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Ticking_time_bomb
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2010 - 09:01 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Hi All,

I am a first-time Buell owner, having been convinced of the worthiness of the brand by my friend, Bad-web'er 'Duceater'.

I now own a 2003 XB9R in Battle Blue with the Erik Buell Racing Race pipe and intake, but otherwise stock.

I love the bike and I've got the shop manual so I'm going through it, tightening bolts and addressing various oil seeps.

My question: Are there any "must" mods out there? Things that I should do as quickly as possible?

Also, the Erik Buell Racing pipe is deafeningly loud. (Easily the loudest bike I've ever owned.) Is there anyone out there who has a stock XB9 pipe that they'd like to trade an Erik Buell Racing pipe for?

Thanks,
Tim
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Srwitt
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2010 - 09:52 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

trade for a race pipe.?.? Throw that sucker on ebay with a decent reserve and see what you get.
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Ft_bstrd
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2010 - 09:56 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Fatty Voltage Meter Mod:

http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/335986.html?1202653245
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Iamarchangel
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2010 - 10:33 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Oil seeps. You got the BP prototype?

Don't do anything beyond the mechanical maintenance right now.

Save your money for tires. You'll go through two sets a year. If you don't, then there's no point putting other money into it.
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Ticking_time_bomb
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2010 - 11:18 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

The tires on the bike are pretty shagged. They're crappy tires. I've always ridden Michelin, but have recently moved to Dunlops. (I know enough to ask, "Hey guys, what kind of tires do you like? haha.)

Do you think a trade for a good stock pipe is unreasonable? My Erik Buell Racing pipe has a good eight or nine thousand miles run through it?

Thanks for the heads-up on the voltage monitor. That's very useful.

Thanks,
Tim
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Ourdee
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2010 - 11:42 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Stradas.
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Iamarchangel
Posted on Saturday, October 09, 2010 - 12:08 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Don't think you actually have Erik Buell Racing pipe.

Maybe a Buell race pipe but, I think they're right. If you find it too loud, sell it. You will probably get good money for it.

Tried the original Dunlop Qualifiers, felt skaty. Tried the Conti Road Attacks, great sticky and cornering. Tried the Michelin Pilot 2, sticky, cornering, and flicking through the esses. Kept them.
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Iman501
Posted on Saturday, October 09, 2010 - 02:50 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

breather reroute!
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Spuds
Posted on Saturday, October 09, 2010 - 09:01 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Welcome to wonderful world of Buell!!

I've got a gently used stock pipe from a 2003 xb9r. It has just under 7000 miles on it. Let me know if you decide to trade the race pipe for a stock pipe....
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Ticking_time_bomb
Posted on Saturday, October 09, 2010 - 09:32 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Buell Racing pipe, yes. Whichever was the upgrade offered by Buell back in those days.

Here's a thought: since I don't have the warning light on my dash, the exhaust servo has apparently been spoofed. Is this something that can easily be un-done? Is it even necessary? From what I have read, this is the stock pipe performs so amiably and smoothly at highway speeds.
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Glitch
Posted on Saturday, October 09, 2010 - 10:15 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Ain't no exhaust servo on an XB9.

Also your race pipe is pretty rare.
I've seen them go for $600+ before on e-bay.
You should be able to find a trade!
Don't get another performance exhaust if the Buell Race is too loud, it's probably the quietest performance muffler.

Enjoy the ride!
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Ticking_time_bomb
Posted on Saturday, October 09, 2010 - 10:54 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Well that's good to know, regarding the servo. : )

The American Sportbike exhaust test I just read listed the stock pipe as maxing out at 113 decibels and the race muffler as 120, so maybe I wouldn't end up getting that much of an improvement anyway.
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Coolice
Posted on Saturday, October 09, 2010 - 04:26 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Leave the bike just the way it is, do regular maintenance and RIDE!
The more mods you do, the more the reliability goes down. Leave it the way it is or get the stock muffler/ECM.
Enjoy!
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Iamarchangel
Posted on Saturday, October 09, 2010 - 04:39 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Seeing as the ECM just got mentioned, know that the '03 chip is the same for both the stock and the race ECMs. It's the only one like that. No need to buy a race ECM for it.

If you do want to upgrade, learn the software and use the race map.

Stock is working just fine for me.
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Ticking_time_bomb
Posted on Saturday, October 09, 2010 - 07:28 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

That is SOOOoooo... good to know. I was not looking forward to buying an ECM.

I'm not really interested in changing it too too much because I can't see too many places where it needs to be changed; but, of course, there are the standard things which I am totally unaware of and I'm still digging through years of archival threads here.

In the week I've owned it, I've been thrashing it to see what it's got. I love the fuel mileage, I love the handling. ...I'm still getting used to the smoother riding style it demands
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Iman501
Posted on Saturday, October 09, 2010 - 08:28 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

i to have a perfect cond stock pipe for an 03 9r (no dents or anything) i'd be happy to trade for a race pipe as well if your interested. I also have a stock ECM to go with it if you need one

i'm not sure how many miles are on the stock pipe, when i got my bike it had the race pipe on it and the seller had the stock pipe in his garage that he gave to me as well i dont think it has to many miles on it, b/c he said he put the race pipe on it when he first got it

anyway if your interested in a stock pipe and stock ECM trade for your race pipe let me know
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Greg_e
Posted on Saturday, October 09, 2010 - 09:31 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/21/ 597415.html?1286590914

This person has a stock muffler for $75, then you could decide which one you want to use and sell the one you don't want to keep.
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Pwnzor
Posted on Saturday, October 09, 2010 - 09:37 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Speaking from my own perspective here...

Get some earplugs.

You'll be unhappy if you go back to a stock pipe. That's just my opinion, FWIW.
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Jandj_davis
Posted on Monday, October 11, 2010 - 11:28 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I've always had the race pipe on my 03 9R. I rode around for a while and never could get comfortable with it. I found something about it put me on edge, made me nervous all the time. I started wearing ear plugs, and the anxiety went away. Something about that sound was upsetting my mojo.

However, the race pipe is a bit of an anomoly, in that it is loud to the rider and rather quiet to those around you. I let a cruiser riding friend ride my bike last week, and the exhaust was barely audible after being a block away. So, buy some cheap earplugs (I love the Howard Leight Max Lite disposables) and love that top-end hit.
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Iamarchangel
Posted on Monday, October 11, 2010 - 12:56 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Just started wearing ear-plugs this week.

First thing I noticed was the eerie quiet.

Second thing was that the bike seems to like 5500 rpm a lot. I ride mostly by ear and feel. Everything seemed ticketypoo until I looked at the speedo. Hoo boy, way over the limit, need to ride a gear lower. So, I'm making that change. It also needed more fuel about 15k sooner than usual.

The other lesson here is that this bike is designed to be a high revver. It's an observation that most performance complaints are from people who ride in the low rev range, around 30-3500. They tune it out and, of course, then the engine is better within that range. Let it sing, you both will appreciate it.
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Ft_bstrd
Posted on Monday, October 11, 2010 - 05:34 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

4000 RPMs is the "happy spot".

Don't lug it. It's not a Harley.
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Fast1075
Posted on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 - 05:51 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Learn it ride it love it.....go Own Some Cornerz...
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Swordsman
Posted on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 - 09:19 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

+100 on the breather reroute, unless of course you like oily sludge buildup soaking into your air filter.

~SM
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Buewulf
Posted on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 - 02:39 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

maxing out at 113 decibels and the race muffler as 120

That essentially means the race pipe is almost twice as loud. Big difference.
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Duceater
Posted on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 - 04:18 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

My race can was extremely loud until I repacked it. Repacking didn't make it sewing machine quiet, but it was quiet enough so that I didn't go deaf riding a quick 20 miles. Instead of replacing, try repacking.

Tick, can you drill out your rivets? If so, 30 buck will repack that can.
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Firebolt020283
Posted on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 - 04:33 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

since when can you repack a xb race pipe? I thought those suckers were welded shut just like a stock pipe.
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Ticking_time_bomb
Posted on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 - 05:06 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I've usually worn earplugs due to the wind noise. I think perhaps a lot of the difference has to do with both the deep bass character of the Buell's exhaust and also the exhaust being under me instead of behind me.

I used to own a Ducati 900SS that I ran with essentially open pipes. It was at least as loud as this, but didn't seem so on the road.

I have, however, started wearing better plugs, and that makes a bit of a difference.

I'm going to keep the race pipe for now. I can get used to anything.

Unfortunately, a race pipe cannot be repacked. It's welded shut and I think it's a mechanical baffle at that.
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Iamarchangel
Posted on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 - 09:19 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Just saw a dealer selling his Buell part as a lot on another thread. In that list was a race exhaust repack kit. I ran the number on a reference site and the number was not listed anymore.

Maybe it was for earlier models. I don't know.
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Froggy
Posted on Wednesday, October 13, 2010 - 01:38 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Iamarchangel, sounds like it was for the tuber race exhausts.
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Iamarchangel
Posted on Wednesday, October 13, 2010 - 08:38 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I thought it might be since all contemporary race inventory "disappeared" right after HD's decision.

Figured I'd throw it out there until somebody like you cleared it up.
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