| Author | Message | ||
     Stubby |
Guys, I love my M2, but have you heard a RC51 in full song? Gotta get one of those. Stubby.  | ||
| Cowboy |
with my dealer droping Buell I just looked in my crystal ball and it looks like I see one in my future also. But I must watch Buell for another 12 to 24 mo.I am not quite ready to abandon Buell yet. But if they abandon me what can I do. | ||
| Spiderman |
I like the TL1000R better. Too bad the local UJM shops are stock full of moron sales people. | ||
| 99buellx1 |
I dont think I could live with the seating position on a RC51. Love the bike, cool sound, cool look. Would be great for a track bike with the body positioning. Just wont work for me as an everyday rider. Craig Buell Cycle Center  | ||
| Mikej |
"shops are stock full of moron sales people" This appears to be a major epidemic not limited to just bikes. Apparently salescritters without product awareness run rampant while sales people with interest and knowledge of a product line are soon drummed out because their higher sales output makes the salescritters look bad. So, if you're in sales and the morons begin to outnumber you then you either have to take drastic measures to get them educated or you'd best pack up the coffee cup. | ||
| Rex |
Wait for the vincent lighting...with the RC 51 motor...will have a much better riding position. REX | ||
| Ara |
I got to test ride a stock RC-51. Instant kick-in-the-butt power and exceptional brakes. Doesn't quite handle as well as my S3, though. Riding position is a caution for anybody with an (ahem) mature spine. Fuel economy isn't close to that of a well tuned Buell - rarely over 40 mpg due to two HUGE throttle bodies. Lots of maintenance compared to a Buell, LOTS. Think about gapping those valves, Stubby. | ||
| Dynarider |
Ask Mikey P about the comparisons between his RC & his Buell. He loves the RC. PS...an RC wont handle as well as an S3?????????? Somebody better tell the folks racing them in the ama ranks quick. | ||
| Bads1 |
Lots of maintenace???I know a couple people that have them and they have had none,zip, zero, nada, nothing. | ||
| Bykergeek |
>>Lots of maintenance compared to a Buell<< Sounds like a Ducati  | ||
| Piggos |
Buell vs RC51; apples and oranges. If you have the hots for an import wait for the rumored Honda RC51-based hooligan bike, it'd be a lot more usable as a streetbike than a Jap race-rep. If you do buy the Honda, think hard about the tens of thousands of Americans giving their jobs for your right to send your money overseas. But hey, it's all about you, right? And after all, it is your money...  | ||
| Tripper |
Yep, RC-51 is awesome. Went to the dealer to gape at one Saturday figuring the rumoured end of the line was near and might get a deal. Then I saw the 954 sitting next to it, and then the VFR next to it. And check out that 600RR. Man they got a line of bikes to die for. Wish I had a paycheck cause I'd a signed up for that cheap financing. | ||
| Imonabuss |
The RC-51 is not a good handling bike! Take it from an ex-AMA Superbike and F1 racer who has spent track time on one. Great motor, good suspension and brakes, but top-heavy with tons of pitch, and a pig to get to turn in. Colin Edwards had skill nigh unto the gods to ride his as well as he did. Why do you think you never see privateers riding them? The 600s handle much better, and my XB better than them. | ||
| Sportsman |
Great motor, smooth power, but almost everyone I know that raced one has broken a collerbone. Apparently, the front end must tuck at a suprising rate. Still, a great machine. As close to a V-rod Buell as we can get this year. | ||
| Budo |
I don't like the Japanese, got several reasons not to. However they build a great product. I had so many problems with my 1998 S1W, and my dealer is so incompetant that I will flush my money down the tolet before I give it to the motor company again. Oh, lets not forget all of those Japanese parts on the Buells and HD's. It is a world economy. I ride a Yamaha FZ1 now and guess what, it works. | ||
| Piggos |
The people who are selling the concept of a "world economy" have a direct financial stake in the import of foreign goods. Just look at the trade deficit! Buying into this type of voodoo economics is simply a personal rationalization for the purchase of desirable imported products. Greed may very well be the achilles heel of the capitalist government. I'll continue to support Buell in their efforts to succeed in the sportbike market | ||
| José_quiñones |
No, that would be the Aprilia Tuono. Having ridden the Tuono, the XB9S and R all on the same day down at Daytona, the Buells are not even close. edited by josé_quiñones on July 29, 2003 | ||
| Stubby |
The Aprilia is a slick bike too. The local dealer has a Haga replica, and has had it for some time too. The price however, is pretty steep. Thanks guys for the info on the RC51 and its handling issues. Nope don't want a broken collarbone. As far as world economy, I support american products, and will continue to do so if the american manufacturers produce a product that is competitive. No, I won't buy a HD... don't like the product, the philosophy of the motor company, or really... anything about them. The vincent M/C co looks interesting. Guess we'll see how they come along. Over and Out. | ||
| Ara |
www.vincentmotors.com | ||
| Used_96_s1 |
1924.............is that the year they went out of business? Beautiful looking bike. I have a strange feeling they won't hold resale like many would hope/expect. | ||
| Funjimmy |
Piggos Your protectionist views are outdated! World economies are here to stay so you better get used to it. If the Americans can produce a competitive product, from an economical, performance, and reliability point of view, than do it and you will reap the benefits. If, however you expect the buying public to purchase a product, as expensive as motorcycles, just to keep Americans employed, forget about it! We all work hard for our money, and we had better get value for it. So get off your backside and work a little more efficiently to build better products, so you don't have to fear the competition. Ride on. | ||
| Piggos |
Funjimmy, I have no fear of the competition. If you notice the sales figures, the import crap is eating our dust; they can only wish for the type of success that HD has enjoyed for a generation! As far as getting off my "backside", there are three American Bikes and a German oldie in my garage. Are you doing so well? Anyway, better to ride rice than not at all. | ||
| Vr1203 |
[quote]....So get off your backside and work a little more efficiently to build better products, so you don't have to fear the competition.[quote] Like the Chinese, and all the rest? $3 a day? With no OSHA, EPA, child labor laws, etc? Yea, thats fair competition . That "Vincenda" sucks. I offered to buy the prototype but Li and the gang probably wanted to keep it since it was the only thing that was any good. | ||
| Piggos |
By the way Jim, NICE looking S1. How can I argue with a man who quotes Aristotle... | ||
| Tripper |
The RC-51 is not a good handling bike! Sport Rider just picked it over the 999 and RSV Mille as best V-Twin sportbike, second year in a row. It got around the track 1 and 1.5 seconds faster than the other bikes. Must be a real pig... | ||
| Smadd |
Sport Rider... Motorcyclist... I don't bother reading them anymore. (They're the same!) Listen to people who actually raced(d) them, or borrow one and make your own decision. Don't rely on those magazines', or anyone else's opinions. Better yet... take everything with a grain of salt. Or best yet... if you like it... buy it regardless! It's gonna handle quite good enough for any "sport riding" most real people would do with it. | ||
| Fairwetherbiker |
edited by fairwetherbiker on July 31, 2003 | ||
| Buellzebub |
 ...and if you cannot compete on the world market, just lobby your congressman to add the product to the list of "protected" American products [you know, the ones that have artificial tarriffs added at the border to help the poor overpriced, under quality local products compete with the rest of the world] the sooner everyone realizes that the earth is our team and everyone needs to try to play together the better we all will be. use the cheap labour to your advantage, move from a manual labour base to a technology/knowledge based workforce, work with your strengths and stop being protectionist. china today is not much different than the industrialized countries were less than a century ago. oh ya, one more thing, kill all lawyers this is just an observation, obtained after dealing with various nations over the years in the oilpatch [xploitation equipment design] time to ride my good ol american,canadian,italian,japanese,british [i prolly missed someone else too!] S1 the rc51 is a very nice bike, can't wait til the 2004's show up edited by Buellzebub on July 30, 2003 | ||
| Ara |
Chassis Specifications: RC-51: --Wheelbase - 55.9 in --Rake - 23.5 degrees --Trail - 3.7 in XB12R: --Wheelbase - 52.0 in --Rake - 21 degrees --Trail - 3.3 in And so, due to chassis geometry, one would rationally expect that the RC-51 will not turn as readily as an XB12R. | ||
| Ara |
Oh and: RC-51 Dry Weight - 430 lbs XB12R Dry Weight - 395 lbs (And remember that the difference in wet weight will be even greater due to the weight of the water in the Honda's cooling system.) | ||
| Glitch |
The only bikes I can truly compare to the XB are the Suzuki Bandits (1200 & 600), and the Honda F4i, because these are the only ones I've ridden since I bought the XB. The Bandits are very long and can't really be compared to the XB as they are more a touring bike. The F4i on the other hand is closer to an XB. The XB is still my choice for maneuverability and handling. The F4i is a great handling bike, the XB just works better in the tight stuff, just feels more natural, the F4i needs more steering input, heavier feel. And the tight stuff is where I love to ride. As far as the no so tight stuff, they all are close to being the same... | ||
| Court |
If you beleive that "American Made Only" doctrine, try to buy an American Made t-shirt. By the way, don't tease me with the "Made in the USA" label, they are referring to the COTTON, not the t-shirt. I was lectured a couple weeks ago about "Union Made" t-shirts. I checked on the Russell's I was told were Union Made. They are manufacturer in El Salvador. Court (damn glad to have a very geopolitically diverse Team Elves) | ||
| Tripper |
If you make your dedcisions based on the specs, you should be skeered to swing a leg over an XB. Common sense might tell you it will be twitchy and unstable. It ain't at all, in fact it is slower to initiate a turn than my S1, which has similar specs to the RC. The XB's ultimate lean angle and the comfort it displays while at those angles, are far beyond my S1. Both are very stable at 130+ with no steering dampener, and many of the current Jap bikes have these factory installed. So who knows unless ya ride it. I have A/B'd the XB9R and my S1 in the twisties and the XB is a PHENOMENAL handling machine. While doing 10 mph faster than I could on the S1, it felt like I was going slower and had performance to spare. If only it had more motor. Kinda like RC51 levels. | ||
| Funjimmy |
I just love stirring the pot! [quote]...move from a manual labour base to a technology/knowledge based workforce...[end quote] That reminds me of all the dot coms of yester year. Knowledge based economies are great if there is sufficient demand for the alleged knowledge that these companies provide. Knowledge based economies unfortunately do not provide adequate numbers of jobs. Some times good ole durable goods, and the trades still offer good employment opportunities. But I guess this is all a little off topic! I'm looking forward to what Honda may offer up in a naked V twin (RC51) powered streetbike too, but not to replace my Buell. It would just be nice to have another option when setting out on the open road. Cheers  FunJimmy | ||
| Piggos |
Fair trade yes, free trade no. We working in the USA will have a difficult time maintaining our present lifestyle while competing with countries that work their labor force longer hours at a dramatically lower fully-burdened cost. Japan, Inc. will feel this pressure also if or when Korea and China choose to enter the motorcycle market. Sorry to all, this is way off topic. I'll abandon and burn my soap box. | ||
| Mikej |
Speaking of China and the motorcycle market: http://www.jsonline.com/bym/news/jul03/159170.asp?format=print |
