| Author | Message | ||
     Aydenxb9 |
Jerry, both the very first and latest Buells are "competition only." "at what exact speed does riding a motorcycle on a public road become "overtly irresponsible behavior"? So are you suggesting that 130 mph on public roads is prudent? | ||
| Dana P. |
Your young Donald and you will learn. Its sounds like the hard way I'm afraid. Do us a favor though when your going into these curves at a buck 30 don't look down at the speedo anymore.  Kilometers!! | ||
| Henrik |
Easy guys - deep breath. Donald stopped by, simply because, when he owned a Buell, he used to hang around here and - at that time (hint, hint) - enjoyed the company. The fact that he found that another brand and type of bike suits his riding needs better these days, shouldn't automatically send everyone into a frenzy. Or am I missing something ....? It used to be that everyone - no matter what brand of bike they owned - was welcome here. Donald didn't stop by to slam Buell or talk up his new bike or choice or street riding style. Just to say hi. While I agree about taking the high speed riding to the track - for a whole slew of reasons, there are ways of promoting that idea without biting someones head off. Donald - I for one am happy you stopped by. Since I'd like you to stop by again, please be careful (and smart) and take the high speed stuff to the track. (see how easy that was  ) Henrik | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Jerry, both the very first and latest Buells are "competition only." win on Sunday, sell on Monday. i'm betting a good showing at Daytona will greatly increase the speed at which RR technology makes it into the street-going Buells. i doubt Erik is just going racing for something to do. and if we COULD buy a street-going RR right now, say for $15,000 or less, i bet it'd be standing room only outside Dave Stueve's office up in Appleton. but why? aren't all current Buells fast enough??? So are you suggesting that 130 mph on public roads is prudent? nope, i'm asking at what exact speed does riding a motorcycle on a public road become OIB (overtly irresponsible behavior)? a lot of people here are stoning Firebolt for his OIB. i contend that ALL of us are guilty of that when we ride, depending on who's the judge and what their definition of OIB is. Ayden, i'm willing to bet a second cup of Starbucks that you have ridden at 130 or above on the street. double mocha, no whip. | ||
| Dana P. |
Double mocha no whip??? Can't pass that up can ya??  | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
thanks henrik. im glad someone relizes my true intentions. | ||
| Lowflyer |
RC51 is cool. Looks to me like for less money, you could get a CBR1000RR and have another 40 hp. Why the RC? | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
cuz i love twins always have and always will | ||
| Wardan123 |
Gentlemen - As I read this thread I am reminded of myself at 23. I too was in the service (US Army Corps of Engineers/Sapper) and due to my hoo-ah training and relative youth I believed I was pretty damn close to invincible, and that many of the laws governing me (legislated and physical) didn't apply to me - only others. I rode too fast, made many stupid choices, was somewhat proud of my bravado and celebrated my crashes. Older more experienced people advised me and I, at times, disregarded them and/or laughed at them. The pain of serious wrecking a few times gave me reason to pause and assess myself and my skills. I have realized that just about any bike I ride will be capable of more than I could ever need and/or use... that I do exceed the speed limit at times (still foolhardy)... I think of those who depend on me before I do anything rash. I ask each of you to search your own past- I think there is a little of Firebolt's youth in the past of each of us. Try to understand him. Firebolt, I'd like you to know that as a member of the US Armed Forces there is an entire nation that depends on you. Keep us in your thoughts as you ride - I know you do as you train and while you are deployed. For what you do, I am grateful... we need men like you to do the job you do. We need men (and women) like you to do the job you do. Andrew | ||
| Metalstorm |
As long as you stay within your limits & don't put anyone or anything at risk (including but not limited to yourself) then I say enjoy. Keep it on in the rural areas (no peeps or pets) & slow in the residential areas (I know you've already stated as such) & stay alert. You know your own skill better than any of us can guess so it's your responsibility. I'm sure you know what you're doing. Some people like myself wouldn't/couldn't take a corner on a public road at 130 mph even if we could & some can & do. It's not just skill but it's about how much a person is willing to risk. I'd be too afraid of losing my license & getting a fine bigger than I could afford. I guess that's my biggest limiting factor. I like low risk situations that fit my budget.  Definitely stick around. I enjoy reading real life experiences on all the different bikes, not just Buells. | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
thanks and the places we ride there are no houses and stuff just farm land and senery and cops hardly ever there either in fact i never seen a cop in the places we ride. but in town and in neighbor hoods and stuff i chill cuz there is like metalstorm said children, cops, and other people there and i would not want to hurt another person at the cost of my fun. | ||
| Buellbozo |
Just my two cents worth... I've been fortunate to live long enough and survive enough STUPID behavior to become comfortable with the following way of looking at this subject- 1.) If the motorcycle is faster than I am, it's fast enough. 2.) I ain't THAT effin' quick. 3.) Today's tires and machines are SO much better than I am or ever will be that I don't ever have to worry about my wonderful Buell not being the right bike for me. It's a joy to know that all I have to do anytime I want THE RUSSSHHHHH is twist my wrist and scare myself silly. Air-fuel management is a key to good performance. Sometimes,for me, ego management is a key factor in in riding pleasure. Usual disclaimer applies...  | ||
| CJXB |
Stick around firebolt, some people do come across as preachy, I like what Henrik, Jerry, Wardon and metalstorm said, hang around for those guys and others like them and don't worry about the rest !! I remember you being in Iraq and posting here, and like the rest I thank you for your service !! I have a 24 year old son myself and can remember being young, sometimes we all forget to see things from that perspective. I don't want my son taking corners at 130 on public roads either, but would only ask him not to do it because I worry, explain why it's not safe or smart and that I care. In my experiences, he's gone on to do what he wanted anyway, but over time some things we told him really did register, but he's still young and his own person !! He'd be likely to listen to someone he admired and respected as well, and that's if he felt respected and understood in return. So just be as safe as you can on the roads firebolt, and ride whatever suits you, and keep posting !! Guess that's my two cents worth !! CJ | ||
| Lowflyer |
118 hp/72.1 ft-lbs, 489lbs RC51 '00 vs 92 hp/71.9 ft-lbs, 462 lbs XB12S '03 This out of Motorcyclist. These seem fairly comparable to me. If you're not going for max power, it seems you could do well with an XB. | ||
| Bigdaddy |
Firebolt, I'm not gonna knock the way choose to ride. Something 'bout people in glass houses and stuff. The secret is to stay far enough away from the ragged edge that you'll someday, and it will happen, be able to tell some younger person "ease up a bit so we can keep you around." I spent many years running wide open and got the scars, mental and physical, to deal with now. Ease up just a bit,,,we'd like to keep you around. G2 | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
thanks guys nice to see some of the old names i used to enjoy talking to. | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
lowflyer the rc51 will still go faster | ||
| Lowflyer |
Yes, it shows 0.4 seconds faster in the quarter-mile. The Buell tops it by 0.3 seconds in the top gear 60 to 80 roll-on. I'm gue.ssing the RC51 will top out higher than 130, though. If you want serious faster you'll have to go to the liter bike. Otherwise, you can get RC51 performance out of an XB with a few mods. Right? | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
yes it will go faster than 130 but i think that has alot to do with the totally different gear box and a 6th gear. i already have a liter bike but i want to go back to twins but one that can hold up to liter bikes like the rc51. though it probly wont hold up to alot of the new ones (like the 04 and newer) it can still hold up to alot of liter bikes. i have ridden an rc51 and loved it | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
and no im not here to say rc51's are gods gift to motorcycles either thats just probly what my next bike will be | ||
| Captpete |
“I’ll smoke you like a cheap cigar.” Ha! I love it! Now I just have to wait for the opportunity to use it. Bad news: I don’t do much of that kind of smokin’ at this age.  Good news: At this age, I’ve acquired the patience to wait.  | ||
| Seanp |
Hey, the way I see it is, as long as you ride something, you're good. My first bike, (when I got back from Iraq in 2004) was a Suzuki GS500F. That thing had like 40 horsepower, and I got it up to about 100 going downhill with a tailwind on a superhighway. And that was just fine with me. But I outgrew it, and I am getting a Buell when I get back from this deployment. I have friends with GSX-R1000's, R1's, and the like. They ride like bats out of hell. I have friends with Harleys and Japanese cruisers. They ride slow and steady. We all ride together sometimes, (when we're back in the US) and we always find a way to have fun. Last summer, a few of us went to the North Georgia mountains, up by Suches. Those of us with sporty bikes went faster along the roads, (45 or 50) and the cruiser guys went 30 or so. But in the end, we all had lunch together, and we all had a good time in our own way. As long as you're aware of the consequences of your actions, have at it. I'm sure you've seen videos and pictures of guys after horrific motorcycle accidents, and heard all about how it affects the families of those involved. And you have experience on a Buell, so at least you're not basing your argument on "what you've heard about them." You're young, (when I was that age, I was in AIT and had a '69 Mustang with a 428CJ and a Holley 750 double-pumper - I know what it's like at 140 mph) and you're invincible. Most of the guys responding negatively are no longer young, and realize they're not invincible. So take their posts more as "concerned elders" than as "belligerent bastards." The only thing I ask is that you represent the motorcycling community as a whole in a professional and responsible manner. So whatever you do, think about how your mother would look upon it, or how your minister/priest would look upon it, or how your favorite high school teacher would look upon it. If you think they'd be ashamed, you're probably not doing the right thing. | ||
| Chiefiron |
Good for you Firebolt you know what you want so go for it. I wont rehash some of the other posts but as a former cop I will just say be careful and ride within your limits not your buddies. I know a couple months ago when I was looking at getting back into sport bikes I had a huge dilemma. A Buell which I love because of its innovation and thumping air cooled Harley V-twin or Kaw ZX10R fast as He** and only a little less maneuverable but mostly just fast as he**. It was a hard choice but I finally decided on the Buell. With a few inexpensive mods it will give me more power than I could ever use on the street and it probably will not tempt me to ride beyond my limits as happened on my former sport bikes early in my life, though I am taking it to the track when I get home in April just in case. I gave up sport bike riding many years ago, while in the US Army Infantry, and switched to big slow "hogs" which I still love and will never replace. One day after an outing with some army riding buddies looking for places to go fast but without the need to wear a helmet, I know not smart but I was a young volunteer infantry soldier so enough said, I decided that maybe go fast bikes were not for me. When I made it back to base that night I vowed to sell the bike the next day. I just thought to my self that if being in the infantry didn’t kill me riding like this most assuredly would and traded my beloved 1987 Yam FZ750 for a Sportster. That was 1988 and I was 19 years old, I’ve owned a couple more Harleys, still have one, and some import cruisers/commuters since, but now that I’m a little more mature and over my need to push the limits daily, even though I’ve been in Iraq for almost 3 years now, I thought I would give sport bikes another try. I want to feel the rush of tight twisty corners without scraping my pipes as I have on my Harley, and the thrill of pulling on the throttle of a torque monster of a bike that my XB12R is and do it with style. We all have our preferences in life and as you get older yours will change I’m sure. “Go fast” is a huge rush I have done it on 2 and 4 wheels, but so was watching my only son being born. We only get one life and while I still need to feel the rush, and work in the most dangerous place on the planet, I also want to be around to guide my son using the lessons this life has taught me. Think, weigh the risks, apply lessons learned and have fun. Well that was a little weird and rambling but you get the point I’m sure. Tim | ||
| Court |
>>>Donald - I for one am happy you stopped by. | ||
| Southern Marine |
Firebolt, good to see you drop in. I'm back and enjoying what time I get to ride. I hope we get you back on a Buell one day. Do us a favor and be safe. Enjoy the ride and take it easy. | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
see this is the real reason i came on here to say hi to the ones that know and remeber me. not to be ridiculed about the fact that buell dont currently fit my riding habbits. I love buells, the best bike i ever owned was my firebolt. Maybe when i get to germany (i go there in april) ill see all those pretty street fighters riding around and decide i need to be back on a buell since from what i understand (someone correct me if im wrong) Buell is a big hit in europe. i honstly love buells more than any other motorcycle out, but i think they should make some improvements some were. Maybe a little (not much) toned version of the powerplant they have in the rr. I mean they could use the improvments that are in that power plant to improve the 1200 couldnt they? | ||
| Spiderman |
FB good to see ya again. Man if I get the new Ducati I am looking at will you all disown me like this? | ||
| Dbird29 |
Drop you like a bad habit Spidey!  We sure do get our panties in a bunch around here, huh? I say it's all good. | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Firebolt, i think "ridiculed" is too strong a word. besides, you've just had some heavy hitters on this board go to bat for you, proving, at least to me, that BADWEB is more about the CAMARADERIE of the ride than WHAT you ride. Spidey, thanks! fwiw, no one has disowned anyone here, just some Buell fanatics sticking up for their favorite motorcycle, which is to be expected on BADWEB, and which is a good thing IMO. as far as "disowning" someone for what they ride, consider the fact that i haven't owned a Buell for several years, and yet i'm still a custodian and regular contributor here. proof, as i see it, that BADWEB truly rocks. to anyone i may have miffed yesterday afternoon, my apologies. i'd been parked in front of my computer for something like 12 hours straight, and i needed a diversion. for better or worse, some of you guys were it. but consider this: the next time you're tempted to stone someone for their actions, ponder whether or not there is someone standing behind you aiming a rock at YOUR backside for YOUR actions. what constitutes "overtly irresponsible behavior" is often a matter of opinion, not fact, and i doubt there are many of us here who are without sin. Firebolt, i hope you appreciate that i went to bat for you yesterday. ride safe, brother, the life you save may be your own. peace out. FB | ||
| Loki |
Can I ask a simple question of you Firebolt? What drives you to want to do in excess of 100mph? On a public road with known/unknown or seen/unseen hazards. As a second thought. Down the road abit. If the man lights you up and catches you in the act. Will you pull over and accept the consequences? Being as since I am not without sin in this regard. Choice is a powerful thing as it will have effects beyond you and the moment. |
