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Onahog
| | Posted on Thursday, November 15, 2007 - 11:50 am: | 
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Heres an Old school story Court may Re:
Twas around 1997....Buell was doin this swingarm recall...
Some factory dudes came up to Mid Canada.
They went around with a truck and trailer and picked up all the Buells that had bin Sold in Manitoba...Ya had to bring them to the dealership and leave ur bike there.
They loaded 10 of em and headed for a dealership in Alberta who was to perform the recall swingarms and rear shocks...
Me being 60 miles from the dealer, but on route to Alberta, they stopped at my house and picked up my bike...Kinda kewl,Buell dudes at my house...
Anyhow, they loaded my bike, and off they went....Now, Im getting a little scared!!!
11 Buells gone in a trailer about 800 miles.
Anyhow, 2 weeks later, they Brought my bike back and Thanked me for my co-operation and understanding...
My bike was as clean as when it left, had a new swingarm, and gone was my WP rear shock, replaced with a first style Showa...
They gave me a decal and off they went..
Now, What kinda Company does that?
I was impressed!
Hb.... |
Court
| | Posted on Thursday, November 15, 2007 - 12:10 pm: |
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The result of what innovative people, otherwise forced by the Ministry of Transport to do something stupid, can come up with.
I was involved in a somewhat similar situation when they determined that the flasher on each and every Buell shipped to Canada (all 17 of them) did not comply with the requirement to display a solid indication on lamp failure (read as 2 prong vs. 3 prong).
They of course wanted a full recall . . . yep. . . for a total of less than $25 in parts for all the bikes combined.
They were all caught at the dealerships prior to sale as I recall.
You want the REAL COOL story of a Buell swingarm fix drag Henrik in here . . . |
Firemanjim
| | Posted on Thursday, November 15, 2007 - 08:46 pm: |
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I was on a ride in 1996 and dropped by the East Troy factory. I was given the grand tour by an energetic young engineer by the name of Brankin Brehmer. He was another S-2 owner and was enthused to see mine with an aftermarket exhaust(not alot available for us Buellers back then)and I let him take my bike for a spin. When he got back from his ride he pointed out that my tall handlebars had been the subject of a recall and needed to be changed out asap. Before you could say boo my bike was being wheeled into the back(where I had not been allowed as the "new" models were back there and new bars were swiftly installed. Pretty darn cool,got my tour and my bike worked at the factory! |
S2tbolt
| | Posted on Thursday, November 15, 2007 - 10:33 pm: |
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A number of years ago, the bass player in the Gospel band I was playing drums for asked me if I would sit in for the drummer at his home church (who was on vacation). I agreed and rode my S2 to the church since I didn’t have to haul my drums.
The pastor met me out front, started checking out my bike and asked me the 3 questions I usually get about my S2.
#1. What is that?
#2. How much did it cost?
and
#3. How fast will it go?
I was wearing my CMA Colors (Christian Motorcyclists Association back patch) and the Pastor asked me what the CMA was.
I explained to him how I got introduced to the CMA by another rider who saw my bike at work and struck up a conversation with me; then I related some of the wonderful experiences I've had as a member over the years.
The Pastor was intrigued, and asked "Would you be willing to tell these stories to my congregation and tell us more about the CMA?".
"Sure" I replied.
Then he started to move his head around, back and forth, looked me straight in the eye and asked
"Do you think you could ride that bike up into the church, down the aisle and stop right in front of the pulpit, then get off and speak to the people?"
I blinked and said "What ?!?".
"I’m serious" he replied, "and really rev it up! ; could you do that ?!?".
Dumbfounded, I followed him inside, sized up the space in the aisles and replied "Yeah, I could do it. Are you sure you want to do this?!?".
"I’m sure" he said confidently.
Then he went and got some towels from his wife and started wiping down the tires so as not to soil the carpet!
So after I played the drums for the praise and worship service; I slipped outside until I got the signal to fire her up and proceeded to ride right into the church just like he asked me to.
Boy did that D&D sound good in there
I will tell you this; NOBODY fell asleep during the church service that day!
Later on somebody told me, “You shoulda been here the day the Pastor walked up to the pulpit and fired up the chainsaw!!!. 
That was a day I’ll never forget.  |
Court
| | Posted on Friday, November 16, 2007 - 05:59 am: |
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Now THAT'S a Buell story!
Amen |
Ulywife
| | Posted on Friday, November 16, 2007 - 06:56 am: |
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S2tbolt - cool story! Thanks for sharing. |
Bluzm2
| | Posted on Friday, November 16, 2007 - 02:39 pm: |
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Can I get a testify!!!!
Doug, neat story, I'm forwarding it on to my minister!
Brad |
Blake
| | Posted on Friday, November 16, 2007 - 04:29 pm: |
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Gotta share this one with Dad, the Methodist minister and Buell S3 rider.
Great stories both Jim and Doug! Thanks!  |
Mikej
| | Posted on Monday, November 19, 2007 - 02:50 pm: |
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Sounds like an interesting church. |
Bluesboy
| | Posted on Thursday, November 22, 2007 - 05:02 pm: |
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My S2 story starts with my bro-in law`s thunderbolt.He had a minor mis-hap on a wet road,broken coller bone...He wanted me to keep the bike until he was all fixed up.I was riding a Harley at that time.By the time i got the S2 home(235mi)I was in love,it just made riding fun again.I called the local dealer(150mi)he said he had one left,I told him I was commig right down.This was in july of 97.When i pulled into the Harley shop I saw the red S2 riding out!He called me one week later to tell me this dude`s financing fell through!Hell yes I`ll take it!They held it this time,or nobody else came in.Loved it till 2001.I wanted a new bike so i went to the same dealer to trade it for a molten orange M2.The dealer said he would give me $2500 for my S2,I said we are done doing business.I always wanted to know what the baddest sport bikes were like so my local honda shop had a new 929.I toke it for a test ride,WOW... my S2 and $3000 nice people to deal with,5mi from home he even thru in a pipe!This bike rocked the only problem for me , to get my jollies off,corners I was comfortable at 45-75 I was able to run 65-120.That got me into hot water on more than one occasion.9 pts on my licence a day in jail,god I loved that bike!Missed the twin`s so I traded the 929 in on a Honda superhawk.Very nice bike a little jetting,race-tech & pipes and she rocked!One day I saw my old S2 badly beaten & abused!Not running and broken,looked like she fliped.Only 2000mi more than when I traded her in.I COULD SEE THE DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH. Im so glad to have my S2 back,she aint the fastest nor the best handing mashine on the road,but shes shure the most satistfying! |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Monday, November 26, 2007 - 01:37 pm: |
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Not really a S2 story but here is my story of my experience with my Buells that led to me owning a XB12R, S2T and S1W.
My love affair with Buell started in 1991, I was fresh back from Desert Shield/Storm, stationed in Northern Japan, and wanted a Harley. My wife, at the time, was from PA so I went to overseas military car sales and ordered a 1992 XLH 1200 to be delivered at Laugerman’s HD in York PA, the closet participating dealership to her home town. We got an assignment to Colorado, so while on leave in PA, I went to pick up the Sporty so the military would ship it to Colorado for me. I should mention that it was January in PA. I only had about 100 miles to go so I figured I would be ok. I made several stops trying to warm up and one of those stops was at New Castle HD/Buell and it was there that I saw my first Buell, a RSS I think, and it looked really cool. A sales guy talked to me but no way could I afford another bike on E-5 pay. The difference between those two shops was night and day. Laugerman’s sucked and New Castle was cool. I knew I made a mistake buying the Sportster and it would not be the last time I felt that way buying a Harley.
While in Colorado at Headquarters Air Force Space Command I got promoted to E-6 and in 1995 got an assignment to a small Air Force Detachment co-located with a Naval Security Group Detachment in Guam and I am off with my Sportster in tow. While in Guam I started seeing more and more Buells, in magazines only, and saw a full page add for a 1996 S1 which I still have framed. Man I had to have that bike but I am stuck in Guam and not due to rotate until late 1996. In 1996 I left Guam and ended up at Fort Meade, MD. The nearest Buell dealer was in Fredrick MD so off I went to see a S1 in person. There was a black 97 S1 on the floor. The only one they had. The sales guy asked me if I wanted a test ride it and off I went. I bought that bike and loved it from the first ride. It is funny that I did not consider the S2 at that time and the reason was is it had bags on it. I remember thinking that was a good bike for an older crowd. LOL
In 1999 I get promoted to E-7 and became a 1st Sgt for a small Air Force unit at a Navy base in WV. When my mail caught up to me I started to get recall notices from Buell. Hundreds of them it seemed like and I was no where near a dealership. Since my parents lived in Jacksonville, NC, I decide to take the Buell down to East Coast Harley Davidson/Buell in Wilmington, NC and have them do the recall work. I figured I would not be able to make it back for six months so I gave them my phone number and told them to call when it was completed. Well six months came and went and I was getting ready to deploy again (Korea this time) and I decided I better pay them a visit. When I got there they had NOT done any recall work and were waiting on all the parts before they started. I said ok and told them that I was deploying in a week so if it is not done by then they will have to keep it for the next year. They did not want to do that and said something about having to charge me storage in which I responded, I would call Buell and let them know about their practices. If I knew then, what I know now I never would have had the recall work done at that dealership. This is when I realized the Buell dealership network had problems. Four days later I was called and the bike was done. I go to pick it up and 20 miles down the road the oil light comes on. I checked the oil and everything is good so I trailer it home. I did not have time to mess with it so it went in storage for a year. After Korea I landed an assignment back to Colorado. I put the Sportster and the S1 in a trailer and headed west. When I got settled in and in-between deployments, I started on the S1. Turns out they left the checkball and spring out of the oil system. It leaked oil from every gasket in the engine. The tranny was shooting tranny fluid on my rear tire. I had it! My Sportster was also in need of rebuilding and the Buell left me stranded too many times. It was a busy time; I was getting ready to retire after 23 years of service and needed a real job so the bikes would have to wait.
In 2004 I bought a new FLHTCI and started a rebuild of the Sporty and had the Buell running again, leaking but running. I started to ride it more I came across a person that had an X1, we became great friends. We started talking and it seems like everyone with a Buell understood my woes. The local Harley Davidson dealership started selling and servicing Buells so I figure I would get the S1 back in tip top shape. I went to the parts counter, told them what I needed and they had nothing on my list except oil and a clutch cable and did not offer to order anything for me so I left everything on the counter and told them I would never shop there again. I headed down to Pueblo, what a difference! They got me everything I needed and a couple of guys there actually rode Buells. I saw my first XB. Damn that was a refined looking Buell. Not sexy like my tube frame S1 but still I liked it. Finding a good dealership was great however they went out of the Buell business a couple of years later.
In the summer of 2005 my friend on the X1 and I decided to join up with the local BRAG chapter that just started. I was not really into BRAG because the only thing I had seen in the past was HOG and I did not care for that type of rider or the dealer sponsorship but that is another story. I went anyway and all I have to say is WOW, six Buells in one place, the most I had ever seen at once. The Altitude Riders were born. As I got settled into a real job and figured out I was not moving every year and no more deployments I started getting serious about the Buell. I decided that I wanted a XB12R and ordered a black 2007 XB12R and decided to trade the S1 and hopefully someone who loved it as much as I did would buy it. The day I picked up my shinny new XB12R I got laid off from my job with Lockheed Martin. I was down in the dumps. I drank a six pack and decided I would sell the FLH so I could keep the XB, two days later I got a new job with a raise and better benefits.
About a month went buy and I saw my old S1 with a young guy on it. We chatted and I tried to buy it back from him but he loved it and was not going to let it go, I decided I had to find another tube frame. He told me recently that it was stolen. It was like ripping my heart out.
When I got serious about getting another tube frame I was really looking for a S1W but since I sold my FLH, and had the XB, I decided to get a S2 or S3 for the long haul. I did not think I could find a S2 in decent shape, but after a couple of months I found what I wanted; a 1996 S2T that had never been screwed with by Harley monkeys and totally stock. A couple of emails and 2,600 miles later I had my 1996 S2T. Later, I found a S1W that was pretty beat up and think I might have saved a Buell from the chopper freaks.
There should be a 12 step program for S2’s and other tube framed Buells. They get in you blood. It made me real happy to see an S2 section on the BadWeb. We are lucky to have the BadWeb and the people that keep it going. From the post in the S2 section I know that if I ever have to enter a Buell rehab center I will not be alone.
The S2 is so classy that I find myself staring at it in the garage at night. To me it represents Buell in that fledging stage of production before the Harley Davidson Empire really caught on to what these bikes are really about. The XB, S2 and S1W are so different but each one is a joy to ride. I love the fact that Harley riders look down at Buells because they are Sport Bikes and the fact that other brands of Sport Bike riders look down on them because they are Harleys. Neither group has it right but I do. Every one that rides a Buell knows what I am talking about.
I am truly blessed to have three Buells that I can ride. I think Erik Buell has it right and keeps driving to make it better. After all, our bikes have his name on them. I wonder what the future holds. What will happen when HD sales start to drop? Is there a new and improved BRAG type program down the road? Will the 1125r be morphed into a S2 or S3 type bike? Is there anyway to weed out mediocre Buell dealerships? Can we, as Buell owners, ever really separate ourselves from Harley Davidson? |
Court
| | Posted on Monday, November 26, 2007 - 01:54 pm: |
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>>>>There should be a 12 step program for S2’s and other tube framed Buells. They get in you blood.
Well . . as we come upon the 12th month of 2007 I'm giving that quote the award for "MOST ACCURATE STATEMENT OF 2007".
The S2, to this day, just slays me . . . I ride things with more power, things that handle better, things that are lighter and things that are younger and yet nothing stirs the soul like the S2. |
Onahog
| | Posted on Monday, November 26, 2007 - 06:17 pm: |
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Hey Great story man....
Better a Buell Junkie than a Brother on a Honda!
Not to bash you here, but Not all HD riders look down upon Beulls....I am a very avid HD enthusiast as well as Buell, and If it  wasnt for Eriks invlovement with HD < he nor You, or I would be able to have a Buell.
To tell ya the truth, Im not really to sure about the 1125s future....Buells just seem to need that good ol' Milwaukee twin.....
Potato,Potoato,Potato!!!!!!
My opinion Only Bros.......OnaHOG! |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 10:00 am: |
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Onahog, point taken, I got my first Harley in 1980 and sold it in 88 (I do not miss that ironhead but I learned a lot with that bike). I still like Harleys (still have my Evo Sporty) but do not care for the market HD is catering to these days. It is great for them and I understand it (being a capitalist and all) but it is not for me. I have no problem with anyone that rides no matter what they ride.
Buell not only gives me my love for the air cooled evo motor but also the performance I like without having to do thousand of dollars in upgrades. I am well aware that without corporate HD, Buell would not be in its present form. But I love the fact that when I ride to work I get to park my lone Buell in a sea of Harleys.
The one question that gets me pissed off is:
Isn't that made by Harley?
My answer is always the same:
It is made by Buell.
I do not think that ALL HD riders look down on Buell riders and frankly I do not care. I do care when HD and Buell dealerships do not give Buell (as their product line) the justice they deserve. From my experience this is strictly personality based. In other words the people that work at the HD/Buell dealerships have a responsibility, as good salesman, technicians etc, to provide accurate information about both product lines with equal enthusiasm. I have often thought about leaving the high tech, high dollar, low job satisfaction world for a job that I would love but realize that I could not sell Harleys and Buells with equal enthusiasm. Mainly because I am an a$$hole, (at least that is what I am told), but more importantly because I do not understand the average Harley rider these days. Hell, I do not think I understand the average XB rider either LOL.
I have seen dealerships change with the change of people in leadership positions. Our BRAG club died well before Buell pulled the plug due to the differences in what we, as Buell riders thought a dealer sponsored club should be and what the dealership, with their years of HOG experience, thought a dealership sponsored club WOULD be.
Sorry for the rant and I know this is not the forum for it but after riding Harleys for 25 plus years and Buells for 10, I like Buells, I like the people and I love the machine.
To get back on subject the S2 is an aggregate of everything I love about bikes and riding. A good powerband, great pull, good handling and the ability to go a great distance while listening to a fantastic exhaust note. My FLH in comparison had good pull off the line, handled poorly with a lot of frame flex, no top end speed but it did have a trunk which is the only thing I miss on it besides the cigarette lighter.
Frank |
Onahog
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 11:14 am: |
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I hear ya Frank, and agree...
Buell has never bin properly represented by the HD dealers....Shame in my eyes..
I also agree that HD has tuned thier sales marketing to the RUBS of bikerville and really doesnt apreciate Us Old timers who helped em get where they are now...
HMMMM...Wonder were I could slip a lighter in on the S2 that would look Kewl?....LOl...
Keep the rubber down Bro.....Hankb |
Ratbuell
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 11:34 am: |
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Hank - go to a junkyard and get one from a Jeep. I have one on the right side cover on my FLHP and I use the Jeep one because it comes with a tethered rubber cover/plug (I don't smoke, I use it for accessories only so there's never a "lighter" in it). On the S2 you could probably put it in the dash above the medallion...or the tail on one side, in front of a saddlebag? Or just make a bracket to hang it off the side of the dash, so you're not punching a 15/16" hole in the dash... |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 11:38 am: |
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I was thinking about using the seat lock hole for that worthless lock that I trashed. It might look a little funny on the end of the bike and might cause something to melt LOL....
Frank |
Ratbuell
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 12:02 pm: |
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Put it in the "trunk", a'la Ulysses. |
Bluesboy
| | Posted on Monday, December 24, 2007 - 10:39 pm: |
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T`was the nite before christmas...Merry Christmas Buell Brothers! |
Rex
| | Posted on Thursday, December 27, 2007 - 06:19 pm: |
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quite a few stories about the S2 buells.
1. Jack Van Voast just bought an s2 off of ebay, and we took off for bonneville from northern cal. first time on the bike, and off we go to bonneville. it is red with a white frame like mine. our first day took us just past reno. the next morning we got up and took off for wendover. a good days drive, with almost 2 full size curves in the entire road. It was cold and rainy. once we stopped to pick up some waterproof rubber gloves from the truck stop. All along the way, I could look in my rear mirror and see Jack back there on the red S2.
A good time at Bonneville and it was time to head back to california. Boy was it cold. we did the same ride back to california, this time stopping every time there was an exit to warm our hands under the bathroom dryers.
My Black m2 and Jack's S2 never missed a beat. It was fun to look in that mirror and always see that classic red fairing cruising along at 75 and 80 mph all day long.
This was done on a bike Jack had just bought off of ebay. Would you feel comfortable riding on a long trip on a bike you had not owned for more than a few days? Jack then took that S2 and did many more long trips. One was the long 1800 mile trip that brag had planned for california. yep, that little red and white s2 did the entire trip.......jack even hit some road debris and bent up both the special aluminum wheels, but that is another story.
2. fireman Jim also has a great looking Red and white S2. He has ridden it everywhere himself. ask him to tell you about his ride to the dragon from california with ferris.
my s2 shown below
rex
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