Hello forum. I'm Mark & about to buy my first Buell, a 2008 XB12r, and I'm wondering what to expect in the opinion of those knowledgeable? I'm coming off a couple of Sportsters (too heavy, too slow, too poor handling, etc..) but I've also owned a couple of gizzers and loved to power/speed but the vtwin rumble is an addictive feature I'm really looking forward to hearing on the Buell. Thanks btw.
https://youtu.be/zXmvc7m0cjg
https://daviddreesen.blogspot.com/20...1983-2009.html
Last edited by VtwinXB12; 03-14-2021 at 01:38 PM.
I just think a certain degree of protection could have been extended to assist EBR and/or Buell. At the very least HD could have done a helluva lot more than it did than just to quote EB himself "They just walked in a said we're pulling the plug on Buell Moco".
Thanks. What can you see has been altered on the bike pictured (?) and yes the vid is the same as the one in the pics from the owner.Originally Posted by Barrett
Even worse was that Harley kept the (TM) on purpose and BLOCKED Buells sale to Polaris in 2010, citing that if Buell succeeded with Polaris it would be "embarrassing" for H-D.
So much for keeping American jobs. And in Wisconsin no less
Buells are very solid, very low maintenance motorcycles. They are going through the 10-20 year old motorcycle blues (batteries, ground corrosion, fuel pumps, rubber deterioration) but 99% of everything is still available.
The pics look like a nice bike and that mileage is very low, take Barretts sage advise to avoid issues right away.
Little furry things on the right side of the belt are fine, lots of deep cracks from sitting outside for a decade are not. They are so tough that theres no maintenace interval, but about 50K seems to be a good time to swap to avoid trip killing failure.
Grease on the wheel bearings is a probable sign of imminent failure (and they go QUICK) but are cheap and easy to swap, so 'might-as-well'. Some people never change them, I change them with tires ($40 insurance). YMMV. It's also common for them to fail after a belt swap.
Check the date codes on the tires. I find them to be very sensitive to front tire dome. Old, square, under inflated front tires can make them unrideable, new ones are an Angels taint massage. IMO worth the $$ for good ones. Which ones? Start another thread LOL.
Check the front engine mount (google the pic). Hard to find from the regular sources, but plenty still in the shadows (muahahaha, evil laugh)
Oil change. Usually 20w-50. V-twin specific oil. They don't care if it's synthetic or not, maybe you do, you could start an oil thread to ask. No, wait, don't do thatand a GOOD filter! None of that e-bay crap.
Primary oil change that matches the MFG recommendation for clutch thats in it. Ranges anywhere from ATF to motor oil. With 25K I bet it's stock so a quart of H-D Formula+ is probably OK. Someone recommended 20W-50 in mine and it made my clutch sticky
For Christs sake, flush the brake fluid too!! EBC HH pads are the goto for the street. I am in love with their track day compound, a little more $ but WOW what a difference!
A broken exhaust stud is a pain, theres DIY repairs (Jims)
A well documented mistake in the manual, and ham fisted owners like to strip out the o-ring drain plug from the aluminum swing arm, so be careful. hand tight and 1/2 turn. DIY fix if it's bogeyed (Timesert)
Catch up on the service chart, like the primary chain. They like NGK Iridium plugs, get wires too.
Heres the service manual: Buellmods.com
ALL of your questions for service are in there (with pics)
If you do have a CEL, see above^^^^ or use the Free program ECMDroid for diagnosis (GooglePlay) It needs a bluetooth connection to an Android screen, I like my Buelltooth (Rev-Mo.com)
If you are even slightly comfortable with tools, Buells are an easy DIY.
Enjoy your badass but weird bike, they match their owners personalities
I just bought a new 190 Conti for the rear (I have a new unused Conti front tire) & a Revision stainless straight pipe which sounds pretty bada#@ from the vids I've seen.
https://www.rev-mo.com/product-page/...exhaust-system
I ran the SuperTrapp version of that and very much like it. Buells are simple exhaust pipes and I don't think you can beat the quality and price of those all stainless Revision units
I just realized its already got a JARDINE on it.Buell Jardine.jpg
Erik doesn't even own his own goddam name anymore.
Last month: https://www.rideapart.com/news/48943...w-bike-lineup/
Ya, we know.
Bill Melvin bought up all the Buell stuff in 2010, and when Hero screwed Erik on 10 million dollars shutting EBR down and sending them into receivership, Bill Melvin bought that stuff too. Now he heads that company (LAP) and just bought the TM.
Erik Buell is not at all involved, he's off doing Fuell.com electric bikes so today Buell is just like Royal Enfield, Triumph, Indian, MV Agusta, Norton.....
I'm just happy theres another player in the game making motorcycles I like, and in 'Murica too!
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