New Buell
The search is over. Today I scored an 04 XB12r, Race Kitted, Polished Headers and lowish km's (18000). Thanks for the advice Hospital food, you were right the Cagiva was cool but the Buell's better.
The search started seriously this week as I was off work, found 3 that I liked, a Firebolt in Huntly, and a Lightning & Cagiva both out of the Mount. Off I set to check them out on the trusty ZZR, went to Huntly first from Parakai, checked out the Firebolt, took it for a spin through the twisties down there, and woo-hoo, was really suprised how comfortable it was too ride, I was immediately right at home on it, going through corners at hell angles. I reluctantly dropped it back, and set off for Mt Maunganui, what a change of pace from a little light rocket that corners unbelievably, with low revs, to a big heavy beast that corners OK, and loves to rev.
Finally got to the Mount and checked out the Cagiva, while the Firebolt ride was fresh in my mind. The difference in riding position was huge, the Cagiva revs well (I think 10500 from memory), but it didn't have the same instant punch (torque), as the Buell, but would cane it once the revs rose a bit. Had a good fang and liked it but not enough to sway me away from a Buell.
Next over to Strada Motorsport in the Mount, where I met Dallas, who showed me the 05 Lightning they had there. This dude and his company blew me away, the service was wicked, I told him straight up that I couldn't afford his Buell outright, but if he was willing to take the ZZR as a part trade, I would look at it. He was very willing to talk, he checked out my bike, and once again I was off blasting through the countryside on a Buell, the mad Lightning. It felt a bit more shall we say lively than the Firebolt, not quite as planted through the corners, although it might be set up for a different weight than mine. It certainly went well, I headed out towards Whakatane, and was having a ball, blasting past cars. I was coming up fast on a group of 3 cars, with a big truck coming towards me in the opposite lane, so slammed the Buell down a gear, and flew past them. Got back in my lane, and didn't brake just let the throttle off, and as the truck went past saw the car in behind the truck was constable plod. Oh shit, through the shaky, blurred stalks that Buells call mirrors, lights were on, U turn done, and I ended up parked up. Ain't life a bitch, I ride 500 od km's on a bike that will do 280k+, and get a ticket on the little Buell. On the bright side the ploddie wasn't a complete prat, although my protests fell on deaf ears (no ticket), he wrote me up for 120k in a 100k, which meant only 20 demerits.
I didn't buy the Lightning because I liked the seating position of the Firebolt more, but if anyone wants a Lightning, out of all the bikes I looked at it was definitely the tidiest condition, this bike has 19k on it and looks brand new, goes really well (Faarken ticket), and is a good price. I definitely recommend Strada in the Bay anyway.
Have already done about 300-400kms on the Buell, and I love it, the noise, the shakin, the instant punch out of corners, the handling is outstanding, I have ridden mega bikes over the years, (first started ring about 1980), and none inspire confidence in corners like this bike. The front brakes are so powerful, and it rocks having a light bike again, (read wheeling around the garage etc). Please the weather gods let us have good weather tomorrow, I've only been off it an hour, and I can't wait to hit the road tomorrow. I have refound the essence of why I started this affair with bikes, if you see a Buell tomorrow, with the rider laughing like a maniac inside the hemet, and you're in the Rodney district, you probably just passed or got passed by me.
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Originally Posted by Buellluva
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