buell's

[whitetrash982]

does ANYONE like buell's? im new to the biker world , and looking at getting something new , and really liked the design concepts of the buell's , and frankly , find the firebolt to be more comfortable then an r6 or zx-6r , so i serched on here , and can find nothing but buell bashing , anyone actually think theyre ok? i was actually looking at an 06 firebolt xb 9

[BP2K2Max]

i like buell's. they're torquey and handle well. they have a short wheel base too so they're wheelie machines. my buddy has an 03 xb12r firebolt, it's nice.

[Aces0vr8s]

buells aint even a sport bike there just a POS

[Kurtdg19]

Buells aren't bad machines at all. I actually remember reading a recent biker magazine (can't remember which one) that ranked the best turning 50 bikes, and a Buell was actually #1. I was quite suprised to say the least. Its short wheelbase and low curb weight really help the handling in the twisties, and the torquey engine enables the rider to pull hard and smoothly through them, however; I still find the engine to be its weak spot even as much as I love torque. Their engines output is simply no longer competitive compared to other makes.

[sv650s]

great bike. it handles well, sounds great and looks good but i don't really like the front end since i'm used to the sportbike front fairings

[knox 000]

i havent really heard anything bad about buells. i used to want one until i took both the 05 lighting and firebolt for a test drive. stock they arent that fast and sound like s#@%. if you got money for exhaust and the chip upgade than i would consider maybe getting one. it comes down to personal preference. if the buell is the only bike you ever ride you'll probably love it but theres alot of nice bikes out there before you commit to anything take out a couple different dont be blinded by harley, there is other stuff out there. they do look cool though.

[DealsGap]

I've heard far to many nightmare stories about Buell reliability to ever consider one. They have/had a recall list a mile long, and after the customer service I've seen them give, I'd be even less likely to consider one. I think my favorite was the "fix" for oil misting out of the breather tube... the factory given solution was to buy a small air filter for a weed eater and attach it to the tube to catch the mist. A guy at the last Buell rally that came through did this and it gradually filled up, and began to drip... right onto his rear tire. That's great tech work right there...

To their credit, they are supposed to handle pretty well, and some of them have good braking power. It's not premier level, but its good. They have decent spec sheets, but they still don't have sportbike level engine performance. This was a huge design flaw for Buell if they ever wanted to make it a serious machine. They picked the most primitive and ill-suited engine design they possibly could have to power it. Even though some Buells have over 100 horsepower, you're only getting performance equal to an 80 horsepower tourer or entry level, older sportbike. They can't produce the engine speed for any "real" performance. They are very torquey, though, so they will make for a great street ride from a "work" standpoint. No gearbox rowing or heavy revving required.

All in all it really comes down to what you want out of a bike. I would do some serious homework on them before dropping coin, though. They have more of a cult following, but I've seen many sportbike riders get off of them grinning from ear to ear after a flog through the mountains.

Originally Posted by Aces0vr8s

buells aint even a sport bike there just a POS

Do you ever post anything that isn't completely retarded?

[whitetrash982]

thanks for all the input guys , im erally lookin for just a nice bike , and i live in cali , between suburbia hell and hills , so i definatly have some twisty's i can enjoy , and the reason i like it so much , i just like the styling , and all thier desgin concepts , and that front brake just looks cool too , only thing i, worried about , is that im a stone cold beginer , i have the self control to keep a decent speed , and how fast is too fast , how long does anyone think it would take me to fully grow into , or atleast fell somewhat comfortable? again , any input is greatly apprecaited , ah yes , and frankly , i kind of prefer the torque , im not to big on haveing to run thru 6 gears to go down the street , just something easy riding , and the sport aspect too , im not a fan of crusiers

[flht]

You should get what you want. I have a cruser a 99 M2 Buell and ride a Busa for the hell of it. the Buell will hold it's value unlike the Busa or other rockets, The buell have more upright seating. I will agree it is not as fast as some, but I can ride at 142 on the buell and if I want faster I can drive the Busa. But for me the Buell is much better when I am playing in the hills. Get what you want, pick up a used rocket for dimes on the dollar from new. Just have fun and learn to ride before you open up on those twisties.

[Aces0vr8s]

you mean unlike you of course!

[flht]

I can ride and afford what I want. The question was about buells, I have 40 years of riding on two wheels, I have raced on both dirt and track. So you may need to make sure your facts are correct before you add your .02 cents that is not worth that much.

[DealsGap]

Originally Posted by Kurtdg19

Buells aren't bad machines at all. I actually remember reading a recent biker magazine (can't remember which one) that ranked the best turning 50 bikes, and a Buell was actually #1.

That list was in a British bike magazine, and they included and overemphasized a bunch of criteria that actually has nothing to do with handling or cornering ability, I suppose for the sake of entertainment value of the article, which severely skewed their results. There is a second listing in the article that removes the subjective criteria and only takes into account: Lean Angle, Flickability, Corner Speed, and Drive Out. The second list is much more accurate, and things like GP 2 strokes and Japanese 600's take their rightful spots at the top of the list as the best handling machines.

Originally Posted by flht

I can ride and afford what I want. The question was about buells, I have 40 years of riding on two wheels, I have raced on both dirt and track. So you may need to make sure your facts are correct before you add your .02 cents that is not worth that much.

Don't worry about him. Every forum has its prepubescent kid that spams useless drivel when mom isn't properly supervising, and he's ours.

[beef_bourito]

lol, PWN3D

[Kurtdg19]

Originally Posted by DealsGap

That list was in a British bike magazine, and they included and overemphasized a bunch of criteria that actually has nothing to do with handling or cornering ability, I suppose for the sake of entertainment value of the article, which severely skewed their results. There is a second listing in the article that removes the subjective criteria and only takes into account: Lean Angle, Flickability, Corner Speed, and Drive Out. The second list is much more accurate, and things like GP 2 strokes and Japanese 600's take their rightful spots at the top of the list as the best handling machines.

Your right . As I said I was suprised to say the least, but objective testing doesn't always paint a full picture (at least for some riders). And thats where point of views allow more room to understand how a bike feels rather than what their capable of. A bike that can handle well easier may seem like a better value to everyday riders as opposed to one that takes more experience and talent to extract its true potential. With all that said bikes are kinda like gloves (ok here goes my weird analogies ). Its not about which is better, its about which one fits.

[Z_Fanatic]

I said it before... Buell needs to change their supplier of motors. May be they should follow what Euroean private manufacturers did, like Bimota or Benelli and use Suzuki/Yamaha engine. Ducati is on pressure all the time and constanty researching on twins to keep up with desmo stuff, yet Buell figures they can just get away with outdated Harley potato-choppers.