About Buells...

[LaytonNZ]

Are They Reliable?

[shafty]

One mans opinion: A FAB design let down by an old pushrod motor design trying to rev like a sport bike. I have met more than 1 person who describes their period of Buell ownership as when they were a "Buell fool".

I watch with interest feedback from the new Rotax powered model - they deserve success, are certainly innovative with 'out there' brakes, underslung exhaust etc etc

I expect to be shot down in flames for giving MY opinion, and know many many owners love them. Lets hope they are also honest about reliability and ownership costs.

[thepom]

No and they are very gay.......

[Blackshear]

One mans opinion: A FAB design let down by an old pushrod motor design trying to rev like a sport bike. I have met more than 1 person who describes their period of Buell ownership as when they were a "Buell fool".

I watch with interest feedback from the new Rotax powered model - they deserve success, are certainly innovative with 'out there' brakes, underslung exhaust etc etc

I expect to be shot down in flames for giving MY opinion, and know many many owners love them. Lets hope they are also honest about reliability and ownership costs.

I'm also interested.
Though some reviews favor other twins in the same market over it.
I'm willing to get over the giant shoulderpads on the 1125CR
Also has the same (taller by 25mm) seat height, same wheelbase, width and overall length of my bike. Weighs just a little bit more, same fuel economy.
Just 4.5x larger engine, and 3x more power!
GSX1400 or CR... Hmmm.

[sunhuntin]

i like the looks of em, but would never own one. have pillioned on one though, and considered it to be one of the most uncomfortable bikes to be on the back of. had a mate who raced his a couple of times at manfield. dont think he ever placed with it though... but then it could have been down to lack of rider skill rather than bike.

[jrandom]

had a mate who raced his a couple of times at manfield. dont think he ever placed with it though... but then it could have been down to lack of rider skill rather than bike.

It may have been down to both, but it certainly would've at least been down to the bike. They're slow. A wheezy aircooled pushrod V-twin out of a 15-year-old cruiser, twiddle it how you will, is simply not what you want in a sprotbike, and it'll get left behind by motorcycles with modern engines on anything other than a go-kart track.

Vis-a-vis handling, Buell aficionados seem to like the fact that the front forks have almost no rake and the bikes therefore have no stability while turning. Apparently this is revolutionary, rather than a design flaw.

I didn't like it, but apparently the one I rode was set up wrong.

The new 1125R is an entirely different animal, of course. I'd like to ride one.

[YellowDog]

I used to work close to AMPS and I had a good look at the Buells. Great looking bikes. I was pretty interested in an XB9, but I decling a test ride. It just felt too small for my 185cm height. Wheel base looks/feels too short which caused me to hunch up. The riding position was not really comfortable enough for my intended commute.

So far as reliability goes, they are as highly rated by their owners as their fat HD cousins. The only Buell owners that I kno are also HD owners.

You should try one as it might fit you like a glove!

[jafar]

Are They Reliable?

Yes they are reliable.

They are good fun to ride too
bit like a fat chick

[Rob Taylor]

My mate had a XB12R. Super realiable,Only had to change oil & filters as hydralic tappets and belt drive rear.Only issue was front brake pulse . We traced to build up on front brake rotor..Cleaned it and fine again. For some reason people think Harleys are unrealiable.That may have been so 25 years ago but no way now & most owners are very passionate about thier bikes so look after them...Pm buell babe on here ,she has one...And go take one for a test ride...Best if you only listen to people who own them as you are moving in to the Harley rhelm and all the wanky doodle knockers will come out of the wood work as you can see from the other answers so far...If your in Auckland go to Ktl bikes...Nice guys, good old fashion service Ask for Kerry or Emma,, www.ktlbikes.co.nz

[jrandom]

all the wanky doodle knockers will come out of the wood work

I like Harleys, to look at and to ride. And I was a big fan of Buells, right up until I rode one.

[Sollyboy]

One mans opinion:

- they deserve success, are certainly innovative with 'out there' brakes, underslung exhaust etc etc

And storing oil in the swing arm to increase its unsprung weight , yeah thats a really good idea

[Big Dave]

Why do you think 'Bike' magazine rated the Buell Firebolt 'the best cornering bike ever' in their review Random?

I personally rate them as the best cornering large capacity motorcycles under $30K. I liked the BMW Megamoto's manners better - but it costs 40% more.

After 4 years of ownership I would describe reliability as 'fair'.
Parts availability is not so.

Cost of ownership/servicing (as audited by Buell) was the lowest of the manufacturers they measured. No shims, no cam chains - self adjusting valves.

I rate them as excellent, great fun road bikes. If track days were my thing I'd own something else.

[Big Dave]

And storing oil in the swing arm to increase its unsprung weight , yeah thats a really good idea

Nothing to do with weight reduction.
It's about keeping the mass lower to the ground and as central as possible.

[Blackshear]

Nothing to do with weight reduction.
It's about keeping the mass lower to the ground and as central as possible.

At risk of poking my head into a cannon, wouldn't storing oil in the swingarm increase the weight being pushed by whatever the back wheel hits?
Sorta like USD forks, I think is what I'm thinking.

[Big Dave]

At risk of poking my head into a cannon, wouldn't storing oil in the swingarm increase the weight being pushed by whatever the back wheel hits?
Sorta like USD forks, I think is what I'm thinking.

It's a dry sump and the oil has to go in a bottle somewhere.

The agility of the Triumph Rocket III I'm living with is testament to the importance of the height of the COG compared to just measuring the mass of the vehicle.

In the 1125R/CR it is in a chamber cast into the engine cases. Even lower and more central.