new Buell XB12R/XB12S

[pantablo]

yep thats right...12



http://www.motorcycledaily.com/14july03buell2004xb12r&s.htm

[Piper5177]

I rode the 9, and that thing was a wheelie monster.  I can't wait to ride this!

[bbanjo]

Regardless of your opinion of HD motors, that Buell design team has put some sweet bikes together.

Like my two year old says, "I want one"

[KevinC]

They sure haven't got that great of reviews in the British press at least. Strangley slow handling for such a short, radical geometry bike, mediocre brakes, and not much power compared to the lower cost Japanese sport bikes. And on the two long term tests I've seen, both broke down, and they waited forever for parts.

[Black Snowman]

I was really hoping for the V-Rod motor but I guess until the sales of the V-Rod slump there won't be enough spares for Buell. Maybe in 2005. Still the black is SOOO SWEEET. I'm going to do everything in my power to get one. Maybe . . . even sell the GS

[Rich500]

That will definatley be the next bike I purchase in the next 12 months.
Im in love.

[shep_bannister]

I'm probably alone in this, but except for the very cool bikini fairing on that thing, I think it looks pretty silly.  In fact not only does it look goofy, but it looks cheap and breakable to me as well.  

I'd much rather have a Z1000.

[Black Snowman]

You only say that because you haven't seen a Z1000 in person (or if you have your standards are differant than mine). I've seen an XB9R in person and it looked better than the pictures to me. I've also seen the Z1000 and I don't think it lived up to the pics at all.

That's just my opinion though but before you make any final judgements I'd check them both out.

Good news about the Z1000 is that it's MUCH cheaper.

[KevinC]

Go for the Aprilia Tourno! Way better performance, and probably no more than the Buell with that hunk of cr*p engine.

[JamesG]

Until Buell gets a real engine to work with none of his bikes will be worth a crap...

[Zarathustra]

one of my buddies at work has a z1000, and the first time i saw it i thought it was a really sweet bike.  however, after seeing it everyday for the past few months, i'm starting to lose my liking of the looks.  i don't really like this buell design either however.  i'd probably still like an sv1000s more than either of these 2.

[Black Snowman]

An Aprilia Tourno would be pretty sweet, but man. Parts and maintainence would be a nightmare, even compaired to the Buell. Sweet sweet bikes though and I'll take it if you're buying .

I don't know, I still have this thing for the Buells. I don't know what my problem is but they just hit all the right buttons for me. The sound, the looks, who knows. Maybe once I test ride one I'll decide it's not for me but from what I hear that's what gets ya is the test ride.

[JamesG]

Yeah the Zed is kinda interesting to look at initially, like eye candy,  but its not the the look I'd want to come out to every day.
Where the Aprillia looks serious and exotic, the Kawi looks cheap and cheazy.

[DrtRydr23]

Is this one of the model's that Buell makes where they store the gas in the frame and put the airbox where the tank is?

John L.

Nevermind, I just read the link in Pablo's post and it is.  I think that's cool as hell.  Pretty innovative as it lowers the bikes center of gravity.

[The Antibody]

One word.

   Overdesigned!

 -Anti

[KevinC]

Nevermind, I just read the link in Pablo's post and it is.  I think that's cool as hell.  Pretty innovative as it lowers the bikes center of gravity.

But why do you want to lower the CG? Bikes need less lean angle for a given turn radius and speed with a higher CG. And they actually roll faster (into turns, or changing directions) with a higher CG.

Unless you have an insanely short wheelbase, like the Buell, a lower CG doesn't buy you much. Look at the MotoGP bikes - they aren't designed for a low CG, even with 220 hp. I'm pretty sure it doesn't help the Buell, with it's massive 80 hp.

All the bike magazines I read are scratching their heads over why it rolls so slowly. I've read theories from the massive flywheel gyroscopic effects, the gyroscxopic effect from having the disk so far out on the front wheel, but maybe it's just that the CG is too low.

[mrslush50]

Is this one of the model's that Buell makes where they store the gas in the frame and put the airbox where the tank is?

thats all they make now except for the blast.

[DrtRydr23]

I'll admit that physics isn't my forte, but it seems to me that a lower center of gravity would make it roll better.  It seem to relate to the whole "a point near the center of a rotating mass is moving a shorter distance than a point near the end" theory.  Granted the point at the end is moving faster, but the point near the center doesn't need to move as far.  If the COG of the bike is lower, the bike doesn't need to roll as fast to get to the same lean angle.  Actually that doesn't really sound right, I mean it does in theory, but applied to a practical situation is seems off.  Anyway, like I said I'm not into physics so I'm probably wrong.

John L.

[mrslush50]

the center of gravity acts as the center of rotation for the bike as you lean it one direction or another.  (this is because the center of gravity is effectivly the only point at which gravity acts on any object.)  the idea behind of mass centralization is to place the center of gravity, or center of mass, at the physical center of the bike.  of course when a heavy rider is added to the top of a bike, the mass centralization is messed up.  this is also the priciple behind the Gurney A-5 Alligator.  it sits the rider low in the bike (only 18 inches from the ground) lowering the center of mass and allowing for quicker stearing.

[Black Snowman]

The lower CG creates stability which is why it can get away with such a short wheelbase. With a shorter wheelbase you get a faster turn for a given amount of lean. So even though you lean slower you get into a turn at roughly the same pace but can achieve a tighter turn if you get in deep and although you enter a lean slower you can come out of one faster giving the over all handling of a higher CG bike but with more stability and a faster absolute turn rate at max lean.

At least that what I've gathered from the various tech articles and ride reviews.