| Author | Message | ||
     Blake |
We can add another attribute to the long list of admirable traits of the Buell XBs... they have an uncanny knack for exposing ignorant and/or biased motorcycle journalists. The ignorant or biased rider gets on an XB, notes that it handles differently than the repliracer to which he is accustomed, and thusly declares it inferior. The objective and thoughtful rider gets on an XB, adjusts the suspension for his own weight and riding style, becomes accustomed to the bike's handling traits and evaluates it purely on its own merits. Moral of the story... being "different" does not preordain being "inferior". Let the handling course and back roads twisties decide objectively what is superior or inferior. To do otherwise exposes ignorance and/or bias and thus destroys one's credibility as an evaluator/reporter of motorcycle performance traits. | ||
| Glitch |
Well said Blake. | ||
| Rocketman |
So why then Blake did the very different S1 Lightning's get so many worthy write ups in the British mags? Power is everything over here and in these days of near 200HP the XB is akin to a paddock bike. Rocket  | ||
| Paulinoz |
Sean what did You think of the Power delivery on the XB12 in stock trim, compared to the S1 stock. | ||
| M1combat |
My guess Rocket, would be that the S1 didn't LOOK like a crotch rocket so the expectation of the engine wasn't to be like a crotch rocket... The XB DOES look like a rocket, yet the engine still isn't there. Personally, I believe that the XB gets knocked because of that and it isn't proper. It's not advertised as a GSXR/ZX10R/CBR1000 beater but when a writer hops on one that's what they expect. It's wrong to expect that, and wrong to blast it because it's not what it isn't supposed to be. I still feel it's the best sport fighter money can buy. | ||
| Rocketman |
It's the ONLY sports fighter money can buy M1!! Paul the XB12 is slow in the real world and that's all that counts in my book. Rocket | ||
| Prof_stack |
Rocket - what "real" world do you live in? | ||
| Daves |
Jeez, I guess all those riders I blow past on the track with with Buell XB9R must really suck. They probably only have about 25-50 more HP than me. That's why they are there practicing for the weekends race and I'm just there having fun? Slow in the real world my ass! Ride to the edge! Dave Iowa HD/Buell (Buell Cycle Center) | ||
| Blake |
Sean, The S1 handles much like other sport bikes. Did you READ my post? Apparently not. So now it's "in these days of near 200 hp"? Shut up and get your S1 running. You are turning into a complete fool. | ||
| Rocketman |
It seems there's a myth attached to track riding. The majority of riders riding much higher HP bikes than Buells always get blown off by the Buell guys. Get real. Rocket | ||
| Smadd |
My take on the press's reception of the S1? I know you were all waiting with baited breath. Well... I think the Buell S1 was entirely new at that time... entirely different to the press! I don't believe all the "attitudes" about the Buell regarding anything (like performance... reliability, etc.) had quite been established. After the "attitudes" were established... whether for good reason or not, many simply jumped on the bandwagon. That's my take... for right now. Steve | ||
| Brucelee |
Don't argue with Rocket. The guy is just a jackass that hangs out where he isn't wanted. How lame is that? | ||
| Paulinoz |
Every Sunday I ride with an R1, GSXR100, SP1 and 749S we ride in the "REAL" world and every weekend a differet bike arrives 1st at the coffey shop with the other 4 very close behind. Is the Buell left in the weeds on the side of the road by these 200hp monsters NO BLOODY WAY. I am faster on my XB12R than I ever was on my GSXR in the real world. The gixer would blow by the Buell on some tracks, thats why I sold it, I ride in the real world most of the time and for me the Buell XB12R as a total package wins hands against the above list all of which I have spent time on and could buy if I wanted but thats only my opinion. At the end of the day you ride what you enjoy or in some cases what you can afford but the main thing is to get out there and ride. | ||
| Court |
The Motorcyclist article should be viewed in the same way Jerry Springer is "journalism". | ||
| Dynarider |
the same way Jerry Springer is "journalism". You mean its not???  | ||
| Daves |
"The majority of riders riding much higher HP bikes than Buells always get blown off by the Buell guys. " Thanks for admitting that they aren't all that slow after all. Ride to the edge! Dave Iowa HD/Buell (Buell Cycle Center) | ||
| Glitch |
I think the Buells keep getting compared to the wrong bikes. I think they are more like Guzzis and BMWs (Rockster), then race replicas. So when you get a kid that only rides race reps, thinks he's a journalist that has enough experience to do motorcycle comparisons, this is what you end up with. IMHO | ||
| Brucelee |
When I was shopping for the Buell, I was also looking at the Ducati Monster 800 and 1000. I liked those bikes although the riding position was a tad forward for me. But the overall feel and sound was there as was the twin torque. I always think the Monsters are a better bike to compare the XBs to and in that context, I think they come up very well indeed. Interesting though how these magazines make everything that Ducati does and has as a virtue or something to be overlooked, and everything Buell does as archaic and stupid. If the Monster is a fun bike, how can the XBS not be????????????? | ||
| Glitch |
If the Monster is a fun bike, how can the XBS not be? Because Stark is riding the column? | ||
| Buckinfubba |
man I must be in a mood.....rocket "slow in the real world" are you really serious. The real world where. you know they are fast thru corners. aren't they part of the real world. as dave said....how come we pass these high hp bikes....because its always the rider....when the hell will the dumb asses wake up. maybe all, all this means is.....some people like them some don't. Just because some one is a writer for a magazine does not give them any friggin credability. christ we all sit here and write all day long what we think of bikes. does that make any of us experts. doubt it....but we do know what we like. so heres what we do..lets publish the bad weather bikers magazine. and get the factories to send us all the bikes to ride for free....and the ones we don't like we can say are inferior pieces of crap. the ones we do like we can say are the best thing since sliced bread. its like music....does the music you don't like suck....sure to you....its an opinon....hell why do we care what some frustraed wanna be racer says about a bike that they never really learned to ride because it does ride different than most everything out there..... thank god it does | ||
| Reepicheep |
Hey! Thats not true. He's a jackass, but he's *our* jackass  We like him here  Sounds like Rocket does not belong on a Buell... that's fair, there are tons of good bikes with different strengths. Rocket is lucky, he wants what at least 4 other major brands are focusing on. Whats more interesting, is that a bike that is SOOOO wrong for him is still so attractive to him. It is still under his skin. I think Jose is in the same catagory... so much of the bike appeals to them, but it is missing the one critical thing they want but the bike lacks... which is an absurdly powerful motor. Right now, the motor is just powerful, not absurdly powerful. Fair enough. If you want a 150hp street bike, there are many to choose from. Go buy one. The fact that the people that go that route still hang out here, and still have that Buell bug dragging at them, says a lot about the other strengths of the bike. | ||
| Elvis |
The "real world" is 3000-4000 RPM. The "world for men who are insecure about their penis size" is the maximum HP values quoted for hyper bikes at absolute peak RPM's. | ||
| M1combat |
Well said Elvis . | ||
| Brucelee |
Like I have said in the past, if you want to ride a bike on the street that belongs on the track, ride the GSX1000 or Hayausa. Then you can claim your bike is faster than all get out and you will be right. Bragging rights go with riding the track bike on the street. They are great for that and that is cool. We dont feel the need to slam them now do we?? On the other hand, if you are over 30, your back, knees and neck will ache like hell and there will likely be no such thing as pleasure in your riding. At least not to me. I dont think driving at 140 is necessarily a fun thing to do but that is just me (the CHP agrees with me on this one!) Give me a ducati or buell anyday. Fast enough and tons of fun . Just my opinion. BTW- when I was riding my fast as hell ninja, I got maybe one comment or compliment a month--oh nice color. On the XB, it is like 2 a day. I like the attention, esp from the young woman, who love the thing! | ||
| Glitch |
So what does that tell us about our Blast brethren? | ||
| Skully |
Rocket, You have the right to an opinion about Buells (and anything else for that matter)and I respect that. However, what you say about Buells being slow in the real world is simply not true. I go on "spirited" rides chasing Blake through the curves in North West Arkansas using the "The Pace". We do not race from corner to corner but take curves at a speed that is safe for the street and yet I find quite exciting. I also race at the amateur level in the CMRA. No, I'm not particularly fast, but I have learned an awful lot about riding motorcycles. I don't currently race my Buell for budget reasons, but hope to in the near future. I routinely see SV650s whip 600 super sports on the tight, twisty tracks around here. As the XBs become more popular, we will see more like Blake and Mark Godfrey in the CMRA racing against these SVs so we will have head to head comparisons there as well. My personal experience shows me that it requires no skill to whack the throttle wide open on a straight section of road. The skill, and therefore the fun, lies in corner speed. I also see very few riders who can come even close to riding a modern 600 super sport to any where near its capabilities on the street let alone on one of the super bikes. I will also go as far as saying that I can't fully utilize the full potential of my XB on the street. I doubt this has changed Rocket's opinion on anything. If the Buell feels that slow, you might be a good candidate for closed circuit road racing! Keith | ||
| Dynarider |
On the other hand, if you are over 30, your back, knees and neck will ache like hell and there will likely be no such thing as pleasure in your riding. And thats exactly what the Firebolt does to me. Cramps me up & is uncomfortable. However the Lightning is 100% better to me. | ||
| Ralphthe3rd |
edited by ralphthe3rd on December 20, 2003 | ||
| Darthane |
I've got a Blast and a Firebolt, and for distance riding, I'll take the Firebolt every time! I think that's a function of the poor rear shock combined with the upright position (can you say 'compressed spine'?). I've done a few 500+ mile days on the 'bolt no problem - I would think twice about doing that on the Blast. I was reading "The Code of the Samurai" this morning and a quote made me think of this guy. I can't remember it exactly, but it was talking about slovenly samurai and how regarding the martial arts [insert 'motorcycling' here], they know everything there is to know, and will boast that they can do it all, but they never practice and are in truth incapable. | ||
| Rocketman |
See that's where you and I disagree - if you want to whack the throttle open down the straight and hit warp speed you're a jerk according to most of you. In that case I'm proud to be a jerk. The XB with all its clever design and alleged fancy handling is NOT in my opinion the direction I wanted Buell to go in - based on my own experience I'd say Buell now thinks that too hence the necessary marketing ploy to capture some of the original Lightnings glory thus the XB S was born. See I'm a fucking visionary and the first time I laid eyes on the 9R Scott Miller was stood right next to me and I asked him why Buell hadn't put 'cow horn' bars on it. He told me that Buell had tried those type of bars and they couldn't get the 9R to handle claiming problems with 'tank slapping' and 'head shake'. Seems they must have it working now though? Still even as a 12 the XB's are still not fast enough in the traffic light grand prix but more disappointing it wheezes to a mere 130mph which in Rocket's opinion is a step backwards - 10mph backwards in fact. Rocket |
