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Buell bikes

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J

JJ650

Golden Member
Had some time to kill during lunch so a buddy of mine and I swung by the local HD dealership to look over some bikes.
After talking to one of the sales guys in there, he told me he had his 2003 Buell Firebolt XB9R w/16kmi for sale for $3500. He had dome some light modification (racing pipes for example) and says he has regular maintennance on it, or so he says.

Now this was tempting to me for a couple of different reasons.

1) the only bike I ride on is a '48 Panhead that has a sidecar. I'll never get rid of it nor stop riding it.
2) I have been wanting something more contemporary. Ducati (love the Mosters), Buell, or a cruiser...

3500 is damned little to spend to hop into and get to riding and I bet he would let it go for $3k if I walked in with the cash.

Anybody have any comments or opinions (not fanboy hearsay crap).

JulesMaximus? I know you ride a lot.
 
I've heard mixed things about the Buell motorcycles. Mainly negative things regarding reliability. They look cool as hell but they don't perform as well as the Japanese super sports nor are they anywhere near as reliable.

I'm with you though, the Ducati Monster 1100 S really does it for me and I did test ride one a few months ago. Even though it won't hang with a well ridden Japanese super sport I don't give a crap. It pushes all the right buttons and it isn't just another Japanese bike in a fricken sea of Japanese bikes. The 1100 S will be my next bike...unless something even cooler comes along between now and then of course. 😉
 
I'll admit to being a Harley guy straight off.

From what I've heard, I can agree that the Buells with the Harley-based engines are definitely not out there to compete with supersports and especially not 1,100cc Ducs. That said, most of Buell's reputation for reliability issues seems to have come from the early (pre-2001) Blast line, I haven't heard much about it recently; of course, I don't spend a lot of time in sportbike circles either.

If you want something that will run with the fastest bikes on the road (even with the fastest 600's), the Firebolt isn't it.

On the other hand, if you want something that is fun to ride, innovative in a quirky way, has a well-received fuel-injection setup, is more tractable (read: more low-end torque) when you're not wringing it out, and looks pretty cool, then the Firebolt might be the right bike for you.

The reviews from magazines are mixed, and seem to vary based on the rider. I would say that you should test ride the bike and see if it suits you. If it does and you have fun, then there's no real compelling reason that I can see to stay away from it, especially for only $3,000.

ZV
 
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
I'll admit to being a Harley guy straight off.

From what I've heard, I can agree that the Buells with the Harley-based engines are definitely not out there to compete with supersports and especially not 1,100cc Ducs. That said, most of Buell's reputation for reliability issues seems to have come from the early (pre-2001) Blast line, I haven't heard much about it recently; of course, I don't spend a lot of time in sportbike circles either.

If you want something that will run with the fastest bikes on the road (even with the fastest 600's), the Firebolt isn't it.

On the other hand, if you want something that is fun to ride, innovative in a quirky way, has a well-received fuel-injection setup, is more tractable (read: more low-end torque) when you're not wringing it out, and looks pretty cool, then the Firebolt might be the right bike for you.

The reviews from magazines are mixed, and seem to vary based on the rider. I would say that you should test ride the bike and see if it suits you. If it does and you have fun, then there's no real compelling reason that I can see to stay away from it, especially for only $3,000.

ZV
Click to expand...

I'm definitely not looking for the fastest thing on 2 wheels. I don't need that. How much time does one spend at 100-140mph anyway?
I am looking for something fun, and the low end torque to put around in. I already have a heavy beast for anyting slower and weekend cruising (it weighs close to 1k lbs if you factor in the sidecar and steel everything, and it's only a 3 sp. 😛).

 
I'm a Harley guy and a fan of Buell bikes naturally but like Zemmervolt said they don't exactly perform all that well (air cooled ones). Mind you the new liquid cooled ones are monsters. If I were to take an air cooled Buell it would by the Ulysses XT touring bike as that's something that appeals to me.

Also from what I heard, some of the newer air cooled ones are supposed to be really good reliability wise and pretty low maintenence.

One thing I find pretty cool in all Buell bikes is the built into the frame fuel tank 😀

Edit: Oh and you def won't need to go anywhere near those speeds, the bike you are looking at will be plenty fast enough for whatever it is you want, and it's going to be good for twisties 🙂
 
I'll have to recommend a classic Honda Magna 750 for a nice cruiser with some great reliability, cheap parts, and more than adequate power. You can find great ones for $2k or less.

http://charleston.craigslist.org/mcy/1291088890.html

If I was gonna drop more than $3k on a non-sport bike, I'd look for a nice VMAX

http://charleston.craigslist.org/mcy/1268067553.html

VMAX is a bit of a handful, and when they're done right, you can outrun stock 'Busas. Beautiful sound, very stable, but also cumbersome at low speeds.
 
Originally posted by: Arkaign
I'll have to recommend a classic Honda Magna 750 for a nice cruiser with some great reliability, cheap parts, and more than adequate power. You can find great ones for $2k or less.

http://charleston.craigslist.org/mcy/1291088890.html

If I was gonna drop more than $3k on a non-sport bike, I'd look for a nice VMAX

http://charleston.craigslist.org/mcy/1268067553.html

VMAX is a bit of a handful, and when they're done right, you can outrun stock 'Busas. Beautiful sound, very stable, but also cumbersome at low speeds.
Click to expand...

Two definite possibilities from a technical point of view, though any Magna would be a lot older than the Buell. Still, I'll always have a soft spot for the V4 Hondas like the Magna. As technically great as the VMAX is (and they are stunningly powerful), I've never cared for the way they look. Stupid reason not to like a bike, I know, but I can't get past it. Which is sad, because they are fantastic machines.

ZV
 
Originally posted by: Arkaign
I'll have to recommend a classic Honda Magna 750 for a nice cruiser with some great reliability, cheap parts, and more than adequate power. You can find great ones for $2k or less.

http://charleston.craigslist.org/mcy/1291088890.html

If I was gonna drop more than $3k on a non-sport bike, I'd look for a nice VMAX

http://charleston.craigslist.org/mcy/1268067553.html

VMAX is a bit of a handful, and when they're done right, you can outrun stock 'Busas. Beautiful sound, very stable, but also cumbersome at low speeds.
Click to expand...

The Firebolt XB9R isn't a cruiser. It looks like a super sport but doesn't really compete at the same level as a super sport bike.

I agree with ZV, give it a test ride and see if you like the ergos of the bike. If you do then I can't really see any reason not to buy it.

Pic of the XB9R
 
The biggest complaints I've heard about Buell bikes are the ancient engines.. they've spend so much time making a cutting edge bike only to but a Flintstones era motor in it, just doesn't make much sense.

I'd also agree with the Magna recommendation, great motorcycles. Get a Corbin seat and a few other items and they can look sleek as hell.
 
Originally posted by: 43st
The biggest complaints I've heard about Buell bikes are the ancient engines.. they've spend so much time making a cutting edge bike only to but a Flintstones era motor in it, just doesn't make much sense.
Click to expand...

Electronic fuel injection and dry-sump oiling are hardly "Flintstones era" technologies. I'm not saying that it's the best-suited engine for a sport bike. It's not. But it's ignorant to call it ancient. It's simply designed for a different purpose and gives a very different character to the bike.

Still, it does compare nicely to a Ducati 900SS, and, in the right circumstances, it can outrun an R1 through corners. Linky.

ZV
 
Buells are different from your normal bike. They aren't supersports and they aren't cruisers. They are very agile machines and have some of the shortest wheelbases in their class.

There are pros and cons of owning a buell, the modern Buells are nice bikes, but definitely not what you would expect from looking at them.
Pros:
Great fun to ride
large dealer network
Definitely look different (I'm a big fan of the Buell XB9RS)

Cons:
More vibration than you'd expect
harley drievtrains (The shifter won't go snick, snick, it's more akin to the difference between a Mustang and a Honda Civic Si, the redline for the 900cc are 7k or 7.5k IIRC)

It's not for everyone, but if you're looking for something different compared to a Honda/Kawi/Suzuki/Yamaha it might just fit your bill. Reliability has apparently gone up since back when and I rarely hear about complaints with 2005+ bikes. IMO, they're nice and creatively engineered, I might get a XB9RS as my next in town commuting bike.
 
Originally posted by: mwmorph
Buells are different from your normal bike. They aren't supersports and they aren't cruisers. They are very agile machines and have some of the shortest wheelbases in their class.

There are pros and cons of owning a buell, the modern Buells are nice bikes, but definitely not what you would expect from looking at them.
Pros:
Great fun to ride
large dealer network
Definitely look different (I'm a big fan of the Buell XB9RS)

Cons:
More vibration than you'd expect
harley drievtrains (The shifter won't go snick, snick, it's more akin to the difference between a Mustang and a Honda Civic Si, the redline for the 900cc are 7k or 7.5k IIRC)

It's not for everyone, but if you're looking for something different compared to a Honda/Kawi/Suzuki/Yamaha it might just fit your bill. Reliability has apparently gone up since back when and I rarely hear about complaints with 2005+ bikes. IMO, they're nice and creatively engineered, I might get a XB9RS as my next in town commuting bike.
Click to expand...

Their newest bikes do not utilize Harley sourced engines.
 
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Their newest bikes do not utilize Harley sourced engines.
Click to expand...

Well, Buell is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Harley, so technically every part of a Buell, including the new engine, is "Harley sourced". 😉 😛

But you're right, the most recently introduced Buell models use a clean-sheet engine. They do still make models that use the older Sportster-based engine though. 🙂

ZV
 
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