| Author | Message | ||
     Skifastbadly |
I was about to hop onto my Uly yesterday in a store parking lot when this guy approaches me and asks "Have you had a lot of trouble with that bike?" Now, the answer is, yes, I have. With 27K miles, I've had a belt go, a pair of rear bearings, the ECM, a voltage regulator, the front fork seals, the front rotor, the exhaust actuator, the fan,the header bolts sheared off and tore out the O2 sensor, the 77 connector fried...and I'm probably forgetting something else. So I responded to the guy "Not really, why do you ask?" He tells me that he had been to a HD dealer recently, back when there were still a few of the last Buells around at great discounts, and the sales weasel talked him out of the bike, telling him that he'd spend as much on maintenance in five years as the bike cost. So instead of being honest and telling the guy that yeah, it had it's problems and sometimes I'd like to dump it, instead I say "Oh, well, you know, standard stuff, minor really, I really like it, too bad you got talked out of one, etc. etc. etc." So am I a dick, did I get defensive about my bike, or should I go work at a used car lot? | ||
| Bzrider |
no i answer the same way .i luv my bike but after 2 top end 2 engines 2 set of wheel bearings a stator a voltage regulator a fan 3 mufflers for froze up exhaust acuators i still love it even when the customer service people say shit like its under warranty please be patiant.or yhe best one maybe you ride it to much this came from harly customer serv,but i still defend it .it is a great desighn but poor execution .i just got back from kentucky and got to ride the comp.adnit was at a dealer that sold harly and bmw with 0 sales presure and my signiture they let me ride a 2010 i spent 30 min defending the buell and even after the ride i had to lie through my teeth the on.ly thing the buell seemed to do better is turn at speed the gs seems to fall into the turns but in my opinion and being honest the gs is hands down smoother faster stopps better the abs was fantasic hard stops wet pavement from 40 mph just great even jumped a railroad crossing at 40 mph thje bike landed smooth as hell in the twisties it took some getting used to .bet my uly has somthing differant itr shakes vibrates the shifting is notchey brake dive is is deffinatly present fuel injection isnt to smooth wind protection sucks for touring but its mine and i still luv it so i must be crazy | ||
| Tootal |
Well the 06 and 07's did have some teething problems but he was probably looking at a newer model so you couldn't really do a direct comparison so you have some justification in lying your ass off. So are you a Dick? Naw, just a politician!  | ||
| Hughlysses |
You were able to see past your own problems to the satisfactory ownership experience of most Uly riders and objectively relay that to him.  Seriously, if an idiot at an HD dealership is still spouting that crap, it was your duty as a human being to counter it. | ||
| Court |
I've had darn few problems since buying my first Buell in 1989 . . . The biggest problem has always been Harley-Davidson . . the motors and the most of the dealer network. Took a while but Erik's free of that. All my Buells have been good . . I've convinced my next will be the best. | ||
| Rwven |
Mine has had a litany of issues to match yours Skifastbadly. When I'm riding it and all is well they tend to fade into the background. When I am asked similar questions I reply "It's had a few issues but it's never left me stranded". I can say that without any qualms whatsoever. If I am ever asked if I would have purchased this bike knowing what I know now....well, let's just hope that question never comes up.... | ||
| Teeps |
Court Posted on Sunday, June 06, 2010 All my Buells have been good . . I've convinced my next will be the best. How far should I be reading between the lines? Do you know something, about Buell Motor Co., the rest of us don't? (of course you do...) | ||
| Dynasport |
In your situation I probably would have said that I had some issues, but that the newer bikes had most of those issues addressed and should be much more reliable. I hope that is true, as I have a 2010 and one of my top priorities is reliability. I am not much of a mechanic and the thought of being stranded a few hundred or more miles from home is not a happy thought for me. As irritated as I am at HD right now, the truth is that my FXDX has been very reliable and I wouldn't hesitate to ride it anywhere (I am speaking of paved roads of course). I hope to be able to say the same thing about my XT in ten years. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Mine's been real good to me. Broke her in the Motoman method. Rarely redline it. Quit pulling small wheelies so that the belt would last. No water crossings. Normal maintenance and bearing maintenance. Can't claim zero problems but darned near. | ||
| Paint_shaker |
Every bike has issues. I'll gladly tell anyone of any issues that I've had with any of my Buells (not that many by the way). | ||
| Ratbuell |
Sounds like you were honest, not a dick. Problems? Sure...some. Enough to make you badmouth the bike? Nope. There are times (and products) when a SINGLE problem is too many. Then, there are other products that are worth any number of "features", because when they work...you forget every single issue. At least, I know I feel that way about all my Buells, from 15 years old to 1,000 miles old  | ||
| Etennuly |
What it is is.....if I owned a HondaYamaKawaZuki - or an HD, with this list of problems it would have been gone in a short time. This bike comes with a special kind of character as well as friends and family.....how do you dump that for a bunch of minor problems that so many are willing to spend their time helping you solve them. I really don't mind working on these minor problems, as long as the answers are close at hand and friends are nearby to ride some amazing twistie roads with. Hmmmm.....Next brand name for a Buell product.....Bad-We-B.....?? | ||
| Mp3 |
I guess I'm one of the fortunate ones. I don't ride as much as most of you. Pretty much weekends while I'm in town. I bought my 07 new. I ride it in the dirt, the rain and open it up on the back roads. Have also taken it down part of the Mississippi levee which was riddled with cow patties...not gettin around that and it's not a pretty site or smell in 90 degree temps. (one of the few times we did wash our bikes). Outside of general maintenance, so far I have only had a leaky clutch cable replaced. That was a couple weeks ago and it was covered under my extended plan (Knock on wood)...Of course I'm not blind to it, there are to many things happening to others on this forum so I'll deal with it when the time comes. As for locals commenting on Buells negative past, I can honestly say I don't know what they are talking about. As a side note, thanks for letting me sit in on Big Bad & Dirty. Lot's of good info, pictures and stories. | ||
| Union_man |
21,000 + miles on my '07 Uly All I have had to fix is a fuel pump and a battery.  Happy Buell Owner! | ||
| Pso |
skifast-don't know you personaly so cannot answer your question, if memory serves me correctly you did a writ up on roadside belt swap that was very informative. If that was you at least if you are a dick head you have some redeming qualities.  | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
My 2008 has almost the same mileage and somewhat fewer problems. Still a bit bad for a new bike though. belt, clutch bearings, rear rocker leak, muffler valve, kickstand, rear wheel bearings. Now that my warranty is over, I can only hope that they worked be bugs out by now.  |
