Test Rode a Buell Rant

Come on, get the baddest naked there is, a BMW K1200R. It's an industrial accident on two wheels and looks angry enough to annex a low-lying european country. It's a long, low comfy bike. Besides 160+ hp and 93 ft-lbs of torque is nothing to sneeze at too.
 
hoax said:
Yeah, you can get a lower fairing for them.

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THat Mythbusters quote is when Adam is testing the walking on water shoes isnt it? He has some funny philosophical comments, love that show.
 
Spiffy said:
Come on, get the baddest naked there is, a BMW K1200R. It's an industrial accident on two wheels and looks angry enough to annex a low-lying european country. It's a long, low comfy bike. Besides 160+ hp and 93 ft-lbs of torque is nothing to sneeze at too.
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I can't remember which moto-rag I'm quoting, but I loved this description of the K1200R's looks: "It looks like someone rode a magnet through a junkyard." :laughing
 
4tuneit1 said:
THat Mythbusters quote is when Adam is testing the walking on water shoes isnt it? He has some funny philosophical comments, love that show.
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Yup.
 
I had a Buell & over 20K miles never had any problems with it.

Tires, oil and a battery... no doubt the lowest cost-per-mile bike I've owned since my 100K mile Honda CL100 back when Nixon (not Gary) was president.
 
I prolly test rode the same Buell as EbolaMonkey and i think they are pretty neat bikes but i'm not sure about the whole harley engine thing with them.

Still I think they look awesome, the handling is very light, they have some great engineering ideas and have a lot of character and are different all of which is a big plus for me. I could see having one as an extra bike but i have become used to the character of an inline 4..
 
Yamaha FZ1
Kawasaki Z1000
Suzuki DL650/DL1000 V-Strom Or Bandit 600/1200
KTM 950 Adventure
Honda VFR (used non-Vtec engine)
Triumph Tiger

New Buells are sweet bikes but when service or fixit time arrives brace yourself for challenges. HD dealers try to avoid working on them and only a few independent shops enjoy that brand of action.
 
Spiffy said:
It's an industrial accident on two wheels and looks angry enough to annex a low-lying european country.
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lololololololol
 
Why is it that HD's don't like working on them? Is it because it's not HD (the red-headed step child) or is it because working on it is difficult??
 
Big adventure bikes are really good for general riding, spirited back road riding, touring, and sometimes for two-up. I don't consider something like the BMW GS or Buell (or the Ducati Elefant I used to have) a dirt bike. When I ride off road I'm used to falling down every once in a while and I'd like to be able to pick up the damn bike when that happens, not call in a crane or an army of midgets to right the thing.

I'd like to like the Buell because Erik Buell is such a cool guy (and used to road race two-strokes) but it's just so ugly. I'm already used to BMWs and their price doesn't scare me, so I've stuck with GSs.

Another bike to consider is the V-strom.
 
I have put 6k on my Uly and love it. The bags are great and the riding position is comfortable. I do not like taking my bikes to dealers BUT Fremont is pretty good and they are somewhat central to the Bay. The Uly set up is much better than my M2 and so far I am impressed. Go to the Buell website and look at the presentations they have about the engineering they put into the bike. I like them.
 
supertireguy said:
Yamaha FZ1
Kawasaki Z1000
Suzuki DL650/DL1000 V-Strom Or Bandit 600/1200
KTM 950 Adventure
Honda VFR (used non-Vtec engine)
Triumph Tiger

New Buells are sweet bikes but when service or fixit time arrives brace yourself for challenges. HD dealers try to avoid working on them and only a few independent shops enjoy that brand of action.
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Uhhhh...not really....you just need to go to a Buell Dealer. We love working on Buells. If you go to a H-D dealer that does not sell Buells it would be like trying to take your Honda personal Watercraft to a Honda dealer that does not sell watercraft and asking them to work on it.........same company (kinda), different product....not gonna work on it.

The Buell is a great bike that you really need to experience for yourself. It is not for everyone.....but I hear people talking shit about Hondas/Suz/Yam/Kawi...etc all the time here and I think we can all agree that each of those companies makes good products.... The Buell is inexpensive to own, has more than enough power for the street, in inexpensive to insure (compared to the import products) and most of our customers report an AVERAGE MPG of between 45-53. Not bad mileage. On top of that the chassis is very solid in the twisties and that ZTL braking system is much better than you might expect. Not for everyone, but I have to say that MOST (yes, I know not all) people who talk smack about the bikes have never sat on one let alone ridden one. The previous generation Buells were "unique"....by unique I mean that they did not really hit the target they were aiming for....the new XB series (2003 to now) bikes put a smile on my face everytime I get on one. So much so, I sold my ZX10 at the end of last year and once my garage is cleaned out and my new car is paid down a bit I am putting one in my garage.

want to check one out?....PM me.
 
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ValkMan said:
I have put 6k on my Uly and love it. The bags are great and the riding position is comfortable. I do not like taking my bikes to dealers BUT Fremont is pretty good and they are somewhat central to the Bay. The Uly set up is much better than my M2 and so far I am impressed. Go to the Buell website and look at the presentations they have about the engineering they put into the bike. I like them.
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Thank you;)
 
Im suprised chess hasn't chimed in yet.
 
First, ADV-style bikes friggin' rock for street-use ! The eye-height is so nice in traffic, and the ergonomics really make sense if you spend much time at all below 70mph, which is really what you do a lot of if you are living with the bike day-in-day-out.

Other pluses: Looks good dirty, loads of payload capacity, big front wheel & long travel suspension soak up potholes.

They all have plenty of road-worthy performance to ride as hard as any sane person should on public roads.

I have a WeeStrom & love it (can't beat the value) - would not bother with the larger one unless I was traveling 2-up frequently, but I'm only 5'10". Have ridden several of the GS models - the new 1200s are sweet, but yes, not inexpensive. Liked the Ulyesses I rode - didn't find the turn-radius or high seat a factor, and while do agree that the wider spread of usable tachometer range ( as in the Suzuki) is nice for lazy riding, the XB12 motor had more than enough torque to do the job just fine. If I was in the market for a new bike, a Ulyesses would be in serious consideration. Also, the KTM Adventure is worth checking out, as is the Multistrada, and the Caponord, the New Triumph Tiger looks sweet and MotoGUzzi has one on the way !
 
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Don't get the K12R if you don't like being hit by a wall of wind everytime you get on the gas. For me, that's why I got it :). And yes, it is very ugly, just the way I like it.
 
Buy the Buell - unless you are thin skinned and care what others assume.

I admit that sometimes I feel like a red headed step child, but the torque and handling always bring a smile to my face.

2003 xbr with 12K and other then maintenance I have had to replace the drive belt and front wheel bearings.
 
rljetsetradio said:
Im suprised chess hasn't chimed in yet.
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bah :hand i discourage people from buying buells. i tell them to get the same cookie cutter bike as everyone else. i dont wanna start showing up to meets like im riding an sv650, you know, the bike that everyone and their mom has.

but ya...buells sucks, leak oil, have bad handling, and blow up after 100 miles of riding. everyone beware. get an sv650 instead.
 
Well It dosent sound like you NEED an adventure bike.

How about a speed triple, im 6'2" and it fits real nice, put about 50 miles on it every day rain or shine and its a ball!

Though some say a bike inspires confidince, the s3 inspires complete hooliganisim, consider yourself warned:teeth
 
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