| Author | Message | ||
     Ratbuell |
So, a few years back I serviced a buddy's '96 S2T. Original owner, bone-stock (I jetted it properly; it still even had the factory jets in it!)...something silly like 7k miles on the odometer. I posted a thread about it on here. 4 years ago (jeez...has it been that long??) I totaled my S2 when a deer jumped in front of me at 70mph. Been without one ever since. Well...kinda. I still have mine, but the frame is broken and the bodywork is trashed. Earlier this week, Roy texted me and said "I think I'm gonna sell my Buell..." He's got a pile of swag that goes with it; he's got the signature stuff; I don't even think he's RIDDEN it since I serviced it (full service - fluids, jets, plugs, wires, new tires, steering head adjustment...all of it). Edit: found the old thread. He was teasing a sale back then, hence my service/restoration...and that's why I jumped on it this time when he said "I'm gonna sell it"! (that, and I don't already have an S2 like I did back then). http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/21/ 731914.html?1392468912 One question I have - does anyone have the paint formula for the quicksilver metallic? I have my wide bag lids (the bike was running the narrows when I wrecked it) that I want to get painted to match... | ||
| Two_seasons |
I'd have the running S2T body work scanned so a matching paint can be applied. Should be that simple these days. | ||
| Ratbuell |
yeah we have a body shop at work, and I'll probably have them do that. If I had a base code or formula for them to start with, though...I also want to find the frame color code, so I can have my American Sport Bike updated sideplates painted/coated to match (I'll see how they look on there polished, first). Digging through the shop last night...I've got a LOT of S2 stuff that I can transfer to this bike. Damn. I had no idea I'd accumulated so much STUFF. HID E-code headlight. Flashing/modified LED taillight. GPS mount. Heated grips (NIB). Touring bars (new in package - I know the bike has touring bars on it already but this way I don't have to cut off the stock left grip to install the heated grips). The shorter S2 (non-T) bars off my wrecked bike, with full hand controls. An S2 "race" ignition. Heated clothing controls. Works shock. Spare brake calipers. 2 spare seats (one stock, one Corbin). Fairing bags. My modified saddlebag brackets (additional leg that goes to the passenger peg, and has a bag-bottom fastener to reduce flopping). Kuryakyn voltmeter. Just...boxes, and boxes. This'll be a long weekend! But, it's gonna feel good to have an S2 again!!!  | ||
| Falloutnl |
Congratulations. One of the prettiest bikes ever made if you ask me. Must've hurt when you lost the first one. | ||
| Upthemaiden |
I agree, the S2 is for sure one of the best looking bikes. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Must've hurt when you lost the first one. Literally AND figuratively. As I slid 110 yards down the road (fully armored, of course), I watched the bike pass me, sparks flying off the bars and footpeg, shattered fiberglass everywhere.... What I love most about the S2 is, you don't ride ON it...you sit IN it. Maybe it's just me and I'm the "right" size for them (can't imagine how, though, at 6'4" and 200 lbs I'm not exactly "mainstream" lol)...but its like the bike knows what I want to do and it just does it. I'll pull my old forks out of the rafters and steal their settings; I'll mount my Works shock on the new bike (bonus: the blue exposed spring is about the same shade of blue as the logos on the bike!); it should ride and handle about exactly like my old one with the exception of the tall bars (mine had all the T fittings as accessories, except the taller bars). If I don't like 'em, I can always put the non-T bars on, from the red bike. The end of the right bar is a little scarred up, but the bar-end weight took most of the damage and the throttle still spins fine on it, so it can't be that bad. Biggest difference will be that my old bike, I'd put a Thunderstorm top end with X1 cams in it, and a Lightning series ignition box; this one is BONE stock, with the exception of proper jets (which I did last service, for Roy), and a Supertrapp megaphone muffler (one of which I used to have on my red bike, and took off). I may pull this one off as well - they're too "blatty" for my tastes, and the bike runs just fine with the stock muffler on it (which I have from the red bike). I'll likely put on the S2 race ignition I have right off the bat, though, and re-time it if needed... We'll see. I've got time to fiddle  | ||
| K12pilot |
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| Falloutnl |
Yeah, I'm not a fan of the sound a Supertrapp makes. I have one on my S1 and it's, eh, noisy, but not pretty. "We'll see. I've got time to fiddle ; )" fun stuff to look forward to. (Message edited by falloutnl on October 14, 2022) | ||
| Ratbuell |
I like the IDS Supertrapp that was offered for the later tubers (branded as the Buell Performance Series slip-on, for '99-up tube frames). It was a deep, throaty rumble...not a midrange-blatty noise. I may fiddle with the disc stack for a while...but with the stock can sitting right there, it may not be long before I just swap 'em. My red bike had the same 'trapp on it when I got it. Built the motor, got an adaptor, put a Buell Race can on it (2.5") for a while. Couple longer rides with that, though (1,000 milers)...and I got the stock muffler. Which, ironically, came off the bike I pick up tonight. | ||
| Kc_zombie |
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| Ratbuell |
SWEET!!!! Thanks! | ||
| 1313 |
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| Ratbuell |
She's home!  And Roy rode it exactly....ZERO miles since I serviced it back in 2012.  (Sigh....) Guess I'm rebuilding the carb, again..... | ||
| Tigermann |
Nice Joe! This bike was not on the S2/S2T registry (so maybe your friend Roy wasn't a BadWeb member?) but I've added it now. Built just after mine which is #241. (I would take those brittle OEM turn signals off, put them on the shelf for safe keeping, and replace with XB signals...)  | ||
| Ratbuell |
Thanks for adding it; no, Roy was not on badweb. Signals are already trashed. Dryrot. He gave me a full set of aftermarket ones; I have some XB ones, but I may try to find some oem-like square ones, or some Triumph ones (I've heard those are a close match?). Currently it's sitting with no bodywork. I pulled it all, degreased/pressure washed the frame and engine, pulled the carb (UGH! - I'll just use my old carb, Roy's was NASTY!!), and am getting ready to run wires for my farkles - voltmeter, heated gear, heated grips, HID headlight, LED taillight - install the race ignition, install my Works shock, and install my updated bag mounts that tie to the passenger peg, and add a dzus fastener to the bottom of the bag, to stop the "flapping". All (except the NIB heated grips) off my red bike. I also have to rebuild both brakes - the rear seems to be dragging, and the front has a very soft lever. I might just swap my complete old front brake assembly over, too - MC, caliper, EBC rotor, and all. Undecided yet. The sidestand actually has a decent notch that keeps it from rolling, if you put the stand down properly BEFORE letting the bike move. Maybe that wears out over time? But for now, I think I'm gonna leave the stock (color-matched) sideplates on the bike. I may end up getting my American Sport Bike plates powdercoated or pro-painted to match at some point...but for now, the stockers will suffice. | ||
| K12pilot |
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| Ratbuell |
Interesting note as I was farkling it last night....the sideplates are a different color than the frame. Never noticed that before. Frame is a bluish hammertone color; sideplates are kinda hammertone...but more black. Still need a battery, but I hooked my jump box to it and the stuff I transferred works: voltmeter works, the HID headlight works, and the starter clicks (crappy old jump box; not enough oomph to spin it over). I need to clean up the wiring for the Motolights (they work, just have about 20' of extra wire, and I don't like where they hooked the trigger wire). I also need to transfer my GPS and mount (and wire it up); transfer my LED taillight, and install the aftermarket signals that came with the bike (rectangles, but smaller). I also installed my race ignition; won't know if that works till I have a battery and we see if it fires on MY old carburetor (the one on it was full of muck after sitting 10 years). I swapped my old front master cylinder, since the one on the bike (still) wouldn't hold pressure. For the life of me I can't remember how the hell to get a caliper off one of these things....I was gonna swap the whole front brake setup, but I didn't feel like scratching the wheel (or removing it, to remove the rotor). So, unhooked the line and sweapped the m/c. And, the oil tank is EMPTY - it all drained into the sump. That'll be a fun startup! DEFINITELY need a full battery for that one... | ||
| Tigermann |
Joe, Just put a new battery in mine this week; HD OEM replacement AGM Battery (65991-82B). It's pricey but has 1 year warranty, its all black, has the HD logo in front, and is as close to stock as you can get. This is my second one for the S2T, first one lasted 5 years. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Yep, that's what was in it. Go figure, it died after 10 years 3 months of SITTING. However. I have the BEST battery tender...it's a NOCO Genius, I forget what model...but you can set it for large or small; 6v or 12v; acid or AGM. Long as there's enough juice present for it to "see" the battery...it'll resurrect it. I hooked the 10 year old brick to one of my good batteries, and hooked the NOCO to it overnight. Showed 100%. Disconnected the good battery and connected the NOCO directly to the 10 year old brick (which was brand new when I serviced the bike for Roy a decade ago)...and it showed 25% and charging when I left for work. We'll see when I get home....but it may have saved it, at least for a little bit! I've gotta dump nearly 3k into my heat pump later this week (when/if parts come in)...so if I can save a couple hundred on a battery till next season, I'm in! | ||
| Ratbuell |
Oh, and for the registry notes: I have the cam plate in the package; Roy is still looking for the laminated card and the letter. "I've got them somewhere...I must have them...they're probably with the title" (which he also still hasn't found...). | ||
| Ratbuell |
What the hell are these??  They were in my old fuel tank...I'm putting it on for now since it was empty and I can put fresh fuel in it.... | ||
| Conv90 |
...some gimmick thing sold on TV to save fuel... thanks to migration of electrons ... or some other chemical magic...  | ||
| Ratbuell |
No...they were in MY tank. From my red bike. I never heard anything rattling around in there...and I had over 30k miles on that bike.... Weird. | ||
| Blks1l |
Fitch Fuel Catalyst, I remember my folks used to sell them in their shop, probably snake oil though. Weird you didn't know they were in there. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I know. Weird. Lord knows I had the tank off plenty of times in the past...you'd think I'da heard them clunking around in there. Although the fuel (4 years old) did smell distinctly non-rancid when I opened the lid and drained it out to prep for fresh fuel on the gray bike...hmmmm..... | ||
| Crusty |
Joe; that is a real beauty! Congratulations! | ||
| Ratbuell |
Thanks! And for PROOF these are handbuilt bikes...my red bikes tank doesn't fit under the gray bodywork. Nothing lines up. Guess I'll see how crappy it runs, on 10 year old (spoiled) fuel.... | ||
| Crusty |
I'd suggest you change the drive belt soon. 26 year old belts aren't as durable as they were a couple of decades ago. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I forgot how damned GOOD these bikes are. Wow. Put 50 or so miles on it tonight, and I've fallen back in love. Making tweaks as I go - shifter height, brake lever height, aiming the lights - bit everything else is like a comfortable pair of boots. Just...perfect. I do need to set the float a little higher though, it was starving on a couple WOT runs I made through second gear. And I gotta say - WOW, that race ignition box makes ALL the difference!  | ||
| Ratbuell |
Welp...pulled off the Supertrapp last night and put the stock muffler back on. My shop is now FULL of shredded paper and insulation - apparently at least one mouse was living in the muffler. Ugh. |
