• You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will see less advertisements, have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

Cheap XB9R across Europe... am I crazy?

Buellxb Forum

Help Support Buellxb Forum:

H

huuhaa

New member
Joined
Jul 8, 2020
Messages
3
Hello all.

I am planning to take an epic bike trip in the autumn. The problem is that the Kawasaki ZX-7R, which I'm currently rebuilding and meant to do the trip on, is still very much in bits because of life and ****. It's still possible I may get it together, but I figured better start thinking about a plan B. What's the worst that can happen? I get another bike to fool around with.

So today I accidentally found an okay looking 2006 XB9R with 20k on the odo and asking price of 2500 euros, which I think is pretty reasonable. I have zero experience on Buells, but in some perverse way I do find this one extremely attracting.

Can the bike take TWFO riding from Estonia to Italy and preferably also back? I know, old bikes are very much individuals, but are there any pitfalls I should keep an eye on when a) going to check the bike out and b) if I buy it, when I'm riding around at home as a shakedown? Basically the service stuff I'm taking for granted is servicing&reshimming the suspension, greasing the frame bearings, changing the oil, air filter, brake pads, brake fluid, tyres and checking the wheel bearings. Anything else needed?

And most of all: Would you do a trip like this on an XB9R?
 
Unless you plan on doing your own wrenching on the bike, you may want to call some shops in the area to see if will work on a Buell or even know what one is? Forums and Facebook are full of new owners who bought these bikes "because they were a deal" just to find out that no one either will or wants to work on it. The last person you want wrenching on your bike is someone who is not enthusiastic about it.
 
Manual is highly appreciated! And yeah, I'm working on my bikes myself, so no worries there.

I'm hearing horror stories about vibrations – not afraid of them for comfort's sake, rather than doing 4000km and having something fall off. Are there some screws (not mentioned in the manual) that you WILL want to threadlock in place?
 
Yes. All of them.
I travel with a drum of Loctite 241 and hose the bike off at every gas stop.

Seriously though, the shifter linkage comes to mind, and exhaust flange studs will break if a nut gets loose. They aren’t that bad. I don’t think they shake as much as any Harley and people ride those things much farther than your thinking. Haha
 
Well, I just offered him 2 grand without seeing the bike. Let's see. Would sure be interesting, I'm a fan of peculiar vehicles, and every true motorcyclist needs an American V2, right?
 
huuhaa said:
Well, I just offered him 2 grand without seeing the bike. Let's see. Would sure be interesting, I'm a fan of peculiar vehicles, and every true motorcyclist needs an American V2, right?
Click to expand...

As long as your comfortable with turning wrenches yourself, and enjoy working on bikes, you should be OK. If you need a mechanic, unless you get really lucky, you may find yourself up a creek without a paddle.


There is a thread on here where a guy was traveling from North America to South America and blew his engine in Mexico. I'm pretty sure its the first time those guys have seen a Buell. Just because its a Sportster based motor, and the parts come from Harley, it doesnt mean Harley mechanics like working on them.
 
Last edited:
A japanese bike can go around EU even if being 30 years old with out any problem, should not a 14 year old Buell be able to make it? If not is it crap. IMHO.
 
What ever you do don't listen to this idiot ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^. !

I have British bikes, Japanese Bikes, and two Buells, my favorite bikes to ride are my Buells ,with that said and in my opinion an R model would be uncomfortable for such a ride. I know you came across one and maybe have a hankering to own one if that is the case then buy it for running around town and hitting the twisties, they're great for that. Like with any used bike, once checked out and all maintenance done I wouldn't hesitate to take the trip. One of the members on here has taken his Ully cross country multiple times with absolutely no problems.
 
njloco said:
What ever you do don't listen to this idiot ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^. !

I have British bikes, Japanese Bikes, and two Buells, my favorite bikes to ride are my Buells ,with that said and in my opinion an R model would be uncomfortable for such a ride. I know you came across one and maybe have a hankering to own one if that is the case then buy it for running around town and hitting the twisties, they're great for that. Like with any used bike, once checked out and all maintenance done I wouldn't hesitate to take the trip. One of the members on here has taken his Ully cross country multiple times with absolutely no problems.
Click to expand...

I dont know who you are calling idiot, but my point was that a Buell sure can make such a trip. As i said a 30 year japanese bike will do it and for sure also a 14 year old Buell. If not is it a non maintained crap bike, a normally maintained Buell should not have any problems.

Dont get this need for using insults here......
 
F. Rosen: i'm now thoroughly convinced you're specifically on here to either troll...cause problems...incite pointless arguments...or act like a douchebag. we've run alot of your type out of here thru the years and will be happy to make you our new project.
Case in point: this is the 2nd double entendre of yours invoked to generate friction....with its unimaginative transparency. your previous post, in essence, propped up jap bikes...then retorted the comment with a buell interrogative...then a snide remark bashing the buell brand.
Now you double-down not only mentioning maintenance, but trying to back-pedal out of your prior bashing with an affirmative opinion. there is absolutely no rhyme, reason or logic to your rational. Plus it's incredibly boring.
As a collective group, we'll tolerate very little more of your keyboard shenanigans.
 
Idioms on line,

Up a creek without a paddle,

This idiom has its origin in 20th-century military slang, referring to being lost, as in when on patrol, etc., calling to mind someone in a canoe being stranded in a river with no way to paddle.
 
Gran torino such a great movie.*Oh, I've got one. A Mexican, a Jew, and a colored guy go into a bar. The bartender looks up and says, "Get the **** out of here."
 
Barrett said:
F. Rosen: i'm now thoroughly convinced you're specifically on here to either troll...cause problems...incite pointless arguments...or act like a douchebag. we've run alot of your type out of here thru the years and will be happy to make you our new project.
Case in point: this is the 2nd double entendre of yours invoked to generate friction....with its unimaginative transparency. your previous post, in essence, propped up jap bikes...then retorted the comment with a buell interrogative...then a snide remark bashing the buell brand.
Now you double-down not only mentioning maintenance, but trying to back-pedal out of your prior bashing with an affirmative opinion. there is absolutely no rhyme, reason or logic to your rational. Plus it's incredibly boring.
As a collective group, we'll tolerate very little more of your keyboard shenanigans.
Click to expand...

It does not matter what i write here, always wrong. But i will leave if that is needed. Ride safe.

Thessalonians 5:15
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

D
Hello. Been riding Buell for years. Figured I’d join the Forum.
Replies
2
Views
6K
Cooter
Cooter
L
Service Record
Replies
7
Views
8K
Lakota
L
C
2005 XB9R Custom Build
3 4 5
Replies
80
Views
33K
C.P. Engineering
C
A
2007 Buell XB12Ss Lightning Long for sale
Replies
5
Views
2K
[email protected]
A
J
Stumped (Oil leak, level, gas contamination)
Replies
12
Views
4K
34nineteen
34nineteen

Latest posts

Back
Top