| Author | Message | ||
     Firebolt020283 |
Ok so yesterday I wore my front tire out on my firebolt but luckly I was in the city in which my buddy I sold my M2 to had it sitting and he offered to let me borrow it to get home yesterday. Well in riding the m2 again I could not help but notice it is easier to take curves with than my XB is. In comparison my xb is a struggle to take a curve with and the m2 is so easy. This got me wondering if it is the more up right dirtbike style seating position of the M2 that gives me that feel, if it is something off on my xb's suspension settings or is it just the nature of the two different bikes? | ||
| Doz |
It's the nature of the two bikes. I've got two xb's, one is a R the other is an S. Practically identical but the wide bars and upright seating position of the S make it easier to flick around compared to the R | ||
| Britchri10 |
I just put 1" bar risers on my X1. There is definitely a change in cornering "feel" (For the better as far as I am concerned). All that with just the addition of risers. Chris C | ||
| Babired |
I used to tell customers at HD when they were looking at the Buells (XB) the Firebolt you KNOW the roads you rip up, on the Lightening you don't know the roads and rip it up anyway! I always thought the lightenings where good road experimenting bikes to ride. | ||
| Ducxl |
I own both a '99 X1 tuber and an '05XB12r. The 12r sees very few miles(only 1002 miles last season).THe short wheel base makes it difficult to corner.Or should i say makes it difficult for a novice to ALLOW to fall into a corner.I have a much easier time cornering on the 'ole X1.Both great machines  | ||
| Sparky |
You can quicken the steering ability of a Firebolt by raising the forks to the limit lines. This steepens the steering angle enough to reduce the effort to initiate a turn and hold a line by a noticeable difference. The other thing is that a worn out front tire has lost most of its original shape which tends to put the contact patch towards the outside edge of the tire in turns rather than near the centerline resulting in excessive feedback when leaning farther from vertical in turns. This greatly worsens the tendency of a Firebolt to stand up in turns while braking. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I've ridden the R, S, X, CR, and M2 significant miles. The HARDEST to ride well, was the M2. The longer wheelbase, the geometry, and the weight distribution all conspired to make it harder to ride as well as the others. That is until I added crossroads to it. That was enough to shift the weight more over the front wheel. Now, I would say that it handles as well or better than my Uly did. I felt the R was the easiest and most nimble to ride, but the hardest for my galooty ass to move around on. Similarly for the S. I didn't get a chance to ride an SS/STT for any length, but my guess is that it would be best for my size. I think your handling issues are suspension and tire related. The M2 is a cow compared to the short wheelbase S/R. | ||
| Xl1200r |
I'm with Ft on this. Sounds like suspension/tires to me. My Firebolt has only been bested in handling by my CR. My S3 does very well, but falls a little short. Perhaps the riding position itself is to blame? 12R is more involved and commited than anything upright. | ||
| Delta_one |
I think that upright is easier to flick over and handle at low speeds but crouched over the front tire is better for higher speed stuff where you need weight on the front rubber and is more predictable on mid corner wallows | ||
| Skntpig |
Get your suspension and tires sorted and report back. Sounds like your M2 is better adjusted for your weight and style. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I think the riding position is also suited to how you are going to ride. I've always felt the standard riding position was most like a Cessna, good safe handling at low speeds and more forgiving. The sport riding position is harder to handle at slower speeds but is less "twitchy" at higher speeds and greater lean angles. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
the SX with blast bars even does well off road  | ||
| Gunut75 |
I have an R, and find that for aggressive turns, I was sitting up on it, like a dirt bike. It was easier to turn that way. I suppose thats why I'm putting hanlebars on it. Close to a stock Lightning. Just can't test it in winter.  | ||
| Mikef5000 |
My XB handles significantly better than my M2. Not only can it lean much further (even after I added Banke rearsets to the M2), but anytime the M2 was at hard lean, you could feel the whole frame flexing. The XB is so much more solid. When I first picked up my XB though, it handles like a turd. It had mismatched and completely worn out tires. New tires and properly adjusted suspension gave me an entirely new bike. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
If you were caught out with a front tire worn to the extent that you had to take a loaner home, it was shagged and fubar. Even a front tire NOT showing cords can make a bike handle like crap. | ||
| Barker |
+1 one on suspension and tires. The XB suspension could be outta whack and our bad model/shagged tires on the XB. Is it better in initial turn-in and stability? What make/model/milage of tires front and back? On both bikes? | ||
| F22raptor |
Check out these bars on my XB,best of both worlds!  |
