| Author | Message | ||
     Damon |
First off, let me make sure that I make my main point clear and plain: To Erik and the whole Buell team: Congratulations on the new bike introductions. My deepest and most sincere thanks go to you, Erik, and to all of your engineers, designers, and every one of your staff. I was a little worried with the buzz and build up for the new R bike, but my concern was unfounded. What was that concern? That, in an effort to satisfy all the calls for “more power,” the bike that I thought was nearly perfect would be sadly discontinued in the name of progress. Well, shame on me for my lack of faith. After all, you and your folks designed my favorite 2-wheeler in the first place. Why do I love the Lightning so much? Starting with looks it is simply the best looking stock motorcycle I've ever seen, and by a LONG SHOT! Nothing comes close. I said that when I first saw the original Lightning "9s" and I've spent years looking for a bike I thought was a better package. No dice. Sure, I’m one for bobbing the cheese-grater and shortening the front turn-signal stalks and relocating the back signals tastefully, but that’s easily done. I, for one, also LOVE the current "lump" of an engine. I love the Harley sound and the low-end torque. (My XB9S-L had the race kit with ECM, K&N and race muffler) Just listening to the bike bark as I’d crack the throttle at low RPMs gave me a shot of happiness that never ever got old. So this bike has less HP than current 600cc import sport bikes. I COULD NOT CARE LESS. It’s sooo fun and feels right. I don’t ride a spec-sheet. Give me the low-end toque of a V-twin, but it doesn’t have to be so hot that it requires liquid cooling. I like that it is air/oil cooled. I love all the engineering details and how clean the bike looks. I love that I can do my own maintenance. Belt tensioner so no messy chain adjustments? Thank you. No valve lash adjustments? Thank you. Easy oil changes? Thank you. Reliability and low maintenance with awesome gas mileage (it does matter)? THANK YOU! I don't race, I don't want to race. I want to ride a narrow and nimble 2-wheeler that's light-weight with super low-end torque... and make it gorgeously naked in style. That’s why I love the Lightning. Why the cg/low models? The first answer is obvious. I'm just 5'6". I can't flat-foot any other sport-standard bike... I rode cruisers before my Buell (V2 torque and low seat height) but always wanted a sporty naked bike and was not interested in any of the racer knock-offs. There’s an added benefit to the lowered bikes. The shorter model looks even better (to me). It looks even more aggressive with its compact, lower stance. The bike has such presence. It is a total package of beauty. Fellow BadWebbers: Hey y’all. I know there probably isn't anyone on this board who doesn't have his own list of his own personal suggested improvements. So I'll get my list out of the way quickly: (#1... would still like a 6-speed trans for lower highway RPMs when not riding aggressively and #2... go back to the "old," more simple black color scheme with fewer different color tones to all the metal). But my point is this: Am I the only one who thought that the current Lightning line-up was as close to the perfect bike as you could get? I’ve already told you the “low” model (“cg”) is my ride of choice. I’m absolutely STOKED that the introduction of the new power train didn’t cause the old air-cooled models to be discontinued. To the contrary, we get upgrades to the mill that should result with a better-running, even more reliable power train. Hey, I will never complain about that. I am not only relieved, I am elated that the existing bikes didn’t get the axe and are re-rolled for ’08. So here is your chance to sound off. Usually a manufacturer only hears complaints and calls for change. That is not a criticism, but rather a simple fact. Those who are happy with what is currently available do not make much noise. I’m starting this thread to say "thank you" to Buell and to invite others who think like me to chime in and just have a round of cheers for the current line of beloved air-cooled bikes from my favorite vehicle manufacturer on the planet! P.S. – I’m not suggesting that those folks who wanted to see a faster R are wrong for wanting what they wanted. Congrats! You GOT it. Just want to invite those Lightning fans out there who might have been silent lurkers (like me) for a long, long time to sound off. | ||
| Pso |
My SO has a cg. She loves it. We went out for dinner last night and on the way home she said I just wana ride, so we continued on down the road. She seldom did this with her BMW. She believes Erik designed the bike just for her because she says it fits so perfectly.My only problem is that I have trouble keeping up with her on my Uly.As a 2 Buell family thanks we are both very happy. | ||
| Steve_mackay |
Pso, I share your pain... I have trouble keeping up with the wife on her CityX in the twisties with my "ulybolt" as well. | ||
| Tunes |
Me too! Love my Buells. Can't say enough good things about them. Just bought my 3rd Buell last month... I still have the first two. The more I ride 'em, the more I like 'em. I love the old Buells and I love the new 1125R. I'm sure, one day, I will own an 1125. It'll have to be an S or something, but that doesn't take away my admiration of Erik and Co. for making a great motorcycle and being accessable to the buying public. My co-worker has a new Ducati be bought right before he started working at my place. We've ridden together several times... and I can tell he's been bitten by the Buell bug. Constantly says he loves the sound of my bike(s). He keeps saying he needs another bike... and what he's going to do with the Ducati after he buys a Buell?!?!?! So BMC, thanks again for all you do for me and my motorcycling addiction! | ||
| Dutchboy |
I took a good look at the 1125 mini-site and the '08 model information yesterday. Read a bunch of messages here. Posted a few myself. Took a break from the frenzied reading and went for a quick 50 miles on my XB9SX. I love my bike! I can understand the 1125R and why Buell has built it, but the XBS fills my daily needs and of the nine motorcycles I've owned and I-don't-know-how-many I've ridden, this is the one I get excited about riding every day. I love the shake-and-growl of this bike's lump. I love the handling. I love the fuel mileage. I test rode an XB9R some three years ago and have been smitten with the air-cooled Buell ever since. I still remember coming to a stop during the ride, looking down at the engine shaking and the turn signal stalks wiggling and thinking "it's alive!!!!!". It's great to see Buell come out with something that can compete on the track (and the magazine rack  ). Maybe now the magazine reviewers can stop repeating the same old cracks about a great modern chassis being let down by an old engine (something I disagree with but we're all entitled to our opinion). But, I hope Buell doesn't give up on what started as a great bike for the street that gets better every year - the awesome Lightning series. | ||
| Toona |
Hello, my name is Toona and I'm addicted.... I don't plan on going to rehab, because rehab is for quitters. I don't plan on quitting riding my Buell XB12S. I've not ridden any motorcycle as much as I have ridden my "S". I find excuses/reasons to go ride. Look...the sun is shining or Look... it's overcast, but not raining. I have to admit, I'm somewhat of a fair weather rider, I don't leave to go for ride in the rain (just to go for a ride), unless it is for a previously planned MC trip. The torque of my 12 with a race kit, suits me just fine. It makes more power than I have the ability to control safely on the streets. I consider myself an experienced rider, but not a PRO. Will I someday have an 1125R parked next to my 12? Maybe, but it will probably have to be an "S" or "T" version. I personally just don't care to do push ups while I ride. Maybe it's maturity, maybe it's just my old body telling me that riding position is more for the "youngsters". I've test ridden the Firebolt and it kills my forearms/elbows after the demo ride. Maybe at highway speed it is different, maybe not. But it's not for me. BIG KUDO'S to Buell for building the new bike, it moves the benchmark up a little higher and will no doubt bring more "street credibility" to the uninformed. The informed already know the capabilities and appreciate what the Buells have to offer. I forsee more stuff transferring over to the aircooled line up. Just give it time. I'm not a "gotta have the latest greatest" kind of guy. When I bought my '04 the fall of '05, guess what, other than minor changes (easier pull clutch/2 mm bigger diameter forks), the bike is the same and I saved $5000 off of the new price. If you haven't read between the lines, my XB12S isn't going anywhere, kinda like the Tuber Guys, they lov'em. Not the latest greatest technology, but they are just out and out unadulterated RAW power and vibration. | ||
| 07xb12scg |
With all of the problems I've had, I still LOVE my Buell. I'm also kind of glad that the air-cooled engines even though I'd personally love this new liquid-cooled engine in my Lighting. Or at least I'd like a second Lightning with a liquid-cooled high revving engine. What baffles the heck out of me is that the Firebolt is now cheaper than the Lightning when they are basically the exact same bike! Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't the Firebolt and Lightning priced the same before? | ||
| Towjam |
While I'm very pumped about the 1125, I'm waiting at least one model year before I take the plunge. There's no doubt going to be a number of bugs and service department issues to work out - after all, this a new, from the ground up, bike. That said, I'm seriously looking at picking up an '08 XB12R - that white/blue combination gives me an eyegasm every time I look at it and to be honest, I love the sound and feel of the XB engine. I hope that Erik and the gang follow BMW's and Ducati's model of offering both air cooled and liquid cooled bike for the foreseeable future. There's definitely a market for both. | ||
| Damon |
Glad some folks responded... | ||
| Suburbx |
Yea, mark me down also. I'm so thrilled to see Buell doing a "modern" motor, but I'm not in the market for one. I've got a bike in that category already, and I like the streetfighter style. So let's keep the XB alive...} | ||
| Heyyoukidsgetoffmylawn |
Count me in for a 2008 XB12Ss. |
