| Author | Message | ||
     Dieseldreamer |
Hey, So I have grown to love motorcycles so much that next year my friend and I are going to be taking a few motorcycle racing courses. He has Ducati 1198, while I just have Buell Blast(o yea). Eventually if we get good at it we would like to get our licenses. I understand, walk before you run and have plenty of funds to back up the habit. Anyways, I was wondering if an XB9R/12R would be a good bike to build and learn to race on? I mean this bike I would buy with high mileage and do a tear down and rebuild in order to get it right. Realistically would it even be worth it to build up a 2003-2005 XBR bike or would I be better off getting a 1125R cheap and working off of that? Erik | ||
| Xbgeorge |
I would go for the 1125, just because of the Erik Buell Racing support. The 9R and 12R are very good short track bikes, but are lacking in the topend needed for the larger tracks. Are you dead set on Buell? You can pick up some pretty cheap 600cc bikes that are very good for the track. | ||
| Vospertw |
I might recommend a 600 if only for the availability of parts, especially eBay for stuff you might bang/scrape up. | ||
| Greg_e |
The 9R will almost force you to think about carrying more speed through the corners because of the lower horsepower. 1125R would be a step up and got your license and going to real races bike. Advantage of the 9R/12R is that you should be able to get one cheap and they are capable machines in capable hands. That said the sv650 seems to be a real favorite at the track with tons of after market stuff to bolt on. The Ninja 250 same thing including it's own class and it will teach you about keeping the speed through the corners since it might get 30 horsepower at the wheel if you really mod the hell out of it. YSR50 is still a good machine too if you have some smaller tracks around you that cater to the half sized bike. | ||
| Slaughter |
Check what the class definitions and limits are in the race Club that you plan to race in. GENERALLY the 1200 air-cooled twins are racing against the SV650, 650 Ninja and 748/749 Ducks while the 1125R is up against the open class twins or I-4 litrebikes. | ||
| Jraice |
1125R is a bit large though to build up your track riding abilities. I would say get an SV650 race bike (proper suspension etc...) and learn to ride fast, do some trackdays. Racing is not the first step. I doubt an XB would be competitive in any class but that depends on the rider. Thunderhill is my local track and is pretty fast but I still keep up with riders just a bit slower than I on faster bikes. Its all about cornering speed for trackdays. For racing, the lack of top end power will surely hold you back. | ||
| Dieseldreamer |
I hate to say it but I'm stuck on Buell. I know its really odd to associate with a brand these days but I really like the fact that the bikes are DESIGNED apart from the rest. I think an XB9R/Xb12R would would be a good practice bike and nothing really to go full out on. I think you guys are in a real world race reality, if that makes sense. What is competitive vs what I want to be competitive with. I'm if I bought a decent XB12 for like 3500 and put in like 4 grand, a 7500 dollar bike plus gear, classes, etc seems like a worth wild investment. I'm a huge buy American fan and this is what America has offered. Erik Buell Racing is 1.5 hours from my place and I know I could get support for a 1125R but in a race setting I think the power would intimidate me. I need to walk before I run. Any hints or sites anyone knows of that people built XB12R/9R based bikes? XBGeorge in the bike world, whats considered a short track? Obviously Daytona isn't one but do you know if a track like Road America or Blackhawk Farms is a 'short track'? I really am grateful for all your input guys/gals, even if its not something I necessarily wanted to hear. Take care and hope to hear from anyone. | ||
| Jraice |
Road America is a seriously fast track. Once again. Trackdays now racing later. How about an xb track bike. You can work motor but I'd say a stock XB12. New forks and shock will help a lot but start stock. I can run a fast pace on my stock suspension. Also brake mods would be good. Maybe even plan to get suspension and brake mods that work on the 1125r so you cab switch them over when you upgrade. The XB is a great tool to teach you braking deep carrying speed and getting out hard. It's very rewarding to pass a 170hp bike at the end of the straight on the brakes when you have 86hp and no fairing. | ||
| Greg_e |
Check the for sale section, often there are race ready XB bikes going for not very much money and would save you a lot of the set up time so that you might make a late season racing class before the snow flies. | ||
| Greg_e |
Example: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/21/ 578516.html?1281385355 | ||
| Dieseldreamer |
Thanks for the great lin Greg_E. I wanted to know what you meant by this: The 9R will almost force you to think about carrying more speed through the corners because of the lower horsepower. Thanks, Erik | ||
| Xbgeorge |
Dieseldreamer, I'm just north of you. I'm about 6 miles from Six Flags. Blackhawk Farms is a short track. Gingerman, in South Haven, MI, is short also and isn't too far. A XB12 or a XB9 will do well at both. | ||
| Dieseldreamer |
What is road America like? I will have to look up Gingermean. Thanks again. | ||
| Jraice |
Road America is an extremely fast track with an enormous straight which is uphill to start. Most finishes are drafts. It's a high hp track. | ||
| Greg_e |
If you don't learn to carry the speed into and through the corner on an XB9, you will get eaten by the other riders because it doesn't have nearly the amount of horsepower as a 600cc inline 4. | ||
| Trojan |
Buy a cheap SV650 Suzuki to learn to race with. They are cheap to buy, cheap to run and most importantly cheap to fix if you crash (and you will!). Once you are proficient then maybe get a Buell race bike, but I wouldn't recommend it as a novice race bike. | ||
| Paint_shaker |
A ninja 250 would probably be the most economical bike to start racing on and WERA has a specific class for them. That being said, If you want a Buell get one!! I did. In 2008 I bought a Buell XB12R for $4,000. I did some track days and spent under $2,000 to get it race ready. In 2009 I went racing and won a novice Regional Class Championship. By the end of the season I was running with (and finishing in front of) the experts at tracks such as Roebling Road and Jennings GP. For this year as an expert, I ran out of $$ and haven't done enough racing to really be competitive. However there are other riders who have been successful with them in the expert classes. (Message edited by Paint shaker on August 11, 2010) | ||
| Jraice |
While a 250 is a great bike I'd say an SV650 or XB would be a better stepping stone to the 1125R if that is the goal. The 250 will teach you cornering techniques but a middle weight bike will also teach you that but have the speed/power to also teach throttle control with more HP, as well as braking from higher speeds. | ||
| Dieseldreamer |
Paint_Shaker what did you do to get it race ready? What mods have you done? Thanks Erik | ||
| Slaughter |
I can say that you CAN do very well on the XB. In Novice, I raced BOTH SV and XB - and finally settled on the XB - much more competitive in Expert BOTT Middleweight racing.   | ||
| Greg_e |
Racing without a belly pan to catch the drips? | ||
| Dieseldreamer |
Slaughtr: What is Expert BOTT Middleweight racing? How much is does a SV cost vs an XB to maintain? | ||
| Paint_shaker |
It's about as stock as it can be. Mods are as follows; Bought the bike with the Buell race muffler and ecm (later added custom tune). Remove street gear (lights, switches, turn signals, belt guards, etc.) Safety wire and add number plate and belly pan. Replace rear spring with Buell racing spring, replace front fork springs with Hyer Pro race springs and add heavier weight fork oil, replace front brake pads with Buell racing pads, use DOT race tires. I left it with the belt drive. Sucks on the big long track like Road Atlanta, Daytona, Road America, but works pretty decent on the short tracks. Go track day/ racing!!!! (Message edited by Paint shaker on August 12, 2010) | ||
| Paint_shaker |
Up until the 2 get offs my maintenence was 1 belt. The 2 get offs cost me 2 clutch levers, 2 pegs, 1 shifter arm, 1 bar and a set of grips. Ran Amsoil and it never burned or leaked noticably. Changed it 3 times over the course of 8 race weekends. | ||
| Slaughter |
BOTT - "Battle Of The Twins" In every racing organization of which I'm aware, the XB types compete in Twins classes against similar-powered machines - SV650, 650 Ninja, 748/749 Ducati - and other air-cooled, 2-valve bikes: BMW, H-D, MotoGuzzi It's really not a bad machine for Club racing among the Twins. Check your local organizations' rules. Greg, Pics from 2003 (my Novice year) - Willow Springs did not yet require bellypans. (Good catch) | ||
| Jraice |
Looked up stats about the XBRR... WOW 150hp at the crank is a pretty big figure. | ||
| Dieseldreamer |
Jraice - I saw a XBRR for sale, I think an 2007 model, with a season of racing on it for 18K. For that price you can buy a race ready 1125R from Erik Buell Racing. I would remove (and keep) the stainless exhaust on it while adding their titanium version, get a lightweight lith-ion battery, and add a magnesium front wheel. For 18k to 19k out the door you can have a better bike than the XBRR. Don't get me wrong, the XBRR is awesome but it is still air cooled. I think an XBRR wouldn't get raced by me but help start my collection of Buells. We need a Buell Museum.... (Message edited by Dieseldreamer on August 13, 2010) | ||
| Slaughter |
Stay away from the XBRR - trust me on that. It has some sweetness but you are going to be dealing with a difficult to tune/maintain bike and as you had said, you get virtually the same power with a pretty stock 1125R. XBRR also runs 112 or 114 octane LEADED but if you're racing, the difference between pump premium at $3.50 and full-tilt race gas at $6.50 - $8 - isn't that much when you just burned a $400 set of tires and a few hundred in fees for Saturday practice and Sunday races. | ||
| Jraice |
Any advice on suspension upgrades? Just blew a seal on my right fork. Thinking springs front and rear. Maybe a shock. Just for trackdays. Also will be installing the 5mm finned rotor from ebr... Stock rotor is toast. | ||
| Gearhead |
Dieseldreamer, The XB is a great racing platform for the classes you will race in, especially if you're racing with CCS. The 1125R is an OUTSTANDING race platform but there are fewer classes available to race it in with CCS. Getting either set up for the track is about the same minus the bike cost. BUT, your tire bill over the entire race season for an XB will be MUCH less! Remember you'll be racing against other bikes in the same class so high speed or tight track speed makes no real difference. Now if you want a track day bike where you'll be on the track with 600's and 1000's then you'd better pony up for the 1125RR from Erik Buell Racing. |
