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Gripperod
Posted on Monday, February 20, 2017 - 09:47 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I walked into a motorcycle shop on Saturday and walked out having slapped a deposit on a 1999 M2. Complete impulse buy but have always liked the idea of a Harley engine in a frame that handled and this thing has only done 7000 miles and looks like it was built yesterday, everything is pristine. I am due to pick the bike up on Friday but I am now having some second thoughts. Firstly, having now looked at some of the comments on forums I cant work out whether these Buells are rubbish or people have had a bad experience because they don't expect to/ or haven't put a bit of time in to keep the bike maintained which you can get away with on some Japanese stuff (I have owned a Ducati previously so I get the preventative maintenance thing) secondly I cannot get a fix on prices, this one is £4300 english pounds which for the condition felt right. But looking at prices in the US they seem to be around the $2000 - $2500 mark which means I am paying seriously over the top. Cannot get any price guides for them in the UK.... Thoughts anyone?

(Message edited by gripperod on February 20, 2017)
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Reepicheep
Posted on Monday, February 20, 2017 - 10:12 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

You have grasped it pretty well. Objectively, the M2 isn't any worse than any other interesting vehicle. Rocker boxes will leak until gaskets are upgraded, the exhaust mount needs upgraded, the oil pump pinion gear needs replaced, you might have to put a filter on the speedo sensor, and after enough miles you may need to replace a gear pair in the transmission.

That sounds bad, but we have almost 20 years of REALLY understanding the M2 and 40 years of understanding that motor now.

The good news is that the parts for these things are really cheap and pretty easy to get, and none of the jobs are that hard. Even the transmission is a trap door transmission that you can remove without splitting cases.

So think porsche 911 levels of being interesting, but far cheaper and easier to keep running. And like an older 911, you don't want to get it and just pin it at redline for 3 hours straight every time you go out. It will do it fine, but you will be rebuilding more often.

That price in the states would be crazy high. Here in the US I expect we would be talking $3000, which is at the high end of tuber prices, and that would assume the milage is accurate and condition is good.

But that being said, even here in the US it might take you a month of hunting to find any for sale within 100 miles or so, and maybe longer to find a really good one.

So if it speaks to you and it is unusually low milage and in good condition, if you can't get $5000 worth of fun out of a tuber, the problem is you not the bike. They are really special rides. And I'm guessing the UK isn't crawling with old tubers for sale either.

Belts can be expensive, but so are chains, and if you run the belt scary loose (like you should on a tuber) it would not be at all unusual to get 30k+ miles from it. So in the long run it is probably cleaner and cheaper, just more hassle when it does break.

You probably want to source new isolaters while they are still easy to get also, even if you don't put them in yet.

I know that when I travel to London, I pay 2x what I think I should for, well, pretty much everything. So why not Tubers also? : )

So, yes it is expensive and yes you are overpaying relative to US prices. But yes it will also be really special and really unique, and will work really well as a motorcycle, and you should get 30k to 50k miles out of it without anything happening that a few hundred quid and a weekend of wrenching can't fix.

The rear shock should probably be your biggest concern. That could be a $500 problem. See if it is pre-recall, penske, or the recall shock. Post a picture noting any external reservoirs and we can tell you what is on there.

I always bike watch when I am in London, and while I see all sorts of cool stuff we never see in the states, I have yet to see a Buell.
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Gripperod
Posted on Monday, February 20, 2017 - 11:34 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Not sure if you will be able to tell from the pics below whether the shock is pre or post mod but you can get a feel for the condition
m21

m22

m23
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Two_seasons
Posted on Monday, February 20, 2017 - 12:18 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

It appears that you have the 14.7" shock. That is the upgraded one!

I've never seen an M2 Cyclone in the States that looks this good. Almost looks like some one had it in an controlled environment for it to shine/look like that.

Excellent find. And yes, you are overpaying, but I don't think you'll find anything close to this condition, so you should expect to pay more. If the price feels right to you, buy it.
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Court
Posted on Monday, February 20, 2017 - 02:24 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

That is a pristine example of a Buell M2 Cyclone.

Have fun ! . . . you're going to love it.

It's one of the best motorcycles EVER made and I can prove it. . . . .
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Gripperod
Posted on Monday, February 20, 2017 - 04:10 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

OK thanks guys, I'm sold will collect on Friday and as planned let you know how I get on. Really appreciate the advice.
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Reepicheep
Posted on Monday, February 20, 2017 - 07:32 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

That really is a gorgeous M2. Traction grips, I can't quite tell... are those Jet Hot coated headers? Or are they just that low milage?
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Gripperod
Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2017 - 10:48 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

It is Done!

I have paid the balance on the bike today, call in to collect the paperwork tomorrow and collect the bike on Thursday.

I have also acted on Reepicheep's recommendation and sourced a set of the latest rear isolators although this has prompted a further question. Why is L0505.9 (right hand) more expensive than L0504.9 (left hand) I quizzed the price with Chester HD and they confirmed £22 for the left hand and £124 for the right hand. needless to say I ordered the cheap one from them and picked up a right hand one for ONLY $77 of Ebay USA.

I hope it is all going to be worth it, I haven't been this excited about buying a bike for a long long time. I'm hoping its the biking equivalent of a Sopwith Camel!
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Reepicheep
Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2017 - 12:42 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Congratulations! I think you will love it. These are really nice bikes.

Watch for rockerbox leaks so you can address them before they mess up that nice clean engine. The rear usually went around 5k miles, the front usually around 9k miles. They just leak and make a mess, they won't strand you.

But maybe both of yours were already done.

Also drop the oil pump and look up in the cam chamber at the oil pump pinion gear, look at it in a couple of positions. Do it before you get to 15k miles or so. If the gear is badly worn, replace it with the new gold colored factory XB part.
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Blks1l
Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2017 - 04:49 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

As was mentioned about the rear shock, that is the bandaid (SRP)fix for the rear shock, at some point when it becomes necessary a shock upgrade would be nice.
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