| Author | Message | ||
     Icantdrive55 |
OK, it's all winterized with e-free gas and Stabil and tucked away in the warm, dry heated basement for the winter. The problem? I'm 71 with a bad back and bad knees and still trying to maintain a stable of 4 bikes, a quad, a truck, the GF's car, and a camper. The freakin' toys are killing me. The short story about the Buell--I bought this from the original owner (a HD mechanic who bought it new from the dealer he worked at) in June of '20. A friend of a friend who was diagnosed with aggressive cancer and was cleaning out his stable of bikes so as not to leave his DW in the lurch. Both he and his wife cried as I was loading it into my trailer...many good memories for them. I paid him what he was asking--$2300--and figured I'd sell it for a small loss after he passed. Turned out, I really enjoyed riding the beast! Be that as it may, I think it's time for me to start to clearing the accumulation of a life of pleasure, and although I may decide to keep the Buell, I really wouldn't feel badly about passing it along to a new owner who understands the uniqueness of the motorcycle. So, the quandary. What is a fair price for the bike? I would prolly be willing to part with it for what I have in it, but another thought I had is that I could put it up for open bidding with bottom line at $2300 and donate anything more to BWB for maintaining the website. Thoughts?      | ||
| Icantdrive55 |
Forgot the important poop. About 19K miles. Tires are DOT coded circa 2011 so not worn out but due for new rubber. No leaks, no tank bubbles, 100% stock, includes a Buell branded dust cover, Buell branded soft tank and tail bag, a '99 M2 service manual, and a NIB Mikuni flat slide carb (guessing a 42 mm). | ||
| Icantdrive55 |
Had an oil change (20W-50) this spring and checked the primary chain tension. Battery is new-ish, carb has been jetted and the shock recall performed (according to PO). That's all I got info-wise. | ||
| Mtjm2 |
Nice M2 ! Are you sure it’s a 99 ? They didn’t add the tach until 00 / 01 models . Your price is about what you will get, with nothing much left over . Sorry about your toy story , me being a young 60 😁 I’m just shy of the camper as I still tent camp . | ||
| Icantdrive55 |
Title says '99. PO told me that the tach in dash was an option for the '99 MY. As I recall, he said he had the bike retrofitted for the upgraded instrument cluster when he purchased. As for price, I didn't buy it to make money. Was sort of as a favor for the friend. With winter upon us in the Midwest, I'm not planning on doing anything with it at this point. If I can sell for more, all the better for BWB! As for tent camping, I've been a tent camper all my life--primitive camped all over the Midwest, Blue Ridge mountains, and around CO and UT since I was in my 20s. I try to get to several track weekends every year--Mid-Ohio, Road America, Watkins Glen, Barber. Have been "camping" out of my box trailer for the last 10 years and finally came to the conclusion that sleeping on a cot in a dark, cold/hot trailer with no amenities was just plain stupid for a 70something cripple. I bought a small toy hauler that I can load my bike into and tow with my F150. Has a real bed (!!!) and basic kitchen, toilet/shower, and heat/AC. Spent a week this summer at WG wrenching for a friend who was racing his Lola S2000 at the VSCDA event. Whole lot better than a tent after a hot sweaty day of hoofing around a blacktop paddock. | ||
| Victory |
Great Bike at a Great Cost. + Thunderstorm Heads! (Message edited by victory on November 10, 2021) | ||
| Upthemaiden |
Great looking bike. I bought my S1 in somewhat rough shape 5 years ago with 14k for $2400, and have dumped a bit of money into it since. I wouldn't be surprised to see yours sell for $3000+, but I'm sure markets are different everywhere. That one looks pretty spotless though, and some people get really excited for completely stock bikes. | ||
| Piercethekiki |
Location of the bike? Looks to be in outstanding condition, and personally love the stock look. Only thing I'd be worried about as a buyer is the shock. The "recall" is not a true fix, those shocks tend to die eventually. If you're close enough, I've been searching for an M2 for a while. I'd give you what you ask. | ||
| Icantdrive55 |
@piercethekiki Cincinnati OH. I've already tucked it away in the basement for the winter so not in a rush to sell. Not been a long-term follower of the Buell fortunes and specific model peculiarities and weaknesses so can't shed any light on the shock aside from what the PO shared....and I believe him. No leakage apparent from the shock and still plenty firm with no pogo stick attributes. Of course, that info and $0.99 will buy you a cup o' joe at Mcd's. The bike appears to have been garaged and well maintained throughout the PO's ownership, and he claimed to have been employed as a HD mechanic at a dealership. There must certainly be bikes as well preserved as this one but few as original as this one with all the Buell-branded extras, with basically one owner for the near entirety of it's history. I think my point of posting now is that I'd like to find a hardcore Buell aficionado to take over ownership, as passing along the bike to a lover of EB's legacy is the best way I can think of to pay tribute to Joe's memory. I'll keep you in the loop when the spring rolls around next year. You can get me at icantdrive55atfusedotnet | ||
| Bluebueller |
smallfact - check the front brake reservoir cap - if it's Dot5 brake fluid, it's a 99. If it's Dot4, it's 00 or later. that thing looks like it's clean off the showroom floor. good luck selling, I am very tempted to add make it a stable mate to my 99 M2. | ||
| Icantdrive55 |
Very cool. Nice fact to know. Took a look and it says DOT5, so confirms the '99 MY. Now I gotta ask: Does this mean the fluid is the silicone-based DOT5 or the DOT5.1 glycol ether/borate ester? If the former, it's interesting that EB would use a silicone based brake fluid in a street bike. I know of no other manufacturer that used DOT5 as standard. I know they're NOT miscible or interchangeable and I know that even if I were to do a complete clean-out and change-over, the rubber seals in the system may not be compatible. Glad you posted this!!! Thx. | ||
| Upthemaiden |
I think it's the regular 5. I knew the details of it a while back, but can't remember anymore. I *think* 5.1 is the one that can be interchanged with 4 without causing issues, but the dot5 is the one that can not. You'd have to change all of the seals and buy a new brake line. I was able to find the Dot5 at autozone, but there was only one brand available, so if you're someone who's picking about what brands you use for the kind of stuff, you'll probably have to shop online. In the end I just swapped my front brake for an X1 setup because I couldn't find a rebuild kit for my front master, and I swapped the rear for an XB(same as the X1) to get rid of the goofy brake light switch, so I can use normal Dot4 again. | ||
| Bluebueller |
I want to say Buell used dot five brake fluid because Harley used it in their bikes prior to their widespread use of ABS. One of the many compromises I’m sure he had to make, unfortunately. But I’ve had this bike at the track and 20k+ miles on it and I’ve never really experienced any issues. In fact I’ve gone up to seven years without a flush only bleeding after a pad change, with solid feel at the lever. | ||
| 89rs1200 |
Icantdrive55, They came out with DOT5.1 before DOT6 and should have picked a better name. https://brakefluid.weebly.com/types-of-fluid.html Sorry Bluebuller, I must disagree. My 1989 RS1200 and the S3s use DOT5, therefore I believe Erik used DOT5 from the beginning. DOT5 is silicone based. Which means, compared to DOT3, DOT4 will: not absorb water and deteriorate, low chance of brake fade, will not destroy paint. Since it boils at a much higher temperature, there is less chance of brake fade and best for race applications. Buells, being sport bikes, have used racing brake systems from the beginning. Harley-Davidson motorcycles use what I call, "good enough" engineering. Just good enough to stop, eventually. | ||
| Sscott87 |
That’s a clean looking bike. This is one of those cases of “if you were closer to me…” but 9 hours one way is more than I can commit to currently. With that said… I’d happily give at least that asking price if we could figure out a suitable time and linkup location. 😳 I’d love to find one nearby in such condition to add to the garage for a bit more comfortable of a ride. Already went an S1 route with my ‘97 M2! You shouldn’t hesitate to start at $3k or potentially higher in the spring. While the M2 is the “low end,” less desirable and relatively more common of the tubers, looks to be in pristine condition. You shouldn’t have an issue getting your money back out of it, and I wouldn’t dare sell that thing for under $2k (and at that point, keep the extras and part them off individually on here). | ||
| Falloutnl |
There's 2 bikes in my history that I regret selling: an 1150 GS and an M2 Cyclone. "While the M2 is the “low end,” less desirable and relatively more common of the tubers, looks to be in pristine condition." And low-end is a relative term when it comes to the M2. That front-end is punching above its weight. Performs better than the WP stuff that's on my S1. Swing-arm is straight up better. A stock one like that would fetch a pretty penny here in the EU. | ||
| Court |
That is an accurate statement. The "M2 Tach Story" was one of the funniest Buell stories. I have all the various prototypes of the arrangements we tried buried in this crap somewhere. | ||
| 34nineteen |
I like funny stories.  | ||
| Bluebueller |
Court-let’s hear it! Campfire time | ||
| Court |
The Buell M2 Cyclone . . . which I have long proclaimed to be "one of the best motorcycles ever built" was the innocent and unintended subject of a sort of Moto-zeitgeist. The project, during confidential development, was largely driven my Marty Brown, the Red Headed Cosmonaut from the night . . before doing the Parade Lap at Road America the day after I finished riding through 37 states on a continuous Buell ride. I kinda pushed Marty into the Cosmonauth thing one night in a Mexican restaurant in Milwaukee . . when someone commented on the Aerostich suite were were wearing. In their defense, mine . . in brilliant blue with the American flag embroidered on it . . did resemble that of a space traveler. Anyway . . I had the bar in ostriches on a rant that we were soliciting funds for a joint USA/USSR Mission and me in my Blue and Marty in his Red . . . were passing a jar about the bar. Long time readers will recall this was the night of the fabled "Wheelies for the Homeless" (that no magazine would touch) and the night before the kind Officer arrested both of us on I-43. I digest. Martin did the M2 project with his team and the bike was an absolute stroke of genius . . just enough of everything . . . not too much of anything and the perfect mix of what a person needs to ride a motorcycle safely for fun and at a price point that allowed a greater population access to Buell wonders. Dealers . . . this Harley snarling heathens . . . . were aghast at a product without a tach . . . owners of upper scaler Buells and sportbikes proclaimed the unforgivable act of omitting the tach . You know and I know that a tach on a V-twin is pretty much decoration. Anyway We're all at the Annual Harley-Davidson Dealer Meeting . . . which, for the benefit of those of you who are unfamiliar, is a BIG deal . . . thousands and thousands of folks . . . all the big product announcements and so forth. Some of us from the Buell contingent were in the back of the room with Gary Cravillion and Rusty Goin when one of the Harley P&A folks strode proudly onto the stage and announced "Buell will add an M2 Tach kit to the P&A offerings". We . . in an instant . . . looked at one another . . . agast. You know anything about a tach kit? . . no, . . you? We had a problem. Not a tap had been turned, nor a thing done. It was straight to the designers and poof a design was drawn up to shift the speedo a bit and accommodate a tach. Easy Peasy All that needed was to do all the required testing. . have the tolling done and go to town. The design was made and Jack and Co. made up the prototypes for testing. Dave Ulicki had designed the neatest vibration testing machine that pretty much look like a long arm with a bucket of concrete suspended from the end . . . .and an electrical motor with an elliptical shaped cam lobe that caused the bucket to be hoisted and enthusiastically dropped. There was a click type counter attached to chronicle the journey to 250,000 (or what4ever the number) cycles . . to validate the product before we put it in the hands of you heathens Jon Bunne and a couple test gurus clamped the new M2 tach bracket in the holding device . . . set the counter to zero . . completed the initiation of the test long . . . flipped the switch to ON and the bucket started rising and dropping rhythmically We are all headed back to our offices . . when CACHINK . . . . we hear . . and the top half of the bracket skittles across the floor. Oops Metallurgical flaw . . . test anomaly . . whatever. We grad another . . . set the process back up and head in . . . CHCHINK . . . . This continued long enough to illustrate that we had designed a perfectly faulty design that we had 100% confidence would fail in service on a rumbling v-twin. Anyway . . . it was back to the drawing board and the problem was sorted out and I got a nice collection of a bunch of prototypes here . . .some of which work . . some of which don't. We had hundreds of stories . . . from the days of smashing S2 frames to doing "snap down wheelies" . . . . that always made being on the tup of the spear of innovation fun. While we are here . . . . I will share that my "one of the best made motorcycles ever" claim is not bravado . . but it was the result of the White Lightning S1. During the period that Mary and his group were doing the M2 . . the S1 White Lightning was in the thick of development and attracting nearly ALL the attention. Marty and his team of typically talented Buell engineers were pretty much free to spend time and resources as they deemed fit to get to the best end product and the M2 was amazing in meeting it's intended design criteria as an REALLY good motorcycle at a REALLY good price. Not until Lisa came along and started the Blast Program would we see another Buell Sea Change in engineering . . . And . . . .now you know . . . .the rest of the story. | ||
| Falloutnl |
Thanks for that Court. "I will share that my "one of the best made motorcycles ever" claim is not bravado . . but it was the result of the White Lightning S1. During the period that Mary and his group were doing the M2 . . the S1 White Lightning was in the thick of development and attracting nearly ALL the attention." Do you mean in terms of how favorably it compared to the S1W? | ||
| Icantdrive55 |
Court: Magnificent tale! The stuff of legends that modern MClists just don't get introduced to. Thx for the effort to present this. Makes me think I should keep it, but it deserves to be ridden and enjoyed. | ||
| Falloutnl |
I'd buy that thing in a heartbeat if I lived in the US. It really is gorgeous. | ||
| Captainkirk |
Any further thoughts on selling this? My son may be in the market. | ||
| Icantdrive55 |
PM sent. | ||
| Icantdrive55 |
Something of interest to you Buell tuber guys. I met Mark Meriwether (Melbourne Australia) last year when he was riding his vintage Triumph T160 from Fernwood WA to the east coast--NYC!!!--and back. https://www.advrider.com/.../across-the-usa-on-a-trident.../ I followed his journey on the Adventure Rider "Epic Trip" forum and invited him to stop in for a rest/shower/meal if he passed through Cincinnati. You can see his commentary on how he came to be interested in finding an early Buell on his latest thread "Riding a Cyclone Across Tornado Alley" in the same forum. https://www.advrider.com/.../riding-a-cyclone-down.../ He's heading west from Cincinnati and hitting up some of the more beautiful NPs (Zion, Monument Valley) and ending in WA state again, where he jumps back across the pond--Atlantic, not Pacific--to attend the IOM TT. Should be an interesting trip, and Mark is a very adept at story telling. One last commentary (kind of an add on my intro at the beginning of this thread) on how I came to own the Cyclone M2 and why I'm selling it. I have been a rider for over 55 years but was never a hard-core HD fan (although I did own a '72 FX kicker and an '85 FXRS for some time) nor did I follow the fortunes of EB and his motorcycles. I did get a ride many years ago on a friend's mid-90s Buell--Lightning I think--and was impressed by how well the thing ran and handled. Several years ago, I saw that a friend of a friend was in dire health straits, given only a few months to live, and selling his stable of bikes to minimize the stress on his wife at the end. The Buell was his most prized possession, owned since new when he worked as HD mechanic in NY state, and he and his wife put many miles riding together on the Cyclone. When I picked up the Buell from his house, both he and the missus cried when I rode off. It wasn't as if I was buying a used bike so much as taking custody and being trusted with the care of a loved family member. When Mark approached me about buying the Buell, I saw it as an opportunity to give an entirely new life and add another exciting chapter to the bike's history. And so off it goes with Mark. I think his plan is to import it back to Australia when it ages out to >25 years old later this year. Should be a great adventure both here in the US as well "Down Under"!!!  | ||
| Whisperstealth |
What a great story, thank you for sharing it. I can't think of a better thing to do with this beautiful bike, than to sell it to someone who will love and appreciate it, while at the same time sending it off on a wonderful new adventure Down Under. I think you done a real good thing and the bikes Gods are happy. | ||
| Icantdrive55 |
Well shit!!! Mark posted up that the Buell died on him in Evansville IN. No electric whatsoever. He says the fuses aren't bad and I put a new battery in no more than a couple weeks before he got here. Checked the charging voltage after the new battery went in and it was reading a steady 14.3V from just above an idle to 2500RPM. He doesn't have any tools to diagnose what's at fault, so I offered to come and pick him up with the truck and bring it back here. He has to be back on the west coast by mid-May so there's some time to fix things. Told him to check for bad ground straps at the frame and/or engine, but other than that I got nothing. Suggestions? | ||
| 89rs1200 |
There is a circuit breaker above the battery. Might be next to the battery. Bit hard to find because it is way up there. All electrics go through that. There should be a wire from the starter connection to follow. | ||
| 89rs1200 |
Manual states to remove the seat and gas tank to get to that 30A circuit breaker. |
