| Author | Message | ||
     Alstroker |
I really have enjoyed my firebolt over the three years of ownership. One thing I have found though is that no matter where I go it gets a lot of attention both positive and negative. Most attention is positive as people who are true bike lovers respect and appreciate the machine. I never know what sort of comments the bike is going to get though and I always approach a conversion cautiously. The 20somethings are the most negative since bragging rights mean more than anything. So if the bike isn't a high revving superbike, it is not for them. A friend of mine and I went to and Aprilla/Moto Guzzi dealer a day ago and talked to a young salesman there. My friend rides a Ducati Monster. When the salesman saw what we were riding he started to comment on the Buell completely ignoring the Duck. His main comment is that he didn't like the motor and he couldn't understand why Buell didn't use a better one. Now he is basically putting my ride down right in front of me at the same time he sells Moto Guzzi's that have a very similar engine design with similar power and redline specs. I think most of the attitude comes from the fact that it is associated with Harley. For some reason Harleys just offend a lot of sportbikers. I mean how many of you would insult someones bike right to his face? It sort of frustrates me and I just rather not talk about my bike and go ride. | ||
| Mr_gto |
When people like that start yapping i let it go in one ear and out the other. Most of those people dont know their a$$ from a hole in the ground anyway. Its all about the ride man! I love the companionship and memories that motorcycling gives me! My wife and I ride Buells and we ride with guys who have a triumph 675, ducati 1098, honda RC51, honda cbr600rr, 1985 harley fxr, suzuki sv650s. We all respect each others rides and have fun. Isnt fun what ridings all about anyway? | ||
| Buellerinjapan |
Since living in Japan, I`ve noticed that Japanese people are always staring at my XB12Ss. Part of the reason is that I removed the Buell sticker, the other seems to be that my bike is so unusual that it gets everyones attention. No one person has ever put it down, and probably wouldn`t do in front of me. I love the sound of a v-twin. To each his own, is my slogan. | ||
| Glitch |
too bad some just don't get it. Who really cares | ||
| Just_john |
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| New12r |
I get it. | ||
| Xb12randy |
It's funny because I find the opposite in South FL. Most if all the sportbike guys I have run into dig the bike and ask all kinds of questions. I get the shun the Harley guys mostly on the road when I pull up along side them. Very few recognize it as a Buell and just see a fairing and clipons and immediateley turn turn there nose up. A few ask questions and a few will also take notice of the Harley motor do a double take then give a thumbs up. I was expecting a bit more acceptance from the Harley crowd but when your hard core I guess all Buells just look like another Jap bike to them LOL | ||
| Norrie |
The best thing is when they blast past you on the straights on there sportsbikes and then you stick with them on the twisties because A.they cant ride and B.the Buell handles better than most of them. I sometimes feel like sticking it down the inside of them going into a bend just to prove how good it is. Norrie. | ||
| Xl1200r |
too bad some just don't get it. Who really cares +1 | ||
| Sneth |
so far, everyone has loved the bike. odd thing is, they actually like the cheese grater... the only people against it, are the people who are rather jealous i get all the attention. My friend and I both bought new bikes this season; Not a single person has come up and asked him about his SV1000s... i Love it... | ||
| Luxor |
I live in Washington state. 95% of the comments I get are positive. Most negative comments come from Harley clowns calling it a girls bike, until I simply blow them away with a better version, the Buell, of what they have between their legs. By clown I mean the guy that rides 3 hours a week on a shelf bought chrome King or the like. Mostly seen on Sundays just for the so called cool factor. Not a rider but a clown in full costume. Most 20 somethings around here "Get IT" and show me total respect. More then once I've been stopped in traffic because they have never seen a Buell in person. At this time I am usually asked 20 questions, which I happily answer. Another funny thing I've noticed. While riding I'll see a couple of squids(shorts, and sketchers wearing tank tops)on Yamasuzihondas with 1 inch chicken strips, side by side. They notice the Buell and will not challenge me, ever. Very strange. I guess they "Get IT" also.  Even after all this, if my Buell got zero respect I wouldn't give a fiddly fart. I LOVE my Buells and "Get IT". | ||
| Djkaplan |
Well... I don't get it. I've had my Buell for 7 years and not one person has made a snide comment to my face about it... not Harley people, not sportbike people, not stuntaz. I've literally had the only Buell in a mixed group of 1500 motorcycles before... not one negative remark... ever. Nothing but curiosity and questions. I certainly don't get it. | ||
| Diablobrian |
I get loads of questions, but the most common is: "Is that the new Ducati?" I LOVE the H-D hard liners that hear me coming and turn to look and give the double or triple take. With the full fairing my 'bolt is NOT what they expect to see. At a recent bike show I had to correct a guy telling his girlfriend that my bike" like all Buells" puts out about the same HP as the sportster 1200. When he brought his guy buddies back by he was talking about hot HOT my bike was and was quoting back the RWHP and Torque numbers I'd quoted to him. For some reason when they find out you are running a BUNCH more HP, mine is running 99.6RWHP and 86 ft-lbs, than their chrome wagon some of them give your bike the respect it deserves. Most of the H-D guys that dismiss the Buells out of hand have never ridden one and form their opinions based on other people that also have never ridden one's word of mouth. That's based on an 883 right? is another one (since my bike was originally an XB9) they usually act like they don't believe me when I tell them that the current sportsters are only just getting technology that Buell has been using since 03, and that the Buells usually put down half again (or more!) hp than a similar sized XL. Tim, (No_Rice) was telling me about a guy at his dealership that bought a new firebolt, and refused any advice or help with the statement "I've ridden sportsters before" long story short wrecked it in the parking lot because he did not respect the power of the bike and dumped the clutch and then...as we all know,...up comes the nose! bang. then it got wheeled over to the service department for repairs. Yup, just a sportster...riiiight  Anyway, those that don't want to "get it" never will. Those that are interested will have any and all the answers they want from me for the asking. I love my Buell, the Buell way of doing things, and I love the Buell community. That's about as good as it gets in my opinion. | ||
| Buellshyter |
I was expecting a bit more acceptance from the Harley crowd but when your hard core I guess all Buells just look like another Jap bike to them Wait till the 1125 arrives. They won't know what to make of it with it's Rotax motor. I had two people tell me at Mid-Ohio the new Buell is "basically using just the old Aprilia motor" I agree, most people haven't a clue. | ||
| Chrisrogers3 |
The 20somethings are the most negative since bragging rights mean more than anything. Those people that talk crap about Buell's have obviously never been on one. One of my good friends talked his Sporty up like it was the best thing since sliced bread, and said he has been on all sorts of bikes and that the firebolt was just the poorest bike he has seen (most of it may have been just to get my blood boiling). Well of course being a Buell rider it pissed me off enough that I finally told him we would trade bikes for the day. Of course he was all over this idea, me I didn't want to ride a chrome pig around but I did want to prove a point. I go into the speech "the front brake is touchy, lots of torque" and so on, and he was like most and didn't listen. My parting words to him were the infamous "You break it you buy it" routine. Well about a half hour later he shows up on my door step gives me the keys and says "That was the scariest ride of my life". Needless to say a week later he sold his shiny piece of scrap metal and bought a buell! Yes I may talk down about Harleys but I have been on every single model (minus the screamin eagle V-rod) which of course I would love to put down the strip, but I havn't found anyone dumb enough to let me, yet. Seriously though they are heavy, slow, corner for crap and I for one would rather ride for eight hours and polish for one, rather than ride for one and polish for eight. Maybe when I grow up I will buy a Harley, but I'm hoping I'll never grow up! | ||
| Bueaddicted |
Whenever I join a group of friends on their (insert chrome cow here)I usually hear the comment "he never forgets the blow dryer!" My only comment now is to smile and think "forgive them, they do not know..."! Paul | ||
| Xb12mel |
I like when they say my bike sounds like I lawnmower!!!  I just laugh and say, well... that may be true, but it's better then a weed eater! Yeah, i get enough respect from the ricers in the know... my problem is the HD guys who arn't. My Dad (stone cold HD guy for years) wasn't convinced until he rode it himself. After the first 15 mins... he was completely convinced!!! | ||
| Paint_shaker |
My fondness for Harleys brought me to Buell. Waaaay back in 1990 I heard rumor of the best handling bike on the planet, with gripes that it had a H-D motor in it. I saw my first Buell in 1999 when I bought my "crome wagon". I bought my first Buell (98 S1W) in 2004. Kept the Harley until just this month, which I sold to pay for the 2008 XB12R. I ride my Buell and "fit in" at either an H-D event or a sportbike event. Most comments I get are postive and a LOT of people can't believe when I tell them the bike is a 1998!! I really don't care what the naysayers have to say... As most have never riden a Buell, I quickly dimiss them as uneducated people. The bottom line is it's MY bike, I like it and I ride it (sometimes like I stole it)!!!! | ||
| Brucen |
Just about all the negative comments I get are from people that have never ridden a Buell. Most of the Sport Bike guys, at least the ones that actually ride more than they pose, like it. I get a lot of questions and positive comments when I am with a group of bikes. People that ride and like bikes respect it and know what can do. The negative comments are are usually from squids. | ||
| Hdbobwithabuell |
I'm 100% sure that some people HATE Buells. Also 100% sure that I don't give a crap and mostly don't care what they like/dislike. I know I've seen a few bikes that I would not want to own. Guess what? I didn't buy any of those! The advantage to not giving a $hit what other people like is you don't have to go around bad mouthing their choices.  | ||
| Bombardier |
Owned my 07 XB12R for about a month and damn it feels good to be so right!!!! | ||
| Marksm |
I don't care if people don't like my Bike. Personally, I despise any soulless piece of Iron with a Honda emblem attached. I even refused to buy a lawn mower with a honda engine. | ||
| Tailspining |
I don't ride a Buell because of what people say about it. I ride a Buell because of the "3 day" smile it puts on my face.  | ||
| Cityxslicker |
"Now why would you take a perfectly good motorcycle and go beat the living hell out of it on an dirt road? and look at all that MUD!" Nope~ They just dont get it, at all. | ||
| Xb9rnutt |
Ever since the first add in CycleWorld Magazine that was all it took for me. I knew I would have one someday and the day I did it was a dream come true. I originally bought my first Firebolt in 04 at the rip old age of 23. Then 5 months later I had to sell it. That was some depressing times. But in those 5 months I put a little over 4000 miles on it. Mind you I bought the bike in February. So those were some hard 4000 miles. I now got me another 03 bolt 2 months ago. 3000 miles later and I still wouldn't want another bike. Ok maybe newer LOL! Point is if you like what you ride then sell it and find one you love. I did!!! P.S. let the haters suffer with there oil dipping, sore back having, and local bar hopping bikes! | ||
| Walknhigh |
Last week stopped at the end of a muddy road watching a group of sport bikes go by, me and my TT covered in mud. I pulled out behind them and they speed up to pull away from this ugly bike, up to a 100 they went still the ugly bike kept up. when we hit the curves and they hit the brakes. A passing lane opened up and I was gone. They pulled in behind me at the gas. station, first question was "whats a buell". Should I have told the Ninja he was faster. Naw! | ||
| Permagrin |
First +1 to Luxor. Well to most but he really told my story well. So I'll tell another.. Last Friday I rode to the bank to cash my check. When I came out there was 2 guys really inspecting my bike.. Now typically I'm expecting lots of questions and it doesn't bother me but this time it was like they were about to climb on getting really close and perhaps touching things.. (my bike = my baby) So as I walk up behind them I hear "it doesn't say honda on it does it?" So I stop and listen to them argue whether its a new honda or a new yamaha. Trying not to laugh I cut in and tell them its a Buell. They look up and say "we know its a buell but who makes it" By now I'm trying not to laugh but, well, I fail. I tell them its made by Buell and its a xb9r. Then they told me that I should get a metal tank instead of plastic. Now typically I'm not an arrogant a$$ but since they were giving me advise on bikes they didn't even remotely know about I figured what the hell. So I told them my gas is in the frame, oil in the swingarm, yes that brake really does work really good, and its under the bike. All the typical questions I get asked about usually. Now for the kicker.. After a few more questions they turn and walk away saying neat little toy and the like thats when I saw them throw their legs over some harley looking like bikes. Two blocks away at the lights I roll up next to them and of coarse they showed me how much louder they were (I'm still stock) and I show them my taillight. | ||
| Ustorque |
when i rode my first buell in '98 i didn't get it maybe i was too young and stupid. since purchasing my '06 city cross i get it and i'm addicted. idon't care what anyone else has to say, but the other night i had an incredible expierience. i took a quick ride to the store to put a smile on my face, on my way home a young kid in a blazer pulled right out in front of me at a very slow speed as if he wanted to see what would happen. till then i haven't had to really do any agressive evasive manuvers on the buell and i was incredibly impessed this bike also handles fantastic in an emergency....in my opinion had i been riding any kind of cruiser or larger heavier sport bike i would have been chewing on the guys drivers side door......man i get it!!!!!!!!! | ||
| Mtg |
I'm a 20-something that just sold my CBR600 F4i to buy an XB9R. I thought most of my 20-something friends were going to turn their noses up and ask "why did you get a Buell?". However, once they found out why I was selling my CBR, all of them were raving about how cool they think Buells are. This is a crowd most of mechanical engineers though, so that may skew things a bit, as the XB series will make any mechanical engineer drool. | ||
| Aldaytona |
Wait till the 1125 arrives. They won't know what to make of it with it's Rotax motor. I won't either! | ||
| Tx05xb12s |
There aren't a lot of Buelligans around my part of Texas, so I usually only get to talk about my bike with either dumbasses that THINK they know motorcycles or people that really wish I would stop yammering away about my toys because they don't ride and definitely don't get it. I recently started riding with a guy that transplanted here from Ohio, and we laid down about 400 miles together on Sunday this past weekend. By the way, there is no sweeter sound than a D&D and a Race Can resonating together going down the road at high speed. After the ride, we cruised back to his house and spent a couple of hours hanging out in the garage talking Buell. It didn't really hit me until I was riding home just how enjoyable an experience it was to share time with someone that intimately knows Buells like I do. That was probably the best conversation I've had in a long, LONG time. Not having anyone around that really "gets it" is a major hardship IMO. I didn't know what I was missing. Thanks man. You ready for 3090 and Davy Crockett? | ||
| Darkice19 |
Most people i run into don't even know how to pronounce Buell. They ask "what the heck is that?" And of course i dont tell them the truth. I explain that is Harleys race bike and it has 250hp and 150fp of torque. They are like Wow thats nice. And i just laugh and walk away. | ||
| Permagrin |
Funny... I should try that.. |
