Buell Lightning XB9S reviews

I love my BUELL XB12X ULYSSES 2007 And look around on the WWW for a new or still in good shape secondhands: - Front Right Brake Rotor. - And back brake as well. Can any body sent me some addresses and or links! To loekvanderklis@gmail.com Or send my request to other buell owners. Thank you so much. Show less

Reliability. I never had any issues, except it vibrates a little and can sometimes loosen hardware. Not like the engine falls apart, but the shift lever end fell off riding one day and the negative on the battery started to loosen. Only things I have had issues with. No electrical problems. At 20 years old, I went through the fuel system and cleaned stuff up, as any gas powered vehicle would need. Quality? Sure. Compared to the price? Definitely. Performance is low end oriented. Don't expect a top end screamer and you'll be happy. It is fantastic bursting around 40-60mph roads, and will net 50 mpg doing it. Comfort? It doesn't make you cramp as bad as some newer sport bikes and is more upright, but it wasn't designed to be comfortable. A nee seat would help as it is a little narrow where it meets the tank. It's been a great bike and you won't see any others like it when you own one! Show less

I rode a 150cc over seven years; finally opted to "step up" to this versatile creature. One can sit upright or drop into a tuck. Almost a decade later, the styling is unimitated. It's throaty rumble turns heads and has powerful front brakes and an exquisitely balanced chassis. Drop it into 4th on a highway incline and the bike breaks away effortlessly. A short wheelbase invites underestimation. We've been riding five weeks, from 3,900 miles to 7,900 miles. This bike is almost ideal for traveling around Atlanta; from the local highways, to the city streets, to the interstates. Show less

As I've been riding on the big bike just a little over a decade, the Lightning finally explains my 'Review Title' without any doubts. Just got it for a couple of months with excellent condition and as all the Lightning's lovers do, I take it on the road almost everyday with no burdens. Ultimately, this is one of all two wheels kind that you have got to take on if you want to get into the heart of 'Live to Ride' spirit!!! Show less

I bought my new Buell XB12 Super TT last December. Easily, it's the best bike I have ever owned. It has some quirks which I will tell you about, but overall, it's a sweet ride. It has plenty of juice for traffic. You don't have to shift down to get any maneuvering power, it's instant, and it's on demand. The riding position is perfect. It sits high enough so that you can see traffic and your body position isn't too agressive. This is an excellent posture for urban slalom. In a drag-race, my Buell will do about as well as a 650cc Suzuki. My red-line is at 6.8 grand so a 650cc bike will bound ahead but will lose ground in the top gears. My Super TT will top at about a buck-fourty, which is a bit faster than a 750cc, and then it's `sayonara.` However, bigger bikes will leave me behind. In a cornering contest, my Super TT makes all the competition cry. The lean angle, handling and corner-exiting torque are all supierior to anything else on the road. Maneuverability and its ability to escape and accelerate through traffic are superb. Trust me - I live in Seattle. As I mentioned, there are some quirks: First; you have to `un-learn` your Japanese riding style. This is no exageration. Second; you must warm-up this bike before you ride away. If the engine is hot, you feel the joy. Otherwise, a cold engine isn't much fun to ride and could be unsafe. Again - trust me on this. Third; Road grime. The number plates really suck up the road-grime and it gets everywhere. I can't explain it, it just does. I turned those goofy number plates into a couple of `frisbees.` Then I got the Ulysses lower front fender and now road-grime isn't a problem. One last opinion: This bike is not for beginners. It can perform well past a newbie's ability to control it. Show less

The perfect combination of performance and styling for city and weekend riding: - All the torque and power you need whenever you want it - Engine sound is unbeatable - Head-turning looks - Effortless reliability Show less

I bought this bike new in Feb. '03 because it was what I had been looking for. I had also looked at the Ducatis, Triumphs, Aprilias, etc. I wanted an air cooled, belt driven,compact, light, nimble, reliable, locally serviced and if at all possible, American made. I also required a bike that needed 0 upgrades to correct design/build flaws. The Buell met all the requirements on paper, received excellent reviews, and has been tons of fun to ride and live with. Thumbs up! Show less

This bike has been flawless from day one. In fact, the more miles I put on it the better it runs. I use it for commuting back and forth to work and poker runs. I have no problem going any distance as the bike is very comfortable and gets great gas mileage. Show less

This is a '96 S1 I've owned since it was purchased in 2001 with 3000 miles. It has always been the ONE streetbike I've wanted, and is also the only bike I've owned. The XB's are more refined, more reliable, and are more stable but don't have the rough and rowdy character this old beast exudes in spades. The operating costs are fairly severe if rode hard and often...both in tickets and maintenance issues. The worst of which have been a couple complete charging systems, blown rear head gasket, and a broken cylinder head (broke at the mount and led to a needed top end rebuild). It is usually used for short commutes but has done a few long trips...the longest a 1500 mile 3 day trip from NY to FL. The seat has about 100 miles of tolerable comfort. These are most reliable left stock, but most fun worked over! After all these years she still puts a big smile on my face everyday. Show less

My wife just baught an XB12SCG. It is a little small in stature for me but wow does it handle great. After riding her Buell for an hour or so I get back on my ZX6 and have to actually work to ride it. The Buell is very torqy and long in the gears. What a blast. Show less