BIG Mistake (revisited)

[mrdozer2you]

Well let me start by apologizing for the Buell bashing. I know its not their fault, they cant control how a dealership treats their customers. Its just sad that there are so few Buell dealerships where I'm at and in the mid-west in general, that one would expect to have the best possible experience when visiting a dealership. One would also think that Buell would want the best sales/service people available in order to sell more bikes nationwide. So I do fault Buell for not keeping a better eye on who's representing their company.

OK so my first ride was, hm...how do I put it....AWESOME!!! Let me tell you, riding my Honda CBR, sometimes I would think it stalled when sitting at a stoplight. Not the case on my Buell xb12s, it never lets you forget its running and ready for action. It's going to take a bit of time for me getting used to low speed cornering though. I'm having a bit of trouble finding the sweet spot on the clutch in first gear, when going from a stop into a turn. The bike seems to want to jump a bit when I let the clutch out all the way in first gear. I'm assuming its because of the torque or that I just don't have the rpm high enough. Oh well I'll figure it out. Other than that it seems very nimble for a 1200. Most of my experience is on the import bikes, I'm used to having loads of rpm's to work with, and slamming through gears. On this bike it seems like you don't need to shift so quickly and I have power through the entire rpm range. All in all I am impressed.

 

[buellxb]

It's nice to hear that you're coming around. I'm sure that once you get use to your Buell you'll never turn back. I use to have a 2000 Honda CBR 600 F4. It was a nice motorcycle, but nothing says you mean business like a Buell.

 

[07xb12r]

Hey mrdozer2you, I understand your issues.I have had to deal with a few myself. Mine are geared torward the "after sale" issue, as I just love my Buell, and have had no problems other then what I would call occasional "spitting or popping" in the airbox. I do let the bike warm up, so i'm "hoping" this will be resolved on my first service. It does seem like it's all about the initial sale, then your on your own. They didn't prep the bike "tune the supension" for me or suggest this brand of motorcycle was far different than anything else on the market. I don't get the impression that they even knew. My fault for not being more aware of what I was entitled or buying. The service departments don't seem to want to be bothered with a Buell. The more comments I read in these forums leads me to believe that their could be sustantial monies in upgrades and good service. It seems to me that Buell should have their own dealerships, because when you go to the Harley shops they are all geared for Harley, and Buell is just a secondary "possibility" sale they have tucked in the back corner. Of course i'm sure this is not industry wide, but so far every dealer I have been at, is this way. I know the demand for Buells does not curtail dealerships at this time, but if Erik saw this web site and Buell were allowed to have the credabillity, the advertising, and the just plain exceptance that all other motorcycles are allowed, that could happen. Look at all the comments made to you dozer when we thought you were slamming Buells. You can feel the inthusiasm as you read how passionate everyone has become with their Buell. This is the same loyalty Harley riders enjoy, yet it seems to be smothered when you want it for Buell owners. Why does BRAG not make it as Hog has done so well? I just thought of something...Is this how it felt to be a Harley rider during their trials and tribulations? Will we have to wait 100 years? I sure hope not. I am trying to do my part...I believe so much in the all around Buell experience, that I am searching for a job as a sales man at any of the dealerships in my area. Who better to sell and attract Buell riders than a true believer in Buell? Wish me luck fellow "Buellers" I am serious, I think it would be a great oppertunity for me, as well as for Buell to get more owner sales people, as Harley does. You work at Harley dealers lucas70374 and buellpartsguy, do you see it the same? You are such a great help to us here at this forum. Thank you, I just wish I could walk into a dealer and find you at the counter and on the sales floor. Well i'm done babbling now, thanks for listening to my two cents. Just trying to make a difference, it's such a great bike, I can't help it[up]

 

[mezap]

Great to hear its going better mrdozer! Your right, it will take a bit of getting used to, but your gonna love getting used to it! I came from riding a Honda interceptor, which ran like a little sewing machine, so I know what you mean about the transition. But these bikes are so freakin fun, you just can't help but fall for them. I'm curious about how your meeting with the salesman went, or if he was the one who actually brought the bike to you? Did he explain what happened, or why the bike quit running, how to avoid, what to watch out for, etc? I bought my buell from Earl Smalls HD in Marietta Ga, and so far I have received like half a dozen letters of thanks, invitations to critique their sales/service dept, and a little plaque with my bikes vin# on it. Kind of caught me off guard, really, because I usually believe the worst about people in general, and they proved to be more interested in me being happy than I expected. I haven't had any dealings with the service dept. and I pray I won't have to. I want to be able to do all of my own work, and hey, bikes are for riding anyway, right?
BTW, 07xb12r, I think that when you have your TPS reset on your 1000 mile service you will see that popping in the airbox go away. When we reset mine we varied the range a bit, as we got richer it began to pop and as we leaned it out a little it stopped. Can't remember exactly what we wound up with, wish I had been taking notes! Incidentally, I have given thought to exchanging my risers for the clip-ons like the r's have. (I have a lightning XB12s) Have you had a chance to compare the two? I was wondering if the handling is even better with the clip-ons or if its pretty much the same, possibly not worth the effort/expense. I am happy enough with the way it handles now to leave it where it is if that be the case.
Good luck with the sales job. And your right, what buell needs are salesmen selling their bikes that are passionate about them, not just selling them like a bicycle salesman selling a tricycle in a bicycle shop!! Buells are like no other bike out there, and they need to be sold on that platform. If all someone wants is quarter mile times, any of the big 4 sports will do it in 10 seconds or so. But if your mature enought to say I wanna have fun, screw bragging rights and pissing contests, then lets talk BUELL!!
(Support your AMA! hooah!!)

 

[sparkycat]

Finding a dealer you feel good about giving your hard earned money and business to is the key. I've gone through a couple for one reason or another. I too live in SE Michigan and have a dealer 2 mi down the road I live on. I won't stop there. I see they've since removed the Buell sign from their building and won't even service Buells (Motorcity HD). I test drove an XB9SX there and that made up my mind to eventually get one. When I went to them and asked about trading my Blast in for the XB9, they wanted to give me less than 50% of what I paid and it was less than 3 mos old at the time(long story involving a dealer in Dayton). I now drive 1 1/4 hrs to Toledo HD for service. They dealt with me straight and took the Blast for what amounted to a $700 rental for those 3 mos. They get my service work, I stop in to check out what's on the sales floor when I'm passing by. Anyway, relationships are forged over an extended period of time and never seem to be a home run the first time around. As a side note about fouled plugs, when I was at Motorcity before they got out of the Buell biz, I asked the salesman to start up one of the demo bikes for me. He tried and found it was flooded. Long story short, I found out what it took the tech to get to the rear plug out while I watched! I'll let someone else play with the plugs on mine.

 

[mrdozer2you]

It was a fouled plug after all( I was right). The salesman was the one who brought my bike back. He said it was from being started and stopped too many times at the dealership, and the plugs just needed to be replaced. I didnt want to say that should have been done prior to my taking the bike the first time (I already said that enough times) Oh well, it runs good now.....if I could just make it stop raining


BTW...Never recieved an apology from anyone at the dealer!!!