Steve W

Well, I'll be darned. If I turn the bars a little right of center, the starter engages. Thanks guys! It shouldn't be a big deal but I'm reluctant to take the tank off again to fix it right now. I had a terrible time getting it back on yesterday after replacing the breather hose. It's like the tank grew 1/2" while I had it off the bike and I had to exert A LOT of pressure to get the bottom back edges of the tank over the frame. I literally worked up a sweat getting it back on. Mystified me - all I can figure is the rubber frame pucks that secure the front of the tank have become hard over time and difficult to compress. Any thoughts? Ok - I took off the tank - sure enough, I instantly found the "bullet connectors". And, sure enough - they were barely making contact. I shoved 'em in good an far - life appears to be good. Thanks again for the help. It's a beautiful day here in Upstate NY - time to go for a ride!

Well, I'll be darned. If I turn the bars a little right of center, the starter engages. Thanks guys! It shouldn't be a big deal but I'm reluctant to take the tank off again to fix it right now. I had a terrible time getting it back on yesterday after replacing the breather hose. It's like the tank grew 1/2" while I had it off the bike and I had to exert A LOT of pressure to get the bottom back edges of the tank over the frame. I literally worked up a sweat getting it back on. Mystified me - all I can figure is the rubber frame pucks that secure the front of the tank have become hard over time and difficult to compress. Any thoughts?

Ok, before I spend a lot of time on this... So I replaced the crankcase breather hose on my '02 LeMans today. Started it up - no leaks, no drama. Then shut it down after a minute or 2. Got suited up to go for a ride, turn on the key, pull in the clutch, push the starter button - and nothing. Everything lights up the way it should - but the starter ain't gettin' no juice. What? It was running 2 minutes ago and started fine! Checked all the fuses, moved all the relays around - no change. Must be something in the interlock path? This happened to me last year. I rode it somewhere - went to leave - no starter. A nice dude push started me, got home without drama - and the starter always worked fine afterward. Never had anything to diagnose. I guess I do now! But anyway, if anybody has any insights, I'd like to hear 'em! Thanks, Steve

Well, I got it from MG Cycle, think it was like $34 - but then another $12 shipping or so. Whatever - I'd rather give a bit more money to the specialist suppliers that keep us going and make sure I've got the right part. With that said, I am inherently cheap and to shell out $46 for a hose is a bit painful! Steve

Yeah, I managed it - was kind of a pain but it's done now. No real tricks although removing the rt side coil made working on that end of the hose easier... Steve

Well I took my '02 LeMans out for the first ride of the year a couple weeks ago and it was dripping oil over the place. I tracked it back to the large breather hose disintegrating right above where it right angles into the crankcase. So I got a factory replacement hose p/n 30157400 (boy, they're proud of this hose!) and am trying to figure out the least invasive way to change it. Not very accessible! I've got the gas tank off. Any suggestions on the best way to get at it? Thanks, Steve

Although the 1125R's apparently weren't well sorted when they came out, I'm happy to say that my '09 CR with the latest factory ECM map runs very well, and I'm sure the rest of the basic mechanics of the motor are solid; Rotax has a good rep for that. With that said, I've had some saddle time on the xb12 and have to say if you're not hung up on hyperperformance, the air cooled motor is very highly evolved and is a very nice motor - hard to believe it has any common lineage with a dull ol' sportster. Yeah, it's not really a sportsbike motor - but it's friendly, fast enough for the real world, sounds nice, lots of torque. Pretty much all the same endearing traits of my V11. I can't imaging someone who enjoys a big guzzi not being able to enjoy a Buell with the 1200 thunderstorm motor.

Please forgive me for resurrecting an old thread, but here's a good link and a reference to a very interesting article about HD and Buell in the latest Cycle World (May). Pretty scary and depressing stuff. It's not hard to see Guzzi succumbing to a similar fate... http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=39962

Well, I really didn't have too much to add to this thread, but ran across this article and found it relevant - topic being how much trouble Harley is in since they're making no effort to appeal to younger riders... http://wmoon.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/harl...-after-boomers/ A particularly relevant couple of paragraphs... "Whether it was fear of losing the base or being unimaginative, Harley-Davidson has failed the challenge for the past decade by delivering basically the same bikes year after year while ignoring what was exciting and attracting After Boomers. It did not reinvent the brand—and unless it finds a way to do so, it has doomed itself to an increasingly shrinking market until someone in Milwaukee figures out how to do so—or years down the road, consumers find a way to reinvent this particular style of motorcycle. Otoh, it did have Buell—while it had the negative of being “half a Harley” with its engine, it had innovative and cutting edge technology and styling. It is a sport bike and it had the right kind of styling—and as reported before—it was growing even as Harley shipments were shrinking. So Harley’s best chance of capturing After Boomers has been “discontinued” in one of the most blundering, short-sighted and idiotic management decisions in USA corporation history." I agree - a motorcycle marketplace without Harley is not a good thing, but I contend that killing Buell was 180 degrees opposed to what they should have done to help their (and our) cause... Steve

Steve, I'm sorry - I really wasn't trying to make it a personal issue. That's not my style nor intent. However, I don't think the closure of Buell had anything to do with them being ugly. As you highlight, ugly bikes can sell. OK, they might have been easier to sell if they looked more conventional - but that entirely misses the point of their existence - they weren't conventional. For those who can deal with them looking/being different, there are rewards. The bigger issue is how they were (weren't) marketed. Placed into dealerships where they generally weren't wanted or a good fit was not a recipe for sales success. Mostly HD dealers knew nothing about these aberrant bikes that were occupying their floor space, nor did they want to. They would often steer potential buyers away from them an toward familiar ground (oh, those Buell's are weird, let's look at this nice XL1200). Few of them cared about Buell being shut down. The HD dealers that did embrace them managed to do ok - as noted previously, 135K sales in 26 years is not insignificant for a non-mainstream manufacturer. There's a lot of rumors going on about the true story behind the shutdown, most of which don't have much to do with business... Anyway, I'm just angry about a true innovator in an industry I care greatly about being shut down. None of us who care about motorcycles are better off for it. And, Harley just accelerates it's own demise.

Good article... http://www.thunderpress.net/MONTH_ARTICLE-...lltothecu.shtml

Well, I never said my 1125CR looks great. Just A LOT better than a GS. My only gripe is your apparent hyprocracy for damning a world-class bike, which I'm guessing you've never ridden, purely on an aesthetic basis, when you defend a bike that by anyone's observation is considerably more aesthetically challenged. For what it's worth, I currently own the Buell, 3 Guzzi's, 5 old Triumphs ('56 6t, '61 T110, '70 T120R, '75 T150V '71T25T), '75 Honda Gl1000, 2 BMW's ('77 R100S, '85 K100RT), an '85 Yamaha XVZ1200 Venture, '92 Bultaco Alpina, '75 HD Sportster, and a couple more I can't recall right off. And that's half the pile I had a couple years ago - I'm trying to whittle it down. Point being, I have NO brand bias at all. I just like interesting motorcycles. The point is, the loss of a relevant motorcycle manufacturer, particularly one whose management could be directly attributed to a single individual and his passion and purpose, is an absolute tragedy to our sport and passion. If you don't see it as such, I do not see how you can consider yourself to be a true enthusiast.

Steve, is it only the pods that you find so objectionable? Yeah, they take some getting used to, but they are indeed functional. There's a pair of side-mounted radiators to direct the air flow through. Anyway, since you've proven you're not above riding ugly bikes, I don't understand why you find this so objectionable. And as for the worthlessness - as much fun as it is to ride, I guarantee it will never be worthless. Read this... http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/oped/econo...comment-page-1/ I'd say in the end, the collectability & value of it will exceed any of our beloved V11's. Maybe I'm wrong, but I doubt it. Between being the last model introduced from the only viable, relevant American sportbike company in addition to being a limited production, well reviewed, well regarded model and a lot of fun to ride - I think it'll do ok.

THAT was funny! (coming from a huge Pogue's fan)

I'm extremely happy with it as is other than the silly clubman handlebars. Once I get the accessory "high bars" on, I fully intend to leave it alone save for a couple well documented (easily reversible) mods - removing the passenger pegs/mounts, "de-noiding" it (don't ask unless you really care about Buell 1125 minutia).

Jeez... People think my new Buell 1125CR is ugly. I don't get it...

Not to worry, when I said earlier I run it up hard, it's really just a lot of cycles like running it up from 4k to 6k so there's some load on it, then rolling it off and letting it slow down, then repeat. Rubberband riding. I don't start out aggressively at all. And the display flashes a "CT cold" (coolant temp) until it comes up to some reasonable temp, so I just let it sit and idle until it's up to temp before riding. Takes a few minutes. The continual fussing around with the throttle is a bit tedious, that's all. I've probably owned > 40 bikes in the 30 years I've been riding, and this is only the second new bike I've ever bought so I don't usually have to go through this "dating phase". I realize I shouldn't whine about it, though...

Well, I'm really not doing anything contrary to the break-in recommendations in the owners manual. I'm trying not to exceed the rpm limit, and the only thing I've done really different is to change the oil early. Every break-in I've ever seen suggests to not hold the rpm/load steady for extended periods of time, so I'm just being sure to not do that. Just a lot of constant accel/deaccel.

Tom - yeah, I've been following the break in rules. Lots of running it up hard, then rolling it off. Changed the oil at 53 miles. This break-in stuff is for the birds though - I guess I know it's getting done right, but it's really hard to hold the thing to 6k rpm (even though that's 90 mph in 6th). I'm not a crazy rider but it revs really fast, just wants to keep going. The only thing that I dislike about the bike is the "clubman" handlebars, they really do not work for my 51 year old body. I could tell that sitting on it in the showroom. There is an accessory "high bar" but it's on back order. Other than that, it's a very livable ride (after 200 miles in a couple days, anyway). Fun stuff. Doesn't sound nearly as good as my LeMans with the Mistrals, though...

Steve, I just noticed an R1200GS in your sig. I'm sorry, I can't see how anybody who would buy an R1200GS could ever criticize the styling of ANYTHING regardless of it's function. A good friend of mine had one (traded in for a K1300GT) and he freely admitted it was the ugliest motorcycle ever conceived. And, I think Buell would argue that much of the "styling" of his bikes came from the same "form follows function" argument as you make for your justification for the GS purchase. When you do things differently than everybody else, it's not surprising that the end product looks different than everybody else's. Also, "universal negative" is a bit overstated - read this... http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/8/4506/Motor...omparo-III.aspx Whatever. Doesn't really matter much in the end, we all buy what appeals to us and nobody else's opinion should be a significant parameter. But, I've gotta say, my CR looks orders of magnitude better to me than any GS I've seen, and that's in consideration of both bike's intended functions. Steve

Yeah, but like that article says - it just makes a uniquely styled bike look like everything else. I guess if that's want you want, ok Believe it or not, there are folks who think Griso's are fugly...

A couple good points there - one of the really cool things about the 1125CR (or any Buell) is you can point back directly to THE GUY who is responsible for conceptualizing this thing and bringing it to reality. How many current production bikes can you say that about? Second - about "being different' - agreed. That's part of the reason I love my Guzzi's, and a lot of the appeal of the Buell. Can't get too much different than that. For me, individualism has been a cornerstone of my motorcycling interests - conformance diminishes the appeal. Guess that's why I'm not a big HD fanatic (although must confess to owning a '75 ironhead sportster).

Well, I read about the demise of Buell on this forum about a week after it happened (was out on a camping vacation). I found it horribly depressing. Although I hadn't had a lot of Buell-lust over the years, I respected them immensely for what they were doing, and their efforts to be a viable American sportbike company. I liked that they were doing somewhat quirky unconventional things - and although the styling is an acquired taste, at least they were distinctive. Anyway, the thing that always put me off was their reliance on the sportster engine - it just seemed a little too much at odds with the sharp focus the rest of the bike had. But when they came out with the 1125 - a "real" sportbike motor - well, I got really interested and figured I'd have one some day. So when I found out about the firesales and realizing they were't gonna make anymore, well - I called my local dealer, they had 1 1125CR left at 1/2 MSRP ($6k). I mentally chewed it over for a few days, read every review I could find, found a really good Buell forum for support and education, and decided to go for it. I now believe this was the new bike deal of the century. Picked it up today and put about 90 miles on it. An amazing bike, light - stupid fast, handles beautifully. I think it is going to be a ton of fun, particularly once I get it broken in so I can run it up past 6k (redline is 10,500). And it still has a 2 year unlimited milage warranty. Just makes me all the more depressed HD shut them down - this really is a world class bike. And, I know some find these ugly - and my '02 LeMans is prettier for sure - but I do think this is one wicked cool looking scoot...

Paying $140 for my last BMW k-bike battery convinced my that spending $20 on a battery tender to keep it charged, happy and ready to go was a good investment. I have 4 bikes registered and sometimes it's a long time between consecutive rides, which doesn't do any favors for the batteries. But now I have 4 bikes, 4 battery tenders - and they're all always ready to run. I don't know what the battery is in my V11, it's some sealed thing - but the PO evidently kept a tender on it (plug was still on the battery when I got it) so I didn't have any qualms keeping one on.

I bought one for my Mistral/Stucchi equipped '02 LeMans. To be honest I'd only driven ~100 fairly easy miles since buying the bike before getting it (& loading the appropriate map from the DynoJet site) and it didn't seem like it was running bad before - so I didn't really perceive the dramatic change you report. Doesn't mean it wasn't there - I just hadn't spent enough time to get to know the bike prior to installing it, I guess. Might be interesting to take it off now that I'm used to it and see how different it is, but why bother... That said, it does run very nicely now - no flat spots, nicely responsive in the 3-6k range which is about as high as I'll go.