2005 Harleys & Buells
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Wow, that Softail Deluxe is a nice looking bike...but why would they not have rubber mounts on that motor?!?!?!!? I will have to pass on the vibrations. For a couple minutes I was actually thinking about one.
Pretty shiney motorcycles! No, they are not Squid Worthy, but that is not the point. HD is doing what HD does better than anyone, make pretty bikes! No they may not handle like a sport bike (Buells excepted of course as they can run circles around MANY sport bikes, but I am talking Harley here), but would you expect a Cadillac Fleetwood to handle like a Honda S2000? Didn't think so. So, you sport bike guys, I know you can't resist flaming HD, but, what did the last bike you sell go for when compared to cost new? How many ladies (I am VERY married so don't give a rats ass about this one, but you youngins might) actually stop to look at your bike? When did motorjournalists go 'oohhh' when they saw that Big 3 sport bike with bold new graphics appear? Oh, never, what a surprise....saying that, let the flame fest begin! I still say they are the best bikes made. Have had many bikes, NONE of them have lasted as long as 2 of my Harleys did! One still running strong with 182,000 miles! Ok squids, your turn now. Us folks who work for a living should have posted all we need to by now.;-)
BigJames
BigJames
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118 Posts
Re: It's counter balanced!
perhaps i shall reconsider...anyone know when these are going to show up at the dealers?
perhaps i shall reconsider...anyone know when these are going to show up at the dealers?
Same old argument, look at the resale value. I bought my Honda nd Yamaha to ride not sell. Yes the resale value sucks, but I don't buy a motorcycle as an investment looking to make a buck.
And the argument about getting the ladies is so lame. Does it really take a Harley for you to get a girl? Most of the tattoo plastered, beer drinking, pot belly women I have seen at HOG rallies I would not want on the back of my bike.
And the argument about getting the ladies is so lame. Does it really take a Harley for you to get a girl? Most of the tattoo plastered, beer drinking, pot belly women I have seen at HOG rallies I would not want on the back of my bike.
Reading the review of the XB9SX, I can't help but be impressed withe bike's performance.
But it must be the ugliest new bike I've seen, it's even uglier than any other Buell I've seen and that's saying something. As much fun as MOrons make of Harley riders and their posing, we must admire those that ride Buells for their ability to see beyond the bikes' tragically bad looks and get the bike based only on performance.
But it must be the ugliest new bike I've seen, it's even uglier than any other Buell I've seen and that's saying something. As much fun as MOrons make of Harley riders and their posing, we must admire those that ride Buells for their ability to see beyond the bikes' tragically bad looks and get the bike based only on performance.
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3,415 Posts
Re: What's to flame?
I don't see any reason to start flaming. Harley puts out some pretty nice bikes, they're not performance oriented sportbikes or me-too metrics. If you buy one of these for anything other than riding around and having fun on then you're a fool.
I do like the look of the new Buell Lightning, I guess I'm going to have to ride one and see what all the fuss is about. The next bike I get is going to be a play bike so I'd rate this up with the Speed 3 and Ducati Monster in that catagory, I'll just have to see what works best when the time comes.
I don't see any reason to start flaming. Harley puts out some pretty nice bikes, they're not performance oriented sportbikes or me-too metrics. If you buy one of these for anything other than riding around and having fun on then you're a fool.
I do like the look of the new Buell Lightning, I guess I'm going to have to ride one and see what all the fuss is about. The next bike I get is going to be a play bike so I'd rate this up with the Speed 3 and Ducati Monster in that catagory, I'll just have to see what works best when the time comes.
Buell @&*$!
You guys say "On that track, the 2005 XB9SX lapped a full second faster than the new high power / lower center of gravity XB12Scg. It did this regardless of rider, for two simple reasons.
Reason #1: The 9SX is the only Buell to come with Pirelli tires as an OEM fitment and those Pirelli Scorpion Syncs are both stickier and more progressive than the Dunlop D208s".
Reason #2: The 9SX accelerates harder off slow/slippery corners, because its fuel injection is seamless and its torque curve is fairly linear.
That's a load of crap in the real world for three reasons!
Reason #1: To list a set of stock tires, as a reason to buy one bike over another isnt very logical.
The XB12S is only a quick tire change away from a set of Pirelli Diablo's (or Scorpion Syncs). As everyone knows those stock Dunlop D208s are just a pile of stinking cow dung waiting to be replaced and in my opinion may account for that full second of difference. I know I am much more confident on the Pirelli tires. So go back and put a set of Dunlop's on that CityX XB9SX and run the race over and tell me how much difference there is.
Reason #2: I have ridden my friend's XB9 and I can tell you that no way in hell is it any more "seamless and linear" in power delivery then my XB12. In addition, I will take the extra 13 horsepower any day.
Reason #3: Like Sean has said in the past, on the street a lot of it's the rider, how good, crazy and motivated they are. And on the street, where these things actually get ridden, with a set of Pirelli Diablo's installed on my XB12S, on my favorite ultra twisty road, State Route 88 to Tortilla Flats, AZ I have never ever been passed by a XB9 no matter the tire installed!
You guys say "On that track, the 2005 XB9SX lapped a full second faster than the new high power / lower center of gravity XB12Scg. It did this regardless of rider, for two simple reasons.
Reason #1: The 9SX is the only Buell to come with Pirelli tires as an OEM fitment and those Pirelli Scorpion Syncs are both stickier and more progressive than the Dunlop D208s".
Reason #2: The 9SX accelerates harder off slow/slippery corners, because its fuel injection is seamless and its torque curve is fairly linear.
That's a load of crap in the real world for three reasons!
Reason #1: To list a set of stock tires, as a reason to buy one bike over another isnt very logical.
The XB12S is only a quick tire change away from a set of Pirelli Diablo's (or Scorpion Syncs). As everyone knows those stock Dunlop D208s are just a pile of stinking cow dung waiting to be replaced and in my opinion may account for that full second of difference. I know I am much more confident on the Pirelli tires. So go back and put a set of Dunlop's on that CityX XB9SX and run the race over and tell me how much difference there is.
Reason #2: I have ridden my friend's XB9 and I can tell you that no way in hell is it any more "seamless and linear" in power delivery then my XB12. In addition, I will take the extra 13 horsepower any day.
Reason #3: Like Sean has said in the past, on the street a lot of it's the rider, how good, crazy and motivated they are. And on the street, where these things actually get ridden, with a set of Pirelli Diablo's installed on my XB12S, on my favorite ultra twisty road, State Route 88 to Tortilla Flats, AZ I have never ever been passed by a XB9 no matter the tire installed!
I rode the Rocket!
The Good: POWER! Man this thing had it. At all speeds, all gears, all the time. It's got more low end juice than anything I have ever ridden, including my Max. Gotta love that. The overall comfort, suspension and brakes are oustanding. Functionally it's a 10 in my book.
The Bad: Feet forward peg position. I hate that. It needs a standard riding position more than Michael Moore needs a diet. Why they did the feet first thing is beyond me. I dislike the V-Rod for the same reason. Exhaust note. Tinny and very uninspiring. Needs help.
The Ugly: Well, the bike isn't a real looker. It looked better in person than in pictures, but it still has a few oddities that are hard to overlook. The tank looks like it came off a Boss Hoss. It has to be 3 feet wide at the top. The engine looks OK, but the finishing touches are just not there. Very industrial looking, if you go for that. It not ugly per se, but doesn't stun you like a 16,000 buck bike needs to.
Overall: I liked it alot. I think they will sell pretty decently. There seemed to be lots of interest in them. How many will plunk down 16 large remains to be seen. Would I buy one? Not at this point , because modifications would be hard to come by for a while. My V-Max is infinitely more configurable, plus I practically stole it for what I paid. Check out that Rocket though, if you get a chance. It is a pretty cool bike!
The Good: POWER! Man this thing had it. At all speeds, all gears, all the time. It's got more low end juice than anything I have ever ridden, including my Max. Gotta love that. The overall comfort, suspension and brakes are oustanding. Functionally it's a 10 in my book.
The Bad: Feet forward peg position. I hate that. It needs a standard riding position more than Michael Moore needs a diet. Why they did the feet first thing is beyond me. I dislike the V-Rod for the same reason. Exhaust note. Tinny and very uninspiring. Needs help.
The Ugly: Well, the bike isn't a real looker. It looked better in person than in pictures, but it still has a few oddities that are hard to overlook. The tank looks like it came off a Boss Hoss. It has to be 3 feet wide at the top. The engine looks OK, but the finishing touches are just not there. Very industrial looking, if you go for that. It not ugly per se, but doesn't stun you like a 16,000 buck bike needs to.
Overall: I liked it alot. I think they will sell pretty decently. There seemed to be lots of interest in them. How many will plunk down 16 large remains to be seen. Would I buy one? Not at this point , because modifications would be hard to come by for a while. My V-Max is infinitely more configurable, plus I practically stole it for what I paid. Check out that Rocket though, if you get a chance. It is a pretty cool bike!
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1,538 Posts
Re: Buell @&*$!
Disagree all you want, but I rode them both at the limit back-to-back and guarantee that the low-mid rpm power delivery of the XB9 is without a doubt more linear, with a smoother idle-midrange transition.
I agree on the tires, but they were only part of the reason the 9 was so much faster on the tight track. I was spinning the tires of all the Buells from very low rpms, on the absoloute side of the tire, and the Pirelli shod 9SX & Dunlop shod 9R both had a better ability to seamlessly modulate the throttle, resulting in better tire-spinning drives than the 12 series. The power delivery wasn't a matter of XR-750 vs. TZ750, it was fairly subtle, but at the limit in low traction, the 9 can accellerate earlier and harder than the 12. -Sean
Disagree all you want, but I rode them both at the limit back-to-back and guarantee that the low-mid rpm power delivery of the XB9 is without a doubt more linear, with a smoother idle-midrange transition.
I agree on the tires, but they were only part of the reason the 9 was so much faster on the tight track. I was spinning the tires of all the Buells from very low rpms, on the absoloute side of the tire, and the Pirelli shod 9SX & Dunlop shod 9R both had a better ability to seamlessly modulate the throttle, resulting in better tire-spinning drives than the 12 series. The power delivery wasn't a matter of XR-750 vs. TZ750, it was fairly subtle, but at the limit in low traction, the 9 can accellerate earlier and harder than the 12. -Sean
Isn't it good to see the American motorcycle industry alive and well and creative in 2005? I think so. The Harleys look great. I'd love to have one (or two), but for the cost.
The Buells are brilliant, as always, despite the quirks. There's more character contained in one single Buell than in an entire fleet of me-too Asian superbikes.
Don't be shy about waving the flag a bit. We do good work.
The Buells are brilliant, as always, despite the quirks. There's more character contained in one single Buell than in an entire fleet of me-too Asian superbikes.
Don't be shy about waving the flag a bit. We do good work.
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