| Author | Message | ||
     Rick_a |
My bike gets jumped every day. The fork seals get blown about every 10k so it may not entirely be the shock. The Gold Valve is an awesome upgrade. I'm sure much of it is in the valving and set-up, but it's comparable to Ohlins suspended Ducati's I've rode (and much better than the Monster 1100S). It still won't have a whole lot of compression or rebound adjustment, and it's imperative to get the shim stack right. Mainly, I like getting the most for the least amount of cash possible. People say the Showa is not rebuildable, but that's debatable. It's built like most of their conventional shocks, only with a spring can around it and a backwards piston. A press is needed, as are a good selection of picks, and a bench vise really helps. A local shop will also be needed that can re-charge the nitrogen. I've been using Race Tech's suspension fluid as well which seems to hold up a lot better than the H-D fork oil I was using previously. | ||
| Thejosh |
I think the reason the Erik Buell Racing 1190RS is $40k is because it's 99% carbon fiber, puts out 180hp and weighs 384lbs, sweet bike, waaaaay out of my price range though. As I have read, the 2000 X1 MSRP'd at $18k. Not sure, I bought mine second hand and was oblivious to Buells until 4 years ago, if that's true, I would think that a good suspension would have been reasonable considering the asking price. | ||
| Court |
X1 was roughly $12,000 | ||
| Buell_bert |
I have looked at the #'s on the new Erik Buell Racing's bikes. I was sold until the price was shown. Of course look at what Buell wanted those years ago? Technology is pricey but the older it gets it should be cheaper. New tech will be more $'s. Hell it probably took 3-4 years to get my (then new to me) 74 Super Glide to quit leaking oil. Especially the rocker box bolt O rings. Do not be afraid to ask questions. Hey and why did most of the Kawasaki center cylinders always take a vacation on the mid to early 70's 2 strokers. Problems usually lead to us to solve them. That is why we are here is it not. I think the Internet is great because back in the 70's and 80's I ran up a huge | ||
| Harleyelf |
Can't say why your 2-stroke Kawasaki went south; mine got a chunk of dirt stuck in one of those sharp bends the oil injection lines made between the pump and the cylinder base. Heard it hiccup, saw the line was white instead of red, and before I could get to the shoulder I was coasting down the grapevine into Bakersfield with a frozen motor. Coasted 12 miles, pushed two more (still downhill). | ||
| Hootowl |
My X1 was $12,500ish including tax, prep, and PM wheels, which were $1000. I think MSRP (or the price tag on the bike anyway) was somewhere around $10,500. Been a while though. | ||
| Thejosh |
Ah, that sounds reasonable, some of the reviews I found quoted it at $18k, I thought that sounded a little crazy. | ||
| Hootowl |
That may have been the price in Canadian dollars. Back in 99 a US$ was 1.5 C$ I remember reading articles written in Canada that mentioned a figure right in that ballpark. (Message edited by hootowl on October 28, 2011) | ||
| Harleyelf |
List price on a '99 S3 was $11,999. | ||
| Two_seasons |
Josh: After reading your numerous posts, this thread and others, it would be a good assumption that you should never own an 1125r/cr as you'd be trashing Buell's decisions to choose xyz components for that platform too. These are great bikes. Certainly the best I've ever owned. And just for your information, I own two X1's, one stock and the other with Penske. Both handle very good. Your attitude toward stock components decided on by Buell engineers is amazing. Good thing you don't own an '99 X1 with the stock rotor! You'd probably have at least another 100 posts to your count about that component! Attitudes like yours amaze me. Enjoy what you have in front of you. You know, my wife didn't turn out exactly as I had hoped for. And I'm sure I didn't with her either. But we are together after all these years, enduring the pain of happiness and joy that we find within. Post on Josh! | ||
| Thejosh |
Thanks Steve, its not that I dislike my buell, I love both of them. It's that the one thing I would expect to be a reliable part on this bike, was the least reliable. Anyone should expect things to go wrong when you have a bike that basically shakes itself to death, that is what draws some people to own them; it's one of the little quirks that makes this bike different. My point is don't waste time or money on the stock component. | ||
| Hootowl |
I don't think there's any bashing going on here. If Buell had known they were going to have recall and reliability issues with the Showa shock, I have no doubt they would have chosen a different model. I don't have a Penske or Works shock, but I intend to soon. I know that the stock style shock is going to fail again, and OEM replacements are getting pretty rare. I don't relish the thought of getting a used shock off eBay that is just going to fail again, so when my shock goes out, I will buy the readily available, rebuildable Penske or Works shock. That's not a slight towards Buell or Showa, it's just the reality of the OEM spares situation. A brand new Penske is a few clicks of the mouse away. I have no interest in rebuilding the stock shock, which was not designed to be rebuilt. I know people have done it, but it's my money, and I'll spend it as I please  (Don't tell the OWS folks) | ||
| Blake |
>>> It's that the one thing I would expect to be a reliable part on this bike, was the least reliable. Your Buell's wheels are unreliable? | ||
| Thejosh |
The shock | ||
| Ducxl |
Penske baby!!!!! The only mod I allow on my Buells. Well.....CRGs too.Gotta support American labor!! | ||
| Thejosh |
I agree, I try, on all my vehicles, to only buy American parts. | ||
| Blake |
Sorry there Josh, just that I can think of a host of parts that I'd expect to be more reliable than the rear shock. Your statement struck me as odd, or a huge exaggeration. Parts I'd expect to be reliable first would be the wheels, then maybe the handlebars, then the fuel tank, then... About mid pack might be the shock. If it fails, you gingerly bounce your way home. No big deal. | ||
| Hybridmomentspass |
this was a fun thread to read. Fun, funny, whatever. I think Blake is onto something - I'd rather have the most reliable part of the bike be the bars, frame, or wheels. All three if Im being greedy. Someone made a post earlier in the thread about a rigid front end - DONT DO IT. My race bike is almost there (strapped very little movement in it now) and on some of the return roads I feel like a bobblehead, just bouncing around everywhere, every little dip or bump. HarleyElf - "List price on a '99 S3 was $11,999." Thank you for that information - I didnt get my 99 S3 exactly 'new' (it was never titled, but a sales guy at the dealer had put about 2k miles on it and Buell upgrades on it before we got it in 01), but the list for my 99 is what I paid for my 08 1125. Interesting. If you look at something like that - in 99 the bikes were 12 grand, in 09 the bikes were 12 grand - its really quite a difference from almost all other brands, especially sportbikes a few years ago you could get 600s from the Big 4 for cheap, 7 grand or so new. And now only one MSRPs for 4 digits. Buell rules. | ||
| Harleyelf |
I'd vote for the triple trees or the engine case to be the most dependable parts. Wheels have bearings and gas tanks can leak. | ||
| Blake |
Elf wisdom. | ||
| Harleyelf |
Wisdom is what happens when you pay attention to your experiences and allow what you learn from them (your new knowledge) to shape your decision making skills. Just one geezer's opinion. And as to thejosh's wheels being unreliable, remember that he runs his tires until they show cord. There's no part on any motorcycle or aircraft that can't fail if you challenge it to. | ||
| Thejosh |
My wheels aren't unreliable, in fact my bike is doing great, now that I have an aftermarket shock. As for the tire showing cord, there was a little spot less than a centimeter that had a gouge in it where you could see a little cord.... So I don't run them until I see cord, but I do stop when there is a problem with the tire. | ||
| Harleyelf |
Be calm, young Jedi. You've got some serious diagnostic and repair skills and many of your opinions are indeed worth the time to read. Not all of them are. You also push some of your equipment past what many others think are reasonable limits and present a comical disbelief in the thought that anyone but you can tell good from trash. It's fun to read your presumptions and beliefs. Buells shake themselves to death? Hilarious! From a guy who rides with two missing exhaust studs? They may shake individual components to death from time to time, but no vehicle ever died of vibration unless it was during re-entry to the atmosphere. Learn to learn. No one likes a know-it-all. | ||
| Greg_cifu |
Upon first installation, it leaked a little bit. I forgave it, assuming maybe some had seeped past the seal while it sat on the shelf. Nope. It's continued a few drops here and there since then. Today, I took the bike for a ride and the shock went full Shovelhead on me. It's only a matter of time now. Nice job, Showa: I hated your crap on my Honda and I don't like it any better on my Buells. Retrial for the shock. I found a leaking fitting on the oil pump right above it. (Message edited by greg_cifu on October 31, 2011) | ||
| Harleyelf |
Ouch. Sorry for your loss. | ||
| Greg_cifu |
Showa suspension is a compromise, based on the realities of cost: Buell was never going to grow if they didn't get their prices down. You can't afford to put super nice components on a bike that has to meet a price-point. The shock is one area they compromised: good enough but, not great. There are reasons why a 1991 Westwind sold for $15K.  | ||
| Court |
Interesting to look at that shock. I've got a package of "race rods" for it ........ Reminders of some of the fun research we used to do. The Showa was no more a "compromise" than are the brakes on the Porsche Cayman compared to PCCB systems. | ||
| Thejosh |
My apologies, when I said "shakes itself to death" it was an exaggeration. I tend to do that. I have no problem with the bike vibrating, but along with that comes some replacement parts, and that's okay too. Sometimes I find it compelling to fix things permanently, either with better parts, or trying to re-engineer so to speak. | ||
| Greg_cifu |
Hmmm...I may have prematurely persecuted the shock. It looks and smells like engine oil: sprung a leak right after blowing the previous shock. No clue right now, just cleaned it all. Exploratory surgery to come. | ||
| Harleyelf |
Greg, do your oil lines route like an S3, under the engine and above the shock? My hoses both to and from the oil pump chafed against the frame and dripped engine oil from the shock. Easy enough to change. Josh, do you have the front isolator upgrade? The shaking should be confined to the engine and not transferred to the frame. The stock part was unsuitable to fitment above the motor; way too rigid. |
