New Buell.

[Her_C4]

ooooo yer that looks just like it has my name on it....

Very cool

[Marknz]

ooooo yer that looks just like it has my name on it....

Very cool

I'll see if i can get the lads on the Terrace to set one up with trainer wheels for you

[Her_C4]

I'll see if i can get the lads on the Terrace to set one up with trainer wheels for you

WHAT A PRICK OF A THING TO SAY!!!! Ok you are right ( sigh)

(Didn't you notice the v v low seat height???) FIRST thing I look at these days..

besides - the last 'incident' was nothing to do with seat height - I was riding at the time and ably demonstrating my (lack of) ability.... ha ha ha

[skelstar]

No offence to anyone, but I can't believe anyone can find that bike good looking. I know some of you do, but it is just way out hideous to me and I have fairly mainstream tastes.

[RantyDave]

No offence to anyone, but I can't believe anyone can find that bike good looking.

He's right, of course. Regardless of how much good news it is that Buell are finally ditching that motor, or how cool it is that they've kept the belt drive, you can't get over the fact that it is one fugly bike.

I've actually noticed Buell having problems with this before. The current XB bikes look great, but the early ones just look a shocker (IMHO, of course).

Personally I don't think they needed to change a thing. Just the engine, obviously.

Dave

[Sanx]

I test-rode a couple of Buells before getting the VTR, and then before getting the Blade. Great handling and a nice feel to them; what put me off was the rattly steaming pile of shite they laughingly referred to as an engine. Oh, and the fact the transmission linkages seemed to be made from something with less structural rigidity than boiled celery.

So, news they've finally got someone who knows how to make an engine to make their engine and gearbox is great news. I'll be queueing up for a ride when this thing hits UnZud. As for looks ... meh, I like the front fairing and lights, but the bug-catchers are fricken ugly. As with most Buells (in fact, most sprotbikes, period) it's crying out for a mudguardectomy, but other than that, I'm impressed. The gauges look the business, and it says something about Buell's intentions that it comes complete with a lap-timer...

[dangerous]

rattly steaming pile of shite they laughingly referred to as an engine.
I like the front fairing and lights,
The gauges look the business,
andcomplete with a lap-timer...

Mate, you have no idea do you... you just described a R1/Gixxer/blade, the gauges are straight off a SV, when you figger out what a BEARs bike is about come back to me in the meantime stick with your smooth HELICAL cut gear boxs, non rattly boring mass produced rice rockets.

Personally I don't think they needed to change a thing. Just the engine, obviously.

'obviously' explain? why is a new engine obviously required?
I have heard of no problems from the XB engine... 100+hp if you know how to ride why the hell do ya need any more... the engine produces more torque than an jappa can, go figger why do they need to change it?

[Rashika]

(Didn't you notice the v v low seat height???) FIRST thing I look at these days..

umm 775mm seat height is not low... I'm 5ft 7.5inches and I dont have flat feet on the ground, almost but not quite. This bike is NOT designed for a person of short stature

No offence to anyone, but I can't believe anyone can find that bike good looking. I know some of you do, but it is just way out hideous to me and I have fairly mainstream tastes.

its not for me either and I ride a Buell...

I test-rode a couple of Buells before getting the VTR, and then before getting the Blade. Great handling and a nice feel to them; what put me off was the rattly steaming pile of shite they laughingly referred to as an engine. Oh, and the fact the transmission linkages seemed to be made from something with less structural rigidity than boiled celery.

So, news they've finally got someone who knows how to make an engine to make their engine and gearbox is great news. I'll be queueing up for a ride when this thing hits UnZud. As for looks ... meh, I like the front fairing and lights, but the bug-catchers are fricken ugly. As with most Buells (in fact, most sprotbikes, period) it's crying out for a mudguardectomy, but other than that, I'm impressed. The gauges look the business, and it says something about Buell's intentions that it comes complete with a lap-timer...

hate the gauges, whats wrong with having an analog speedo? At least you have some idea of what speed you are doing at a glance, dont have to take the time to read the ferkin thing.. meanwhile Mr plod has latched on with his radar. The bug catchers were ugly before on the Tubers, Why TF bring em back?
Engine: well it'd be interesting to ride it, I'm guessing it would be something along the lines of the Tuono... Higher reving and all that. Dunno if I would like that, I love the feel of the moment you pretty much touch the throttle it is all on, not waiting till you hit that magic whatever RPM to feel that launch.

But having said all that, as a bike, without having the knowledge of Buell, it is errr..okish (apart from those ferkin air/radiator covers)... but as a Buell it is a major departure, and i dont know how well it'll sit with those who ride 'em now.. like me

[scumdog]

umm 775mm seat height is not low... I'm 5ft 7.5inches and I dont have flat feet on the ground, almost but not quite. This bike is NOT designed for a person of short stature

its not for me either and I ride a Buell...

hate the gauges, whats wrong with having an analog speedo? At least you have some idea of what speed you are doing at a glance, dont have to take the time to read the ferkin thing.. meanwhile Mr plod has latched on with his radar. .
Dunno if I would like that, I love the feel of the moment you pretty much touch the throttle it is all on, not waiting till you hit that magic whatever RPM to feel that launch.

Got ducks disease m'dear?

Anyway, I agree, analogue is waay easier to figure out in a hurry and in bright light.

And yeah, in my little world steady strong torque beats a higher-but-peaky horsepower thing.

Don't want to get r.s.i. from changing gears all the time....

[HenryDorsetCase]

I really like this thread. If I was buying a buell (and I nearly did... and would have if I had the money free and clear: but the difference between an $11k Hornet and a $20k Buell was the major deciding factor: I think my days of having bikes on endless drip feed are done...) anyway, I would buy an XB12 over this, for the same reason I would buy a Triumph Scrambler over a Daytona 675: its a road bike, and usability on the road is a very different thing than having 150 Hp and only starting to enjoy yourself at 160kph. Ive recently discovered that race tracks are where its at if you really want to see how good you are... riding on the road is enjoyable still, but its very different: as dangerous says: do you really need more than 100hP on the road? can you really use it? I would suggest not often enough to make the extra cost, complexity and insurance premiums worthwhile..... but thats just me.

from 40 to 100 mph that Buell I rode (particularly with the handling it has) would keep up with anything on the road...

[Sanx]

Mate, you have no idea do you... you just decribed a R1/Gixxer/blade, the guages are straight of a SV, when you figger out what a BEARs bike is about come back to me in the mean time stick with your somth HELICAL cut gear boxs, non rattly boreing mass produced rice rockets.

A BEARS bike is anything made outside of Japan, basically. British, European, American Racing and Supporters. Close enough for ya? Good.

Buell are building a sportsbike, so aiming at something that'll take the jap bikes on is hardly an unworthy goal. Look at the promo videos for their other bikes; they're shot on streets, not race tracks. The promo video for the 1125R was shot of a track and featured Niall Mackenzie talking his way round through a lap of some motorsport park the name of which I've forgotten. It's a V-twin, not an inline four, so far more similar to the Italian sportsbikes in character, anyway. Something you seem to have missed out oon in the BEARS specification is the Racing part of it. It was designed as a racing class. How can Buell produce a competitive BEARS bike with only 100hp when Ducati, Aprilia, KTM, BMW and the likes are pushing out up between 130 and 160hp? BEARS specifies no one engine configuration, or any restrictions on chassis design. It's essentially an open racing class that excluded Japanese bikes.

And to your other points. The gauges are not from an SV. They bear a resemblance in that they have a stacked configuration with a digital speedo, but they're different. The new Buell's got straight cut gears, not helical, if that's what you were trying to imply; it's a little hard to tell from your rambling sentence structure.

So yes, it's different to Buell's past; but it's meant to be. Previous Buells were somewhat of an oddity; they didn't quite fit into the accepted categories and that's what made them unique. Well, Buell are now producing a bike that does fit into one of the categories because they want to compete in that market. If you don't like it, fine. Don't buy one. Just don't have a go at someone who has a different opinion to you, especially when you insist on talking out of your arse in doing so.

[imdying]

Analogue tacho, I'll back you all the way. Digital speedo is more excellent, and much better at a glance, for me.

You want to go fast, you add a fairing, it's cheaper than adding horsepower.

Buell put as much though into form and function (imho), those big ugly scoops are probably very effective.

There is no way you'd mistake that for anything other than a Buell.

It's bloody ugly, but I don't care a fig, I'd be keen for a thrash.

Dollar is pretty good at the moment, wonder if it'll be in the $22k thou range, or the $34k 1098 range, or somewhere in between, by the time it reaches our show rooms.

D, you're as one eyed as that OAB fella. Country of origin does not a good bike make. That's not to say don't be proud of where it came from, even my SV has a Japanese flag on it (man does that polarise opinion! One tiny little piece of vinyl!)

[buellbabe]

OK...step aside... another one of the very few KB Buell owner/riders has entered into the debate...

Actually I am too blimmin busy at work to read thru this entire thread at the mo ( will do that later ) so will just quickly add my 2c.

having already discussed this at length on the buell forum i belong to this is my opinion.

FUGLY.

Sure extra horsepower is tempting but if/when I trade the X1 it will be on a Firebolt.

If I bought the 1125R or S I would wanna lose the scoops, change the muffler and put a Firebolt frontend on it so why bother?

Like I said, the extra horsepower is tempting but thats not the attraction of Buells for most people that ride them. Its the inya face attitude and extreme fun that IS the Buell riding experience!

[Big Dave]

s the rattly steaming pile of shite they laughingly referred to as an engine. Oh, and the fact the transmission linkages seemed to be made from something with less structural rigidity than boiled celery.

...........nah - I can't be bothered.

Wrong.

[Rashika]

So yes, it's different to Buell's past; but it's meant to be. Previous Buells were somewhat of an oddity; they didn't quite fit into the accepted categories and that's what made them unique. Well, Buell are now producing a bike that does fit into one of the categories because they want to compete in that market. If you don't like it, fine. Don't buy one. Just don't have a go at someone who has a different opinion to you, especially when you insist on talking out of your arse in doing so.

You are obviously VERY new to KB... Dangerous always has a rambling sentence structure and very iffy spelling, but talking out of a hole in his arse he doesn't... that much
The problem is those of us WITH Buells are finding it a bit much to take all at once...
yeah sure alter a few things, try some new stuff out... but in one hit to change the engine, the length, the fairing, the indicators, the instruments, the exhaust, and probably a huge number of other things is a wee bit much to take. Especially for those of us who might want to upgrade someday.

And on the local BEARS note: its pretty much a one horse race down here, Triumphs 675s are it, Ducatis are genrally a bit behind but that changes from time to time, and there are a couple of tuber Buells who race as well... the only XB out on the track was mine, with me or Dangerous on it. The last BMW that raced down here went out in a ball of flames impressive it was!