| Author | Message | ||
     Cbedawg |
Hey guys i was thinking about buying an Xb12 but cant make up my mind if it is worth it. Is there a noticable power difference between and xb and an x1?? thanks | ||
| Daves |
not a difference in power but the XB is lighter and handles much better | ||
| Xldevil |
not a difference in power but the XB is lighter and handles much better and looks much uglier | ||
| Jimidan |
Daves sez: not a difference in power but the XB is lighter and handles much better According to whom? If you talk (like I have) with the pros at Traxxion Dynamics (TD) who set up race bikes for a living, they would not agree with you about the radical geometry making a better handling bike than the tube framers. There just doesn't seem to be a consensus on this issue, other than they handle totally different. The first thing that TD said that they try to do when an XB racer comes to them is to extend the wheelbase, and not because of the chain conversion either, but for better handling. They also suggest that the radical rake and trail geometry be extended to more "sane" numbers using eccentrics in custom triple trees. There are professional racers (like Eric Woods) who have commented on how it was a "nightmare" trying to set up an XB. He told me that the XB's set up was "counter intuitive" (and he is an engineer), and much different than any other bike he has raced. He was always riding on the ragged edge just trying to keep up with the japanese bikes (it wasn't the engine). He gave up trying after crashing badly at VIR on the downhill section. The XB feels absolutely twitchy to me in comparison to tube frame bikes. If the stock 52" wheelbase is so good in the handling department, then why didn't they incorporate it into the XBRR, which adjusts out to 53.8"? Erik could have designed the tube frame wheelbase at anything he wanted, but he chose 55"...for a reason. I suspect the the 52" wheelbase is a product of one of Shawn Higbee's wet dreams...but I could be wrong. Now, it is true that the XB is a better manufactured machine when it comes to reliability, but that is a different issue. jimidan | ||
| Bomber |
the tuber's wheelbase was, I'm sure, based on a number of criteria, including manufacturability -- oil in the swingarm wasn't available at the time, and to get the rear wheel much further forward than it is on a tuber would cut the oil capacity down from it's 2.5 quart present level I've ridden both (many more miles on a tuber) and think the XB is a better racing platform (I'm no engineer, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night), and as good as, if not better, than the tuber on the kinda roads I play on (alphabet roads in southern wisconsin) -- one person's twitchy is another's responsive -- lastly, I know, from painful experience, that setting up an entirely new chassis for successful (and crash-free racing) is a time consuming process- there are decades of knowledge available to assist in setting up a tuber with fairly classic chassis numbers -- much smaller amount of data availabe for the XB series among other traits, racers tend to be fairly conservative -- much more Evolution going on that Revolution -- they want to win, so they stick with proven concepts -- very little ground breaking takes place at national and internation-level racing | ||
| Daves |
Don't know Jimi, but I have spent lots of time on the track on both a X1 and a couple of XBs and the XB wins, hands down, for me. I hated the way my Mille R handled on the track. Too long. My XB12R would kill it in corner speed. | ||
| Cereal |
I have a '96 S1 and an '03 XB9R. In my opinion the XB has better throttle response and handles much better. Still love my S1 though. You have to push the tubers into a turn, while you just flick the xb. | ||
| Danny_h__jesternut |
X1... HP=101...Ft/lb Torque=90 XB12... HP=103... Ft/lb torque=84 Factory spec's | ||
| Mmmi_grad |
one factor remains and thats the factory engineering dept and thier resources. What exactley makes the the XB a better racer??????????? 1 we have a business to run 2 we wanna win races 3 we want the to sell bikes 4 the new bike should be better than the last................ok by how much and where exactley is it better? Actually this is a great thread I think, I hope more people in the know want to lay down some real facts. even though its prob. been beaten to death. (Message edited by mmmi_grad on January 18, 2007) | ||
| Djkaplan |
It only took a few miles on an XB9 to feel how much easier the new platform could transition from side-to-side in corners than any tuber I've ridden. Granted, most of my experience has been on my M2 (the Econoline van of Buells... thanks Rocket  ) but the newer chassis is clearly a more agile handler. It certainly does have its quirks, though... | ||
| Aldaytona |
Like many here, I have both, been riding Sportsters since the 60s, Buells since the mid 90s, and XBs since their introduction. My opinion, Fred Flintstone VS George Jetson technology. That's not a bad thing though, my M2 sits next to my XB12R in the garage. To me the tube frame bikes are what the Sportster Sport should have evolved into. | ||
| Cereal |
Just looking at hp and torque ratings is misleading. There are many other factors that go into any vehicles performance such as total weight, unsprung weight (as Buell loves to talk about at every opportunity), aerodynamics, gearing, and about a hundred other things but I'm sure you get the point. | ||
| Cyclonecharlie |
I have both a tuber and an XBR and for me, I find I can go faster(on a familar section of road) on the XB.But if I make a mistake, it is much easier to recover on the tuber.So if the road is unfamilar, I much prefer the tuber.  Charlie | ||
| Chasespeed |
Just looking at hp and torque ratings is misleading. Very true, u want unobjective? Get someone who has equal love(or hate) for both platforms THEN Do 5 laps on his/her favorite track, with each bike, logging everything... THEN, do a planned trip, say, from one city to another, using a combination of back roads, AND highway... THAT, I feel is the only way you will get an fair notion of "which" is better.. Personally, I love my X1, probably the most stable, predictable platform I have ridden on... The XB IS agile, though, not owning one, I didnt set the suspension up for myself... So, I found it to be...twicthy, not "fast trandsition", but twitchy..the wind buffeting my arms, was making the bike "dance". Tuck WAY in, and it stopped.. Again, subjectively, that could be due to the bike not being set-up for ME..but, that is a trait I dont really like.. That is my opinion.... Though, i am sure if someone loaned me one long term, it MIGHT change my mind... hahaha Chase} | ||
| Bad_karma |
Chase Just looking at hp and torque ratings is misleading. I couldn't agree more. It would be more informative if the motorcycle community would establish a standard showing peak and average hp and torque. Or something that would give us an idea of the motor characteristics, not just two points on a graph. Almost like picking 5252 rpm for comparison. Joe |
