Buell: #1 handling bike. Yep.

afpreppie04 said:
I think I was just unclear in that post. The 1125 comment was just based on your saying it is less than optimal for street riding and Hellgate's mechanic saying they were designed to be ridden hard, ie track. I know you have the Scg one for even lower than usual CG, and I know the muffler has certain sound and emissions requirements (and the backpressure valve). My thinking might be skewed here but I think on a $10k bike they could make a lighter muffler; even with all the requirements they could have made it from a lighter material, but the steel does serve to make the CG even lower having the extra weight inches from the ground. Not sure how much real world difference the 10 extra pounds would be, but in my mind I can see the budget guys and marketing guys both getting in on that deal.
Click to expand...

The FZ6 is $7000 MSRP, the XB12S is $10k MSRP.

For the $3k you get:
- more HP
- double torque
- USD forks
- fully adjustable front/rear suspension
- Belt drive
- Design wheels with translucid powder coating
- a good looking swingarm (lol, the only thing I did not like on the FZ)
- SAE power outlet
- to buy american and be different.

So yeah... I guess they could have tried to design a lighter muffler with that money too :) Did you ever weigh the FZ6's stock muffler? :eek:
 
Nooo, don't make me go weigh it, then I'll feel bad and have to get a lighter one :spank:

Thats actually something I've said before was that they could have kept weight a lot lower if they didn't have the underseat exhaust on the FZ6, but people like the looks of it. A while back I was seriously considering swapping a shorty R6 exhaust and swingarm on (kill two birds with one stone!) but I saw pictures of the Portuguese guy that did it and it looks REALLY weird with that huge gap there.
 
Yeah you'd have to swap the tail section too to clean it up...

The FZ6 stock muffler is about the same weight as my Buell stock muffler (I did not weigh them, but remember carrying them), i.e. SUPER HEAVY (and the Buell is a 1200cc vs 600cc).

The aftermarket exhaust I put on now weighs less than the Laser exhaust I had on the FZ, and cost half the price (like all Buell mods pretty much).
 
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Wavex said:
:rof: Pete, Pete, Pete... You need to let go of the "Buellaide" comment bro, because I have yet to see a bike forum where the owners aren't -in general- happy/proud of their bikes...

To make sure: I am talking about the XB12 in here, specifically the Scg (since I thought you had brought that up, stating you were "not convinced"):

I have no idea why you're trying to nitpick at Buell's attempt to lower the CoG as much as possible. No-one said they have the perfect design solutions for every problem that exists out there... they're only saying that they designed the bike (especially the Scg model) with "low CoG" in mind. It is obvious that they did that, but if you think they did not... everybody is entitled to their own opinions I guess:)

About the battery... there are trade-offs in all designs (I am sure you are aware of that), and they had to make decisions... it so happens that the battery is below my ass... (just like on my GSX-R). You are correct, the CoG would be lower if they had put the battery where the engine is lol

I agree that a giant steel muffler is silly (it is different than saying, an under-belly muffler is silly, which is what you originally wrote).... which is why it's very easy to swap it (if you don't care about the sound/emission laws). Look at any new bike out there right now... they ALL have HUGE/heavy mufflers...

"All I am saying is that if Buell is going to stand up on a soapbox and scream to the world they are better"... who at Buell said that? No-one to my knowledge said the Buells are better bikes than others... at least I have never read or seen that.
Did you read the articles I posted in here? None of them are from Buell... all of them are from users or professional moto journalists/racers/enthousiasts, so again, wth? :D

Also, let me clarify: Nowhere in this thread before this last page is the 1125R mentioned... I never saw the 1125R win any bike comparison test for that matter lol... and I am sorry you changed your mind about it from "awesome" to "suck".... but if you had read anything in this thread you would know it is about the XB12 :thumbup:
Click to expand...

The better design theme has been on the Buell web site for several years. The Trilogy of Tech, Designed for the Rider Down, etc, etc.

As far as the 11 winning a shoot out here's the latest: 2009 Streetfighter Comparo III - Street Bike Motorcycle Comparison Review - Motorcycle USA

No where did I say it sucked, all I'm saying is you have to look through the hype and propaganda objectively.

As I was telling the mechanic today, "I love the bike, I hate the fueling." If he can fix that I'll be happy.
 
afpreppie04 said:
Hmm so both of you Buellers seem to think the 1125 isn't that great for the streets. Perhaps Buell cheaped out and put a heavy exhaust down there so they could further lower the CG for marketing purposes, since replacing it with a lightweight unit would effectively raise the CG. In a racing environment couldn't you simply remove the battery? You wouldn't be able to use the starter of course, but its not exactly stop and go out on the track.
Click to expand...

IF the fuel delivery can be fixed, and since my year, 2008 they have made changes, it will be a great street bike. The position is sporty but not radical, the torque is perfect for the street.

All Buells have a cheap mild steel exhaust, I think it is a trademark for them.

Yes for racing you can remove the battery, or use a smaller one and tuck it away somewhere.
 
Hellgate said:
The better design theme has been on the Buell web site for several years. The Trilogy of Tech, Designed for the Rider Down, etc, etc.

As far as the 11 winning a shoot out here's the latest: 2009 Streetfighter Comparo III - Street Bike Motorcycle Comparison Review - Motorcycle USA

No where did I say it sucked, all I'm saying is you have to look through the hype and propaganda objectively.

As I was telling the mechanic today, "I love the bike, I hate the fueling." If he can fix that I'll be happy.
Click to expand...



I have no idea how we got to talk about Buell's online marketing campaign/propaganda in this thread, so I apologize for the confusion... I only posted a few interesting independent articles about the XB12, that is all.

And btw, just for the record, I do not believe that the XB12 is a better bike than the FZ6 or any other bike for that matter. I believe that each bike is awesome in its own way, for its intended purpose, and that there is no "better bike than the next one"... it's really a matter of preference, what the rider is looking for, and how he/she feels on any given bike... that's what matters, not the spec sheet.

Now, if out of 50 bikes from all ages and brands, a panel of top UK motorcycle journalists/racers/enthusiasts declare an American (almost unknown) bike as the funnest to take down a canyon road, I think it is worth taking under consideration, over any marketing campaign/propaganda.

That is all :)
 
All I can say is those things get around corners fast! Wavex represented on the So Cal ride this past Sat. That bike and rider was the fastest we had in the group and I don't even think he was trying. Love those Buell's! :rockon:
We were toasting it up Montezuma Valley Rd. from the low desert, Anza Borrego, with temps of 109F Hahaha!

I was looking at an ad (Flash) on the Buell site and I don't think you could hurt your sale of the bike with me because of your add but the add was more about the psyche and identity of being different than the performance of the bike. That's the feeling I came away with...Good thing we don't buy stuff just because of marketeers!

Put a camera that rides behind Pete and Dave and you've got an ad campaign!

That's the way to market these great bikes.

I really respect what Buell is doing and they seem to really be growing now.

Cliff
 
Thanks Cliff! I am definitely not the fastest rider in that group (Cali_Rider, PowellB etc...) but I was in the front, so it was easy to go at my pace...

At some point up there you let me take the lead and then I noticed 3-4 riders on my ass... you, cali_rider (wasn't he sweeper 10min earlier? lol), PowellB... but were there other peeps with us?? That part of the ride was AWESOME! No traffic, clean roads, no-one in front of me... I had a blast. That was a good spirited pace as well...
 
Wavex said:
Thanks Cliff! I am definitely not the fastest rider in that group (Cali_Rider, PowellB etc...) but I was in the front, so it was easy to go at my pace...

At some point up there you let me take the lead and then I noticed 3-4 riders on my ass... you, cali_rider (wasn't he sweeper 10min earlier? lol), PowellB... but were there other peeps with us?? That part of the ride was AWESOME! No traffic, clean roads, no-one in front of me... I had a blast. That was a good spirited pace as well...
Click to expand...

Yeah love that road, Big open sweepers. No it was just us four. Loved filming that and sorry everyone seems so far away with that 170 deg lens. Then there's the thought on those blinds with 3 guys in front so I like to back down a little just in case so every one just becomes a black dot.

I've got some of that ride I'm uploading now on Youtube. Got the audio track flagged so using some swap track they provide. Had "Working those Angels" from Rushes Snakes N Arrows. It was perfect. Grrrrrr!

Well I just checked and the audio swap isn't done yet but here's the link anyway....Carrrrrumba! I'm hijacking this thread! :hijack: Sorry....:rolleyes:


[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d0FryEYUEs]YouTube - Montezuma to Uncle Yeti[/ame]
 
Buells handle great, no questions about that.

Motor problem update; they are going to warrenty my throttle bodies, fuel injectors, the intake runners all to 2010 parts and then update the ECM program to the 2010 program! FINALLY! :cheer::cheer::cheer:

Long story short, the mechanic overheard me telling the idiot serice writer the problem and he and I had a nice 30 minute chat, he promissed to do his best to solve the problem and it looks like he has.

He rode my bike and within the first two gears said it was the worst 1125 he'd ridden :eek: Several calls to the factory later and the parts are on order.

On the first call the moron at the factory told the mechanic to tell me to get a Class 1 AMA license and buy the race ECU and exhaust...moron...he should have know Hellgate only races MotoGP these days, gee whiz...:rolleyes:

The second call solved the problem...

I sure hope this solves it.
 
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