| Author | Message | ||
     Sheldonesbe |
it seems like the past 2 months i have spent more time dealing with fixing my city-x than riding it... (1) crappy clear plastics have been cracked since 2 months after purchase! @6000 - 7000 miles (2) clutch cable snapped (3) kickstand broke (4) exhaust pipe strap broken (5) oil leaking from the side of the oil cooler (not from the nut or hose!) (6) today i herd a rattle from my bike so i pulled over for inspection... found out that one of the engine bolts that holds my header pipe on snapped off the engine and the other bolts nut was coming loose! this was all with in a month 1/2!!! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!! I AM DONE! i guess the gimmicky style sold me on the bike in 1st place... you can have it back Harley Davidson!  | ||
| Thepup |
Sheldon,I have been there,it does get better with a competent dealer. | ||
| Sheldonesbe |
btw... dealing with buell warranty @ HD is no fun at all!!! they treat me a SPORTbike rider like a little kid in a pornshop!!! NO RESPECT AT ALL! | ||
| Sub65chris |
relax and step back. I have a city x and i had some problems too. The bike has been good to me and parts are realitivly cheap when you do something that is not covered by warrenty. as for the dealer you are spending your money at there buisiness so let them know it (as nice a posible) . you have a great bike and it will get better , trust me.  | ||
| Thepup |
"btw... dealing with buell warranty @ HD is no fun at all!!! they treat me a SPORTbike rider like a little kid in a pornshop!!! NO RESPECT AT ALL!" Been there done that also.i swear,it gets better. | ||
| Rocketman |
Try 8 years worth. They should give me a medal! Fortunately, I can and do fix my own, all to often, but even the fun in doing so has worn thin. I think Buell should sell their bikes with a public health warning. They are not for the mechanically challenged or those that can't afford to keep up with the maintenance. Rocket | ||
| Sheldonesbe |
i will be taking my bike to another buell dealer 2 hours away (out of my way)... i kind of wish i was back in seattle... all the dealers there have been very very good to me!!! it just seems like the breaks keep getting worse! i am a little scared at the moment! i just got this bike new at the end of last summer and its my only form of transpo... | ||
| Lastcyclone |
I've had mine for a year and a half and it has been nothing but ROCK SOLID! Not a single problem to date. I'm very impressed. I did own a tube frame for a couple of years that I made many trips for service with. Was yours a demo model? | ||
| Sheldonesbe |
not a demo... i put all the miles on it... i guess its just my luck!? | ||
| Diablobrian |
As I'm sure your dealer and BMC see it: could the exhaust strap breaking have anything to do with the broken exhaust stud? The clutch cable ends do break if they are not lubed enough. know weakness of the bikes, not warranty. What broke on the kickstand? Do you leave the bike idling while on the kickstand for +5 minutes during warm up? This is another known design weakness. Not warranty. If your kickstand broke I can bet I know why your oil cooler leaks now. Not warranty. And the plastic can crack if overstressed. It is advised to rely on blue lock-tite (or similar) rather than torque to retain these bolts. The plastic cracked after 1-2 air filter changes at 6-7k miles. Not warranty, unless you can prove they did it. Sounds like there are only a couple of real problems here. cool down a little and look at it like the dealer and the factory will. I'm not trying to be mean here, just trying to show you their perspective. | ||
| Midknyte |
(4) exhaust pipe strap broken (6) today i herd a rattle from my bike so i pulled over for inspection... found out that one of the engine bolts that holds my header pipe on snapped off the engine and the other bolts nut was coming loose! hmmmmm  is that you in your profile pic? how hard did you come down? how many times? flame if you must, I guess I am calling the kettle grey here... | ||
| Sheldonesbe |
i found a sharp pressure point on the motor/exhaust bracket that cut the exhaust strap!... look out fellow XBers! i filed it round and am waiting for this wonderful strap to come in the mail... i am no dummy when it comes to logic, except for thinking that this bike was a quality anglo design... the CLEAR plastics are cheap crap too! that is why i know they changed the bolts for the 2006 models! i feel this is a warranty issue since they found the problem and changed the mounting bolts from the 1st year! my bike has never been down on its side EVER! i put down the kick stand and herd it snap i then found a piece of the kickstand pivot bolt on the ground and leaned it up against a wall in my garage...i ordered the part and fixed it myself because the jerks at the jackson HD gave me problems and would not help me(this was before i thought they were total jerks)... i am not sure why its leaking oil out of the oil cooler now?... i checked all the connections on it... it kinda looks like greasy bad pizza box construction to me! as for the broken bolt that holds the header pipe... is it possible that one strap missing for 20 miles could do such a thing?!? I was happy as hell and thought this was a great machine when i got this bike, but i am kicking my self for thinking i could trust buell and things have finally changed for this motorcycle company! now you are telling me they won't live up to warranty issues too! ... i should have gone with a jap! too bad buell owns the patents to some good aspects of this bike... i am sure some one else could make it a lot better! sorry Midknyte... that picture is from tourist trophy ps2... i take good care of all my stuff! especially my new (10,000 dollar) only form of transportation... it has not 1 scratch! thanks for the feedback guys! i can't wait to get this crap fixed so i can sell it for half of what i paid for it (NOT)!!!!! call me bitter, but this is from my own experience... how could i not be a little bit pissed about owning a lemon with two wheels?(scary!)i have enough problems in life as it is! i also want to let all the new XB owners know what might be instore for their future! a word of advice if you want a buell? buy two of them one to repair and the other one to take the parts from! i can not believe they are selling that XBRR for over $30,000!!! it doesn't even have bling spinner rims!!! J/K... ok ok ok... i think i got a little bit of my steam out w/ out abusing my caps lock! i am sorry if i made you all as mad as i am!  (Message edited by sheldonesbe on April 26, 2006) | ||
| Sheldonesbe |
i am not a jerk at all! i am seriously a extremely nice guy and know how to deal with people very well... i am more upset with myself for purchasing this brand of motorcycle... i feel like i was ripped off from an american motor company again and have been getting horrable customer service from dealers that know jack about the sportbikes they sell and don't care about! buell makes not even 10% of sales in almost all HD shops! buell lacks alot of attention from allmost all dealers... even the shop in seattle had the new buells off the main floor and in the basement with used HD bikes like they were imbarased to let HD people see them! i am choosing to let other XB owners know about these things, is that not what this web site was designed for? buell needs to open their own shops far far away from HD!!! they should also manufacture their own parts and build a 3-4 banger with 6 (smooth) gears just to keep the american sportbiker market happy!!! because buell just lost me and alot of the people i talk to about my problems with my bike...BTW my mother is getting a new suzuki in a week... she was looking at buells up untill a week ago... (Message edited by sheldonesbe on April 26, 2006) | ||
| Court |
>>>i am sorry if i made you all as mad as i am! Tell ya a secret...ya made not one made. When folks go on these "the world is out to get me" rants....to be honest.....fw folks listen. Your logic is flawed, you facts questionable and it detracts from your argument. If you had any valid issues, and I were Buell dealder.....well you get my point. First thing I'd look at is your attitude and how you are spinning the situation. I've never had much luck going around pissing off as many folks as I cold find and then asking for help. Just my thoughts.... Court | ||
| Heads |
Why is it when someone post about their dramas and bad experiences,other members say it is your fault not the bike. I have had my 12R for 8 months and not 1 problem love it best bike ever had, but im sure i would be saying the same words as Sheldonesbe if that happened to me. GOOD LUCK...with it Sheldonesbe | ||
| Sheldonesbe |
yo court! i feel like i am trying to walk with two broken legs driving this bike... i am glad you and your old bike are happy/lucky... i don't know why i am the one that had to get a lemon?.. but there is no reason why this 2005 bike should be falling to pieces with barely 7000 miles on it... all i know is that i don't want any thing to do with this bike anymore... i can't afford its problems! I have a job to drive to and i don't have a retirement fund either... so i really don't get your secretive missfired point? I JUST WANT TO LET THE XB WORLD KNOW ABOUT MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH MY buell AND THE HD DEALERS SO THEY CAN PREVENT THIS CRAP FROM HAPPENING TO THEM!!! btw.. we have a built in spell check on this website if you didn't know? | ||
| Sheldonesbe |
yo heads...its this big AMERICAN sportbike pride thing... it's like a mother with a misbehaving child... "what are you trying to say? my little buell is so perfect in every way!!!" | ||
| Thepup |
is that you in your profile pic? how hard did you come down? how many times? flame if you must, I guess I am calling the kettle grey here.. Midknyte,doesn't Buell try to use the hooligan thing in their advertising,they sponsor a stunt team,kind of funny to try to make a issue out of a wheelie pic. | ||
| Sakuc |
Heheh. My front engine mount failed on CityX on first week and the ignition cables were changed too on warranty, luckily my dealer actually fixes stuff like this. | ||
| Reepicheep |
10,000+ miles on my 9sx, and no significant problems. I had some suggestions for you, but by the time I read through what you posted, I lost any confidence that posting them would be anything but a waste of my time. Good luck! | ||
| Dragonbuell12r |
I feel for you about the HD attitude of some of the dealers. I think Buell would do better selling next to Triumphs or Ducs. At least those people would be into the bike. I also don't think your bike is a lemon. A broken muffler strap is a ten minute fix at Autozone or Pep Boys. Not sure why the cable crapped on you but lubing more often might help. (reminds me to lube my cables)Oil cooler is nothing more than a small radiator. That should be a quick warranty fix along with the kickstand. I'm not real surprised about the header stud since we all knew these things were paint shakers when we bought them. Warranty should cover all of those things if you are within the two years unlimited miles. ( no one else that I know of offers a better warranty)It's not so bad, you're just worried about getting to work etc. Hang in there or buy a bike that you think is better. | ||
| Exupmonkey |
Sheldon...I feel your pain! I had an XB9R for 2 years, mine from new, proper running in process and dealer serviced at the recommended intervals etc, never wheelied or stoppied yet I was 'picking up the bits' on a regular basis. From drive belts snapping at 6K, exhaust straps snapping X2, header bolt snapping off....the list goes on. Every fault I paid for out my own pocket except for the wheel bearings and the exhaust stud, which required a new head. It wears you down, I went from loving my Buell and defending it to all the Buell cynics out there, to quietly agreeing with them. My bike was a lemon...I loved riding it....but it was a pain to live with. Eventually, I moved on and bought something else. It is true of this site though, whenever there is a fault issue raised the underlying tone of the response is...'it must have been your fault somehow!' I know that other bike brands have reliability issues but my experience, in 22 years of bike ownership, is that the XB is by far the worst I have owned. Its too early to say if the new bike will last the pace...I hope so. | ||
| Truk |
Were the original muffler straps reused with the addition of your race can? If I am not mistaken the Service Manual says they are to be replaced... Also believe I have read that on other post on this subject. If they were re-used could explain why they broke... | ||
| Eexb |
"found out that one of the engine bolts that holds my header pipe on snapped off the engine" THIS is just too far over the top not to comment !!! How in the heck does an engine bolt "snap off" without a wrench being involved ??? | ||
| Typeone |
sucks, man but maybe there could have been reasons for a few of your issues other than your Buell being crap. i've had my fair share of stuff to fix within a year of ownership too but realized early on that some of the things i love about this bike (nasty lil beastie) will be things that will require me to keep a close eye more so than a sewing-machine-like IL-4. like loose bolts and rubbed wires. i agree that these bikes (from my experience) are not 'set it and forget it' friendly and Buell needs to keep improving for sure but... heres some thoughts, i'm not placing blame anywhere just thinking... 1. how tight do you torque those bolts? they don't require much to hold things in place. i do mine a little over hand tight. no issues. 2. had you inspected the cable before you hit 6K on the odo? maintenance is key, especially if you're in the wet a lot or racking up high miles. 3. definitely a design flaw in some of the pivot bolts but not sure why it turned so dramatic for you with the dealer. just put a new bolt in. 4. echoing Truk, did you install new straps with the race exhaust? those are 1-time use only. (few more if you're lucky but you'll be asking for a busted strap, like me  ) 5. hard to say whats up with the cooler without a pic of the leak location 6. did you have the 1K and other service intervals done by your dealer or followed by the book by yourself? header bolts come loose, they need be checked often. mine have loosened up twice in ~5300mi. is it possible that with the header stud toast and the strap gone that more issues will pop up on a motor that shakes as much as these do? hell yeah. a few of these items could have been prevented with some attention, especially on a bike with 7K miles. (Message edited by typeone on April 26, 2006) | ||
| Sflabuell |
Couldn't agree more with your current view, and the opposing points from everyone. I see you've had more than your share of disappointments with your Buell. I think just the opposite with both of mine. And most on this board would have to agree, quality Buell dealers are a scarce breed. Most dealers feel the bike not worthy of floor space, much less part stock. I too use my Buell for daily work transport, but like all bikes I have ever used, bikes break. And parts are often not on the shelf, which further leads to frustration. This is probably more due to the hyper performance nature of the beasts (bikes) than a manufacturing problem. And add to this, the Buell's inherent wonderful Torque we all love and wouldn't want to be without. Yeah, they shake, and parts loosen. And occasionally fail and fall off, too!. But all bikes do this, maybe not to the same extent, maybe so. I once had a Seca 750 that everyone I ever spoke to swears is a rock solid bike, but mine wasn't. I don't think anyone that builds anything is impervious to error. All said, I hope you get it sorted out. I know for a fact I wouldn't use any of my 3 bikes (2 Buells, 1 Honda)as a "must have" mode of transportation. Each of them breaks, each of them delivers smiles. Hopefully the smiles over ride the negatives. | ||
| Buellistic |
"i" really feel sorry for you'll !!! Have a 97S3T with 89K on the odometer as of the last ride ... Been on the side of the road broke twice: The front motor which was replaced as a recall ... The rear drive belt(was trying to see just how long the belt would last) ... If "i" had done the replacement as "PREVENTIVE MAINTANCE" when "i" should have this would not have happened !!! In BUELLing LaFayette | ||
| Mikerocket |
man that sucks. I never had any issues w/ mine. Which I sold and now really miss so much. Its really hard to find a bike that was a TORQUE hoe like my Buell was. I am sorry you had these issues. Hope it works out for the best. | ||
| Duane |
I bought my xb9 in febuary, I put about a 1000 miles on it. It has about 6500 miles on it. The belt snapped. I wasn't happy. | ||
| Duane |
side note: The dealer picked up the bike and fixed it under warranty. took only 2 days. I was happy with the service. |
