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Jtreehugger23
Posted on Wednesday, June 17, 2009 - 11:07 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Im kinda wanting a totally different look for the faring. what is it that im looking for in the forum for the brackets? remember im a noob.
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Gearheaderiko
Posted on Wednesday, June 17, 2009 - 11:16 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/201 64/15647.html?1239773955
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Andychang
Posted on Sunday, June 21, 2009 - 05:33 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Hi friends, just picked up my Blast yesterday after it sat at the dealership for about 1.5 months (was waiting to move to the new apt so I could park it in the residential garage). Between yesterday and today, I installed the K&N high flow air filter. Not sure if I really "notice" a difference, but if the box says I'm getting 1 - 5hp more, then so be it.

Immediate observations:
a) There is one comfort zone for the bike in 3rd gear between 50 - 55mph
b) Sluggish in the 60 - 63mph zone, but quickly gets better after going faster
c) Seems to operate better with sufficient warm up time.
d) Only got to ride it above 70mph once, but not long enough to get any initial "pros" or "cons" out of it
e) The stock seat is really soft. I think eventually I'll want that is more supportive. Alternatively, I think if I lose weight, it could alleviate some of the mild discomfort.

Maps of my two rides are listed below.

http://sites.google.com/site/andychangsbuellblast/ recent-rides

(Message edited by andychang on June 21, 2009)
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Ezblast
Posted on Sunday, June 21, 2009 - 05:48 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Welcome - all easily tweaked out - some shimming for the lag, some jetting, a turn here and there of a screw, and response becomes more seamless, and better.
Again - Welcome!
EZ
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Gearheaderiko
Posted on Sunday, June 21, 2009 - 07:01 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

"I think if I lose weight, it could alleviate some of the mild discomfort." Dont be so hard on yourself-thats not going to change the seat discomfort...well maybe if you lost 100lbs!
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Andychang
Posted on Sunday, June 21, 2009 - 08:11 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

100 would make me too small. but we're talking 60 - 70 pounds here that need to go. there's only about 400 miles to go till the 1000 mile service, so as i notice things i think are a little off kilter, i will bring them up during service time. thanks again for the welcome!
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Gearheaderiko
Posted on Sunday, June 21, 2009 - 08:22 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

100 would make me too smallExactly! At 135lbs the tall seat is still uncomfortable! But there are firmer tall seats too and they are not bad. But they're not a Corbin either!
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Andychang
Posted on Sunday, June 21, 2009 - 08:56 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

due to my short stature, i very much like the short seat. i took a look at the price tag for the corbin gunfighter and got a little case of sticker shock. can anyone recommend a brand that makes a low profile seat that's also firm? or at least firmer than the stock? it's not something that i absolutely need at the moment, but would make a nice purchase in the future.
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Gearheaderiko
Posted on Sunday, June 21, 2009 - 09:15 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Sorry, I assumed since you wrote "soft seat" you had the tall seat. I forgot that the short seat can also be found in soft (as the tall in hard).
I like the short seat too. If you dont have a firm 'short' seat, then watch e-bay or the classifieds here. They can be had very cheap since the tall seat seems to be in higher demand. If you indeed have the tall seat, there is usually someone who'll want to trade.
Sargeants does custom seat work a little more reasonable than Corbin. Corbin will also make you a custom seat. Bill Meyers does custom seat work (pricey though) and one more whose name eludes me (Darisb has one). Corbin seats usually hold their value and custom seats (Corbin and others) do come for sale here and on e-bay once in a while.
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Swampy
Posted on Sunday, June 21, 2009 - 10:40 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I was riding the Uly this afternoon and was amased just how hard the seat is, it's like sitting on a really large church pew, but not uncomfortable. I moved the Little Kids Blast out of the driveway when I got home and sat on the bike and sunk in. My recommendation....put a piece of board in there! I am going to work on the seat in a couple of weeks as soon as it starts snowing again.
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Andychang
Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 11:06 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Did a quick 25 mile ride last night, some of it on highway, some on expressway. Noticed that it was much less sluggish in the 60 - 63 mph range than the first night I rode. Might be due to the fact that since the bike was used only for RE courses, it never saw the light of 3rd - 5th gear?
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Swampy
Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 11:33 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Andy,
Its a good possibility the the carb jets cleared out a little, gasoline works as a solvent also, its just not for motorfuels anymore!

So you have a good thing going on!

When you get the time you should change the main and primary jets in the carb to larger ones, you will see an improvement as to how the Blast runs. See the Knowledge Vault here in the Thumper Forum.
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Andychang
Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 12:16 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Speaking of cleaning the carbs, is it unwise to use a fuel system cleaner on the Blast? STP and other brands make the bottles where you pour it into your gas tank, and it treats up to 13 gallons of or whatever, and "removes gunk and buildup." I certainly don't want to be pouring even a fraction of a bottle in and then jacking up the fuel system.

I actually had a followup comment about rejetting. Looks like stock is 42/170, and recommended for stock is 45/170. I think what I'll do is ride it for a few hundred more miles and get the 1000 mile service, hopefully clearing up some of the 3+ years of potential RE induced issues. Sometime in late summer/early fall if I feel like "Hey, I've put enough hours on the bike in all conditions" I'll splurge and get an exhaust system at which point I'll ask for a rejetting of 45/175 (and a new boot, right?)
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Ezblast
Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 01:31 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

You may need the new boot sooner - lol - but the plan is sound.
EZ
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Andychang
Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 02:12 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I may just have them install a new one during the 1000 mile service. Does anyone here use the PJ1 carb cleaner, or have thoughts about it?

(Message edited by andychang on June 25, 2009)

(Message edited by andychang on June 25, 2009)
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Andychang
Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 09:07 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Clarification: sorry for using the term "carb cleaner" incorrectly. I meant "fuel injector and carb treatment."

Also, I read a weird excerpt where someone advocated running the enjoy purely with this fuel additive without any gas to "clean out the varnish." Was he just yanking my chain?
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Ezblast
Posted on Friday, June 26, 2009 - 02:33 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

yes - use a proportionate amount.
EZ
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Gearheaderiko
Posted on Friday, June 26, 2009 - 01:06 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Speaking of cleaning the carbs Please, please, please, and this goes for anyone who might read this, DO NOT take the carb apart just to give it a good cleaning. Rarely a good idea and very often a bad idea.
Seriously. As noted above, the slow jet may get clogged and thats a good enough reason to throw in the 45. Gasoline is a solvent and sometimes it just takes a tank or two to get things back to normal. But, for the love of God, please dont take it apart.
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Andychang
Posted on Friday, June 26, 2009 - 01:56 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

ha yeah - that was a mistake on my part. i meant "use the fuel additive that will clean the fuel system" instead of "clean the carb." i have no intention of taking anything apart, as that would surely be a disaster.

i'll run a few more tanks of gas in it, and maybe a quarter bottle of STP fuel treatment in the tank too. i'm not unhappy with the current performance, but i'd like to at least bring it back to where it should be given only 660 miles on it.
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Reuel
Posted on Friday, June 26, 2009 - 03:21 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I recently became a user of Seafoam. The stuff works! Had a minivan that was losing power (110K miles, original fuel filter and stuff) and the Seafoam fixed it. Had a Weedeater that wasn't running unless I left it completely choked. Seafoam fixed that, too. Now I put it in everything! Next time I'm not feeling well, I'll try a shot... Well, maybe not.

If you ride on cold days, rainy days, and such, a shot of HEET can help when it tries to stall out.

You can even try Slick50, but a few people on this board think (very enthusiastically) that would be a bad thing to do.
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Andychang
Posted on Friday, June 26, 2009 - 03:53 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

just went to the site for seafoam. it's like windex in "my big fat greek wedding." de-icer, fuel stabilizer, cleaner, etc. etc. i'll run through a few tanks of gas, then maybe get a can of this stuff to see how it works.
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Ezblast
Posted on Friday, June 26, 2009 - 03:56 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Don't use the whole can, just a few ounces.
EZ
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Andychang
Posted on Friday, June 26, 2009 - 04:08 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

yep - i was planning on doing that. even half the can (8 oz) as some people have suggested on other sites seemed too much.
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Reuel
Posted on Saturday, June 27, 2009 - 10:30 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I just sloshed some in, kind of like I do rum when I'm having a drink. It has an ounces/gallon formula on the bottle. Stick with that, and you'll be keen!
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Andychang
Posted on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 - 11:11 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Not sure if anyone else has done this, but I put together a cost of ownership spreadsheet. If there are new Blast riders out there, it might be of some assistance. there are currently 3 worksheets in the workbook.

http://sites.google.com/site/andychangsbuellblast/ cost-of-ownership/BuellBlastCostofOwnership.xls?at tredirects=0

(Message edited by andychang on June 30, 2009)
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Andychang
Posted on Friday, July 10, 2009 - 11:14 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

update: after a few bad weather days (rain, mostly), I finally went to pick up the motorcycle. Damage wasn't as bad as I thought, and the 1000 mile service on the Blast is actually reasonably priced.

Ended up being 128 for parts and labor for the 1K, 15 for eco/disposal fees, and tax.

It was actually much more to replace the mirror, shift peg, and blinker than I thought it would be - the total for everything came out to be $277.

The bike is smooth as butter now. I opted for the "Harley Davidson" (Sunoco) synthetic 20-50 oil as recommended by the posting at the top of this forum because they didn't have Amsoil. I can actually feel my friction zone now as well, and acceleration seems smoother (though that may be because the STP fuel additive was able to sit in the tank for a few days). Shifting is definitely smoother, and that "clunk" from N to First is a little less annoying now.

Tomorrow I'll be going back to Starved Rock State Park to face my demons after my little spill last week.
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Ezblast
Posted on Saturday, July 11, 2009 - 12:13 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Have fun! Rubber side down!
EZ
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Andychang
Posted on Saturday, July 11, 2009 - 04:34 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

ha. funny story, ez. i started out on my ride to face my demons at the curve where i went down. somewhere along the way, i hit a series of bumps on the highway, and there goes my cortech tail bag. total loss of all items in there = $200 bucks, including my disc lock, bag, some shoes, and accessories. I would have rather wrecked again and just replaced the blinker, mirror, and shift peg.
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Ezblast
Posted on Saturday, July 11, 2009 - 06:36 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

OUCH!
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Jzink0883
Posted on Sunday, July 12, 2009 - 05:34 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

newbie questions:
The Blast is not in the 2009 brochure I downloaded.
Questions:
Is there such a thing as a 2009 Blast?
Are any Blasts fuel injected?
Any rumors of ABS any time soon?

thanks,
jzink0883
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