some pics of my new bike, still got to wait 4 weeks to get it, will post more when it arrives :clap :clap :clap

http://xlforum.net/photopost/data/500/buell1.JPG

http://xlforum.net/photopost/data/500/buell2.JPG

http://xlforum.net/photopost/data/500/buell3.JPG

Looks lke fun. Nice bike.

Hi, I hope you dont mind but I emailed a pic of your bike to the guy who works on my bike. He has been working on nothing but Buells for the past 8 years and is regarded in the UK as THE Buell man. I asked if there was anything he could tell me just by looking at the pic, this was his reply;

The Shock needs upgrading to the latest Showa-this is a recall and FOC.
The Rear isolaters need upgrading.
The Front brake disc needs changing for 99 version or EBC

So when you take the bike to the dealers, I would certainly ask them to recheck the shock and brakes

Hope this is of some help

Lev

Your Buell guy is wrong about the shock being a recall. Only 99 and newer bikes were covered by the shock recall for that style(showa) shock. His bike has the correct shock for recall purposes. The other items have never been subject to recall on any Buells.

Now all those items he said are improvements but they will need to be paid for out of his own pocket.

Thanks everyone, all the recalls that I posted here,http://xlforum.net/vbportal/forums/showthread.php?p=350264#post350264, except the rear isolator, recall 0810, have been done to the bike already, and Harley gave me the name of the dealer who did the recall work.

Harley said the rear isolator will be done for free by my local Buell dealer and the parts are kept in stock.

Anyone know of any good books on Buell performance upgrades ?? I love to read:D :D :D

Hey cj, I'm curious. I was riding last weekend and during a break talked to a rider that pulled up on a Buell like yours. What I was wondering do you have to pay the taxes on a Buell like with an XL?

That lil' beeatch is SWEEEEET! :banana

I think the 98 S1W had somewhere around 103 or 105 HP stock so taxes probably weren't as important as with our Sportsters.

That doesn't mean they shouldn't be done though:wonderlan :wonderlan

I think some mods have been done to my bike as that AC is not stock. I'm kinda wondering what carb is hiding behind it.

Possibly an S&S perhaps???

thanks, now I can sleep at night...:banana

I can't, I'll be reading the 9-11 report you dog:roflblack :roflblack

Sorry I dont know weathe different rules apply in the US, but my mech has spoken to Allan Brownridge-Buell UK marketing manager, and if this bike went to a UK dealer it would get a replacement shock free of charge.

Lev

There must be different rules there. Now what you have to understand is the shock on that bike in the pic is not the original shock that it came with from the factory. 98 Buells came with an exposed spring WP shock that was recallled and replaced with the shock his bike currently has.

Buells hp figures are kind of misleading also. The factory said that bike made 101hp. That was true but that is at the crank not rear wheel like most dynos show. It reality it probably makes about 85hp at the rear wheel.

Thanks for the correction, I knew that and should have said crank HP.

Hey Dan, an engineer at work has a 97 Lightning and I gave him a copy of the manual and told him about you guys and the forum. He was impressed with your help to me and has now got the speed gods whispering in his ear. You may have another customer soon.

3 weeks to go before I get the bike and I'm beginning to wonder if saving the money on shipping was worth the wait.

3 weeks to go before I get the bike and I'm beginning to wonder if saving the money on shipping was worth the wait.

Starting to get restless????? I know I would be. The bike looks great.

Cheers,

Brett

There must be different rules there. Now what you have to understand is the shock on that bike in the pic is not the original shock that it came with from the factory. 98 Buells came with an exposed spring WP shock that was recallled and replaced with the shock his bike currently has.

Correct, but when the replacement Showas(also fitted to new 99-2000 bikes)started to fail, they were upgraded with the SRP kit, or the new Showa fitted to post 2000 bikes.

Buell UK have stated

http://img353.imageshack.us/img353/2879/m2shock1kp.jpg
This is the early Showa shock was fitted to all '99 and '00 bikes as standard and used in the recall to replace the White Power shocks.
The '99 and '00 bikes were recalled because of shock breakages and fitted with the SRP kit. Owners that didn't like the SRP were elligible for a "goodwill" upgrade to the later Showa shock which is shorter by 1.75" and requires a different front mount.

So to summarise:-
1. Early shocks were White Power ones
2. White Power replaced by this early Showa unit (picture above)
3. When the early Showa started to show signs of failure, the SRP -Shock reinforcement package was introduced. This gave the suspension the same performance as the later Showa unit (point 4) so if you have either the SRP or the latest Showa (point 4) you are ok from a recall point of view.
4. After the SRP, we introduced an upgraded Showa. Once this shock was avaialble, we stopped the SRP programme as the best solution was simply to upgrade everyone to this latest Showa.

If you feel that you are affected you should take your bike asap to an authorised dealer.


This has been a bone of contention on many Buell forums, as people with shocks fitted as a recall were themselves not notified of the subsequent recall
But basically an unsafe shock is an unsafe shock no matter which bike it is fitted to.

As I said I would definatly check when I took the bike to the dealer.

Lev

That is a helluva nice Buell. I would love to have one also but I would never be able to stop sice my feet would not touch the ground even on tip toes.

Thanks Lev and NRHS, for the shock info, I will definitely inquire about the "good will" shock upgrade at the dealer when the bike arrives.

What Lev stated looks correct from what I read at badweather bikers in the recall section of the website. There is a shock and shock mount upgrade recall listed for my bike at least twice.

Bert, I don't think the bike is as tall as you think. I read a review of the bike and they had a girl who was only 5' 3" (I think?) who was drag racing this bike and she said she picked it because it had a lower seat height than the Ducati Monster and the Triumph Speed Triple, so the pics might be deceiving. I will post seat height and ergonomics once I receive the bike.

Here is the article

Girls Kick Ass: Notes From The Better Half
By Jane Galliano, Contributing Writer

After a couple hours of watching racer Shawn Higbee and Editor-in-Chief Brent Plummer flog the three Bikini Models into submission at LACR (I know what you are thinking, and it just ain't what happened), I was asked if I wanted to take a crack at drag racing. I've got a lot of street miles in the years I've been riding, but no actual racing. Male egos swarmed that day -- Higbee and Plummer were getting intense about who'd be fastest, like it was some sort of manly ritual to be fastest on each bike, every time. It was quite amusing, especially since they both pretend like they didn't care.

Anyway, while the boys shrugged and giggled, I mounted up on the White Lightning -- it's the only bike I felt comfortable doing dangerous things (like wheelies) on since it's got the lowest seat height, and the saddle is very, very narrow: Standing only 5'3" tall, I can reach the ground on the Buell without sliding off to one side and balancing the bike under one thigh. The Ducati was close, but the seat is wide and stands over 30 inches off the ground. If you're short, forget about the Triumph -- the seat is both high (31.5 inches!) and really wide, with hard, square edges that I found quite uncomfortable.

Once saddled up on the Buell, I ripped off a run that would make my father proud - 13.038 second quarter-mile at 109 mph. Silence. Two runs later I was down to 12.443 at 109 mph. The remaining staffer-boys who had previously planned on making runs were now looking anxiously at their watches and asking if maybe we weren't running late. Ha! Nobody followed me down the strip.

Overall, the White Lightning made my respectable runs pretty easy. Considering the astounding torque produced by the new engine, I should've known it'd instantly wheelie off the line, but I wasn't prepared and let out a healthy scream at the 30 foot mark -- of course the guys won't let me forget it. After all, there's no screaming in drag racing, right?


http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mccompare/bikini/girl1.html

Lev, no shocks were ever recalled twice.

The original WP shocks fitted to '95 to '98 models were recalled first and replaced with Showas.

Then later a recall was issued for 99 M2 and all '00 model Showas, all of which had come on the bikes from the factory. It was on this recall that a "shock reinforcement package" or SRP, was offered as a stop gap measure, to get people on the road before the recall replacement became available. And yes, people who got the SRP were supposed to be able to upgrade to the new improved shock later for free, and a lot of dealers argued this and/or tried to charge for it.

But the 95-98 replacement shocks were not a part of that 99-00 recall, it was a totally separate deal. No shocks were ever recalled twice.

To extrapolate that the recall replacement 95-98 shocks were the same as the 99-00 recalled shocks and therefore ought to be upgraded I think is a mistake. Note that not all 99-00 shocks were recalled, for example, 99 X1 and S3 shocks were never recalled at all. Buell identified which specific shocks on which bikes represented a risk and recalled only those.

Not that the newest shock isn't better/stronger and wouldn't be a nice upgrade, but I know for a fact that Buell did a whole lot of testing for failures and the recall replacement 95-98 shock passed all the tests and was determined to be safe.

That is a helluva nice Buell. I would love to have one also but I would never be able to stop sice my feet would not touch the ground even on tip toes.

Gravity boots, Bert. Gotta stretch those legs a bit.

Noooo, don't hit me with the mind ray....

Let me see if I understand this. The recall shock that is on my bike now is not the same shock that was subsequently recalled for the 99 and 00 bikes. Therefore cannot be replaced per the 99 thru 00 shock recall.
There was a post at badweb from a guy who was able to get the new shock installed for a discount through a "goodwill" program that is sometimes honored by Harley.

Here is his post

I just took mine to the dealer and showed them the recall/service bulletins in October. As mine was a Y2K X1 and the Shock Jock was already installed, the Buell computer said the recall work was completed and the new shock was not covered. Even though the dealer said HD may goodwill it, there was no finite definition of what that meant. Therefore, after searching the aftermarket, I felt it was cost effective for me to order the replacement from the dealer and have them install it.

Was a pleasant surprise when the dealer announced that HD would goodwill the shock and the only cost to me was $100 plus tax and labor. I truly wish that this goodwill thing could have been addressed up front. The first I learned about it was when I picked up the bike. Until then, all I heard was we will try and get HD to goodwill it. I guess that is just one of the games people play, eh?

So even though my shock is not eligible for replacement, it seems it wouldn't hurt to ask about this "goodwill" program at the dealer. Perhaps I can upgrade to the new shock at a reduced rate. This guys bike was a 00 so he should have been entitled to the new shock as far as I can see. As my bike is a 98 this recall doesn't pertain to me, however if the replacement shock on my bike is the same part# as the ones in the 99-00 recall then I may have a shot at a "goodwill" shock from Harley.

I won't count on it, but it never hurts to ask:roflblack :roflblack :roflblack

but it never hurts to ask:roflblack :roflblack :roflblack

If you don't ask, then the answer is always NO.

btw, earlier I forgot to say that that Buell is !!!!!!!!!! b****ing. My first two bikes were white. Always had a soft spot for white bikes, though they can be a dog to keep clean.

To extrapolate that the recall replacement 95-98 shocks were the same as the 99-00 recalled shocks and therefore ought to be upgraded I think is a mistake
Im not saying it, Buell are

Directly from the Buell UK marketing manager, posted on the UK Buell Enthusiasts site.

Anyone with the old Showa should either have a SRP kit fitted or the latest Showa shock otherwise their bike is at risk of rear suspension collapse

One of the guys had a 98 M2 which had the same shock as you fitted as a recall for the White power one. He asked this question..

1 My 98 M2 has a recall shock
2 This type of shock was fitted as standard on the later M2's
3 This later shock was subsequently recalled on the later M2's, for safety reasons

The specific question is really :-

My bike is fitted with a shock that was recalled on later models for safety reasons. Therefore how can it be safe on my bike?
The response from Buell UK was
Your bike needs a new Showa

Another asked
There is nothing wrong with the shock on my bike but there are no outstanding recalls either. That is great but..............
the early Showa shock appears to have been recalled on some bikes but not others. The question is what makes this shock safe on some bikes but not on others.

How is it that the shock that (according to HD) is fine on my S2, suddenly becomes a serious safety issue if I take it off and fit it to my X1.

The reply from Buell was 'Your early Showa needs replacing. Please take it to your dealer

When asked
If you have the early Showa and it doesn't have the SRP kit then you are entitled to the latest version-no matter what age/model.?

Answer..'Checked all of this with Technical department and you are absolutely RIGHT'

As your bike has the old type Showa but no SRP kit fitted then it should be replaced with a new unit. And if you were in the UK and took it to the right dealer, it would be done without a problem.

The sun is out, Im going for a ride !!

Lev

Thanks Lev for doing the research with Buell U.K., I hope it didn't cut into your riding time too much. Hopefully my dealer is the "right" dealer here in the states.

We shall see:dunno :dunno

No problem,
To help you it may be advisable to print off a copy of service bulletin B-035A available here

http://www.ukbeg.com/downloads/download_files/techbulletins/035A%20Shock%2095-on.pdf

It clearly states that a replacement shock is available for all models 1995-2000, and states that it includes bikes that have had the original recall done.


Good luck

Lev

I just took mine to the dealer and showed them the recall/service bulletins in October. As mine was a Y2K X1 and the Shock Jock was already installed, the Buell computer said the recall work was completed and the new shock was not covered. Even though the dealer said HD may goodwill it, there was no finite definition of what that meant. Therefore, after searching the aftermarket, I felt it was cost effective for me to order the replacement from the dealer and have them install it.

Was a pleasant surprise when the dealer announced that HD would goodwill the shock and the only cost to me was $100 plus tax and labor. I truly wish that this goodwill thing could have been addressed up front. The first I learned about it was when I picked up the bike. Until then, all I heard was we will try and get HD to goodwill it. I guess that is just one of the games people play, eh?

This guy got ripped off if he had to pay the $100. He had an '00 X1, which had it's shock recalled, and he got the SRP kit (he refers to it as the "shock jock").

The recall notice for his bike (I got one for my '99 M2) clearly stated that the SRP would be replaced free of charge with the updated shock if the owner objected to it's appearance, once the new shock was available.

But a number of dealers (including mine) tried to charge $100 for the new shock if you had already got the SRP. A call to Buell Customer Service got it straightened out for me. It was an accounting thing. The dealer was being charged $100 for the shock and then recovered that money when he was compensated for the installation work. But few service managers had bothered to read and comprehend the bulletin that explained it to them, so they were passing the $100 charge on to the customer.

So anyway CJ, that's a whole different deal than trying to upgrade a recall shock.

As the service bulletin posted by Lev points out, the newest shock is now used as a service replacement for all the old shocks. But that kit costs over $400 last I looked. If you still had your WP then you'd get that latest shock for free under the recall. But since you already have the recall replacement, they'll want to charge you for the kit.

I think it's great that Buell UK wants to upgrade all the old recall shocks. But Buell officially has no policy to do that for free or at some reduced price. Doesn't hurt to ask, but I'll be surprised if they'll do that for you. Let me know if the do because I've got a bunch of'em I'll bring in!

Another thing to look at on your bike is the exhaust mount. The upside-down "Y" mount stiffens the mounting quite a bit and really helps with survivability of the exhaust system. Buells are hard on exhaust systems, they like to break mounts, the header nuts like to loosen up, and sometimes the studs in the heads break. The "Y" mount came out in '01 to address all this and for awhile at least they were providing it for free for the older bikes.

I think I see where the contraversy is here. There wasn't a second recall on my shock, so NRHS was correct on this, however there is this Service Bulletin B-035A, which is what I had read before, that allows the shock to be upgraded when it needs service, in this matter Lev is correct. So everyone was right in their own way, and I get the benefit of their knowledge.

So it all boils down to the dealer honoring the Service Bulletin, because IMHO my shock needs service :D :D :D :D

So armed with Service Bulletin B-035A, it's off to the dealer I go, I hope the Service manager has the brain today :roflblack :roflblack

Oh, they'll honor the service bulletin, that won't be a problem.

All they're saying in that service bulletin is that the newest shock is now the service replacement for all the old shocks, and here's which kit you need for which model, and here's how to install it.

But there's nothing in that service bulletin that says you get the upgrade for free.

If you never got the recall done then yeah, you'd get it for free. Note the sentence under "Vehicles Involved": If the motorcycle requires a recall service, see the appropriate service bulletin for instructions and credit procedures.

But if you're just looking at it as an upgrade or service replacement for a bike that already has a recall shock, there's no such mention of a credit. And like I said, last time I checked the kit was over $400.

Ask, it doesn't hurt.

I actually know some people who got it when their low mileage recall shock started leaking on them.

But I've never heard of anyone in the US getting one for free or cheap when they already had a perfectly functioning recall shock.

Didn't see your post as I was writing my own.

So what you are saying is a service bulletin is just that, used when a part needs service, so the proper upgraded parts are used, but because it is not a recall, the customer is responsible for the cost. I can understand your stance there.

Lev, perhaps you could ask your friend if I should ask Buell U.S.A.(a.k.a. Harley service)the question, why does Buell U.K. replace this shock for free if Buell U.S.A. will not.

The reason I am wondering if I should let this dog lie is I don't want to screw things up for the people over there(U.K.) by stirring things up over here.

Oh well, perhaps we will find out if Harley will do the same thing Buell U.K. is doing for it's customers without mentioning Buell U.K. for the moment. Then if they won't replace the shock for free and want me to buy the kit, perhaps with the consent of Buell U.K. I will mention what they do for their customers to Buell U.S.A. (Harley) customer service and see what happens.

Perhaps we should have a Moderator move this thread to the Buell Service Bulletin section :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack

Thanks for everyones input and we shall see what happens:D :D :D

I love cross posting. How long is a part warranteed for after installation ?? May be I'll have the wife get all dolled up and take the bike in for me:roflblack :roflblack :roflblack

That's right. Service bulletins don't imply free-of-charge. They're just used to clarify procedures or announce changes in parts or procedures.

Sometimes a service bulletin will specifically state that the service is to be provided under warranty to the customer. For example, the service bulletin for the "Y" exhaust mount that I mentioned:

http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/bulletins/ExhaustMount95-00.pdf

tells about it being under warranty and instructs the dealer how to make the claim and get reimbursed. But if the service bulletin doesn't say that, then it means you've got to pay for it.

Note that the exhaust mount service bulletin says it's a one year program, from July of 2000. So it'll be kind of a stretch to get that for free in 2006. Your bike might already have it though. Worst case, you have to buy it, it runs about $90 or so.

Several of these service bulletins:

http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/bulletins/

apply to your bike and you might find them good reading.

You need B018, too, it has to do with your front motor mount attachment. It's not in that list. If you e-mail or PM me with your e-mail address, I'll send it to you.

From safety recall notice 0820

This campaign involves all 1999 M2 Cyclones and all 2000X1 Lightning,M2 Cyclones,S3 Thunderbolt and S3T Thunderbolt model Buell motorcycles manufactured between January 5, 1998 and May 31, 2000.
This condition was initially remedied by installing a shock reinforcement package (SRP) on all potentially affected vehicles.
Since the release of the original bulletin (B-033), Buell Motorcycle Company has released a new shock absorber that provides the same benefits as the original SRP kit.This new shock absorber installation should be performed in lieu of the SRP installation on all affected models, once you have used up your stock of SRP kits.This revised recall proceedure applies to affected motorcycles that did not have the initial 0820 recall service performed. For motorcycles that have had the original 0820 recall service performed, obtain a factory authorization to replace the shock

There are apparently 5 different bulletins... if you follow the logic the above basically says that the later showa replaces all previous shocks unless an SRP is fitted.

a Buell UK rep has stated - The Original SHOWA unit needs either a SRP kit on it or updating to the later SHOWA unit.Its NOT Safe on any bike- No ifs or buts.

It would be interesting to find out why the UK ones are deemed dangerous and the US ones not?
Lev

There are apparently 5 different bulletins... if you follow the logic the above basically says that the later showa replaces all previous shocks unless an SRP is fitted.


I think you're getting the two recalls confused. The excerpt you posted above is in reference to the second recall only, number 0820, which is the recall on 99 M2 and 00 all models.

It's an update to 0820, the second recall. What they're saying is that the recall shock is now available, use up your SRP's and then start using the now-available recall shock, and if you have any customers who already got the SRP and want the recall shock instead, get authorization from the factory first. It's that upgrade, from the SRP to the recall replacement shock, that we were discussing earlier. It was supposed to be free, it said so right in our recall letters (I have a 99 M2), but some dealers charged the customers $100 for it. Mine tried to do that too.

But none of that has anything to do with the first shock recall, number 0817, the one that applied to all 95-98 models, which is the one already done to CJ's bike. 0820 doesn't apply to 95-98 models, only 99 M2's and 00 X1's and S3's. The sentence you highlighted in bold doesn't apply to 95-98's because they didn't get recall 0820.

I understand what you're saying, that Buell UK claims it somehow all applies to the 95-98 recall shocks as well, and also the 99 X1 and S3 factory original shocks that were never recalled. And I think it's great if they're doing that for y'all over there. Sure wish they'd do that for us. But I know they don't. I'll be very surprised if CJ can get a free shock out of them, because they consider his shock to be fine. But hey, if they do, I've got 4 Buells with the old style Showa that I'll be taking down to the dealer for new shocks!

I find it a very interesting topic, with a few very grey areas that I'm sure a half decent lawyer would have a field day with if an early Showa failed.

I'm just glad I bought a 2001 X1 and don't have to worry:) :) :) :) :) :) :)
(too much !!?)

Lev

I bought a new WP shock for my RS(M2 shock), and when the recall came out, I called Buell, to see what the deal was. They were very confused, as the bike wasn't in the recall, only the shock. In the end, they refused, so I continued to run it.

A couple years later, at the Deal's Gap Brag adventure, Carlos, myself and a few others were returning to Fontana Village from Chatsworth, Ga., back roads, of course.

I hit some rough RR tracks at around 80mph, bottomed so hard that it broke my muffler, and knocked the compression adjusting knob off the shock! I still rode it back, as it didn't affect the function at all. No leaks.

Those shocks were/are pretty tough, I still run one on that bike.

That's a fine S1W, cj, you're gonna enjoy it.

My buddy called just now, the bike is in the panhandle of Florida and will be here in the morning :wonderlan :wonderlan :wonderlan

He fired it up in Kansas before he loaded it up, said it sounds awesome. Lots of folks at gas stations along the way gawking at it and asking questions.

Will post pics and first impressions as soon as I can pry myself off the seat:D :D

Congratulations on your new toy. I'm sure it will be fun riding it to work, just watch out for those wild hogs.

JB

Cool! We'll have to meet at Pub 44 or somewhere, so I can see it.

It's here. :D :smoke :D :smoke :D :smoke :D

No plate on it yet but went for a small ride in the area......WOW:wonderlan :wonderlan :wonderlan

This thing is a blast. Theres a Mikuni carb on it, will check for other mods, but I have to finish the fence for Mothers day before I can play with it.

The wife took my keys :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack

She's a wise woman.

Well so far so good, no leaks, excellent power, out of this world handling.:smoke :smoke

Just a few nitpicks, A/C.... needs a Forcewinder, reroute breather from the heads, and the rear wheel has a gouge at the edge of the rim :( .... needs replacement.

All in all I'm pretty satisfied with my purchase. :clap :clap :clap :clap

A great thing about this is when I decide to go with a big bore kit for the Buell, I will have an instant big bore kit for my 883 Sportster with the old heads, jugs, pistons, and possibly cams.:D :D :D :D

I'll take the tank off and dress up the wire harnesses and just generally inspect and tidy things up, cables, etc.

I look forward to many years of enjoyment with this bike, thanks to everyone for all the info regarding recalls, tire sizes, great mod ideas, and the general approval of my latest toy. :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana

saweeeeet!