| Author | Message | ||
     Rumbles |
Well I'm kicking tires again and somewhere I saw an add for a Buell, got on the web site, went to the dealer and so far the Lightnings look real good to me for what I'm looking for in a bike for my wife, not that I won't be taking it out once in a while. However I know nothing of their reliability or driveability and I'm looking for answers and comments from people that own them. Thanks. | ||
| Olinxb12r |
9,000 miles on my 04 XB12R Firebolt and I'm happy. I have only had one issue that I didn't cause. The clutch cable clip broke and my cable was touching my header. Other than that I've been through tires, a clutch (rolling burnouts, my fault), and a belt. The belt was replaced under warranty with the 06 belt and it is strong as an ox. Go to a dealer and test ride one. You'll see for yourself. | ||
| Metalstorm |
I'll be completely honest with you. When I got my bike (05 12Scg) it had an electrical problem. It was blowing ignition fuses almost every time I hit the start button. It took the shop about a week to find the problem. It was a chaffed wire in the harness behind the steering stem. Once the problem was found it was an easy fix. Everything was covered under warranty, I didn't have to pay a dime for anything. Since then, my bike has been absolutely perfect. It's only 10 months old (built Feb 05) so I guess it's early to say but There are no signs of anything being wrong with it. It runs strong. The seals still seal. It doesn't make any noises aside from the normal ones. It has never stranded me. I believe it to be very reliable & extremely fun. My Buell is also good for my mental health being as it relaxes me when I'm stressed & exhilarates me when I'm bored. It's not a two wheeled appliance like some of the bikes I've owned. This is a true corner munching street orientated fun sled. | ||
| Lovematt |
I have over 21,000 miles on my '03 XB9R with hardly any problems worth mentioning...check out my profile for more info. I am extremely happy with this bike! | ||
| Diablobrian |
Problems can be magnified on any site like this one because the dissatisfied tend to be loud. My general impression, and I believe there have been studies to back this up, is that Buell products are the least problematic in H-D's entire line-up. They have the least warranty and recall problems. This is a MAJOR turn-around from the tube frame models. (no disrespect intended tubers) Just take the horror stories with a grain of salt and remember for every one of those there are literally thousands of happy owners you'll never hear from. | ||
| Flick |
For your wife eh!?!? You will probably find you need two Lightnings!!!! Once you ride the beast, you'll be hooked! Reliability is right up there with the other manufacturers. Grin factor outstanding. Don't know what you have ridden in the past, or what you have now, but there is not much I have not ridden, and the Buell ranks at the top of the list for me. Even rider size is no longer an issue with the Buells, with the introduction of the Ulysses and SS models. Best if you can do the majority of your own wrenching (some dealer issues out there, but bad attitude is not exclusive to the Buell brand), but the bikes are quite easy to work on and scheduled maintenance intervals seem to be getting longer. I have over 20,000 miles on my '03XB9S and will be looking for another Buell when I decide to retire this one. Take a test ride for an hour or so and you'll probably be hooked. Happy hunting. | ||
| Bake |
I think you will find 99.9% of us on this board are thrilled with our Buells | ||
| Ponytail |
Does your wife understand what the Buell Lightening is capable of? Are you prepared to see your wife riding wheelies? | ||
| Rumbles |
Ponytail do you think really that this might be too much bike for her, she has had a V-Rod since June and seems to have managed it well, The V-Rod's power is very controlable if you take it easy on the throttle I'm hoping the XB will be the same. Anybody think this may not be a good choice for her? | ||
| Mountainrider |
I also have owned all types of bikes and I love my Buell City-X. She is so much fun.  | ||
| Diablobrian |
Not a poor choice, but a different one. The XB is much lighter than the v-rod and the weight is distributed differently. If she has the throttle discipline for the v-rod she shouldn't have any problem with the xb. The attitudes, for lack of a better word, are different between the 2 bikes. The Lightning is much more of a hooligans bike. | ||
| Crusty |
If you buy your wife a Buell, you're going to have to contend with that silly grin on her face every time she takes it out for a ride.  Seriously, if she can handle a V-Rod, she should have no trouble with a Lightning. | ||
| Sweatmark |
Bought an XB9S Low for my wife as 1st bike; perfect fit (ergonomics) and poor fit (too "sporty" & responsive for her). Bought her a Beemer Boxer instead that she loves. One year and 5k miles later, she recognizes that both the Buell's steering geometry and torque were the source of her apprehension; the bigger BMW's dynamics gave her more confidence on the road. I'd recommend that your wife try the Buell on for size and "feel". If she's partial to sporty, she'll likely enjoy the Lightning. If she's more comfortable with long wheelbase dynamics, then why not stay with the VRod? BTW - you can try the Buell thing like me... I ended up keeping the XB as my "play" bike (with suitable modifications) and love every minute on it! |
