can you feel it

hi, I'm a new member however a longtime admirer of the lightenings, as my 19th year of life approaches so does my chance to own one (pending parental approval). Anyways my question is, with the basic modifications many of you have performed (intake,exhaust, and programer of some sort) can you feel a noticeable increase in power or response? I will be purchasing a used bike when the time comes and I'm just wondering if the butt dyno justifies the extra expense. And just as a side-note I have every intention of taking a riding class prior to picking up a bike. Thanks in advance for any input you're able to provide.

Yes... its generally a 20% increase in power

Edit: I forgot, welcome to the forums and the Buell Family!

Welcome to the Forum. They are an absolute Blast to ride and the affordability doesn't hurt either. Best thing I like, the individuality of having one - we're an Elite bunch for sure. Post up with any questions you may have. Good luck with the Parents and hope everything works out. [up]

20% increase?!?!

[confused]

I'd like to see the dyno chart

If you keep it stock or do alot to it, either way you will love it. If you got the money to put in it go for it but to notice a big difference in power just by riding it, you probably will not be able to tell a huge difference.

24yo here. 2004 xb12s stock. Thing has the perfect amount of power. I say perfect, but what I want to say is too much. I cant say that thought because there is no such thing.

I guess what I am trying to say is that without any mods, you will be speeding 90% of the time on accident. Downtown in my city if I get stopped by a red light, I am usually above the speed limit before the other side of the intersection.

I am deathly afraid of tickets after my last two (which I got less than 2 hours apart, both for more than 20 over). Once those points are off my license MAYBE I will go for a K&N filter and see if I can't get two more.



Would also like to add, when I saw the thread title I was tempted to say "I can feel it, coming in the air tonight. Oh Lord." but thought you guys would just see it as a way to up my post count

My suggestion to you is ride the bike in the stock form. If you are a beginner rider, the bike has way more performance than you can safely use. Now if you find the bike too "quiet", then you could get an aftermarket slip-on exhaust of your choice. But performancewise, I bet it will take you a good while before you outgrow the bike. That is of course my humble opinion,
Now since you asked a specific question and not my/our opinion, adding a high flow filter and free flow exhaust, combined with the required changes in the fuel and timing maps, will increase the bike's performance but certainly nowhere near 20%. I have made these very changes (Forcewinder intake, V&H slip-on) to my bike ('00 X1) and the exhaust sound aside, the bike seems to pull a bit more linearly from idle to redline with a tad more grunt on the low end. Can't speak of the top end mainly because I have never tried to go that fast Hope this helped.

YZF, good call. I always thought our 12s were putting down 80hp to the wheel, but apparently its actually a lot more. The differences between pipes vary, but the increase in power is with the torque and not HP. I guess I need to read more [sad]

I've installed the Vance+Hines exhaust and had the
Header pipes double ceramic coated,the performance and torque has been greatly increased!Tonnes of power,
a super ride!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Welcome! You have come to the right place. One thing at a time. Get the bike and learn to ride. Dont start a mod unless you have the money and or know how to finnish it. Most impotiant thing is to enjoy the ride.

brightbuell said:

Get the bike and learn to ride.

Click to expand...

Amen to that. Spend your money on good gear, and your time learning to ride and to maintain the bike. Either a 9 or a 12 have plenty of power to give you grins and to bust your arse. Practice.

I totally agree with Ball, you gotta remember on a bike you don't have crumple zones and airbags like you do on a cage, get some good gear!! and take the bike to some nice secluded place, or best of all a race track and start off slow at your own pace, Don't rush it.

I can really see where your comming from Up and Comming. I got mine when I was 16. Now 17 still working on mom but it takes trust. Sucks being a kid

I purchased my 03 XB9S used 5k miles in not so well condition for 3600(including all expenses). Who ever pays your insurence will really push you towards getting an S insted of the R (insurence loves the R=$$$). But get some good gear first (Helmet, Jacket, Boots, Gloves, good heavy jeans work too) Enjoy the stock version until you are completly comfortable and in a couple months plan upgrades, (Iam running K&N, Hawk Perfomance Pipe only $185 and great guy to do business with, iriduim performance plugs and Syn Oil)

What makes Buell great is how different and unique we are. Make your bike Yours not some main stream jap blur. Buell is American Torque.

Buy my bike at 19 and i LOVE IT!! Gets so much attention! Keep badgering the parents dude [cool]

Lotta good advice here-gear is essential!
My 12R really likes 70 without any mods-
There's more than enough power to grow into for a while.
The stock sound is another thing...

Welcome to the best Buell forum around!

1st bike at 18 - '87 FZ700 rice burner. second bike '08 XB12Ss, more than enough power. power to weight is alot better than most stock jap bikes, my XB is 70 lbs lighter than my friends R6. top end might not be there, but you will have a blast learning to ride, very forgiving and likes to be DRIVEN, not riden.

18 = who cares what mom and dad think

the class is a must have, been riding all my life and took it for grins, defintely worth the time.

I would definitely pick up a $600 Honda beater before getting a Buell... You will drop at some point, better to do it on an old Honda you have almost no cash in than anything else.

Buells are pretty forgiving, but there is a limit when you have that much torque. Flipping these things is pretty easy if you drop the clutch.

If you can find a 79-84 CX500 or CX650, they are also v-twins with 100+ top end. I have a '79 that I love to play around with in town because it's liquid cooled. Get something like that at first, I would stay far away from anything pulling over 50 ft/lbs until you have 3-5k miles on the road. I know a lot of people go right for the 600 I-4s and the XB9s, but I'm glad I went with my Blast before I got the XB12.

Riding is a learning experience, and mistakes happen.

But most definitely: WEAR FULL GEAR. Go to leatherup.com and get some buffalo hide stuff from Xelement for some cheap, but pretty decent and durable gear. Just keep putting mink oil on it every 5-6k miles of riding and it'll keep looking great and it wears in wonderfully.

1979 CX500D ~28000 miles, it's ugly but she runs young. It's also a great thing to learn the basics of mechanic work on, worse case is you can always find old Honda parts easy. Buells are a lot more expensive. I've had a lot of fun doing basic restoration tid-bits on bikes. For 31 years old, that bikes doesn't look bad at all.


BTW, I only wear the half-helmet on that bike in town, usually I look like this:

Thorivola, great advice! Those Hondas are perfect, and upandcoming, you will never regret having one, if you decide to go that way. It is a thrill to get on a simple, good bike, and there is plenty to learn while you enjoy racking up the first miles.
Enjoy, be safe, and have fun in the basic rider course.
+1 for the gear. It'll go a long way toward making your mom more at ease, too

good advice there... i started off with a 1983 Honda CBX250 i got for $100, that was a good learning bike, its a sports style,it was good for commuting and general weekend riding (get as many miles under your belt as you can, its all about gaining experience), track days are good also specially if they are open to learners/beginners, i took it on my first track day and was hooked.

4 years later i got a 2007 stock XB12SS, only had 3000km's on the clock so was practically new.

my stock XB12SS has plenty of power...
Buell Lightning XB12Ss 2007
Power: 103.00 HP (75.2 kW)) @ 6800 RPM
Torque: 113.90 Nm (11.6 kgf-m or 84.0 ft.lbs) @ 6000 RPM

i can drag off plenty of sports bikes (CBR1000RR, yamaha R1, Kawasaki ZX10)... they all usually pass me when they hit their power band (optimal RPM range)... i have found it lacking in top end when i take it on track days, it tops out at 180km at 6500rpm so has plenty more to deliver. i think it is governed at 180ikm's...

this bike works best in the twistiest, if its mostly dry warm/hot where you live then put some supper sticky tyres on it and you'll have even more fun in the twisties....

if you have to get a Buell get the CityX XB9SX...

Buell Lightning CityX XB9SX 2007
Power: 92.00 HP (67.2 kW)) @ 7500 RPM
Torque: 94.92 Nm (9.7 kgf-m or 70.0 ft.lbs) @ 5500 RPM

welcome to the forums and hope you enjoy riding your new bike when you get it...