| Author | Message | ||
     Captainkirk |
Lately, I have been noticing with some alarm, the frequency which M2's have been cadavered about on eBay; it's apparent that people are buying them for the sole purpose of parting them out. It's a case of the individual parts being worth more than the sum. Of course, as with stray animals or starving children from third-world countries, you can't save 'em all. And with what used M2s are fetching today, it would cost more to (re)assemble one than buy one whole. I'd like some educated opinions (by those with access to information) as to how many functional M2s might remain out there vs original production, and whether the constant erosion of the fleet will elevate the prices of the ones left. Anyone? | ||
| Seth |
I think the recent attacks on the M-2 is due to there being so few S-1s left to eviscerate.   | ||
| Aldaytona |
All those idiots who cannibalized the early Buells, self proclaimed "bike builders" weren't even smart enough to spell SPORTSTER. Destroying forever rare and unique bikes to use a common engine found cheaper elsewhere to make a bastard eyesore. Redneck, yeah that just about sums it up.  | ||
| Bomber |
M2's are also the least expensive buells -- | ||
| Road_thing |
Well, the Buell-based choppers don't appeal to me, but I figure every old tuber that becomes an engine donor makes mine that much rarer! Maybe one day they'll be worth something to somebody besides me. I took a little spin on my S2 last evening (it was only 90 or so in Houston yesterday--practically winter!) and it made me wonder why I haven't been riding it more! rt | ||
| Bluzm2 |
I think the reason you are seeing so many is due to age. There is a fellow BWB'er that buys a lot of Buells. Most get resold but some take too much $$ in parts to get back to a resellable condition. These get parted out. He uses the funds to purchase more Buells. Another example is accidents. Most insurance companies don't offer much for the bikes after a crash. The bike may not have much wrong with it but it costs too much to have it repaired at a shop. I have my beloved M2 sitting in the garage unused. It's motor is hurt. It needs a new crank. I'm going to fix it but I need to wait for funding.... too many other places for the $$ to go right now. Also remember that there were LOTS of M2's sold. There is more of them to part out! Brad | ||
| Sickquad |
I'm looking to buy another. I don't know what I am going to do with two M2's. I do see a bunch for sale with low miles and I love my bike so why not. The price is right. | ||
| Cyclonemaniac |
Well, I've got an M2 and an XB9S. Want to sell off one, and it ain't the M2! Just fits me better than the XB! I think it has a bit more animal allure too!  | ||
| Notpurples2 |
Well the resale issue with buells is a blessing and a curse. It's nice cause you can get one for cheap but a curse if you want to get out of it. For me it's a curse because I would trade or sell my S2 for an XB12S if I could. But it's a blessing cause since I can't get enough for it I'll probably keep it forever.... wait that might be a curse too. | ||
| Aesquire |
Resale? Heh. I bought Buttercup new. My first ( and probably last ) brand new motorcycle. Broke in by me, tuned from stock by me...etc. If I'd had a clue about Badweb before I bought her? I would have bought a used one for thousands less. But I'm happy, & there's not a touch of buyers remorse. The reason that Buell's are getting cannibalized for choppers is the truth is out. Compared to a Sportster, a Cyclone's engine is far better, twice as much HP depending on the year. The same ponies from a big twin is lots more cash. Who knows? Maybe the yaboo's will take so many M2's off the market my bike will be the rare one. At least I should be able to get body parts cheap? | ||
| Aldaytona |
That's the same reasoning used by the "redneck" crowd. Used Sportster engines are a dime a dozen compared with Buell engines, and before 1999 they are virtually the same. Take a cheap Sportster 883 engine and add T S pistons and heads and the cams of your choice and Boom, a fresh engine for less. Best of all, no exotic motorcycle gets bastardized in this process. | ||
| Not_purple_s2 |
Well it's a matter of bang-for-buck. Do a quick search of M2's and 1200 Sporsters on Cycletrade. You'll see that most M2's are around $5000 dollar range with many below that and some below $4000. But decent 1200 Sporties go for about $7500 with many being higher and very few below 5. I don't want to sit and average the prices but it looks like the mean difference in price is about $2500 (%50 more than the Buell) and with the Sporty you still have to put even more money into it to get it to the Buell's HP level. Plus with a Buell you get cool brakes, lightweight wheels, wider rear wheel, and the S1 & S2 have the badass front forks. All that for less money. So you can't argue with the numbers. But personally if I was going to build a sportster choppper I would start with an Ironhead. They're cheaper, especially if you're looking for a basketcase to steal the engine from, and they have alot more of a "chopper" look to the engine. I mean it's a chopper, does it really matter if it has 100hp? Choppers are more about image anyway. | ||
| Aldaytona |
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| Jayvee |
Here's a link with some numbers: http://www.motorbike-search-engine.co.uk/buell.html | ||
| Captainkirk |
Great link! Thanks! I wasn't aware they made that many M2s | ||
| Cyclonic_action |
Its a shame that our particular breed of horse is being put out to pasture. My 00 is still more comfortable than an XB12 Long. The only thing that beats the Cyclone for comfort (if you are tall enough) is the Uly. Maybe Buell could lower the Uly for the street, put different fenders on it, get rid of that silly fly screen, paint it black and call it a Cyclone! | ||
| Jayvee |
I agree, Cyclonic_action, there isn't a new Buell being made that makes me want to trade in my M2. The Uly is closest, but no cigar. I see M2's for sale around here for $3500, though I paid more than that for mine due to the add-ons by the previous owner. (Message edited by jayvee on September 22, 2006) | ||
| Djkaplan |
"I agree, Cyclonic_action, there isn't a new Buell being made that makes me want to trade in my M2. The Uly is closest, but no cigar." Couldn't have said it better myself. I just realized, except for some basketcases I had around for years, my 2000 M2 is the bike I've kept the longest out of all the bikes I've owned since 1976. | ||
| Maxbuell |
Bring back the tubers. | ||
| Ragnagwar |
About two weeks ago I went to a Buell/HD dealer that was having a big new/used bike sale. I took an XB12S out for a test ride. I was not really all that impressed with it. I Disliked the way the seating position squashed Jim and the Twins, and although it seemed to wind up a lot quicker the overall power didn't seem to be that much greater than my 00/M2. The only thing that came close in the ergonomics dept. was an XB12SS. Still not quite the same though. YMMV!!!!!! | ||
| Weatherman |
I am amazed at how many cyclones are out for butchering!! I love and trust that machine. I just got my M2 back from the shop- it had been dropped (not by me)in the service area and somehow and it took a long time to get bodywork and clutch lever. I had brought it in for new tires and front rotor--I thought the pulsations in the front wheel felt like ABS, but I was told that the way it was, ABS meant Anything But Stopping!!!! To quote the manager, the bike is now way better than perfect and that is soooo true- they got everything adjusted just right. So for now it's so long to ULy lust }}and welcome back home cyclone!!!! | ||
| Captainkirk |
As much as I admire the technological advances of the XBs, they seem too "appliance-y" (for lack of a better word) for me. My M2 will still heave me back in the saddle when I whack the throttle, and leave me grinning from ear-to-ear after a hard balls-to-the-wall (Smite THIS!) run in a way that other bikes just don't do. I think the M2 is one of the most underrated motorcycles ever built, and in time will become cult classics with the likes of the Vincent Black Shadow....if there are any left! (Message edited by captainkirk on September 23, 2006) | ||
| Blake |
I'm with MaxBuell! Five stars for him!  | ||
| Bigdaddy |
Replacing a properly sorted tuber (in my case a M2) isn't an easy task. I've got the Uly, and some other stuff, but the M2's still my favorite. I'm trying folks but the M2 has soul and quite honestly I can't find the soul adjustment on the Uly -- I'm still looking. G2 | ||
| Court |
>>>but the M2's still my favorite. The Buell M-2 Cyclone is one of the best motorcycles EVER built . . . I can prove it. | ||
| Dave |
... man oh man I was waiting on that line! DAve | ||
| Kiwi |
Two weeks ago I purchased a 2002 cyclone with 1200 miles for $4750,I just love it, I doubt that I will ride my S1 (molten orange and nuclear blue) anymore,the cyclone feels light years better.Now I just have to up the power a little | ||
| Grndskpr |
I can prove it I have heard that since around 2000 and have yet to see the proof lets see it R | ||
| Djkaplan |
It was the M2, the cheapest Buell you could buy, that got me into Buell ownership. I met some early Buell owners who paid breathtakingly high prices for their bikes in the early 90's. Fifteen large was a lot of scratch for a bike back then. The $7200 I paid for my new M2 back in 2000 seemed like a screaming deal to me. Just for that, the M2 is the best Buell ever made (in my case). I'd buy another Buell based on my ownership experience with the M2, just not another one right now. | ||
| Ceejay |
If they won't sell them anymore/bring them back, how bout unloading the frame and tank tooling. let someone out there keep making/selling those frames. Someone needs to compete with ducati and in many ways blow them out... |
