buells good bad or ugly or ducati monster perhaps

[GONE1445]

what do you guys think of the buell firebolt of lightning bikes any good

I want a sporty bike but dont really wanny go the rice rocket route every one has one lately seems like

[hefe1]

what do you guys think of the buell firebolt of lightning bikes any good

I want a sporty bike but dont really wanny go the rice rocket route every one has one lately seems like

Just sold my 05 Fire Bolt with stage two race kit. Ask and I will tell. Specifics.

I can tell you this, they are over priced, resale is for shit.

[GONE1445]

oh yea I know they are overpriced but I plan to buy used

what was the power like on a scale of 1-10 10 being OMG cant keep the front wheel down

will they keep up with a 600 rice rocket??

[yogist]

what do you guys think of the buell firebolt of lightning bikes any good

I want a sporty bike but dont really wanny go the rice rocket route every one has one lately seems like

http://www.ducatimonster.org/featured/2004october/featured_oct.html

Try this out.

[hefe1]

Very fast 1/4 mile but runs out of top end speed. shit loads of torque and it comes on hard almost two strokish at about 4,200 rpms. pulls hard to the red line which is around 6,800 then pukes. It was a cool looking bike but very uncomfortable. The power is unpredictable, and like other Harley motors, runs like shit when the air temp. is above 75 degrees. I bought it for the same reason of which you speak, dumped a bunch of money into it and just never got to like it. The Ducks are cool but expensive. A bike you might want to consider, I know I did after the fact, is the Honda RC51, it is a V twin that is bad ass. If you are not familiar look up the info. I know a guy whom is a factory Yamaha guy now that is selling a street legal one with Akrapovic Ti exhaust and all the race stuff, race tripples you name it, literally a race bike with blinkers in perfect shape for $8,000, Bad ass machine. What else do you need to know?

[x2468]

i like the xb12. they have alot of racing parts (chain conversion for example) but they seem expensive. i once saw a full system exhaust system from europe for buells. it was like 3 grand ?

[Speedracer42]

Stay far away from Buell. Still old technology, bizarre ineffective engineering, and Harley reliability. The Monster is a cool bike, and can be very customized. PLus they are some of the best sounding twins with exhaust. Not very fast, but sporty. The RC51 is a cool bike, but very heavy and weak performance unless heavily modified. I used to regularly destroy them on the street and at the track on my lightly modified GSXR 600.

[hefe1]

Stay far away from Buell. Still old technology, bizarre ineffective engineering, and Harley reliability. The Monster is a cool bike, and can be very customized. PLus they are some of the best sounding twins with exhaust. Not very fast, but sporty. The RC51 is a cool bike, but very heavy and weak performance unless heavily modified. I used to regularly destroy them on the street and at the track on my lightly modified GSXR 600.

I don't know how you would destroy them , but around a race track they are awesome. The weight stock is 425 and with some mods easily under 400. I have ridden a set up 51 and have owned gxers and the 51 I road was like a CR 500 on steroids.

[GONE1445]

hmm I'll check out the 51

[Bmorgan5606]

buells are awesome bikes... very different from anything in the sportbike market. Thats why I like them, they have personality. That's what I like in a bike. In terms of performance it's way lacking compared to everything. The suspension on the firebolts are really tricky too. You've got to mess with it a while till you have it set to your liking.

For around town I think buells are perfect. Fun on twisties, nothing like others though. We race with buells too.... they get spanked in the straight aways. Don't get a duc... I'm a huge fan of Aprilia aswell... way better bike and way more reliable. With a Buell you will be rejected by a lot of sport bikers AND harley riders... but then again that can be a good thing, good luck

[Apriliacati]

You want something different, exotic, dependable as a Japanese bike, handles as good as a Ducati, has a sound that will make your hair stand up, buy an Aprilia. I have had all the latest and greatest, the Aprilia is the bike to own. They can be had pretty cheap, $6000 for a standard model RSV Mille, maybe $7500 for the R version which comes with full ohlins suspension, year 2000 to 03. These bikes, like Ducatis, deprecaite big time the first few years. I bought my 2001 Mille R 3 years ago for $8000, not a single problem ever. This is my second one, my first Mille had 26000 trouble free miles when I sold it.

In the garage

2001 Ducati 996S

2001 Aprilia RSV Mille R

2001 Yamaha WR250

2003 Suzuki RM100, daughters bike

2003 Kawasaki 650 Praire

2005 Suzuki DRZ400SM

1974 Suzuki TM400

[GONE1445]

sounds good I'll check them out that honda RC51 is expencive but cool

[AZMotorgod]

Look into the Triumph Speed Triple 1050 (2005-2006) I have an 05, it has 118 hp and about 72 ft/lbs of torque. You can pick one up for between $7500-8000 used. It blows away the japs and buells. plus it is much cheaper to maintain than the ducatis and it comes with a 2 year warranty. Also go to Triumphrat.net for more info.

[hefe1]

sounds good I'll check them out that honda RC51 is expencive but cool

They hold there value and people are always going to want them.

[Speedracer42]

I don't know how you would destroy them , but around a race track they are awesome. The weight stock is 425 and with some mods easily under 400. I have ridden a set up 51 and have owned gxers and the 51 I road was like a CR 500 on steroids.

I won't argue with you as everyone has different experiences. But I will give one reference. One of the top guys in our road race club 2 years ago raced a 2001 GSXR 600, Supersport legal. He went mid 1:09's on it. Last year and this year he raced an RC51, brand new, supersport legal. He has run mid 1:10's at best. He also did a few races on a sponsored 2004 R1 Superbike and did very low 1:08's on it.

[huntmaster]

will they keep up with a 600 rice rocket??

Aren't they 1200's though?

[hefe1]

Aren't they 1200's though?

Apples to Oranges, a GP 250 would smoke all of them around a track. All big bore bikes are heavier. I don't think this guy wants a race bike. he wants some thing cool, usable and practical.

[berkeman]

I went from my 600F4 to the Buell XB-12R a year and a half ago. It took me a little while to get used to the Firebolt, but now I like it. It's about the same size and weight as my F4, and has about the same horsepower. But it has about twice the torque and half the redline, and when it hits the redline, it's like hitting the brakes. So you pay a lot of attention when you're hard on the gas! It also has the typical V-twin characteristic of very strong engine braking, so you have to pay attention on downshifts (even easy ones).

It's a little easier to wheelie than my F4, but not by much. It doesn't have the power of an R1 or other fast liter sportbikes. But the torque and smoothness of acceleration make it pretty fun for most riding. The stock tires that it comes with have a goofy profile that makes turn-in really a chore, though. I was really happy to wear them out fast and go with a standard profile D208. Overall, I'm happy with the bike, and it sure is nice to ride an American Sportbike!

[hefe1]

Oh ya I forgot to mention earlier that the transmission sucks also. It is typical Harley junk. You would think they would synchronize the thing.

[Wrfrk]

Take a look at the Triumph Speed Triple before you buy anything..... Unless this is your first bike, in that case avoid it.