| Author | Message | ||
     Court |
I'm curious, and yes I know I ask this every time this comes up. How many folks here have ever ridden a motorcycle at over 100MPH for 60 minutes or more at a time? I've been riding a long time and have done it only twice. For me, and I encourage and welcome you to have your own opinion, top speed means nothing. | ||
| Snackbar64 |
I agree. I enjoy the Buell at speeds less than 100 MPH. | ||
| Davy_boy |
Those guys should grow up . Move on you'll live longer ! | ||
| Chainsaw |
How many folks here have ever ridden a motorcycle at over 100MPH for 60 minutes or more at a time? Just once. August 2003, Cheyenne to Orin WY on I-25. Mileage dropped to 39mpg!! | ||
| Swordsman |
Needed that 6th gear, eh Chainsaw?  ~SM | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Court, Never. It would be the only place I can think of where a 6th gear would be necessary. | ||
| Fdl3 |
Court: Ugh! 100mph for 60min or more?! Ugh! Today, on a slightly windy day, I held 80-85mph for 30min on a Firebolt with a ZG Touring screen. Double-double UGH! | ||
| Court |
>>>Mileage dropped to 39mpg!! You hit upon a well known secret of the long distance tourers. The Buell gets extraordinary mileage (I could care less WHY) until you hit 80MPH. Above 80 the mileage drops like a rock. 80MPH is one of the Buell's "happy spots", the next one is 115MPH. (I could care less WHY). When I am doing serious mileage, I'll opt for the "80 spot". The key is to git yer butt on the bike, keep it there, know precisely how much fuel/range you have, refuel with less than 10 miles in the tank, spend less than 5 minutes doing it and repeat. Trying to go much faster puts you on "high alert". . . every Crown Vic evokes a rapid brake grab and stress skyrockets. But . . . hey, I'm a construction worker.  | ||
| Liquorbox |
"They think that my bike is crap basically because of the way it sounds and looks." Not that I'm knocking Buell, because I own, ride & love one, but It quite probably has more to do with the fact that ANY 600 can beat your 1200 through twisties, OR in a straight line. Simple fact! | ||
| Kybueller |
A friend of mine was ragging me last week about my City X. He is jealous because everytime we park somewhere, they look at my bike and not his cookie cutter million of a kind suzuki. I have nothing against Suzi's, hell I owned two of them before the Lightning, but the X catches more glances......these so called riding friends know that and adjust the criticism accordingly. Piss on em. Greg | ||
| Davy_boy |
Simple fact is that rapid deceleration syndrome hurts . Speed isn't everything and I'm pretty sure guys who buy buells aint looking to break land speed records . When you have a family coming home after a ride is much more appealing to me then proving how fast you could die trying to show off or impress children on a gixxer 1000. grow up ..... | ||
| Kdan |
I have an XB9S. I'm not compensating for anything. | ||
| Court |
>>>Simple fact! Or so it seemed until, a couple years ago, one of the major mags was "real road testing" a handful of 600cc Super Zappers in the Canyons outside LA. They drug along their on-loan XB as a camera bike. Funny thing happened. . . in the twisties, with bike ridden by the mags standard list of suspects, the frickin' camera bike kept passing the subject bikes. You're going to make me go find this aren't you. The Buell is an excellent motorcycle. It's no match for most the IL4's in a straight line. It's very much in the hunt once the road gets twisty. Don't be fooled by a little beer talk. | ||
| Swordsman |
Yeah, please dig that up Court. I'd like to read that! ~SM (Message edited by Swordsman on March 13, 2007) | ||
| Snackbar64 |
I guess I'll take Johntman on his offer. I honestly did not join the group to be constantly ragged on about my bike. That Buell does get more stares than their bikes where ever we go. Even if it is just someone in disbelief that my bike is amongst such street demons. It also sounds better than their bikes do while cruising at 45 MPH. | ||
| Towjam |
I've owned several I4 sport bikes - and I find the Buell to be the most fun and "satisfying" to ride in the real world (public roads). I won't even consider going back to a UJM sportbike now. And I agree with Davy_boy - there's something to be said for coming home to your family still in one piece. Or maybe I'm just getting old.... | ||
| Chadhargis |
Me too. But I've found this to be true. Riding is 90% rider and 10% bike. I ride with a guy who is overweight, rides a clapped out old Bandit 1200 that's leaking fork oil from one side, blowing oil, and running bald tires...even two up, he can smoke me no matter what I'm riding. He's just a better rider. Plain and simple. Same applies for Gixxers and Buells. Give me a Gixxer 1000 and I bet I still couldn't catch that fat old fart I ride with. Yeah, maybe in the straights, but then I've got to get all over the brakes to keep from running wide in the corner. A bike really doesn't need to do much over 80mph to be a hell of a lot of fun. 80 in the straights is fine, but 80mph in the corners is just DAMN fun. I've ridden with guys on R1s, Gixxers, Blackbirds, etc...and I was the faster guy. Nothing to do with the bike, they just didn't have the same skill level I had or weren't willing to push as hard. A lot has to do with risk acceptance. I keep a lot in reserve on the street. I've had guys run away from me that I knew I could catch if I was into that sort of thing, but I don't feel comfortable doing it on the street. That's why I do track days. I can push my limits in a safe environment. I ride a Ulysses because it fits me, handles well, and is simple to maintain. I'm 6'5" and can't fold up on most bikes, even so called "standards". I tried the V-Strom and just didn't "bond" with it. Nice bike, but it had no soul. Buells have soul. I like that. | ||
| Court |
By the way . . . back to the original thread and the "needing ammunition", I'll just share my personal experience with you. After years of riding many, admittedly mostly Buells, and owning (up until a year ago I had 6 different brands at my house) many motorcycles, I have no need to "prove" or convince anyone of anything. Personally, pretty much the opinion that matters to me, I have an affinity for what the Buell represents and where it came from. It's performance and handling are all bonus points to me. A Buell is as I think. . . being on one allows and encourages me to think better. Frankly, I'm just happier. Buells have changed my life. I don't expect everyone's experience to parallel mine but I'd encourage you, if you're finding yourself spending time to gather "ammunition" to persuade your friends that you made a wise choice....well, frankly, I'd challenge them to provide ammunition that they are worthy of my time and company. Don't get me wrong. I'm not dissing your friends but my friends who play Les Pauls don't come around asking me to convince them my Strat is worthy. Ditto cars, kids and frankly life. I live a weird lifestyle. . . Lord help me if I have to explain it to anybody . . hell. . . I'm not sure I understand it. Life's short . .  | ||
| Jaimec |
It's been awhile... 1989 to be precise. Me on my 1985 BMW K100 and my buddy on his Kawasaki ZX-10 with full Muzzy Stage 3 kit. We crossed the entire state of Iowa from the Mississippi to the Missouri on Interstate 80 and the only time we went LESS than 100 mph was to get off for gas. It was EXHAUSTING but after awhile, 100mph felt "normal" and when we finally dropped back down to 75 I felt like I had to get off and push! The bike ran unbelievably smooth after that, too! Gave the bike a good "German tune up" I suspect, and blew out all the carbon build up the bike had accumulated in 55mph America. German bikes should never be forced to go so slow... | ||
| Buelldualsport |
Court: Where did you find the quote? Thank You Tom | ||
| Davy_boy |
To me it aint about going fast anymore , it's about enjoying your bike and exploring new roads . If some posser doesn't like my bike so what . True bikers understand . And your right towjam you are getting old  | ||
| Court |
>>>>Where did you find the quote? It's the desktop on the laptop I write with. I have two I alternate between. | ||
| Nutsnbolt |
You know... I live on a Marine Corps Base. Camp Lejeune, NC. I'm out, now. My wife is still active Duty and will retire out. Living here on base or even near a base is a trip. Think about it for a second. There must be 40,000 Marines on this base, probably more... I just don't know the exact number, but we'll use my scenario. Okay, that being said, maybe 80% of them are in their teens and 20's. Plus, about 40% of all those total number of Marines have spouses and kids. Some of those Marines, older ones, have kids that are about 18. Now, what this translates into is a lot of young guys (mostly). Plus, this is North Carolina. Not too bad in the weather department. Where I'm going with this is, there are a lot of Motorcycles out here. Either from the Marines or even the regular population. I can't even begin to tell you just how many Foreign bikes I see on an EVERY DAY basis. The number is astounding and semi staggering. I used to not think of it that much when we were stationed in CA, until we got stationed not near a base and noticed the difference in just how many bikes I'd NOT see. Now, I CAN tell you with a great deal of accuracy just how many Buells are around here in probably a 30 mile radius. Possibly a 50 mile radius. I mean give or take 5. Cause, when I see em'.... I notice it and log that into the memory banks. Hell, half the time I'm trying to catch up with them or get pissed that they're going the other way. So, every so often someone will say..."Hey, what kind of bike is that?" (Now, notice that MOST Buells say BUELL right on the tank. I said most. Someone is clicking through their photos to prove me wrong, I can feel it) So, I reply, "Buell." They usually sit back and look at it for a while and stare and usually ask some stupid questions like is that a v-twin? Is it fast? Then after they look at the dash and see my RPM gauge, they usually snicker and say... "oh, nevermind. What size is it?" I tell em and they are just staring at me with a dumb look. Typical. See, we don't have that "Expert class of riders out here." We have a lot of kids. So, what that translates into is that we have a lot of kids that want to belong to something (as if the Marines is a bad club to belong to) and they usually go out and buy some bike that's way too big (horsepower) for them, and usually pay too much. Cause you know.... This is a Military town and they can basically name their price. If you don't buy it, the dude waiting behind you will. It's a virtual "Sales Paradise." But, like I said, every so often you do get the dude or dudette who knows what he/she is talking about and when they see what you're riding, they give you a thumbs up, or get a smile and say, Man, this is the first time I've ever stood next to one. That's what amazes me. What I like about being a Buell Rider is that I don't have to belong to a club to feel better about myself and what I ride. I stand alone. I'm different and you respect that about me 176 miles later. I need no club. I just need good company, an open road, and a reason to try and see if I can get lost. Ammunition? No need. You've got plenty. You're a sniper. Not a rapid fire Machine Gun. Mark | ||
| Terribletim |
The coolest quotes always come from a marine!  | ||
| Treadmarks |
Can't you just hold both hands up high, point to your crotch and say "EAT ME". Works for me! (Message edited by treadmarks on March 13, 2007) | ||
| Sneth |
Just go to buell, and watch the videos. Erik Buell pretty much tells you why his bikes are separate. Spam about the trilogy of tech, and low CG.... Ask them how their engines are running at 20k miles? 30k? I doubt they will have any sort of compression left in them... | ||
| Jlnance |
even two up, he can smoke me no matter what I'm riding. He's just a better rider. Plain and simple. You don't know humility until you realize that Ferris can ride his road king 2 up through the mud better than you can do it on a Uly.  | ||
| Snackbar64 |
You guys are right. I don't need ammunition for these guys. Plus, when a nice girl comes along who loves bikes and I'm standing next to mine, I don't want her to have too much to choose from. It will be that much easier to take her for a midnight SNACK. Thanks again for the encouragement guys. | ||
| Snackbar64 |
 RUFF RYDERS ALBANY,GA This picture kind of reminds me of an old, old self produced Three Six Mafia album cover. | ||
| Snackbar64 |
The president "Kaos" on the bottom right side could pass for ICE CUBE on his day off. |
