| Author | Message | ||
     Stormfool |
Never thought about it that way--I just figured it was yet another excuse to keep it until I'm too feeble to hoist my heinie onto the beast!(and then some) Some bikes are disposable like a lighter or ballpoint pen (as in "hey go ahead and borrow my Honda--I don't even ride it anymore) Others are cherished relics with a sense of history, possessing charisma (like my old Bonneville) But my Milly (2000 X1) is a keeper--an extension of my own personality/ parting with her would be like amputating my third leg.... | ||
| Rick_A |
I feel the same about my baby ('96 S1). | ||
| Buell_Brener |
I have 3300 miles on my new 2002 X1 WL. No problems of any kind so far. Does anyone have any experience with stelth edging on the X1 fairing? I ride alot during the winter and spring so temps are usally in the 40's and 50's. Regards | ||
| Cyclone1 |
Bought an 02' Black M2L (with those sweet ass PM wheels) in July...got about 12,000 on it. Took it to Deal's gap back in September. Best riding country I've ever experienced BTW. Never knew the bad web existed and didn't get to test ride it although I've test ridden a few. No problems to speak of cept a lil slow...in the process of remedying that  I'll never get rid of it...maybe get a few more since they're dirt cheap these days, heehee  Frank | ||
| Timbo |
Just got back from a last minute/spur of the moment blast through the beatiful roads of our Angeles National Forest, here in SoCal. What a HOOT!!! Several cars on the way up provided for breif bursts of triple digits followed by seemless twisty fun. Had a sportbike come up on my tail while waiting for an opportunity to pass a trio of cars. When the opportunity came up I went...saw said sportbike follow along and thought "cool, a little company", but was dissapointed to see him drop from sight. I waited at the top but he didn't show, oh well. Headed back down with no traffic at all except a Miata that tried to stay ahead for a brief time but decided to give me right of way soon enough. I gave him a thank you wave and proceeded to NAIL IT! through the next several corners...hmmm...never saw him again either LOL. BTW, have I said yet how much I love this bike?! Oh, ok. Timbo | ||
| Prof_Stack |
100+ miles on the XB9S Saturday was a cold but great way of really getting to know this bike. My time on the Blast is really in the past. The Lightning is in a whole other atmosphere: a (adjustable) suspension that really works, hard acceleration from low rpm's, handling that is rock solid, ... ... and a grin factor like I've never had before! ![:]](http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/clipart/proud.gif)  | ||
| Joey |
And you didn't even cry!  When I first saw the XB9R up close, my wife was with me. She said, "Wanna trade in the Blast!?" I said I'd just get a second bike. I suppose I better try the XB9S as well. I'll be doing my test drives when it warms up... | ||
| Lgpch |
Am I happy? I think so, only I am not satisfied by any means!!! I have a 2000 M2 that I bought new. After only two weeks of owning it I already could not stand the breadbox aircleaner. I got a forcewinder. But you know how that works, if you do the aircleaner, you got to do the exhaust. So then I got a V&H with the accompanied rejet. O.K., so now I uncorked the stock motors lungs. Hmmm. That nasty emissions cannister has got to go too. After about a week of riding around like that, I had to pull off both the covers on the motor and get them powder coated. I don't like grey. Black is for me. What next? I could not stand that grey swingarm either. Pulled that off and got it polished. Boy that was a fun little job!!! I am not going to keep on rambling about all the bodywork I have either sawed off, replaced or just threw away, or the fact that I am on my fourth set of handlebars (they have to be perfect, you know). There is too much stuff done and yet to be done to catch all of you up. Am I happy? I think so. Am I satisfied? No way. Every time I fire up my bike I grin from ear to ear. I take pride in having an American machine that is capable of being totally customized. All the "problems" I have mechanically or when trying to make non-stock parts fit are part of the fun. People who get these bikes need to know that they are getting into a relationship. If you don't like to put time into your machine and it's motor, then just go and get a Jap bike that looks like a jet-ski on pavement. Yeah, im happy but I think alot of it has to do with the fact that I put time into my bike so that we both stay in a good mood. | ||
| Newfie_Buell |
I'd be much happier with the S1 if I could ride the damm thing-Bloody Snow on the ground. | ||
| Rick_A |
Any bike can be highly customized...and most jap bike owners do the same mods to their bikes...intake, exhaust, rejet, polishing, painting, etc...the only difference is that some of their mods are cloaked under bodywork. Buell owners just seem to have a higher percentage of altered from stock machines...mainly due to the fact that some have ass-ugly features from the factory. | ||
| Newfie_Buell |
Rick You forgot to add that ANY Buell is a work of art. | ||
| Rudebike |
I like my X1. Why wouldn't I? It's just right for me. It has character and strength. It may not be the fastest thing around, but that's not why I bought it. It's fun, capable, and always a hoot. I am working my way up to some customization ideas myself. Should be an interesting spring. Can't wait to take another run to Yosemite this year...or anywhere else for that matter... | ||
| Lgpch |
Rick I know and ride with plenty of guys who have various bikes from GSXR's, one bro' has a Katana 600 (Tony is super cool so I don't make fun of his ride), and I know a guy with an R6. None of these guys has done any mods past an exhaust, and I think it is because these bikes (except for Tony's) absolutely haul ass. I think my J-bike ridin' friends want the performance, dig the looks of their bikes and don't want to be bothered with time consuming maintenance. Now switch to all the Buell guys I have ridden with. Go to any place where Buells are and you would be hard pressed to find one Buell without something different. Now I can't prove this, but I bet that the reason for this is because Buells attract a different type of enthusiast. I will even go so far as to say that on the average, I bet that a way higher percentage of Buell owners can out-wrench Jap bike owners. We should have a TV show where to be in the audience you have to be a Buell owner or a Japanese sport-bike owner, but cannot be a mechanic by trade. We will call it the "Iron Wrench", like that show Iron Chef. You call people down from the audience and they have their bike brought in from the parking lot. Then they spin the wheel and it lands on whatever, like "replace your clutch cable". Man im puttin' my $$$ on the Buell guys!!! | ||
| Rick_A |
Well, it's my opinion that Buellers do these mods mainly for the looks and the sound  . Except for the Lightning cammed models there isn't much in gains with intake, carb, and exhaust mods...and even with those models the gains are basically only midrange and improved throttle response. Now, more extensive engine and chassis mods are a different story. I see a lot of Buells with a ton of useless bolted on accessories...which I think is crap...and in my area most either have the usual "race kit" or are mainly stock. I will even go so far as to say that on the average, I bet that a way higher percentage of Buell owners can out-wrench Jap bike owners. No doubt! You forgot to add that ANY Buell is a work of art. ...and you must admit that the airboxes and mufflers are just about the most ungainly looking things ever bolted onto any modern production bike. ...oh, and I'm very happy 'cause I've done a few hundred miles with nothing breaking or coming loose. Yay! I stepped back and watched my bike throb violently at idle today...and wondered how anything could survive that for any length of time  . I actually like the fact that Buells are relatively slow compared to most high performance machines...I don't need to be doing more than 130 | ||
| Dynarider |
I will even go so far as to say that on the average, I bet that a way higher percentage of Buell owners can out-wrench Jap bike owners ================================================== Its because we have, not always because we want to. There is a difference. And if you ever done any work on a japanese machine, you will realize that the Buells & Harleys are very simplistic to work on. | ||
| Cyclone1 |
Amen, Dynarider Frank | ||
| Aesquire |
Too True Dynarider. I sold the GS1100 because I was tired of: the 4 cyl buzz, the reallly loud Yoshimura exhaust, the Tiny Tiny hands of Japanese engine builders that expect me to cram my big Yankee hands into that space between....   , and synchin' 4 Carbs. No, hold it, I liked playing with a carbstick. It was the Tiny hands bit. | ||
| Aesquire |
It's all what you're used to. I don't flinch at setting points, compression testing, sliding rings/pistons/jugs together. (4 at a time!) Cracking cases makes me sweat, I'm afraid of the spring loaded thingee that shoots across the garage when the big rubber hammer & chunk of 2 x 4 finally get the bottom end apart.  hope I don't Need that. | ||
| Whatever |
Happy Buell Owner, I have had my M2L exactly one year today... YAY ! Too bad I live on the tundra. | ||
| Newfie_Buell |
Congrats Char, Don't talk about Tundra, I feel like I am in the freakin snow belt these days. Go to the Curse page to see why I can't ride. | ||
| Crusty |
"...and you must admit that the airboxes and mufflers are just about the most ungainly looking things ever bolted onto any modern production bike." I agree with you about the airboxes, but I think the muffler looks fine. A friend who was not a rider told me how attractive the muffler was the first time he saw a Buell. Why does a cylinder on a piece of pipe look attractive when it's on the side of a bike, but not when it's under the engine? | ||
| Joey |
I'm with Crusty on this and the winter sucks thing. If my Blast! muffler was more free-flowing, I would have never replaced it! Someone once offered to pay me $200 to ride my Blast!. I told him he might as well be asking me for a test run with my wife. Of course, my wife is #1, but the Blast! isn't far behind... | ||
| Rick_A |
Why does a cylinder on a piece of pipe look attractive when it's on the side of a bike, but not when it's under the engine? Well, that's not my problem with 'em...just the fact that the stock ones are frikkin' huge and look like they belong under an econo-car. | ||
| Newfie_Buell |
Joey, I once saw a helmet sticker that read "Please don't ask to ride my bike and I won't ask to F&*% your wife". Needless to say I was not allowed to get it. As for the airbox and muffler, I think thats whats part of being a Buell. I do have mine removed but if it was more free flowing and lighter I would have probably left it on. I should have used it on my car when the muffler gave out!!!! | ||
| Joey |
I can imagine my Blast! muffler on a 4-litre straight-6. Talk about back-pressure! It would probably explode the first time I punch the pedal to the floor! | ||
| Rick_A |
Joey...I was talking about the real Buells...hehehe JK  | ||
| Joey |
Real Buell?! I tell you what! Let's meet somewhere and have a race, and, um, well, nevermind. I've had several people look for the second cylinder, and finally ask me something like, "This is a twin, isn't it?" | ||
| Prof_Stack |
Joey, are you STILL riding that Be-Last? | ||
| Bill00 |
Now, now Prof. don't make me build that 600cc four valve Blast that I'm thinking about building next winter.  | ||
| Piggos |
I've had far less trouble with my X1m at 5000 miles than I did with my last three new sport bikes, A Ducati and two BMWs. Thanks to this site and "X1 Files" I was able to do the simple mods and updates. I enjoy the wrenching part- it's a large part of the sport for me. I had most of the "latest" import sportbikes in the '80s and for the most part quit riding simply because the bikes were boring. I, too, will never sell my X1 Millennium! (see profile picture) |
