Found the bike I want!

[yorkie_chris]

Why are you worried about dropping the 'cat... spares for those are way easier to get hold of than a buell!

[dizzyblonde]

I wouldn't go for a Buell as a first bike. Got a friend with vast experience of them, I'd hazard a guess he'd say its not for girls(for want of a better phrase), especially those that are looking at one for a first bike. They can be for girls......but you have to be damn careful on them

The Buell just felt like an extension of me and so I feel like the benefit of starting out on a bike that does not make me worrysome or nervous would outweigh the possible need for damage repair

if you think the Buell won't worry you.....think again!

[yorkie_chris]

I haven't ridden one, it's obvious that the bhp figures won't get you into trouble particularly quickly, but they do have a reputation of very short wheelbase and aggressive geometry. Maybe a twitchy bike is not the best for a beginner, or maybe having no experience of other geometry you will love it and be able to chuck it about like nothing else...

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

I haven't ridden one, it's obvious that the bhp figures won't get you into trouble particularly quickly, but they do have a reputation of very short wheelbase and aggressive geometry. Maybe a twitchy bike is not the best for a beginner, or maybe having no experience of other geometry you will love it and be able to chuck it about like nothing else...

+1....

GG if you want any info about this Buell I'm sure our mad Buell owning friend could be poked with a small stick, hes a lot of a buell nerd(and a UKBEG moderator)
A bit like some of these SV owners

i didnt buy new for my first bike...but i bought it in mint condition. in fact the guy who looked at it for has a 2007 bike and it was in better condition than his. and i've dropped it. 4 times. that i can remember. now, i'm not distraught that i've dropped it, i've not broken anything on it yet, theres a few holes in the stickers on my fairings now, and some scratches on the bar ends/indicators/crash bungs because i knew as it was my first bike, i was gonna drop it. i wasnt confident, its big and heavy, and im clumsy. BUT it does make me feel a bit sad that i bought a mint condition bike and now its a bit battered. it's kind of a waste really. in 8 years it had done 11000 miles and was beautiful. now its done 3000 in 2 months and has wear and tear

HOWEVER, because its big and wide and heavy, i was terrified of it. it took me until about may to actually enjoy riding it, before i was going out on it because i knew i should do, but all the time while i was on it, i couldnt wait to get off it - not because i hated riding, but because i'd have safely got somewhere without dropping it., and i do tihnk, if i'd got a bike i was confident on - that i could get my feet down on, that i could lean over with more skill, that i didnt wibble around on because it was so heavy at slow speeds that perhaps i'd got to this point in my riding life - where i love my bike and im getting more and more confident everytime i ride, a hell of a lot sooner?

I like that a lot. It's your choice to make at the end of the day, no guarantee on dropping your first bike, most people do. Not heard much on Buells so can't say whether carp or not. However, before you make a decision, look at this...

[gruntygiggles]

Regards the gearbox.....it's been overhauled and problems ironed out....as have almost all Buell problems since Harley took over.

Regarding being a twitchy bike, this one isn't and I've read quite a few reviews now that confirm this. A few of these reviews say that this is an excellent bike for a novice rider as it has become a very smooth and sympathetic bike.

I tend not to listen too much to what people say about bikes they've owned unless it's the exact same bike and there's evidence to back it up. As this bike has been modified and improved from the 2008 version, it is not the same bike, so I'd only really want to know about experience people have had with the 09 version. It's not that I don't trust what people say, but it's very easy to talk down something that you have had a bad experience with and it might not always be an impartial and fair review/

I know they have a lot of vibration, but regular services and checks will pick up on anything vibrating itself loose and the bike has had great reviews for reliability and the many new and improved components making servicing cheaper.

I've been on bikes for enough tens of thousands of miles to have a good feel for them and used to ride my Gixxer 600 up and down my drive nearly every day without a problem. I just feel more comfortable on the Buell.

Another negative is that they are so easy to handle, I could do too much too soon, but I would have to be careful to manage my riding and not allow myself to do that.

[gruntygiggles]

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

I wouldn't go for a Buell as a first bike. Got a friend with vast experience of them, I'd hazard a guess he'd say its not for girls(for want of a better phrase), especially those that are looking at one for a first bike. They can be for girls......but you have to be damn careful on them



if you think the Buell won't worry you.....think again!

I know what you mean.......it will worry me in a riding sense as any bike would, but my main worry with the cat is at low speed and stops because i'm so short and the cat is so heavy. I realise the Buell will be one hell of a bike to get to grips with.

[gruntygiggles]

Plowsie......that bike would scare the hell out of me....lol. The 1125 lays the power down in a very different way and I wouldn't want something like that....that really would be stupid. Really hope Squirrel gets one though!

Dizzyblonde.......I'd be really interested to hear what your friend thinks about this bike. Apparently it is quite a bit changed from the 2008 model in terms of its rider friendly reactions to the throttle and brake and has been made to satisfy those wanting the grunt when they fancy opening it up, but being kind and easy for those that just want to pootle about. Appreciate your comments!

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by gruntygiggles

Regards the gearbox.....it's been overhauled and problems ironed out....as have almost all Buell problems since Harley took over.

Regarding being a twitchy bike, this one isn't and I've read quite a few reviews now that confirm this. A few of these reviews say that this is an excellent bike for a novice rider as it has become a very smooth and sympathetic bike.

I tend not to listen too much to what people say about bikes they've owned unless it's the exact same bike and there's evidence to back it up. As this bike has been modified and improved from the 2008 version, it is not the same bike, so I'd only really want to know about experience people have had with the 09 version. It's not that I don't trust what people say, but it's very easy to talk down something that you have had a bad experience with and it might not always be an impartial and fair review/

I know they have a lot of vibration, but regular services and checks will pick up on anything vibrating itself loose and the bike has had great reviews for reliability and the many new and improved components making servicing cheaper.

I've been on bikes for enough tens of thousands of miles to have a good feel for them and used to ride my Gixxer 600 up and down my drive nearly every day without a problem. I just feel more comfortable on the Buell.

Another negative is that they are so easy to handle, I could do too much too soon, but I would have to be careful to manage my riding and not allow myself to do that.

thing is about regular Buell services is ...they are bloody expensive. Most things are main dealership done, bunch of a*holes that do it. If anything needs doing on our mates Buells that he doesn't do himself he sends them to another mad Bueller to do them, gets them serviced or 're-engineered' so that they are done propery. Any advice off any of these guys is pretty solid, they are pretty positive about their bikes, but won't hang about hiding anything if it needs to be said.

http://www.ukbeg.com/

pop across here, and see if you can find anything relevant in your quest

Originally Posted by gruntygiggles

I know what you mean.......it will worry me in a riding sense as any bike would, but my main worry with the cat is at low speed and stops because i'm so short and the cat is so heavy. I realise the Buell will be one hell of a bike to get to grips with.

Ever thought of a nakid Raptor...tiny, light and very very manoueverable, not twitchy like a Buell and much cheaper and easier to maintain