Race Buell Improvement Thread

[Kurlon]

So, I do have one minor update: Still chasing a set of XBRR magnesium wheels. I've found one set that need repair at both ends, the one repair shop that used to specialize in dealing with them is... randomly radio silent, so frustrating. Another set just popped up, but the pics I'm getting are old, from YE OLDE digital cameras or very old phones so I can't actually make out the markings to confirm they're XBRR units, so I don't dare make an offer on them yet either.

I've pinged the few American forged aluminum wheel MFGs as a long shot, one has no interest, the other has abandoned making 17in wheels in favor of sticking to more common big twin sizes... meh. I got one reply from a Chinese vendor, then radio silence after noting I just would want the one set to start. I'm pretty certain the rears made by most of the big names are pretty easily adaptable to the XB, and could hit the weights of the XBRR wheels. I bet I could adapt a BST carbon rear come to think of it... It's the front that's a PITA, though shouldn't be that hard for any of the CNC cut ones to be adapted but no one wants to do it for one offs. Plan Q would be welding rotor mounts on an already produced wheel... I don't know my material science well enough to know if that's safely doable or not.

So, the hunt continues.

 

[Cooter]

Whats so wrong about the stockers? Sure less is more but they are pretty dang light already!

 

[Kurlon]

Whats so wrong about the stockers? Sure less is more but they are pretty dang light already!

Weight reduction, pure and simple. This bike is a ton heavier than anything I've ever raced, so I'm chasing all the bolt up reductions I can find. Any weight dropped in the wheels makes the bike easier to turn as an added bonus. I want to do weight reductions and suspension first, as I'm certain those will be bigger gains for me before deciding it's time to poke at the motor.

 

[34nineteen]

It may be easier and less expensive to adapt a set of EBR wheels to your bike.

I'm pretty sure all of the magnesium XBRR wheels were black from the factory. Buell also made some regular production wheels in a color called "magnesium tone" that I see pop up for sale from time to time.

 

[Cooter]

The front wasn't bad (axle bearing, spacers, etc.), but the rear was an issue. Besides being chain driven (from the other side) and off-set weirdly, I've looked into that and its a bit more involved than I wanted to do. I have an extra set of EBR wheels if you want any measurements. I hope you do, and i'll follow your lead!

 

[Kurlon]

Do you have weights for the EBR magnesium units?

 

[Cooter]

I looked up those old notes and got "Bare front wheel 8.85lbs" and "Bare rear with rotor 13.5lbs"
I guess I did the tires too when I was running Dunlops on the street "Dunlop Q3+ front 10.3lbs" and "rear 14.45lbs".

A complete 2-bearing Uly rear with a new TKC-80 was 34.75lbs!

 

[34nineteen]

I just sent a text to Mike asking if he weighed his magnesium wheels. I'd be surprised if he didn't.

 

[Cooter]

Or he has to give back his Magnesium Mike nickname:angel:

 

[Kurlon]

He has weighed them, and shared the numbers on FB along with another Bueller posting regular XB numbers:

XB Front - Bare, no paint - 9.4lbs
XBRR Front - Bare plus bearings, valve stem - 7.25lbs
XB Rear - Bare, no paint - 12.1lbs
XBRR Rear - Bare plus for bearings and valve stem - 11.45lbs

 

[Cooter]

That is an impressive number for the RR front :eek-new:

 

[34nineteen]

He has weighed them, and shared the numbers on FB along with another Bueller posting regular XB numbers:

XB Front - Bare, no paint - 9.4lbs
XBRR Front - Bare plus bearings, valve stem - 7.25lbs
XB Rear - Bare, no paint - 12.1lbs
XBRR Rear - Bare plus for bearings and valve stem - 11.45lbs

I'd be curious to see what the EBR wheels weigh.

Mike and I were talking a lil smack about you. All good, of course.

And then he showed me his new carbon fiber rear rotor.

Now we need to figure out what Uly wheels weigh. Mine is an XT, so I mine may not have been spec'd with the heavier duty wheels. I'm just going to stick with those, since this project is already getting out of hand financially... no thanks to CoOter and you (keep it up!)

 

[Cooter]

Do you have weights for the EBR magnesium units?

I looked up those old notes and got "Bare front wheel 8.85lbs" and "Bare rear with rotor 13.5lbs"*

A complete 2-bearing Uly rear with a new TKC-80 was 34.75lbs!

I'd be curious to see what the EBR wheels weigh.

:upset:

Now we need to figure out what Uly wheels weigh.

I looked up those old notes and got "Bare front wheel 8.85lbs" and "Bare rear with rotor 13.5lbs"

A complete 2-bearing Uly rear with a new TKC-80 was 34.75lbs!

I'll PM you a link to this thread.:angel: A shallow internet search show that size TKC-80 is 13.45-13.66 lbs alone.


* Since we are dorking out on grams, I thought I'd clarify those EBR weights were bare/no rotor or hardware in the front, but including bearings, seals, and spacer. Rear was bearings,spacer, seals, rear rotor and hardware/no sprocket.

 

[34nineteen]

Hey Kurlon,

I was today years old when I found out that Airtech will be shutting down operations. They will be accepting orders only until the end of this month, so if you are thinking of some getting some plastic fantastic, you need to jump now. I ordered an 1125r race fairing and a bellypan. This bellypan is supposedly larger than the one on their website, but they do not have any pics of it. Unfortunately by the time I receive mine, they will probably be in the final throes of being operational and likely not taking more orders. It seems like all the others are too short for a stock muffler and like you, I have to deal with noise restrictions. I may pull the Drummer and db killer off the methbuell to see if I can sneak it by the sound meters at the track, but I’m not feeling hopeful.

 

[Kurlon]

No plans to go full fairings, but thanks for the heads up!

From what I’ve read, two bearing XT rears are just normal XB wheels, so no heavier?

 

[34nineteen]

I’m only doing the 1125R upper headlamp fairings.
I should have just kept the Ulysses front end but I sold the windshield and flyscreen right out of the gate. Unfortunately, those Uly flyscreens aren’t as cheap and abundant like they once were, so I kind of painted myself into a corner.


I wouldn’t be surprised if the XT wheels were just regular XB wheels. One day I will have to check them for a part #.

 

[Kurlon]

Doing some more reversing through my notes, it looks like the three bearing rear wheels are the ones that are heavier than regular XB units, more metal at the lips of the rim plus that extra bearing and supporting material.

Meanwhile, I know where there is what I'm 80% positive is a XBRR front wheel paired with an OEM rear, price is reasonable, but too many red flags when it got down to actually getting money to the guy. I know of a new in OEM box XBRR rear wheel, but slow conv on that one. If it pans out I'll need to find bearings, spacer, rotor, pulley, bolts, etc. I legit did not expect it to be this hard to find a set.

 

[34nineteen]

I legit did not expect it to be this hard to find a set.

They were tough to find 10 years ago. Honestly, I'd write them off an unobtanium, and focus on other things, and keep Murphys law in mind.

Anyone who is sitting on a set of them knows their rarity and is in no hurry to get rid of them. Usually when someone is in a hurry to get rid of something, its usually due to a money crunch and the people sitting on XBRR stuff arent hurting for money. There may be a unicorn out there, but I'd move on to other things, but stay diligent and ready to strike when the offer presents itself. Remember the cheapest part on a Buell are the owners, and an owner of XBRR stuff isn't going to want to deal with cheapskates.

 

[Kurlon]

The confused Ulysses made a MotoAmerica press release as an item of note: https://www.motoamerica.com/march-t...ing_wp_cron=1708635843.2711040973663330078125

 

[34nineteen]

All the way at the bottom, but still there!

I'm a fan of 771 Racing! CoOter needs to send you some Backmarker Racing decals.