Demo Buell1125R @ AMPS

[Big Dave]

I was at AMPS this afternoon and their 1125R demo was parked out front.

If you are in the market for a really good sports bike check it out.

[98tls]

There was a message on my phone today from a still breathless fellow KBer telling me she had ridden one today,same one i guess,amongst the excited babble she told me she thinks shes the first female to ride one in NZ:sleep:like i would be bothered :Pokey:lucky tart,jealous i am.

[chanceyy]

There was a message on my phone today from a still breathless fellow KBer telling me she had ridden one today,same one i guess,amongst the excited babble she told me she thinks shes the first female to ride one in NZ:sleep:like i would be bothered :Pokey:lucky tart,jealous i am.

geeezzz I wonder who that could be :scratch: .. careful Mike the green side is showing :lol:

[oldguy]

Just wish they would hurry up and get mine sorted.:cry::cry::cry:


wonder if they would give me that as a loner,

[gijoe1313]

Just wish they would hurry up and get mine sorted.:cry::cry::cry:

how many more weeks till the new frame comes over so they can bolt all the bits back onto it? :scratch:

And to top it all off, I just got meself a new Big Ol'Hornet to ride behind you now~! :doh:

[oldguy]

how many more weeks till the new frame comes over so they can bolt all the bits back onto it? :scratch:

And to top it all off, I just got meself a new Big Ol'Hornet to ride behind you now~! :doh:
looking like mid May if I'm lucky, 6 weeks for frame, 3 days to swap things over.
talking something like they will re-vin the new frame, to match the engine or something like that, they have a data base of all there bikes.

anyhow how long you had the new bike were the pics, good on yah.

sorry BD :Offtopic:

[Ixion]

Sigh. Every time I wander into AMPS the same thing happens as in every other bike shop. All the staff look vaguely round as if aware at some psychic level that there is a 'presence'. But no-one can see me.


And if I should ever suggest a test ride, even of a Honda C50, it always turns out that every bike in the shop, nay the country, has just that afternoon been commandeered by the government to to rush troops to the friont to defend out dear country from an invasion by the frenzied Viking hordes from Greenland, and none can be spared, under any circumstances. At any other time, of course ...............

I gave up years ago.

[Big Dave]

Sigh. Every time I wander into AMPS the same thing happens as in every other bike shop. All the staff look vaguely round as if aware at some psychic level that there is a 'presence'. But no-one can see me..


They are either 'too pushy' of 'too standoffish' and THEY can't win.

If YOU went up to any of them and said Hi my name is ....and I'm interested in....

They will do what they can to sell you a bike.

[Big Dave]

sorry BD :Offtopic:

aaaah - it's keeping mine company.

[Ixion]

They are either 'too pushy' of 'too standoffish' and THEY can't win.

If YOU went up to any of them and said Hi my name is ....and I'm interested in....

They will do what they can to sell you a bike.

But how do you CATCH any of "them". I have tried sticking my hand down the toilet wastepipe in the hope of grabbing 'their ' ankle as they make their submarine effort to get away form me but they are always too quick for me.

[The Pastor]

But how do you CATCH any of "them". I have tried sticking my hand down the toilet wastepipe in the hope of grabbing 'their ' ankle as they make their submarine effort to get away form me but they are always too quick for me.
Money talks.

Unfortunatly, i dont have any!

[Ixion]

Well, actually, I do. Of course, I'm actually a poor old man, subsisting on a mouldy bread crust a week. But a few clever dick financial types have assumed over the years that old and simple equalled stupid. But they still still run when they see me. Do you suppose it is the jacket cut from an old sugar bag? or the gin bottle in the trouser pocket?

[Big Dave]

But how do you CATCH any of "them". I have tried sticking my hand down the toilet wastepipe in the hope of grabbing 'their ' ankle as they make their submarine effort to get away form me but they are always too quick for me.

If I seriously want to discuss buying a bike or want to arrange a test ride - I ring and make an appointment to do so.

[Ixion]

Well, no, I don't want to *seriously* discuss buying a new bike. I want some sales dude to twist my arm and suborn me so that I can go home and tell Mrs Ixion that I never wanted to but I had no alternative, and I was just riding down the road and they ran out and forced me off the bike and dragged me into the showroom, and I was forced into it, and if I didn't they would have put a horse's head in my bed, and , just because I signed the contract , 20 starving families in Africa will eat next week , and 50 little kittens will be reprieved from the gas chambers, and global warming will be delayed 20 years.

They gotta work with me on this!

[Big Dave]

Well, no, I don't want to *seriously* discuss buying a new bike. I want some sales dude to twist my arm and suborn me so that I can go home and tell Mrs Ixion that I never wanted to but I had no alternative, and I was just riding down the road and they ran out and forced me off the bike and dragged me into the showroom, and I was forced into it, and if I didn't they would have put a horse's head in my bed, and , just because I signed the contract , 20 starving families in Africa will eat next week , and 50 little kittens will be reprieved from the gas chambers, and global warming will be delayed 20 years.

They gotta work with me on this!

I can see them sitting back counting the money.

[jrandom]

If I seriously want to discuss buying a bike or want to arrange a test ride - I ring and make an appointment to do so.

What he said.

I'm all over that 1125R like a rash...

[buellbabe]

Money talks.

Unfortunatly, i dont have any!

No offence intended...buuuuuut Bollocks! I ain't got any and I get treated like a celebrity. When I walk into the shop all the reps wave or say hi.
And believe me I REALLY ain't got no money...

I usually just head straight for Geoff Bonds office and sit chatting to him. IMO he is the best sales rep and he isn't pushy. When my bike was off the road and I was hanging for a ride he organised a Triumph Speed Triple to be made available. I picked it up Sat morning and dropped it back Monday.

Top guy!

Yesterday I had a long chat with Greg Pratt, lovely young guy (daddy owns the place, lucky lucky). He has promised to make sure I get my 'official ride' as soon as its run in. (The other ride I had was on Blackbuells very own 1125R).

I reckon AMPS have done it right, instead of selling their model they are running it in and keeping it as a demo. Should be ready to thrash very soon...

[vifferman]

Well, no, I don't want to *seriously* discuss buying a new bike. I want some sales dude to twist my arm and suborn me so that I can go home and tell Mrs Ixion that I never wanted to but I had no alternative...
Yeah, me too. :yes:
Last time someone did that to me, I ended up buying a bike when I had no intention of buying anything. And guess what? That was the only time that I've been offered a test-ride without first asking for one. But like Ixion, I've often wandered around shops and hoped someone would "twist my arm and suborn me".
Especially given that I'm feeling just a tad bored with the VFR, but have no intention of replacing it.
Yet...

[HenryDorsetCase]

No offence intended...buuuuuut Bollocks! I ain't got any and I get treated like a celebrity. When I walk into the shop all the reps wave or say hi.
And believe me I REALLY ain't got no money...

I usually just head straight for Geoff Bonds office and sit chatting to him. IMO he is the best sales rep and he isn't pushy. When my bike was off the road and I was hanging for a ride he organised a Triumph Speed Triple to be made available. I picked it up Sat morning and dropped it back Monday.

Top guy!

Yesterday I had a long chat with Greg Pratt, lovely young guy (daddy owns the place, lucky lucky). He has promised to make sure I get my 'official ride' as soon as its run in. (The other ride I had was on Blackbuells very own 1125R).

I reckon AMPS have done it right, instead of selling their model they are running it in and keeping it as a demo. Should be ready to thrash very soon...

no offence, but could it be because you are a woman? Or already known to them?

FWIW I had a day to kill in Melbourne last week and did the crawl up and down Elizabeth Street checking out bikeshops. (mmmmmmmmm)

I got great service everywhere: a guy tried really hard to sell me some gloves and boots, every sales person without fail acknowledged my presence and was happy to chat, even when I made it clear I was on holiday and not looking to buy. *some* stores in NZ are like that, but most just aren't.

The best local one is the local HD shop (pity they can't sell me a bike even if they want to... but dont get me started about how retarded that is) or the local Suzuki or Triumph guys.

What a lot of people dont get is that they work in RETAIL The customer is king!

[buellbabe]

Maybe being a chick and being known to them has some bearing BUT my point was that having money is NOT a factor.
If it was all about making a sale then they wouldn't waste their time with me.

[The Pastor]

going by your late modle bike you currently own, i'd say you have a fair bit more money than I would.

and you got bigger tits that I have.....

[buellbabe]

ha ha I certainly hope I've got bigger tits... but mate, my bike is 9yrs old. Hardly late model.
And the reason I have no money is cos I pour it into/onto my bike! So I guess its my choice to be broke LOL.

[jrandom]

You folk complaining about being 'ignored' are just way too diffident in your affect, I suspect.

Personally, I just walk into bike shops and stand in the middle of the floor with arms folded and eyebrows raised, and unless all the sales staff are busy with other customers at the time, I find that I invariably have somebody attending to my needs within a minute or so.

[Jimmy B]

You folk complaining about being 'ignored' are just way too diffident in your affect, I suspect.

Personally, I just walk into bike shops and stand in the middle of the floor with arms folded and eyebrows raised, and unless all the sales staff are busy with other customers at the time, I find that I invariably have somebody attending to my needs within a minute or so.

Prolly cause you look dodgey and they think you'll nick something. :whistle:

[jrandom]

Prolly cause you look dodgey and they think you'll nick something. :whistle:

I'd be inclined to be offended by that, if I didn't know that you were probably basing that comment on your genuine impression after meeting me the other day.

:pinch:

[Big Dave]

You folk complaining about being 'ignored' are just way too diffident in your affect, I suspect.

Personally, I just walk into bike shops and stand in the middle of the floor with arms folded and eyebrows raised, and unless all the sales staff are busy with other customers at the time, I find that I invariably have somebody attending to my needs within a minute or so.

I do a Riverdance.
If someone hasn't responded by the third bike knocked over I am SOOOO out of there.

[jrandom]

I do a Riverdance.


<img src="http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=95160&rendTypeId=4"/>

All your Harley Davidson are belong to us!

[Big Dave]

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[oldguy]

Prolly cause you look dodgey and they think you'll nick something. :whistle:

No thats me,

[Wingnut]

If I seriously want to discuss buying a bike or want to arrange a test ride - I ring and make an appointment to do so.

This is getting off track a bit but...

Thats what I did with these mugs in timaru. Had arranged to demo a M109 with all intentions of purchasing one. When I got there, the salesman talked to me for a while about the bike and yadda yadda, doing their thing. Then he tells me that the demo isn't ready to go. It was sitting there, on the shop floor - registered and warrented - ready to go but there was no way they were gonna let me out on it. When I asked "how come its not ready" he lamely answered - " Just isn't mate. sorry" and that was that. I came from out of town especially to test ride, then perhaps purchase one. Guess they thought I was full of shit?

Homos!!!!

2 weeks later - I bought one from Whitelocks Suzuki. They were excellent to deal with!!!

[98tls]

This is getting off track a bit but...

Thats what I did with these mugs in timaru. Had arranged to demo a M109 with all intentions of purchasing one. When I got there, the salesman talked to me for a while about the bike and yadda yadda, doing their thing. Then he tells me that the demo isn't ready to go. It was sitting there, on the shop floor - registered and warrented - ready to go but there was no way they were gonna let me out on it. When I asked "how come its not ready" he lamely answered - " Just isn't mate. sorry" and that was that. I came from out of town especially to test ride, then perhaps purchase one. Guess they thought I was full of shit?

Homos!!!!

2 weeks later - I bought one from Whitelocks Suzuki. They were excellent to deal with!!! Seems strange indeed,have had a few dealings with them up the road and they have seemed ok but that is just stupidity,by the way i see you out and about round here from time to time,bike looks great.

[Big Dave]

Guess they thought I was full of shit?

Homos!!!!

2 weeks later - I bought one from Whitelocks Suzuki. They were excellent to deal with!!!

You know what they say - If you lend someone $200 and never see them again - it was probably worth it.

I get dicked around by people only once too.

[Hitcher]

I was at AMPS this afternoon and their 1125R demo was parked out front.

If you are in the market for a really good sports bike check it out.

A normally reliable source reckons that these are Shit Hot.

[Blackbuell]

A normally reliable source reckons that these are Shit Hot.

Thats why i bought one:rockon::rockon:

[BALZYBUELL]

GO THE MIGHTY 1125R,MINE HAS GOT ALOT OF BALLS AND THEN SOME.IM MOST IMPRESSED.THESE THINGS ARE AWSOME:2thumbsup

[BIGBOSSMAN]

Looked pretty ballzy at the Trackday last Friday, bloody thing wuz pullin' wheelies everywhere lol!!

[Big Dave]

Look at moi look at moi look at moi

[BALZYBUELL]

YOU LOOK EVER SO GOOD ON BOARD BIG DAVE.SO WHAT DID YOU THINK.ISNT IT JUST THE BEES KNEES:2thumbsup

[Big Dave]

Yep - I attended the launch in Aus.
Had 2 days riding around the Great Divide and hanging with Erik.

Mint bike.

[limbimtimwim]

When I asked "how come its not ready" he lamely answered - " Just isn't mate. sorry" and that was that. I came from out of town especially to test ride, then perhaps purchase one. Guess they thought I was full of shit?There is a bike shop I've spent a bit of money at and they've let me ride bikes and I've come back and they've said "Whoops, shouldn't have let you ride that one, it wasn't road legal yet".

And then there is this other shop in Wellington that funnily enough is called Wellington Motorcycles and there is a guy there called Pete who lets me ride anything I like. It's kinda embarrassing really because he knows I'm not going t buy any of them.

But uh, on topic, yeah, 1125R looks quite good in the metal. Can't help but think it's some kinda KTM SuperDuke/Aprilia RSV/Aprilia Tuono hybrid that got designed by accident and Erik found the plans pushed under his door.

[Big Dave]

>>Erik found the plans pushed under his door.<<

After spending a few hours talking to him about it I can assure you that nothing could be further from the fact. '20 years wanting to build this bike.'

Some quotes from the converstaion are in the upcoming KR bit.

[limbimtimwim]

>>Erik found the plans pushed under his door.<<
After spending a few hours talking to him about it I can assure you that Nothing could be further from the fact. '20 years wanting to build this bike.'Oh I was being silly.

Someone would have emailed him the plans.. I mean, this is the year 2008.

[jrandom]

After spending a few hours talking to him about it...

So did any of the journos at the launch recover sufficiently from their star-struck kissing of Erik's arse to actually notice what the bike was like to ride?

:Pokey:

(In more detail than 'I just enjoyed riding it a lot', that is. Not that a few columns of pasted tech specs don't make for fascinating reading.)

Help me, UK bike rags, you're my only hope...

[Big Dave]

Oh I was being silly.

Someone would have emailed him the plans.. I mean, this is the year 2008.

Yes - I didn't take it seriously.

[Big Dave]

So did any of the journos at the launch recover sufficiently from their star-struck kissing of Erik's arse to actually notice what the bike was like to ride?

:Pokey:

(In more detail than 'I just enjoyed riding it a lot', that is. Not that a few columns of pasted tech specs don't make for fascinating reading.)

Help me, UK bike rags, you're my only hope...

Yes - you deserve each other.

[jrandom]

Yes - you deserve each other.

Forget the UK rags, here's good old Motorcycle Daily, eight months ago, showin' how to do it for free (http://www.motorcycledaily.com/27august07_2008buell1125r.htm)!

I commented to one of the Buell engineers after the first day that the bike seemed to react instantly to steering inputs, without any perceptible chassis "wind up". From the front axle through those huge 47mm fork tubes, steering inputs seem to travel without hesitation to the rear wheel...

...

That high plateau of torque spread almost evenly over several thousand rpm launches the 1125R out of corners right now . . . while many higher strung, four-cylinder bikes might just be starting to search for their powerband. It does this in a smooth, controlled manner that allows the rider to open the throttle more aggressively and earlier without upsetting chassis balance or risking rear wheel spin.

...

The rear shock seemed to be sprung a bit more stiffly than the fork. When the bike was ridden aggressively, the shock seemed to do its job well, but there was some harshness transmitted by square edged bumps while cruising around.

...

The clutch worked flawlessly at the track. It was almost impossible to upset the 1125R's chassis with aggressive downshifts. I can't say that the vacuum assist method employed by Buell is better than a more traditional "slipper clutch" design, but it is easily as effective as any other slipper clutch I have used.

Y'see what I mean?

That sorta hard info's the shiznit the punters need. It's nice to know that Erik throws a good party, but we'd rather hear how he builds a motorcycle...

[Big Dave]

That sorta hard info's the shiznit the punters need. It's nice to know that Erik throws a good party, but we'd rather hear how he builds a motorcycle...

I would only have published/had published about 15,000 words to that end.
See tests - Xb12R, XB12X, XB12SS, City-X.
There is only so many times I can re-iterate your copy and paste job.
Not my fault you too attention challenged to remember any of them.

[jrandom]

I would only have published/had published about 15,000 words to that end.

Yes, I know. Your previous Buell (and other) writeups have been quite informative.


Not my fault you too thick to remember any of them.

Awww! Fookin roffle! Does Big Dave need a hug?

[Big Dave]

>>The rear shock seemed to be sprung a bit more stiffly than the fork. When the bike was ridden aggressively, the shock seemed to do its job well, but there was some harshness transmitted by square edged bumps while cruising around.<<

He didn't have it set up right. You got what you paid for.

[Big Dave]

Yes, I know. Your previous Buell (and other) writeups have been quite informative.



Awww! Fookin roffle! Does Big Dave need a hug?

I changed it to attention challenged.

The last man that tried to hug me was a fit 6'3" Canadian - and he ended up on his arse. Don't even try.

[jrandom]

He didn't have it set up right.

Does the 1125R's rear shock have separately-adjustable high and low speed compression damping?

If not, given that their two-day test included track time at Laguna Seca, I imagine the bikes would have been set up accordingly, which, in the absence of appropriately fine-tuneable damping, one would expect to result in harshness over bumps when ridden on the road at moderate pace.

I guess the Buell engineers figured that they'd rather deal with a few sore journo arses than a few highsided 1125Rs lying sadly in sand traps.

[jrandom]

I changed it to attention challenged.

The great thing about KB's email quote notification is the way one generally gets to click back through to the thread and hit 'refresh' a few times while watching the response change, change again, and then change one last time, usually after one begins writing a reply.

:laugh:

Anyway. Back on topic, the 1125R - I totally can't wait for my test ride.

I wonder what the seat-to-footpeg ergonomics are like in comparison to other sportbikes on the market?

It'd be too much to hope for, I suppose, that I'd actually be comfortable on the thing.

:weep:

[Big Dave]

They set it up by the book for me and it was waaay to harsh in the front.

I backed off damping half a turn and it was really good for Alpine riding.

Arse was as good as 3 way adjustable Showas get on standard 115kg rider settings.

[Big Dave]

I wonder what the seat-to-footpeg ergonomics are like in comparison to other sportbikes on the market?




"The ergonomics are sporty without being extreme and will be good for anyone in the medium to tall height range for a reasonable stint in the saddle. The handlebars are reasonably wide and the controls and levers all have some adjustments available."

Not a Fireblade, not your 14. two thirds towards fireblade.

[jrandom]

"The ergonomics are sporty without being extreme..."

Elapsed time, for me, to the point where knee pain overwhelms riding fun:

GSX-R750 K7: 20 minutes
2007 YZF-R1: 45 minutes
B-King: 2 hours
FXDWG: Never
GSX1400: Never

Et cetera.


Not a Fireblade, not your 14. two thirds towards fireblade.

Hmm.

I'm guessing the 1125R will be a 60-minuter or so in my book.

[Big Dave]

Hard to say - mine lasted till the last session of the test ride and they are not good - 25 year basketball career - and I'm too big for the bike. You ain't.

[dwnundabkr]

been waiting for this bike for 6 months since release on badweb if you want to own one go badweb (badweatherbikers.com) this is the unofficial website for buells from xbrr racing to the buell blast and in between booked my test ride when they have it ready for the road cannot wait

[MD]

I was driving through Patea on Tuesday..best you keep your doors locked and don't stop (just joking), when I saw a 1125R parked with a Ducati Monster and the owners having a coffee - trend setters.
I slammed on the brakes, quick u-turn, and jump out by the bikes for a squiz. The Buel owner looked a bit alarmed and starts wandering over.

From front on it looks quite striking and unique..that wow factor was what first struck me as I came across the bikes. Rear view is just like the other Buells. Side view is..well a tad odd with the fairing looking to high and far forward. It's as if you need to just shorten the brackets and bring the fairing back into contact with the rest of the bike, where it belongs.

Build quality looks smart and that blue frame/swingarm is attractive.
The Rider said he was enoying it. By the looks of the untouched sides of the tyres he hasn't sampled it's handling yet. He answered that by telling me he's come from a "big block Harley "..nuf said!

I hope we get a demo at WMCC sometime, as these look like a very interesting ride and if the power & handling is there, they would be damn good value for money.