| Author | Message | ||
     Alii1959 |
Long time lurker....first time poster. I test rode an XB12Ss today. Very interesting. Very comfortable.....very comfortable. Odd throttle response. I couldn't figure out if the injection wasn't properly set up or what...because there seemed to be a flat spot just off idle, then all hell breaks loose. Throttle response was not linear, at all. Dealer said that was normal. Further, do you ever get to see anything in the mirrors?? They seemed like little more than handlebar ornaments. Do the bar-end mirrors work better? I also found it rather odd not to see any motorcycle ahead of me as I rode, I would suppose that you get accustomed to that. Overall, it wasn't bad....but, very different. | ||
| Retrittion |
Lol, yep, Buells are different. The throttle response off idle is flat on some Buells but one: you can work on this with ECMSpy and two: this is a V-Twin with lots of torque and you have to flog that throttle -- it likes lots of revs. But yeah, it's different but FUN! You get used to it eventually (took me about about 3 months to get it figured and unlearn my metric riding style). Just remember your Buell has three settings: not moving... ...friggin fast... ...and unicycle. Setting three is suggested for advanced users only.  | ||
| Freezerburn |
I have the CRG lane splitter bar-end mirrors. Way better than factory. Although the mirrors are physically smaller, they vibrate much less. | ||
| Jeffroj |
The bar end mirrors make a world of difference, I highly recommend, not just for style but for safety. They don't vibrate like the lollipops, and you don't have to lift your arm to see behind you. | ||
| Retrittion |
Yeah, also, your mirrors clear when you are at the proper RPM (well, they do on my 12R at least) -- it's like a proper driving indicator!  I have heard that aftermarket mirrors improve things for the S. | ||
| Jaimec |
I have an XB12Ss with 23K miles on it. The throttle response is smooth and linear from idle all the way to redline. There's something strange if the bike you rode wasn't like that (and the salesman has no idea what he's talking about). The stock mirrors are pretty useless. I have a set of Napolean barends that are crystal clear at all rpms and give a wide, commanding view of everything behind me. They're not that expensive, either. | ||
| Etennuly |
You have noticed the "Magic Carpet" effect! You sit on this machine and see nothing of the bike but the gages and mirrors. First one I rode that was the most amazing thing about it! Being a demo ride out of the show room, that bike could have a partially fouled plug causing the throttle response problem and the mirrors vibrating more than they should. When a salesperson says something like that you come to BadWeB for the straight scoop! | ||
| Five1 |
I recently bought a new 07 and have noticed the same thing with the throttle. While at idle, sometimes if I nail the throttle there is a flat spot or a miss for a second. If I roll on the throttle slower, it isn't there. | ||
| Eicas |
I have an '08 XB12Ss and it gets better with miles. When new, mine had the same issues, now that I am coming up on 2,000 miles they have slowly gone away. When new, Lots of vibration,- mirrors useless at below 3,500 rpm, poor mileage, off idle throttle response poor. Now, with almost 2,000 miles on it, .... it runs much better, just like it just got a badly needed tune-up. The Buell vibrates less at speed than my VFR800A, and it is starting to pull well from just above 2,000 rpm, but when new, it would not run well below 3,000 rpm! I figure that it will take at least 5,000 miles for mine to break in, but now I am extremely happy with the way it runs, and it is dead stock, (no engine, exhaust, ECM, filter mods). I did install bar end mirrors, so I could see what was coming up behind me, but have Left the stock ones in place and the two sets works well for me when commuting in heavy freeway traffic. The stock mirrors give better side vision and are better at night, the bar ends help keep track of what is coming up behind me. | ||
| Brumbear |
I have an ss as well. the throttle response gets quite better after breakin but it is not an I4 so don't get yer hopes to far up. As far as the mirrors the stock mirrors are good for lookin at yer own boobies but not much else BAR ENDERS cure all on all streetfighters. Also look at the CityX | ||
| Brumbear |
And do not blip the throttle this will cause a hicup . Truly the funnest bike I ever had not the fastest but the funnest. | ||
| Retrittion |
Yeah, I'm at 6.5K miles or so and it is a different bike than when I took delivery -- There is still some minor tuning I want to do with ECM spy (gotta get me a cable) but honestly the flat spot I was talking about it more like a flat micro-spot -- and I have heard that it is just a small timing adjustment and some ECMspy tuning to make it go away for good. But honestly, it pulls like mad now off the line, I'm a bit concerned what it will be like after some tuning and the new pipe. Oh well, poor me! | ||
| Werewulf |
it must have been an 08 model...my 08 was kind of iffy off the line when it was new...now with 6k miles it runs p--- poor at low rpm...i keep waiting for a cure... everyone kept saying by june, well june is here.. | ||
| Marko138 |
I've got bar end mirrors on my 'bolt. I have learned to love them. They look cool and I can actually see behind me. Also...I have a rough transition from on/off throttle as well. After a month and 500 miles of ownership I'm learning to just be smooth with the throttle. | ||
| Punkid8888 |
Not being able to see any bike ahead of you was super weird for me too. But now I sit on somebody elses bike and freak out cause the bike is blocking my view of the road | ||
| Jos51700 |
What year did you testride? Sounds like a poor dealer-setup, to me. I would never let a customer ride any bike that didn't run as expected. Not only does that not-sell bikes, it can get people killed. | ||
| Alii1959 |
The salesman said that I was the only person to complain about the setup. It had 16 miles on the clock. I kinda enjoyed the ride, but the iffy mirrors and funky throttle response made me quite leery of the whole thing. I guess I am spoiled with my Triumph Sprint...it is very smooth. I knew what to expect in advance, but the fun factor didn't outweigh the negatives at this point. I plan to test ride some more on a trip toward the northeast later this month. I have been following Buell's since I got back into riding. Love the tech, love Eric, love the ideas, I just wish the reality was a bit more polished. | ||
| Swordsman |
The throttle takes getting used to. When I was first learning my Ss, it seemed like the throttle had 3 settings: off, too much, and even more. I lurched all over the place. Parking lots are lots of fun that way. The bike never has handled lower RPMs well, but you'll get the hang of it. Lots of clutchwork. Stock mirrors are total crap. Throw them away. ~SM | ||
| Midknyte |
Throttle response was not linear, at all. One of the selling points of the belt drive on the XB's is that there is zero lash, making it feel like the rear wheel is connected directly to the throttle. It's a really neat thing when everything is properly adjusted (keep reading). My bike was loosing this tight feel, but I never knew it because I had come from a chain driven bike and just did not know the difference. It felt like a chain driven bike. A little bit of lag and clumsyness with low speed manuevers... After my first service and proper adjustment of the primary chain, it was immediately apparent in retrospect. It sounds like the primary chain on the bike you rode is in need of adjustment (is loose). There is lash in the system - it's in the primary chain. And being that that is where it is, when there is lash, it is amplified by the time it gets to the rear wheel... When the primary chain is properly adjusted, the final drive is wonderfully linear and predictable. When the primary chain is approaching adjustment time (is stretched), the final drive begins to feel like an old timey chain drive just as you described. This is my experience. That is my $.02 The rest of you are now free to argue about it... | ||
| Werewulf |
if it was an 08, you can adjust till the cows come home and you still have a notchy fuell delivery...this has been discussed many times..its in the map.. | ||
| Retrittion |
Hrmm, maybe I need to take a look at my '07 XB12's primary chain -- I still have a small bit of play, and that could be the cause. It's still far and away more solid than any metric bike with a chain I've ridden -- my buddy's SV1000S is good bike but that chain is annoying after getting spoiled by the belt! | ||
| Brumbear |
I had a funny thing happen simple fix but caused throttle response problems the adjuster on the push pull was out and the free play was to much and I would canstantly bang on the throttle over compensating for where it used to be I don't know why I didn't notice it happening but I was glad I found it. | ||
| Notmyrealnamedot_com |
I have a 2005 Bolt and I had the same problem with the throttle, I could "blip" the throttle really quickly and almost make the bike choke and sputter. I had the ecm adjusted by one point and tightened the primary chain ever so slightly and that hick-up isn't there any longer. I don't think that chain adjustment did it, but it made it smoother while riding. What got rid of my hick-up in the throttle was a minute adjustment in the ecm. It took care of the lag in the throttle while riding, and if I blip it really quickly and let off, it all runs smooth. *thanks hellcat customs* AKA jason |
