| Author | Message | ||
     Firemanjim |
I have been working on XB's alot since I am full time at the shop now and I have to say I really appreciate the access to simple things like spark plugs,plug wires,header bolts, etc on our tubers as the XB's have terrible access to these things. And you want to pull off pipes--you have to rotate the darn engine! And don't get me started on the limitations and quirks of the XB's fuel injection system,fouled plugs with starting if you are not careful and TPS resets everytime you sneeze. How come every other FI bike I have ever had did not have these quirks? I love Buells but come on! I'll stick with tuning a Mikuni!! | ||
| Mikej |
You now see one of the reasons I've never really warmed up to the idea of owning an XB. | ||
| Beachbuell |
I liked my XB12R when I was riding it. But, wrenching on it was a pita. Like you said, the ease of wrenching adds to the fun factor of my Tuber. The Tubers have a little more of a "hot rod" factor too! I love this thing! | ||
| Scott_in_nh |
All those reasons and that loud a$$ fan are enough to keep me off one! that and they're ugly.... | ||
| Reepicheep |
On the other hand, in 2ok miles, I had replaced spark plugs in my XB fewer times then I had rebuilt the transmission in my tuber  | ||
| Pizzaboy |
as is the case with every newer vehicle. i too appreciate fully the ease of working on my S2.... much like i enjoy working on my older jeep... life is nice when you can see the ground between the engine and fenders under the hood of it. i sincerely hope that it wont be too terribly bad working on my 1125r next summer after i buy it... but im not holding my breath on that. my '05 dodge diesel is not fun to crawl under or under the hood  | ||
| Sparky |
Ya know, I gotta agree with all that's been said here regarding older vehicles. Now I love my 03 Xb9R and 05 Corvette for the sheer technology and efficiency they offer, but after restoring & driving my dear dad's (R.I.P.) '65 Dodge Dart w/225 cu in slant-six, 3-speed auto, 4 door, tail finned "compact" around, I have a firm respect for the simpler times of our lives. No fancy electronics. Wind-up windows. Points & condensor. Cast iron engine. 24 MPG. All American. If there's most anything I need for it, I can find it at NAPA auto parts. If I feel the need to keep up with the zoomy imported cars, I just gotta put my foot a little deeper in the throttle. But if I get the crazy urge to want to be able to smoke the hides at will, a honking V8 can be bolted in with stock parts! An American V8!  I'm proud of my dad's car! | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
Hi Jim, how's things? I'm finding as I get older, so do my vehicles! I've had the '70 Valiant Pacer for a while (basically a '68 Dodge Dart GT with a big six), and now my everyday car is a '74 F100 I was looking at the 1125r and XB12Ss for the first time the other day... I really like XB12Ss, but it doesn't seem to be a huge improvement (can't think of a better word) over the X1 to justify buying one, and I love how easy the X1 is to work on, among other things. 1125r didn't really push my buttons, and I like air-cooled An 1125"S" could be a different story though... | ||
| Mick |
I here ya there Jim, long live the Tubers And CARBS  | ||
| Fullauto |
I'm with you all. The only thing I like to work on better is my '73 Norton 850 Commando. I actually loaded up ECM Spy today and did a TPS reset and reset the AFV on my X1. Welcome to the modern age. | ||
| Jackbequick |
The MOPAR Slant Six was a stroke of genius. Take the world's most durable V-8, the Chrysler 318, lop off the left cylinder bank, leave the front main bearing there, and add two cylinders to the front of it. You have a 170-225 C.I. six with the world's stiffest crankshaft and the most well supported cam shaft in the history of engines. It instantly relegated the Ford and Chevy straight sixes to positions of inferiority and obsolescence for use in fleets of commercial duty vehicles and for sustained high speed operation. And it has a lower CG, allowed a lower hood line, is easier to work on, and it just goes on and on. And did you know that a 170 CID slant six HyperPak would deliver a comfortable 182 hp, and turn 8000 RPM if you kept the cam lobes lubricated? God Bless you Sparky, you've made an important contribution to preserving the history of the American automobile. Jack | ||
| Jos51700 |
Let's not forget the first NASCAR race involving Slant 6's. It was a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 finish for the Slant 6, out of 7 entries, if memory serves. And (IIRC) Wilford Day, who set a world land speed record against a factory Ford 'Stang with a V8. And Day drove to the track in his! His pit crew? His wife. The slant 6 used the same size main bearings as the 440. So, does the aforementioned Valiant Pacer have the Hemi Six? I saw one of those at the Mopar Nationals last year. Neat Car! | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
Indeed it do It's a 245 Hemi 6. My Pacer came with a 2-barrel Carter carb, the later E-38 and E-49's came with the triple Weber "six-pack" set up. My motor is currently under the house undergoing a rebuild - should be a pretty hot motor when I'm done - 600 Holley, big valves, +60 thou pistons etc. I've got about 5 weeks to get it finished... (Message edited by lemonchili_x1 on May 02, 2008) | ||
| Hugie03flhr |
YOU GUYS are forgetting a very rare slant 6! In the early 60s Mopar installed all aluminum block slant 6. Also another reason it was slanted was too allow for long intake runner manifold. RPMs BABE'  | ||
| Scott_in_nh |
I remember being at the Mopar Nationals in Englishtown NJ around 1987 and they had a contest using a tired, used slant 6. They had it on an engine test stand and drained the oil and coolant. You could enter the contest by guessing how long it would take the engine to seize at wide open throttle with no oil or coolant. If my memory serves me, it ran for something like 28 minutes!!! | ||
| Xldevil |
You now see one of the reasons I've never really warmed up to the idea of owning an XB. You say it. Ralph | ||
| Koz5150 |
When I first saw/heard an X1 on the street it totally reminded me of a '68 Camaro. Blue with White stripes, a nice crisp lobe at idle, and when it took off... it was a muscle car on two wheels. At the time I owned a Honda Nighthawk sc700 and loved that bike. The M2 was everything I wanted the nighthawk to grow up to be. I knew I was going to have this bike for a long time which is why I opted for the last great tuber, 2002 M2. Sportster parts will be around forever so I knew the engine was covered. I wanted a carb because I knew I (or someone else) could work on that till the day I die. Can you imagine trying to take a 30 year old S3 in for a TPS reset? Good luck finding an HD tech that knows how to work on that! Yeah, it has a few quirks and is not the fastest thing on the street, but I think the bike will always look cool, just like the old muscle cars. | ||
| Scott_in_nh |
Can you imagine trying to take a 30 year old S3 in for a TPS reset? I like your post, but in 20-30 years harley techs will not know what a carburetor is! We can now do TPS resets on our own until the end of time - no tech needed...... | ||
| Ratbuell |
I love my tubers...rode my S2 in to work today, actually (first day with decent weather in about a month). Although I have to admit, my Uly is growing on me quickly. After a HARD 1,000 miles in 2 weeks I got the 1k done and the tech said NOTHING was out of adjustment - primary, clutch, cables, nothing. No TPS reset required (but done anyway as part of the service). The only tough part for him was digging thru the mud and crap to get to the drain plugs, LOL. All that went away, though, when I fired up the S2. Sexy, sounds great, runs great, handles great...ahhhhh. All may be right in the world after all | ||
| Koz5150 |
Yeah, they (future HD mechanic) may not know what a carb is, but I will! | ||
| Spike |
I've got about ~20k tuber miles and ~40k XB miles. I'll have to ride another 100k miles on an XB before the hours spent in maintenance equals out between the two. On the tuber everything is easier to get to, but you'll need to get to everything more often. On the XB the top end is harder to get to, but you'll almost never have a reason to get to it. Aside from the top end, maintenance on an XB is way easier than on a tuber. | ||
| Jos51700 |
Remember the commercials on TV where they add the "Miracle Oil Additive" and run the motor, and then drop the oil pan and run the engine with no oil in it so you can see how great their additive is, and you can see the crank spinning 'round? A Slant Six, everytime! I like my Tubie Buell 'cuz they have personality. XB's do too, but I fear that "personality" is slowly being engineered out of the Buell lineup. | ||
| Ratbuell |
}On the tuber everything is easier to get to, but you'll need to get to everything more often. Exactly!! And I suspect we're engineering the "personality" out of just about everything anymore. It's a byproduct of reliability and efficiency in most cases. You get a rare instance of personality *with* reliability and efficiency...but they're rare. | ||
| Werewulf |
these are all reasons why i bought one of each.. | ||
| Newbuellertoo |
Who knows, maybe the Tubers will rise again.(Well we can dream anyway) Tubers Tubers uber alles! | ||
| Charlies_s1 |
CALLING FULLAUTO!!!!!!! You got a Norton TOO? I have a 75 and a 72 project bike, But I love this new to me 98 S1 Buell, all the torque you could ask for. I just hope it don't get me in any trouble, Ya know what I mean, COPS COPS COPS everywhere here in California, Damn shame, NO FUN to ride around in 3rd gear. I want to know how long does it take to get over the feeling of wanting to open her up all the time????? I just can't help myself!!! BAD ASS!! FUN.  | ||
| Ratbuell |
I want to know how long does it take to get over the feeling of wanting to open her up all the time????? Never. | ||
| Ackme |
"how long does it take to get over the feeling of wanting to open her up all the time????? I just can't help myself!!! BAD ASS!! FUN" It only gets worse. I drive in heavy traffic so 3rd gear is a welcome relief. Anything higher is just gravy. | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
Jos51 - From a Mopar book I've got, they took places 1 through 7, from 7 entries, of the first (and last?) NASCAR "compact" race in 1960. Slant 6's are an amazing engine, and some people have done some pretty wild things with them. I think a supercharged 225 would be very cool... My X1 is everything I want it to be. It's not a perfect bike, but it's pretty perfect for me. It seems that Buell, as they get bigger, are refining the bikes more and more and this to me gives the XB's less "character" than my X1... But then would the guys and girls who own S2's and RS1200's say the same thing about my X1? | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
I want to know how long does it take to get over the feeling of wanting to open her up all the time????? Uh-huh, never would be about right!!! Hehehe  } |
