| Author | Message | ||
     Koz5150 |
So I have been a member of this site for a little over a year now and owned my M2 since August of 2002. I have been reading all the posts about how BRAG events cost too much, exhausts parts cost too much, HD service costs to much... you get the picture. So what's the deal? I am starting to believe that many people who own their Buells can't really afford to own a Buell. I think that every bike comes with an expectation of expense on aftermarket parts as well as service. Now let me also make this clarification. People who work on their own bike (tune-ups, building their own parts) and enjoy doing it are not cheap. I am refering to the guys that spend $7,000+ on a bike and then complain about paying $300 or $400 on an exhaust, or even $100 for 4 day BRAG event. He/she should have known long before he bought that bike he would need money to personalize it to his/her liking. Also people who choose to leave their bike stock and just want to turn the key and ride are great too, I nothing but respect for them! I personally have enjoyed the time I took doing oil changes, modifying stock parts, and even making new ones from bare metal for my bike. My service manuall has more then a few greasy finger prints in it. But I am also not afraid to drop a couple of hundred bucks on parts, protective gear, and other "necesities" that are part of owning a bike. I guess it's just a pain to constantly read how people think everything is so overpriced. Maybe some of these people should have bought a bike more in their price range. I see there are more then enough late 80's and early 90's hondas on cycletrader.com looking for a good home. If that doesn't suit your fancy, maybe you should look into a more affordable American bike like a classic Schwin... | ||
| Darthane |
2001 Buell P3 Blast = 5,200+ 2003 Buell XB9R Firebolt = $11,500+ Aftermarket parts for both = $1,800+ Repair parts for both = $400+ Maintenance parts over 3 years = $??? Insurance for a 20-23 year old on a sport bike = -=gags=- Safety gear for my g/f and I = $2000+ The three best years of my life = PRICELESS Not a penny's worth of regret. edited by darthane on May 05, 2004 | ||
| Reepicheep |
Cheapskate? I suppose. But as a single income three kids head of household, it's not like I have a lot of money laying around for $500 slipons. I was able to score my Banke shifter and supertrapp exhaust and forcewinder parts by being patient and watching for deals. Would they have been worth full retail? Yes. Could I have afforded to buy them that way? No. And older UJM's? And you think keeping your Buell running is time consuming and expensive!?!?!? I had a pretty well made Yamaha, with 25k miles on it, and while much less stuff broke, it was much more expensive and painful to fix it, and that was an older naked standard. I shudder to think about a true UJM sportbike. Split the cases to replace 2nd gear, or replace a cam chain tensioner? Aaaack! So while a $1500 exhaust system looks cool, I would much rather have a stock bike, and a beater dirt bike, for the same price. Maybe practical more then cheap. | ||
| Glitch |
Koz, I'm just a cheap blankety-blank. I love my bike. I don't want to even add up how much I've spent on it, aftermarket, maintenance, or otherwise. Might go into shock. I've complained about cost, I've also bought some of the things I've complained about. I won't complain about how much BRAG costs, I support BRAG with something more valuable than money. If your going by what's posted as to how people really feel, you may not be seeing the picture in "Living Color" Conversing with people on a BBS is kinda like watching a black and white TV. While enough of the information and emotion is there to know what's going on, there's still something missing that can't be picked up even with a better antenna. did I make any sense at all? | ||
| Koz5150 |
I was at the 20th last year and was involved with a BRAG club for awhile. I think 99% of us are fine. It just seems like sometimes we should complain less and ride more!  | ||
| M1combat |
Well... I pay $475 for rent, $400 for my Mustang (Classic Mach-1), Just over $200 for my bike, about $170 for insurance every month (car, bike, bike, bike, truck), cable internet access, my GF needs a Mother's day gift and I still have to pay the taxes ($500) on the bike. The last payment for the Mustang is this months payment. After that I need to upgrade my home PC and then rebuild the engine in my Mach (mostly just for fun) and after that I'll dig into the truck engine (It's #482 of 806 so I have to keep it in good shape out of respect for the engineers) and after that maybe I can afford some Buell parts. I may be able to squeeze a Drummer in there somewhere. | ||
| Wyckedflesh |
Koz, it isn't so much that we as Bueller's are cheapskates, its that we are more discriminating of what we do add to our bikes. He have a major bang for our buck bike to start with and well, we want the most bang for our buck to keep it going that way. | ||
| Fullpower |
compared with the average chrome encrusted HD barge owner, most of us could probably be seen as cheepskates by some retailers. | ||
| Ezblast |
Hey! - I resemble those remarks! I live in SF - mucho expensive - I and my wife watch every dime - we are in no way rich - well except in memories - lol - still I budget and plan for any parts, and really unless you know a few folks on the Brag ride, your just paying money for something you do regularly alone aka the No Wine Tour (been on those roads countless times - lol)and paying for a higher chance of an accident happening to you. I'm no social flower and, unless Erik (Brain fart - oops, spelling corrected! - lol) was showing, meeting new people is not anywhere near the top of my list. I'm in it for the ride and this great machine that Mr. Buell was good enough to invent! Anti - social - a bit, cheap - have to be to survive here, Buell riding fool - most definitely! Got Thump?! Just Blasting on the Dark side! EZ  edited by ezblast on May 05, 2004 | ||
| M1combat |
Pssst - It's "Erik".  | ||
| Mikej |
Two guys walk into a boutique dealership, profiled as follows: 1: Wearing H-D badged jeans, H-D badged boots, a locally made leather vest with a large H-D authorized HOG patch on the back, a H-D belt buckle, with H-D badged sun glasses on his head, rode into the parking lot on a dressed out RoadKing with $10,000 worth of accessories and upgrades on it. 2: Wearing Draggin Jeans purchased on-line from American Sport Bike, wearing a Vanson Buell jacket, wearing Oakley sunglasses purchased from a local bicycle shop, wearing Sidi boots purchased from a local discount store during a clearance sale, wearing a belt bought off the rack at the local Wal-Mart, wearing a t-shirt from HobanBrothers, and rode into the parking lot on a modified Buell with $1,500 worth of upgrades the majority of which were purchased elsewhere. Who will the dealership cater more to? Which will be seen as a cheapskate? What color is the third color down of a rainbow? Most of us have lives, not lifestyles that we live and emulate. Life goes on. | ||
| Glitch |
1) #1 2) Me, but I have regular seein' eye glasses, a last years model Teknic jacket, Joe Rocket boots from new enough, and a modified camera bag strapped to my seat for a tail bag. Other than those small details you described me pretty good. 3) yellow? | ||
| Buellkowski |
Mikej =  Buells are their own billboards; no rider swag required. | ||
| Daves |
The way "I" would look at it is this, Rider number one is already a loyal customer, let's keep him or her happy so they stay that way. Rider # 2 is possible future business. Let's treat him or her good too. Maybe next time they will buy their stuff here. Besides, they can't be all bad, wearing a Hoban shirt! If the Buell rider is buying most of the stuff elsewhere I would wonder, why is that? Some shops it would be obvious, they don't have anything to sell the Buell rider or even know what the buell rider wants/needs/is talking about. If I were one of those dealerships maybe I'd be thinking, better get some stuff here to sell? Maybe should hire someone that can sell to the Buell rider? But that's just me. What color is the 3rd one down? | ||
| Mikej |
http://sln.fi.edu/color/rainbow.html "Most people think... the only colors of a rainbow are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, but a rainbow is actually made up of an entire continuum of colors—even colors the eye can't see! " Daves, That is why you have success where others fail, you see the possibility, others only see the history. | ||
| Fuscat |
Well I know I am a cheapskate. But not just in regards to my Buell. I am a cheapskate regarding everything. Coming from a very poor background I have worked very hard to get where I am at. I like others have mentioned have to maximize every dollar I have or I end up that way again. In regards to Buell stuff, compared to all the harley do-dads the Buell branded stuff is probably quite tame in comparison of price. Regardless 30 dollars for a cotton t-shirt with the buell graphics and such is rediculas. (other then the free stuff we have gotten from buell both my other dealer bought shirts have been $29.99) The buell pro pegs they used to have on the racks for $90 a pair c'mon gimmie a break. If it was honda or ducati or anyone else I STILL won't pay those prices. Your probably right though. Maybe I shouldn't own my buell maybe its out of my league and I can't afford it. Then again I love this bike and not a thing on two wheels could ever replace it. Plus it only cost me $5k in the grand scheme of things the bike itself wasn't that expensive. Do I want to buy an exhaust setup that cost a 1/4 of the total price of my bike I don't think so, logic has to kick in sometimes.. | ||
| Daves |
Our t-shirts are 19.95 before your badweb discount. I don't have any with our logo on them yet but will when they get another approved vendor. Dave | ||
| Fuscat |
hahah exactly why you kick so much ••• Dave! Keep in mind Im talking in general here.. kick ••• badweb sponsers who go out of thier way to take care of us are excluded!!  | ||
| Fuscat |
hahah exactly why you kick so much ••• Dave! Keep in mind I'm talking in general here.. kick ••• badweb sponsors who go out of there way to take care of us are excluded!! | ||
| Midknyte |
Harley boots, Harley jeans, Harley shirt, Harley jacket, Harley underwear, Harley blah blah blah - when was the last time you walked into a dealership that had ANY Buell branded clothing that you even could spend your money on??? We're not being given the opportunity to appear anything but cheap... | ||
| Bomber |
Yo, Mid . . . the two dealerships you likely visit (Lake Shore and Woodstock) are accurately described by your post . . . .. check out, oh, Ill HD in Berwyn . . . . .you'll be able to drop some serious coin on clothes, gear and asway for yer scoot! | ||
| Mikej |
Not to mention that a local to me aftermarket accessory shop had the first Blast I'd even seen before any of the local dealerships had one on their showroom floors. Stuff is out there, it's just peppered about rather thinly in some regions. | ||
| Dyna |
Now I know Mike has seen just as many Buell riders as I have who wear HD boots, jackets, gloves, etc while riding. Aint nobody BSing anyone here about that. Go to any Brag meetinf or function & count the number of HD leathers & HD helmets vs Joe Rocket or similar. | ||
| Midknyte |
"...check out, oh, Ill HD in Berwyn . . . . .you'll be able to drop some serious coin..." ROADTRIP! | ||
| Midknyte |
BTW - Really slick XB tshirt over at American Sportbike http://www.americansportbike.com/clickcartpro/cgi-bin/cp-app.cgi?&pg=store&sub_p g=prod&ref=390 | ||
| Southernmarine |
I'm cheap and I'm not ashamed to say it. Well, not that cheap, I did buy a Blast for $4200, coulda bought a "rice-burner" for a lot less. But I fell in love with this little American-made bike. So did my kids. | ||
| Tahoeblaster |
I cheerfully confess to being a cheap Blastard. Actually I just think I'm allergic to paying retail (even got my Blast on the cheap from the dealer) However, being single, if I don't watch out for my finances, no one else will. So owning a Buell isn't a cause or symptom of my frugality, and I will pay for stuff I need, it just hurts to pay too much LOL. Eric | ||
| Phatkidwit1eye |
I think one thing that surprised me on these boards was all the home made fixes people come up with. The more I think about it it's not that people are cheap it's that we just enjoy being inventive. I know there are a lot of cheap parts I could go and buy and just be done with it, but the fun part is making your own stuff and finding a way to make it work. As for exhaust and other things. Why would I want to buy an expensive exhaust that more than likely my bike will shred over a years time? I have a force on my bike now, but I also waited to find one cheap on e-bay. I think I paid about $250 for it so if I do shred it (which I probly will) I wont feel as bad that I just wasted 700 bucks on an exhaust. Another thing for me is pride. I'm just to proud of a person to go into a HD dealership and buy an over priced part when I can get the same thing or better for a cheaper price. | ||
| Mikej |
Yeah yeah, but hey, all in fun, "You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant"  | ||
| Bomber |
actually, the sporty-based engine is one of the reasons I was drawn to the Buell in the first place . . . .. after have a couple of sccot orphaned by Japan, Inc., I figured that major engine bits would be available until the end of time, or after . . .. . I also like to tinker, and the Buell is extremely tinker-friendly |
