07 XB12SS Build

[modrummer]

Hey everyone! I wanted to create this thread to document the mods I make to my bike.

Bought this bike early last year I believe from a fellow BuellXB forum member (Buellybagger). When I got the bike, it already had the basics done: a Dean Adams exhaust, K&N filter, breather re-route, and tuned ECM.

I've always loved the Buell XBs since I started riding about 10 years ago, but I NEVER liked the look of the Lightning front end. I always thought I'd get a Firebolt for that reason, but after owning a Track SV650, a CBR600rr and a Triumph Daytona 675, I decided I wanted something a little more ergonomically friendly for the street.

Well, after owning the Lightning for a year, I love everything about it except for the headlight setup, the look just never grew on me. So I decided, what the heck? I fabricate stuff all the time for my project car, let's see if I can make something that looks decent (to my eye) for the bike.

Here's the bike as I rode it all year:


I've always liked the Daymaker style LED headlights, sort of a nod to the old-school round headlights and the modern LED setups which seems fitting for a bike like the XB:



Took apart the front headlight module thingy and did a little wire splicing to make the LED headlight work:



First mock up of the headlight:


After the first mock up, I decided I like the SHAPE of the headlight, but it looks a little awkward sticking out that far. The cheap bucket I'm using is as close to the forks as it can get, so last night I cut a couple inches off the back of the bucket, and tonight I"ll fire up the welder to weld a plate on the back so it's still waterproof. Then I can move the headlight an inch or two closer to the forks and hopefully make it look a little better. I'll upload more pics once that's done.

I also decided the XB12SS seat/subframe is too flat and not very aggressive looking, so I fabbed up some little subframe spacer brackets:



Turned out ok, just gotta find some time to fab up a block off plate to cover the gap.

Next up is going to be clip on handlebars (yeah so much for street-friendly ergonomics haha) because I LOVE the old-school café racer look with low clip-ons/clubmans and a big single round headlight. Also need to figure out where to hide all the front end wiring.

 

[Outlaw]

What year vett in the background?

 

[modrummer]

What year vett in the background?

Good eye! That is a 79. My little project hotrod I've been working on for a couple years.

 

[Outlaw]

I like the side pipes

 

[modrummer]

Got a little side tracked. I ordered some clip-ons, but since they were taking forever to get here, I decided to take a crack at something I've wanted to do on my bike since I got it: LED strip for tail light. I took some inspiration from TPEHAK's LED tail thread to get it started, and then just made it work with what I had laying around the garage. It's not the neatest job, and I don't have TPEHAK's fabricating skills, but I think it turned out great, huge improvement, and looks FANTASTIC with the subframe spacers.



So first I chopped down my tail to this little section:



Then ground down the aluminum on the back to make a slot for the LED strip.



Test fitting the LED strip:





Then I bent some aluminum plate to roughly the curve of the tail section and cut it to shape:

 

[modrummer]

Test fitting aluminum plate:





I then used JB weld to attach it (I have a MIG welder, but it isn't set up to weld aluminum so I didn't mess with it):



Waited for it to dry and sanded/grinded it down:



Painted it black (Ignore the ugliness of the inside, wasn't paint runs, it was me not cleaning up the JB weld and stuff where it wouldn't be visible because I'm lazy):

 

[modrummer]

The finished product!





Let me know what you think, I'm really happy with how it turned out. And it was cheap! Just really time consuming.'



Now hopefully those clip ons will show up this week so I can start working on the front end again....

 

[BuellyBagger]

Looks good:up: paint the seat rails too

 

[modrummer]

Looks good:up: paint the seat rails too

Good call! I'll ad that to the list!

 

[TPEHAK]

Looks cool. Does it have two colors? Does it indicate turn signal and stop signal?

If it is one color LED strip you probably need controller to realize turn signal on it and combine it with stop signal and tail light.

 

[modrummer]

Looks cool. Does it have two colors? Does it indicate turn signal and stop signal?

If it is one color LED strip you probably need controller to realize turn signal on it and combine it with stop signal and tail light.

It has a few Amber LEDs on either side of the strip which I wired up as the turn signals, works perfectly! I'll snap some pics of it tonight.

 

[modrummer]

Painted the frame rails!






STILL waiting on my dang clip ons to show up so I can get back to work on the front end. Checked the tracking # the other day and realized they have been sitting at a sorting facility in Chicago for a week now.. filed a claim with USPS, sounds like they got misplaced...:down:

 

[34nineteen]

Slick! Nicely done!

 

[tattoomike]

nice work

 

[modrummer]

Thanks! Got a notification from USPS that my Clip ons are FINALLY here in Kansas City after sitting in customs for almost 3 weeks... Thursday is my next free evening so I will hopefully start mocking them up then. We actually have 60 degree weather here this week, so I'm dying to fire the bike up!

 

[modrummer]

Ok clip ons finally showed up this week and I found a couple hours to start mocking things up. Took the top triple off and got the clip ons on and controls adjusted to roughly where I want them (will fine tune that a little later). Then put the headlight back on for a mock up. The throttle cables especially are WAY too long, so I'm getting some used Firebolt ones. Clutch cable I think I can make work. And I'm going to get a brake line with a straight fitting instead of that angled one that makes the line stick out.

Unfortunately my plan to save money and use the stock ignition/steering lock setup won't work, so I am mostly likely going RFID.

Anyways, here's the pics, let me know what you think!

 

[GregoXB]

Be careful painting the frame rails. You dont want to put paint between the ground wires and the metal on the rail.

 

[modrummer]

Be careful painting the frame rails. You dont want to put paint between the ground wires and the metal on the rail.

Yep, I used a little wire head on the dremel to clean up the bolt holes that had ground contacts, everything seems to work good!

 

[modrummer]

Just ordered a cheap RFID setup from Ebay to play around with, will update once it's wired up. I haven't fully decided how I want to run it. I'd like to have it so I can just swipe my tag over the reciever and give the bike power, but not be at risk to accidentally swipe it while riding and turn it off.

 

[Cooter]

The RFID shouldn't be used for energizing the ignition for that exact reason.

The RFID part should only activate (unlock) the starter button, (I added a light to tell me if it was unlocked)

Pressing the stock starter button will now either just cycle the ignition on and off, or energize the ignition and crank the bike at the same time (if you have the brake lever or clutch lever pulled, your choice). Now with the bike running, pressing the starter button again will kill the ignition. Slick! You can walk away from it running because the RFID doesn't control the ignition, it just unlocks the starter button. Exactly the way a new 'keyless' car works. Key in pocket, foot on brake, press start button. Press start button again to stop.

FYI, these bikes take a lot of CCA, so don't use the tiny relay in the cheap RFID box to crank the starter. Use it to energize the stock starter relay instead:up: