| Author | Message | ||
     Armybueller |
OK, Let me first start by saying that I Don't own a Buell, I've never ridden a Buell, and I've never even seen a Buell other than in pictures. I have been in the Army 6 years and overseas for a little over 2 years now and Currently I'm in Ramadi, Iraq, with a little bit of luck I will be coming home in a few months. Question 1: The bike I bought is a 2006 Lightning XB12S..what bumms me out is that I am going to probably have to wait until december for delivery. I am paying about $11,500 after tax for the bike and I can still cancel at this point. Is that price worth the wait or when I get back can I go to the nearest Buell shop and get a new 05' for that and not have to wait until my 06' comes out. Question 2: I'm a muscle car guy AKA power junkie...I was going to buy a 2004 Mustang COBRA when I get back but I'm getting out and going to school at UTI in Arizona and am not sure what my budget is gonna be plus gas/ insurance/ payments are all high. So when I think "American","muscle","Bike" and "sport" and a bike that says "what are you lookin' at" and not "lookatme,lookatme" I think Buell, All that acceleration at a fifth the price. OK, the only sport/crotch rocket type bike I have ever ridden is a GSX-R600 that a buddy of mine let me ride. I took it out for about 20 minutes and came back with a huge grin on my face and I was shaking from all the adrenaline. I swore I would never get a bike cause I'd kill myself....anyways, OK the XB12 is a 4 V 1203cc V Twin that puts out 103hp (is that at the rear tire?)and from some of the threads I have read people have said a Buell won't keep up with a inline 4 600cc suzuki/kawasaki/honda/yamaha. And what sound like veteran Riders/Buellers have not contested these claims. I'm aware of the cornering properties of the Buell.. I guess what I want to know is if I'm at a light and a CBR 600 or 1000 pulls up next to me and the light goes green and we go for it what's gonna happen? another thing if the I-4 is the ideal sportbike motor why does Ducati use V-Twins in their bikes? I know they are 8 valve as opposed to 4 valve like the Buell but whats the deal? Question 3: What, in the hands of a capable rider, does a XB12 do in the 1/4 mile? Question 4: What is the best route in increasing the power of a Buell? Let me close by saying that I'm new to motorcycles and to Buell, so if all you're gonna do is give me crap for asking basic and what some people might call immature questions then just keep your mouth shut. If you're here to help then your experience and expertise is greatly appreciated. }SGT H.  | ||
| Stainlessmag |
Ill do my best to answer what i can. Q1: Im not real sure due to the fact that i havnt been keeping up with prices since i bought my 9s Q2: Ive never raced anyone but have ridden my bike back to back witha friends 600, The big diff is tourque. The buell feels fast and pulls hard from as low as 2k up to redline. The inline didnt feel like it was pulling at all to me but i looked down and was doing 100. If your looking to drag race and worry about whos going to beat who at a stop light a buell might now be the thing your lookin for. The rating that buell gives is at the crank. I personaly dont think there is an ideal sportbike motor, its all personal pref. Q3: From what i've heard the buell will do the 1/4 in 12.5 or so with a very capable rider Q4: Basicly the same idea as anything else, open up the exhaust, open up the intake, add more fuel. There are a bunch of differant pipes available and some mods to do to the airbox that have proved to work well for people. Do some searches in the knowledge vault and on the xb board and you should be able to find a wealth of info. Hope some of this helped, andy other questions shoot and ill do my best to answer. | ||
| Nadz |
Sergeant, I'm just joe average on this board, but I gots a few opinions for ya... A1: you can do better dealing in person. I paid 8k for an 2004 with 300 mi, and this was in July 04. Plus, you want to try the different seating positions. A2: My first bike, but I'm a Camaro guy and this is my answer to never having enuf clams for an SS (I actually handed one it's ••• just recently). It sounds meaner, and pulls like a train. You know how if you tap the pedal in a stickshift 'vette and then let go, how your head snaps back and then forward again? This bike has that kind of instant throttle response. I don't know how it holds up against a metric off the line, but I do know that I always get annoyed that those kids always go so slow in the turns! A3: don't know. A4: don't know yet. Thanks for your service over thar, -NadZ | ||
| Armybueller |
awesome..this is good stuff [stainless]>thanks much for the Intel, 12.5 seems a little slow..I know, I know,.. I need to get off this 1/4 mile thing but coming from muscle cars where it is everything to bikes where it doesn't seem to matter, is wierd.. but everybody talks about corners so I guess I got some learnin' to do. I've never taken a "corner" before.... [NadZ]> Camaro super slow huh, RIGHT ON...no JK thanks for the input yer speakin my language. 8k is a good price and I have been looking but it seems there arent that many XB12s' out there fer sale. Damn dealerships wont ever give me a quote either. I really hate the tought of having to wait..but if its gonna save me a few grand then I will. yeah another thing..you say buells sound mean..how mean..like hairs stand up on the back of your neck mean..or sportin' wood mean..I try and download a sound clip but they have these army computers locked down... I havnt had a beer, seen a pretty girl, or heard a engine worth hearing in 11 months..I'm going crazy! thanks all ..  SGT H | ||
| Blublak |
Hey Army..  I just looked at your profile.. Uh, a 50hp  increase at the wheel would be a TON of work.. And if you did get that kind of additional power, you may find yourself with reliability issues.. But that's just me talking. I'm putting 77 at the rear wheel and in the back roads, where it gets twisted and wicked fun..  That's plenty of power for me. Example: I ride with several different 'groups' of riders. Last time I was out with one of these groups there was an R6 a ZX-11 and a GSXR-1000 .. among the bikes.  In the long straight highway runs, I was a speck in their mirrors.  However.. when we got to what I consider the 'Good Roads' things changed.  The bigger bikes had more problems slicing up the tight twists of asphalt. I was now the one leading the pack..  The R6 rider even asked me how I could turn so fast. As for the short hops, since the power comes on so fast,  you will be doing well in the stop light drags, of course, you're going to need to work on wheelie control, since Buells LOVE  to lift the front wheel.. But where this bike really shines is in the corners.. Set up right she's rock steady and able to track a tight line at twice the posted through ANY turn.. Easy.. With some practice you'll find yourself riding 15mph curves at 45 and getting that..  OOOOPSSSS!  SEG when you realize what your doing. It all depends on what you want to do with it. Hope this helps a little.. Oh and on the price.. Seems pretty good to me.. Of course, some of the dealer folks that hang out here could be more help to ya.. Now, keep you're butt low and get back here to ride with us .. damnit!  Oh and one other thing.. Not really any help with one of your other problems.. but look up the babes and bikes thread here.. just so you can see some good lookin' women  (until you get back here and can hang with even better Buell riding women!) Later, | ||
| Reepicheep |
Welcome Army. If you get into a drag race with an inline 4 600, you will get off the line faster, they will pull out ahead before the quarter mile. But don't let that make you think either bike is slow... both will hand just about any production car that cost less then 100,000 it's ••• in that same quarter mile. The inline four 1000's will beat you off the line and will absolutely light up the quarter mile. The inline fours "wind up" though. It's like the difference between an Acura (which moves pretty good on paper, but bored the hell out of me on a test drive) and a hopped up muscle car (which does mediocre on paper but has me grinning from ear to ear while I drive it). If pure power is really what you want, go buy a litre inline four and be done with it. You won't be able to use that power on the street without getting killed or arrested, your insurance will be more then your house payment, and you probably won't actually put that many miles on the bike, but you will be the king of the stoplight races and peeling the paint of the interstate. If an overall balanced motorcycle is what you want, with a very usable power curve, outstanding handling, and something that drips with character, then look at the XB12, or even an XB9. My current 9sx is probably faster then my old 12 was (a Cyclone). Not many here will give you crap for getting an R1, ZX-10, or GSXR-1000. If thats what you want, they are fantastically well done bikes. But do think about what you are really going to do with the bike before commiting. Given the strengths of a inline four 1000, I don't know how you would have any fun on one on the street for any length of time and not either get killed or loose the bike due license suspension / increased insurance costs from the "serious" tickets. | ||
| Deerhunter17 |
Army, talk to Daves | ||
| Donutclub |
Question 1: I'd suggest waiting until you get back to make the purchase. I'm guessing that you will be able to pick up a Buell for much less. I picked up mine XB12R for 7k (used Demo bike). Question 2: I've owned a CBR 600F4i in the past and it was a sweet bike as long as the revs were kept up high. I liken it to riding a two-stroke. I used to road race an RS125 (two-stroke) and I'd say that the motor was similar to the CBR while the handling of the XB is similar to the RS. Either bike has it's benefits specific to it's purpose. The Buell is more of a street bike because it has usuable power (low to mid range). Question 3: I don't have an answer for this other than the XB accelerates to about 100mph faster than any other bike that I've owned. Question 4: I'm still questioning this myself. It seems that the Buell is pretty well sorted out without any mods. My only complaint is that it is too quiet, but there are mods for that. The bike puts out enough power (stock) to satisfy me. | ||
| Apex_assasian |
sgt. first of i'd like to say thanks! now about the bikes i too am a motorhead having grown up when it was about big h.p. and now it's about the total package you can't compare cars today with those of yesterday.....faster,way more effceint,comfortable,handle tons better.... my point? i have owned quite a few in lines...and yes they are very fast....got my first buell last oct. xb12s but it's all about the fun factor for me, my buell is a ten on the fun meter, every time i ride it. my in-lines didn't come close. so i guess i'm saying if you want fun 10 seconds at a time....get an in-line. it's all about what makes you happy sarge. just my opinion. mike | ||
| Armybueller |
I'm definitely not getting a foreign bike..I don't care how fast it is. And in my experience Torque is always better than top speed especially the mid range variety. thus my love for muscle cars. From what I'm hearing from you guys just makes me want my Buell even more..bastards...no JK. I realize the 50 HP gain thing was a little out there, like I said I don't know anything about motorcycle engines...yet I'm gonna go ahead and trust you guys on the 1/4 thing, it does'nt matter....I can't believe I just said that  The musclecar gods will not be pleased..I need to start up the "buy SGT Harris a 04 Cobra charity foundation" LOL anyways, yeah you guys are a great help and I look forward to maybe some of you guys showing me how to smoke my Platoon Sergeants lame new BMW K 1200 Sport bike..in the twisties anyways. you guys seen that thing? it weighs 520lbs and has like a 9 foot wheelbase..I told him he was atarded. Anyways I gotta go kill something so I'll talk to you all later. SGT H | ||
| Brucelee |
Just go buy a GSX 1000 or Yamaha r1. You will be happier with the qtr mile performance all around, right out of the box they will run in the low 10s or high nines. If you want a alternative drag racer, try a VMAX and mod the thing out. It is very fast in a straight line. However, if you are not an accomplished rider and do not intend to take training to ride well, have LOTS of life insurance for your family survivors. No kidding on this one. Thanks for your service to our country. | ||
| Hanses25 |
Armybueller First I must say thanks for your service to our country, its appreciated. Second are you buying the Buell through aafees? I know when I was overseas, soldiers could purchase vehicles through aafees at a nicely discounted rate and have them shipped to your front door. If this is the aafees price you may be able to get a better deal through DaveS here on the badweb, or even Clown at stone mountain! Second I have an XB9S and love it the 12 will have even more torque and should in my mind put a great big smile on your face. Third when you get back PM me and I'll give you information as to how to cut the cheese grader off, and modify your stock exhaust for that orgasmic V-Twin sound, and a few more tips into getting the most out of your Buell experience. ONE SHOT 2 KILLS!!! Keep your head low, and come home safe!! JJ | ||
| Ivershay |
race kit from buell. it works. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Start with an XB12 then, either S or R, whichever is more comfortable for you. Both work well. I like my S, the R drove me nuts. Ride the hell out of it for 2 years, put on 20,000 miles and learn how to make it go anywhere anytime. Then, after all that practice, take it to a good performance shop, and have them do serious engine work. Talk to us first, we have some pretty good data in the area. Drop in another $5k then, and you will be set. If I were you, I would wait until I get back, unless you get some sort of killer deal as part of the armed services. Thanks for risking your life to protect my family! | ||
| Signguyxb12 |
i second AAFES | ||
| Nadz |
Speakin' of sound... I was just getting a pizza the other day and heard a built 350 with a borla a-comin, but it turned out to be a blue XB9er! There's some .50-cal pipes out there for ya, but that's a whole 'nother pile of threads. I'm glad you want to buy American but be warned that there's not anywhere near as much stick-ons for us as for the high-production ricers. OTOH, there's no other American-made or foreign anything that sounds/sprints/turns like a Buell, and there are parts to get you up to racin' speeds for well under the cost of an Italian bike. I'm gettin' that grin again- the sun's out, tank's full, and it's time to go practice my ape impression! | ||
| Jcwise |
The 12s are in 11 second range now. Good luck. Ive also owned Mustangs and had the privalige of kicking many many cars asses and even some honda sport bikes, not many a mortal can maintain speeds above 140 mph over 30 miles in distance. If you get the mustang go with a roots style supercharger... Rock on... | ||
| M1combat |
SmokeDaddy.... Grand Canyon HD up here in Mayer is a good Buell service center. | ||
| M1combat |
Q1 - You can certainly do better for even a new bike. I'd wait until the '06's come out (only because it's so close) and if there's something REALLY new/nice... get a leftover '05 anyway because you'll most likely be able to get one for a good price. Q2 - I've got a '72 Mach-1. The Buell has some of the same character that I like in the Mustang. They're just plain mean, and they hold a line like a professional coke addict (I think I stole that quote from Rocketman...). They turn in like a fox after a rabbit on Red Bull. NEARLY too stable when healed over on it's ear... but not. An IL4600 will certainly walk away in a straight (it won't run though), but after following MANY IL4's of all sizes through my favorite section of road (I live in Northern AZ, I look forward to riding with you) and seeing them shift literally hundreds of times just to barely stay ahead of me as I just leave my twelve in third pretty much convinces me that the long stroke V-Twin is indeed the correct configuration for the street. Q3 - Not sure... Sorry. Q4 - Define "power"... I'd start with Marcus McBain or somewhere thereabouts. Like most people though, you'll probably want to do something with the exhaust first just so it sounds proper. You'll need an exhaust and either a power commander or TFI unit to start (depends on which exhaust you go with). After that... Try Pammy's, NRHS, Trojan horse etc... Take a perusing through our sponsor links. They aren't just there to look pretty  . | ||
| Roadrunnerrv |
A good source said that buell is coming out with a new line next year??? Harley said they could know as July. Could it be the end of the XB??? Who knows. | ||
| Anonymous |
Defintely not the end of the XB! Heck, we just started!!! And, although 1/4 mile is not what these bikes were built for, a good rider on an XB12 can definitely get in the 11's, stock. | ||
| Thomas_lindemann |
you can get a better deal on it than that I just got back from Iraq in February and bought a 2004 XB12S for 9200.00 out the door through AAFES | ||
| Ivershay |
AAFES is best kept secret in military. xb is not going anywhere, 2 completely new models coming (Message edited by ivershay on June 01, 2005) | ||
| Henrik |
I'll take a crack at Q4: 1) do your research - here on Badweb and with trusted performance shops - and make a plan. This is the most important step, and it's important that it's the first step. 2) count your pennies and purchase performance parts that will complement each other step by step ... sticking firmly to the plan. example: after talking to NRHS or Cyclerama (those are the two performance shops I have personal experience with - no dig towards other shops) you decide to build a motor for fun street riding without compromising reliability too much. The shops mentioned can give you a complete package designed to best match your intended purpose. So your final goal could be something like: 1250 kit using quality cylinders and pistons headwork injector hop-up of sorts intake modifications possibly aftermarket engine management system cams and pipe to match your desired torque curve So you buy the bike, and after purchasing *all* your quality riding gear!!! you have $1000 left. So you go buy the pipe your chosen performance shop tells you will work well with your final goal. Maybe you add the recommended airbox modification. As you get more $$ you keep upgrading parts until your goal has been reached. Of course, unless you're mostly interested in straight line speed, the best you can do for improved riding would be to take the MSF courses and a bunch of track schools Henrik | ||
| Bomber |
Sarge -- thumb yer nose at the muscle car gods (I started with a 66 goat with a tri-power 455, last pony car was a 99 mustang gt) look at it this way, for the price of a buell, you're getting the 2-wheel equivalant of the hottest Porshe or Ferrari you can legally run on the street -- fast, good lookin, not seen on every corner, and it handles! you're idea of street-based fun will change, no doubt about it! your speed will be far more limited by your skill than in a car (I know not everyone can drive as quickly as everyone else, but the differeneces on a bike are far more obvious and telling) -- you'll find yerself seeking out reallytwisty road, altering your route to work to include a nicely cambered on-ramp, and finding your trip to the store for a pack of smokes taking hours! you've gotten a great deal of good advice already -- I'll just emphasize learning -- sign up for a class ASAP -- it's just the start of a life-long pursuit of knowledge and skill that you'll enjoy! lastly, thank you for your service, Sarge -- come on home safe and sound, we need you and our brothers and sisters! | ||
| Daves |
Army, 1.Welcome to the madness that is Buell and the Badweb! 2. Thank you for your service to our country. 3. When you get back to the states could I interest you in a trip to Wisconsin? Come pick up your new Buell, probably could arrange a trip to the factory, meet Erik Buell and have an all around great time. | ||
| Cataract2 |
Army, when you get out where do you plan on ending up? | ||
| Jugallo94 |
If your going to buy a mustang dont get a cobra. Look into the roush stage 3 mustang. Trust me you will love it. | ||
| Armybueller |
you guys have all been really helpful and I wish I had the time to respond to each of your comments one by one but I only have 30 minutes..but I do have have a few things to say..first and foremost..there is no way that I would get a Roush stage 3 over a 03-04 Cobra..the Cobra I was looking at was 24,000 used, now add $3000 for a whipplecharger to replace the stock eaton, some injectors, exhaust,chip and a 2.9 pulley and youre putting 500-600 HP at the tires and running high 10s low 11's. Last time I saw a roush S-3 was like 50-60 grand..and they dont even have a 32 valve DOHC configuration, just roots blower, a body kit and some other little stuff..but if Roush is your thing then thats cool..just had to get that out. OK lets see...yeah I think based on reading some of your responses that I would go with a really mean sounding exhaust first then just go from there..I mean I might be totally satisfied with the bike in its stock setup. I have ruled out any ricer bikes so that is no longer an option.. [Thomas]> what did you mean by "out the door", did you go through the AAFES guys over here, what did you do cause I like that price you paid. can you remember the name of the aafes sales rep you dealt with? get back ta me... [Henrick]> your answer to Q4 was really informative..I'm just a dumb grunt so laying it out like that is helpful. thanks much. [M1Combat]> dude yeah I look forward to riding with you and thanks for the info it was good. [Daves]> Sir, if you could manage something like that I would be forever in your debt. I got that Buell CD(im sure you all know what im talking about) and Erik seems like a really down to earth guy and I would love to meet him. I really don't have much of a family to speak of so I was gonna stay back at Fort Carson anyways and get back in shape and get ready to get out while everyone else went on leave, but If you could set something up like what you mentioned I would take that route in a heartbeat. To everyone else, thanks for your wisdom and words on all things Buell. I have one more question, one for all of you, perhaps...it is the most important question of them all.. Are there very many girls that ride Buells..the idea of a hot girl on her own Buell 1200 teaching me how to "ride" makes me a gooey inside  OK...I gonna rack out..see you all tomorrow SGT H | ||
| M1combat |
Keep your head down my friend. Thank you. We'll hit "The Spars" and 191 hopefully . |
