1999 Buell reviews

I own and have owned a lot of bikes. I ride a Gold Wing, CB200 Honda, and a '72 Norton Commando. In the past I owned a 1967 T120R Triumph, a '74 KZ500 Kawasaki and KZ750 (the three cylinder two stroke rockets of death), etc. I recently bought a tricked out 1999 Buell X1 Lightning with about 20 extra hp and lb/ft, wheels, tires, exhaust, intake, ECU, etc. My first experience was a test ride and I knew it was special as soon as the mechanic started it up. It was an intimidating sound even at idle. It came to life in a low deep growl, lumpy and very serious, it gave me butterflies and I was a little scared and wondered if I had made a mistake. After a minute of earth pounding idle the mechanic decided it needed to be rapidly revved to about 5 grand 3 or 4 times. The Buell engine sounds like something Enzo Ferrari would build if he built motorcycles on steroids. I climbed aboard this shuddering mass of utterly intimidating technology, metal, rubber and fuel eased off the clutch and rolled on about 1/8 revolution of throttle. My feet found their way to the pegs quite naturally in spite of the fact that I am tall at 6' 3. The riding position was comfortable and more upright than I expected and the saddle fit quite well. I slowly maneuvered around the parking lot getting used to the clutch and controls before my foray into traffic. Within the first 50 feet of very cautious riding I knew the Buell was something quite extraordinary. It was easy to ride and had very responsive brakes, the engine felt lumpy but the throttle felt light and balanced, all in all the bike feels small like a 250. It stumbled a little at low speeds, apparently the lungs desire higher airflow to satisfy the lust for explosion. This turned out to be only one of two bad habits I discovered with the Buell. The engine lunges at very low speeds like a 15 mph school zone. Maneuvering in stop and go traffic requires a lot of finesse on the clutch and throttle and this bike does not like to passively roll forward ten feet. This bike is a thoroughbred racer and wants to go, it feels anxious and edgy at very low speeds, the clutch is very heavy and made my hand cramp. I found that I needed to keep the motor at about 3000 rpm to get smooth performance riding or cornering, below this, it can shudder and affect speed and turn radius. It's a small quirk and something that can be tolerated and the rider can learn to ride around. It's not a sacrifice to have a bit of engine speed in the turns so the throttle roll-on is smooth and responsive. I rode it around a local neighborhood, stopping and starting to get the feel of the controls and pegs, kids would stop and look and more than one car seemed to pay attention. I eventually wound my way to a larger road with a higher speed limit to test my skills. The light turned green I rolled on the throttle, slipped the clutch and off I went. Acceleration is brisk to say the least, the 1203cc plant pulls effortlessly and very smooth above 3000 rpm. The first gear comfortably winds out to about 40 mph and slipping into second and a modest rev got me to 60 in a 45 zone in about 6 seconds. If I could I would change the pulley diameters to trade low speed engine revs for ultimate top speed. I found that I rarely needed 5th gear as I'm a wuss rider and only go 75 or 80 mph anyway. Within a few miles I had gained the confidence to roll the throttle to perhaps 1/4 revolution and this is truly where the fun begins. The acceleration as well as the exhaust note go from effortless and manly to NASCAR and then from NASCAR to Top Fuel somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 throttle. I never revved the engine above 5000 rpm and even so this machine left me grinning from ear to ear and my heart pounding every time I took off from a traffic light. The sound and utter fury are amazing and I found myself respecting this machine the first time I walked it through the gears. This is a bike that can get a careless undisciplined thrill happy rider in trouble very, very fast. It requires discipline, self control and a fondness for life to offset the siren call of the almighty throttle. Beware. The first time you stop on this little machine you will notice the brakes. They are simply the best brakes I have ever felt on any vehicle. I suspect the 60 mph braking distance is about 60 feet. I found that I had to be careful for a number of reasons, first I was afraid that the front tire would lock up and second the traffic behind you cannot stop anywhere near as fast. As with all new vehicles and with any performance vehicle, you will need caution and diligence to manage the performance on this little bike. After a few very satisfying high speed 1/4 throttle launches from traffic lights I decided to find some twisty roads to test the handling. I cruised one local road a couple times and after learning all the bumps and verifying that there were no cinders or oil patches I made a pass and practiced push steering the little Buell. It's a very responsive bike and immediately responds to pressure on the handle bars and immediately returns to upright when you let up. It handles like a road racer, a lot like my Norton, light, responsive, tight and rigid like a fighter plane. Balance and counter balance steering character are also very good and natural, my only complaint is that the steering lock is encountered too early, does not allow enough maneuverability in parking. Again, this is a very small quirk and one the rider can learn to manage. I test rode my Buell for an hour, got off, looked at the bike and all I could do was grin and say Wow! All I wanted was to ride it again. The Buell is a unique one of a kind high performance bike and not for everyone. It's stripped down to the bare essentials necessary for performance, so it vibrates, makes noise, and everything it does is breathtaking. I found it was a good match for me and I enjoy learning to ride it even 1/2 way to its potential. The X1 Buell will always have a place in my stable of motorcycles and close to my heart and it gets the majority of my attention when I go for a ride. I may end up neglecting my Norton and my Gold Wing, and I hope they can forgive me, but I won't have time to feel sorry. Show less

I just got my Cyclone this summer at my local H-D dealer. I also have a 1996 H-D Road King. The Cyclone is a perfect second bike. It is sooo much fun to ride!! I love the V-twin power (torquey and wide powerband). And it handles fantastic! Also, the Cyclone looks cool and turns heads everywhere I go. Lots of compliments. My Cyclone is stock but I plan on adding a tachometer, performance exhuast, air filter, and rejet the carb. My dealer has been very helpful and has a technician who specializes in BUELLs. I have only put a couple thousand miles on it this summer but have enjoyed every one of them!! I would highly recommend the Cyclone to anyone who is looking for a performance bike at a reasonable price! Show less

Gday, I bought my S3 in '02 with 4500km on it. Before that I had other bikes but I've always wanted a harley. But I could not see the use in a bike which was only good in open road conditions . The buell is a bike you either like or you don't, but if you look hard and take your time to understand what Mr. Buell was about , this is my opinion , you get the sound of the harley,and the sexy note of the pipes, the handling of a japanese bike maybe even better. Mine has not broken down in the 15000ks I have had it. Give it a go but take your time to understand the bike and learn that a buell can make a statement on its own and stand out. good luck!! Show less

i have been riding for 36 years and this is the worst bike i have ever owned. In 3 years i have only put 3000 miles on it because of its unreliablity and the fact that it sparknocks like its full of marbles when its warm, Buell has ben no help and now after taking 500 dollars of my money and keeping the thing for 2 months just to get it to start the dealer tells me its the stock airbox thats the problem and he can sell me a different one for 250 more dollars.The one good thing that has come from this is that i finally got disgusted and bought a bmw wow what a bike I am in heaven that piece of s*** buell can rust into dust for all i care Show less

Some of my past bikes include..Norton 850,Guzzi LM11,Guzzi MKV (Ult ED.)GPZ 900R ,GSXR 750 M,ZZR1100(98),& 99X1 Buell.....I wont part with the Buell.Minimum maint will prevent problems and with very little work the bike has never let me down.Fantastic hills scratcher...hard to beat, very forgiving.Always gets looks & enquiries.Its like no other bike Ive ever ridden. Simply...........I love it. Show less

What a great bike and a fun ride. I purchased mine used from a local used bike dealer. Handles great with absolutely brutish power delivery. Has a Vance&hines exhaust which is very loud and cool. Definately a 0-90mph bike, wind blast too much above. Makes it easy to do wheelies and scare my wife. Definately a tinkerer's bike, which I don't mind. Put 500 on in the first week I had it and was fairly comfortable. Will upgrade to a brighter headlight. Show less

I've been riding bikes longer than a lot of the guys I ride with have been on the planet. My bright yellow Buell X-1 with the factory race kit is just great. My last bike was a H-D Low Rider Custom with about an extra $5,000 in it. The Buell is about ten times the fun to ride. I went on a Sport Bike ride and found that I could pass the Japanese bikes on the inside of the turns, on the outside of the turns. It was a kick starting out in the back of the pack not knowing how competitive I'd be and ending up in second place. Out of the twisties and onto the freeway running at 120 with the pure Sport Bikes and as smooth as a babies behind. Not a great tourer but lots of fun. that's what I bought it for. Show less

If you are into the latest, greatest sportbikes then you probably won't be interested in a Buell. If you like to carve corners without buying overseas then you have no other choice. Although '99 was the first year of the X1 (remember the old maxim about never buying the first model of anything? It's true...) and it has problems, it also has outstanding handling, the ability to rocket from corner to corner without rowing the shifter, and the components necessary to hang with friends riding Triumph Speed Triples and Ducati Monsters. Erik Buell's marriage of a torquey V-twin and stiff frame using the engine as a stressed member is the simplest possible definition of sportbike. The mass is kept low in the frame and this allows a Buell to change directions easily. You don't suppose Honda and Suzuki have recently marketed big-bore V-twin-powered sportbikes as a whim, do you? Unlike most street-legal racebikes, this bike has real-world ergonomics. The footpegs are where they belong (under your butt without feeling like they're part of your cheeks and not three feet out in front of you, either) and the handlebar (no clip ons!) is a comfortable reach. The 74-c.i. (1203 cc) engine will spin willing right to the rev limiter (almost 7,000 rpm), is smooth from 3,000 rpm on up, and will cruise all day long at 95 mph (or until those bright, colorful lights show up in the rear-view mirrors....)There is virtually none of the high-rpm buzz that an in-line fours produce at speed. The faster you go, the smoother it feels. Buell apparently did very little testing of the engine management system. This was their first shot at a production machine with fuel injection. The original-equipment ECU (brain) stinks. An extra $200 gets you the "Race Only" module with a huge improvement in rideability, particularly at low engine rpms. Other mods included gutting the airbox, K & N air filter, stainless steel SuperTrapp exhaust can (way better sound, some extra power, several pounds weight savings), and a radar detector. If you go with the American sportbike be sure to check out potential dealers carefully. Harley dealers make a lot of money selling Harleys, but most would rather not have Buells on their lots. Harleys sell for list plus whatever the dealer thinks he can make on top of that. Buells go for no more than list. When it comes time to service your bike be sure your chosen dealer has someone who has actually worked on Buells before. Just because it has a Harley engine doesn't mean the dealer's wrench has clue one about a Buell. Plan on shopping elsewhere for most of your after-market modifications. Despite spending too much time at the dealer for various repairs (all under the extended warranty I was smart/lucky enough to buy) this bike does what I want: Gets me wherever I want to go with little fuss. It looks cool, the girls love it, and the guys envy me, what else is there? Show less

My recomendation, IF you know this a Harley and for the money you can get faster bikes, bikes that handle better, bikes that are easier to resell. ..BUT When you're riding it you just love that there probably isn't another one around for a couple hundred miles and this thing looks cool!!! In terms of performance though I have a borla pipe, k&n filter and mine was dyno'd at 83ft/lbs at the rear wheel - approx.12.8 1/4 mi times. Would I recomend this bike to a serious speed freak ....NO. To a Harley fan??.. you bet. Don Show less