He didn't even want the 1125 from what I've read, he wanted the 1190 from the get go but was forced to produce the 1125 before the full development of the 1190 was done.From what I've read Erik was forced by HD to use this motor. He always wanted a liquid cooled twin in there. he finally got it with the Rotax in the 1125.
I honestly had more fun on this
Than I currently do on this
Ya, the gixxer is ****in' fast .. and smoother .. and prettier (to most, not me) .. but I miss that Blast like crazy!
Like a lot of the guys already said, get the bike you'll be happy on. If anybody judges you for it, ignore 'em. They be trollin' :p
"...but I'm becoming a bit disillusioned with it"
Blasphemy!!
Part of my problem may just be location, location , location. I live in In., the land the the perfect road grid. LOTS of straight, boring roads around here. A bike that lacks top end but excells in the corners seldom get's to "strut it's stuff" in these parts. A drag strip is 1000x easier to find than a road course around here.
When I do play on some of the few curvy roads around here the Buell certainly shines. The lazy motor takes a little of the "excitement" out of it but I know for a fact that I'm running a quicker pace than I ever did on the old gixxer. The bike just makes it feel easy.
When I rode the dragon on my roadtrip the Buell was ABSOLUTELY in it's element there. I told myself I was going to take it easy but I ended up leaving my brother in the dust on his R1. It certainly wasn't my "mad skillz" that let me lose him. I was hardly running a "race pace" either. I carried decent speed through the corners but I didn't crack it open in the straighter parts. I'm not sure I ever exceeded 60; ran 2nd gear through the whole thing. I lost him entirely in the tight corners. The Buell was solid, planted and felt like it could run 2x the pace I could. Pretty much all the way through Tennessee, and N.Carolina I was in love with the Buell. The Interstate between Alabama and home was a different story (normally I avoid Interstates but we were short on time).
I'm not saying that I don't like the Buell, that is FAR from the truth, it's just that the "romance period" is over and I'm seeing it's flaws clearly (all bikes have flaws). I just have to decide if there really that big of a deal or not. Most of the time, there not. The Buell is a very good commuter, an excellent curvy road machine, and a decent road tripper (save for the stock seat). I struggle with the thought of selling it. I know I would regret it. What I need is about 5-10 different bikes to suit whatever mood I'm in that day. My wife doesn't necessarily agree though.:D
Captain, have you considered a 2005+ Triumph Speed Triple? It's the bike I would have bought, but the Buell came in $thousands cheaper... For the money, I just couldn't justify the purchase. The I3 has nearly as much torque, revs like a sportbike should, yet still has a lot of the character the v-twins bring to the table.
If I had this much to complain about, I'd sell the bike and move on. Maybe look at a an 1125r or some other make of bike that captures your attention. Ducati makes some great V-Twin (or L-Twin as they like the call them) bikes. There a couple of V-Twin sport bikes out there that might meet your desires, but it's obvious the XB12r isn't. Don't torture yourself with it, sell it and move on.
Mb look at a 848. I had a awesome time on the demo I rode. Only problem Is a high and cramped riding position. But the Ltwin was awesome so much power, so smooth. Nothing like a buell. Even though I perfer my firebolt to it honestly.
I felt the same way and sold my xb.. no regrets :D
I very seriously looked at the Triumph Speed Triple and think they are one of the sexiest bikes ever made but finding a used one in these parts is quite difficult. Buells are actually easier to find.
I've never heard anything positive about the riding position on a Ducati. Since I ride 6000-10,000mi/yr comfort is WAY up on my priority list. Couple that with the crazy price premium a used Ducati carries around here and they got ruled out pretty early in my search.
I'm sure my long winded rant seems more critcal than it really is. I don't hate the bike and I don't hate the engine. It simply has a few characteristics that I don't love.
I've actually toyed with the idea of buying an XB9 and doing a 1050 conversion. Then I have the power of a 12 (or more) with a few more revs to work with. 9's are plentiful around here and don't carry the price of a 12. I could probably sell mine and get enough to buy a 9 and have almost enough left to do the 1050.
The 1125 sure does look appealing too though......
A buddy of mine has a Monster 796. He loves it. Not sure if the streetfighter type bike is what you're looking for, but you kinda can't go wrong with a Monster. Very smooth revving and shifting bike. Maintenance interval is what it is, but the bike is silky smooth to ride and has good grunt. I'd get the 1100, but that's just me.I've never heard anything positive about the riding position on a Ducati. Since I ride 6000-10,000mi/yr comfort is WAY up on my priority list. Couple that with the crazy price premium a used Ducati carries around here and they got ruled out pretty early in my search.
The new Speed Triple would be my next choice, the older Triples lacked some fit and finish. The new S3s are crazy fast with a great chassis and gear. There's always Aprilia too, although they can be hard to find factory mechanic support for.
My point is this: one of your major complaints was the RPM limit on the XB. Going to an XB9 will kinda address that, but not entirely. If that's a major issue to you, go find an 1125r or cr. You get all the "Buell" character with the powerplant that everyone was hoping for. They're fast, smooth, rev plenty high, liquid cooled, and can pull away from an XB on the top end pretty easily (also referred to as "crazy mode"). There are other bikes out there with very similar characteristics, you just need to find the one that does what you want it to do.The 1125 sure does look appealing too though......
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