| Author | Message | ||
     Rocktoy4me |
That may not be the right title for the thread, but this is where i stand. Been ridding my 06 Xb12ss since i bought it new. It has race ECM, DrummerSS, open airbox.....Been happy with it over all. I rode a buddy 06 XB12X today and the front tire comes up with ease. (Twist it in first and instant lift) Got me thinking i am missing some power in my bike. The xb12x is stock. I am i just feeling the difference in the bike suspension, (xb12x just naturally pulls the front up easier due to the higher center of gravity) or do i need to search harder. Been tearing me up all afternoon. Just thinking, thanks for the help. I have been looking at going the ECMspy route anyways....i guess this will push me there quicker. Seth | ||
| Jraice |
Never ridden either but I would imagine a 2" difference in wheel base could be noticable. Does the X wheelie sooner then your Ss or does your Ss not wheelie at all? From what I have heard any buell XB should wheelie in 1st at around 6,000rpm, if you cant get it to wheelie at all without the clutch then perhaps you do have an issue. I would guess the shorter wheelbase would wheelie easier though... | ||
| Etennuly |
I have done both. The Uly is easier to wheelie because of the suspension travel, and the softer it is set up the easier it is. The rear squats and the front gets a long loft from its ride height. The SS has to lift the tire within about an inch and a half of front lift and the rear squat is about the same. With this bike you have to lift the tire, wheel, axle, brake assy, and half of the fork weight just as the suspension reaches its upper limits. The Uly has a running start at that. | ||
| Jraice |
Ah XBX is LONGER then an SS... I was thinking it was a shorter model... Take back what I said but sounds like its the softer suspension that is making it easier to wheelie. I wouldnt be to worried about it, overall did the power seem similar? Having a bike that power wheelies is neat but I'd rather have usable power (V-rod, never ever feel the front coming up, 1st gear WOT all the way to redline of 9,000rpm)... | ||
| Froggy |
No, the SS is the X without the tall suspension. They both are the same frame and swingarm and other specs. I had both, the X does wheelie easier than the SS, I believe part of it also is the much higher bars on the Uly keeps you leaned back more. | ||
| Rocktoy4me |
Ths SS will come up without the clutch, it just takes a good effort, (chopping the throttle, or a really good power shift will bring it up a couple of inches). The Uly would rise just with a good roll of the throttle. I agree about keeping the front down is a good thing. I was just looking at this from a power standpoint. | ||
| Sifo |
My Ss has always been able to lift the front with just a crack of the throttle at about 4,000 rpm if first. I opened up the inner air box, added a K&N filter, and a Jardine slip on, and did some tuning with ECMspy/MLV all at the same time. Now it will lift by cracking the throttle at about 2,800 rpm. I wish I had some idea how much power each change was worth, but I'll probably never know. The but dino says it's more fun now though.  | ||
| Sort23 |
I have an 06 Ss with a Special Ops pipe, otherwise stock, I can roll on the throttle around 4000rpm in first and it comes up with no problem. | ||
| Jraice |
Haha geez sounds like this thing is a real wheelie machine!!! I guess it does have a shorter wheelbase, more upright position and twice the torque of my R6... I have never lofted the front wheel, have gotton on it hard in 1st but not WOT, yet. I hear at WOT it comes up at around 12,000rpm but thats a pretty quick pace (around 50mph I want to say). Would be neat to feel it get light from 15! | ||
| Boney95 |
Jraice, sounds like you're in for a nice treat! | ||
| Jraice |
Ya I am incredibly excited... The R6 is a blast around town but I never really open it up much, in the twisties its a blast as well but I dont think me and clip on bars were meant to be, the position is fun and all but I have always wanted a bike with bars so I could just whip it around in the parking lot or the really twisty switch backs in the mountains. Also I want a bike more for my range of speed, 0-90, but without lacking power. Sounds like the Buell XB12 is perfect, maybe even to much power in 1st gear  . | ||
| 2dflyer |
maybe even to much power in 1st gear Not too much, but you can use damn near all of it.  And you won't mistake it for a Sportster motor. The Thunderstorm is one of the freest revving motors I've ridden. It's perfectly happy to run anywhere from idle to redline without a sore spot. If you like a twin's beat you'll love this.} | ||
| Jraice |
Haha my only worry is you cant use all of it without picking that front wheel up . But yeah, sounds like a really sweet motor, I love the sound of it as it accelerates and shifts through the gears, torque sounds really great... I am most excited about the difference in handling from the R6, not better, just different with the short wheelbase and the bars vs. the clip-ons. | ||
| Sayitaintso |
Haha my only worry is you cant use all of it without picking that front wheel up Thats been my problem, but I've only had my xb12x for a month or so and am still getting used to her. It seem like you need to roll into the throtle and not just hit it hard. Taking off a few times I've hit the throttle hard (like I would my Raider) and ended up getting more than a "little" light in the front wheel. Its taking some getting used to, b/c I dont ride very hard at all but will hit it when I need to pull into fast moving traffic or get up to speed after paying a toll. The xb12x is a real wheelie machine. Much more than I expected, even with all I read about them and the warnings that I read around here....but then I come from a cruiser background. | ||
| Jraice |
xb12x is an uly right? That wheelie's more then the Ss or Scg I hear so maybe Ill be alright . I dont think it will take to long to get used to, I am pretty used to the R6's very touchy 1st gear but it does make me think about going the City X route... Only thing is I know Ill be going 65mph on the City X and miss the power of the XB12... | ||
| Krueger08xb12s |
My XB12S comes up at 1500 RPM in 1st. takes effort and a crack of the throttle. | ||
| Srwitt |
Jraice even at 65, the 984 will hold its own against the 1203, it won't pull on it, but it doesn't start losing out until you approach triple digits, even then you can start to feel the 1203 hit a wall. | ||
| Jraice |
I still think the 1203 is the way to go for me, coming from an R6 but I will test ride the 12 before buying one, maybe it will feel like to much and Ill happily give a 984 a try. | ||
| Ourdee |
Jraice, the XB12X and XB12XT are Ulys The X is 10% more off road than the XT. XT is a great long ride bike for me. Both have the 1203. Here is a link to good info on Buell models; http://www.buell.com/en_us/bikes/ | ||
| Srwitt |
Coming from an R6 definately get the 1203, mind you its not crazy power, there are no huge hits in the powerband, it just flat out goes. I too came from a I4 before getting my XB12R, it took some getting used to the power delivery, unlike the I4, from idle all the way to redline you pretty much have all the power you need. TWINS FTMFW!!! | ||
| Jraice |
Thanks guys yeah I know all about the Buell XB12Scg (I admit I didnt know it had 41mm forks) and the other XB models, just dont pay much attention to the adventure stuff, not my style. Anyways literally just walked in the door from getting the R6 back from the shop after two weeks. It was great to ride it again! Even if it was just 3 miles of freeway home . Made me say, hmmm this is a sweet bike do I really need the change? But I know its right, I really like the idea of a bike with bars and lots of power down low, also I am not even getting into the power band very much, or atleast dont need to (dont really need to ever go much over 10,000, maybe 11K RPM) and the long distance comfort would be nice with an upright bike. Also as I get more and more used to it, I know Ill be tempted to ride faster, I think the buell will allow me to enjoy sane speeds a lot more... Hopefully the weathers nice this weekend and I can take the R6 out to some Buell dealers to test ride an XB12  . | ||
| Rhinely |
I had an 04 XB12R before and after race kit, and both times it seemed faster than my recently bought 06 XB12Ss. It may just be seat of my pants lying to me, and not frame geometry, etc. Either way I'm Daytona bound to test an XB12R after riding my Ss around town. My son wants me to test the 1125, but I'm afraid I'll like it! | ||
| 09xblong |
my stock SS comes up in second with a good chop of throttle at about 4000 rpm | ||
| Toecutter |
My '09 Ss won't lift the front in first or second. The only time I get the front up is when the road drops out below me in second gear. This is my first Buell, and I really expected better wheelie ability from everything that I have heard. Everything is stock, except the breather re-route. I think something may be amiss. I need to do a dyno baseline run. Damn it!!! I just realized that I posted in the archives. (Message edited by toecutter on September 04, 2009) | ||
| Froggy |
It is a wheelie machine, you either are: A, Doing it wrong B, Have something really wrong with the bike C, You are riding like a p****.  | ||
| Jraice |
Im guessing your doing it wrong. AT WOT I get some front wheel lift, maybe an inch at the most. But if I try and wheelie it wheelies just fine, roll on the throttle (harder the better) to about 4,000rpm in first, let it drop down and compress (let off gas) and then wack the gas open. Even with forward set bars it still wheelies no problem. And why does it only come up when you hit something in 2nd , dont ever ride it in 1st? | ||
| Court |
Use some caution . . .two fatalities within a block of my house in the last week as a result of kids doing wheelies. First smartass tried to pass a car on the right from a light, stood it up going around, over backwards, run over by one car then another . . . my street is now paved with his brain matter and illuminated by the candles all his stupid squid friends keep leaving. Ride smart. | ||
| Froggy |
Court there is a time and place for everything, including doing stupid stuff | ||
| Jraice |
Court you wont find me doing a stand up wheelie or really anything for an extended amount of time. Even just a power wheelie, I wont hold it for long, just a second or two and not very far off the ground. Froggy on the other hand has a sweet video of him lofting and holding one on the Uly  . Also its lots of fun to get random wheelies when riding hard on the bumpy roads, once you get used to it they dont scare you anymore (I am talking a foot off the ground max) and when you land and get a little tiny head shake you feel just like John Mcguiness (sp?) riding the Isle of Man . | ||
| Toecutter |
Back when I had my little Ninja 500 it was really difficult to get the front wheel up at all, but with some clutch work, I was able to do it, at least to some extent. I haven't tried clutching up the Buell, because I thought that it would just power wheelie. So I've tried chopping the throttle to load the front suspension, and then cracking the gas open, and the most it does in first is completely unload the suspension and lift the front tire maybe and inch or two. When chopping the throttle in second gear the suspension unloads, but that's it, the wheel doesn't lift at all. When riding hard over a hump in the road, if I am on the gas while simultaneously cresting the hill, the front end will start to rise, and will loft up pretty good until I run out of RPM. As I mentioned before, this only happens in second gear. When in first gear, I don't believe that I am carrying enough speed at the crest of the hill to cause the front suspension to load and subsequently unload rapidly enough to lift the front wheel. Edit: Froggy was right... see below. (Message edited by toecutter on September 08, 2009) |
