New (to me) Tuber Buell. What should I know?

[Mastros2]

Just a fyi... There has been a few issues with the old oil pump drive gear. New one is out and here is a link
http://www.buell.com/en_us/gear/acce...ProductID=3138

I have a '99 X1 with 40k miles on it. Great bike and the only time it gave me issues was caused by a frayed wire getting wet in the rain. The previous owner (1st and only owner) worked out a lot of the bugs and I bought it 5 years ago with 16k miles on it. for now, it's going to be a 2nd bike. I did do a track day on it this past spring and had a blast. You mentioned the torque out of the turns, wow! Yeah, I got beat in the straights but the tuber was much better in the twisties.

The folks at American Sport Bike are great.

The BadWeb is very useful. Some anger there but look through that. There is a lot of useful information.

Beautiful bike!

[Hughlysses]

Very good point about the oil pump drive gear (on the crankshaft). It's fairly easy to check; harder to replace. Check it by dropping the oil pump (2 bolts & 1 hose to disconnect). Point a digital camera up at the hole & take a pic. Turn the crank a few degrees & repeat several times. Download the pics to your computer where you can enhance them & view them at your liesure. Watch out for gear teeth wearing thin, usually only on 1/2 the gear. If yours is wearing, replace it with the new bronze gear.

[B.Curvin]

Thanks for the additional responses. I've been on the road since Sunday with little chance to reply.

I'll look into the oil pump drive gear. About to go out to the garage now and see about shift

linkage bushings. If I manage to make something worthwhile I'll update here.

[BigEasy]

Originally Posted by B.Curvin

OK now you've gone and done it. I was thinking my next little toy was gonna be a Sporty then you throw this up!!!! Very sweet

[btl68]

Originally Posted by B.Curvin

(are there any hand guards made in the US?).

Yes, there are.

http://www.cycraracing.com/company.html

[B.Curvin]

Originally Posted by btl68

Yes, there are.

http://www.cycraracing.com/company.html

That rocks.

[gordonscott]

I'm not a Harley guy but do love my Cyclone, never a problem with it, great bike! Here's mine in the "Jekyll and Hyde" paint.

[B.Curvin]

Originally Posted by gordonscott

THAT! is dead sexy my friend.


Thanks everyone for the insight. Earlier it was mentioned that I need

quality exhaust flanges etc. I just received my exhaust studs, retainers, flanges and

bolts from American Sport bike. Do you guys recommend anti-sneeze or semi permanent

loc-tite on the header bolts? I read on badweb where some folks

were saying the copper in the anti-sneeze sets up a nasty reaction between

the steel bolts and aluminum head making things worse. Any truth to that? If so, what to use?

Thanks,

[rouser]

no need on any loc-tite or anti-seize on the exhaust studs. it will get too hot for a thread lock agent anyway.

[Tom S]

Don't know for sure if it's true but years ago I read that these engines don't oil too well below 1000 rpm. I keep my idle just above that.
Run your drive belt "sloppy loose".
Be careful with exhaust mounting to avoid busting the studs off in the heads. Read up on it in Badweb.
Check oil only when it's hot, don't overfill.
Oil will drain back to the bottom end if the bike sits for long periods of time. I just drain mine for the long storage over winter.
I think I'd get rid of that heat wrap. Never used it, but people claim it will get wet & rust the pipes. Maybe yours are stainless.
You will want the stock heat shield that clamps to the rear header pipe though. I have holes burned in clothes to prove it.


Raising the bars with a second top clamp has been mentioned. A Uly top clamp will work, about $20-22 from HD. Then longer bolts & spacers as high as you want to go.
I raised my bars 1" with 2 longer bolts & tube spacers. On my ''96 I didn't need the clamp. I know '98's are different as the bottom bar clamp is cast into the top triple tree unlike the separate clamps on the '96.. Don't know about the '97's

These bikes are very easy to work on & mine has been very good to me. It was in a shop fire before I got it. Never did any of the recalls.
Never any sign of that 'weave' that was mentioned. Don't think I have ever even heard of that with these 'tubers'. Been to about 135.

''96 S1. Now has Penske shock & the Aprilla mirrors from ASB. Nice improvement over stock mirrors.




Above the Top of the World Hwy in Yukon Canada, year 2000.

[rouser]

Originally Posted by Tom S

Above the Top of the World Hwy in Yukon Canada, year 2000.

what steering dampner is on your moto? as in brand/manufacture...

[Tom S]

Originally Posted by rouser

what steering dampner is on your moto? as in brand/manufacture...

I don't know & I can't really get at it right now. But I am sure that it came from American Sport bike. http://www.americansportbike.com
I don't think it needs it at all but it was on a 2nd Buell S1 I had/have that was broke & after a friend got killed due to a big tank slapper on his Yammie R1, well ....

[B.Curvin]

Thanks for the heads up Tom. If you'd like to see the latest on my Buell story:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=639802

Originally Posted by Tom S

[xl1200r]

The M2 was probably the most sorted of all the tubers, so you've done good in that regard.

My first bit of advice will be to get a service manual and head yourself over to BadWeB... insane amounts of information, impossible to go over everything in just this thread.

The biggest issue on these bikes is the front isolator. If yours is original and in good shape, leave it alone but keep an eye on it. When it starts to crack, replace it. Don't use the Buell part - there's an HD part you'll want to use that works MUCH better, is designed better. Part number escapes me but it ends in -79D. The way the whole engine mounting and suspension setup is designed means that the more you load the the bike (passengers or luggage), the more stressed that isolator is. If you carry someone or something else regularly, expect shorter life.

Rear isolators on these older tubers are also prone for failure, but again, if they're good, leave them be. The stock Buell part is fine for these - they've been updated and work well.

Buells, and sportster engines in general, regurgitate a lot of oil through the head breathers which then goes back into the carb. There are countless ways to solve this - cheapest would be a catch can (like I have on mine), supposed best way is to convert to XB rocker boxes and PCV valves.

Keep the idle at 1000rpm hot.

The belt should be scary loose. Seriously. I can see in your pics that yours is too tight (as you suspected).

That shock is a pre-recall shock, not sure why they wouldn't replace it for you. The newer unit is different in length so there's a different front shock mount you'd need to get. I've the shock on eBay, brand new, for about $200. Best option is a Penske or Works unit, but knocking at the door of $1,000 makes it a big ticket item.

Other than that, keep oil in it (should be about 2/3 up the stick when hot) and ride the piss out of it.

Oh, I wouldn't do a 160 rear tire. Mine came with one on it, though I have the wider PM wheels. It wore through my inner fender and handled like poop.

Enjoy the thing, they're a neat bike to have and will get you lots of attention.

I've enjoyed the crap out of my 2002 S3T from coast to coast, and despite needing a bit more baby-sitting than most any other bike (read: shit vibrates off all the time) it's by far the best bike I've ever owned to ridden.

[RBrider]

I've got an almost new '98 replacement shock for that bike, been sitting in my garage in the plastic wrapper that my '01 shock came in when I decided to upgrade (in early 2001). Free, you pay the freight.

Box will include the '98 front shock bracket, some good used front and rear brake pads, like new '98 swingarm insulators and belt guard (had to change to '01 when I upgraded insulators), new front brake master cly. rebuild kit from Buell. Complete oem shifter including bushings (I upgraded to a Banke shifter) and any thing else I find off of that bike.

This is not a spam. Free to a good home, first come first served.
You pay freight.

RB