1st Buell, 1st bike

[go cytocis]

So far I think I will be alright. I am taking it slow because I know what can happen if I don't.

Attitude is a big factor; find that fine line between respect & fear!

 

[SlyFox]

Attitude is a big factor; find that fine line between respect & fear!

[up][smirk]

 

[orgeopes]

Welcome! Like sayed above respect the animal, from experience I can say that the problems are more likely to append when you THINK you know what you are doing so always respect it! Nice bike.

 

[buellbradski]

Congrats on the purchase +1 for a great intro. [up] this forum is a awsome tool to use for your Buell , loaded with helpfull folks. Where in ny you from? Me and a couple others ride around the Mohawk vally -adirondack area. I secretly fist pump everytime I see a new Buell in the area! Anyhow good luck with the new toy I think you got a decent deal expecialy knowing the bikes history . Welcome to Buellxb.

 

[doberdann1019]

Thanks! I am in the Rochester/Syracuse area. I knew 2 people with Buells, now I only know 1 other because I bought mine from one of the 2.

And yes, it is nice to have a place to ask questions and get advice. Especially once things start acting up.

(Thankfully there is a Seadoo forum too because my jet ski is giving me problems!)

 

[dittoalex]

This as a first bike is a horrible, terrible idea. You're going to give it 6% throttle instead of 4% when you're leaned over slightly in a turn and down you go.

 

[nightfire180]

You will be fine, I bought my 07 Firebolt Xb9r With A K &N as a first bike, When I Taught Myself To ride Out Of excitement Instead Of Waiting Until My abate Beginner Motorcycle Class. I knew A Lot Of Things Other Riders Already Told Me, But The class Reassured me and they were sure to break any bad riding habits asap. I got my endorsment around two weeks ago and have put over 800 Miles on her. Be comfortabe with your bike and practice Things Such as Emergency Braking, if you Feel Safe To do so. and sorry if my post is hard to follow, my phone is doing as it pleases, editing things and what not.

 

[rae_man]

I can only give advice based on being a newly licensed rider last year myself, with no motorcycle experience. I started last year with a 1983 Yamaha XS400, then this year saw an awesome deal on a 2003 XB9R, and couldn't pass it up. While I knew it was a huge step for a newly licensed rider, my attitude has kept my riding experience nothing short of being absolutely freakin amazing on the Buell this year!

Keep the mindset that you are a newly licensed driver (knowing limitations), pretend you are invisible, and take it easy while learning the bike's habits and responses to different scenarios. I think it is a great idea to take the course, as that is how I learned how to ride from the beginning - great choice to learn proper riding habits! It is also great to stay close to home, then slowly extend the riding sessions (as will come naturally) to get more riding time and experience.

This is just my two cents on the whole thing, as I am a somewhat new rider as well, and happened to have a Buell fall on my lap. It sounds as if you are taking the same attitude as I have, and so far for me, nothing too scary has happened. Take the bike out on lots of little trips, and eventually you will want to go farther and farther!

Enjoy, and ride safe! You have an awesome bike that will turn heads. I haven't spoken up much on this forum as of yet, but it seems from my reading that everyone on here is awesome, and have extensive knowledge on these bikes.

 

[rusko466]

I'm in the Syracuse area. You should ride out to a Wednesday night bike night at Quaker Steak and Lube in Syracuse. Be nice to see some more buells there.

 

[snrusnak]

Nice bike, and seems like you're doing everything right and everything you should do.

The bike will only go as fast as you twist your wrist, so it doesn't matter how powerful it is, it's all up to the rider. I was advised to get a small bike and then move up, what a waste of money that was. Just get a bike you want that you are comfortable on and if you aren't a good rider yet then have some discipline and control your right hand on the throttle. Any bike, even a scooter, can be dangerous with an idiot rider.

Don't let the 1200 intimidate you, the xb9 is just as fast due to the lower gearing, it just doesn't have as high of a top speed. So I find it a little funny when people compare them and say the 12 is faster and it's "too much". My buddy here(Flax) and I have ridden with a guy that had a 12 and he was no faster. His 9 would actually pull away from the 12. I've ridden 12's and 9's and they are pretty much the same bike unless you're up over 100mph.

 

[go cytocis]

Snak, but just a couple friendly factual corrections:
- inexperienced riders on larger bikes are statistically at greater risk of injury & death. It's not 'wrong' to start out on a big bike, just riskier. being aware of that risk is key to survival.
- neither the 9 or 12 are rocket ships, but the XB12 consistently tests ~0.5 sec faster in the 1/4mile than the XB9. There is no replacement for displacement!

 

[buellfighter]

I feel like more power gets you in trouble if you act irresponsibly, if you ride within your ability and you understand clutch control, you can start on a bike with more power. Larger bikes are usually heaver though, learning how to ride/balance on a heavy bike is much harder than one you can throw around while riding and catch if you tip it at a stop. I found that if all of your experience is on a bike that is too far over your level of riding skill, then you will take much longer to learn to ride proficiently. If you can get some seat time on a 150-200 cc dirt bike, it will do wonders to your riding skill/confidence.

And safety courses are worth more then you can imagine, Good call on taking one. Have fun and be safe!

 

[go cytocis]

If you can get some seat time on a 150-200 cc dirt bike, it will do wonders to your riding skill/confidence.

^^^THIS^^^

Statistics also show a lesser collision rate of street riders who have dirt experience.

Rough unpredictable off road surfaces and limited traction give the rider much more practice at balancing, maneuvering, controlling, and recovering the bike than road riding.

 

[snrusnak]

There is no replacement for displacement!

There actually is, gearing or power adders(supercharger, turbo, nitrous, etc).

In any case, dirt experience is great yes. But you can kill yourself on a 250cc ninja just as easy as on a xb12. It's all about the rider's discipline. Starting on a smaller bike won't give you more discipline. You will either ride responsibly or you won't, so it really doesn't matter what you ride. Granted, heavier bikes are harder to control, especially when you're not used to them. The few times I've taken my dad's road king out I really have to concentrate at low speed maneuvering, it's not a well balanced bike, it weighs a ton, and I rarely ride it so it is a challenge to do tight turns at low speed without putting my feet down. But the xb12 is essentially no heavier than the xb9. The machine will only do what the rider tells it to, it's really that simple.

 

[go cytocis]

"There is no replacement for displacement!"
There actually is, gearing or power adders(supercharger, turbo, nitrous, etc).

Haha, yup! Don't get me wrong Snak, I am not knocking smaller bikes, and certainly not the XB9. I simply referenced that old gearhead saying about displacement to point out that all other things being equal, bigger engines make more power. Comparing the 9 to the 12 illustrates this, but to your point, I have a 600cc bike that'll run circles around both of them all day long.

Having said that, neither a 900cc or a 1200cc make ideal beginner bikes. Statistics and conventional rider training theory agree with me on this. It's not up for debate.

What we can discuss however are the risks of learning on a large bike, and some of the counter-measures the OP can take to ensure he has a safe & enjoyable lifelong experience with the incredible sport of motorcycling!

 

[buellfighter]

Statistics and conventional rider training theory agree with me on this. It's not up for debate.

What we can discuss however are the risks of learning on a large bike, and some of the counter-measures the OP can take to ensure he has a safe & enjoyable lifelong experience

^[up]


also get good riding gear, gloves, boots, pants, jacket and helmet. if you can't afford it then you can't afford to ride, don't ride until you have good gear. a few thousand on gear is allot cheaper than a hospital bill. a best case ambulance and hospital visit will cost you $3000-$4000 and that's if you don't hurt yourself much. lets not talk about a worst case scenario.