And I had one😞. Sold it and the following day it was told to me the motor blew. Kid was a tool. Should have fought harder to keep it. Wife said no. Paid $500 for it in 2013. Had $1100 total. And it was perfect. Now I have an 04 xb12r 👍
After 20+ years on other bikes,I got my first buell,a 02 thunderbolt with just over 5k mls It came with the complete buell race header,exhaust and ecm Man that thing is the most fun I've had on bikes in a long long time Buell Highly recommended!
I had the opportunity to buy an s1w for 4K with a drag pipe and 10k miles. It was super clean, one owner. But it had been sitting for about 3 years... I just didn't want to rebuild everything and get new tires and all the money it would need. Kicking myself for it now!
I'm an old school, old timer who has loved Norton Commandos since my first one in 1970, I bought a '97 S-1 Lightning and what was cool about it was that it had roughly 50% more displacement and 50% more hp than an 850 (828cc) Commando while weighing in within a few pounds and having the very same engine characteristics as the Norton, smoothing out like silk at 3000 rpm. The old tubers are classics, wouldn't want to travel on one, but for half day rips through the Rockies, they were very satisfying.
I live in South Australia and had two of them! Very good fun. They only made 200 SW1 White Lightning models in pearl white if I recall correctly. I would have another one if it came about for the right price.
I didn't get Buell at the time at all. I've since become more open minded and see these bikes as classics as there's nothing else quite like them. They are cheap enough used where you can spend a few bucks on sorting them out and there's billet motor mounts, etc available from Twin Cycles in Holland.
I thought the same thing riding liter bikes for over 10 years. Rode an xb9s in the mountains and tail of the dragon n loved it. Plenty of practical power sounds awesome and handle amazing. Not top speed bikes but they aren't designed for that. N a lil work to a 1200 n they make a lot more power than u can imagine. The torque is what gets it done. Currently have an X1 getting a 1250nhrs kit, ported heads and cat 3 cams. 2009 xb12s with dnd pipe n ecm and 2015 EBR 1190sx with dean Adam's pipe n ecm. The 1190 is a beast! Still would love to find a super clean original S1, there aren't many around. Still love to sound of the harley based bikes. Being from Wisconsin it's just cool knowing they we built local. And like u said there is just really nothing like them.
I test-rode one back in the day...maybe a Thunderbolt... @ 81 h.p. The son of the owner of the shop, riding a full-dresser, led me around some country roads... riding HARD. The Thunderbolt SHAGGED! Once we got back to the shop, he explained that the one I was riding was 81 h.p., then pointed out another that was 91 h.p., then the White Lightning @ 101 h.p. I was like: NO WAY! : )
I've got a 98 S1, its such a odd cool old bike, but it does draw a good amount of attention when i take it out compared to my daytona 675. The XB9R i had was so much more fun to ride than the S1 however. I have such a soft spot for Buell though, they are awesome bikes if your looking for something totally mechanical, unrefined and fun to ride.
+William Doubles they didn't go bankrupt, Harley closed down a bunch of shit during the crash of 2008. .. and those motors aren't as "primitive" as you think they are.. almost 100 horsepower and 85 lb-feet of torque while getting about 45mpg is more efficient than a lot of those Japanese I4 sportbikes. They don't have the top speeds and top-end acceleration that a I4 has but they got a lot of power right off of idle.. the 1/8 mile times are real good... plus you mod one of these out and its a hot streetbike. The XB models that came out int 2004 were total badasses for what they were, I got two of them and Love them more than any CBR or ZX I have ever owned.. the torque is fucking seductive.. reliable too.
+Martin Espinoza When I bought my 2000 M2 Cyclone, the dealer wouldn't let me have it for 2 weeks because of a shock recall. Before I could even take delivery it was caught in a recall.
Showa on both ends. The Showa rear pull shock was dismal. The two I had on the bike both had seal failures. The first was replaced under an extended warranty and the second one eventually failed too. I replaced it with a Penske shock which totally transformed the bike's handling. I liked the M2, the only American bike I've ever had.
The hell u talking bout? Every buell I've had has been rock solid. Especially the XB bikes. Every god damn Honda I've owned had electrical problems, every single one left me stranded somewhere ..every.. single.. one.
My dad has onr of these and my god are these cool bike omfg. Terrifying to. He has put some modifications putting it from 80hp to 101hp and dear god for a big but light brick its fun and scary at the same times.
These older tube frame buells are just timelessly elegant.
I agree with you that tubers will forever be gorgeous
And I had one😞. Sold it and the following day it was told to me the motor blew. Kid was a tool. Should have fought harder to keep it. Wife said no. Paid $500 for it in 2013. Had $1100 total. And it was perfect. Now I have an 04 xb12r 👍
@@my95buick tis’ a shame. I have an 1125R myself
After 20+ years on other bikes,I got my first buell,a 02 thunderbolt with just over 5k mls
It came with the complete buell race header,exhaust and ecm
Man that thing is the most fun I've had on bikes in a long long time
Buell Highly recommended!
Hardware store hose clamps.
Okay, $1000 full exhaust systems use the same exact clamps and crazy cheap springs.
My first bike was an XB9 and it was fantastic, these older ones are really growing on me and I need some buell back in my life!
+Corbin Goodwin yeah I got two XB's.. the old tubers are becoming classics.. I'm gonna get one eventually
Buells are unique, I ride an M2 Cyclone, way ahead of it's time.
I’ve always been a Buell fan! I still own one today!
I had the opportunity to buy an s1w for 4K with a drag pipe and 10k miles. It was super clean, one owner. But it had been sitting for about 3 years... I just didn't want to rebuild everything and get new tires and all the money it would need. Kicking myself for it now!
Theoretically I could go buy it now though...
You should.
I'm an old school, old timer who has loved Norton Commandos since my first one in 1970, I bought a '97 S-1 Lightning and what was cool about it was that it had roughly 50% more displacement and 50% more hp than an 850 (828cc) Commando while weighing in within a few pounds and having the very same engine characteristics as the Norton, smoothing out like silk at 3000 rpm. The old tubers are classics, wouldn't want to travel on one, but for half day rips through the Rockies, they were very satisfying.
This was a neat review. I like the host, he and his voice remind me of watching the motorcycle programs that were on TNN in the 80's and 90's.
I live in South Australia and had two of them! Very good fun. They only made 200 SW1 White Lightning models in pearl white if I recall correctly. I would have another one if it came about for the right price.
I didn't get Buell at the time at all. I've since become more open minded and see these bikes as classics as there's nothing else quite like them. They are cheap enough used where you can spend a few bucks on sorting them out and there's billet motor mounts, etc available from Twin Cycles in Holland.
I thought the same thing riding liter bikes for over 10 years. Rode an xb9s in the mountains and tail of the dragon n loved it. Plenty of practical power sounds awesome and handle amazing. Not top speed bikes but they aren't designed for that. N a lil work to a 1200 n they make a lot more power than u can imagine. The torque is what gets it done. Currently have an X1 getting a 1250nhrs kit, ported heads and cat 3 cams. 2009 xb12s with dnd pipe n ecm and 2015 EBR 1190sx with dean Adam's pipe n ecm. The 1190 is a beast! Still would love to find a super clean original S1, there aren't many around. Still love to sound of the harley based bikes. Being from Wisconsin it's just cool knowing they we built local. And like u said there is just really nothing like them.
How did the x1 turn out ? I’m interested in doing my x1 also
I just bought the Buell Blast. It was probably too early for its time. 500cc singles are the thing these days.
Hate the blasts, the xbs are the way to go
Blasts are fun
Just sold mine
80whp out of an Evo engine stock is damn good
I test-rode one back in the day...maybe a Thunderbolt... @ 81 h.p. The son of the owner of the shop, riding a full-dresser, led me around some country roads... riding HARD. The Thunderbolt SHAGGED!
Once we got back to the shop, he explained that the one I was riding was 81 h.p., then pointed out another that was 91 h.p., then the White Lightning @ 101 h.p.
I was like: NO WAY! : )
I've got a 98 S1, its such a odd cool old bike, but it does draw a good amount of attention when i take it out compared to my daytona 675. The XB9R i had was so much more fun to ride than the S1 however. I have such a soft spot for Buell though, they are awesome bikes if your looking for something totally mechanical, unrefined and fun to ride.
Wheelies and stoppies!
Ah, Buell. Every model with a life-threatening safety recall. The level of quality we've come to expect from H-D.
+William Doubles they didn't go bankrupt, Harley closed down a bunch of shit during the crash of 2008. .. and those motors aren't as "primitive" as you think they are.. almost 100 horsepower and 85 lb-feet of torque while getting about 45mpg is more efficient than a lot of those Japanese I4 sportbikes. They don't have the top speeds and top-end acceleration that a I4 has but they got a lot of power right off of idle.. the 1/8 mile times are real good... plus you mod one of these out and its a hot streetbike. The XB models that came out int 2004 were total badasses for what they were, I got two of them and Love them more than any CBR or ZX I have ever owned.. the torque is fucking seductive.. reliable too.
+Martin Espinoza When I bought my 2000 M2 Cyclone, the dealer wouldn't let me have it for 2 weeks because of a shock recall. Before I could even take delivery it was caught in a recall.
Buelligan88 buell didn't make the shocks on the m2, I think it was showa front and Works rear, wasn't it?
Showa on both ends. The Showa rear pull shock was dismal. The two I had on the bike both had seal failures. The first was replaced under an extended warranty and the second one eventually failed too. I replaced it with a Penske shock which totally transformed the bike's handling.
I liked the M2, the only American bike I've ever had.
The hell u talking bout? Every buell I've had has been rock solid. Especially the XB bikes. Every god damn Honda I've owned had electrical problems, every single one left me stranded somewhere ..every.. single.. one.
My dad has onr of these and my god are these cool bike omfg. Terrifying to. He has put some modifications putting it from 80hp to 101hp and dear god for a big but light brick its fun and scary at the same times.
I bout a new 96 S1 at Teds HD Alton Il.
The 1st bike I could wheely
What's with the porno music?
This review was bullshit