| Author | Message | ||
     Steveford |
Today my last Buell, the Mighty Useless, left the Ford fold. It seems weird not to own a Buell any more after having them since 2003 but time marches on and I'll finish my days on Triumph triples. Try to behave yourselves and don't forget to change your blinker fluid once every 10,000 miles. Before I forget, it looks like your belt is too tight! | ||
| Two_seasons |
Unless you intend on riding those Triumph's around in the dirt, we don't expect you'll be eating any dust! Don't be leaving us in the dust, our friend  | ||
| Steveford |
Thank you. I will try not to do any off riding - the last time I did that I was unconscious due to a heart attack! You can't believe what a struggle I had with DMV, too. They had the doctors fill out more forms due to the lack of consciousness. I'll pop in from time to time, I like the Buells and the Buell guys and maybe I can offer up some helpful advice if someone is really stuck with a weird problem. The last Buell was sold to buy a Triumph that used to belong to Jolly (speaking of Buells)... | ||
| 86129squids |
You do know that by now many of us, if not a majority, are Buell-less, right? One of these days I'd love to acquire a Uly or S3T, but I'm sticking with the Beemer for now. No big deal. This is quite apropos for many reasons, no? | ||
| Buellish |
I had nine Buells starting in 2000,sold the S3 last year thinking I would get down to two bikes,the Guzzi and the Rockster.Then a friend,doing what friends do, dangled a red Ducati under my nose.It was too good to pass up.Now I'm thinking about two bikes again,the Rockster will go up for sale in the next few weeks. Problem is I keep thinking about the bike that made me look at Buells in the first place,a Blue Streak M2.To keep it down to two bikes the Duc would have to go as I don't think I will ever sell the Guzzi. I feel the sentiment is,don't leave because you don't own a Buell anymore,stay because of the people. | ||
| Pwnzor |
I only ever had the one Buell, but I've had what I consider to be a lot of motorcycles. It's never easy giving up one you really like. Watching the XB12R go away on somebody else's trailer was a little harder. | ||
| Steveford |
I know what you mean, it killed me to watch my first X1W leave so I bought a replacement which wasn't nearly as good as the first one for whatever reason. No, I wasn't aware that most people here no longer owned a Buell. Badweb turns into Sacborg? I was looking at an older one (S3) and the newer ones (1125CR) and had such high hopes for the EBR line up but it's not to be. My pockets aren't deep enough to own everything I want and I'll be retiring before I know it. Keep the Duc or go for an M2? I guess you'd have to find a pristine M2 that wasn't beat on for that to make sense. I'd be more inclined to look at a recent Thruxton but that wiring schematic will give you nightmares! Modern motorcycles have become so stupidly complex god help you if the magic smoke comes out. | ||
| Ducbsa |
1. I have no reason to sell my XB12S, still a lot of fun and I like riding something different. How can you beat a 100hp V-twin that handles, stops, and you don't have to adjust the valves? 2. I helped a neighbor install aux lights on his 2018 Triumph Speedmaster. The thing is run by computer, so the high and low beam wiring isn't like what we would call normal. Even the dealer mechanics couldn't tell us much. We figured it out and did "get 'er done", though. | ||
| Pwnzor |
The thing is run by computer, so the high and low beam wiring isn't like what we would call normal. This is why I hang on to my Z1000 - it's pretty much just a motor with a seat and two wheels. The wiring is very simple, and I never have to work on it... it just runs perfectly all the time. I've had the valves checked twice and they have been found within spec both times. I have a set of shims in my tool box in case that changes. | ||
| Griffmeister |
I’m surprised Froggy hasn’t checked in here. He went over to the dark side last year but still kept all of his Buells. | ||
| 1313 |
I’m surprised Froggy hasn’t checked in here. He went over to the dark side last year  What?!?! You're saying he bought a Harley? WTF?!?! That definitely don't fit... Yeah, anything other than a Buell don't fit, I just had to be overly dramatic! | ||
| Crusty |
Why not? I bought a Harley and I'm liking it. | ||
| Rick_a |
Which Triumph? I still have my Buell, though it's looking sad and the engine is a bit explodie. It's worth nothing unless parted out, and I've spent so much time and money on it, after trying to sell it, I couldn't go through with it. My girlfriend and son would like to see it running. Man, have that bike and I been through some stuff. It just needs a cam, lifter, pushrod, oil pump, a top end refresh, crankcase repair, tires, front and rear suspension rebuilt, new instruments, the header welded, the swingarm could use a proper powder coating, all the rubber lines are dry rotted, the front rotors are shot, and the bodywork could use some TLC. Just a couple things. That little modded S1 is still the rudest, most brutish thing I've ridden to date. | ||
| Tpehak |
I would buy Honda instead of Triumph. | ||
| 86129squids |
"I would buy Honda instead of Triumph." Oh heyull no! Of the "big 4" I say the build quality of Yamaha bikes is hard to beat. Plus, over the years they've had gobs of interesting engineering designs. Honda goes the cheap route on too many things. I grew up a Suzook kid, but over the years I've come to appreciate the "tuning forks company" quite a bit. Triumph makes some nice stuff too. | ||
| Pwnzor |
Honda goes the cheap route on too many things. You're going to have to defend that statement. Please cite some examples. In my opinion, and without disparaging any other brands, it's hard to beat the quality of a Honda. Bikes, cars, tools, generators, you name it. | ||
| 86129squids |
I once had to help a guy retrieve his Valkyrie from a ditch in Deal's Gap. One of the metal bar risers from the triple tree up snapped, just from the repeated torque of turning through 318 curves. Had a metal hose clamp in my parts kit on the R65 I was riding, used that to hold things together to ride the bike back to the Deal's Gap store. The riser was obviously made of too poor quality metal, a very bad place to see such a thing. My '79 Goldwing had nylon swingarm bushings, as did most GL's in those years. They "chromed" plastic on many bikes. Not hating on Honda, just observations over the years and having worked as a buyer agent for a metric wholesaler. And yes, I love the quality of a Honda car, generator, etc. Walking up on a clean VFR is always a joy- it seems they don't cheap out on everything. I once bought a first year CBR900, first bike I ever did a 70+mph power wheelie on... ! Whatever happened to that Blackbird by the way? | ||
| Court |
The background and development of the XX Blackbird was quite a story and the conduit by which I became friends with Josef Boyd, arguably one of Motorcycle’s true legends. | ||
| Ourdee |
It must be a sign. I think I need a BlackBird! | ||
| Pwnzor |
The Blackbird is in my friend's garage. It used to live in my garage for a few years when he moved to Georgia. Are you sure that riser was a stock part on that Valkyrie? And, are you sure it snapped from the torque of simply turning through a series of corners? I'm dubious of that claim. Plastic chrome is common. | ||
| Crusty |
Hey Ourdee; have you looked on Cycle Trader? https://www.cycletrader.com/motorcycles-for-sale?k eyword=honda%20blackbird&zip=46221&radius=any | ||
| Ourdee |
Yes, but get stuck looking at the Motus. | ||
| 86129squids |
"Are you sure that riser was a stock part on that Valkyrie? And, are you sure it snapped from the torque of simply turning through a series of corners? I'm dubious of that claim." Yes. | ||
| Court |
I’d be very surprised ..... having been there for some of the testing of the Blackbird, in the Mojave Desert ......if “turning torque” had ANYTHING to do with the failure. | ||
| Pwnzor |
.if “turning torque” had ANYTHING to do with the failure. Yeah, I'm having trouble with that as well. My thought is, that heavy-ass bike had maybe been dropped previously and caused a crack. In my mind, there's no way Honda hasn't tested the absolute hell out of that particular part. | ||
| Crusty |
All motorcycles are mechanical and there are bound to be parts that fail. I don't believe that Honda does anything on the cheap. The bar was probably defective. Either from a previous tip over or maybe it was just a defective part. I remember seeing an R 75/6 BMW that had a very porous crankcase. The oil would literally seep through the walls of the case while the bike was just sitting there. H-D also had trouble with porous cases a while back. I've seen all different makes of bikes develop problems. Back on the old American Thunderbike Club forum, there was a mechanic who hated the new (Bloor) Triumphs. He had nothing good to say about them at all. He thought they were poorly designed and used inferior materials. Over on the Moto Guzzi forum, there was a guy who was convinced that Buells were inferior and unreliable pieces of crap. I have my own prejudices about certain marques. (I'll admit that they're prejudices, but that doesn't change how I feel about them). However, I won't let that stop me from encouraging someone to get a specific model if that's the bike that turns them on. There are no bad manufacturers of mainstream bikes. Compared to the bikes that were available when I started riding, they are all paragons of excellence. If Ourdee loves a Blackbird, he should get one. If Steve Ford is drawn to a Triumph, ditto. The only bad bike is the one that is wrong for you. Listen when a specific bike speaks to you. And just enjoy the ride! | ||
| Pwnzor |
Well said, John. | ||
| Tpehak |
Over on the Moto Guzzi forum, there was a guy who was convinced that Buells were inferior and unreliable pieces of crap. And I agree with him. But Buell is not as bad as Triumph. | ||
| Tootal |
Crusty mentioned porous cases. My friends Harley had porous cases and would leak oil from the engine case into the primary. We figured this out in Sturgis at the HD dealer. He pulled the derby cover off and oil came flying out! He was heading to Alaska after Sturgis. The dealer told him to pull over every 500 miles and drain off some oil from the primary and put it in the engine so he did that all the way to Alaska and back to St. Louis. The local dealer put in a new engine when he got home. Harley paid for it. | ||
| Tpehak |
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