| Author | Message | ||
     Rackman |
I am new to Buell, I have an 06 XB12SS, I have had the bike for a few months, but this last week I finally got to put some miles on the bike in a long enough time to learn more about the bike and it's habits. Something I noticed is that going over bums, or using the front brake the frame seemed to flex. How I noticed my left foot was near the gear shift and the case, in fact my foot was touching against the side of the case, and as I would apply the front brakes, as well as go through a dip/depression in the road the case would move. I don't know if it was significant, but in all my riding on many different bikes, I had never noticed it before. I was riding with another rider who was riding a ULY, and we traded for a short period of time and I felt the same thing... I cannot visualize this as a good or normal designed behavior. This cannot be good on the engine/frame. Can someone help this newby out on this. I looked as much as I could if something was loose, but I could not find anything, I have between 800 and 900 miles, it was serviced before 500 miles, this last weekend I rode for about 400 miles combined between Saturday and Sunday. Love the bike, just concerned about the flex. | ||
| No_rice |
never noticed anything like that on any of mine. frame flex on an xb???? i highly doubt it was. very strong frames. i would bet it is just the movement of the motor on the rubber mounts. | ||
| Bikoman |
I believe it is this at work... "Aluminum frame with Uniplanar™ Powertrain vibration isolation system" John | ||
| No_rice |
"Aluminum frame with Uniplanar™ Powertrain vibration isolation system" laymans terms for the most part equals... rubber motor mounts, lol. | ||
| M1combat |
The swing arm is mounted to the engine. You'r feet are connected to the rear tire, your hands to the front  . I assure you that all flex in the entire system is engineered into it for a reason . | ||
| Rackman |
Thanks to All, I feel a slightly better now that I am getting some feedback, but it was still a little unnerving feeling the flex, I know that flex is designed in, but I had not experienced it in this manner before. The first time it happened I stopped the bike got off and started looking for loose bolts and pieces. Then later I quized the dealer personnel and they just shrugged their shoulders like they had no idea of what I was talking about.... I don't want to flame, but I am not sure I agree with the foot pegs being attached to the rear/suspension anymore than the front suspension, they are both attached to the same frame. When I go home tonight I will have to pull out my service manual to try to teach myself more. Thanks to all for getting back to me. | ||
| Olinxb12r |
I'm sure it just seems like it is flexing from the movement of the engine in the rubber mounts. The frame itself is staying solid, as are the footpeg hangers which are attached directly to the frame but the engine it self is moving around. If it didn't move around it would vibrate like crazy. I believe that the rubber mounts have solved a lot of the problems that the tube framers had just because of the decrease in vibrations. | ||
| Davegess |
Yes, the engine is moving. It can move front to back and the foot pegs cannot move. The frame is not flexing. You are riding what is perhaps the stiffest frame inthe business. The motor however can and does move. If you have ever ridden a solid mount Sportster you will know why it is allowed to move. Without that you are riding a paint mixer. Relax. Enjoy. Nothing else out there handles better. | ||
| Tank_bueller |
The first time I experienced this "phenomenon", I got a little freaked-out too. I felt the shifter moving in relation to the footpeg. After a quick inspection and a good long stare, I realized that the swingarm is attached directly to the motor which causes slight movement of the motor in it's rubber mounts when hitting bumps. And,.. everything else(front end, footpegs, seat, etc) is solid mounted to the main part of the frame, which is isolated from the motor by the rubber mounts. (does this make any sense?) | ||
| Rackman |
Sure it does, makes much more sense than the statement that the foot pegs are attached to the rear suspension... the rear suspension is attached to the engine/transmission, which is isolated from the frame with Uniplanar™ Powertrain vibration isolation system, otherwise known as rubber mounts, which allow the engine, case and rear suspension move separately from the frame....  , I am now armed and dangerous with this information, at least I won't start tearing the bike down looking for loose connections, expecting the engine and transmission to fall out as I am going through the twisty's... thanks again | ||
| Diablobrian |
the bonus is the bike does not get as unsettled by mid-corner bumps as more rigid bikes do. |
