New Buell owner with a couple of questions

[EuropaChris]

Hello everyone,

I just purchased an '06 XB12Ss with 4300 miles on the clock. Last bike I rode (20 years ago) was an '80 Yamaha XS850....

The bike is 100% stock except for a Jardine exhaust. I've only run the bike briefly and not ridden it yet (WAY too cold) but as everyone knows, it's LOUD.

I made a copy of the Quiet Insert that Jardine sells to try, and I do have the stock exhaust and all the hardware.

The basic question is since my riding style is sport/touring/commuting and just relaxing, my powerband preference is low and mid-range torque. I do like a nice rumble, but everyone says how lame the stock exhaust sounds - compared to what?

Performance-wise, what is gained by an aftermarket exhaust vs. the optimized stock exhaust/ECM map? I really don't want to get into screwing with ECM maps and dyno testing. I just want to hit the gas at 2500 in 5th and blow around the pickup trucks and blue-hairs. Will the quiet insert give the Jardine more of the low to mid range power and torque or does it just reduce noise and strangle the engine?

I do like the look of the Jardine - very clean and neat, so I'd like to keep it on there, but if the stock setup will give me the type of powerband I want, I'll just clean it up, repaint it and be done.

Waiting for spring.......

Chris

 

[Thaloc]

Im still running stock on my 12r, it doesnt sound bad at all. But from what I head the Jardine and the D&D are the loudest. The noice insert wont effect performence as far as I know. I think the Jardine kills your low end torque a bit cuzz its a shorter can than stock. If you want something for the low range maybe try out Drummer, they just take the stock exhaust and mod it for better perfomence and from what I hear from Al over at american sportbike the Drummer was designed before Buell started using an ECM so you put it on there and you dont HAVE to remap(Although it would help ALOT.
kevin over at kdfab.com makes the Drummer, its Buell specific.

 

[dave_xb12r]

I know you said you don't want to mess with remaps, but if you want to do anything more than a jardine, you really should have a remap. You should actually have a remap already with the Jardine. Americansportbike offers a service that remaps your stock ECM to your exact modifications. This will make your bike more powerful and best of all, it will run good and lengthen its lifespan. YOu just send the ECM to them, tell them our mods, and something like $225 later, you have a remaped ECM and you never touched a dyno.

As for the exhaust, you should consider the drummer. Good power output, awesome sounds thats not too loud (like the jardine),it's affordable and it uses your stock exhaust.

Welcome to the Buell family! Congrats!

 

[EuropaChris]

Thanks for the info! I like this exhaust, using a Magnaflow muffler: here and a similar idea I saw for the Kawi Versys and Ninja 650 using a Cherry Bomb Turbo muffler: here. The Cherry Bomb isn't stainless, but might be a good match to the stock ECM due to the design being similar to the stock muffler but let's a bit more sound through. Since I already have the Jardine front elbow, it ought to be pretty easy to experiment a little.

Hopefully today I can get out to the garage (heated, thankfully) and change the oil and primary lube to Mobil-1 V-Twin ($9+ a quart - OUCH). But, I've run Mobil-1 products for over 15 years, keeping a '93 Saturn SL running past 156k miles and now in my '02 Jetta TDI wagon going past 135k with the Delvac-1.

Here's a pic of my Buell along side the wife's Ninja 250

We've been married almost 15 years and finally she has decided to learn to ride - something she's always wanted to do. Should be fun!

Chris

 

[LeFox]

hi chris,

1st, welcome to the forum!

2nd, keep in mind that the jardine does require some maintenance.
jardine review

3rd, if you are sure the rest is all stock, your bike will run better with a jardine with insert. the insert lowers the db's but also gives you a bit more backpressure, improving you low-end.
i would suggest doing a reset & learn-in after install, though. (no big thing and no dyno required)


a little correction to what thaloc said...
jardine is loud but certainly not one of the loudest. d&d, force, micron are much louder.

if you have the chance and can get a good deal, i would say...get your hands on a buell race muffler and install a complete race kit (ecm & airintake).
the bike will perform smoother, improve all over the powerband and will give you no trouble.

 

[maybebuell]

harley spent millions in reserch getting the most tq and hp in the low to mid range with the stock exhaust...dependable smooth running ......dont waste money and time remaping all it does is move your power out of the range you want to ride in...stock exhaust is the best bang

 

[rtheiss1]

I have the Jardine on my 06 Xb9Sx and it was very loud, also I didn't like the little popping it did when I let off of the throttle. I have added the Quiet insert, It has created more back pressure, getting rid of the popping. It has made it a little quieter (Still much louder than stock). I have noticed a little torque loss, though... I was able to Wheelie in 3rd gear, now I can only due it in 2nd. I would deffinately due the insert again, unless you just have to have all of the power that your bike is capable of.

 

[dave_xb12r]

harley spent millions in reserch getting the most tq and hp in the low to mid range with the stock exhaust...dependable smooth running ......dont waste money and time remaping all it does is move your power out of the range you want to ride in...stock exhaust is the best bang

Please Maybebuell, don't give false info. We know you don't like Buells, but don't tell our fellow Buell owners purposefully wrong info! You have a tendency of doing this and it is not appreciated. I know I would like other to have long lasting bikes. Apparently this is not your concern being how YOU DON'T OWN A BUELL

ANY TIME YOU CHANGE YOUR A/F, YOU NEED A REMAP!!!!
Buells "learn in" will only compensate for stock setups. DYNO CHARTS DONT LIE! A good a/f ratio should be the main concern.

 

[skellybuell]

Umm ok so you say stock exhaust is best.....Uh did you ever hear of the Buell race exhaust.... if I am not mistaken it was made to improve both hp and torque over the stock exhaust thats kinda sorta why it was made. Anyways I totally agree with dave on this one ....thats my 2 cents.

 

[skellybuell]

Oh yea and another thing dont do any kind of mods to your bike just keep it all stock, who needs an upgraded air filter, spark plugs, exhaust, etc. or do silly things like breather re-routes or a remap of your ecm. The tps reset is never needed either just keep it stock and run the lowest grade fuel, dont ever put any money into anything you love to do ....... unless you want to make it better. Yea sorry guys the wrong buton just got pushed.

 

[EuropaChris]

Oh yea and another thing dont do any kind of mods to your bike just keep it all stock, who needs an upgraded air filter, spark plugs, exhaust, etc. or do silly things like breather re-routes or a remap of your ecm. The tps reset is never needed either just keep it stock and run the lowest grade fuel, dont ever put any money into anything you love to do ....... unless you want to make it better. Yea sorry guys the wrong buton just got pushed.

Well, not to start a flame fest since I'm new here, everyone has different needs and wants. Some people want to take their bike to the absolute max performance potential and enjoy the constant tweaking, rebuilding, adjusting, etc. Others just want to ride and the work a bike requires is simply a necessity for the end result.

I'm somewhat in the middle. I enjoy maintaining my stuff in top condition, but unless the "stock" design has a big shortcoming or flaw, I tend to leave things stock. Buell has indeed put a lot of effort into making a bike with the best horsepower/torque for the average rider, as well as meeting the necessary emissions and sound levels. That's why the stock muffler is so big - you need a lot of internal volume to accomodate 100 horsepower quietly.

Since 98% of my riding is "normal" road riding, I want to optimize for low and midrange torque so I can drop it in a gear and cruise a twisty two-lane in the meat of the midrange. A gain of power past 6000rpm doesn't do me any good since I will spend less than 2% of my time there, especially if it means I get a loss in the bottom end.

Way back when I had my Yamaha triple, I installed a 3 into 1 exhaust. It sounded awesome, but while the top end power increase was nice, it sucked all the bottom and midrange torque due to the larger header diameter. Totally took the fun out of riding it since it was such a torquey bike to begin with. I removed it after a few months and put the stock exhaust back on.

I love torque. That's why I drive diesels....

chris

 

[skellybuell]

Comment wasnt made towards you just towards people who jump in and say people waste money on mods. I have the Buell race exhaust K@N filter and ECM Spy for my 9r. If you can find a Buell race exhaust I think it would be you best bet.... from what i reseached it has best low end torque and dosent loose much on the top end. I am pretty happy with it except i would like it to be a bit louder than it is (being I ride with a couple Harley guys and cant hear my exhaust at all.) Some people think its loud enough but to each his own.... like they say loud pipes save lives..

 

[skellybuell]

Hey Chris just I just checked Ebay someone has a Race can up for sale its goin for 200 and some change maybe you can grab it they stopped makin them and it seems to be a fair price so far..... by the way welcome to the forum this is were i found out all the info i needed for my bike just watch out for the hatters that pop up once in a while......

 

[XBear9S]

My Jardine was a bit loud when I first got it.
After a while it wasn't so bad.
Don't know if that was the break-in,
or if I just got used to it.

The stock exhaust performed fine for your type riding.
It was excellent for day to day use.
But it lacked the personality of my favorite bikes.
Those being the tubers my friends had.
The rumble is part of what Buell's all about.
If Buell could get away with it, they'd have that sound stock
(That statement is my opinion).

Remap if vital for the bike to run right.
It's also vital to the lifespan of the bike.
It's not just about performance.
The bike needs to have the right ratio
or long term issues are inevitable
(This statement if fact).

Special K

"A skittish motor-bike with a touch of blood in it
is better than all the riding animals on Earth..."

--T.E. Lawrence