I’ve had my 07 XB9SX for 7yrs now, still adore her. Nothing compares to the overall experience, the sound, the handling, the feeling of being truly as one with the bike. Buell absolutely nailed it.
My XB9R turned 20 in March of this year. Still runs strong, still puts a huge grin on my face, hasn't let me down yet. As our roads start to get worse and worse locally (NW Montana) and the tourists and large animals are now flooding into the valleys where the paved roads are, riding is becoming more and more hazardous, sadly. But that being said, I still pull it out and pull the trigger and LOVE how it responds, sounds and works. I'd love to add another 8" or more of suspension for my own old chassis as the aches and pains of life are adding up slowly, but I'll not stop riding the Firebolt anytime soon. I'll be 66 soon and it's still a delight every time I fire it up. Erik, Dan, Abe, Henry and Crew did a phenomenal job on this benchmark motorcycle. Glad I bought it when it hit the showroom floor.
Keeping my xb12r Alive! This is the Saddest business story ever. I am a former business owner and I understand "how things are" in the business world ,its rough! This by far is the saddest story such a great product with so much potential. Erik is a genius and Harley knows it.
Love the Buell. Harley D. needs to listen up. Bring back the Buell and stop making that all blacked out trash and go back to the real deal. And also quit being so damned arrogant. I and a lot of my friends really loved the 2008 Buells.
@@fonaxeagiosdynasty7889 Exactly. HD is soooo arrogant w/ the their outdated sh#@. By the time they realize every current Sporster buyer (all 5 of them) wish they had a XB they'll be owned by a chinese company & even the AMF garbage will go up in value.
John P For my take on this motorcycle at the senior age of 61 and still riding my beloved XB12R 2010 in 2018, its still the compete package. From its innovative engineered mechanical and industrial design refining an off the shelf Harley Sportster work horse to its maximum capability, the sum of the parts delivering a controlled and stimulating experience of enhanced ride ability. It truly is what it is, or was, because of Eric Buell's vision and the dedicated team that created this machine. Even now we see from an evolved Buell platform a bike winning at Pikes Peak. What other past manufacturer can lay claim to still being this competitive and successful, maybe only one other comes to mind, namely Vincent, another innovative ghost of the past. It seems to me Buell like Vincent / Phil Irving were visionary designers who had the entraprenurial tenacity to make something else happen in a mindset of sizziling mediocrity, you know who they are. As for Harley, you had that part of the future in the clasp of your commercial hands and are now paying for your short sighted spread sheet anual return. You just didn't get it and now as Americans lost the opportunity on the world stage to represent and take on the Europeans and Japanese at the sports pinnacle.
If your XB is a 2010 you have a very rare bike. Buells as a brand are low production compared to the other major brands to start with and yours is probably one of the very last ones made before the company shut down.
Buell and Polaris/Victory sold almost the identical amount of motorcycles during their namesake run. Something like 132,000 and change as I recall. Not all that many Buell XB series bikes were produced. The XB series engine if ridden sensibly...not lugged...serviced judiciously...and kept out of city type stop and go heat blistering conditions....ran forever. They were one of the finest motorcycle engines of the past 50 years and the design parameters and craftsmanship used during processing and building was incredible.
I don't know when the video was made but they kept talking about 2008, sadly the next year they had no jobs. Harley's CEO at the time called them "toys" that no one wants. People are buying them up right now, this platform would of been perfect for the generation of today. If they are buying motorcycles it's something like the Buell was and not what Harley is offering.
I agree. And even tho my vrod had an engine seizure(yeeting me across the road and killing itself in the process) they shot themself in the foot getting rid of that family as well.
Thats because you have the sense to realize its THE best sportbike on the planet. All because of the HD v-twin and Erik Buell bringing the Sportster into the modern world.
Americans at your best: copying other countries but trying to stick your trash inside it to call it your own Americans at your best: not the best in the world, over priced
***** Hero was a privately owned division of Honda, the owner Pawan Munjal wanted to enter 600 and 1000cc sport bike production but Honda wouldn't let him and starved him of technology. He eventually bought is freedom from Honda about the same time Erik got booted from Harley.. so he contacted him and gave him 50 million to become his "technology division".. so you got two guys who have a serious vendetta against the "big boys"... keep an eye on Hero because its all Buell designs and its coming to the US real soon to be sold through the EBR dealerships.
Harley getting rid of buell was the best thing to ever happen. The engine in buells did not do the bike justice. Now we have the EBRs which are fantastic bikes. The 1190 rx is what buells should of been.
I work for big corporations and see this all the time. Once someone in the corp deviates from getting maximum economy of scale they become expendable. I see that Buell started to deviate a bit with the XB engines and then even more with the Rotax derived engine. Even departments within corporations make profit off one another and the engine dept loved selling Buell it's engines. Killing the blast and then making things a bit too different made the decision easy for an executive when faced with hard cuts. Having said that, if Buell could have been reined in to build sporty street bikes instead of cutting edge racers exclusively, H-D would have had a winner to draw in badly needed young buyers.
It's an interesting evolution, no doubt splitting off into two dif target markets. It's a shame, I love my buell and my Harley shop won't even touch it!!!
recently got a 2003 xb9r if im right, need to do an oil change but so afraid to do because of the design of oil sump and wont let a no knowledge shop do because i dont want to mess up anything on it, now its sitting because i haven't figured out the specific way to change oil if there is a special way but want to ride again so bad its a shame what im getting at here that buell isn't as popular as lets say Honda or Chevy in the way of needing to know info on anything, is easy as asking any shop and getting an easy quick answer, but since buell is rare in my opinion its hard to get a straight answer and so it sits and im going back to my 2011 250r honda for now... =,(
I couldn't agree more, now that they can't sell to the so called millennials they are having a hard time selling the same old cruiser pigs dressed in different clothes with out dated technology, with a price tag thats insulting. Looking back they shot themselves in the foot by dumping Buell. I own three Harleys and will never purchase another one! I love American made products and I love the history of Harley Davidson but can't stand the way they treat their customers. Every part I need for my bikes are available aftermarket! I will continue to ride my American machine without giving one more cent to Harley Davidson!! Maybe their is an Indian in my future
Buck Jackle Change your oil, don't be scared of it, your not gonna ruin anything, however you will if you don't! Change it and ride the piss out of it!
I've been on tons of bikes and I've never not loved them but my Buell and all buells for that matter just have a soul and passion you can't get from any other bike. Road 7k miles this season on my 02 buell cyclone m2 and It's just a different experience you don't get from any metric bike.
2003 Buell XB9S here. Still track day the bike and get so many thumbs up from Japanese and Euro bike riders at the track. With 5 Buells including #51 XBRR, you are so right that it is a superb and inspiring rider's machine. Looking forward to adding an EBR Hammerhead this coming year.
Killing Buell is part of why Harley is in financial trouble today. The problem was that Harley's CEO doesn't even have a motorcycle license. He's a money guy, not a motorcycle guy. He made a decision based on greed and chose poorly.
I love my XB12, i will never sell it. I have all Papers when i bought it new from Harley Factory Frankfurt. I clean it after every ride with a toothbrush and my wife thinks i´m crazy, and yes i am crazy about my Buell, i would mary her!!
I was so looking forward to the evolution of the air-cooled line of XB Buells. A Firebolt XB 1350RR 6 speed would have been Awesome!!..... God Damn you all to hell Harley Davidson!!
I tried an 1125 CR once, that thing was seriously impressive and man did that engine ever pull hard! Linear and big grunt from low-end to top-end. Edit: The whole bike was seriously impressive, however a bit more sports-oriented seating and with too high of an insurance premium for me at that time.
tengu190 most of the cool technology in buell designs were due to using a air cooled v twin.. once they went rotax they became fairly conventional. . sad but the motorcycle scene is fickle , any non conformity is punished by douchebags
Still track day mine and ride it on the street too. To me , of the 5 Buells I have, that 2003 XB9S is just pure sharp handling and an adrenalin rush on the brakes or the throttle.
While Buell was sourcing an engine from Rotax, I really wish someone at Rotax had said, "Hey, would you be interested in putting our 800 ETEC two-stroke in the bike?" They're extremely light weight, viciously powerful, and emissions-compliant. I know Erik Buell has some history with two-strokes. And while the V-Twin is very MURICA, few things would make headlines like bringing back the two-stroke!
JETZcorp But very very unreliable. I was a ski doo mechanic for a number of years in Wyoming. And those 800 Rotax motors always had problems. Crank bearings being one of the major. I see a lot of home built helicopters using these motors and I just shake my head and think to myself these people must be suicidal
the air cooled harley lump that only made 100 bhp from 9 zillion cubic centimeteres was 1900's technology. the 1125 rotax engine is fantastic. the rotax turns faster, made more power than the harley engine and was lighter by 90 metric tons. Its nice to see EBR bikes for sale again with another version of the rotax v-twin.
I have many bikes and I think the air cooled Buell engines are excellent street engines. They are clearly designed to make power in the RPM range most people drive on the street. It shouldn't be a choice between one of the other, but both should be embraced for what they can do. One hits with loads of high RPM power good for the track and the other one is fun on the street with low RPM's and torque. Kind of like a Ferrari vs a '69 SS396 Camaro, IMO.
Buell has been the most outstanding motorcycle ever . Every model since day 1 has been A GREAT MOTORCYCLE ... facts .. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 Harley Davidson was stupid with them (buell) ...
@@mogmogman5476 I think putt putt is referring to Rotax. I agree, when I saw the Rotax transition and I had a belly ache over it, years ago. Still do. In sport model aviation, Rotax setups quickly earned the reputation for unreliable and downing lots of toys and wannabe pilots, which later became dirt victims. Not good. My opinion and experience is that Rotax should stay at ZERO elevation. Proven to handle the abuse on water with all the PWCs, I give a thumbs up. May be a good bike engine, but I have no personal experience.
I sincerely hope HD folds after what they did to Erik Buell. He could've taken the XB into the stratosphere. But thats probably why they killed off Buell. I honestly think too many people were walking into HD dealerships and walking past the overpriced, outdated, slow, heavy cruisers and asking "Where are the BUELLS?". Its the only logical reason. Its not like they weren't selling. I think when Erik had the kohonas to lower the price by $500 when they couldn't keep enough XBs on dealership floors and HD couldn't and still can't give away their cruisers they arrogantly decided "F^#% Buell". What else could it have been? Buells are better designed, more dependable, faster, handle waaay better, stop quicker, i.e., SUPERIOR to anything HD ever sold before or since. Remember the dumbass V-Rod? They can't give the Livewire away and yet they threw millions of R&D dollars away on that over-designed POS. Then they used their influence w/in the market to sandbag EBR. Erik Buell is the Tucker of motorcycles. Is it me of does DAN HURDA look he used to be in MOLLY HATCHET or LYNARD SKYNARD?
I don't get why they say "the Helicon is a big-torque engine." It had less torque, at least on introduction, than the older X1 and XB platforms. A hell of a lot more horsepower, granted -- but LESS torque.
@Luis Alberto Pinto Sanchez I just looked them up myself, just to make sure. The XB had more torque than the 2008 1125R. So next time you decide to talk out your a$s, get your facts straight first.
@Luis Alberto Pinto Sanchez I am referring to actual, published-by-Buell specifications. I think I'll throw you on my block list because you're an idiot.
+brian sapperstein what is the best model,year buell to buy in your opinion? i have been doing a lot of reading on line and i plan on taking a few rides this spring. thanks
Can someone offer their two cents for my issue? 25th aniversarry edition 2008 buell xb12scg, running rich. Repalce plugs, replaced intake air temperature sensor and the battery, and still not fixed.
Awaiting some goodies from your side o the pond im in the U.K.Jardine rt1 slip on;my headers are standard-in good shape for 14 year old machine only done 20000 miles.NewBelt(FINAL DRIVE),.Recieved steering head +f+r wheel bearings.Any bros/sistas tried the jardine can?If so could ya give me some feedback please.
Mike Barton Harley shut their doors in 2009, as Buell Motorcycle Company was a wholly owned subsidiary of HD. Erik Buell soon started EBR-Erik Buell Racing and is producing world class bikes again with a 49% investment from the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, Hero Motorcycles. The motor they use for EBR bikes is based off the 1125 motor, but has been re-designed is now a completely American made V-twin at 1190 cc's and produces upwards of 185hp.
***** Actually Richard, your comments reflect the typical internet tales and misconceptions about Buell. When Harley closed Buells doors, they were turning a profit. HD closed them because at the time they wanted to focus on their "core" business, which is slow, overweight, poorly made overpriced cruisers and t-shirts. Buells NEVER tried to be a "real" Harley, ever. You do realize Buell was in business for 12 years BEFORE HD bought into his business? They were simply a vehicle to get his bikes out to the public. Fundamentally it was wrong however because cruiser guys, are not sportbike/streetfighter guys. Erik Buells only problem are the people he chooses to do business with.
***** Harley is nothing like Ferrari. Ferrari made there image by attempting to produce vehicles that focused on giving the best performance while being legal on the road. Harleys are for people who only care about image. Ferrari has image, but also technology and performance. Harleys do nothing well, except look good to certain types of people. You have some seriously misdirected views and opinions that seem to based on nothing but things you made up in your head
Imagine if Buell had not been axed by H-D; going to Rotax was a good move but I think a compromise, I own a 1125R, great bike but where would it be now if he'd kept the backing and more importantly the development assets of a big player like H-D. Take the piss Eric see what Indian have.
Why did you stop? the 1125 rotex package you had was a stonker. youir waist of time harley 1200'S wer're surely an embaresment. I' ve gota dirty ol;d hopd op 96 fireblade, and my mate rides a 1125r,. His ugly bike drags me off every time
always wanted a buell but it always had that harley badge underneath... thank god erick buell got away from that, but i just want to know why all the buells, past and present, have to be so fugly? with the exception of the xb9r and 12, all the buells have been so freaking ugly. that is mostly true with the rear ends which would be what everyone should see when you fly by...
oCannabusdriver stock tubere were ugly bc of the bullshit they were forced to put on them to meet sound emissions, big ugly intakes and clunky exhausts ect... the x1 had a funny looking seat and tank... most of your good custom tubers looked more like the s1 model, they got custom tubers out there that are drop dead gorgeous, updated and uprated suspensions and everything. buells were basically experimental and the tubers were almost kit bikes, they make fantastic streetrod projects. loads of fun real strong off the bottom
thank you so much for uploading, Robert. Greetings from Germany. My EBR 1190 RX --> th-cam.com/video/_6iXtmXe5Ss/w-d-xo.html My XB 12 R !04 --> th-cam.com/video/yNyQ9JfsVCg/w-d-xo.htmlm35s
Come on let’s be honest, WTF do Harley know about making motorcycles??? They’re just a lifestyle/clothing company. They’re bikes have no place in this century, in fact no place past 1975! One day when I’m fat, old and can’t ride for sh*t I may think about it but…….probably not!
The GEnous of Eric Buell the Ignorance of Harley Davidson.. Harley spent $125 million to shut the Buell Factory down ..The only Modern American Made Motorcycle made at the time..
When Harley killed Buell, they killed at least two maybe even three generations of customers.
The Buell XB has probably one of the most timeless designs ever. I think Buell's will be expensive as hell in a few years from now.
Bingo
Roy Batty yeah they did... Harley killed themselves on this I don’t know what the hell they were thinking arrogant pricks
I owned multiple Buells at the same time. They sure killed my fun
I refuse to pay for a Harley after the 2009 letdown. Still have my favorite in the garage. S3 Thunderbolt
10 years later, still loving my Buell XB9SX. It's still a marvel. Thanks Erik and all!
I’ve had my 07 XB9SX for 7yrs now, still adore her. Nothing compares to the overall experience, the sound, the handling, the feeling of being truly as one with the bike. Buell absolutely nailed it.
My XB9R turned 20 in March of this year. Still runs strong, still puts a huge grin on my face, hasn't let me down yet. As our roads start to get worse and worse locally (NW Montana) and the tourists and large animals are now flooding into the valleys where the paved roads are, riding is becoming more and more hazardous, sadly. But that being said, I still pull it out and pull the trigger and LOVE how it responds, sounds and works. I'd love to add another 8" or more of suspension for my own old chassis as the aches and pains of life are adding up slowly, but I'll not stop riding the Firebolt anytime soon. I'll be 66 soon and it's still a delight every time I fire it up. Erik, Dan, Abe, Henry and Crew did a phenomenal job on this benchmark motorcycle. Glad I bought it when it hit the showroom floor.
Keeping my xb12r Alive! This is the Saddest business story ever. I am a former business owner and I understand "how things are" in the business world ,its rough! This by far is the saddest story such a great product with so much potential. Erik is a genius and Harley knows it.
Love the Buell. Harley D. needs to listen up. Bring back the Buell and stop making that all blacked out trash and go back to the real deal. And also quit being so damned arrogant. I and a lot of my friends really loved the 2008 Buells.
Craig Pennington exactly Harley really messed up when they did away with buell
@@fonaxeagiosdynasty7889 Exactly. HD is soooo arrogant w/ the their outdated sh#@. By the time they realize every current Sporster buyer (all 5 of them) wish they had a XB they'll be owned by a chinese company & even the AMF garbage will go up in value.
My XB12X is my favourite motorcycle of all the ones I've owned.
My XB12X engine is. It black ... it's 2008 so not sure why. It's still labelled 1203 Thunderstorm..
@@Bignbeardedadventures Truly great bikes. As good as any modern one.
2000 M2 cyclone owner here... best motorcycle I’ve ever had. Bring a new version back pllllease!
John P
For my take on this motorcycle at the senior age of 61 and still riding my beloved XB12R 2010 in 2018, its still the compete package. From its innovative engineered mechanical and industrial design refining an off the shelf Harley Sportster work horse to its maximum capability, the sum of the parts delivering a controlled and stimulating experience of enhanced ride ability. It truly is what it is, or was, because of Eric Buell's vision and the dedicated team that created this machine. Even now we see from an evolved Buell platform a bike winning at Pikes Peak. What other past manufacturer can lay claim to still being this competitive and successful, maybe only one other comes to mind, namely Vincent, another innovative ghost of the past. It seems to me Buell like Vincent / Phil Irving were visionary designers who had the entraprenurial tenacity to make something else happen in a mindset of sizziling mediocrity, you know who they are.
As for Harley, you had that part of the future in the clasp of your commercial hands and are now paying for your short sighted spread sheet anual return. You just didn't get it and now as Americans lost the opportunity on the world stage to represent and take on the Europeans and Japanese at the sports pinnacle.
If your XB is a 2010 you have a very rare bike. Buells as a brand are low production compared to the other major brands to start with and yours is probably one of the very last ones made before the company shut down.
Yes one of the rare model 250 some only made
beautifully composed Sir.
Buell and Polaris/Victory sold almost the identical amount of motorcycles during their namesake run. Something like 132,000 and change as I recall. Not all that many Buell XB series bikes were produced. The XB series engine if ridden sensibly...not lugged...serviced judiciously...and kept out of city type stop and go heat blistering conditions....ran forever. They were one of the finest motorcycle engines of the past 50 years and the design parameters and craftsmanship used during processing and building was incredible.
Thanks HD, you really cut your nose off despite your face when you axed the Buell with the Rotax engine, intelligent move!!!!
Wes Puckdog , that would be "to spite your face", but, yes, HD sucks.
I have a 2007 Buell XB9R Fire Bolt and I absolutely love it! Has over 65,000 miles and still runs like a dream! I baby the heck out of it though lol.
I don't know when the video was made but they kept talking about 2008, sadly the next year they had no jobs. Harley's CEO at the time called them "toys" that no one wants. People are buying them up right now, this platform would of been perfect for the generation of today. If they are buying motorcycles it's something like the Buell was and not what Harley is offering.
I love my '05 XB12SCG!!! I would not trade it for ANY bike out there, regardless of dollar value. :)
The wife and myself love our xb9r's one of the best riding handling bikes I've ever rode.
If Harley wants to save itself then it will bring back Buell. They dissed its younger/future customers. Now they/Harley are paying for it.
Nah, man. Harley believes its future lies in $35,000 electric bikes.
I agree. And even tho my vrod had an engine seizure(yeeting me across the road and killing itself in the process) they shot themself in the foot getting rid of that family as well.
@@DaddyLongLegs44 What caused that? Did you tear it down to find out?
@@redin575 , the Electrics and the Pan America.
@@redin575 My guess is that it's a new ejection seat safety feature that Harley came up with. As you can see, it saved his life. lol
Best motorcycles ever built
Though I’m Filipino and I lived in the Philippines, I love my 2009 Buell Firebolt
Thats because you have the sense to realize its THE best sportbike on the planet. All because of the HD v-twin and Erik Buell bringing the Sportster into the modern world.
Americans at our best. Just as nimble as a Japanese sports bike, but powered by a modified harley V-twin. I love it.
Americans at your best: copying other countries but trying to stick your trash inside it to call it your own
Americans at your best: not the best in the world, over priced
@@ChaosBW sounds like China
Japanese is thosans year ahead for amarica
Thanks for sharing this! I didn’t realize how many parts were Buell-specific on XB series!
Just picked up a 09 xb12scg and love it. Took me a while to be able to find that one I wanted.
@6:47 the pinnacle of technology(computer) at the time. It's incredible what Eric Buell was able to accomplish with those sportster motors
I've got a 2000 cyclone and a 2005 xb12 R there so fun and unique ... I love buells there the coolest motorcycle ever. !!!
Johnny G Ride, that would be "they're so fun" . . . and "they're the coolest".
I really wish they were still making the xb line. What a bunch of fools at Harley.
yeah Harley blew it.. but look at the Hero Hastur prototype.. that's a EBR design that is a lot like the XB9S... its going to be good and cheap too.
Gloomshadow100 very interesting bike from a company I've never heard of. Will have to keep my eyes open for it.
***** Hero was a privately owned division of Honda, the owner Pawan Munjal wanted to enter 600 and 1000cc sport bike production but Honda wouldn't let him and starved him of technology. He eventually bought is freedom from Honda about the same time Erik got booted from Harley.. so he contacted him and gave him 50 million to become his "technology division".. so you got two guys who have a serious vendetta against the "big boys"... keep an eye on Hero because its all Buell designs and its coming to the US real soon to be sold through the EBR dealerships.
Harley is run by pencil pushing accountants who wouldn't know what it;s like to ride or race--to them cacelling Buell is just business....
Harley getting rid of buell was the best thing to ever happen. The engine in buells did not do the bike justice. Now we have the EBRs which are fantastic bikes. The 1190 rx is what buells should of been.
Really great bikes, made for riding with loads of attitude ! Love my X1 Lightning 2001 ! Its so much fun to ride.
Ready to buy a 1125 r... inspiring!
I work for big corporations and see this all the time. Once someone in the corp deviates from getting maximum economy of scale they become expendable. I see that Buell started to deviate a bit with the XB engines and then even more with the Rotax derived engine. Even departments within corporations make profit off one another and the engine dept loved selling Buell it's engines. Killing the blast and then making things a bit too different made the decision easy for an executive when faced with hard cuts. Having said that, if Buell could have been reined in to build sporty street bikes instead of cutting edge racers exclusively, H-D would have had a winner to draw in badly needed young buyers.
It's an interesting evolution, no doubt splitting off into two dif target markets. It's a shame, I love my buell and my Harley shop won't even touch it!!!
recently got a 2003 xb9r if im right, need to do an oil change but so afraid to do because of the design of oil sump and wont let a no knowledge shop do because i dont want to mess up anything on it, now its sitting because i haven't figured out the specific way to change oil if there is a special way but want to ride again so bad its a shame what im getting at here that buell isn't as popular as lets say Honda or Chevy in the way of needing to know info on anything, is easy as asking any shop and getting an easy quick answer, but since buell is rare in my opinion its hard to get a straight answer and so it sits and im going back to my 2011 250r honda for now... =,(
Dude, an oil change on a Buell is easy as hell. It takes like 15 minutes tops.
I couldn't agree more, now that they can't sell to the so called millennials they are having a hard time selling the same old cruiser pigs dressed in different clothes with out dated technology, with a price tag thats insulting. Looking back they shot themselves in the foot by dumping Buell. I own three Harleys and will never purchase another one! I love American made products and I love the history of Harley Davidson but can't stand the way they treat their customers. Every part I need for my bikes are available aftermarket! I will continue to ride my American machine without giving one more cent to Harley Davidson!! Maybe their is an Indian in my future
Buck Jackle Change your oil, don't be scared of it, your not gonna ruin anything, however you will if you don't! Change it and ride the piss out of it!
I've been on tons of bikes and I've never not loved them but my Buell and all buells for that matter just have a soul and passion you can't get from any other bike. Road 7k miles this season on my 02 buell cyclone m2 and It's just a different experience you don't get from any metric bike.
2003 Buell XB9S here. Still track day the bike and get so many thumbs up from Japanese and Euro bike riders at the track. With 5 Buells including #51 XBRR, you are so right that it is a superb and inspiring rider's machine. Looking forward to adding an EBR Hammerhead this coming year.
Killing Buell is part of why Harley is in financial trouble today. The problem was that Harley's CEO doesn't even have a motorcycle license. He's a money guy, not a motorcycle guy. He made a decision based on greed and chose poorly.
I love my XB12, i will never sell it. I have all Papers when i bought it new from Harley Factory Frankfurt. I clean it after every ride with a toothbrush and my wife thinks i´m crazy, and yes i am crazy about my Buell, i would mary her!!
Мне нравится этот "гадкий утенок",я от него просто "тащусь", и от харлеевского и
мотора не нужно было уходить это своеобразный культ!!!!
Bought xb12xt 2008. Dream came true
I was so looking forward to the evolution of the air-cooled line of XB Buells. A Firebolt XB 1350RR 6 speed would have been Awesome!!..... God Damn you all to hell Harley Davidson!!
I tried an 1125 CR once, that thing was seriously impressive and man did that engine ever pull hard! Linear and big grunt from low-end to top-end.
Edit: The whole bike was seriously impressive, however a bit more sports-oriented seating and with too high of an insurance premium for me at that time.
Ulysses owner here. Great bikes.
Have been a fan of you clips for a while now. Gotta say I love my 97 S1 lightning. Ride free.
This is good stuff, really good. I'd like to see a 10 or 12 part series so we can see the details.
the best harley i have ever ridden
EBR will do well eventually,, I can see the enthusiasm there,,,= success ( it is just matter of time)
HD used their industry influence to kill that off too.
Ill never stop riding my ulysses. Best bike I have ever owned
I own a ‘05 1200 Sportster and a 2010 (2009 leftover Buell XB1200 Ss and I’m STILL pissed off at Harley Davidson, I bought a Victory instead.
Shouldn't of watched this video. Really miss my XB9. Such a nice bike
look into the EBR's... I hope to make the american superbike a thing and want to help promote them.
Qwantom Anomaly , that would be "shouldn't have", and why not buy another?
Bummer Harley mismanaged a great company.
tengu190 it has to reopen.
shexdensmore it came back as EBR and stumbled twice.. i got a feeling its down for good now or on eternal life support
I hope the tech lives on in other companies bikes. Honda should hire him.
tengu190 most of the cool technology in buell designs were due to using a air cooled v twin.. once they went rotax they became fairly conventional. . sad but the motorcycle scene is fickle , any non conformity is punished by douchebags
Fuel in frame, mass centralization.... you still don't see all of this in one bike.
Buell was more american then corporate harley davidson.
2003 xb9s still running strong!
Still track day mine and ride it on the street too. To me , of the 5 Buells I have, that 2003 XB9S is just pure sharp handling and an adrenalin rush on the brakes or the throttle.
still enjoying my xb12r
Still riding my 1125r today keep all those Japanese bikes all American baby!!!!
Love my M2 Cyclone. Next is an xb12 I think :D
While Buell was sourcing an engine from Rotax, I really wish someone at Rotax had said, "Hey, would you be interested in putting our 800 ETEC two-stroke in the bike?" They're extremely light weight, viciously powerful, and emissions-compliant. I know Erik Buell has some history with two-strokes. And while the V-Twin is very MURICA, few things would make headlines like bringing back the two-stroke!
JETZcorp But very very unreliable. I was a ski doo mechanic for a number of years in Wyoming. And those 800 Rotax motors always had problems. Crank bearings being one of the major. I see a lot of home built helicopters using these motors and I just shake my head and think to myself these people must be suicidal
My dream bike the Buell XB12s
LOVIN MY 2003 BUELL XB9S
the air cooled harley lump that only made 100 bhp from 9 zillion cubic centimeteres was 1900's technology. the 1125 rotax engine is fantastic. the rotax turns faster, made more power than the harley engine and was lighter by 90 metric tons. Its nice to see EBR bikes for sale again with another version of the rotax v-twin.
The XB was a decent bike. It was old school meets new school. I like the EBR's too.
+Jeremy D Yes, the XBs are old tech but you've obviously never been on one. They are so fun to ride!
I have many bikes and I think the air cooled Buell engines are excellent street engines. They are clearly designed to make power in the RPM range most people drive on the street. It shouldn't be a choice between one of the other, but both should be embraced for what they can do. One hits with loads of high RPM power good for the track and the other one is fun on the street with low RPM's and torque. Kind of like a Ferrari vs a '69 SS396 Camaro, IMO.
Less reliable thogh
Buell has been the most outstanding motorcycle ever . Every model since day 1 has been A GREAT MOTORCYCLE ... facts .. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 Harley Davidson was stupid with them (buell) ...
Random thought, what if Polaris starts backing Buell (EBR) now that they have Indian just to bury Harley.
Thinking Out Loud I would so love for that to happen for real they would be reaping what they sow
I love my 1125r and might buy an 1190EBR. A Polaris/Buell with a Rotax v4?
Still really enjoying my 2003 XB9R. Can’t think of a better bike for the twisties of E TN, N GA and W NC.
What happened was Harley Jealous ? I wonder if Buell could build a competitive 750 CC Twin Flat Track Bike ??? for less than $50,000 ???
"Damn-Shame" they were discontinued !!?? ;(
I love my Buell 1997 lighting s1
1:00 “with the best materials, and the best technologies”
Yeah except for the oil pump drive gear...
Non adjustable drive belt tensioner 👎
either new buell needs to come back with the xb lineup, or we need to bring it back ourselves.
We need a Buell 250 in Mexico
As the owner of an 1125R, I genuinely laughed out loud when the word “reliability” popped up on the screen
Do explain please.
@@mogmogman5476 I think putt putt is referring to Rotax. I agree, when I saw the Rotax transition and I had a belly ache over it, years ago. Still do. In sport model aviation, Rotax setups quickly earned the reputation for unreliable and downing lots of toys and wannabe pilots, which later became dirt victims. Not good.
My opinion and experience is that Rotax should stay at ZERO elevation. Proven to handle the abuse on water with all the PWCs, I give a thumbs up.
May be a good bike engine, but I have no personal experience.
Love my XB12R
I sincerely hope HD folds after what they did to Erik Buell. He could've taken the XB into the stratosphere. But thats probably why they killed off Buell. I honestly think too many people were walking into HD dealerships and walking past the overpriced, outdated, slow, heavy cruisers and asking "Where are the BUELLS?". Its the only logical reason. Its not like they weren't selling. I think when Erik had the kohonas to lower the price by $500 when they couldn't keep enough XBs on dealership floors and HD couldn't and still can't give away their cruisers they arrogantly decided "F^#% Buell". What else could it have been? Buells are better designed, more dependable, faster, handle waaay better, stop quicker, i.e., SUPERIOR to anything HD ever sold before or since. Remember the dumbass V-Rod? They can't give the Livewire away and yet they threw millions of R&D dollars away on that over-designed POS. Then they used their influence w/in the market to sandbag EBR. Erik Buell is the Tucker of motorcycles.
Is it me of does DAN HURDA look he used to be in MOLLY HATCHET or LYNARD SKYNARD?
I'm nearly 70 and getting a 1125r can't wait ye ha
I love my blast, but this is pure hype. The assembly quality was sheer apathy.
Richard Hunn Eric buell himself said that the blast was a piece of shit. Words from his mouth
Buell Baby ya!
Buell xb9s.... Never let me down
O motor da linha XB12,XB9, não possuem logo marca da HD , porque não continuo foi o seu fabricar é aperfeiçoar por BUELL , ??
still beating the hell out of my EBR 1190SX and the only issue ive had is the low fuel light stays on, easy fix.
I don't get why they say "the Helicon is a big-torque engine." It had less torque, at least on introduction, than the older X1 and XB platforms. A hell of a lot more horsepower, granted -- but LESS torque.
@Luis Alberto Pinto Sanchez Look up the specs.
@Luis Alberto Pinto Sanchez I just looked them up myself, just to make sure. The XB had more torque than the 2008 1125R. So next time you decide to talk out your a$s, get your facts straight first.
@Luis Alberto Pinto Sanchez I'm talking factory specs, nothing more. If you don't get that, this conversation is pointless.
@Luis Alberto Pinto Sanchez I don't care what your motorcycle's performance is.
@Luis Alberto Pinto Sanchez I am referring to actual, published-by-Buell specifications. I think I'll throw you on my block list because you're an idiot.
Harley got no vision just stick to big heavy overpriced bikes for the over fiftys
Hammer Dan and Erik Buell should join forces.......
I will never sell my xb1200 ever!
Are they really that good?
Kinda want one.
+brian sapperstein what is the best model,year buell to buy in your opinion? i have been doing a lot of reading on line and i plan on taking a few rides this spring. thanks
Tremendous FUN love my 07 XB12sTT also had an XB12X for years...I regret selling it! Topnotch suspension also!
I'm enjoying my EBR... granted, it's only got 1500 miles on it (owned for about 3 months), but still really enjoying it.
No
Hey Buell, start making replacement parts for ones you can't get anymore. Thanks, ok bye.
Can someone offer their two cents for my issue? 25th aniversarry edition 2008 buell xb12scg, running rich. Repalce plugs, replaced intake air temperature sensor and the battery, and still not fixed.
TPS reset 😂
How do they compare to the EBRs?
What harley did to Erik was criminal.
Harley a bad bad fuckin bad American motorcycle company if I were to choose a bicycle and a Harley, I wont hesitate taking the bicycle
Won't be selling my 98 m2 cyclone anytime soon.
Love my Harley. With that said, # of wins against 600cc Jap’ bikes = 0. It’s sad that these things couldn’t make it through 1 race without blowing up.
1:30 , is that an 1125r with an XBR upper fairing? or an xb9/12 with a prototype side scoop?
Nevermind, should have kept watching the video. Another clip towards the middle answered my own question.
where is your supplier? in the US or another country?
THE MOTOR IS MADE IN AUSTRIA......that is it....not in the USA
Awaiting some goodies from your side o the pond im in the U.K.Jardine rt1 slip on;my headers are standard-in good shape for 14 year old machine only done 20000 miles.NewBelt(FINAL DRIVE),.Recieved steering head +f+r wheel bearings.Any bros/sistas tried the jardine can?If so could ya give me some feedback please.
I had the Jardine can for a while and now I have the Drummer SS. I would recommend the Drummer, it is better in sound and power. More $$ though.....
I love my 2010 Buell 1125 , but where did this shitty switch gear come from ?
R or CR?
Italy, most likely.
I thought Buell closed their doors a few years back.
Mike Barton Harley shut their doors in 2009, as Buell Motorcycle Company was a wholly owned subsidiary of HD. Erik Buell soon started EBR-Erik Buell Racing and is producing world class bikes again with a 49% investment from the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, Hero Motorcycles. The motor they use for EBR bikes is based off the 1125 motor, but has been re-designed is now a completely American made V-twin at 1190 cc's and produces upwards of 185hp.
dbc1dc thanks for the info
dbc1dc yup, I found out shortly after this video. Oh well. Harley is a sinking ship that only stays afloat because of fanboys with buckets.
***** Actually Richard, your comments reflect the typical internet tales and misconceptions about Buell. When Harley closed Buells doors, they were turning a profit. HD closed them because at the time they wanted to focus on their "core" business, which is slow, overweight, poorly made overpriced cruisers and t-shirts. Buells NEVER tried to be a "real" Harley, ever. You do realize Buell was in business for 12 years BEFORE HD bought into his business? They were simply a vehicle to get his bikes out to the public. Fundamentally it was wrong however because cruiser guys, are not sportbike/streetfighter guys. Erik Buells only problem are the people he chooses to do business with.
***** Harley is nothing like Ferrari. Ferrari made there image by attempting to produce vehicles that focused on giving the best performance while being legal on the road. Harleys are for people who only care about image. Ferrari has image, but also technology and performance. Harleys do nothing well, except look good to certain types of people. You have some seriously misdirected views and opinions that seem to based on nothing but things you made up in your head
Imagine if Buell had not been axed by H-D; going to Rotax was a good move but I think a compromise, I own a 1125R, great bike but where would it be now if he'd kept the backing and more importantly the development assets of a big player like H-D. Take the piss Eric see what Indian have.
Why did you stop? the 1125 rotex package you had was a stonker. youir waist of time harley 1200'S wer're surely an embaresment. I'
ve gota dirty ol;d hopd op 96 fireblade, and my mate rides a 1125r,. His ugly bike drags me off every time
always wanted a buell but it always had that harley badge underneath... thank god erick buell got away from that, but i just want to know why all the buells, past and present, have to be so fugly? with the exception of the xb9r and 12, all the buells have been so freaking ugly. that is mostly true with the rear ends which would be what everyone should see when you fly by...
oCannabusdriver stock tubere were ugly bc of the bullshit they were forced to put on them to meet sound emissions, big ugly intakes and clunky exhausts ect... the x1 had a funny looking seat and tank... most of your good custom tubers looked more like the s1 model, they got custom tubers out there that are drop dead gorgeous, updated and uprated suspensions and everything. buells were basically experimental and the tubers were almost kit bikes, they make fantastic streetrod projects. loads of fun real strong off the bottom
thank you so much for uploading, Robert. Greetings from Germany.
My EBR 1190 RX --> th-cam.com/video/_6iXtmXe5Ss/w-d-xo.html
My XB 12 R !04 --> th-cam.com/video/yNyQ9JfsVCg/w-d-xo.htmlm35s
Biggest mistake Harley ever made!
Harley Buells are a joke. Long live the 1190.
Come on let’s be honest, WTF do Harley know about making motorcycles???
They’re just a lifestyle/clothing company.
They’re bikes have no place in this century, in fact no place past 1975!
One day when I’m fat, old and can’t ride for sh*t I may think about it but…….probably not!
I own 3 Buells but it's incredibly difficult to take someone seriously when they repeatedly refer to their engine as a "motor." smh
Yes, enginecycle does make a lot more sense, eh.
I'm with you. Combustion "engine". Electric "motor". Let's all just settle on "powered 2 wheeler" and enjoy a beer together.
The GEnous of Eric Buell the Ignorance of Harley Davidson.. Harley spent $125 million to shut the Buell Factory down ..The only Modern American Made Motorcycle made at the time..
7.3 is a better motor
Top notch engine but poor chassic design
A Sportster engine or a Rotax engine Buell designed and built nothing
BY FAR THE BIGGEST PIECE OF SHIT I EVER OWNED WAS AN M2 CYCLONE