vanson1200r
01-26-2010, 10:10 AM
My first impressions after buying my first Buell were positive but I wanted to wait after the motor was broke in and I did my first 1,000 mile service before "Passing Judgment". Short answer is I love this bike! My last two bikes were HEAVY at 500 plus pounds dry and this makes the Buell feel like a toy moving it around the garage but it makes it easy to hoist it up the swing arm stand. The motor has smoothed out greatly and has more power than I expected from a ancient air cooled, pushrod, 2 valve per cylinder motor and it makes power all the way up to the limiter which is awesome! Power delivery is perfect but you can really feel the heavy flywheel when you try to blip the throttle or shift in a hurry. At first the transmission was very reluctant to shift in the hurry but now it has freed up and shifts very well. I set up the suspension according to the weight chart in the manual and though it still feels a little soft and dives under breaking I can maintain a MUCH faster corner speed than I could on any of my other bikes and I had to recalibrate my brain when squeezing the brakes. With such powerful brakes and a 52 inch wheelbase I almost put myself on my head a few times before I learned that a two finger squeeze is plenty. Side to side transitions are very fast but again I can feel the heavy flywheel's gyroscopic effect preventing even faster transitions but it’s plenty fast for street use. Upon delivery the headlight was pretty much pointing at the ground but it was VERY easy to adjust and now the lighting is pretty decent. To date I have only ridden it about 400 miles in single day but for my body size (6’1” at 235 pounds geared up) is was fairly comfortable. I performed the first service myself and while it was easy it took me a long time because of the many unfamiliar steps and I found the locking nut for the primary chain adjuster was loose! I love the belt drive with no adjustments or chain wax to worry about. How is it that this bike has been produced from what, 2003? And most people have no idea what it is? I tell them it’s my American Exotic. [up]