| Author | Message | ||
     Anonymous |
two words..... Aprilia Futura | ||
| Buellish |
Jose,you forgot the Sprint RT and Falco....with luggage,either one would be a great backroad tourer. Add a high output alternator and a volt meter. Mike | ||
| José_Quiñones |
THose are good options, too, but I think when I say Sport Tourer I'm talking about something that comes with STANDARD hard bags, not as an option. | ||
| Racerboy |
José...I recently rode a Futura on two of best twisties we have down in the Ozarks...What a great ride...Like the ST4s, more emphasis on the sport...The luggage works well and it's looks are, well, you either love it or hate it...I happen to love it...There was one parked next to the cab of the H-D transporter at Mid-Ohio last year and it belonged to one of the H-D mechanics...I rented a Sprint ST for a week two years ago in AZ, while visiting my brother in Tuscon...Also a great bike and one that helps set the standard in this area...That triple is amazing...Gobs of torque way down low and sooo smoooth...It's even better now, I'd bet...The bags were kind of cumbersome, if I remember...I didn't have to use them very much but I remember two locks and latches to open/close and another to remove...Jeez why doesn't everyone just copy my R11RT's baggage system?...My cuz just bought a FZ1 and put a depo down on a FJR so I'll get to ride it this fall...My bet would be for the R11RT, K12RS, FJR13, ST13 or GL18 for the long haul (think Alaska or Mexico)...Notice, those are all shafties...As you can see, my emphasis is on the "touring" side but still want to have some fun when I get to the good roads...I used to love my FLTRI for trips but then I'd get to the Black Hills or Smokies or where ever and be dragging everything in every turn... Funny thing happened here the other day...A friend of mine bought a new scoot and called to tell me...I about fell on the floor...Joe's history is colored...Owned a custom chopper shop...Founded a ride here that kills about one each year due to some kind of substance abuse but is still going strong because of it's "Harley Life Stile"...Had a bad wreck a good while ago and saw the light...Has been riding an Ultra and really puts on the miles...Probably as many or more than me...50,000 plus a year...Joe and I run into each other at the Gap, down in Arkansas, where ever, and it's never planned...So Joe's a rider's rider and it's always been Milwaukee steel and he tells me on the phone that he just bought a new GL1800!...And if you've ever ridden one, you know, it now has to be called a sport-TOURER...What with that engine and chassis...Now, if they can just find tires that last a bit more than 10 miles...It's late...Gotta go down to the beemer shop tomorrow...They had the RT for two weeks for tires, inspection, etc...Picked it up this morning and didn't check the paper work (dummy)...They charged me for the state inspection but didn't do one...DOH!... See Ya! Bob | ||
| José_Quiñones |
Cool story Bob, The Aprilia, like I said earlier, is only a belt drive away from being close to a perfect SPORT-tourer, from my perspective at least. | ||
| Jima4media |
Aprilia CapoNord - That is my idea of a Sport-Tourer, and it too is a belt-drive away from being great. I rode one last November and loved it, until I rode the Firebolt in December. Now I want a combination of the two. Can't have everything in one bike I guess, so I'll have to get two. Jim X-2.5 | ||
| Bullitt |
Hey BMC, you listening? Do you hear all these guys waving their cash at you? How about an XB12T? Larger displacement would help with torque production, good for hauling the available hard bags full of stuff and the significant other around. Skip the high HP cams and let the torque flow. Skip all the gizmos - nav units, GPS, heated grips, cruise control, coffee maker, etc. Anyone that wants this stuff can add it themselves - I'll leave all that for the Aspencade crowd. Do provide the necessary amperage for the ones that do. Give it decent fuel range. Give it a decent two-up seat. Lower the pegs and raise the bars an inch each from where the XB9R's are. Make sure the suspension is up to the task - i.e. GVWR. Don't paint them silly cop attracting colors. Back it with a warranty that says you believe in what you built - at least 2 years, towing included. Let the XB platform deliver on what the S3 promised. | ||
| Raymaines |
Kevin Bullit, you big weenie, don't mess with the heated handgrips. Seriously good things! | ||
| Bullitt |
Heated grips aren't a bad idea - I'm sure you guys that live in the frozen north love 'em - but why make everybody buy them? Not a lot of call for heated anything here in Florida.  | ||
| X1glider |
2 up on an XB9R tourer? The bike is physically too small. Just get one for each person, they're only 10k. More displacement would be nice. With a nice flat, broad tourque curve and a large area underneath it. | ||
| José_Quiñones |
Buell to launch Bolt-based tourer | ||
| Lake_Bueller |
Now what to do with my S3T...Maybe I can trade it for an S1 White Lightening and get the new XB9R Touring  | ||
| Mikej |
Hope someone who goes to the SlimeyCrudRun today takes pictures of the XB's that should all be there. (Got stuff to take care of today, otherwise I'd have been there too.) There just might possibly or not be some interesting configurations of bikes there. MikeJ (Hating stuff that needs doing due to work issues.) From JQ's post above: "*The new bike is currently undergoing final tests at racetracks and on the roads around the Milwaukee factory." ps, I sure hope it holds more gas. | ||
| Raymaines |
Certainly more gas. Perhaps lower foot pegs and less aggressive frame geometry as well. High output electrical system, easily adjustable suspension, a larger fairing, a few bungi cord hooks, a helmet lock, and OPTIONAL easy to use, water proof hard bags too, if you don’t mind. This is shaping up to be an exciting summer. I wonder if the TourBolt will be the only new Buell announced in July? | ||
| Anonymous |
Buell built less than 100 S3s last year. Only a hand full of those were T models. Many of those still sit on showroom floors today. What is it that makes you people think Buell will ever venture off into the sport touring market again? Face it, the customer base did not support the model, so it DIED! Even if they did consider it, that would be a very stupid move on their part. | ||
| Court |
Wrong. Every one was a "T" model, that's all Buell offered last year.
The crowd of manufacturers headed in that directions answers that question. There is TONS of money in that market. Q: Who earns more, a couple of the 45 year old guys and gals here or a 22 year old R1 target market kid? Next questtion please....
Good news....Buell's corporate "Mothership" knows a thing or two about market research and launching the product arrow to hit it's intended customer pinata and spew $$$$ all over the floor. I'd buy one.....but then again, I've bought 6 others Buells  Court | ||
| Xgecko |
Actually as much as I like the firebolt with what I've done to my blast a semi-tour bike would probably be a smarter choice for me. I realize that in the USA there aren't that many folks who do everything by motorcycle (folks who don't own at least one car that is) but outside the USA there are plenty of such people. A Touring type bike with storage makes a lot more sense than a crotch rocket. Then again I saw a R6 with hardbags my last trip to Japan so who knows. BTW the VFR is still one of Honda's best selling bikes in Europe | ||
| Elvis |
Can anyone confirm the MCN report? While it is worded as if it is accepted fact, they also seem to be speculating on points. The details seem so vague, they could represent the same kind of speculation we are engaging in. Has anyone from the area seen any prototypes? Elvis | ||
| José_Quiñones |
Depends which showroom. The other dealers might want to ship them over to East Coast HD/Buell in Dumfries, Va (near the Quantico Marine Base). From talking with one of their salesmen today, S3T's, when they can get them, don't stay on the floor too long. They still have some M2's and X1's. and only traded in Blasts. Their lone Firebolt is sold. They are new to the Buell thing, and are eager to learn better ways to promote/sell them. He was excited to hear about this "scoop". So was I, because I was told at the Philadelphia Motorcycle Show that this bike would not be coming out, precisely because of the lack of a perceived "market" and the low sales volume of the current S3's. But please make it with hard bags STANDARD. I don't think they should waste time trying to produce/sell two versions of the same bike (S3 vs. S3T). If you're going touring, go all the way. And make it big enough so TWO NORMAL Sized people, not two 110 pound fashion model types, can tour confortably. Seems Buell designs these bikes for thin athletic types, but when you go to the BRAG rallies, it's mostly HOMER Simpson types (myself included) | ||
| Shot_Gun |
AMEN! | ||
| Cafébill |
To me the most important thing would be the hard bags. (Ok, and a bigger tank and comfy ergos... the Firebolt is a tad radical and yes I've ridden one.) But the bags need to be integrated with the design, not hung on afterwards. Look at a Futura from behind - there's a TON of room between the back of the bags and the tire. Why not move those bags inward to keep the bike narrow? Instead every sport-tourer seems to keep it's stock rear section which pushes the bags outward making the bike too wide. I really don't understand applying the "tourer" term to any bike that doesn't offer hard luggage at least as an option... Am I weird? Wait, don't answer that...  Bill | ||
| Raymaines |
First up, let me agree with Bill that But the bags need to be integrated with the design, not hung on afterwards .... Why not move those bags inward to keep the bike narrow? Right on, Bill! The Firebolt seems to be awash in good engineering, lets hope the Tourbolt will be as well. No more Mr. Nice Guy: A ways up this page I suggested that a bike should come standard with electric hand grips and got raged because the hot weather guys didn't want to pay for them. Sheech! $10 maybe $15 per bike. Like it's not ever going to rain in Florida or get a little cool in west Texas or something. Now were talking $800 -$1,000 for hard bags and you guys seem to be OK with that. What's up here? Not everybody in the whole wide world wants to carry three weeks worth of survival gear every time he heads out on a 50 mile - clear your head out after work - ride. I love the idea of a "Sports Tour" bike, well designed bags and all, but I'd just as soon buy the bags separate. | ||
| Xgecko |
Whoa there Ray, Some of us would prefer to never use/need a car. But it is hard to carry groceries on my little Blast. Suprisingly my wifes 250R has great saddlebags that can carry tons of veggies...and other stuff | ||
| Raymaines |
So buy the bags at the time of purchase. Freedom of choice for a $1,000 add on that I might not need or be able to afford is all I'm asking for. As an aside, the Yamaha that started this thread is priced at $11,500 WITH bags. It has a 145 H.P. engine and weighs 520 lbs. The Tourbolt can easily beat 520 lbs. but there's no way it's going to cost less than $12,500 even WITHOUT hard bags. I don't even want to talk about HP so I won't go there. When I think about this bike and the new 2003 Honda ST1300 for $13,000 I just want to cry. I REALLY want Buell to do well in the market place but I just don't know how many screwballs like us there are out there. Please tell me I'm wrong and give me a few good reasons to believe. | ||
| José_Quiñones |
CaféBill, The current S3 Bags are close to what you describe, they do go "under the tail" to tuck in closer to the bike. The Current bags are close to perfect, as far as I know they are the only hard bags where you have TWO different lid depth and liner options. The only things that I can think of that would improve them would be to: 1. make the mounting system on the outside so you don't have to open the bag to remove it 2. Redesign the locking mechanism so it doesn't hold water when it rains. 3. Add carrying handles & bungee hooks Brian (BgBrd) modified his bags to include some of these features.  | ||
| José_Quiñones |
SCOOP!!!! In an effort to increase rider and passenger confort, Buell has been force to increase the wheelbase of their new FIREBOLT TOURER Here's a spy shot  Imonabuss, I'm just kidding........ | ||
| Imonabuss |
Hey, Jose, That dragster's more likely to happen than a 2003 sport tourer XB (or streetfighter VR).  | ||
| Anonymous |
Posters hall of fame! | ||
| Xgecko |
The Problem with making it a choice is to do it right it has to be integrated completely which means the whole rearend has got to be part of the desing which means that the no bagger has to have a different rearend or it will look like $hit (ever see a dresser Harley without the bags???). A sport touring bike needs the Bags as part of the whole package Aprila does a pretty good job with the Falco but it's luggage still looks like an afterthought. | ||
| Raymaines |
OK. I'll go with that. Corbin bags look well integrated when installed on a bike, with the turn signals built into the rear of the bags and all. I'm sure the factory could do an even better job by designing the whole bike at once. What I would really want is a XB12R-M2. That would be just a seriously up-dated version of the bike I already own. I'm not giving up the factory heated hand grips though. |
