UK Buell Enthusiasts Group
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first buell
https://ukbeg.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2047
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Author:  solo [ 09 Aug 2009 14:45 ]
Post subject:  first buell

just bought a secondhand 1125r what should i be looking out for.
So far i've had both rear led indicators pack up and have noticed burning of the rear cylinder heat shield, but i think the bikes brilliant.

Not quite what i expected engine noise wise. Sounds more like a bag of nails than a turbine. Strange noises when closing the throttle on overrun like a whining gearbox almost as if the engine was too tight? Probably normal ,just a different bike.
Just got rid of my multi as it didn't have enough torque , i made the right choice.

Any help appreciated.

Author:  bench9 [ 09 Aug 2009 16:05 ]
Post subject:  Re: first buell

Hello and congrats on the new bike. :yup:

I'm a relatively new owner myself and can't offer much advice on the tech stuff but appreciate what you mean by the bike sounding different, definitely threw me a bit jumping off an IL4 onto a Buell. You get used to it though and if you're anything like most of the members on here you'll love it :D

Whereabouts are you from?

Author:  HLZBells [ 09 Aug 2009 16:51 ]
Post subject:  Re: first buell

Hello and welcome
Im quite new to buells and this forum too, im sure like me it gives you that grin factor only a buell can give :yup:

Author:  Adam [ 09 Aug 2009 18:35 ]
Post subject:  Re: first buell

Welcome Solo, what year is your 1125? We might be able to offer a few pointers as to what to look out for ;)

Author:  solo [ 09 Aug 2009 19:17 ]
Post subject:  Re: first buell

It's 18 months old. I read some of the recalls relating to an additional oil feed required to stop a fifth gear shaft seizure (something like that). how do i find out which bikes were involved?

Author:  Adam [ 09 Aug 2009 19:47 ]
Post subject:  Re: first buell

Give your Vin to a dealer and they 'should' be able to tell you. (Oi, stop laughing at the back ;) ) It's a bung hammered up the mainshaft to force to oil out of oilways in the mainshaft, giving a better feed to the pinions.
If (when ;) ) your clutch slave cylinder starts leaking, even Buells own demo fleet show signs of this :roll: , let me know and I'll tell you what parts you need for a Warranty fix. You may get fobbed off with new replacement parts, you need the latest upgrade which I'm told, is the solution. Does your front brake line go between the mudguard and the fork leg, or around the outside of the fork. There's a safety recall on these. Of course your Dealer will have made you aware of this at handover :?: ;)
Lube the pivot for the rear brake pedal, they sometimes bind.
If your able to, check there's no parasitic draw from your instruments as this can flatten your battery, my instruments were replaced with '09 instruments under Warranty. My wheel bearings were shagged at 4k miles (Buell now have a 3 bearing rear wheel for 2010) so if yours has done more miles than this you need to check them - the wheels need to be removed to do this, despite what the naysayers will tell you; no doubt they're writing to Buell as we speak telling them the '10 wheel upgrade is an over reaction ;) :lol: :lol:
Make sure you've had the latest flash on the ECU, it makes the bottom end creamy smooth and the motor runs cooler as well - a good dealer will give you a printed sheet telling you which flash you've had. I can give you the part number for this next time I go over to my playpen.
Look under the air box if you can smell fuel. They often leak from a union there. Later years use metal unions as opposed to the earlier plastic ones.
If you get a stutter when you nail it in 3rd, it's the Active Air Solenoid shutting the throttles on you. It's fitted to keep the Hippies happy :roll: but it's easy to disconnect.
I'll have Remus pipe , for not much money, up for sale soon ;)


Now enjoy; it's a stonkin' motor 8-)

Author:  solo [ 09 Aug 2009 20:24 ]
Post subject:  Re: first buell

No idea about the quality of service from buell dealers. Are Buell dealers in general going to advise of the recalls or only if your bike packs up with the affected part going awol?

To date Buell (all of one week)service seems pretty efficient , but as they say the proofs in the pudding. I got the workshop service manual , quite well laid out with useful info.
Put my vin number in and got the brake line service recall , so i assume that as nothing else came up everythings ok.

Author:  zoidberg [ 09 Aug 2009 21:05 ]
Post subject:  Re: first buell

welcome solo

which dealer did you get your bike from?

Author:  solo [ 09 Aug 2009 22:19 ]
Post subject:  Re: first buell

it was a private sale

Author:  Adam [ 09 Aug 2009 22:22 ]
Post subject:  Re: first buell

solo wrote:
No idea about the quality of service from buell dealers. Are Buell dealers in general going to advise of the recalls or only if your bike packs up with the affected part going awol?

To date Buell (all of one week)service seems pretty efficient , but as they say the proofs in the pudding. I got the workshop service manual , quite well laid out with useful info.
Put my vin number in and got the brake line service recall , so i assume that as nothing else came up everythings ok.



There should be some paperwork following the bike if it's had the gearbox recall.

Author:  solo [ 09 Aug 2009 22:30 ]
Post subject:  Re: first buell

I've looked at the service manual and compared all the bumf on year of make etc, but how do you find out which month it was made? the vin doesn't seem to yield any clues according to the manual.

Author:  Adam [ 09 Aug 2009 22:43 ]
Post subject:  Re: first buell

Mine's got a date sticker on the headstock.

Author:  Adam [ 10 Aug 2009 11:20 ]
Post subject:  Re: first buell

Just had another thought. The only part of the Helicon motor that Buell built was the oil dipstick. Unfortunately they didn't get that right either :roll: Check you have the updated dip stick, otherwise you'll be running around with the incorrect oil level :shock:

After sorting all these problems (still need the front brake line sorting, the dealer found they didn't have a brake line sent to them when I took it in for the pre arranged recall) it's taken all the joy of owning this bike away. You should have bought mine, I've only been offered £3.5K for it and it's probably the highest spec 1125 in the UK. I bought a Ducati last week :roll:

Author:  solo [ 10 Aug 2009 22:37 ]
Post subject:  Re: first buell

without being a dipstick? How do i know if i've got the faulty one.

i just got rid of my duke for a buell. My mz was better built than the duke.

Author:  Adam [ 10 Aug 2009 22:46 ]
Post subject:  Re: first buell

Ask a Dealer if you can compare it?

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