OK let me get this straight? Demo bikes have been thrashed! Well, I'm still running my bike in as per the manual - 1st 50 miles keep below 4000rpm, thereafter below 5000rpm, don't labour, allow to warm up, don't ride off just after starting but allow to tick over for a couple of minutes. Doing all this but it doesn't feel like running in like other bikes because theres so much torque within the permitted rev range. I mean I've yet to take it to 5000rpm in 5th which would be well over 100mph I reckon!

I've done 600miles now so will need my first service before 1000miles. Some would say that I'm not running my bike in properly because of how I ride it but I've broken no rules and kept within my allowance as per the manual!

Could it be that Buells can handle what others can't during run in?

It is an 04 or 05 model...

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08 Specialized Langster

thats was deliberate!

when i was at dg20 me and yoffi ran all demo bikes in for around 600 to 800 miles then they had the 1000 service before anyone rode them.
some h/d may have slipped through the tubbs/yoffi running in bit but not buells.
plus it was free transport to and from work

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Do you want it right or right now ?

When Yoffie first got my 1125, he had it for a few days before he could deliver it. He used to phone me at least twice a day so I could listen to him ragging the tits off it, saying he was running it in for me
I was going to give him such a bollocking when he brought it over but he confessed it wasn't my bike, it was some Hon*a V twin he'd been revving the tits off





(then he emptied the fridge )

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If your dreams don't scare you, they are not big enough.

What's that got to do with the rest of your post

I will be far warier of buying any bike in future after my experience this year.
My exploded Triumph is being rebuilt and sold on as a low mileage one lady owner VGC bike.
I know they can't pass it off as an ex-demo as it's been registered to me but they can make up some story about how I couldn't get on with it etc and some unsuspecting buyer will walk out of the showroom thinking they've got a great deal and thinking all I've done is run it in for them - they'll never know that the engine has been rebuilt.
How many times have you seen a great deal in a dealers like that and thought you'd spotted a bargain?
My son's SV was a year old when we bought it, it had lots of extras, little bits of bling, low mileage and was a bargain. We were told the guy bought a new bike every year and that this was his latest trade in. Unsuspecting at the time - and TBH the bike has given us no real cause to suspect otherwise (though my son swears there's something not right with it and we've now px'd it) - but in future I'd be wary of such a story.
Just be careful of what you look at and let your head overrule your heart.
Oh and listen to the guys on here, they (mostly) know what they're talking about.

Make sure you don't include me in that.

We-ell I didn't like to single you out, but now you mention it....

Well some would say I've thrashed my bike but I haven't taken it past 5000rpm yet, to be honest haven't needed too? This bike rocks between 3-5000rpm, getting the same output (speed) from other bikes and it would be considered thrashing? All I'm saying is maybe it hasn't been thrashed that badly considering this engine in question?

I'd ring round dealers and see what you can get a new 0 miles bike for before you go. There were plenty of unregistered bikes manufactured in 2007 sat around and some dealers were selling XB12's brand new for £5k.

Make them an offer.

Wow, loads of replies and some really useful advice everyone - so thanks very much for that. I think i've decided not to risk it with the ex-demo. Like many people have pointed out, if i'm the one taking it off the forecourt for the first time then I know exactly how it's been treated in those all important first few hundred miles. I've been chatting to a couple of dealers too and they seem to think that they will be able to do me a deal on a new one anyway which makes the deal on the demo seem not as good as it did before. I'm looking forward to my test ride this Saturday and kind of hope that I fall in love with the bike. Fingers crossed.

Of course, there're no guarantees with a brand new bike either.
My Triumph had only 1,004 miles on the clock when it self destructed. But then, if we worried about everything, we'd never do anything.
Enjoy the Buell, you'll love it xxx


Jammy git

i got my xb12 in november 06, no problems with it so far, at 10,000 miles and i dont mind fiddling around with it keeping it running good as its so much fun to ride. only the second bike i've bought new, but i wanted it that way as some used bikes i have had turn out to be real junk due to bad owners and or servicing. buy a new one even if its an older model. forget about the demo. especially if its been treated the way i did on my demo ride

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My Smugmug Photos

My 9 is an ex demo, means bugger all. Not every demo bike is thrashed, signing an excess insurance form tames most loons!
Anyway there are two schools of thought on running engines in, one involves thrashing actually!
Some fool cruising up the Mway at a fixed rate is far worse than a loon blasting his/her way through the twisties IMO.

Nate.