Blast cafe racer
- Thread starter gribbs
- Start date
biker_reject
Over 1,000 Posts
I was skeptical when I saw the title to the thread, but I looked anyway. I'll admit that I'm impressed. I've always thought of the XB line as more a modern cafe than sportbike. I'm building an XB9R track bike right now and am anxiously waiting to see it run!
Useful Idiot
Been Around the Block
Swingarm's too long.
Uncle Ernie
Been Around the Block
SR500, please.
Buells have been showing up on various forums for some time now. I've never ridden one but I'd like to try one. They can be made to go fast. But I think the big problem is we have been brainwashed into thinking if it isn't 1600cc, DOHC, 4 valve, making at least 200 RWHP its an entry level bike. Buells being a 500 single is rated as nothing more thn something you would give your 10 year old to learn on. Very sad.
biker_reject
Over 1,000 Posts
Sure you can make a Buell go "faster", but it is a relative term. The 1203 hopped up sporty engine will never match a full on liter bike race rep. You'd also have to pour thousands of dollars into engine work. My XB12R could maybe do around 140 mph (not slow, but compared to modern in-lines?), but it just doesn't have the steam in the upper end. That engine was designed to the fullest extent that it could be. That's why Buell dropped it and had Rotax build their new powerplant. I kept my XB12R for roughly a year. That's about how long it held my interest. The chassis is good, twitchy, but good. The engine on the other hand? Ehhh... My last sportbike, an '02 gixxer 1K dyno'd at 146 hp at the wheel, stock, and 148hp with a simple slip-on and mapped PCII. The XB12R was rated 102hp at the crank. With a very expensive Race Kit, if you could find one (no longer produced), you could wring 3 more Hp. That is why I don't consider the XB a true sportbike, but a really good modern cafe bike. This is a shot I used to sell the Buell. Bye Bye Buellie!
It's been around a while . Not reading the article I think it was Crossroads Buell HD built it when they were making aftermaket for the Buell. Think they stopped making stuff for Buell though . If Buell made the Blast like that or anything close to that they might have done very well.
If you like that one check out these from Mac Motorcyles:
http://www.mac-motorcycles.com/
http://www.mac-motorcycles.com/
Here is the Buel Blast I had last year. My plan was to make it more of a street fighter so I fabricated rear sets, opened up the airbox, changed the bars, mirrors and exhaust. It was a blast to ride but too small in size with the 16" wheels to be real confortable. Sold it to a 20 year old for his first bike and he has rode it in every month since he got it including a 700+ mile trip to Indiana and back.
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