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Thread: Couple of days in the saddle. First Impressions

  1. #1
    Senior Member pdksh's Avatar
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    Couple of days in the saddle. First Impressions

    Firstly this is not your air-cooled 1203cc lump! That is not a total jab at the push rod EVO motor, I love my XB, S3, and X1. The rotax engine is from a completely different world, it's a true superbike motor. Maybe it's the digital dash but the speedo goes to trip digits almost instantly, and it likes to stay there. The 1125cr starts to pull early and keeps on pulling to the 10,500 rpm red line, no more short shifting! Unfortunately shifting into red line puts you way into the "loose your license" zone, if that can be a complaint. This beast is fast and it gets out from under and old fart like me, all the time. One thing the 1125 rotax and the 1203cc EVO share is, they are both noisy engines. The rotax doesn't bang away like the EVO but it's notably louder than other performance v-twin motors. The exhaust tone isn't as musical to my ears like a Ducati or a Honda RC51 is, but that doesn't mean this motor isn't up to hauling ass. I believe the snarl of the rotax engine suits the muscular build of the the bike. The bike reminds me of a rottweiler, if I could put a spiked collar around it's triple clamp I would.

    I purchased the bike with the stock clubman bars. I had a set of clubman bars on my RD350LC 20 years ago. My spine, wrists and belly are not the same as they were, when I was 16. I have a shelf life of 45 minutes on this thing, my lower back starts barking after 30 minutes and the total lack of wind protection doesn't make highway runs much fun. I switched back to my XB12XT after an afternoon of riding and thought I was sitting on a lazy boy. I like the looks of the clubman bars but I think 200 bucks for the tall bar conversion kit is a good idea. I can really force the XB and the X1 over by pushing on the motocross like bars, I have never been crazy about clip on bars.

    I think it's a crime that Eric Buell had to wait so long for a motor to truly complement his chassis, only to be shutdown a year later by HD. Imagine what the Buell platform would look like today if the 1130 Revolution motor went to Buell instead of being wasted on the V-Rod in 2003. I have a 2007 Street-Rod, the 1130 REVO motor is amazingly smooth, it spins up to the rev limiter like butter! I'm sure if Eric got his hands on the REVO, he would have sacrificed much of it's smoothness for raw torque. The rotax motor snapped me back and caused me to trickle a little pee down my leg.

    I think I'll keep my Uly as my 9 to 5 ride and for touring. The 1125cr is an excellent addition to the stable. I should have a set of high bars for the spring and I look forward to spending a couple of track days on this thing. I really enjoyed spending the afternoon pulling 40MPH power wheelies.

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  2. #2
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    I think it's a crime that Eric Buell had to wait so long for a motor to truly complement his chassis, only to be shutdown a year later by HD. Imagine what the Buell platform would look like today if the 1130 Revolution motor went to Buell instead of being wasted on the V-Rod in 2003. I have a 2007 Street-Rod, the 1130 REVO motor is amazingly smooth, it spins up to the rev limiter like butter! I'm sure if Eric got his hands on the REVO, he would have sacrificed much of it's smoothness for raw torque. The rotax motor snapped me back and caused me to trickle a little pee down my leg.

    this conjecture has been discussed to death thru the years on a mulitude of motorcycle forums including this one. facts always trump conjecture and "what ifs" so here's a few:
    the revolution lump first appeared in the Vrod in 2002....not 2003.
    having some top-echelon inside sources at H-D corporate i can tell you for a matter of fact that H-D was never ever going to source the revolution driveline out to erik buell or anyone else. never!
    the rotax built helicon 1125 V-twin weighs 152.5 US pounds full of fluids
    the revolution/V-Rod V-twin weighs 216 US pounds full of fluids. WAY too beefy for a potential sportbike application.
    buell 1125 series eventual downfall? you don't have to look very far. those God-awful air intake scoops. one of the single ugliest abortions i've ever seen leave an OEM factory.

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    Senior Member pdksh's Avatar
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    The scoops do take a moment or two to accept. On the 1125r, in my opinion, AWFUL! But on the 1125cr, with that v shaped headlight, it works for me anyway.

    Yes I agree about the final variant of the 1130 revolution motor being useless for a sport bike application, I was thinking more about the motor used to push the VR1000 around. Assuming they got it stable enough to finish a race.

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    Senior Member 34nineteen's Avatar
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    There was this bike that was able to get the V rod motor, but even the reviews mention that the motor was not quite right for the application.

    Cool bike nonetheless...


    https://www.odd-bike.com/2012/12/v-r...merican-v.html


  5. #5
    Senior Member 34nineteen's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pdksh View Post
    The scoops do take a moment or two to accept. On the 1125r, in my opinion, AWFUL! But on the 1125cr, with that v shaped headlight, it works for me anyway.

    Yes I agree about the final variant of the 1130 revolution motor being useless for a sport bike application, I was thinking more about the motor used to push the VR1000 around. Assuming they got it stable enough to finish a race.

    What I noticed about the scoops on my CR was that from some angles they look great, but from any other angle they scream out "cobbled together afterthought"

    I completely agree with you on the performance of the bike. Exhilerating.... and an 1190 is supposed to spank the 1125's!

    One area of difference is that I found the riding position (with the riser bar kit) to be very quiet. I read somewhere that Buell designed in a "quiet zone" where your head was supposed to be. I don't know how it could work with that tiny non-existant flyscreen... but it seemed to work.

    Does your bike generate a lot of radiant heat from the motor? My CR was very hot to ride, even compared to my XB's.

  6. #6
    Senior Member 34nineteen's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pdksh View Post
    On the 1125r, in my opinion, AWFUL!
    Have you seen an 1125 with the factory fairing kit?

    Here is a beautiful one for sale.

    https://offerup.com/item/detail/259894430/

  7. #7
    Senior Member wickedchop's Avatar
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    34nineteen, thanks for the above posts. The one with the v-rod motor is awesome! The fully faired 1125 for sale looks a ton better than stock. Those pods are one of the main reasons I bought an RC-51 instead of an 1125. That and the RC's are just plain straight up badass! NOTHING barks like an RC!

  8. #8
    Senior Member 34nineteen's Avatar
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    I dig me an RC-51! Its one of those bikes I've always wanted, but probably will never own.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Cooter's Avatar
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    That's a great link 34:19! I got learned-ed Never even heard of that bike before, neat recent history lesson, thanks!

  10. #10
    Senior Member pdksh's Avatar
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    Can’t speak to the heat yet. It’s autumn here and I’m lucky to get a couple of rides in on the 1125cr

    I learned about the VROD hot rod when I got my street rod. Neat bike, especially with the super charger.

    #1 problem with the revo 1130/1250 motor. 5 speed cuzier gear box!!! Sound Familiar? Worst thing, 95mph in 5th gear, best thing, 95mph in 5th gear!

    Off the line, the massive vrod/streetrod will slaughter most I4s but after 80mph they start to gain on you :-( I can’t get the front wheel off the ground with a fork lift, the bike is almost as long as a school bus.

    Any recommendations on buffing the buell plastic body panels? The air box needs a tank pad.



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