TexasSportBiker
Member
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2009
- Messages
- 19
After eyeballing the American Sport Bike over the last few years, I finally pulled the trigger yesterday 7/16/09. Am now the proud owner of a 09 XB12R Firebolt! Yahoo! I have come from the Japanese sport bike scene, and have belonged to several different forums specific to the bike I was riding. Made new friends, and had access to some great minds. Any info, I needed seemed to always be right there. I look forward to the new journey with this new bike, with you all that discerning riders, and maybe getting to meet some new forum members.
Very First Ride ever on a Buell machine: I have been reading reviews about this machine for the last 3 years, and one common theme seemed to be the disdain for the transmission. Old, clunky, and only five speed.
First Impressions: Wow! This is going to be different. Will be getting to know what it’s like to live down at the bottom of the RPM range, with terrific power and torque. I’m an adult now, so time to slow it down a little more and learn to adjust to this new dimension. Next- This is the smoothest transmission on a motorcycle I have ever seen in my life. Silky Smooth! Why would you need 6 speeds?? Almost unbelievable! No banging or whip crack lunges shifting from neutral to 1st. No rock crushing at low RPM between 1st and 2nd . Like ricers, I could “feel” the shift to top gear, nice. Finding neutral is smooth and easy. First ride 30 miles home from the Stealership……….simply amazing.
I have specifically chosen to purchase and ride this bike due to 3 deciding factors. It’s American! It’s a very “unique sport bike, and maintenance issues. I ride allot of miles and I have grown quite tired of valve adjustments and chain/sprocket replacements every 12-15K for a ricer. So here I am now, and maybe also help feed another American during this recession. I’m sure there are gonna be some other ugly issues come up down the road, and look forward to the discussions with new “forum family” members. 500 miles to go before I can really flog it, and see what its real capabilities can be.
There is nothing like the smell of gasoline and asphalt in the morining.
It's not speed that kills, it's the deceleration.
Very First Ride ever on a Buell machine: I have been reading reviews about this machine for the last 3 years, and one common theme seemed to be the disdain for the transmission. Old, clunky, and only five speed.
First Impressions: Wow! This is going to be different. Will be getting to know what it’s like to live down at the bottom of the RPM range, with terrific power and torque. I’m an adult now, so time to slow it down a little more and learn to adjust to this new dimension. Next- This is the smoothest transmission on a motorcycle I have ever seen in my life. Silky Smooth! Why would you need 6 speeds?? Almost unbelievable! No banging or whip crack lunges shifting from neutral to 1st. No rock crushing at low RPM between 1st and 2nd . Like ricers, I could “feel” the shift to top gear, nice. Finding neutral is smooth and easy. First ride 30 miles home from the Stealership……….simply amazing.
I have specifically chosen to purchase and ride this bike due to 3 deciding factors. It’s American! It’s a very “unique sport bike, and maintenance issues. I ride allot of miles and I have grown quite tired of valve adjustments and chain/sprocket replacements every 12-15K for a ricer. So here I am now, and maybe also help feed another American during this recession. I’m sure there are gonna be some other ugly issues come up down the road, and look forward to the discussions with new “forum family” members. 500 miles to go before I can really flog it, and see what its real capabilities can be.
There is nothing like the smell of gasoline and asphalt in the morining.
It's not speed that kills, it's the deceleration.
[up] Great to have you on the board. Nicely done intro and look forward to some pics of you're bike. Below is a great link you'll find usefull. Take care and welcome to the Buell "family."
