Just a little something to say about reliability.

[Macbuell]

First of all, I love this forum. It is the only forum I find worthwhile for my Buell fix. With that said, I think this forum might be scary for someone who is thinking about buying a Buell, just like most. I worry that people reading this forum only see mechanical issues with the Buell brand. This forum is meant for all the people who have not really had any issues with their Buell. Can I get a couple shout outs? Just read bottom paragraph if you don't want to be bored.



I love my Buell. She is a 2004 XB12s that I bought from her first owner with only 703 miles early in 2009. That asshole did not treat her right. Don't get me wrong, I will not complain about her not being used and abused, but I will never understand why she wasn't. Then I remembered the previous owner also owned a custom HD. It all made sense at that moment, he was gay. Anyways, with a still bright red finish, I rolled her off the truck. Very timid, I did a walk around. My previous experience had only been with a 250cc little girl under supervision of a MSF instructor. Stop judging me, she was a 2006 which is at least 18 in motorcycle years.

I held my breath as i flipped the kill switch to "on". "HOLY SHIT" I thought as I ran away thinking about previous STD experiences. Never had I been so wrong in my life. It was just her warming up to me. Just the kind of foreplay I like. About 2 seconds later she was warming up before my very eyes. So sexy I thought. No idea how to handle this new woman, I swung one leg over, just like usual. She was just as unexperienced with real men as I was with a woman. I knew this from her moaning (Hawk perfected her technique here and I am very much ok with it).

We have now been happily riding for nearly 7000 miles with 0 maintenance other than a couple oil changes, a tire changes, and a primary chain tighten. This bike is made very solid. People considering buying a Buell please understand this forum is not a random sample of people. There are plenty of people who ride their Buell every day, have no problems, and don't visit forums to tell about it. This was just MY story about MY 0 problem Buell. I love her low maintenance lifestyle.

 

[chuckanut]

I totally agree with you. I've pretty much had 0 problems with mine too. Absolutly LOVE ridding it. A guy at my work is getting one now. He normaly rides rice burners and is now switching [up]

 

[BuellRider3158]

Same here, the only problems I have had are from the idiot who owned it before not treating it right and doing basic maintenance. After I worked out the kinks shes running perfect with 0 problems.

 

[batman6669]

believe it or not I let a guy that I just met test ride my bike!I had just met him as I was shopping for new tires and he started asking me about my bike(05 xb12scg) and telling me about his(08gsxr). I was telling him that this IS THE BEST BIKE that I have ever owned or ridden. He was telling me that he loved the streetfighter look and the mods that I have done. Then he said I'd like to get one but he's just not sure about the handeling and the power. I told him that i could smoke you in the 1/4 mile, he laughed,we raced. Smoked him ,and he said I'd love to take that beast for a test ride so against my better judgement I let him! He took it for a short boot came back and his first words were " do you wanna buy a gixer" I laughed said no thanks and he told me "I'm sellin it and gettin a buell!! Do you know anybody selling one"

 

[chuckanut]

^^ Thats bada$$!

 

[wavex]

15k miles free of trouble here as well.

 

[winnetka]

2010 Lightning XB9SX, 10,000 miles in 8 months of daily commuting and weekend mountains. I had one problem covered under warantee - a blown clutch bearing due to water getting in the primary. Other than that, no problems. It runs smooth and strong. No stumbling. No mods. All stock.

 

[strmvt]

21,650 on the odometer had 3 things go wrong on "Shelly" in 08 the voltage regulator went out 09 the upper rocker cover rubber gasket replaced due to a oil leak and just this year the lower rear rocker cover gasket the metal one started leaking all of which were covered under warranty . I bought a 5yr Extended warranty with tire protection. I used the tire warranty once at 9k for a screw I picked up in the rear tire none cost me anything except the last rocker cover repaier and that was only $50 deductible for the ESP.

 

[osdiegrom]

i have an '08 XB12s Lightning... it's such a bad ass bike to ride up in the mountains in SD and through traffic for work. I've got now over 27,000 miles and the only thing i've actually replaced is a battery. the usual oil change and tires.... i'm sure a belt will be next but the Buell is a beast. My group of riders include 3 Ducatis, 2 GSX-R, and an FZ-09. I struggle on the straight aways above 115mph but romp everyone around the corners. BEST BIKE EVER!!!

 

[user_deleted]

I worry that people reading this forum only see mechanical issues with the Buell brand.

part of the motor vehicle dedicated website experience is the posting of "problems and issues" with said vehicle by site members. rampant on many sites....very common on most all others. "my check engine light is on" posts will always outnumber "have no issues yet" posts whether it's a Buell or Yugo.

 

[wolfo68]

I've had issues, but she's been crashed, stolen, and run hard. I also like to work on her. As far as reliability, we're both still kicking.

 

[ccdirtrider05]

if it werent for this site i would still be stuck on a bike that overheats every 10 miles.. reading countless posts of folks bitching about their problems and eventual fixes saved me tons from the stealership, gave me tons of knowledge about my bike and helped me understand my bikes personality better.. and further more gave me a wicked repect for the actual simplicity of these bikes.. they are not just another rice burner or pasta rocket and far from a hairy davidson. i take alot of pride in knowing that if something does break, i can do it myself. im HAPPY to say that i bought a buell that unfortunatly did have problems ( alot of them! from the PO as is most always the case, HUMAN error) but with some patience, some beer, and alot of THIS FORUM, i have a beast of a bike like no other. and am so impressed by them i am looking into adding to the family with an XT and who knows! the Girl Friend has been wanting something, maybe a blast (or this sweet tuber ive been watching!)

 

[Xb12sLt]

I was just thinking the same thing on my way to work this morning. It was below freezing...super cold, but I couldn't have been happier to be on my bike! It just turned 45,500 miles, sure its had a couple hiccups. All I can say is when I ride it I can forget about anything going on in my life. So far I've commuted on it everyday this year and I'm hoping I can keep going( Icy roads permitting).

My buddy has 3 bikes, a 1098r duc, an R1, and an hp4 competition. None f them work..the duc blew up with 5000 miles on it, the R1 quit charging, and the BMW was spewing oil ( he just got the BMW fixed ). None of his bikes suck...I mean come on...I'd take em! But none of them are over 10,000 miles either. At the end of the day any bike can break but at least I can rip on him and rub in the 45,000 miles

 

[John422]

I totally agree with you guys even on the 1125 side. I mean personally iv never thought the xb to be unreliable. I believe they are more reliable then mine for sure! But iv owned 3 1125s. And iv never had more then one kind of big issue with any of them. I mean shit I guess really anyone who's reads around this forum could of told me I was going to have them. I knew I was going to. With my 08 it was my clutch cylinder. Pretty easy fix. Then my last cr my stator went out and shit if I had all the parts. I think it would take me 2 hours to totally uninstall the bad stator and replace the stator and rotor with new ebr and ricks stator. And though in an oil filter and I'd have two jobs done. But now with this third bike. Iv had zero and I know the previous owner was an awesome owner. Already didn't the rotor to ebr. And I'm not worried about it breaking down anytime soon at all!
And other then those two problems that's the only problems iv ever had. I love my buells! And I can't wait to own more of them! Haha [smirk][up]

 

[sewerman]

Never had a problem with my 09 Bolt. Yes she is alittle "quirky" compared to most bikes on the market but that is one of Buells charms. If I want problems I ride my Royal Enfield(but I still love it also). I am addicted to this site more for items about modifications. I can never leave my bikes completely stock. Its a sickness. If the basic design of an engine is from 1957, I think they would get most things right. Plus now we own "collector bikes"(fuck Barrett Jackson).

 

[buellxb9rs]

03, 46k no problems

 

[nikfleisch]

05 XB9R - I've only had to replace my voltage regulator in 10k.

 

[bwylie_99]

My cr has been totally reliable even though I rape the $hit out of her every time I'm on her. 23k and rocking.
My poor poor badly abused xb12s only has 14k but has been mauled on several occasions by my girlfriend who has endo'd into mountains, run into parked trucks and lowsided regularly. Only issue other than smashed bits was when she mistakenly filled it with water instead of gas. Buells f'n rule, period. I do have to say though, please forgive me, my vrod is the best all around bike I've ever been on and is absolutely bullet proof with over 30k and zero issues.

 

[wolfo68]

mistakenly filled it with water instead of gas

How do you fill it with water instead of gas?

 

[thrstrmech]

'03 9S originally with 2500 miles....now 64k+ minor issues over the past 7 years, still running the original belt, knock on wood

replaced:

cooling fan
IAT sensor
idler pulley
shift forks