Unlocking the power of a 08 xb12scg

[NeoNBMC]

Hello fellow Buell enthusiasts!

I currently own an '08 xb12scg and I'm looking to unleash the beast. I love being able to smoke other riders off the light, but frankly I'm tired of getting out run by other sport bikes on the highways.

I've comprised a list of modifications that I'm going to be undertaking while the weather is still shooty here in Ohio and I could really use all of your input. I've been doing quite a bit of research here through the forum but this is my first post. I'll just get right to it.

Already have the cutout airbox

Going to:

Port and Polish
All around SKF Wheel Bearings
D&D Exhaust
Debating on less teeth on the rear pulley
EBR ECM

I was told that I might want to look into a stiffer clutch and that S & S has a big bore bolt on kit, bit it only brings you from 1203cc to 1250cc and hardly seems worth the cash.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Knowledge is power after all.

Rubber side down folks!

 

[d_adams]

Port and Polish -- mild gain, mostly on throttle response.
All around SKF Wheel Bearings -- mmm, not much to gain here, but they're maintenance items anyway.
D&D Exhaust -- why?
Debating on less teeth on the rear pulley -- higher top speed, loss of acceleration though.
EBR ECM -- better fueling and throttle response.

 

[UMDterp13]

Get an 1125/1190. Money better spent if you're after a fast bike.

XB aren't superbikes, they are fast & light Harley Davidsons. No one should be comparing them to liquid cooled bikes.

 

[GregoXB]

Yea, you are not going to unleash torrents of power on the XB with bolt on mods. Even boring it out wont get you too far. You will spend a nice chunk of money and not get the results you speak of. The only XB's that I am aware of with significant power gains are turbocharged.

That said, in the real world, the XB has more power than I personally can handle.

 

[Theycallmecrash]

http://www.nrhsperformance.com/ekitbuellxb12r.shtml
http://hammerperf.com/xlbigborekits.shtml
http://www.darkhorsecrankworks.com/crankshaft_true.html
http://streetfighterperformance.com
http://streetfighterperformance.com/xb12-turbo/drivetrain/final-drive
http://www.deanadamsdesigns.com
http://www.americansportbike.com/XB_Exhaust_Shootout_Test_Report.zip

This is a dead horse subject. You could have done a little more research. No one uses the S&S stuff on XBs really.
But long story short, you wont get what you want without a lot of money and time. And the end result would be a very fast but very unreliable motorcycle. For less an 1125 with an exhaust and ecm would be faster.

 

[Mope]

smh

 

[go cytocis]

I'm tired of getting out run by other sport bikes on the highways.

I think you have 2 better options than spending a bunch of money on moderate power gains for your XB:

1) Buy one of those sport bikes that are smoking you on the highway.

2) Stay off the highway & get onto the back-roads where the XB is really in its element.

 

[NeoNBMC]

Ha ha! Within a matter of hours, my hopes and dreams were squandered.

Theycallmecrash-- Thanks for those links. That exhaust shootout was awesome. Do you have an idea how the KEDA RT-XB1 compares with the other exhaust in that shootout?

I see everyone's point, Better start looking for a ZX14R.

 

[d_adams]

My stock xb9 with about 35k+ miles on it makes this with the pipe and tune only. Had the motor apart about 8 months after this dyno run to replace the trans output shaft bearing, didn't bother rebuilding it, just put it all back together as it was. It's about the same hp as an all stock xb12 right now.

Also, keep in mind the shootout from way back when was a bit skewed. It showed the stock xb12 as making 101 hp at the wheel. I have yet to see one actually make anywhere close to that in stock trim. 85 hp at the wheel is average, not 100. Based on those results, the absolutely BEST performing pipe out there managed a whopping 4% gain in power. Yeah, you read that right, 4.5 hp more than stock. Even if they did manage to squeeze that much out of a stock bike, the results for every other aftermarket pipe out there was pretty dismal at best, especially after they ran them all on the same bike and roughly the same conditions for the remainder of the test.

I'm not going to bill mine as one of the best performing pipes out there, but most of my before/after testing has shown no less than 8% gains and sometimes as much as 14% depending on the bike.

 

[NeoNBMC]

I wasn't trying to insult you if that's how it seemed. I was just looking for more information. I saw the video of the dyno and the statement about the 10% gains. That exhaust made that bike sound like the takeoff of an aircraft! Incredible... Between the three offered for the xb12s, which offers the greatest performance potential? Or are they all approximately the same in that regard?

 

[GregoXB]

1190SX, exhaust tips and an ECU. Done. You will not be outrun by any import. It will be more "beast" than you will ever be able to handle kid.

 

[NeoNBMC]

Astonishingly insightful comment thanks Grego. The point of this post is to identify what I can do to improve my current bike. People here are so friendly...

 

[GregoXB]

Yea, like crash said, that topic has been beaten to death.....

 

[d_adams]

I wasn't trying to insult you if that's how it seemed.  I was just looking for more information. 

Not insulted. That was the purpose of my post, to be somewhat informative about the testing that was done. The d&d pipe may not be your best choice, especially if you're after more hp.

Of the pipes I build, yes, they perform and sound about the same across the board.

 

[go cytocis]

Better start looking for a ZX14R

It really depends on your priorities. Keep in mind that a ZX14 will weigh ~100lbs more than your XB, it'll be ~5" longer in wheel-base, and it'll only have ~15ft-lbs more torque.

If you're merely looking to be faster than anyone else in straight lines, then yeah, an open class hyperbike is exactly what you're looking for. However, if you're interested in becoming a quicker all-round rider, all that extra bike is just going to slow you down.