| Author | Message | ||
     Whodom |
I was trying to remember when the rumors started about what turned out to be the 2004 XB12 models. Wasn't it about this time last year? Is it too early to start wondering about 2005 yet? I'd love to see an XB12T. Hugh | ||
| Firemanjim |
How about an updated FI system and a turbo--oh yeah--a frikkin' 6 speed like the rest of the world. | ||
| Djkaplan |
Let's start our own rumors. How about a SuperMoto version of the Blast? | ||
| Fullpower |
if first gear were lower, wheelspin would make the ratio useless. if top gear were higher the motor would not push the bike any faster. so the question is where is the gap in ratios that you wish to fill with an additional gear? the stock motor makes torque from 2500 to 6800 rpm. what exactly would be gained from a 6 speed transmission? | ||
| Kaese |
What about colors? I foresee some sort of purple, how would it look with the amber wheels? Silver maybe. Teal? Green? | ||
| Fullpower |
oh yeah. stroke the blast. 600 cc hot rod thumper. that sounds fun. i would buy the first one in the state. make an ice racer out of it. the fullpower race team sez: build me a stroker blast. but please....chain drive if you will. | ||
| M2cyclone00 |
I'd like to see a Blast with XB heads, cylinder, pistons, etc. And a 7500rpm rev limit. I'd buy one for my son. | ||
| Mikej |
If you want to start a rumor, do it good: Bombardier makes a surprise Springtime announcement that via numerous proxy buyers they have acquired controlling interest in Harley, KTM, and Rotax. To avoid antitrust regulations and penalties they will spin off these motorcycle portions of these three acquisitions corporations into Aviation, Watercraft, and Motorcraft divisions. The motorcraft division will be further divided into sub-segments: motorcycle-fuel; motorcycle-alternative fuel; non-motorcycle alternative fuel. The motorcycle-Fuel sub-segment will be further divided into sub-sub-segments: Cruiser; Sport touring; street-sport; dual sport; track and dirt; and competition. The sub-sub divisions will have individual options to offer Factory Works bikes with no limits on street legalness or options or power constraints. Erik will be given free-reign to direct and provide input as he deems necessary, with full Board backing and authority. Dealerships will be given 90 days to decide what products they will want to "fully" support, and any they do not or can not fully support will be offered up to independent investors with no geographic boundary restrictions and no sales quota constraints. The corporate directive will be: we will give you as many as you can sell and support, and no owner shall sit idle for more than 72 hours regardless of the problem. Customer service and support will be the over-riding theme. Dealerships who do not play well with the full product line will be given the opportunity to sell or relinquish their franchise contracts. And independent shops will be granted full warranty work approval once a set level of staffing competence and training is verified or approved. The first three bikes already completing testing will be a dual-sport 600cc single overhead cam bike, a sport touring bike with a 55"-60" wheelbase and 100hp/90ftLbs at the rear tire and payload/passenger/rider capacity of 700Lbs max and a 6 gallon gas tank, and a street-sport bike much like the current XB12 except with OHC and similar but higher power than the sport tourer bike. Initial shipments of the first three bikes will be available in mid-May with 9,000 bikes in total available by June 15th should preliminary sales projections prove out true. And not one bike will be over $10,000USD out the door, tax and license included. If you're going to combine a rumor and a dream, then close your eyes and dream in color. | ||
| Bomber |
Damn, Mike . . .they need to hire us, and right away, doncha think? | ||
| Mikej |
Yeah, I've told them that before, but they just give me another star on my folder and send me on my way. I guess we and they have a disconnect somewhere in the applied thought/dream process. Oh well, on to other things.  | ||
| Spiderman |
Damn Mike you should make some change workin at the Weekly World News with that Story  | ||
| Mikej |
Nah, they just validated my parking and sent me on my way. | ||
| Crusty |
I predict that Buell will announce their new Sport-Touring XB the day after I find a left over S3-T at some hopeless shop who hasn't sold a Buell yet. | ||
| Spiderman |
Crusty, I am e-mailing you the list I have of dealers with left over BRAND NEW S3T's | ||
| Socoken |
"if first gear were lower, wheelspin would make the ratio useless" pretty much all sportbikes are governed in first gear by the wheelie limit, or how hard a bike can accelerate without a wheelie. that limit is a function of weight distribution and suspension geometry, and power/torque characteristics, or so ive been told. "if top gear were higher the motor would not push the bike any faster." on my m2, i can hit the limiter rather easily in fifth gear (with a lot less hp than your xb12). if it had a sixth that was a little taller, ild bet dollars to doughnuts it would go faster. top speed aside, a freeway gear that dropped RPM would be a welcomed addition to my bike. "what exactly would be gained from a 6 speed transmission?" aside from the aforementioned top speed and cruise RPM, six speeds are easier to shift, making for quicker upshifts, and six speeds make it easier to keep at PEAK hp or torque, not just somewhere in the entire powerband. a six speed will make your bike faster. its my understanding that Erik chose to stick with the five to make backroad bombing easier with less shifting to worry about, which makes a lot of sense. in all honesty, im talking out of my ass. but what i do know for sure is, i like six speeds a LOT better. | ||
| Ferris |
...six speeds make it easier to keep at PEAK hp or torque... hmmmmm, my White Lightning has something more akin to a torque plateau... FB | ||
| M1combat |
Exactly... The XB engine and the Ford 351C... The 351C coined the term torque plateau . Especially with the 2V heads . As for a six speed... I would like to cruise at 80 somewhere around 3200RPM's. It would extend the cruise limit of the XB mileage wise by a great deal, make the engine last even longer and would pay for itself in gas mileage. I can't wait for someone to produce one. | ||
| Whodom |
Spidey, I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd mail me a copy of that S3T list too. How about left over 2002 M2's- have you got a list of those, too? TIA, Hugh | ||
| Spiderman |
I can get it But it will be a looong mail. | ||
| Crusty |
Spidey, thanks for the list. I notice that there's a couple not too far from me. Now, if only that damn lawyer would hurry up and get me a big settlement... | ||
| Whodom |
Thanks from me too Spidey. There are a couple of each within driving distance. Now, if my tax refund will just turn out to be a LOT bigger than I think it will be ...... | ||
| Spiderman |
You both owe me beers LOL | ||
| Piggos |
2005? I hear it's going to be an air-cooled front cylinder and a liquid-cooled rear cylinder with the radiators integrated into the rear blinkers. Got that from a reputable source, yup.. | ||
| Bads1 |
Well I heard Buell's entering the relm of dirt bikes,that why there going to be at the Moto-x races in Daytona instead of the other race. | ||
| Rex |
V Rod sport touring bike. ala the honda st 1100 style bike......... | ||
| Firemanjim |
Well,Fullpower.I have a 6 speed Baker in my 88" S-2 and it is AWESOME,.Especially with the 27t front on the S-2 I needed 6th to keep freeway RPM's down.I know I am always looking for 6th on my other S-2,and thats with the 29t front.More choice is ALWAYS better. | ||
| Whodom |
<quote>2005? I hear it's going to be an air-cooled front cylinder and a liquid-cooled rear cylinder with the radiators integrated into the rear blinkers. <quote> Oh..., so THAT's what synthetic blinker fluid is for! | ||
| Crusty |
Spidey, I'll buy you one in Newfoundland. Maybe a Labatts or a Molson. | ||
| Jmartz |
The gear ratios on the Buell engine are pretty well spaced. The XB's have (I believe) a bit more reduction in the primary. I run a Baker 6 in the old S1 and find that even with a 26 front 6th is useless below 80 mph. Someone once told me that I would never be able to tell the difference between a Showa and an Ohlins fork by why can't I still have if I want it? The R1-forum page is full of discussions mentioning the fact that only about 60% of the bike's power is usable on the street and perhaps 80% on the track. That didn't seem to stop the factory form adding an extra 25 HP and moving the powerband up another 2500 rpm making it even more useless for street use. | ||
| Hoser |
I'd be happy with the return of the trap door "cassette" transmisions and a revision to the oil pump drive , all else can be carried over to the 2005 model year. |
