| Author | Message | ||
     Milar |
Can someone help me remember the limited edition Lightnings and their production numbers? I remember the S1/X1 White Lightning, the Millennium. But I know there were a few others. Mike | ||
| Oldog |
red and blue race stripe, and a CF extreme | ||
| Loose1 |
Wasn't there a defender or pacemaker version? | ||
| Buellsrule |
The race stripes, cf, millennium and the X1W White lightening are the only ones I remember. | ||
| Ratbuell |
There was an S1 version of the Defender, called the Enforcer. They only built 12 S3 Defenders in 98 - there weren't many of the Enforcer either. Like, single digits, I believe. | ||
| Milar |
I did run into these threads on the defender and enforcer. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/406 2/160826.html http://www.bike-urious.com/excuse-photos-1998-buel l-s3t-defender/ Mike | ||
| Ratbuell |
...and then there's my S3 Defender... http://badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/47623/6 97288.html?1352683412 | ||
| Milar |
Was the S1W the only S1 to use the new 101 hp. engine? Were the X1 White Lightening, Red/Blue Stripe and Carbon editions cosmetic changes only? Or did they have mechanical changes? Thanks for you thoughts! | ||
| Trojan |
All of the X1 special editions were cosmetic only. The S1W was the only S1 to use the 101hp engine as far as I know. The S1W can be broken down into two distinct models though...... The original S1W 'White Lightning' only came in white bodywork with a blue frame. They then confused matters slightly by releasing thea second edition S1W in various colour choices (black,silver,orange/nuclear blue) although it was not really part of the same limited run as the first 'white' S1W and isn't considered as exclusive over here. | ||
| Dueller |
I have a "plain Jane" '98 S1W. I purchased from the original owner in 2000 with less than 1K miles. He claimed IIRC that he had "factory" mods done befoe taking delivery....full race kit, etc. It has a cut down cam cover that he claims was modded at the factory. Just curious...did the factory make such mods? I assumed it was all dealer installed mods but talking to them they claim they didn't do the mods. Just curious. The guy who sold it to me was not the kind of guy who would have made mods himself. Anywhoo....field stripped for spring cleaning. These old tubes are works of at IMO: | ||
| Dueller |
ooops....forgot pic  | ||
| Ratbuell |
There was only one S1W and it was available in four frame colors (white, silver, black, nuke blue), and four body colors (ice white pearl, molten orange, billet silver, and black). No "second edition" or anything like that. All were 1998, all were carbureted thunderstorm engines, and all had stock exhausts, breadbox intakes, and uncut cam covers. PM wheels were an available option. All were solo seat bikes but many people put S1 twin tails on them (those tails do not have the "white" lightning graphic). They were the first (along with the 98 S3) thunderstorm bikes. | ||
| Dueller |
RatB....any idea of production numbers on '98 S1W's? | ||
| Gianni312 |
http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/mcy/4446955583.h tml Its a beautiful example of an unmolested s1w | ||
| Trojan |
There was only one S1W and it was available in four frame colors (white, silver, black, nuke blue), and four body colors (ice white pearl, molten orange, billet silver, and black). No "second edition" or anything like that. maybe I worded that wrong. The S1W was riginally available ONLy in white with a nuclear blue frame that was the ONLy option you had. After a short while it was then made available in the other colours but the one that people want is the S1W 'White Lightning'. Plenty of standard S1's have been converted over the years with bigger tanks and Thunderstorm heads to look like S1W models, but the desiarble one in the UK is the original S1W White Lightning for sure. | ||
| Hootowl |
I'm glad he's asking so much for that S1. Pretty much guarantees that it won't get chopped. | ||
| Ratbuell |
That may be the case in the EU...but over here it was a simple matter of the dealer choosing a frame color, a body color, and standard or PM wheels and it was built and shipped. I am not aware of any "standard" or "pre-release" models, and if anything was considered to be the "standard" it would be the white/white/white "Liberace" color combo.  | ||
| Screamer |
With the exception possibly of PM wheels, triple white was the only color combination a dealer could get initially in the U.S. ( or anywhere). It wasn't long however before other color combinations were available. | ||
| Loose1 |
All white is to only color they should have came it. In my opinion. | ||
| Ratbuell |
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| Court |
That was a great year . . . I happened to save ALL (including all the build-sheets for the bikes) that year and still have (or had, depending on what went in the last load for the storage unit) a case of those posters with the various frame colors. All 16 models were referred to as "While Lightning". There was a single "Black Lightning: made for Karen Davidson . . . with, as usual, an interesting story behind it. There were several iterations of "special builds" that year . . . for events and so forth. It's a bit of a shame but when we wrote the book I actually did (with a LOT of help from Brankin) a chapter entitled "The Special Buells) which included the turbo S1 that Erik rode the time he and I rode to the steps of HD HQ on Juneau to participate in the first "Buell Wedding". But, alas, books are printed in "multiple" (you can't just add 12 pages) so it ended up here in this sealer cardboard box with the original manuscript. Fun stuff. | ||
| Trojan |
The S1W was riginally available ONLy in white with a nuclear blue frame that was the ONLy option you had. Sorry I realise that was wrong. The first S1W here had a white frame, not nuclear blue  It was only a few months later that the other colours were available here. | ||
| Milar |
This is GREAT information guys! I really appreciate it. Lightnings are my favorite Buells. I've owned 4 Buells, 2 were Lightnings. I'm finishing a Moto Guzzi Café project this month and I may start looking around after that. Sounds like the S1W is the one to buy. One last question: is there something in the vin that would indicate it was a White Lightning? I know some S1's were converted. Mike | ||
| Ratbuell |
I'd have to check to be sure but I think its a 4MZYS versus 4MZSS...or the other way around. But yes, the VIN is specific. | ||
| Screamer |
(It took a little work to find my original copy...) In December of 1997 a letter was sent to Buell dealers, "you can now order the S1 White Lightning in 16 different variations of bodywork, frame and wheel colors". It states the bikes' time frame would be March through June of 1998. In the faded green envelope were also two copies of the posters Ratbuell posted. Ratbuell is correct, S1 White Lightning vin designator is 4MZYS and the S1 (and X1) was 4MZSS. | ||
| Jolly |
Milar, shoot me a note... I'm also a Guzzi fan.. I've got two of them mixed in with the Buells! 97 1100 sport and a 2000 v11 sport... love to see what you've got going on for your project! ok, back to the thread...! S1W S1 S3T X1 S2 .... theyre all my favorite! | ||
| Ratbuell |
yep...4MZYS on my ...ahem...slightly overdue registration renewal card. ....maybe some original posters around the house would remind me to keep the tag up to date...lol  I've gotta say...I've been buzzing around on the M2 the last couple days, similar mods to the S1W (full race exhaust, intake, and ignition). The M2 is snappy and entertaining, but NOTHING like the hooligan S1W! Biggest thing the M2 has going for it, though - comfy seat, and a tailbag. COMFY seat. But I'll never get rid of my S1W. Got it in '06 with 1100 miles on it and haven't regretted the purchase yet. | ||
| Blu1hockey |
Happened to be standing next to my 99 X reading this and checked the vin. It is a 4mzss. So what does that mean? | ||
| Ratbuell |
You don't have a 1998 S1W. Which...naturally...you already know. 4MZYS: 1998 S1W, and only 1998 S1W. 4MZSS: any other Lightning, either S1 or X1. They *may* have even carried that into the XB-S Lightnings, but I don't have one to confirm. | ||
| Ratbuell |
...and according to this poster, there were a total of 2210 S1W's built. No breakdown (that I'm aware of) by color.  | ||
| Court |
 (Message edited by court on May 03, 2014) | ||
| Screamer |
XB Lightnings were 4MZSX Lightning Long = 4MZJX Lightning CityX = 4MZKX Lightning Scg = 4MZWX I'd have to dig a little to be sure but I think about 2006/07 Buell went to "5MZ" for international destination bikes. (parts books are priceless...) | ||
| Ratbuell |
SO close, Court...my VIN is 3225581 |
