Harley_Davidson_Buell_MY_OPINION
I ride a Blast to work nearly everyday. It’s a fun little bike, being 6’1” and nearly 300lbs, I do get teased a bit from my other Harley ridding friends, but it’s worth it. I’m not saying I love everything about this bike after all it is very under powered with about 30hp at the rear wheel, it’s small, the original seat is a bit uncomfortable, it burns oil, and I too have had the same coupler problem some others have mentioned here, not to mention I’ve already gone through a head gasket as well. But the up side to owning this bike is you can park it anywhere, 70mpg, parts are dirt cheap, insurance DIRT CHEAP!!! And thieves are less likely to steal it. I ride I sunny weather, rainy weather, it doesn’t matter it runs fine in all weather, it’s agile and so small you can fit it anywhere. That being said I wouldn’t take it on the freeway unless I absolutely had to, just not enough power to make highway riding fun, for that I have my
Fatboy.
Harley_Davidson_Buell_MY_OPINION
I just bought my first bike and it's a Buell, though I call her Buella Blast. I have been looking for a bike that I could actually touch the ground on for years. I am 5' tall and can't even touch the ground on a Sportster by the time I have to strattle the motor and pipes. I've really fallen in love with the bike. It is a great starter bike and the balance is wonderful. It handles great and gets great gass milage. It has some get up and go too! I'm very happy with my purchase and highly recommend it for the gals that are tired of being the passanger. Ride on.
Harley_Davidson_Buell_MY_OPINION
A lot of people view the Blast as a glorified scooter or road-going lawn mower. I've had two now: they're maneuverable, great on gas -- 70 mph for highway or long-distance driving is very realistic, and they're highly reliable. Maintenance on the bikes is usually limited to the occasional oil change or tire swap.
The main limitations of the bike are her top end. The bike will hit the 100mph on the speedometer in ideal conditions: a flat road with no heavy head wind. In the mountain hills, however, any wind will knock that down to 50 or 55, tops.
There is a way around her limitations, however: for $200, you can swap out to a Vance & Hines or Buell Pro-Series exhaust pipe. The extra 5 or so horses gives the bike the oomph it needs to overcome dips in the power band and overcome the wind resistance.
Don't listen to the nay-sayers: it's great for beginners, good for city and short highway commuters. I run mine 100+ miles on mountain highways weekly. For any distance, I recommend going to a Corbin seat -- another $340, but worth it.
Harley_Davidson_Buell_MY_OPINION
Why did you buy this motorcycle?
I bought this motorcycle because I felt the price was right at $5,700 out the door, it was the best price for the bike. This is also my first motorcycle.
Other bikes considered:
I did consider the Ninja EX500R, Ninja 250R, and Suzuki GS500E. These bikes were all within the price range, but I couldn't get a hold of a 250R, and the others were just more expensive!
Describe what you love and hate about it:
I love the design of the barebike. I'm not sure if people understand, but Japanese people love bare bikes. The Ducati Monster, VTR 250 look is what is sought after. The Buell Blast fits beautifully in this new category of bare bikes. The bike looks so great, I think Buell might have captured the Japanese/Italian rider market, more than the Harley market. I understand that they are hoping I'll move up to the Harley 883, but more than likely I will probably move up to a SV650 or Duck 750 Monster.
The only thing I really regret about this bike is it's small size. I wish they would have made this 500cc bike at least the size of a Ninja EX500R. That would be phenominal. The Blast! is probably about the same size as the Ninja 250R or GS500E.
What is it like to ride this motorcycle?
Oh man, be prepared for thumping sounds and strong shakes. Buell is no doubt powered by Harley. When I first saw this bike at the dealership, I was like, wow it's an American Japanese bike. But once you start the motor, you'll realize how much more Harley the motorcycle is. They say that they have designed the frame from scratch to take much of the vibration but, I have to admit, the SV650 or GS500E engines are much smoother.
One other thing I should mention is that the shifter is very very difficult. Unlike Japanese bikes, you really have kick it in and out of gear. But my understanding is that it borrows parts from the 883, and you do get used to it.
Who should buy this motorcycle? Who shouldn't?
Oh man, every person looking for a start bike should consider the Buell Blast!. However if you are very picky about smooth shifting, or top-end speed, I do not think it's a bike for you. This motorcycle is something else, I would have never considered an American motorcycle if it wasn't for the Blast!. It's price perfectly, and designed beautifully. What more can I say!
Harley_Davidson_Buell_MY_OPINION
Some things just act like people magnets. The 2000 Buell Blast is one of these things. I would park it and come back later to always find some stranger standing next to this bike. (Not always a good thing) But most where always examining the thing closely. My time with the blast was indeed to say the least a BLAST!!!
I got the opportunity to test ride this thing for a whole week and never was I found on the machine without a smile. The thing really is a fun toy. It was a welcome break from my everyday bike which is a 1999 Suzuki, GSXR 750.
The 2000 Buell Blast is a simple, approachable bike that looks very easy to throw a leg over. It is seductively small and has a definite solid feel to it. One of the more curious things about the Blast is the engine design and layout. It is outfitted with a 492 cc air cooled single.
At first glance one may think it is based on Harley’s Sportster V-twin. However, the approach is more conceptual than that, because no parts are shared with the Sportster engine. It does use Sportster gearbox internals, but the clutch is an all new design with a much reduced lever effort.
Since the 2000 Buell Blast engine was designed from scratch, you may wonder why Harley did not choose to create a sophisticated DOHC 4-valve??? Well the answer may lie deep within Harley’s hog roots, or maybe better yet, there are great advantages for the low and compact pushrod design.
Novices will always appreciate the engine’s resistance to stall when the clutch is engaged. The 2000 Buell Blast simply chugs hard from just above idle, with an instant surge in the lower fatter torque band of the engine. For the casual rider, this power is simply sufficient to say the least, with enough output to cruise comfortably at 65mph.
The inevitable result of a big single is vibration, which current standards dictate that an internal counter balancer be employed in the internal engine design. Buell has dealt with this situation with the implementation of two “uniplanar” rubber mounts that keep the engine aligned correctly but allow it to move in a vertical plane. (NEAT!)
This design obviously keeps overall engine weight down. As I push the bike to highway speeds it seems uncanny that the bike is as smooth as one would believe. It really is a smooth ride from 45mph to 70mph. But, as you are in the low rev range the vibration is always apparent especially at idle.
As with all Harley models power reaches the rear wheel via belt drive, but the 2001 Buell Blast is quite unusual in having a much smaller belt, which kind of looks out of place with the full size rear
pully. (I guess it works fine)
Suspension in the front and rear is handled by Showa units. (A softly sprung 37mm fork and a just as soft non-adjustable single shock in the rear.) The ride is smooth on smooth roads but a bear on rough pavement. It really is not your Honda Goldwing on the rough stuff.
It should be noted that the brakes on the 2000 Buell Blast are indeed excellent. The front disc is a single 320mm (read large) rotor that attaches directly to the wheel spokes. (Nice) Along with the Nissan twin caliper, the braking feels very controlled and very comparable to a sport bike. The same can be said for the rear, as it offers sure footed modulation all the time, and really works well with the front system.
Ultimately, the most impressive elements of the 2000 Buell Blast are the cool new wave styling and the very friendly ergonomics. Despite the low seat, and easy riding position, the everyday Blast rider will not want to trek for long outings on this bike. The problem is the seat, which is very narrow and low.
If you really need a low seat, the 2000 Buell Blast is a welcome choice. If you are a novice rider, whose daily commutes involve short jaunts around town, then this is definite choice. If you want a new bike with a warranty and are on a budget, this is your bike. If you are everything above, and love to be the center of attention in most parking lots, then DEFINITELY the 2000 Buell Blast is YOUR bike!!!
Harley_Davidson_Buell_MY_OPINION
So I got bit by the motorcycle bug earlier this year and embarked on my quest to buy a bike. Luckily a friend of mine was an experienced rider and outlined the whole procedure for me (permit, MSF course, bike). I also asked him what kind of bike to get to start out with. His recommendation, a Suzuki SV650, seemed like too much bike for me. He wanted me to get a bike with 70rwhp that I could only balance on the balls of my feet. I told him I was going to buy a Buell instead. He said to buy the Buell because a motorcycle is supposed to be fun, and if I didn't like my bike, I wouldn't like to ride. So after I got my license, I went hunting for a Blast.
The Blast was a good choice at first because it sits very low. I'm very short and the Blast seat allowed me to put both feet flat on the ground. As a beginner, this is very important because it helps instill confidence. It was built by Harley and, hey, being motorcycle-ignorant, I thought Harleys were THE BEST. It was American made, so it made me feel a little patriotic. And again, since it was a Harley, I could get it serviced at any Harley dealer (there are a lot around here, about 10 or so within an hour drive). The gas mileage was good so it helped me save on gas money.
The Blast seemed okay for the first few weeks. The transmission clunked and the motor was very noisy. I asked the dealer about this and he said it was all completely normal. Sure enough, every other Blast, Buell, and Harley on the lot clunked into gear and made a lot of noise (particularly the valves and top-end). so, I wrote it all off as normal noise, inherent to the design and personality of Harleys. At idle the bike vibrates like a paint shaker since it is a large displacement single; they don't call them thumpers for nothing! Once engine speed picks up, the vibrations die down slightly, but it still is a very buzzy ride. The bike's acceleration off the line is good compared to most cars. But, after being *smoked* by every other bike I can in contact with, it left me longing for more power. It will do ok on the highway, but things get VERY windy over 70 mph. But, acceleration past 65 mph is dismal and when you commute on highways where average speed is north of 70 mph, you wish for that extra power. The bike didn't handle poorly at speed, and handled well at slow speeds, due mostly to the low seat height and low weight.
The party went south with around 1000 miles on the odometer. One night while riding home, the bike began to pop, spit, and backfire like nuts. It then stalled out at a stop sign. I got it started again only to have it die on me at the next stop sign. Try as I may, the bike would not start. So, I pushed the bike home about a half mile. I had to have it towed to the dealership. It turned out there was an intake leak between the carburetor and intake manifold because of a bad coupler.
About three weeks later, I am riding down a busy highway where the bike starts to pop and spit again. I pull over and check that coupler again, but it's fine. I was about 20 minutes from home and it was about 9:30 at night. I figured I'd tried to just get home ASAFP, and booked out of the parking lot at warp speed. I merge onto the highway and the bike seemed to have calmed down. But, about 2 minutes later the popping and spitting starts again and it stalls out. But, it stalled out at 55 mph while I was in the middle lane of a busy highway! This was not a pleasant experience because cars are flying past me as I try to pull over. I nearly soiled myself. I finally get over and I call a friend to pick me up and I have the bike towed back to my house. I get it towed to the dealer the next day for repairs. After mis-diagnosing the problem as bad carb jetting, it turns out the ignition module was fried.
so, the push home and near-death experience pretty much soured me on the Blast. There's no reason why a bike with less than 1500 miles on it should have so many problems. I'm currently in the process of getting another bike. But, the Blast is a problem AGAIN because most dealers will not take them in on trade because they are incredibly difficult to sell. What bike is at the top of my short list? That SV650 my buddy initially recommended. It makes more horsepower and comparable torque compared to a Harley Sportster 883 using less displacement. The maintenance intervals are shorter than any Buell or Harley and they're stone reliable.
I really wanted to like the Blast, and then move up to an M2 Cyclone or XB9R Firebolt. But too much happened in such a short time for me too look past it all.
Harley_Davidson_Buell_MY_OPINION
I had dreamed about owning a Buell since the early ninety's. My dream came true in December of 1998, while picking up a Christmas present for my brother. On the way out of the Harley-Davidson dealership, I spotted an Amazon green S3-T that I had walked around in the spring. It had been run as a demonstrator and tallied up 1477 miles, including a ride to the 95'th anniversary ride in Milwaukee. Less than $10,000 dollars!! I decided that it was time to go to the bank and beg. I rode my Christmas present home on the 22'nd of December, most unusual for Wisconsin.
Since I made a move from a Kawasaki, the quirks of the Harley-Davidson power took a bit of getting used to. The vibration at idle is a V-Twin thing that you have to let be. The Evolution engine and rubber mounts smooth out the vibrations at any speed above idle.There was a bit of a concern about being a little cold blooded, it seemed to take a lot of choke, for quite a while, from a cold start. A fresh tank of gasoline and a minor carb mixture adjustment cured that. This motorcycle was involved in the series of recalls the Buell announced in summer. I never saw any trouble with anything, and Appleton Harley-Davidson/Buell took care of all of the recalls with one stop. The fairing bags that come with the S3-T are one of those little things that turn out to be an extremely handy item. Just the perfect size for a pair of gloves and a cellular phone.
The S3-T should be called a Sporty Sport/Touring motorcycle. It has more than enough power to be a blast to ride, and the right riding position to handle a two hour run. The main problem that I have found with it is that it's much too happy at 80 mph. If you are riding hard, the tank gets low at about the time that your butt will need a rest. I did a five hour round trip, with a stop for lunch, and could have gone further. The "Rice Rockets" will blow past a Buell on the straight, but will not have any advantage when the road curls up and winds through the countryside. Even in tour trim with the slim bags, this motorcycle handles better than most riders are capable of pushing it. I was caught in some very heavy rain during the Brag Homecoming this past spring. My first concern was the fat tires on wet pavement. It didn't take more than 30 miles to convince me that Erik Buell had done everything right. There was standing water on the roadway that sprayed from the front tire, but I was able to ride at 50 to 60 mhp with no feel of loss of handling. The suspension is definitely more sport than tour, You will feel every change in road surface, and each tar strip. The suspension can be tailored for compresion and rebound dampening on both ends, so you can set it to your riding style. And there is always that exhaust note echoing behind you.
The S3-T is a perfect ride for weekend outings. There is the handling that urges a rider to get off of the four-lane and enjoy the back roads. A large enough fuel tank to get somewhere. Enough of an upright position that makes a comfortable ride. And as the Buell advertisement says,"A place to stow your jammies"!If you are looking for the fastest thing on two wheels,look elsewhere. If you want more fun than you should be having, try out a Buell. Buell does not stand out in one particular performance standard, it just does everything very well
Harley_Davidson_Buell_MY_OPINION
It's unlike any other sport or sport-type bike you will ever own. I roadraced, flat-tracked, and motocrossed Japanese machines for years before I encountered the Cyclone. At first, I didn't like it because it didn't behave like I thought it should. I would imagine that is why many weekend speedsters are turned off quickly by the Cyclone and seek to remount themselves on another rice burner. It wasn't until I finally learned how to really ride this bike that I started to love it. And, it took awhile. Forget about everything you ever learned about the handling characteristics of Japanese sportbikes. The Cyclone is not built like a Japanese sportbike. The center of gravity is extremely low. And weight distribution isn't all loaded up on the front axle. It is well balanced. Forget about high speed frame flexing like some Japanese bikes. The Cyclone is as solid as a rock through the hardest turns and the highest speeds. You point, and it goes.
The frame geometry is a product of Eric Buell and it is literally an example of pure genius. The more power you put to the ground, the more forward the bike wants to transfer its weight. A roadracers dream. However, this does take some getting used to. Especially in the turns. The bike expects you to lead heavy with your leading shoulder and body english and push hard in the really fast turns. But, if you learn what it wants, it will return tenfold. The suspension and dampening on this bike is completely adjustable, and it is a must-do if you expect to get really good handling and performance out of it! And, if you set the suspension up properly, you will be changing footpegs quite often from grinding them off in the turns. Don't be fooled by the brakes, either. The single disk in the front is plenty and is usually just a two-finger operation. The rear does just what it is supposed to do. Make the rear stay behind the front without locking up.
It's definitely not the fastest big bore bike. However, compare it in horsepower/torque to weight ratio to other street/sport bikes. Not many other street bikes can boast 90 HP/85 ft.lbs torque in a 440 pound package that corners like it is on rails. I installed a D&D header, K&N filter element, and rejetted my carb which resulted in 5 more HP, 5 more ft/lbs of torque, and lost 14 lbs of weight. I highly recommend these mods. My bike runs the quarter mile in 12 flat with all ease with my 225lbs planted in the seat. Roll the throttle hard in 1st gear, and you will be looking at the instrument cluster at eye level. And, be careful with the clutch. This bike will loop easy.
Be careful to not indulge in every aftermarket mod out there for the Buell. Some help, and some hurt. The great thing is that Buell owners are almost cultish. There are many support groups out there on the web and they can tell you anything you want to know about any Buell.
As I said above, the Buells' uniqueness comes at a price. The bike generally needs to be meticulously maintained, else it could strand you. The Buells' kevlar drive belt will go over 50k miles. However, if you happen to ride too fast down a gravel road and catch a stone in it, your done for the day. And, drive belt adjustment is critical for long belt life. The high-tech frame requires periodic changing of the isolator bushings. Although this is only done when you change drive belts, the handling and rideability will go downhill in a hurry if you don't.
The power plant itself by nature requires careful attention. The 1203cc Harley engine has its own little quirks that have to be dealt with. Compound that with the fact that it comes from the factory with the Thunderstorm heads, cams, and cylinders, and you definitely have something that has to be carefully maintained if you expect a long and happy life out of it. A factory service manual on this bike is a must. I recommend using synthetic oil at a 2500mi change interval instead of the manual interval of 5000mi. Hey, it's a hot rod Harley motor. Heat is its worst enemy. Keep in mind the old joke about the main function of the front cylinder on a Harley. Every Harley owner knows that it's main function is to act like a blowtorch on the rear cylinder.
I had my Cyclone back at the shop after nine months for warranty work to replace the rear tail section for vibration cracks. It's no secret in the Buell world that dealership support from Harley leaves alot to be desired. There are good dealers out there that are Buell oriented, but they can be hard to find. You will find the web support groups I mentioned earlier a blessing.
In short, if you aren't a do-it-yourselfer when it comes to motorcycles and depend upon a dealer for all of your service, this may not be the bike for you. And, if you are looking for a true fairing-covered crotch rocket, this isn't it. (However, you might have a look at a Buell Firebolt.) It also takes a great deal of time to really learn to ride a Cyclone to its full capabilities. However, I like riding an American-made sportbike that runs like the wind, has ground-clawing torque, and sounds like big block Chevvy funny car. It's just plain fun to ride, and will turn the heads of every other bike rider you pass - or pass up.
Harley_Davidson_Buell_MY_OPINION
A Sporty Harley Sportster? Yeah, right. Just how sporty can a 45° aircooled V-Twin with two pushrod operated valves per cylinder be? Granted it's a big V-Twin at 1203 cc, but hey - cubes only count for so much. As they say, Mr Buell - the proof of the pudding, and all that...
The Top Line
It's a bloody HUGE pudding though, and no mistake. Stood next to my mate's Monster 900, a Junior School analogy forced itself into my conciousness. If these two bikes were schoolkids, the frowning, broody X1 would be demanding the M900's dinner money in exchange for not beating it up...
At first glance, the two bikes would appear to be aimed squarely at the Streetfighter market, both have a hunched, menacing presence and look satisfyingly mean. But only the Lightning's been overdoing the steroids - and that's because Dr. Erikstein's creature secretly wants to be a sport bike.
Some Middle Lines
Right, let's X-Ray the monster that's the X1. The Harley-Davidson dry-sump lump carries its engine oil in a plastic tank that lives under the seat. And what's that thing that connects the five-speed gearbox to the back wheel? That's a clean, maintenance-free Carbon-Kevlar toothed belt, that is. A wind-tunnel sized black outhouse infesting the upper right side of the engine ensures a flow of clean air to the 43mm throttle bodies, which in turn feed the pair of single injectors that are controlled by a full engine management system.
I swing a leg over the high saddle and, standing on tiptoe, thumb the start button. I would like to say that the Buell thundered into life, but the tractor exhaust that had been mistakenly fitted only allowed a strangled blathering sound to escape. But wait - closer examination reveals that this really IS the standard can - something to do with U.S. emissions legislation. Rats!
The 45° motor fires each piston 90° apart, but on a 315° throw. The engine's resulting "bumpety-chuff" soundtrack is unmistakeably Harley, and the four tie bars that rubber-mount the block to the tubular steel perimeter frame damp all its leaping and jumping to bearable levels. The final result of all this reciprocating movement is 83 bhp at 6000 RPM for 76 ft-lbs of torque at 5,500 RPM.
A cast aluminium swingarm extends(rather than compresses)the Showa shock absorber slung under the belly of the beast, while 43mm upside down forks give the front wheel something to hang on to.
The Buell has more radical geometry than many sportbikes. How do I know? Because it looked so short and humped we were actually intrigued enough to go measure it. Rake and trail measure 23°/90mm, while she's only 1400mm between the axles. If that's not a recipe for wheelies, I don't know what is...
OK, I can hear you all yawning, so I'll get to the riding bit. The Buell is a hog. A hog of the porcine variety, as well as the Harley variety. The tank and wind-tunnel - erm - airbox, combine to make it feel very fat and awkward, and if you go earholing into a series of fast bends, you'll be a sweaty little puppy. Let me explain...
The Buell leaps off the line like a charging Rhino, but at about two and a half grand there's something akin to the Marianas trench in the torque curve. At three grand, she booms off again and charges to about 6000 RPM where the Sporty engine throws in the towel.
But in that brief time, she's punched out a solid wedge of power. A glance at the white faced speedo tells me we're hovering around 140 mph. I'm always chuntering into my little tape recorder during road-tests, and my surprise at seeing those numbers was conveyed by an ever so tiny Anglo-Saxon expletive. Something like "Wow".
With the sharp geometry numbers firmly imprinted in my tiny mind, I hooned off, convinced that steering would be razorlike. Unfortunately, it's more Razorback like. This bike demands more than a firm hand on the bar. Ideally it needs two firm hands and a foot, and possibly a little help from a friend. Discomfiting to say the least. She doesn't respond well to counter-steering, she demands that you use weight, and hang off like a manic baboon. Once you've got her leaned over, she's well stable and the quality suspension gives you good feel for what the tyres are up to.
It's a great pity that the Lightning lacks ground clearance. The handling is capable of much more than you can actually achieve, because bits of the superstructure threaten to dig in, upset the chassis, and spit you off.
The Harley gearbox isn't exactly the slickest, and the long throw makes racing changes an impossible dream. The brakes could do with the same corn-fed steer diet that the rest of the machine has been treated to; although the single (I'd guess 340mm) front disc gets the squeeze from six pot calipers, hauling a 400+ lb bike down from 140 mph is better entrusted to a twin disc setup.
Remember the torque curve I mentioned? If you try and cram all those ft-lbs into the clutch, you're going to kill it. There's one infernal amount of grunt going to ground, and this, coupled to the tall first gear, means that clutches have a very hard time under normal loads. And because the X1 is so wheely capable, dedicated mingers will be going to clutch funerals quite often.
Bottom Line
I don't think anybody will be surprised to learn that I'm not a big H-D fan, but I found the X1 was quite a fun ride. It's a chunky beastie alright - I think Muscle Bike was a term specially coined for Buell's. I don't particularly care for the styling - it's up (or down) there with the horrid hump-assed Suzuki offerings when it comes to eyeball assault, but it certainly draws attention.
Now let's see... bin the tractor exhaust and bolt on a cute li'l Vance & Hines number. Ditch the wind tunnel for a tasty but effective airbox and give the whole plot a bit of a twist, put it on a high (carbon)fibre diet and we could have some thunder to go with the Lightning. Hmmm, I wonder if they'll let me do a long termer on this...
Harley_Davidson_Buell_MY_OPINION
The Buel bike is not bad and well its not that great either. I basically bought this bike because of insurance reasons and the fact that I was a first time rider. So I'm going to give you the good news and the bad news.
Starting with the good news first, this bike is a good starter bike and can corner like you won't believe. It gets good gas mileage around 55 miles to the gallon using premium gas on the highway with 180lbs rider, but I have not yet achieved the 70mpg like they advertise. Riding in town can be fun and like they say a blast to ride. The bike is light and easy to handle with its weight just under 400lbs. The Buel bike for which I use it for is a good commuter to and from school and has the power to get you there in hurry if your late to class. It also has a unique design that tends to bring peoples attention towards the Buel however this is no chick magnet and if your a tall rider like me you look kind of stupid on it but thats besides the point. Anyways the bike has good handling and sounds kind of burley with its 30 some odd horse power. But this bike has some noticeable draw backs.
This bike tends to vibrate a lot with it only being one cylinder driven, so much so that my foot shift lever actually came off on the road while I was riding. Also due to its vibration the starts tend to be shaky and coming out of corners if you have not shifted down enough gears. But after riding it for about a 1000 miles you don't notice it as much. The belt tends to squeak on mine on the take off sometimes and the front break makes a slight squeak noise too, but not enough to bother a person really. The suspension has no adjustment for a heavier loads and the seat can sit pretty low with a person on the back, but amazingly rides good with one on it. Another draw back to this bike is the fact that there is no wind protection(however you can buy a wind shield for it) and the fact that the bike is so light that its kind of scary thinking about taking it on the freeway doing 70 to 75mph. My experience however is you feel like your going to be blown away when cars pass and your constantly fighting the wind which becomes tiresome. This sucks if you really need to get somewhere by freeway. Also if you look at the design of the blast there is really no frame so if the bike fell over in a 15mph crash it would probably be nothing but broken pieces. Last but not least the gas tank is small with its 2.8gal tank I'm often found at the gas station around 90 to 100 mile on the odometer to fill my tank after I switched it to reserve. This bike is good but for the same class and price I would recommend the Kawasaki Ninja 500.
Harley_Davidson_Buell_MY_OPINION
What can I say? I'm an engineer and therefore naturally attracted to technology. My third and fourth bikes were both 1982 Honda 500 Turbos. When it came time to buy a new bike, I went straight to Buells. I test rode a 2002 X1 and a Firebolt. I really, really wanted to like the Firebolt, but I'm picking up an X1 White Lightning in two days from the dealer.
First I need to caveat this epinion by saying that I'm an American living in Germany, so the versions of the bikes that I rode were European specification. Even so, the things that bugged me about the Firebolt likely don't differ from the American version.
The Firebolt delivers the technology for sure, and it looks great. However, in my epinion, ergonomically it will only fit folks under probably 5'8" tall. I believe you wear a bike. I'm 6' and of medium build. I felt like I was sitting "on" the Firebolt, not "in" it. In addition to feeling like I was sitting on top of it, my knees were a little too bent for comfort, and I had to lean too far forward for my tastes. By the way, the upside of leaning forward is that at over 100 mph, the wind pressure pushes you back hard enough to take the weight off your wrists, so you are balanced pretty well. On the unlimited speed limit parts of the German Autobahn, this would be an advantage. With the speed limits in the States, you would definitely be building some upper body strength as you puttered around. I also had to tilt my head down every time I wanted to look at the gauges because they were just below my line of sight. Not that I look at the gauges much, but I like them to be there when I want, and not have to go looking for them.
I didn't notice the Firebolt handling noticeably better than the X1, but admittedly I was only on a test ride, and really didn't have the curves available to put either through their paces.
The gearbox was a significant improvement over the X1, although not enough to change my mind. What was not an improvement was the placement of the exhaust pipe. I don't ride barefoot or anything, but when I was sitting still in traffic with my left foot down, I could definitely feel the exhaust puffing directly on my ankle. I would think that this would force a rider to always wear boots. Even though I always wear boots, so my ankle was protected from the heat, it just didn't seem natural to stand in an exhaust stream.
The final thing that bothered me about the Firebolt was the engine fan. As soon as the engine had come up to temperature, the electric fan kicked on and stayed on. I stopped the bike to see what the noise was! At low speeds, the fan noise way overshadowed the exhaust tune. Sitting at a stop light, I was almost embarrassed it was so loud. Have you ever walked by a car after it had been shut off and heard the fan kick on rather loudly? That's what it sounded like. I'm sure Buell had a good reason to put it there, but I sure didn't like it.
I think Buell is really onto something with this bike. After they decide to make a version for larger-framed people, it could catch on. A bigger bike would fix the my complaints about the ergonomics and the exhaust, and I could probably get used to the fan noise. I'm sure they will since they made an M2 Low so it would fit smaller riders. How about a Firebolt Tall?
Harley_Davidson_Buell_MY_OPINION
I have always liked Buells. They were different, sort of in your face, type bikes. I never got a chance to ride one until this year in Daytona Beach. I really liked this bike.
The Buell starts with the Sportster 1200 engine. Then the folks at Buell do weird & wonderful things with it so that the 1203cc engine pumps out 101 hp and gobs of torque. The first time I really gave the S3T throttle, I thought I was going to slide right off the rear of the bike. Whoa! The power is immediate, easily regulated and consistent. The fuel injection works very well. I did hit the rev limiter a couple of times, as it comes in at a relatively low 6,500 rpm or so.
The seating position on the S3T was also a pleasant surprise. The seat is comfortable, the pegs well places and the handlebars fit nicely, without any stress or strain. You could lean forward to aggressively attack a curve, or sit up right and watch the world go by.
The brakes worked well. They were easy to control and well modulated. The rear wasn't too grabby and allowed trail braking. The fronts were easy to control and stopped the bike well.
I liked the bag system. It carried a lot of junk and was easily detachable.
My main complaints were with the transmission and the fairing. The transmission, while appearing solid & doing what it was supposed to, felt like mush. There was no real feel that you had changed gears. It maybe something you just get used to, but I didn't like it. The windshield/fairing combination needs to give more protection from the wind. It gave almost nonexistent protection.
All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by this bike.
Harley_Davidson_Buell_MY_OPINION
Even if you don't like Harley Davidson's or sportbikes, you have to admire Erik Buell. Starting in 1986 and with an eye on the late and great AMA Pro Twins racing series, he set out to make a proper sportbike from a Harley Davidson. You might have better luck getting 60 miles per gallon out of a Chevy Suburban-both are theoretically possible but you will pay all hell to get there. For several years he persevered on force of will alone, putting together the best bikes he could make with the resources he had and always looking for the support that would let him create the bike he saw in his mind.
When Harley Davidson did the obvious and bought Buell a few years ago it seemed that the days of struggle were over. Rumors circulated about Buell getting the Harley VR-1000 race bike engine and challenging the best street sportbikes in the world. That hasn't happened yet and as the VR-1000 slides into obsolecence it appears it never will. That's a sad loss but the real tragedy of Buell is that the power of Harley ownership has done little to correct the quality and reliability problems that have plagued Buell's bikes since the salad days.
The Cyclone is Buell's all-purpose bike, situated between the streetfighter Lightning and the sport-touring Thunderbolt. Until this year it was the entry-level Buell but the single cylinder Blast has taken that role for 2000. The sporting intent is obvious, both with the British streetfighter inspired styling and the canted-forward rider layout. But the footpeg and handlebar layout is much more comfortable than a racer replica's ergonomics. The Cyclone is more than comfortable enough for daily commuting and weekend sport rides, but extended touring will have you looking for an aftermarket saddle.
Once underway the Cyclone reveals the schizophrenic engineering necessary to create a sportbike around a cruiser's engine. This is a tall bike, as you would expect from anything made around Harley's narrow-angle Sportster v-twin. But credit to Buell for making it work better than it has any right to. Steering effort is on the high side for a sportbike but Buell has dialed in the chassis numbers to keep it from feeling top heavy when leaning into a corner. The suspension is remarkably well damped, firm without being harsh over most bumps. Unique to Buell's is a rear shock that controls wheel movement in extension-as the rear wheel compresses the shock extends outward through a series of linkage instead of compressing as on every other bike. I tried to notice a different feel but at the pace I rode I couldn't detect a difference. The brakes work better than you might expect a single disc to, but it's notably below the better dual disc setups.
What you do notice is the vibration, or rather the absence of it. Compared to the Evolution model Harley's with their vibration damping system the Buell feels smoother, encouraging you to rev the 1200cc engine more than any other Harley. It still shakes more than a Ducati or Moto Guzzi twin but considering it's roots Buell has done a remarkable job of isolating the shakes from the rider without sacrificing chassis rigidity. The powerband is more like a Guzzi than a Ducati, more off the line torque than top end power, but there is ample horsepower available for passing. The strong torque outputs limit the need to use the transmission-a blessing because while the Sportster gearbox might be acceptable for a cruiser it is in a fight with Moto Guzzi for the worst you can find in a sportbike.
Back to Buell's patented Uniplanar vibration damping system, while it does an admirable job of isolating the rider from the inherent imbalances in the engine, it does nothing to spare the parts attached to the engine. On the Buell that includes the exhaust and rear suspension and vibration related wear continues to be a major problem for these components. The exhaust is the most vulnerable, it is not unheard of to have an exhaust bracket snap within a thousand miles-an inexplicable problem for a new motorcycle. I haven't heard of vibration related breakage with the suspension components, certainly due to the over engineering of the parts. But vibration will eventually defeat any part and the critical nature of the suspension linkage makes routine maintenance and inspection a necessity. The vibration also creates problems with electrical connections in greater frequency than on the Sportster model that uses the same engine design. It's come to be believed that the Buell's greater vulnerablity comes from the internal engine modifications that raise power almost 50% over a stock Sportster 1200. More power in any engine means that greater power is unleased on every engine stoke and the vibration is magnified accordingly. In Buell tune it appears to uncover weaknesses the stock Sportster never encounters.
For the first year Buell will pick up the tab for any repairs that come your way. But after that you get the bills. The reliability problems have made Buells' the one Harley Davidson product that loses value dramatically after the warranty runs out, a co-worker just sold his three year old Buell for half of what he paid for it and felt lucky to be rid of it. It's a sentiment I've heard from several Buell owners over the past ten years. At first it was accepted, even a badge of honor in the same way owners of British sports cars joke about the horrible quality even as they kept pouring money into the black hole. But Buell is no longer a plucky upstart. It is a division of the most successful motorcycle company in the world, one that prides itself on it's commitment to it's customers. And with Buell it is high time Harley Davidson either lives up to that commitment or lets this thing die.
Harley_Davidson_Buell_MY_OPINION
Buell has finally stepped up to the plate and put an American machine up for grabs that is sure to turns the heads of the Japanese dominated naked sportbike fans. Over the past two years,a ton of amazing new machines have come out aimed of capturing market share in this category...Bikes like the astounding FZ1, Suzuki's big Bandit and now the Honda have rolled the dice to try and divert people's attention away from the Ducati Monsters and elder Buells...However while most of these nude rude machines are just carbon copies of one another with a slight difference in styling, Buell has thrown something in the mix that is bound to turn heads due to some great new innovative features which set it right apart from the rest of pack. From its inception in 2002 model year through current, the Buell Firebolt has garnered industry attention across the board, from sportbike fans right through harley fans, and has gained respect across a multitude of different areas within the motorcycle arena.
First, Buell has finally broken free from the "clunk-shift" reminiscent of just about all Harleys past, not to mention every Buell. I can't even count half the number of times I've heard a Buell rider mutter "god this tranny sucks!" or "MAN, this is such a great bike, but it shifts like garbage!" I happen to be a big fan of the Motor Company - and as a rider of both sport bikes AND cruisers, I admire Buells efforts to produce something unique and in between with a greater degree of performance - but lets NOT get around the fact that Harleys are NOT known for their reliability...The Chrome DOES NOT get you home! Prior to the XB9R, Harley's "Engineered on a cocktail napkin" theme rang through the buell line from top to bottom - although there were revisions and re-engineered parts, the Buells were succeptible to problems just like the hogs. I happy to say, he XB9R has changed that!
Despite the fact that the engine is designed of of a sportster 1200 platform, gone are the sporty jugs and upper end, replaced by the more progressive top end resulting in more HP at the rear wheel. THe stroke has been substantially reduced to 3 1/8 inches (compared to over 3 3/4 from the oringal sporty 12's) The result is a high reveing much more responsive engine - redline is bumped up to 7500 RPM, however be assured, the torquiness of the engine can be felt all the way from a low 3 grand all the way through the 7500 redline - Nice job guys! The bike does maintain that great twin feel, unlike the majority of the japanese 4's, you need not downshift once you're doing over 60 - Even in 5th gear, and roll on at 60 will get you up to over a buck 20 in no time at all - no shifting! If you do want to down shift, the new aforementioned shift mechanism is a great aid, and the tranny chicks right into gear with nearly no effort (again, unlike the classic, clunky harley-esque monstrosities fitted to earlier buells)
The handling of this bike are what truly makes it special. First off, let's look at the 3 best innovations on this bike - first 2, the frame and the swingarm. Buell set out to create the most torsionally rigid frame to drastically improve turn in and axial COG weight placement to insure a solid feel throughout the twisties. They achieved this by incorporating a few pieces - and thus shedding some weightin the process: The aluminum frame doubles as the fuel tank, and the swingarm serves as the oil tank - this helps the machine lose some overall weight, while moving the bulk up and forward a bit, nearer to the point of axial roll on turn-ins. The bike is flickable like a little 400 - despite it weight (over 100 pounds greater than most current superbikes) the bike hides it weight remarkably well in the twisties - no doubt as a result of the rigidity of the frame combined with the inteligent and well thought out revisions in weight placement and geometry. The 3rd of the innovations, one of my favorities BTW, is the inside-out fron brake disc setup. Aside from looking cool, the narrower rotor has increased surface area to help offload some of the heat generated in braking and also helps reduce unsprung wieght of the front wheel. I've never seen an inside-out rotor on anything other than the Norton Nemesis- a machine unhfortauntely doomed due to financial difficulties of Norton (truly unfortunate). The front clamps offer excellent and immediate stopping power - combined with the easily quick-shifting tranny and great mid-corner manners of the stiffened frame, the machine graces its way around corners swiftly, and the excellent throttle response comes in handy, since you can get on the gas early in the corner exit and the torquet twin will whip you up to speed in no time. I was tremendously impressed with the handling and forgivingness of this bike - despite the colder pavement when I rode it! Buell has done its homework in the handling department.
Riding position was comfortable and fairly relaxed, even when I got aggresive with the machine in the corners. WIth a tank bag and some soft-luggage attached, this would be a great weekend-escaper or all-day kind of bike to take a decent hike away from home on. Fuel capacity is just under 4 gallons including the reserve, so you cover a decent amount of ground, especially if tooling around between 80 and 90 on the higway.
To any potential buyers of this fantastic machine, you are making a great decision in picking the buell - however you MUST be sure the bike is addressing what you are looking for...Read on: Despite amazing performance and plenty of power and handling, this more certainly IS NOT a bike that will compete with the upper-echelon race-inspired and engineered superbikes. If its literbike speed you are looking for, you will not find it here. If it is Gixxer-600 or R6 flickability you want - don't waste your money. NO, the Buell will not compete with any of these machines - it is NOT meant to- the power just is not there. Despite my raving about how great this bike is on the road, the one complaint that I did have is the lack of power - rated at around 92-93HP, I thought the bike would have been perfect if it put out just about 105-110 with a slightly higher redline (8500 would have been nice). However I wouldn't call these shortcomings in the machine - instead I would say its more a matter of a misdirected rider. Again, Buell is not trying to steal you away from the R1's and liter-gixxers of the world here- if you want that kind of power, BUY THAT kind of bike!!
What Buell has done is raised the bar for the non-superbike naked streetfighter type machines and has done a fantastic job - it's unique and eccentric styling combined with well engineered and thought out design makes for a bike that will certainly be a notch or three above the rest in this category. If you are looking for a street-fighter that offers a nice change from the dime-a-dozen monsters or bandits or cafes on the road, look no further than Buell- there's nothing quite like it!
Harley_Davidson_Buell_MY_OPINION
This bike is still stock and doesn't have a lot of miles yet.
Overall, I like it a lot. I've only owned an FZR600 and a GSXR750 before so thats my comparison base. I've taken it on a few 3-hour rides plus the normal home-work-work-home thing, and its been pretty comfortable despite the seat.
The seat is pretty hard and will be the first replacement I make, but overall, the seat didn't bother me for well over an hour - but the GSXR would get to me in less than an hour...plus its a sport bike most of the stock seats are pretty evil.
The body position is pretty good; not too much pressure on the wrists (you're pretty much straight up and down as opposed to some of the cafe-racer types) and the knee position didn't bother me at all as opposed to the Suzuki's I've ridden.
The power was excellent on the highway. In 4th gear 75 to over 100mph seems instantaneous and I don't think the tack crossed 4000rpm. It got 55 mpg at over 85 mph as well. There is a lot of wind noise/buffeting at high speeds (what did you expect?) but you can crouch behind that faux fairing and that cuts the noise down. Handling wise, the bike seems more nimble than the GSXR750 I had...but the curvey roads where I live aren't that curvey.
The only other negative so far is that if you are riding in shorts in stop-n-go traffic the heat off the pipes will be a little much on your right leg despite the ceramic coating on the pipes. I just wear boots and pants and its fine.
Last warning: If you get one, better get insurance through Harley. Harley charges me $400/year (full coverage) for the bike. GEICO wanted $2400/year.
Its a crowd pleaser... definitely turns heads; some of my friends say it looks like a bug...other say its "ugly in a cool way". I really like it.
Harley_Davidson_Buell_MY_OPINION
Didn't see an area to write for the 2004 1203cc bike so I put it here. My bike has the complete race kit and the American Sport bike License Plate Relocator kit that takes off the cheese grater fender and the Corbin Gun Fighter seat.
I had an old style Buell 2001 M2 Cyclone and before that a Kawasaki 900 Ninja and before that a 250 Ninja.
I wanted a bike to commute on that was rare, fun to ride, reliable, handles good and gets lots and lots of attention.
Well I got it, not a drop of oil so far (my old Buell leaked like an old MG). So reliable it's better then my Honda Civic (the old Buell was in the shop all the time).
Plus the looks and sound. For instance I pulled into a Sam's Club parking lot the other day and parked by a new 2003 GSX-R1000 Suzuki, two guys were came up and were all over my bike, what kind is it, how big, etc, not a question or even a glance at the Suzuki. Plus I have people following me all the way home just to ask what it is and babes giving me a thumbs up in the parking lot or a smile and I’m an old married fat man. Either that or I looked kind of funny on such a small bike.
This bike will roll on wheelie in 1st and 2nd gear without provocation. Plus the 3rd gear 60-80 roll on is only about 2 seconds. I'm getting around 42 mpg pushing the bike hard and about 46 taking it easy. Top speed is somewhere around 130+ I have had it to 130 but I’m sure it want do much more. But that’s not what I bought it for.
The only thing that really grates on me is the heavy clutch pull, a real bear in heavy traffic, and the location of the kickstand. It’s real easy to kick into gear when you are just putting it down.
If you want a babe magnet this is it. They lust after this bike, just make sure you have the race kit, it turns the bike from sounding weak and weird to like a loud Harley at idle to a hopped up Ducati at redline.
In closing if you don't want attention don't buy this bike.
Harley_Davidson_Buell_MY_OPINION
When Buell released the first XB9R firerbolt pic's to the press it left the world slack-jawed and drooling. A frame that doubled as a fuel tank? A swing-arm that become the oil tank? ALUMINUM no less... a short-stack wheelbase clearly intended for backroad carving.. wow- for someone who thought the apple didn't fall far from the tree, I was pretty impressed with how FAR Buell had removed itself from the Harley-side... with the exception of some facets of the engine, there's not too much "Harley" of this bike I said to myself... and repeated it after I finally rode one for a day up in the twisties of back-door new hampshire.
Obviously, evolution continues- Japanese sportbikes have pushed the envelope even farther now- whilst for the last 2 years it was the 600 class which got ultra competitive in terms of break-neck lightening speed that was almost too close to call across manufacturers, this year the liter bike class is in the spotlight- icredible machines boasting close too 200 shafthorsepower (This years R1 and Kawi ZX10 are pushing 160 at the wheel!!!) and yet even in the midst of this insanity, Buell stays the course and continues to be devoted to offering realistic sport machines made in the good ol' US of A marketed under the Harley family.. Yeah I like my Jap-Sport machines, but you can bet I like buying American!
Enter the Newest Buell fury, the XB12R firebolt. Buell pushes its own envelope this year by taking the toddler XB platform- now past its infancy and proven in its third year- and has applied a 1200 v-twin as a follow up to its successful 900 little brother. The 1200 is quite an amazing machine- inherently, it must be wild since it offers all the wonderful handling attributes of it's smaller sibling, including the same chassis and essentially the same ergo/wheelbase combo AND the same ultra cool inside-out front rotors which had me from day one (the first time I saw them on a production bike it blew me away... made me think of the Norton Nemesis which sadly never came to fruition)...
Buell's definitely got it figured out nowadays- they make a super fun to ride machine, offer great performance and now, with the onset of 1200cc's in this top-sport superstar, the line is certainly more complete- as alot of buyers took an XB9 firebolt gritting their teeth as they wanted a bigger engine to complement the same ultra-nimble machine. Before we go any further, I want to be superclear on one thing: the firebolt WILL NOT compete on the same caliber as the japanese sport-bike class cousins will - it just isn't reasonable. However the Buell wasn't intended for that- it was intended for FUN- and stays true to this, as the bike is A JOY to ride.
This years new 1203cc engine makes a respectable 103 hp and 84 ft/lbs of torque. Bear in mind, it does so at a very realistic 6 grand, whereas peak HP on a japanese machine would be probably double that on the rev counter- for reference, my R1's peak is at 10,300 and redlines at 12,300... The Buell makes super torque- more than many japanese machines in fact- Inherently, the v twin is torquier and the bike does not need to be downshifted like a japanese sportbike does- however moreso with the 1200, Buell has truly improved the situation.. Back when I wrote my first review on the Buell XB9R firebolt, one of my criticisms was purely power-related.. the 900 really wasn't enough to get my blood boiling, however the bike more than made up for the shortcoming with its superb handling and manners on the road. The situation has gotten really hairy now however- because 1200cc's was the final answer in making the Firebolt truly an eye-tearer without sacrificing the amazing characteristics of the younger sibling. Typically, this is one of the hardest parts of designing such a model -> "bigger brother" design is usually inhibited by being unable to fit a larger engine on the same frame or platform- exceptions need to be made- engines turned or tweaked within the frame- this causes weight distribution to change and/or shift and it causes certain handling characteristics to potentially change (sometime quite radically) and japanese liter-bikes have had this problem for some time- it makes design a real challenge. Buell's innovative chassis/swingarm design make it possible to squeeze the bigger engine in the chassis without actually causing such a squeeze. The air-cooled 1200 twin has a super cool growl, even the factory exhaust note is quite decent and listenable. Power delivery is absolutely super- the 1200 responds like a minute-man and power is on tap. The engine pulls in a very linear fashion all the way from idle- 3 gear full-throttle exits are predicatable and POSSIBLE- meaning there is no need to downshift to second because torque is on tap at such an early point on the rev band.
On-road habits-wise, the firebolt is a dream. The shortened wheelbase, taken directly from the XB9R concept make knee-dragging almost inevitable, and contrary to alot of unforgiving japanese machines, the buell is manageable and predictable- the frame design DOES have something still, over any other design- it is the stiffest, most tortionally rigid frame on any bike- the idea was awesome and it continues to make the buell such a fun little bike to thrash.
Braking is accomplished with floating 4 pots, again, the front brakes utilize the trademark BUell inside-out front rotors which offer a more efficient cooling ( and thus stopping ) surface for the pads to work with. Braking is also very linear and predictable with nearly no signs of fade- There were limited instances where I did miss my oversize brembo package, however the Buell's stoppers work extremely well - the spots which gav eme grief was at EXTREME late-entrances where I was really pushing to see what this front-end was made of. Clearly, the bike is manageable- ALOT more than a typical sportbike.
Buell still has the magic and really has the formula correct. Shifting is reasonbly smooth- still clunky for those of you used to japanese razor-like precision, but considering it originates from harley, the shifting is quite good. CLutch action is taught and the range is medium-short - perfect for quick, trouble free shifts and fast starts. The Close-ratio gearing is set up nearly ideally for street and highway, only if you really understand how to push will you be wishing you had another gear- the bike turns very well and most times I suspect, the rider will be more focused on making better turns and faster exits based on better riding skills than wishing the bike had more. This one's a charm.
Final Considerations: Again, a Buell is a Buell. This would NOT be my choice for a track bike- it is clearly intended to be a street-use bike for those who like to turn- STILL, it is not a competitive track-tool.. how could it be- read about hte japanese liter class and rest assured, there will be no compromises made there. So basically, if you're thinking to use this bike as a competitive tool- forget it. But if you are looking for joy on two wheels, the Buell is a wonderful choice- it does just about everything and does it very well. Luggage options are obviously limited- softbags will work, but this is not a tourer.. this is a balls-to-the-wall fun-sport done American style. Kudos to Buell for really putting together such an amazing effort and such a wonderful machine.
