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Random thoughts on the XB series
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Author:  Dave from Scotland [ 07 Sep 2010 21:56 ]
Post subject:  Random thoughts on the XB series
Hi all,

I was browsing the forum during my lunch hour at work today and noticed Maz's posts on the non-availability of the SS(?) frame and the usual "XB = Bic razor" comment.

Obviously, as an XB owner, this is a bit depressing - not that it might not be 100% true. But it did set me thinking about the whole XB thing.

I cut my teath on Jap stuff, with the occasional Italian deviation thrown in. I'd always gone for slightly non-mainstream stuff (H2 B, kwak 750 Turbos, Morini 3 1/2 sports etc) but never even given Buells a thought. It wasn't that I'd been aware of them and disregarded them as obscure Harley derivitives - I really wasn't aware of them at all.

When things came to the point where I could get a new bike, and a few £thousand either way in the purchase price wasn't an issue, I looked at my options. I was all set up to buy a Ducati monster. I even walked into the dealership at the pre-arranged time to seal the deal with the salesman. He kept me waiting 45 minutes, then I walked out. At this point, I decided that I'd go for the MV 750 (which I 'd always really wanted anyway, but I'd just thought that the Ducati might be a more sensible option!)

Then I saw the marketing pics of the first XB - the XB9R Firebolt. Wow! This was so radical: that frame shape - that disc - that swinging arm - the whole look just blew me away. Stripped down, air cooled, pushrod, 1,000cc V twin with looks to die for. Pure nivarna for a Morini freak like me.

I put down my deposit based on the spec /pics alone (oh, I did test-ride a M2 to get a feel of the whole Buell thing, but that just re-confirmed my conviction).

When it arrived, I loved it. I had a 28 mile standard "test route" around the hills in the borders of Scotland and on the first try I utterly caned my best "lap time" on the 750 Turbo. (Some of this route is very high speed, very long straights where the Turbo "wins" so its not an obvious "Buell would win" circuit.)

I immediately had probs with the bike and with the dealer, but only minor stuff (eg the exhaust was melting the belly-pan; the dealer lost some of the warranty parts that came in etc), but only minor niggles.

With 8 years experience, I still love my XB - but sometimes I wish it hadn't been built by Buell! OK, maybe none of the 'inovations' on the original XB were truely 'new' (I used to have a fuell-in-the-frame Francis Barnett grass-tracker) but it was the first time they'd all come together on a road bike and, by 2002 standards, it looked light-years ahead of anything else on the market.

I'm old enough to remember the original Honda VF750 - that high bar, fairly forward pegs, chocolate cams, custom look-ish thing. What an abomination that was! Utterly hidious in every way. Clearly a product from the same factory that brought us the disaster that was the CX650 turbo.

Honda had a complete lemon on their hands, but did they can it? Did they hell as like. After various recalls, urgent developments and upgrades over the years, it evolved into the VFR - a standard by which all 'sports tourers' are still judged.

I do sometimes wish that those early promotional pics of the XB had shown a bike with (say) three tuning forks on the timing cover. Just imagine what we've had now if a major Jap manufacturer had come up with the original design, then backed it with the finance required to develop it properly.

The whole "it doesn't have a cassette gearbox" argument would be utterly irrelevant. You only need a cassette access if the gearbox goes wrong or needs major sevicing at unreasonably regular intervals. After 80k+ miles on a FZR 600, I never needed a cassette box 'cos the box was faultless throughout (unfortunately, it wasn't Pugeot at 60+mph impact speed proof!). If an XB would reliably provide 80K+ miles with no gearbox problems, I guess that Maz wouldn't really have an axe to grind here. At 80K, the whole motor probably needs a full overhaul anyway, so there is no issue (unless you've got a tuber on 80K that's never had the gearbox out?).

Yes, its only a Tuesday, and equally obviously, my brother has recently arrived back from Scotland with some very special whisky -but I still stand by the above.

Any comments?

Dave
Author:  Dave from Scotland [ 07 Sep 2010 23:44 ]
Post subject:  Re: Random thoughts on the XB series
GM,

When I am less "not so sober", I will respomnd.

(You have no idea how hard it was to get "respomnd" to look lke anythoig like the word I wanted to spell.)

Dave
Author:  Dirty John [ 08 Sep 2010 17:44 ]
Post subject:  Re: Random thoughts on the XB series
Yep I bought my XB12R on mech specs and before even having a test ride - Bike magazine rated it then as the best cornering bike out of fifty listed - good enough for me, air cooled vee twin pushrods, single throttle body etc. It looked good too and after owning a bevel drive Ducati for many years the XB had the performance of the Ducati without the niggles, to be fair the XB could have done with a lot more development, even so it was a simple matter to upgrade the brakes, suspension, fuel management, exhaust etc, it became an obsession in some ways.
Kept a clsoe eye on wheel bearings and didn't really have enough miles on it when I sold it to worry about head bearings etc.
Only sold it because the 1125R was being ridden by choice and the XB had to go to fund a cruiser for her indoors and I.
Wish I had been able to afford to keep the XB as well.
Now I am paranoid about failing 1125R stators etc.
Author:  Nate [ 08 Sep 2010 20:54 ]
Post subject:  Re: Random thoughts on the XB series
Bloody hell Dave, I thought you don't do random! You was telling me the other week the chaos theory is clap trap and it turns out that you are bloody riding a perfect example of the chaos theory :rofl:



N :hehe:
Author:  THE FLYING DUCHMAN [ 08 Sep 2010 23:08 ]
Post subject:  Re: Random thoughts on the XB series
I dont understand why this "your XB is SHIT" talk gives people any jollies. Apart from the fact that they are no better or worse than any other modern bike, from what I have found, this sort of talk does little good for the brand.

The "what Buell do you have" poll shows 145 tuber owners over 350 XB owners. Ok so a XB does not have a cassette gearbox. Thats a race thing, for a reason, so name me the road bikes that have them. An XB is a road bike.

Since some have decided that the "handle" for the XB series is "a bic razor" it seems only fitting, since not done, that the Tuber series should have one itself.

How about "flint razor".
Author:  spen [ 09 Sep 2010 10:04 ]
Post subject:  Re: Random thoughts on the XB series
THE FLYING DUCHMAN wrote:
The "what Buell do you have" poll shows 145 tuber owners over 350 XB owners. Ok so a XB does not have a cassette gearbox. Thats a race thing, for a reason, so name me the road bikes that have them. An XB is a road bike.



Mmmm, just rebuilt a Montesa gearbox for a chap, 1968 vintage, trials bike, with a cassette gearbox......
Author:  Wobbler [ 09 Sep 2010 14:26 ]
Post subject:  Re: Random thoughts on the XB series
You know what, the whole XB downer thing is really sad.

I bought mine to be a little more experimental in my riding ability, and yes, not only for pleasure, but to shoot up and down the uk visiting customers .... well its still running without too many issues.

I dont think anyone really knows if there are bikes out there that will be long lasting machines rather than the bic razors we are seemingly accepting as a term for the bikes.

We all accept the faults do we not? why else would we have bought them??

Hopefully someone will find a way of sorting out the problems of bearings, wheel and headstock, etc etc and we wont all be having to fork out non stop to keep our bikes on the road.

Meanwhile I'll keep batting up and down the uk to visit my customers and rack up the mileage (shhhh and keep my fingers crossed!)
Author:  Adam [ 09 Sep 2010 17:09 ]
Post subject:  Re: Random thoughts on the XB series
I've had 4 XBs, and fortunately the mechanical mayhem that occured inside the crankcases of two of them, happened while they were still under Warranty lOl so I think I've given them a fair crack of the whip. My current one, the Ss, got ridden so little that I gave it to my wife. I've told her it may be a good idea to flog it and buy something reliable like a Ducati, while it's still running ok lOl
As a X1 owner, I sleep soundly, like GM does 8-)

My 1125, is a source of worry though, but its awsome performance, with all that roll on grunt, more than compensates for that ;)
Author:  richie [ 09 Sep 2010 17:21 ]
Post subject:  Re: Random thoughts on the XB series
I think the whole XB v Tuber thing is a load of bollocks, just ride 'em 'till they die..some live longer than others...people and bikes

Can't PM Yoffie but I feel sure he would agree
Author:  pash [ 09 Sep 2010 18:32 ]
Post subject:  Re: Random thoughts on the XB series
Firebolts are the future!
Author:  gunter [ 09 Sep 2010 18:44 ]
Post subject:  Re: Random thoughts on the XB series
:yt: x 2 (one for each :))
Author:  albert666 [ 09 Sep 2010 19:52 ]
Post subject:  Re: Random thoughts on the XB series
so what would be the perfect buell then?
if people dislike the ztl brake, the fuel in frame, xb engine, 1125 engine worries as well. belts snapping, wheel bearings etc.
this got me thinking, how far could you modify a buell before its not a buell
my plan ( if i ever got time )
1125 engine or 1190, build a tubular frame, ohlins forks and shock, conventional brakes?, chain drive possibly, route the exhaust better but still retain an underslung can, that would be my ideal. still a few buell bits left, dash ( providing it didn't get moisture in it ), lights, electrics, few other bits retained as well :)

still a buell?











ktm rc8 anyone? if only i had the cash ;)
Author:  Nate [ 09 Sep 2010 20:00 ]
Post subject:  Re: Random thoughts on the XB series
To mod an xb buell till it ain't a buell no more the simplest thing that springs to mind is dress it up as Guy Falks :yup:

N.
Author:  albert666 [ 09 Sep 2010 20:03 ]
Post subject:  Re: Random thoughts on the XB series
greasemonkey wrote:
albert666 wrote:
so what would be the perfect buell then?

,,I have mine already Albert, but perfection is different things to different folk, thankfully 8-)
,,and "perfect Buell" would be somewhat of a misnomer, as they're never really completed/finished


your'e right there, always something to do

otherwise we'd be bored :)
Author:  spondon440 [ 09 Sep 2010 20:08 ]
Post subject:  Re: Random thoughts on the XB series
Being a bit mard, who cares what anyone says about your fueler, just ride em and get over it.

Andy


Is a Montesa not a bit of a competition bike?
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