Dad and I went to Harley Davidson store by us and we both love the XB12S Lightening. I guess the hunt is on to buy one soon.
Whats the difference between the Buell X1 and XB12S.
XB12 or XB9 are both ok by our books but is there any other Buell that is just like that?
Also anyone know of any for sale.
Kinda a random stream of conscious post so i apologize about that.
Thanks for your help
X1 is a tube frame, and the XB series are fuel-in-frame. The XBs are much more advanced bikes - which is not to say the tubers are worthless bikes by any means. But they're different enough that whatever you like about the XB may not be transferable to the tubers.
The XB bikes are all generally the same basic design, with tweaks to suspension, swingarm, ergonomics and engines. I would say they all retain the same basic character, though.
Fuel-in-frame Buells are really cheap right now, and I think they're way ahead of their time from a design/engineering standpoint. Great time to buy one. I'm thinking of one myself.
Also two things that bug/ scare me are that i hear a lot about how they are twitchy at highway speeds and that they are "wheelie machines" due to the short wheelbase. If this is the case im not sure how comfortable i am with that
Nah. Smooth fuel injection, good chassis setup. I agree that on paper they should be twitchy like a ferret on meth, but they're really pretty docile.
But I ride a '97 TL1000-S with high bars and no steering damper, which means I should be dead if you listen to the reputation of that bike.
How is the Buell for riding two up?
I took a XB12s for a test ride. accidentally short shifted 4th to 5th at 70. Starred at the sky REAL QUICK.
Loved it at speed, hated it at idle and low speed.
My brother just bought a Buell Thunderbolt from a young man, i.e. stripped of all plastic, illegal exhaust, illegal headlight, barely visible turn signals, no fenders, tucked in license plate etc. We spent a few weekends in my garage bringing it back to stock.
Wheelie machine? Keep your foot out of it. Twitchy? No. Two up? I wouldn't but you can. Take one for a ride and sit on the back, see if you want to banish your g/f to the perch.
To me it rides like a dirt bike, it feels tall, taller than it is. That's not a problem, just different. HUGE power! A few years ago my son and I took them for a demo ride at a local motorcycle event.
http://www.americade.com/
I rode a lightning, he rode a Thunderbolt (I think) it had a full fairing. We went on a 20 mile loop with a guide and when we got back there was no one in line. The demo guide says "Well, wanna go again?" You bet! I took the Thunderbolt, Ian took the Lightning.
I didn't care for the full fairing, you could hear every clatter of the valve train. Ian didn't like the Lightning, to much sit-up-and-beg riding position. At 70 mph he decides to drop the rear pegs so he can lay down on the tank to get out of the wind. No, no, no, no, I wave at him. Don't mess with $10,000 of someone else's equipment.
YMMV
Dan
Alex and I must be motorcycle twins.
I've owned 3 Buells, All tubers (M3, S3, S3T). Then I bought an TL1000S and installed Helibars. I wasn't man enough to remove the steering damper. 
I still own the S3T.
All my Buells were tubers so I can say the X1 is a massively different bike than any of the XB series. I'd consider the XB's the evolution of Buell's from the tubers. The XB's were very advanced. Buell also improved the breed by making some changes the XB series using lessons he learned on the tubers. Things like:
PCV system in the valve covers instead of HD's antiquated umbrella valves.
A different transmission design to ease shifting .
Getting away from that hopeless pull shock that the Tubers have and going with a conventional pull shock like 99.9% of other sporting motorcycles.
Your concern with wheelies is well placed. Even the tubers would wheelie well if you wanted them to. Focus on the words want them to. If you're careful with throttle control and the clutch you'll never hoist an accidental wheelie. My S3T has 100 hp and tons of torque off idle. The torque comes on smooth so accidental wheelies are not in the picture. Now, if I hammer the throttle and dump the clutch like an idiot it's going to realize I'm not to be trusted and spit me off. Don't be an idiot. 
Riding two up on an XB is something I can't comment on. I can say that the wife begs and pleads for a backrest on my S3T. My bike is also longer than the XB so she has more room for legs and such. The seat is also longer than on an XB I believe. But I'm assuming you're talking about an XB12S. If you go with a Ulysses you'll have all sorts of room for a companion. Check out the pic differences.
That flip-up backrest on the Ulysses makes your lady friend, or guy friend, really happy to ride in back. Another hint to passenger comfort is the relation of the pegs to the seat. Notice how on the 12S the pegs are almost immediately under the passenger seat. That'll mean he/she is sitting like a jockey. Not comfortable for longer rides but great for "scaring the hell out of" 30 second runs. I don't recommend these runs if you want your passengers to ride with you again. The Ulysses has pegs that are much lower and more forward. The riding position for the passenger is more like the riding position for the rider. Much more comfortable and conducive to relaxed, and conflict free, long distance rides with significant others. Also that luggage. Gotta have room for the purse, make up kit, pajamas, blankets, and other essential items of motorcycle travel with both genders.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2003-buell-lightning-/160552122776?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item2561a6f998#v4-43
Found this but i have no way to pick it up right now. ugh
I love the XB12/s, XB9s/xs but i may have jumped the gun. Buying one in my price range may be tough. I have $2500 to play with at the moment which buys me all sorts of nice bikes but no Buell. Im a bit bummed but still looking for one.
At 6ft 4 in, 200 lbs, will a XB "short" be too ummm short for me?
I feel both the xb12 or xb9 will be plenty powerful for me
Keep me updated if you know of any for sale. Im looking within 1000 miles of 44143
450 ish miles and a trip to the nation's capital...
http://smd.craigslist.org/mcy/2231463730.html
Also, there are two others on the DC CL, that are listed at 3300 and 3200 IIRC, might be negotiable to your range.
flountown wrote: Also, there are two others on the DC CL, that are listed at 3300 and 3200 IIRC, might be negotiable to your range.
Post em up if you can...cash talks you got a point
I've had my 07 XB12Scg for about 2 years. It handles very well; I don't find it twitchy. That said, it is sensitive to suspension settings and you should take the minimal amount of time to at least set it to the baseline settings in the manual. I don't wheelie mine, as like my steering head bearings. It vibrates a lot at idle, but smooths out above about 2500rpm. The transmission is very positive, but it's not going to be as quick or have throws as short as a lot of Japanese bikes...I don't do clutchless shifts. The passenger seat is pretty short...also, passengers tend to slide forward into the rider. I'd say my XB isn't very good for much more than short two-up rides. I'd probably rather have a cruiser for passengers. That said, I love my XB.
CarKid - with your price range you're more in line with Tuber Buells. They're a bit like riding a muscle car. Take care of them, have some mechanical empathy, and they'll last.
That said, if you can afford an XB I'd go for that. I ride Tubers because I like doing my own work and I know them well. Also, any independent HD shop will fix'em up no problem.
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/mcy/2241750246.html
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/mcy/2236331203.html
Might have found some XB's
any way of puttin a backrest/ grab bar, or a longer seat like the Lightening SS?
2Up will be short trips and such but would be nice to know i have the option. The G/F went with me to the Buell dealer and sat on a Xb12s. shes tiny and she said she is comfortable but she likes the grab bar like my SV has.
Ideas?
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