| Author | Message | ||
     Schleppy |
Well here is my full report on my Buell-sponsored test rides. I posted this on my local moto forum, and it was thrown together quickly. I apologize if it lacks a flow or cohesion: I'll start by saying that I really do like Buells a lot. Ever since I first saw the Firebolt and then Lightnings I was hooked. I love street fighters, I love the look of the Buells, the frames, the wheels, the front brake, the whole shebang. Even the fact that the bikes have a motor derived from a Harley motor was fine by me. As much as I dislike Harleys and a lot of the culture that surrounds them, I can appreciate the motors. Yes they are tractor-like, but they seem to be damn near bullet-proof, and make tons of torque. With all of that being said, I am getting ready to get my first Buell. I woke up early this morning and headed to Meredith Buell in NH near Laconia for the Buell Demo Day. Nice dealer, and the Buell truck out front was surrounded by the entire Buell lineup. The staff was incredibly nice, helpful, and knowledgeable. You can tell they've done many of these demo days, and the truck has made many stops. Sadly, the bikes had also seen one too many hard days, and it didn't seem like they were kept in tip-top shape. More on that later. I went in with the intention of riding the XB9SX and the XB12STT. As awesome as the 1125R is, I want upright bars and comfort. I signed up to ride the XB9 first, then the XB12 on the next run. Each ride was led by an employee, and had one at the back in case people straggled behind. There were about 10 riders total in each group. Very well setup route, with a nice variety of conditions ranging from traffic lights to windy roads, to a few 55 mph byways. Anyway, I threw a leg over the XB9 and was ready to set off. Upon firing up the motor I realized that everyone was serious when they said the bikes shake a lot at idle. The bikes vibrates so much at idle it's comical. I was actually sitting there chuckling to myself. The clutch lever (non adjustable) was a pretty far reach for my dainty hands, and had a medium-stiff pull. First engaged with a decent thud, and off we went. First problem found; the throttle on the bike was so poorly adjusted that it didn't feel like it was joined to the motor. The bike didn't seem to respond until I had twisted the throttle a ΒΌ of the way. That was annoying. When the bike did pull away it was basically gutless. It had enough torque to get along, but when you revved it not a whole lot happened. I thought for sure it would be faster than my SV, and it sure as hell didn't feel like it. The suspension was also not setup well at all for my weight, and desperately needed the fork tubes lowered (or the rear raised), and everything stiffened up. The bike simply didn't want to lean over, which was disappointing because you always hear how awesome Buells handle. Again, I can't really fault the bike for that, it was a demo ride. The brakes were awesome. One finger, plenty of feel, and very little effort required. With that being said, the super short wheelbase on the XB9 made the bike feel like it wanted to do a stoppie every time I got on the brakes. Shifting gears was absolutely abysmal. 1-2 required a lot of effort, and frequently didn't work. And because the throttle was so poorly adjusted, it made smooth changes even harder. Neutral was tough to find. Returning back to base, fairly disappointed, I got on the XB12STT. Right away the bike felt a little better to me. Little bigger, nice stance, suspension was better. Sadly as I rolled to the first stop, the front end made a horrid mechanical whacking/grinding sound under braking (steering bearing felt shot). I continued on because the bike felt fine under way. Further proof that the demo bikes were in mediocre shape. The longer wheelbase of the STT was MUCH nicer on the road than the XB9's shorter one. The bike felt a lot less nervous, and more willing to turn. The longer travel suspension also felt much better with my weight. The bike felt like a cross between a motard and street bike (which is what they were going for so far as I know). The throttle on the XB12 was junk, just like the XB9, and the gearbox was also awful. Again, the brakes were great, and the XB12's motor is MUCH better. Torque EVERYWHERE, and a really substantial tug once you got above 2.5k. I really liked the feel of the motor (once you get past the poorly adjusted throttle). Of the two bikes the XB12 is worlds better, and the one I would buy. The one thing that was really tough to get over on both bikes (and was not a by-product of being a beaten demo bike) was the heat. My god the bikes are hot. At a light you are literally sitting on an oven, with heat hitting you everywhere. You get absolutely blasted. Even at speed the bike still puts out some serious heat. In the winter the bike would be wonderful Overall I left disappointed. I know the bikes are better than what they had on display based on what I've gathered from Buell riders. I think the biggest problem today was that the bikes Buell supplied were in pretty poor shape. Which is really too bad considering the whole purpose of these test ride days is to get potential customers excited and to have them leave happy and wanting to buy. I left today very skeptical, and still in the same position as I was before; find a local XB12STT owner to let me take their bike for a spin. Am I totally against getting a Buell still? No, not really. The STT can still be had for well under $9k brand new, and the motor was a blast. I also know that the suspension, once dialed in, would be riot on the streets. Add to that the fact that there is next to no maintenance required on the bike, and it still looks desirable. The only thing that is REALLY keeping me from pulling the trigger is the heat. I commute a lot, and I'm a big time ATGATT person (as those of you who've ridden with me know). Sitting on a Buell in summer traffic on 93 would be borderline torture. For now I'm going to try and find someone local with an XB12 that's in good shape and see if they'll let me take it for a spin. If the bike feels better than the demo one, it will be back on my list. So, anyone in MA or the surrounding areas willing to let me give their XB12 a go? You're more than willing to take out my SV650 (yawn, I know), and I (of course) would pay to fix/repair/replace anything should something go wrong on our test ride. | ||
| Ustorque |
i too went to the demos up at meredith this morning.....wanted to ride the 1125 but couldn't wait as long as the list was to get on it. i went out around 11:30(schleppy what time were you there) i took a 12R out just cause i made the trip figured i'd take something. first off i think the demos were in pretty good shape, i've seen some pretty rough ones and i thought they were well kept. the 12 i rode was silky smooth( but i wouldn't trade my nine for it not even straight up.) another NEBO poster (jettdog) was there i'd imagine all day, his intention was to demo all the bikes as he has yet to purchase a buell and wanted to see what they all had to offer. i'd like to hear what he thought of the same bikes you rode when we came back from our ride he had just taken out the STT and seemed to have really enjoyed it. in my experience the buell tranny is very tight when new and thats how the 12 felt that i rode, but they do become silky smooth with some miles on them.  | ||
| Guell |
heat? try riding a pre 98 tuber, now thats heat... and i dont think they are that terrible. | ||
| Birdy |
Yep, My STT has been named Mr. Microwave! BUT it's only a problem when the temps are up above 85 or in stop and go traffic. AND in winter...it don't do nothing to warm you up. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
XB9SX 23K miles 16 months ownership. I will lean over the corners with the best of them, I will dirt squirt and mud bog with any ULY, BMW, KTM ADV bike. Go synthetic, take the long way home, get out of the traffic, the damn thing is called a city-x for a reason. The straight route A-B is not how to ride this bike. Take a hint from DD on his Thursday rides, I bet you like BOTH bikes better. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/406 2/375309.html PS Had they had the XB12Stt when I was buying, that is the bike I would have bought. | ||
| Schleppy |
Part of me wishes I had stayed and tried the other CityX and the regular XB12. Maybe I just happened to ride the two that were in the worst shape. Who knows. I just find it hard to believe that two new bikes with as many technological advances as a Buell would feel clunky and numb compared to my two year old, 10k mile, entry level SV650. The throttle/shifter on my SV feel like scalpels compared to the two Buells I experienced. I don't know, the bikes just seems really thrashed to me. Having ridden a few other bikes that are owned by friends (all in tip top shape), none of them felt as loose and worn as the two Buells I rode. I was almost in disbelief the whole time at how numb the bikes felt. I realize that the Buell chassis is very sensitive to suspension setup, and I wasn't expecting any bike to feel just right (handling wise) on a demo ride, but the rest of the bike really let me down. As I said before though, I would still love ride another XB12 and find out that it's really what I hoped. I'd like nothing more than be Buell owner at some point. | ||
| Prof_stack |
Perhaps you're just not a Buell type of guy. There is a lot of "character" in these bikes. You oughta ride more of them before you go elsewhere. | ||
| Thespive |
I think you missed it on the XB9SX. I love my 2006 CityX, it is plenty fast, handles great, and is certainly not gutless. I bought it new and have 8,000-miles on it, A lot of folks on here, including me, prefer the 9 over the 12 because of how it revs, and it is a bit smoother. Personally i think the Buell is one of the best street bikes you can buy. Try another, --Sean | ||
| Schleppy |
I really wanted to like the CityX the most. It's the cheapest, looks awesome, and is much cheaper to insure in the long run. I also don't care about outright speed or horsepower. The CityX is the one I've wanted for a while. It just felt so wooden and bland when I rode it that I couldn't possibly see myself on it. The power just felt flat and boring. It just didn't respond to the controls as well as my SV did (except the brakes, those were MUCH better than my SV). Like I said, as soon as I get the chance to ride another Buell I will take it in a heartbeat. I WANT to love these bikes. | ||
| Jettdawg |
I have to disagree with Schleppy about the shifting on those test bikes, I was there also and rode 5 different bikes, including that same STT (twice!). I didn't ride the CityX as I already know I want a 12. I've only riden an SV650 once at Americade several years ago and really don't remember how well it shifted. Maybe they have super slick shifting trannies compared to other bikes, but I found the Buells in the test fleet to be no worse shifting than my 86 FJ1200. I found the shifting to be pretty decent EXCEPT when trying to find neutral! Is there a trick to getting into neutral on a Buell? I managed to get it maybe 1 out of 8 times when sitting at a light. A few times I just gave up and sat there in 1st holding the clutch in. FYI, I checked the odo on every bike I rode and all had 3 or 4 K on them, so they're well broken in... As for the heat... I have to agree. Just something that's part of the "character" of a Buell that you have to deal with, I guess. Some of the bikes were worse than others in the heat department. I thought the STT was probably the best about it (maybe due to the thick/high seat?) Good thing you didn't ride the Scg... THAT was like sitting on a BBQ grille LOL (I assume because of the extra thin stock seat). Also... the power felt flat and bland? Compared to an SV650? What rpm's were you riding it at? I was keeping them well over 4000 for most of the demo route (on the twisty backroads) and thought they had really good power... tons of torque and strong acceleration out of the curves  Can't be afraid to rev 'em If anyone wants me to write MY review of the bikes I rode (from the point of view of someone on the outside just coming into the Buell world), just say so and I will Bikes ridden: XB12R, XB12S, XB12SS, XB12STT, and XB12Scg | ||
| Thespive |
I bought my bike two weeks after demo-ing the CityX at a dealership. So my experience on the demos was good, but it was also in good shape. --S | ||
| Schleppy |
Maybe I'm just too sensitive, who knows. The bikes just didn't feel like the finely honed machines I thought they would be. And with the issues like the heat, and gearbox (neutral was VERY hard to find at a stop) "character" quickly becomes a means of forgiving obvious design flaws. Like I said, I'm definitely going to give the brand another chance, and I'm currently contacting local dealers about any remaining STTs in stock (so far not much luck). If anyone in MA/NH is willing to let me take their XB9/12 for a spin (hell, I'd buy you a full tank of gas) I'd love to take you up on it. | ||
| Rkutzner |
That is interesting, I tested a few of the models in 05 and fell in love. Compared to my Suzuki Savage starter bike they felt like scapels to me. Took me til last year to get my 07 STT. It handles any road, dirt, gravel you can throw at it. With some bags it's a great commuter (30 mile each way). It does get hot in stop and go traffic but I don't get in traffic that much so I can't really say how that would be. As hot as road temps get in the summer I would think any bike would stink in those conditions unless it had A/C !!! | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Funny I rode the Speed Triple, another naked hooligan... and I thought it was too well behaved and civilized. That it lacked the umph that a light naked bike should have in my mind. It was a nice bike, just sometimes I am not in the MOOD to be NICE. Giver her a try. I know between the two where my favorite is, its in my garage, or parked in front of the dealership  | ||
| Rpm4x4 |
I get the vibration at idle. I love it. Loved it the first time I rode it, and still love it to this day. some like it, some don't. What I don't get is the CityX feeling blan in the power department. Mine feels down right spunky and a little touchy. Just cause it has a harley motor doest mean its a harley. Wind that sucker up. I havent ridden a bike to date that I enjoy even close to as much as the CityX. | ||
| Ikeman |
If you're used to the Suzuki transmission I can see where the Buell would seem clunky. Out of all the bikes I've owned or ridden, Suzukis had the slickest shifting transmissions of any of them - just a little flick and you're in the next gear. The Buells take a deliberate motion and the lever travel is a lot longer. As far as finding neutral - had the same problem till the Uly had over 5K miles on it. No problem at all any more. | ||
| Rkutzner |
I remember the 05s I tested being real hard to find when it was hot out. I gave up and just held in the clutch. I was told they improved and I haven't had an issue with my 07 since day 1....just have to be 'tender' or you pass it right up ! |
