bench9 wrote:
... even if it has now made me a little nervous about owning my first Buell
Really? That would be sad because (shoot, I get tired writing this) it assumes that no other bikes have any issues. Buells might be worse than most but the reality is that means that 8 in 10 Hondas are fine whereas it is "only" 7 in 10 Buells. Not a huge difference, IMO, and not enough to be missing out on the hoot that is Buelling. If you want a domestic appliance, get something from the East and share a wrily ironic smile if it does go wrong.
The biggest difference you might find between a Buell and another brand is UKBEG, so you'll know what the possible issues are in advance rather than thinking all bikes are perfect.
Such as the reflectors. It has been claimed here that the reflectors used on new Buells are not only of dodgy quality but they mean Buells as standard do not comply with the new vehicle regulations in this country. I don't know enough to know whether that's true but I trust the people who have said it.
More definite, though, is that the reflectors are backed by sponges which will suck up any moisture and salt and hold it against your fork legs. After a year or two, your fork legs will be trashed.