| Author | Message | ||
     Moondust |
I'm being lured by the 1125r but it now opens some serious 'Q's on the R1 or even the 1098 ? I mean the price is identical between the 1125r & R1 but surely R1 has an advantage with its history. ducati & yamaha are offering a 0% finance deal which makes it even more interesting. What do you guys think about these comparisons - I mean I wasn't even thinking sport bike until I saw the 1125r but now that Im hooked, I'm thinking what's the appeal over an R1 ( cheaper ) or a 1098 at 2 g's more. R1: £8200 Ducati 1098 : £10000 Buell1125r : £8495 | ||
| Bonjoxb12s |
Moon, I dare you to call your insurance company and see the rate comparison between the R1 and the 1125R. Also, the R1 will have a "racing" styled seat position and the 1125R will have a more athletic stance that wont be quite as bent over... meaning it should be much more comfortable to ride. My personal opinion: Your trying to compare apples and oranges here. The 1125R most certainly has broke into the sport bike scene, but I feel both these bikes have totally different purposes. The R1 is simply made for the track, while the 1125R is meant for the real world rider. Again... just my PERSONAL opinion. | ||
| Moondust |
But this is the thing - I see many more gixxers & r1's on the road than any other bike here in London traffic - it seems that these sportbikes are being used in the real world without any complaints.I'm pretty sure there's more to this debate than the riding position, btw I checked out insurance companies here in the UK. I'm getting a cheaper price for an R1 fully comp than my Buell xb12scg.  The insurance guy said , they go by the 'cc' & buell is regarded more specialist than yamaha. So overall I 'don't think the 1125r will be cheaper than the R1 in the insurance. Of course its apples & oranges but Buell is def aiming the 1125r at the sportbike market , so you have to ask yourself about the competition here. The XB bikes seem to be in their own element & maybe the KTM & ducati Monsters are the competition there but Buell XB's are still very unique. I'm not sure the 1125r comes across "as" unique & someone in the market for a sportier bike is gonna be hard pushed not look a little further at an R1 or even the 1098 which is gorgeous. My thoughts are - the R1 is one of the best looking / reliable sportsbikes out there & although I love Buell , I think the 1125r is a bit pricey compared to the competiton... maybe.. | ||
| Ironhead1977 |
(My thoughts are - the R1 is one of the best looking / reliable sportsbikes out there) Different strokes for different folks, I feel just the opposite. My problem is deciding to keep my XB or trade for the 1125. Very tough decision. | ||
| Bads1 |
Moon, I dare you to call your insurance company and see the rate comparison between the R1 and the 1125R I wouldn't!!! The R1 would cost me less then my XB12S would just because its less CC's. | ||
| Moondust |
well I've tried 4 insurance companies & all were cheaper than my XB...  Different strokes.. for sure, but I think its a European thing -, when it comes to sports super bikes - the Japs seem alot more popular & reliable in UK but unfortunately lacking character. I dunno , I think the 1125r looks cool but compare it to a 1098/ R1 & it is debatable. Its my opinion & this is a Buell board but I'm asking a legit 'Q' here. Haven't you guys been thinking the same - If you really want a superbike then surely the R1/Gixxer or 1098 is on yer mind also ?... no ? | ||
| Fresnobuell |
I'm not sure the 1125r comes across "as" unique & someone in the market for a sportier bike is gonna be hard pushed not look a little further at an R1 or even the 1098 which is gorgeous. I believe it will be the other way around. The people in the market for R1s & 1098s will be hard pushed to look at the 1125r (especially if they are concerned with uniqueness). Also, the R1 is unique? I see boatloads of them out there. Also, be careful as the Jap bikes seems to be more and more biased towards the track and concerned mainly with peak HP. The 1125r is "built from the rider down" and concerns itself with rider comfort, usable horsepower & supreme handling--IMO the primary reasons so many are very excited about it. The 1098, while beautiful, also falls in the track day weapon category. AND it is $4K more than the 1125r in 2008. (Message edited by fresnobuell on September 08, 2007) | ||
| Bads1 |
The 1098, while beautiful, also falls in the track day weapon category. AND it is $4K more than the 1125r in 2008. Thats true but what is also true is that the 1125R put out just few more tire HP then a base 1098. | ||
| M2nc |
I would say that the 1125R will be the better street bike. It was designed for the street not the track, so the seating position is to be more relaxed than either the R1 or the 1098. Also the 1125R has a flatter torque curve than either. It makes more than 70ft-lbs of torque from 4K up. That flat torque curve will make the bike much better behaved on the street. As for longevity, Rotax is a quality product. The V-twin rotax will out last the I-4 Yama because you have to ring out the Yama to make it go. By 50K km you will rebuild the Yama where the Rotax should be fine to twice that. Then again until the 1125R hits the street this is the equivalent of fantasy football. | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
I would say they are all good bikes, each built with a different purpose. The only thing that hasn't been mentioned is theft. The R1 and the 1098 would last 5 minutes on the street (especially in London). I bet the thief would spend 5 minutes, just trying to figure out what the buell was. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Then that insurance company is run by fools. The R1 is a fantastic bike, as is the 1098 and the 1125R. And all will be radically different riding experiences. I would compare cost of ownership for the number of miles I expect to put on the bike (10 to 15k per year for me), the cost of fuel and tires, and the cost of purchase, and get a real "cost". Price in one lowside. Then I would sit down and decide where and how I really want to use the bike, and decide what strengths I am looking for. Then I would test ride each. The test ride would be the thing that makes 80% of the decision, the cost and purpose excercises would just be to make sure I am not deluding myself into going down a path I really can't afford. The 1125 is "more expensive" overseas then it is here in the states... so it might be a harder decision there. | ||
| Bonjoxb12s |
Maybe the insurance is a combo with Age and location. I'm 24 living in the midwest, and most insurance companies are quoting between $3-4k a year on jap bikes. My 2004 XB12S..... less then $1k a year. Back to the real story though..... Though someone may see just as many R1's and Ducs out on the street as on the track, how many are being modified with bags and such for trips? Maybe the the 1125R doesnt have bags YET, but I believe Buell probably has a sport touring bike in the near future. The XB line has thrown us a lot of options to put bags on and take it out for a long trip. Jap bikes just arent made for long term comfort. I believe Eric is even quoted in one of the mags stating the 1125R WASNT made for the track... it's made for real world riding. I'd put my money on the 1125R for a daily rider over those Jap Bikes any day. They are made to go from point A to point B in the shortest time possible.... though that may be a lot of FUN, I cant say I'd ENJOY it. The 1125R was made to go fast, but allow the rider to ENJOY the bike. | ||
| Spatten1 |
Some insurance companies use CCs, and some use actuarial studies per model. It is not standardized with actuarial data as it is with autos. | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
my insurance for my CBR is cheaper than it was for my 9..as for real world street riding...the CBR is a little twitchy but u get used to it in a little while..riding position is not a problem at all....i would ride the 1125R and the R-1 before i made any hasty decisions..the 07 R-1 is said to be a little laggy on the throttle at low speeds cause of the fly by wire thing..whatever turns ya on that what u should ride man....good luck....i gotta go adjust my chain now. | ||
| Moondust |
Molly: I read about the infamous 07 R1 lag also, but it seems to be just a US glitch only . Euro models are flying out of the shops right now due to the 0% finance deal - I looked into it & I'm tempted to put a deposit down myself. I think the insurance is already swaying me into the ricer camp. Whats with adjusting the chain ? I thought those CBR's were solid ? Overall the 1125r has unfortunately opened a can of worms : the more I like thought of owning one the more my mind is wondering about an R1 or similar & the deals out there make it even more attractive  Maybe it is a Euro thing as prices for the Buell are the same as the R1. If these bikes were all the same price , would you still opt for the 1125r ? | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
the chain thing was a joke...i dont have to adjust it yet....soon but not yet...i didnt know that fly by wire thing was a U.S. thing..weird...i looked at the R-1 hard but i got a great deal on my CBR cause its an 06...the 1125 just didnt do it for me...i waited until the new buell was announced to buy something new i was hopin the 1125 would do it for me but alas it did not...the honda is one sexy bitch and faster than holy hell...if i could afford it i would of kept the lump too but i cant at the moment...now if they work out a few of the bugs for the new R-1 then it will be a battle between that and the next year of 1125R...or maybe an older X-1 or something....wait for the new yamahas to come out then see if u can get a good deal on the 07..if both bikes were free id take the R-1 but thats just me. | ||
| Moondust |
Well I think thats what Yamaha are doin over here in the UK - they are offering 3 yrs 0% finance on the 07's which is very tempting indeed. As far as I know the 06's are fine & I read that Yama addressed the glitch on the 08's. Over here the 07's are awesome & I really haven't seen or heard a bad word about it. Strangely , Ducati have also just recently offered new 0% finance deals on the 1098 so , for £200 p month also: http://www.ducatiaylesbury.co.uk/ This is why I mentioned the 1098 in the equation. They are just about to unveil the 08 Yamaha's in just 1 day & counting on their site - I haven't made my mind up yet but I think the 1125r is starting to lose me.  Who knows maybe if Buell offers a sweet deal also , that would make it more interesting. I think what my issue is here : for the price you start to wonder about the competition. I'm sure firebolt & 1125r fans have super sportsbikes on the mind - its practically the same riding position. I've ridden firebolts & the position ain't that far off the R1 ... | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
its funny my hands hurt less on the CBR than they did on the firebolt.... | ||
| Moondust |
its funny my hands hurt less on the CBR than they did on the firebolt.... Tell me about it dude - you only realize just how bad it is when try another bike  | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
i thought the more upright position would suit my 43 some odd years of oldness...but it didnt ...i tried a lot of different grips and bar ends but none worked for me..the first time i took the hondog out for a ride i was impressed at how good it felt...dont get me wrong im no buell hater not in the least....i do think its a shame u have to buy one from a harley dealer still hopefully that will change someday...if it wasnt for cityxslicker and legend harley i would of given the buell up a long time ago...like the plug there city  .....not very many buell dealers as good as they are and its a shame....where i bought my honda there were plenty of kneedraggers and they all knew what they were talking about...plenty of aftermarket stuff right there and plenty of advice on what works and what dont...thats a big sales point for me...i left with a fender eliminator a jardine dual outlet can new boots..try finding sidi's at ur harley dealer...and a bunch of other stuff. in closing i just wanna say..all japanese bike riders arent the same..some of us used to ride buells...and the other way around i subsribe to the feeling of if u ride ur cool with me unless ur a dick.....i dont know anything about the 1098 but i hear its a damn nice bike... | ||
| Trojan |
The 3 bikes you are considering could not be more different in most ways, but in one way they are all the same. They all have far more performance than you will ever need or use on the street, so unless you are also doing lots of track days or racing the choice must come down to other factors. The Yamaha is a ballistic missile in pretty much every respect, and will blow the other two into the weeds (if you have the ability to use it to it's full potential that is, which 99% of buyers won't). The Ducati is an exotic masterpiece that looks just as good standing in your garage than out in the twisties. The problem is that it will likely spend a lot more time in the garage (broken) than either of the other two. I know 3 people with 1098's that have had major problems within 5000 miles and are still waiting for solutions from Ducati. The Buell is very much an unknown quantity, but seems very much more street biased than the other two (The previous model R1 is actually better on the street than the current version). Insurance costs will be pretty much the same in the UK, in fact the Buell may be more expensive than the other two because of the factors that UK insurers take into account when allocating the bike to a particular group. This is not just based on cc or performance but also availability and price of spares and cost to repair/replace. In a recent survey, it was shown that the vast majority of sports bike buyers make their final buying decision on style and looks rather than small diffeences in performance, and unfortunately that is where the Buell lags behind the other two in my opinion. It will be interesting to see just how many 1125s are sold in the first few months after release just to see how the style has been received by the UK buying public. Judging by the adverse comments made on most of the UK bike forums regarding the 1125 styling, Buell have a bit of a hill to climb in persuading punters to choose their bike over the opposition, regardless of the engineering innovations. Lastly of course there is brand loyalty. But given the pathetic trade in values offered by Buell dealers on even relatively new XBs against the 1125 I don't think that will be as big a factor as it could be. | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
cant argue with someone that makes sense.... | ||
| Glitch |
Do you want a Race Replica, or a purpose built Street Bike? I have to agree with Trojan though, the 1125 ain't as pretty. I kind of wish Mr. Buell had just bitten the bullet, and designed the 1125 with a full fairing. | ||
| Just_john |
Moondust, I thought you were selling up and moving to the Middle East? | ||
| Moondust |
Hi Just John, yep I' am hittin the mid east in feb 2008 but I still love bikes, I'm tempted by the 0% deals in the meantime. I'm thinking the savings on the R1 could tempt me enough to getting it shipped over. I am obviously not thinking straight right now which Is why I'm not making any hasty decisions - I'm just lured in by the yamaha carrot at the mo. Dubai is a huge construction site right now & I'm not even sure about riding a bike over there yet but I still love bikes & I'm not gonna be able to hold that one down for too long. The R1 seems like a good deal at the min , at least for the long term financially, anyway. | ||
| Bonjoxb12s |
Moon, no matter what you choose I am sure you'll love it. I will admit though, it can't get much better then having a great looking bike, AND have 0% finance. My personal opinion leads me to believe that the 1125R wont have any financing offers like that anytime in the near future. Harley/Buell to MY KNOWLEDGE has never offered 0% down promotions that last longer then 90 days.... at least that I can personally remember. Best of luck with whatever 2-wheels you choose and ride safe! | ||
| 12r |
I couldn't resist chipping in on this one, having swapped my Firebolt for a new R1 in July. You'd be surprised how similar the two bikes are; no seriously they are both very capable, compact sportsbikes that turn and handle with an almost telepathic quality. The R1 shines when circumstances allow and the biggest difference is where the Buell is running out of puff, the R1 is just getting into its stride. Those of you familiar with a 6500rpm (or even 10,000rpm) redline may scoff at the R1's 13,000 rpm and think that it is just an overblown peaky 600 devoid of any kind of midrange, but the truth is the first 4000rpm doesn't even register, 6000-9999rpm is a torquey, friendly comfort zone and at 10,000rpm you can hear the intakes pop, the YCC-I kicks in and just when you thought you'd got the measure of it, it takes off at a nerve-shredding rate. Really it is incredible, and indescribable without OD'ing on superlatives. This 'three-engines-in-one' characteristic makes the R1 an excellent sporting roadbike and it's probably phenomenal on the track where the upper reaches of the rev counter can be explored in relative safety. It only 'tolerates' slow riding but basically you can go as fast or as slow as you want; it's nice to have the choice. And all this performance is not at the expense of refinement either; it starts instantly, idles smoothly (with a very aggressive burble) and uses no oil or coolant. As for character, anyone who criticizes modern Japanese litre bikes as being 'bland' or 'boring' has obviously never ridden one for any length of time - the sheer exhilaration of seamless clutchless upshifting as the rev counter soars, coupled with a spine-tingling symphony from the exhaust is one of motorcycling's finest pleasures and you would have to be dead to not enjoy it. I remain interested in Buell's developments with the 1125 but as far as sportsbikes go, the Japanese have set the bar very, very high indeed. Living with one is not the same as a magazine article or even an extended demo and although Buell are playing a different game I think they will have to play it very well indeed.  | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
what 12r said....fun innit . | ||
| Bonjoxb12s |
12R.... nice looking bike. | ||
| Just_john |
That 0% finance does make it tempting to buy, obviously the summer(!!) is coming to an end here and they are eager to keep shifting bikes. Three of my neighbours have just bought new Kawasaki 600's for just over £5000 on 0%. One of them has written theirs off already! Aprilia, Suzuki & Triumph are doing 0% deals as well. |
