| Author | Message | ||
     Eviltwn996 |
Thought Id take a moment to introduce my self. Im Scott and I live in Minneapolis, MN. My current mount is a 97 Suzuki TL1000S. I ride the damn thing all over the place, lots of touring. I love that bike but Im thinking its time to up grade and put the TL to track day use. Im thinking I would like to get one of two bikes: Triumph Speed Triple or the XB12Ss. Decisions, decisions. So, when it comes to aftermarket parts, like the Jardine exhaust for instance, does it jive with the race ecm you can get from Buell? Their web site says you have the throttle position sensor recalibrated, is this because of the butterfly valve in the stock exhaust going away if you replace it with something other than Buell? And for that matter is it really worth making those changes to bike? I like the twistys as much as quick burst down a loooooonnnnggggg straight road, open er up if you will. cheers, Scott | ||
| Diablobrian |
Hi Scott. The TPS needs to be reset whenever a new ECM is installed on the bike. The race ECM eliminates the valve actuator so there is no problem there. The Jardine (and all the other aftermarket pipes) works just fine with the race ecm. There are gains to be had by modifying the Buell. The EPA restrictions are fairly severe. Hope you opt for the Buell! You already found the best rescource for them on the net. | ||
| Metalstorm |
Hiya, welcome to the BadWeb I don't think you can go wrong with either bike. They're both pretty damn awesome. I don't envy you having to decide between the two. I personally would go with the Buell. Not because it's better, that's all a matter of personal taste & opinion. But because it's a bike that I have a half way decent understanding of. I've also gotten to know many people who ride Buells & they are just the coolest folks. Real motorcycle enthusiasts who for the most part, don't get caught up in the brand wars. Plus I have the Badweb where I can get any info & help I need for my bike & learn about the newest, bestest goodies available for it. Not to mention there are really great sponsors here that can get you pretty much any part or accessory you want or at the very least, steer you to some one who can. I really love the Triumph triples (especially the 06 Daytona..WooT!) but I'd be lost as far as parts & technical help. Or worse yet, completely dependent on the local dealer *gulp* But like I said, that's just me. The only thing that out shines my lust for a Daytona is my lust for a Firebolt. I just need to win the Lotto so I can have them all  The best thing you can do is test ride them both. Only then can you really compare them & see which fits you best. At least it's a win-win situation. You can't go wrong with either. (Message edited by Metalstorm on February 06, 2006) | ||
| Eviltwn996 |
Hey, thanks for the welcome. I'm leaning towards th XB. They look bada$$! I do alot of roadtriping and I like the more upright riding position, you can also fit a ventura rack to them. So if you get the aftermarket pipe and ecm how does that effect the warranty?? I've seen alot of info about Drummer pipes. Seems mostly about preference than anything or do they offer something that Jardine or Micron dosen't? | ||
| Buell_892 |
also consider Special OPS in the sponsor section. I just got one... and LOVE it. I would say either go with kevins drummer or a special ops.. either way... you will be thrilled! | ||
| Diablobrian |
I've never heard of a warranty issue with a race ecm. Weather a non Buell factory pipe will affect warranty is entirely up to your local Buell dealer. If they "didn't see it" it never happened if you know what I mean. They are used to seeing aftermarket pipes on the H-Ds anyway | ||
| Eviltwn996 |
My TL has pcII, Yosh slip-ons and a K&N air filter. When I brought it in to have the frame replaced (long story) they didnt say much about the mods and Ive seen plenty of Harleys with after market pipes so I'd hope it wouldn't be a problem. Buell is having a test ride at the end of April so I'm going to test ride every XB I can get my hands on. I really like v-twin motorcycles, the only problem is there is not a whole lot to choose from. I've always liked the Buell line, but I've heard a lot of horror storys about them. Seems like the qulity control has come a long way recently so I'm thinking Buell all the way. | ||
| Diablobrian |
the horror stories pretty much came to an end with the arrival of the XB line. Fit and finish are on par with any bike manufacturer you care to name. You have a good plan with the test rides. Also be aware most dealers will have at least one XB they will allow you to test ride. before someone jumps in here with a ready made horror story let me be clear... Of course there are always exceptions. | ||
| Eviltwn996 |
Let me ask you guys this, I tour alot. I ride between 300-500 miles a day when I'm out riding. What kind of mileage/tank could I expect from an XB12S? | ||
| Olinxb12r |
I think around 40 mpg is pretty normal for an XB. The long has a bit bigger tank, so you will get more miles out of it, but I generally get about 135 hard miles out of my 3.7 gallon tank on my XB12R. | ||
| Cyko_bob |
Eviltwin...the mileage will depend on how much you twist the throttle. For instance, in break-in, I got 65-67 MPG (keeping the RPMs below 3K). I was even afraid to tell anyone because they would think I was exaggerating, but I have seen other posts from other Buell riders indicating they have gotten such mileage also, so I don't feel so bad mentioning it now. However, on the road and reasonable speeds, I suspect you will get in the mid to lower 50s. Twist it hard, and the mileage goes down, of course. Otherwise, it is an economical bike....even maintenance wise...no valves to adjust. The rear tire wears quickly, but most sport bikes do anyway. For touring, get yourself a good seat other than the stock seat. I have a Corbin...helped bunches, plus it plants my rear end where I want it when I get twisty. However, check out the Buell seats too. Those who own them claim they are good too. Maintenance wise, dealership wise, etc, I would go for the Buell. I really like the Triumph too, but I don't see the dealerships or support like I do for the Buell. Good luck whichever way you choose. Cyko Bob | ||
| Metalstorm |
My 05' 12Scg gets a consistant 44.5 mpg. On days when I was just cruising & keeping it some what sanely mellow I got a tad over 50 mpg. Those days are rare though cause the right hand has a mind of it's own.  The Ventura pack rocks on the 12S. It installs lickety split & is hella strong. The big 45 litre bag can be a little cramped but on the Ss it should be about right. You might want to check Ventura's site to see if they have "L" brakets for the 12S long yet as the bike is still relatively new. There's a couple threads about the Micron system (headers & whole shabang) that in conjunction with a mapped ecm have gotten 100 ponies at the rear wheel with no internal mods. I myself plan on going with either a Drummer or a Special Ops some day because just they plain work & are simple to install. (they're just slip ons. albeit, really nice ones). They won't get you to the 100 hp mark (as far as I know) but they get you close enough in my opinion. Warranty is a grey area. It's pretty much the dealers' call. If the bike has a problem that is not caused by the exhaust and/or cannot be linked in any way to the exhaust, an honest dealer would honor the warranty. But that doesn't mean they have to. To be 100% safe, wait till the warranty expires. Otherwise be aware that aftermarket exhausts give dealers leverage on you whether it's right or wrong. ON EDIT: I guess I better start eating my words. I just saw the thread with the dyno results for the Drummer SS on an '05 12S running a race ecm (normal, not mapped) & a K&N filter that got 104 horse power. Damn!... (Message edited by Metalstorm on February 06, 2006) | ||
| Eviltwn996 |
Good news on the gas mileage. I'm in serious like with that. The jury is still out the exhaust. I'm a little underemployed at the moment (been laid off since last may "05" ) so I got plenty of time to make up my mind. As far as the ventura pack goes that would my first addition to the bike, you can't go wrong with them. Easy on easy off. |
