Demo Buell1125R @ AMPS

[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!

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.



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.

[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.