Sorry, we don't touch Buell's

[Cosworth]

I believe any Harley dealer that ran a Riders Edge program used buell blasts.

 

[Danger_Gullo]

They did have a Rider's Edge program and they did use Blast's...but they don't touch Buell's.

 

[user_deleted]

a suggestion for all board members to consider and it's relevant to this post:
i will be 61 on thursday (shut up WIGGLE2--lol) and though i own a small dealership my thoughts are applicable to all board members as most of you considerably younger than i and have a hell of alot more riding-years ahead of you than i do. my suggestion is this: everyone who rides has at least 1 or more good friends who do as well. get 2 or more of yourselves together and go halves on a No-Mar manual tire changer and static balancer. for approx. $420 delivered to your door you'll have a gorgeous simple brilliantly designed manual tire changer, all the requisite tools, clamps, floor mounting kit, and a great static tire balancer. if you have a decent concrete floor garage you'll have a place to install the mounting kit and the balancer. there is something inherently satisfying about removing your own wheels, checking brake condition, removing tires, installing new ones, and balancing them.
do the math: at a minimum you might pay a local shop $50 per pair to change and balance your tires if you carry in your own wheels and new tires. if you do 3 sets in 6 years.....and your tire changer investment partner does as well you virtually paid for your equipment/investment. i have had a No-Mar for 3 years now....use it at least 3X a week and it is bomb-proof and a brilliant piece of equipment. just something to consider and one more device to keep yourself independent from these mega-dealerships.

 

[chief_of_smoke]

well put lunaticfringe. if i could i would. been looking at all sorts of equipment. yes it suck that some dearlships wont do tires. thats on them. find a place that does. there is a tire shop where i live that will do the work for me, i.e. take the wheel off the bike, change and balance tires, put wheels back on. they charge me $25 a wheel. i have no complaints. one day i will do it myself. if i have to take somethhing to a dealership, then its something i dont have time to work on or dont have the tool knowledge to do so. does it cost? yes it does but that is life. deal with it or sit around in the dark and cry about spilled milk.

 

[mrlogix]

I think the Buell community as a whole are a different breed of rider. As evident from this forum, a LOT of us work on our own stuff. It's part of the total experience for me....just saying

 

[konarider94]

i agree with the change your own. A set of spoons will get it done. Even a harbor freight bead breaker helps a lot but you can carefully use a spade shovel in a pinch. and some rim protectors never hurt.

 

[MikeyLawless]

My local honda dealer does mine for like 9 bucks a wheel if i bring the wheels in. Can believe someone would pay 50 bucks a tire

 

[cartman]

5 Bucks worth of zip ties make it really easy, may not even need the spoons, both beads come off and go on at the same time.

 

[GregoXB]

It's worth doing basic service like oil and tire changes on any bike yourself. You do need some basic tools though. I have a contingency plan if something goes really bad with my Buell, and that is to transport it to a Buell friendly HD in NJ with competent mechanics (knock on wood). Most HD dealers can only handle selling HD's and I would not trust their mechanics even with an HD if I owned one. Plus their cost of service and wait time is laughable. My father had an 883, and I recall them charging him like $350 for a scheduled service and the bike was at the shop for 4+ days, which I am positive they only changed his oil and "looked over" the bike. I mean there is only one logical reply to that, and that is "fuck you, I can change the oil myself and go for a ride today, you jerk-off" and walk out of the shop. That doesn't apply to HD dealers only BTW, power sport shops can be equally as douchey.

 

[s0dhi]

I guess we're lucky in the Toronto area. We have 2 local (within 45min) HD dealers with techs that ride and service Buells.

 

[GregoXB]

Even if I had Buell friendly mechanics around me, I would not bring my bike to them for basic service. I recall taking my Buell to the HD shop for Jardine muffler install and they charged me $400 on top of the parts I had purchased to install the muffler. My bike was out for 3 days. Today I can remove, pack and install my Jardine in about 1 hour, with breaks.

 

[thewanmanrules]

If you are in New Orleans... See Transportation Revolution. I know they are a Ducati / Triumph shop... But one of the mechanics over there knows Buells very well...

 

[MrFantastic22]

My HD in Columbia SC still works on Buells. I'm glad they do. I do most of the work myself though. I mainly just get the parts ordered and the rest I do.

 

[mrlogix]

I think parts is going to be more of an issue than service in the long run. EBR is setting up a new network with HD out of the picture. New EBR dealers are not going to want to hassle with Buell/HD parts on the pre-2013 stuff. We as a community will always support each other, but parts will eventually get scarce. Can't see HD releasing any of the prints/tech data for 3rd party manufacturing unless some corporate offer is made. Could be wrong, at least I hope so.

 

[Ryangt]

Ok so all this dealer drama aside, mrlogix found what I would consider the main point here. What to do when the parts run out.

To me this is a " what to stock up on" question ( possibly another sticky), Does Harley or EBR plan to give a damn about brand loyalists by keeping parts available or are we on our own?

I know from reading around this forum we seem to be a resourceful bunch... I just offer the question to the group for consideration, no intent to thread jack.

 

[GregoXB]

IDK, how can you possibly determine what will go wrong with your bike in the future? You want to spend hundreds of dollars on things like a fuel pump or a stator "in case?"

 

[WIGGLE2]

It's really no different than any other motorsports hobby. No company builds anything forever. They quit building the tri5 Chevys in '57.....but guys keep building them. Fox body Mustangs haven't been built since the early '90's...yet they're still being built and raced. Yes....I understand there IS aftermarket support....BUT! There are many other instances when you just have to come up with something on your own. (The aftermarket doesn't provide everything).The difference is....do you want to own/ride/maintain what is NOW considered a 'collector's' piece or not. There WILL come a time, more than likely, where depending on what has broken or worn out will present a situation of cost vs. worth. Some guys will want no parts of this....I see it already. In that case, it would probably be better suited that you go buy a current model bike that you can HOPEFULLY get parts for quickly and reasonably. I believe in the next 3-5 years we will see who has the perseverance to keep things going and who has bailed. I know a guy who has a 50 something Triumph he still vintage races....so, if he can do it, I guess anything is possible.

 

[mrlogix]

(The aftermarket doesn't provide everything).

that is true, but ingenuity plays a part in the collector scene as more and more are becoming resto-rods. If I can't find parts for a 57' Vette engine, then I can go resto-rod route and put a newer powerplant in it. Due to the design constraints of the Buell's, adapting even a sportster motor into an XB is going to take some fabrication. Adapting an 1125R/CR to accept an 1190 engine will be easier than the changeover for a XB12 or 9. Not an issue yet, but food for thought.

 

[WIGGLE2]

I DO see what you're saying. I am speaking more of 'fixing what we have' vs a transplant. Short of MAYBE cases that have been totally destroyed, we SHOULD be OK in the engine/trans department. There isn't much in there that can't be supplied through Darkhorse (cranks), or other vendors. (valvetrain, cams, etc.). Trans shafts and gears? IF worse comes to worst, IF you want to pay and you have access to a good original to blueprint, they CAN be made. (they do it for some of the old vintage Jericho's....a gear or shaft is a gear or shaft....it doesn't know if it's in a Buell , Ford or race-only trans). Other parts of the bike could be challenging if the need arises. (Say like a rear swingarm, or triple or something). I am REALLY surprised someone like F.A.S.T. hasn't built a v-twin stand-alone EFI setup. Also hard to believe no one has played with a Megasquirt deal either. I could see ECM's being an issue at some point perhaps. Everything else (Sensors, etc.) are and hopefully will be sustainable items for quite some time. I guess ONLY time will tell. I am trying to collect a few little things....stator, VR, a few ECM's....who knows? I am torn between keeping it and running it, or just stashing it and 'play' with it once in a while. Now I know what it felt like to have a 302 Boss Mustang in say....1986? Lol!

 

[mrlogix]

wiggle- true, true. I've read about some vintage British bike guys that even went as far as making molds to pour replacement cast iron cases for old Ariel's. You touch on the key point though.

and you have access to a good original to blueprint

We need to start blueprinting/modeling as many of our parts as possible. Will make replacement/mods a lot easier in the future. Like I said before, the chances of HD letting go of the prints (like Ford when they stopped producing the GT40 back in the late 60's early 70's) is slim to none, or will be such an astronomical price that no company will pursue it. It will be up to us 'Enthusiast' to keep the breed going.