Buell 1125R Test Ride

Glendale Harley Davidson / Buell has been doing test rides every Saturday for the last couple weeks and in the pool of bikes is an 08 1125R. I wanted to tryout one the 1125CR's but they didn't have one available for test rides.

I ended up going out twice. The first time was with a group of 3 other riders that couldn't even get the bike out of the parking lot. The guy leading the ride said that I could go ahead of the group but when I saw that he had his hands full I decided to stick with them and make sure that these noobies made it back OK. Then Carlos took me back out for some highway riding.

Once I got the bike out on the road and was able to open it up a bit I started to appreciate the engineering that went into this bike. The first thing I noticed was how smooth yet responsive the throttle was. With most sport bikes there is a bit of a jump when you roll on the throttle, but the 1125R didn't exhibit this "jumping" characteristic.

The Helicon engine was a very good decision on Buell's part. It is extremely smooth and very powerful. Another nice feature is that the engine is liquid cooled which allows it to be pushed a bit further. The tach red-lines a little over 10.5K RPM's. The placement of the engine is awesome and well balanced. Everytime I rolled on the throttle I was grinning from ear to ear. This is a great engine and it really gets going no matter the RPM's.

While on the freeway the suspension was smooth despite the disrepair of the road. The suspension was also very noticeable when when braking, well not noticeable, rather notable. There were a couple instances where I had to get on the brakes and the suspension performed nicely. Again, another great decsion by Buell going with Showa for the suspension.

The 8 piston brakes really stop the bike. They were very responsive and it didn't take much pressure at all to get the bike to slow. While braking the front end stayed controllable and the suspension compressed nicely.

As I was following my escort for the ride I noticed that his jeans were really flapping in the wind. I then started paying attention to the wind against my body and clothes and there was virtually nothing. The aerodynamics of the bike are great and make the ride really nice.

The rider position is very athletic, almost too athletic, but my everyday bike is an XB12X which has an upright stance. The handlebars are in a great position and provide for easy control. All of the controls were nicely placed and I had no problem with turn signals, high beams, and high beam flasher. It took very little effort to get the bike to do what I wanted it to.

I have been in search of track bike and this bike is a contender. After about 5 mins on the 1125R I felt as if I had been riding the bike for years. I am going to test ride some Ducatis and various Japanese fair before setting out to purchase a track bike. The 1125R is high on the list though. I have watched Shawn Higbee smoke everyone else at Willow Springs on a regular basis on an 1125R, and he seems to do it with ease. I know that the Ducatis have a proven track record (literally) but the 1125R is nicely priced with a lot of power and maneuverability.

*Photos taken from http://www.buell.com

Call to Action

We need to send a message to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. There is now a law that says that anything sold for use by a child cannot contain any lead. Well, what has happened is that motorcycles and ATVs intended for use by children are banned. Now, realistically, no child is going to be putting the motorcycle's engine or other metal parts in their mouth. If you really stop to think about it, if the child is putting the engine parts in his mouth then there are are far greater problems than the lead.

Additionally, I find it offensive that this decision has been made for us. Based on previous opposition to motorcycles I have to throw up a red flag here. Has anyone ever looked into the details of who supported this? I get that Barbie should not contain lead, and even her maker (Mattel) agrees. But how in the hell did motorcycles and ATVs end up in the mix? There may be an agenda here, which is why we need to fight it. Good people are losing their jobs and businesses, and this law is not only ridiculous, but it is counter productive to the economic stimulus.

The AMA has provided a card for everyone of their members to send to the Chairwoman and Commissioner. I encourage everyone to send a letter to them and support the stance that they need to make an exception. Here is the info:

Send the letter to:

Chairwoman Nancy Nord
Commissioner Thomas Moore
US Consumer Product Safety Commission
4330 East-West HWY
Bethesda, MD 20814

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Here is what the AMA suggests we write:

Dear Chairwoman Nancy Nord and Commissioner Thomas Moore,

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, though well-intentioned, has produced far-reaching and unintended consequences: the banning of the sale of new and used youth-sized motorcycles and ATVs (all-terrain vehicles), as well as certain replacement parts. This is devastating for the families who enjoy motorized recreation, the safety of children who are now foreced to ride bigger, more powerful machines, the thousands of small independent dealers across America that are already struggling to survive the economic recession, and the manufacturers and aftermarket suppliers who serve these customers. Please grant an exemption for youth-sized motorcycles and ATVs. Thank you.

Name __________________________________


Signature _______________________________


Address ________________________________


City __________ State _______ Zip __________


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2009 Tax Break For Buying a New Motorcycle

I just got this month's AMA Magazine and there is an article in there about the Economic Stimulus Bill. If you buy a new bike in 2009, you will be allowed to deduct the sales and excise taxes. We almost didn't get this benefit due to the writers of the bill overlooking motorcycles. Thanks to the AMA and its members, as well as others like Harley-Davidson, the motorcycling community gets a chance to benefit from the economic downfall.

U.S. Forestry Service Law Enforcement on Angeles Crest

FYI - The 2 FWY, a.k.a. Angeles Crest Highway, which is a part of the National Park System, now has Law Enforcement Rangers. We saw at least 4 different SUVs all staked out pulling people over. I guess they realized they were missing out on a lot of revenue that CHP was getting. Anyway, slow down on the crest. They will get you.

Ditch the Harley-Davidson Oil

If you have a Harley or a Buell, don't let anyone ever put that Harley-Davidson crap oil in your bike. Get it the F out if you value your engine and its performance. Suggestions... Motul & Amsoil. All of the Buell race bikes are running Motul which is what my mechanic just put into my bike. He said that when he pulled the Harley oil out, barely at 2500 miles (which HD / Buell claims you can go 5k with Syn), it looked like choclate bars coming out.

Since I have been running the Motul in my 08 XB12X, I have not had to add a drop of oil. I check it every fillup and all is well. I am currently about 1800 miles in, and with the HD oil I would be half way through a quart. Engine is quieter and smoother, and the fan does not seem to run as much anymore. Reduce the friction, reduce the heat, reduce the wear.

Disconnecting the acutator cable

So... there have not been any negative long term effects resulting from disconnecting the actuator cable that goes between the airbox and the exhaust. The bike seems to respond better overall and I have actually seen an increase in gas mileage. That may be due to me not have to bury the damn throttle all of the time in anticipation of needing the power.

On a side note, I swapped out my stock exhaust for a Jardine RT-1. The bike has a ton more zip to it and I haven't noticed any change in the gas milage, but I do get pop when I roll off the throttle. I put in the baffle, which helped, but I still get some popping. I wish Buell would come out with a programmable ECU for the 08+ XB's. I am going to pull the baffle out and plug a couple of the holes in hopes it will create enough back pressure so the pop goes away, and thus balances the system. It does run a bit lean on idle and will stall sometimes when cold, but overall it runs better.

Still loving this bike! The XB12X is at the top of my list for most favorite bikes ever.

Lane-Splitting in California

OK. Let's make one thing clear; it is not legal, nor illegal to lane-split in California. However... everyone on a motorcycle lane splits, especially during commute hours, and even more so in Southern California. For those of us on a bike, we want to get places faster and not have to sit in stale traffic, so we split. For those of you in a car, I think most of you are grateful that we are not another vehicle standing in your way of getting to or from work / home.

I have noticed that almost all California plated vehicles respect that there is that extra little space in their lane and let us pass. Hell, in most cases it is the big trucks, buses, and cargo vans that find a few extra inches to spare so we can pass. Most of us know that we shouldn't get upset by drivers that don't move over when we approach. For those that take the extra effort, I try to make it a point to say thanks with either a wave or over exaggerated head nod when I am working the clutch or throttle. Besides, we understand your plight; you are stuck in traffic, tired, and rockin' out to some CDs or MP3s just to stay awake. You don't always hear or see us, and we understand that. Mistakes are mistakes, and the very few close calls I have had were not malicious so I move on reminded that the drivers are just as responsible for my safety as I am.


But the out of state plates are where the problem lies!

Normally I watch for oddball license plates because I know that most out-of-state drivers are not aware of the symbiotic relationship the cars and bikes have here in Cali. Well, yesterday (Monday, March 23, 2009) I was cruising down the 210 headed East. I came upon another rider who seemed to be enjoying her new Sportster. She was splitting, but at a much slower pace than I was. As I approached, I blipped my throttle, and she got over and I passed her giving her a friendly wave for letting me play through.

I then started to think about the beauty that was all of these people on the freeway. Here is a group of people that, if under different conditions, would most likely not work together in any way shape or form. Yet, there we all were. Operating heavy machines in concert. We were all working to battle the same enemy, traffic. In a sense we battle ourselves, twice a day, Monday through Friday.

So... as you can see from the last paragraph I got distracted in my thoughts and was not on my A-game. That is when I was approaching a Ford Escape or Honda Pilot. It was some sort of silver SUV in that class with a Nebraska license plate. The driver, who looked like an Abercrombie and Fitch model, swerved to cut me off. Well that caused me to react in a moment of WTF!

So I am now on the paint, trying to not hit the cars to my right. Blerg! I look over my shoulder at the driver to see what his facial expression was, and it said "I hate you!" At this point I knew, even though I had not seen it yet, that this was an out-of-state driver. My fellow commuters we so shocked at the situation that they all backed off and left me the room I needed to handle my newly found friend.

I slowed down and got behind my Corn Husker buddy. I noticed the plates and realized that he was administering Nebraska justice in California. My mind went immediately to the woman I passed on her new Sportster just moments earlier. I was glad I passed her. Even if we were of the same skill set, I was on the more agile bike so it was best I was the "victim" of the Nebraska plated vehicle.

I had a decision to make; do I harass this asshole, or just move on? I thought about the Sportster again and realized that he, like others I have encountered, was administering justice, and probably wouldn't stop. This amazes me because regardless of what I may be doing, he rather engage in an act that could very well result in the death of the rider. I proceeded to rev my engine (Buell 1203 Thunderstorm with a Jardine pipe), popup my front end, swerve, and flash my high-beams. As my exit approached, I didn't have time for him, and any further harassment may have been seen as road-rage, so I rode up next to him. His wife was scared, and so was he. From about two feet away I gave him the single digit salute and rode away.

Now I know what some readers may be thinking, "you did exactly what he did." Well, you are right, I did. I acted out and took justice into my own hands. But my form of justice did not almost result in a fatal accident. What it did do is make the silver SUV from Nebraska traveling East on the 210 freeway at approximately 18:10 on March 23, 2009 in Arcadia, California think twice about almost killing a motorcyclist.

Remember this, and this goes for everybody, if you kill someone on a freeway due to road-rage you will go to jail. You will have to live with the death of that person on your conscious while enjoying the company of the local prison gangs.