Greetings,
I have just purchased a new Buell, 2010 model. I read about the demise of Buell in MCN, and to be honest am one of those who has always like the look and the idea, but never got round to even test riding one. I was initially attracted to the 1125CR, I suppose like a lot attracted by the huge saving over list -£4999 here,(Bristol.) I liked the idea of the more powerful Rotax engine over the Harley, but had sneaked in my local dealers a few times over the last few years and actually loved the styling of the XB Lightning range, the more truncated the better so loved the XB9SX, but thought I would want a bit more 'grunt'. Anway I was all set to put a deposit down on the CR, and to be fair the salesman said he would rather take my money after a test ride. So I turned up - and he lead me out on an XB12SX 2010 demonstrator, me on a black 1125CR with the flat bars.

I am afraid to say that I absolutely hated the CR. Obviously, these issues could well be just with the bike I rode but straight away I noticed a horrendously heavy throttle, so much so that it was difficult to rev which you need to do to access the power. I did not like the riding position, not true streetfighter like I had expected with the bars, did not like the roughness of the engine when worked, the bike was no way as fast as it's bhp and torque figures would suggest, although the difficulty in accessing the power via the throttle could well explain this feeling. Lastly the handling, which I thought was a given, was not sorted: It felt 'wierd' on its suspension, and top heavy falling in to corners the bike required a surprising effort to turn . On a minor point, I could see nothing in the mirrors cos of the vibes. I am just so pleased I had a test ride, because even the online reviews seem to rave about this bike. To me it felt like it needed further development to be as polite as I can. It may well be that this demonstrator had issues that could easily be fixed, but at 5k it didn't sell itself to me. If the company was still going that would be one matter, but to take all this as a risk then the bike would have had to blow me away, which it just didn't. The last thing I want is to have to be in and out of the dealers on a model that the manufacturer may well walk away from.

I asked if I could swap with the salesman, and within seconds was grinning inside my helmet; the XB12SX was an absolute peach of a bike, amazing handling, (and my other bike is a Daytona 675) great grunty engine, fantastic brakes, really slick gearchange, loved the 'attack' riding position, and just felt so damn cool riding it. It gave me such confidence in its handling, and the power is so much easier to access than the 1125, that I was loads faster on it, or at least it felt that way The first thought in my head was why in the hell have Buell gone bust if they make bikes like this? I had at least 30 minutes riding each , and on return put a deposit down on a 2010 XB12SX in 'valencia Orange' which I will pick up next week. Again I know that this is a risk, no bike is an investment, but I felt I would have a lot more fun on the XB12s City x even if I run it into the ground, which I will probably have to

The salesman said to me it was always a matter of getting bums on seats to sell a Buell - true and not true in my case.

There were 16 other Buells on the sheet when I picked my registration, all sold over the last week.

Sorry for the length of this first post, but I suppose that I am trying to offer the perspective of a new owner who has been tempted by the price-falls, and as such would heartily recommend a test ride before committing what is still a lot of money (for most) rather than that (perspective) of a die-hard buellist.

hello and welcome

Hi krafty

you got a good deal there and you are not alone in yhour assessment of the 1125 Vs pushrod engine. Buell would still be going if they had stuck with a simpler engine in a tube frame ...... IMO

Buells are a big laugh to ride but demand more involvement than you are probably used too - unless you are a Hurley pugh owner.

This web site and badweb between them contain all knowledge that you need to slowly go mad and become bankrupt - enjoy

Thanks for those comments, I understand I am probably in for a bit of bumpy ride at times, just thought that it would actually be quite cool to own one of the last of one of the coolest looking bikes ever made IMHO. I am not buying one to sell on cos I think the prices will rise.

Also, as a Triumph owner, don't forget that I am used to mechanical uncertainty

For those that worry about Buell reliability - to put it in perspective, my riding buddy bought a new Blade in 2008, he is on his second engine, second set of headers, second exhaust, second tank and third bellypan. These were all warranty issues not damage. His fairing has also cracked where the mirrors stick out. This is after 5000 miles. £9k bike

Hi there and welcome: -

I also test rode the Black CR at Riders Bristol last weekend, and I have a new 2009 Triumph Street triple R in my garage so we are quite similar. The only difference being that I loved the CR and placed my deposit as soon as I could extracate it from my leathers. I didnt find any of the issues you did with that particular bike but we are all different and I have owned an S1 Lightning previously. One thing I would say is that when I rode the bike the road was wet and greasy so there is no way I put the bike through it's paces. I would say that the future of my ST3R is definitely in question come the spring.

Hello and welcome, im sure you will really enjoy the bike