was http://www.mybuell.com/ I'm looking at a 2003 Buell that has the "race kit" installed. Will this hurt reliability and does it really make a difference as far as power? Just seems to make it breath better from the parts list intake and exhaust upgrades. The bike has 1550 miles on it and was adult owned so he says.. | ||
| M1combat |
15K miles/XB12R/One failed trans output shaft. Replaced under warranty in about 40 minutes on a saturday morning walk-in. | ||
| Hammer71 |
Dan.. Sportster convert here and all I can say is WOW. Bought it April this year out the box. Break in as per manual then BAM.. tried very unsuccesfully to break and blow it up. Thing runs top notch handles better than the bullet train and best of all it's an American made machine that kills Jap bikes in the twisties.. Straight line speed cant compare to them but where you goin to do that anyway on the street. Over 2500 miles and not a single problem or worry.If you dont buy it you'll kick yourself later. | ||
| Danxb9r |
haha alright guys just put a deposit on a 03 Firebolt XB9R in the blue/orange combo that I wanted with 1500 miles. Beautiful condition with race kit. Pick it up saturday! Can't wait!! | ||
| Apex_assasian |
congrats dan.....great choice 4500 miles on my 12s and it has been flawless and hands down the funnest ride i have ever had. mike | ||
| Hammer71 |
Congrats man.. You wont be sorry | ||
| Bbstacker |
Dan, anybody buying a Blast because they think it will be like a Harley will be disappointed. First it's not a Harley and second it only has half of the XB9 motor. But I wander. I bought my '03 9R at the end of december last year. It had 2000 miles on it and the end of this month I will be doing the 10K service on it. It's my daily driver and there have been no major problems with it. Except, of course, for the somewhat questionable quality of the factory installed tires. The only things that have been replaced on it, other than tires were the front isolator and the sidestand pivot bolt. I have the full race kit installed and aside from losing a small amount of low-end torque, it has proved a very reliable setup. It regularly returns 50+ mpg despite how hard I get on it, too.  | ||
| Coolice |
Congrats Dan! You'll love it the more ya ride it. And you know where to come for info etc. And there are great sponsers of Badweb who will help you too. Get out and ride! | ||
| Vegasbueller |
Well I am heading towards 30,000 on the XB, and I have only had a few "failures". One being the speedo sensor, second the forward rockerbox gasket, and third being the rear master cylinder. I had one issue with the Voltage regulator plug and that took about 10 minutes to fix. I run a modified stock pipe with no issues at all,I also change the oil and filter every three thousand along with the primary oil. In a few weeks I am heading out to South Carolina from here non stop except for gas (about 500 miles) and have no worries at all about the bike. They are reliable as long as you treat them well. Enjoy, and welcome to the madness! Nick | ||
| Ivanski |
My only advise is make sure the dealer you use is Buell friendly. Many HD dealerships treat Buellers like bastard children & service their bikes accordingly. Ask other buell owners about the dealership you buy from. It may be worth driving an extra hour for service from reputable and responsible mechanics. As for the reliability of Buell Motorcycles: Other than my recalled wheel bearings (03 XB9S) mine has purred like a kitten from day 1. No Problems. Ivanski  | ||
| Danxb9r |
I couldn't wait so I decided to cut out early and pick the bike up tomorrow at the dealership. It will be a 3 hour ride home, should be a nice get to know each other ride. Is there anything I should have the dealer do before pickup for such a long trip? The oil was changed with HD synthetic and the 1k service was already done. Im scared about the wheel bearing issue were all 03's affected? | ||
| Elff |
Way to go Dan You will love it. I dont know what it is about a Buell but they are so darn addictive. Be prepared to have a constant grin from ear to ear | ||
| Deuceman |
dan, just look at the dust seals. if they are orange or red, they are fine. if they are not they are the old bearings. chances are they have already been changed. | ||
| Bbstacker |
There were some problems with the wheel bearings and a service bulletin was issued. Not a recall. That means if you have the old ones (black seals) your dealer will swap them for new ones (red seals) at no cost to you if you want them to do it. Because it isn't a recall they are under no obligation unless you request the service be performed. I didn't have a problem with my bearings, but I had them changed at about 6500 miles just to be safe. | ||
| Danxb9r |
Alright thanks for the info guys appreciate it. I will post pics of the new ride tomorrow. | ||
| Metalstorm |
Congrats on the new scoot! And welcome to our merry madhouse!  | ||
| Lovematt |
Congrats man...you will love this bike...and realize what this "character" thing the old timers talk about. And I mean character in the form of an emotional bond (love?) between you and the bike... | ||
| Cataract2 |
Well, I bought my bike back in Nov. and here's my list of problems. Front break light switch (lights the break light when you pull the break.) Starter switch had a small about of corrosion. Isn't it horrible. My God. This bike has been such a problem.  Just kidding. Though, those are the only 2 problems I've had. Just waiting for the dealer to get the parts. BTW, bike has 11,300 miles on it now. (Message edited by cataract2 on July 07, 2005) | ||
| Mmelvis |
Congrats on the new ride. Sound like a real great ride. Now for all you folks who like to bash the Blast, get a life. The bike is fun and great to ride, also fun to ride at the track. Have a great day. | ||
| Daves |
Congrats on the new bike! |
