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Jlnance
| | Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 12:37 pm: | 
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When I was at Ray Price yesterday waiting to see the 1125R there was another guy doing the same thing.
Photog from ADV is thinking of buying one.
I think this bike is going to do good things for Buell, and their dealerships.
Speaking of dealerships, Ray Price has really changed over the last few years. I go in there now and everyone knows who I am. They knew who I was before I gave that that talk too. The parts guy was explaining to me yesterday that they want to to make sure they have parts people needed for Buells on hand and wanted to know if I had suggestions. He already had a good list, including things like Lyndal pads. The only thing I could suggest was a trade in program for coating headers like American Sportbike has. |
Rubberdown
| | Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 01:14 pm: |
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I've got the jones for an air cooled power cruiser with decent two up capability. This has some sweet engineering tricks and stump pulling power.
08' Star Raider. I like it. |
Rubberdown
| | Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 01:57 pm: |
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Maybe red
OR ... maybe not at all  |
Rubberdown
| | Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 05:47 pm: |
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The dealer called me this afternoon "we just got our first Raider in today and it's prepped, come on by." So I did. Big F'N bike! I don't mind the length but it's a fat bike for fat boys so I don't think it would suit me. I think I would dearly love that 1900cc twin for two up cruising though. The R1 brakes are a nice compliment as well. Star is really building some nice bikes. I wish they would make one of these for the 32" waist crowd. F'N seat swallowed me. I love checking out bikes! The Harley Fat Bob, which I rode, and the HD Night Rod are contenders. |
M2nc
| | Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 07:50 pm: |
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HD Night Rod is a beauty. I like the idea of a Fat Bob, just can't get use to its looks. I love the V-Rod motor. That thing has power everywhere and can make that big Cruiser go. |
Rubberdown
| | Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 09:15 pm: |
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M2, the night rod is a very cool bike and fits me well. I'm concerned about fuel range as I want at least 200 miles before I get nervous. It does have the 5 gallon tank, but I've heard those motors get lousy mpg. Man, if Star trimmed/narrowed that Raider up and got rid of the 210 rear tire they'd really have one hell of cruising bike. |
1313
| | Posted on Saturday, December 08, 2007 - 12:26 am: |
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Mike - Yes, the Revo motor gets CRAPPY MPG! I'm lucky to get mid to high 30's out of mine, maybe even dip up into the 40's if I am on a highway trip. Since the new Revo's are all 1250 cc's, I'd expect it to be worse - probably not enough to justify the claimed 5 hp increase, but I would LOVE to have a 5 gallon tank on mine... Resale, if you're concerned about it (I'm not, but since you change bikes more frequently than I wash either of mine you might be), isn't quite where it should be IMO.
1313
(Message edited by 1313 on December 08, 2007) |
1313
| | Posted on Saturday, December 08, 2007 - 12:31 am: |
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1313 |
Rubberdown
| | Posted on Saturday, December 08, 2007 - 06:43 am: |
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Brankin, that "Rocks"!  |
U4euh
| | Posted on Saturday, December 08, 2007 - 09:09 am: |
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Buy Pete's  |
Sportymark
| | Posted on Saturday, December 08, 2007 - 09:39 am: |
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Yeah the Warrior is a better beast I think....the inverted forks, the lower stance, laura wants one to put drag bars and rearsets on |
Rubberdown
| | Posted on Saturday, December 08, 2007 - 10:08 am: |
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I do like the Warrior (a lot), but I'm not looking for a sporty beast, but I do want a cruiser with some style and enuff honk to make two up passing easy. The Raider actually has better ergos than the Warrior for me. My HP2 with the two wheelsets meets my sporting needs. I don't think I'll get another sport bike for the street. It's just too damn frustrating for me to ride them at semi-legal speeds. My next sport bike will be a dedicated track bike. I appreciate your comments guys and I'm not sure I'll actually buy anything but you help me narrow it down. The HP2 really is the most versatile bike I've had and it's a keeper. That said, I woke up wanting to go check out the raider again, so I will. Great day to ride. U4, the 1150R is available to ride, call me. |
Mikethebike72
| | Posted on Saturday, December 08, 2007 - 01:36 pm: |
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Just rode the 1125r, the firebolt is in no danger. It is just overkill, like most of the imports, for the streets. I will say, I like the smoothness and responsiveness of the engine and would really like to see what it could do, will have to wait until all the break-in miles are on it, but even now it has more power than I need for the street. The front brake is more powerful than the xb's, but once you have enough braking power to lift the rear wheel, do you really need more? Like the firebolt, it is well balanced, just kicked up a notch. Bring on the version with sport touring additions and the firebolt would be in trouble. |
Jlnance
| | Posted on Saturday, December 08, 2007 - 05:00 pm: |
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Just got back from a ride. I went down close to Pittsboro and then down to Moncure. I was heading back home when a pack of bikes passed me. One of the guys in the back was on a BMW waving to me like he knew me. I figured it was Rubberdown, so I swung around and followed them. Then I realized it's a GS so it's not Mike. Eventually I deduced it down to my neighbor, the Apex motorcycle cop and Motomark instructor. I'll tell you what, he can ride that bike. I could keep up around the curves, but just barley. But I was sitting down and he was standing on the pegs.
We rode around a while, then stopped at this placed called Custom Cycle in Morrisville. The owner comes out and talks to us. Turns out he really likes Cyclones, and has owned a bunch of them. He is going to test the 1125 tomorrow afternoon.  I peeled off after than and came home. It was a fun afternoon. The weather is perfect. |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Saturday, December 08, 2007 - 05:47 pm: |
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I've got the jones for an air cooled power cruiser with decent two up capability.
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Rubberdown
| | Posted on Saturday, December 08, 2007 - 06:02 pm: |
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Hi Jerry, beautiful bike. I know you enjoy yours. I'd dump the windshield and ride! I'm not convinced of the two up passing ability of the big HD's. My 05 Springer Classic usually required a hearty "Hail Mary" upon committing myself to an overtaking. Not really that bad, but it was underpowered. The new 96's seem nice. The Fat Bob rode quite well and was really fun two up. The 08 Street Glide I rode was awful, maybe the worse bike I've ever ridden! No power and terrible buffeting. Maybe something was wrong with it. Both were brand new bikes. I've always liked the Road Glide for some reason which I can't identify. I might rent one for a weekend and see how the fairing/windshield are. I'm really particular about clean air on the helmet and buffeting. That said, I'm not a big miles kind of rider and I prefer no hard bags. I have this big "bikers friend" hard roll that packs a ton if I need it. I'm almost afraid to ride the Road King .....
I might like it way too much.  |
Guell
| | Posted on Saturday, December 08, 2007 - 06:36 pm: |
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hey c3ers, you guys have any room left in your cabins for march badness, i need a place to stay. |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Saturday, December 08, 2007 - 09:17 pm: |
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I'm almost afraid to ride the Road King .....
LOL!
Mike, you're right, i sure am liking my RK. i like ALL bikes, truth be told, and wish i owned a hundred and one, but THIS one is the one i know i'll never get rid of (pretty glowing praise coming from someone who's been riding since 1965...)
i'm still running the stock intake and exhaust, so i know there are some additional ponies in there waiting to be saddled up, but i find the power - one-up and two-up - to be adequate anyway (this coming from a former FJR owner).
and as a bonus, this is the first bike i've had in prolly 20+ years that i've been able to get 8k out of a rear tire (i could, and routinely DID, toast the rear tire on the FJR in 2k with my eyes closed and my hands tied behind my back...)
that said, i AM looking forward to doing the stage I thing to the airbox, exhaust and ECM. i'm quite positive this will be the only performance modding i ever want to do to this machine.
so far i've found the bike to be cross-country comfortable (LOVE the ergos, all upright and relaxed, and the seat is a very close second to my ex-V-Strom as the most comfy stocker i've ever parked my buns on), but it's also a hoot to rip around on local, too, and will hold its own in all but the most technical of twisties (cornering clearance, or lack thereof, being the limiting factor), both one-up and two.
i REALLY wish the thing had fully adjustable suspension front 'n rear; there ain't much excuse on a machine this expensive and heavy to have only rear preload adjustment, but if you have the air in the back just right it's a smooth, generally well-controlled ride.
a big bonus on this bike for me is (are?) the hard bags. it's SO nice to be able to carry so much moto-ish flotsam and jetsam so easily, in a stylish, watertight, lockable package.
i carry two ditty bags of emergency-type gear in the left side, with a little room left over, and my trusty RKA tankbag goes in the right, with quite a bit of room left over.
i installed the "permanent" mounts for the easy on-easy off Tour Pak rack on the back. i don't have the Tour Pak, but when i need additional cargo carrying capacity riding two-up, i snap the rack on the back (takes all of about three seconds) and lash down my size L Ortlieb dry bag to that.
if i'm riding solo and need even more on-bike storage, i've got a second matching dry bag that rests quite nicely across the rear pillion and bungees neatly to the rear passenger accessory grab rails.
Denise enjoys the passenger accommodations, but finds her knees bent a little too tight on long trips (she's about 5'9"). i've got the rear floorboards adjusted as low as they'll go, but, alas, it's still not enough.
mileage-wise it's pretty unusual to get less than 45 mpg, altho running at a consistent 80 or above will pull this number down closer to 40 mpg. on the other hand, when i'm out just plunking around looking for photo ops and the like, 50 mpg (and sometimes a little more) is pretty routine. as such, by the time i burn thru five gallons of fuel, i'm ready to get off.
the '08's have a new six-gal tank, which should extend the range even more, altho i don't know how the 96-inch engines compare mileage-wise to my 88.
speaking of the 08's, new this year on the baggers is optional ABS to go with the triple-Brembos - nice!
i've had just a few niggling mechanical-type issues, the junction between the rear of the exhaust pipes where they clamp onto the front of the mufflers being one such bugaboo, i.e. this junction becoming JUST ever so slightly loose, enough to set up an annoying harmonic rattle at certain RPM's, and in spite of tightening the clamp to dangerous levels, still being unable to make the rattle go totally away.
a little snippet of the band from a stainless steel hose clamp inserted in the pipe/muffler interface as a shim took care of the right side, and during my last ride i THINK the left side has now started. if so, it's an easy fix.
there was a little chrome plating "slag" poking out at the top of the tranny dipstick hole, enough to slice the dipstick o-ring pretty badly (but not enough to leak), which, once i figured out why the o-ring was shredded so badly, was also an easy fix (clean rag stuffed in the hole, and a couple of seconds' work with a rat-tail file with some wheel bearing grease on it for the slag to stick to).
the third (and last) mechanical issue was an ever-so-slightly weeping oil sending unit, which was fixed with a couple of wraps of teflon tape, and has been dry since.
not bad for 20,000 miles, i'd say.
oh yeah, the front rotors came chromed from the factory. as Fireman Jim would say, "What a bunch of maroons!"
guess they figure the typical Hog rider doesn't use the front binders. well, i surely ain't typical.
i wore thru the plating many thousands of miles ago, and the brakes work much better now, although i could prolly stand to replace the pads as i imagine they're glazed a bit from the chromium.
what else?
that's about it, i guess. the overall fit and finish on this bike - and ALL Harleys these days - is superb, easily equal to anything else i've ever owned or seen.
it sure is a "happy" bike to ride, really, really willing and pleasant going about its business, and can be surprisingly nimble (in a full-figured sort of way) if'n the opportunity presents itself.
the engine never misses a beat (i paid extra for FI vs. carb, and am sure glad i did), and has NEVER pinged, not one time, not even in the swelterness that is SoCal.
altho i've never bought a motorcycle with the intention of someday selling it, they've all come and gone by and by (insert "slapping myself vigorously upside the head!" emoticon here...)
i surely don't plan on ever offing this one, either, but i will say that i've never made money selling any of my Japanese bikes, and i've never lost money selling any of my Harleys. consider that yer basic "FWIW."
well, by gum, THERE'S a book that nobody asked to be written.
FB |
Rubberdown
| | Posted on Saturday, December 08, 2007 - 10:35 pm: |
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Thanks for the write up Jerry. That's the kind a real world review I like to consider when contemplating a bike. |
Nevrenuf
| | Posted on Saturday, December 08, 2007 - 10:37 pm: |
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yea jerry, got an 04 ultra also, deffinitely nice for the two up long hauls. not to mention all the space that you have. once you have bags, it's hard to go back. in fact i don't ever think about going back. got saddle bags and a tank bag for the m2 and even got saddlebags for the blast that i used on the xb before i lost it down at buelltoberfest. just got to figure out what kind of bags to put on the nightster that we got to replace xb with. |
Smoke
| | Posted on Sunday, December 09, 2007 - 05:45 am: |
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Mike,
i picked up my 2000 FI road king classic with 1900 miles from a fellow in Goldsboro below market value with the intention of riding it home and putting it for sale at a substantial profit in July 02. i decided to do an iron butt on the way home and rode to greenville, n.c. to have lunch with a friend and then started home at 2:30 pm. stopped in Atlanta to get some sleep and started back out at 4:am. rolled in to the house in louisiana with 45 minutes to spare. that thing was so comfortable on that trip that i still have it. been using it for winter commuting, road trips, and just general good fun riding. i'm usually riding alone at a brisk pace and my mileage is not quite the same as Jerry's with 38 being my average but have gotten 55 in economy mode.(60mph)i can put all my camping gear with cooler on the luggage rack when i camp at the races and can use the leather saddlebags for running some parts when i'm at work. the 96" s&s evo at 82mph runs my friend's tank dry at 105 miles. 41000 miles and it's been tires, brake pads, oil and gas. most reliable bike i have ever had and it's not leaving. however, next year the 1125R is my tour bike, but i won't be bringing the same load. try it and you might be taken over. oh yeah, i have the quick detach windshield, luggage rack, pass back rest, and leather saddle bags if you just have to ride naked sometimes and front lowers and hand wind deflectors for the winter. whew. Merry Christmas!!
tim |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Sunday, December 09, 2007 - 08:46 am: |
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yikes! believe it or not, i left out a chapter (or two) of my book!!
Mike, you mentioned ditching the windshield. i've done just that. in fact, i had the choice of any bagger i wanted, and could have easily gone for the Electra-Glide (i'm a sucker for the iconic good looks of the bat-wing fairing, and would have appreciated the additional instrumentation), but the ability to run sans shield swayed me to the RK.
with the shield off i think the bike exudes that classic, timeless Harley-Davidson "look," especially with the entire front-end dripping in chrome like it is.
but more importantly, i've discovered over the years that i don't like riding behind a windshield anymore. i want the wind, and everything it brings.
i've ridden with the shield on twice - once getting the bike home from the dealership, and once hooking up with Madduck when he flew out to LA to pick up his Uly. i chucked it up that day because of a slight chance of fog/light rain that morning along the Cali coast, and HATED looking thru the damn thing all day long.
afterwards, i cleaned it up, gave it a good coat of wax, wrapped it up in several old flannel sheets for safekeeping, and it now sits in hibernation in my basement and will likely stay that way from here on out.
i had some nagging doubts about this decision before leaving last year on my around-the-country "BRAT-MATT" ride, wondering whether i'd come to regret leaving the shield behind.
didn't miss it for a minute - sun, rain, hot, cold, or anything in between.
i sit so low in the bike (i'm 5'8" if i'm wearing thick socks) that wind blast is not an issue, unlike, say, my ex-White Lightning, or Madduck's Uly, i suspect because of being down in the bike so far and having so much front-end mass breaking trail out front.
as such, i get clean air around my head and ZERO helmet buffeting, something i hate as much as it sounds like you do.
one more item of possible note just came to mind: i've noticed on repeated occasions what a marvelous job the valanced front fender does of helping the bike stay un-grunged in wet and/or dirty riding conditions.
this may sound trivial, and perhaps it is to some, but i appreciate the fact that i can take this bike into some pretty nasty country (ask Nance to tell you the story some time...) and yet at the end of the day i'm not digging out the engine from all the muck that would normally kick up from the front tire.
it's good to hear others chime in - some days i wonder if i'm the only one around here who fully appreciates a fleet-footed fat-fendered Harley.
FB |
Bigdaddy
| | Posted on Sunday, December 09, 2007 - 09:30 am: |
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I've got a few cents to throw on the table
I've had a number of BT's and they still intrigue me. We had the 2005 RK Custom and it was great for two up cruising along the parkway and sightseeing -- whoever designed the bags on the Custom version was a bit shortsighted IMO because they're just too small. If I were to get another it'd be the standard or classic model.
1990 & 2001 FLSTF -- the '01 Fatboy was my all-time favorite BT. The '90 model was a very capable bike and I had no issues with it. Rode it for nearly 10 years and sold it when the madness was out of control and made some money
When I get my next BT I'll most likely go with Electra Glide standard. If it's not the touring frame it'll be a Dyna (configuration unknown at this time.)
I also had a VROD and the after-thought fuel capacity turned me off on my first road trip. |
M2nc
| | Posted on Sunday, December 09, 2007 - 12:16 pm: |
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We have a good day of riding yesterday. Webe, No Seed and I hooked up to ride from Greenville to Oxford yesterday. We got a late start because of a Xmas parade and lost key, but it was great riding weather even at O-dark-thirty. We hit some good back roads in and around Henderson, but there is a lot more exploring we need to do in that area. Next time we will have to get an earlier start to leave time to explore the area. One thing that was kind of fun was watching the expression of the other riders and staff at Ron Ayers when three Orange Ulys were parked together with fans wailing. Ron Ayers is a great Japanese motorcycle dealer. I bought my Honda, my tires and at least half my gear from them but that must be the first time they have seen three Ulys together.
As for the big two-up rider, I like the FLH chassis. I always have but now even more so after seeing a police chase video where the police were trying to bump a guy off a RK. The cruiser hit the big bike four times without knocking it down. One of the hits was sideways and another hit so hard that it broke the tail light and dented the bags and rear fender. The police finally dismounted the rider because he was looking backwards and lost hold of the bike. Even then the bike continued without the rider. The stability of a bike that can take a hit like that is amazing. Truly impressive.
I like the RK and the Road Glide. I think the Road Glide will be my pick when I get in the market for a big touring bike. Even though I like the look of the three light set up of the RK and Electra Glide, it is well documented that at speed the frame mounted faring of the Road Glide is more stable than the Fork mounted Electra Glide Faring. Electra Glides are known to wobble at high speed and cross winds. That is why Willy G.s ride is Road Glide.
I test rode an Electra Glide with the Carlee a few years ago. It had the 88" motor, and it left a few impressions. One, I need to play with all the buttons on the dash before I ride it. I was more distracted riding that thing than a Soccer mom with a Mini-van full of kids, talking on the phone, eating lunch and putting on make up. Two, I romped on it a couple of times and the front of the bike lifted to the top of its suspension so I know the bike was accelerating, but sure could not feel it. Three, man was it comfortable! Four, a full face helmet on a hot day is not comfortable behind that faring.
Last year I tested a Dyna Super Glide with the 96" motor and six-speed transmission. That bike had plenty of power for a . A bit off the Uly, but plenty of grunt to pass most 4-wheelers with authority. The transmission was sweet with six-gear only good over 60mph. The bike did not have a tach but I would guess the bike was running 2500-2700 RPM at 60-65mph. I wish I had than gearing on the Uly. Though the Buell hums along at 80mph at 4000RPM, the gas mileage drops from 52-54mpg to 48-50mpg. I would guess that a Harley with the new six-speed will get good gas mileage even at Freeway speeds. |
Ulywife
| | Posted on Sunday, December 09, 2007 - 01:22 pm: |
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Guell - I'm still trying to secure a 2nd cabin. As soon as I know something I'll let you know. |
Guell
| | Posted on Sunday, December 09, 2007 - 03:25 pm: |
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Thanks Ulywife, your the greatest. |
Nevrenuf
| | Posted on Sunday, December 09, 2007 - 06:03 pm: |
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carlos, i've had the ultra up to 100 before and it still handled great. in the cross winds, your gonna get blown no matter what your on and with the extra weight i think you get less. the road glide is a nice bike but the one thing that throws you off is at night when your turning you don't reall see what's ahead of you that well. and flh is an flh is an flh. great for touring and carrying things. the first ultra we turned into a trike for the wife and took it out to sturgis towing a little tent trailer. although we don't have neither right now we do have an 04 ultra with a cargo trailer that we havn't used yet but my buddy did on a trip and it worked out great. and kristi, if you do get a second cabin let me know too. |
Ulywife
| | Posted on Sunday, December 09, 2007 - 08:41 pm: |
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Neil - solo or will your wife be joining you? |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Sunday, December 09, 2007 - 09:36 pm: |
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I test rode an Electra Glide with the Carlee a few years ago...
even a full-face helmet cannot contain Carlee's joy in that pic. |
M2nc
| | Posted on Sunday, December 09, 2007 - 11:00 pm: |
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even a full-face helmet cannot contain Carlee's joy in that pic.
Of course, the bike had a radio. That was just too cool for her. |
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