| Author | Message | ||||||
     Shawartz |
Hi new to the site and new to Buell bikes. I live in Labrador where the winters are long and the summers are short but I Always like the look and style of Buell bikes but with no dealer in my area never thought I would get one. Finally was able to get to demo day in Baie Comeau, Que.
After having to drive 12 hours on a dirt road just to test drive a buell, and then drive home again without the one I wanted. After 2 weeks on the phone with another dealer, and a month later I finally pick it up from the shipping company. Best Day Ever.
Had a couple weeks to drive it before the snow came for the next 8 months. Still managed to get 1200 kms.
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| Blake |
Welcome and congratulations! I still vividly remember the day I purchased my first Buell, a 1997 Cyclone, and rode it home. If you can find a way to convert your pics into jpg or gif files, you'll be able to upsize them, I think.  | ||||||
| Halffastracing |
I walked into Cowboy Harley during their Grand Opening. They had a brand new (17 miles) 05 black 12R left-over on the floor that they wanted to move. Not expecting to purchase, I chewed the fat with the salesman and my wife and we left empty handed. He was willing to let the bike go for $8,500. On the ride home, we discussed what a great deal that was. I called the salesman when I got home and told him that if he'd let it go for $8,250, I'd be there in 15 minutes. He said yes so off I went, checkbook in hand. I bought the bike that day, but had to leave it at the dealership as I didn't have ANY gear yet. This was a planned impulse buy (can that exist?). I had my Austin friend ride it to my house the following week and over the course of two weeks purchased all my gear. ATGATT. I've had the bike for about three months and am loving every minute. | ||||||
| Sleez |
as told before; I was living in Indianapolis at the time, there was a shop, I believe Ultimate Biker's Dream (something like that) and I was window shopping the choppers, Big Dog etc. I kept gravitating more toward the sportier styles. I was talking to a salesman about what I liked, when he says "I have a Buell in the back!" I was flabergasted, "why is it in the back?" was my reply. At this point I must tell you, I knew what a Buell was, had seen my first, a RSS at California HD in Socal some years ago and had seen a few others since, always had major motor lust. Well anyway, he tells me the story about a guy who had the Buell for a few months and layed it down, moderate cosmetic damage, brought it in to their shop to get repaired, (why?? there was a pretty good Buell shop across town!?) and it was repo'd by the bank! The shop bought it and hadn't gotten around to fixing it yet. So he takes me in the back, I immediately fall in love, before me sits a 97 S3, black magic, bronze cast wheels, layed over on the left side; fairing, turn signal, handlebars, derby cover all need replacing. No problem, he starts it up, what a beautiful sound she made, Supertrapp, Hypercharger all working nicely. This was January 15, 1998, the bike only had around 3000 miles in its first year. I couldn't pass it up. I made an offer of $6500 otd, done deal! I rode her home the next day. I then ordered $1000 in new parts, most special order, and took home a few they had in stock, had her re-jetted and proceeded to put her back together. I was so happy with this bike, I would literally sit in the garage for hours just rolling around on the floor looking at it from every angle I could, beautiful motorcycle! I was so crazy about her, I couldn't wait for the fairing to come in, so I bolted on the mirrors and signals to the fairing mount and rode it that way for a few weeks! I wish I had a pic of that! Finally everything came in and the rest is history! (Message edited by sleez on January 12, 2007) | ||||||
| Danger_dave |
I freelance for Kiwi Rider magazine as one of the testers (you name it I've probably ridden or written about it) and Art director - as well as do roustabout work for AMPS - Aucklands only H-D Buell dealer, triumph NZ (and a whole heap of other stuff). I was returning a Rocket III test bike: 'Dave! we need some bikes shaken down and run in before open day. Will you take a Road King and give it the once over?' 'Mate, my security isn't that good.' 'Well how about this new XB12X' 'FOR SURE!' ‘We have got to get one of these.’ Said the Co-pilot before we got to the lights at the top of our street, the very first time she rode on it. We did 1,000km on it either side of open day and went in on Monday and ordered a black one. Gone. | ||||||
| Spiderman |
Well, this was my third attempt to purchase a Buell. 1st. While 16 years old I spotted the bike of all bikes, a Parkway Blue S2 with white frame and rims. It was love at first site. I would often go to the dealer just to look at it for hours. I started to save my money and when I turned 18, I was getting a Buell. 18 came and I stated watching for that special S2 and low and behold a dealer got one, used, didn't matter I wanted it anyway. Damn was she pretty! Well needless to say no matter how much money I had saved to put down it wasn't enough to buy out right cash and an 18 year olds credit, needless to say isn't quite there yet I continued to save what I could put away and watched for deals and something I liked. The years passed and nothing really caught my eye except a few S1's but the dealer sold out of those fast and when 99 rolled around there were no more. 2000 I walk into the dealer and there sitting on the floor is a used 99 M2 cyclone. Holy hell is this bike cool, looks great, simple and cheap! So I go thru the motions again, down payment, credit app, etc. Well low and behold "WHAMIE" I even tried a credit union and a bank but to no avail. So again spirit crushed I walk away Buelless yet again. Around this time I acquired my dad's old 76 XLCH in a basket, which I still have to put together BTW. I was at work talking to a friend about how bad I wanted a Buell and about the XL. I started talking about rebuilding the ol' Iron head. We were talking about color and I said I always liked orange so I will paint it bright orange. He agreed that would be an awesome color and the conversation on all things two wheeled continued. A few days later I get a call from the dealer. It was from a lady whom I would have the pleasure of working with later down the road. She said they just got a brand NEW 2000 M2 in. I said if they won’t approve me for a used bike what makes you think they will for a new. This was my first lesson in finance LOL. She explained and I was still a little reluctant after having smelled many a Buell but never getting to taste one. She told me about a promotion they had going on where I would get $750 in Buell P&A, that peeked my attention. So I asked what color it was. "Orange" she said. It was damn near destiny! I said go for it, what the hell was there to loose. A few hours later I was approved and making an appointment to pick up my new Buell!! At this point as many of you know, sleep is not an option. it was worse then Christmas morning when you knew you were getting that Red Ryder BB gun with the compass in the stock. I that next day I arrive at the dealer, insurance and gear in hand, excited as a kid hopped up on pixie sticks at an arcade with fifty dollars in tokens. Filled out all necessary paper work, pick out $750 worth of Buell P&A and then... Oh, you thought this was gonna be a happy ending. No It's not that kind of story. See this is the time of the SRP recall on the rear shock they just received the notice yesterday. I would not be allowed to take my new bike home today! WHAT! Why didn't you tell me earlier? Never mind I know what their motives were it was the end of the month, they needed numbers and they had an excited customer. The perfect equation for a sales dept. I calmed down, asked when the recall would be done and when I could pick my bike up. "It'll be done by the end of the week, we'll call you." Well I wait, no call, I go in look at my bike, man she's beautiful, and ask jocko in sales what's going on. I had my answer in about twenty minuets; needless to say I wasn't taking the bike home. "So when is it going to be ready!?!" "We'll know by tomorrow." was their answer. Ok I can be patient I waited this long what’s another week? So I call the next day, shuffled around to all the departments trying to figure out who the hell knows about my bike. "Sorry sir we still do not know we will call you back next week." OK this crap is NOT going to fly. The next day I was in the dealership asking to speak to the GM, he was in a meeting, he seemed to have a lot of meeting around this time. I went to that dealer everyday for three weeks till I finally demanded to see the GM. I was tired of being nice and polite now it is time to get real, no one knew a thing, I was paying insurance and even got my first payment in the mail! I finally got to sit down with the GM and explain what was going on and that my new bike was to be finished and ready to pick up by the end of the week, I don't care how, get it done. Well the next day I got a call and my bike was ready. I picked her up and rode off into the sunset. | ||||||
| Ceejay |
Something about those double ought orange ones... I stopped into AD farrows, finally got myself a somewhat stable job, why not check out something I haven't had in five yrs. a new to me scoot. There in the middle of the sales floor sat an 02 M2. dressed in black with shiney PM shoes, a force intake, a vance and hines exhuast, and showing 5300 miles on the clock. 6800 you say? shoot me some numbers, after a bit of time guy comes back saying, "no can do". Seems that I've worked too long for too many different people, but I left knowing what I wanted. That's a good thing, right? Payed off a few debts, saved up some dough, and called around. Found a bank repo in TX, '00 M2, orange with white race stripes, PM wheels, a joker intake, and showing a little over 4,000 miles and wanting the same for price. After a bit of haggling I wired them the money, and went and picked up my bike three days later at the airport. rolled her out the back of my old ford, cut the mirrors off-they were held on by zip ties so the bike would fit in the shipping box, cut the keys from their ziptie, checked the brakes, good. checked the gas-full, checked the oil-spot on. Hit the starter-wahooo! I'm doing 120 up and down the street at midnight. I'm sure I pissed off some neighbors, but damn I hadn't been that happy about a vehicle since I rode my 76 Kawi over to a girl's house and didn't leave for two days. All in the name of good fun. | ||||||
| Rainman |
I thought Buells were pretty much dynamite, meaning that when you rode one you were just waiting for it to detonate beneath you like a time bomb. It might catch fire. It might throw a rod or the frame welds come apart or something. Then I spent a year without a bike after the last wire on the Gold Wing wore out. I bummed a ride here and one there, took a friends PC800 out for a ride, my dad's XS 650 and anyone dumb enough to let me climb on while I taught MSF courses. When I went through the Riders Edge Instructor program I got the chance to ride one of every style bike that Harley made. I loved the Sportsters, the Softail Deluxe and the Road Glide, but I noticed on one exercise that the other instructors were staying away from the XB9R. I got on it and rode it the rest of the day. After the class and getting the RE Instructor certificate, the dealer called me and said they were taken a 2003 Blast out of the program, did I still need a bike for very little money. I bought it, rode it home in 40 degree cloudy weather on the freeway up a big Blue Ridge mountain and discovered the little Blastard can run 80 with the big dogs and still get 70 mpg. Been smiling ever since. | ||||||
| Spuds |
here's my (long) story: back in my younger days, I always had a bike...CB400T, seca 550, FJ600.... for about a dozen years though, I went without, and with each coming spring came the urge to get another one. Back in the fall of '04 though, the urge hit hard...and I know that "it was time". So, how to obtain the necessary family buy-in...must tread carefully, pick my moments. I was hittin' all the local bike shops...wanting something different (really hoping to find a decent RZ350), but thinking I'd find something interesting, maybe used,.... I was also looking at the Monsters....I was liking the nekkid look.... I had had several conversations with the local HD shop..they had a used Cyclone in the back forever, and usually had a new XB of some sort in the showroom....usually an xb_s.... This one time at the HD shop in late '04 though, there sat this brand new '03 blue xb9r with the checkered flag graphics decal package....my heart skipped a beat!! The following Friday night, we were in town running errands and I managed to convince my wife to pop into a couple of shops "just to look". Well, we "looked" at an SV650, a GSXR600; popped over to the Kawi/Ducati shop - looked at the Monsters and a couple of Kawi's; then I said "just one more stop---you GOTTA see this Buell". Well, we were there for about an hour. Charles at the shop was really helpful. There was a promo deal happening. We asked all sorts of questions - even my wife (who also got her licence way back when, but only rode the old FJ a couple of times...) seemed to be taking some genuine interest in the xb. We left. The following Monday, I go back to the Ducati store to look again. Those monsters are darn nice too!! But, pardon? You're getting a used xb9r in???!?!? "Ya, it's got 500 miles on it. It was a Transport Canada test unit--they were using it to test brakes and noise emissions. It'll likely need new brakes etc, but all that will be taken care of!!" WOW!!! Perfect!! I goes home. I tells the wife. I says (in what I thought was an opportune moment): the monsters are nice, but if I had to make my choice right here right now, I say it's the 9r...and guess what---the duc shop is getting a used one in!!" She shrugs, "whatever".... Couple of days later I'm back at the HD shop - the blue 9r is GONE!!!! Vanished!!! "Some dude came in an' bought it" they say, but we can help you find another one... Oh well, I'm disheartened, but I'm thinkin, no sweat - I'm goin' to the Duc shop to see that used one...fits our budget even better... The fun begins - I'm a bit nervous of buying a "government used test unit" - ya gotta think they'be beaten the crap out of it. We live in the Nations' capital, so I start thinkin' - they must have had it serviced at the local HD shop...I'll start asking some questions... The local HD shop is strongly advising me to pass it up...it's been in here a couple of times, it's been dropped, flogged, etc etc, they said.... My wife is suddenly gone a little cold on the bike buying idea now, strongly suggesting that winter's not the time to buy a bike....wait till spring - you really should test ride the thing.... So - I'm going nuts!! everytime I look at the used white one - I'm thinking - it's in great shape, the motor sounds great, AARRGGHHH!!! The months pass by. I'm scouring ebay, I'm logged onto the 'bike-trader' every 2 hours, The shops are getting sick of me showing up every week. I'm totally hooked on the Buell now, trying to find everything I can about this company, these bikes. The used 9r continues to sit at the duc shop. Heck I even manage to find out what the dealer paid for it at auction (at the Transport Canada auction web site) and track down the guy at Transport Canada who tells me about the bike's history... Wait, have I told you the part about loving my wife yet? She had half of the local bike shops in on this. They all knew what was going on...when you see this guy come in, be nice, but don't be too aggressive with him....let him look, let him be.... All the gifts had been opened. The house had quietened down a bit, and I spot this little envelope stuck into the Christmas tree. My name's on it. Hmm.. A lottery ticket, I bet. Not quite. The blue xb9r with the checkered flag decal package that went with that ownership slip was delivered to my door on March 22, 2005. Thanks again Karen!! Luv ya! | ||||||
| Reepicheep |
Very cool story! | ||||||
| Blake |
I agree Bill. That's a great story! Thanks for sharing Spuds! | ||||||
| Bomber |
What a great story! and an ever greater WIFE! good for you guys! there's nuthing sweeter than making a dream come true for someone you love, I'm thinkin | ||||||
| 65460 |
Not anywhere near as good as Spuds but heres mine. It was fall and we have a ton of trees in our yard, I spent all morning, from about 6:00 am until just after 1:00 raking leaves. When I got done, I thought, " I did such a good job, this deserves a reward". Now normally I reward myself with a Culvers Malt, but I did such a fantastic job raking that a malt seemed, well, not really up to the task. So I went inside the house and told my wife, "honey, look at the fantastic job I did raking leaves, I need a reward, Im going to go buy a new motorcycle". All she said was "see you when you get back" . Ive been doing that kinda stuff to her for 31 years and she hasnt kicked me out yet. One day Ill tell you about the boat story. Cost me about a third of the price of our house and I forgot to tell her I bought it until about 2 weeks before it was ready to be picked up. |
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