2001 Buell S3T Thunderbolt Motorcycle reviews

I'll startout by saying Buells aren't for everybody. If you're looking for warp speed, look somewhere else. If you're looking for a bike that is a good all around bike, then a Buell is a bike you want. There is mounds of negative press about Buell and for years it deterred me from buying a Buell. I couldn't resist looking at Buells everytime I started thinking about a new bike. Finally, I bought one. Somebody was almost giving away a S3 that his wife had ridden only once or twice and didn't like it. I found the negative press to be exaggerated a little. The bike does shake/lope a little bit at idle, but it is smooth as silk once you get above 2500. I have never had a major problem or a minor one for that matter. The motor is solid and doesn't leak. If you're thinking about a Buell, get an older tube frame Buell, you won't be disappointed. Show less

Excellent True Sport Touring bike with tons of torque. Smooth over 2500, and handles like a dream. Only needs are a taller screen from the factory, and a nice integrated backrest. Luggage is first class, and seating position for someone 5'8" is perfect. Bars are medium height. Also needs a factory plug in for an electric vest. 8500 miles to date, and though I have had some glitches in the fuel injection, Buell went of their way with factory and dealer help. For others that have posted with one star, they need to call and talk with Buell customer service to get things resolved quickly. Show less

I purchased my Buell S3T about a month ago and am ready to sell it after only 200 miles. The overall quality of the bike is very poor, and the handling is even worse. I made numerous attempts to contact Buell with some of the concerns I have but they don't return my calls. The "customer care" line is nothing more than voice mail. Did I mention that I sat on hold for 15 minutes before the voice mail? I've owned about 8 other bike before the Buell, and I can honestly say that this is by far the worst. Junk on wheels. I can almost hear Erik Buell laughing at me as I write this. Show less

I have a 2001 S3 and I love it. The hate part comes in a couple of places, one is the fact that since it is fuel injected it is harder to find a different intake. The other is the fact that I had an Oil leak that no one could find, so my bike was spending more time in the shop than with me, but that has been fixed, and since then I haven't had a problem Show less

I recently got my bike back from the shop and decided to go for a ride with some friends.About 50 miles from home it began backfiring and surging. It is once more headed back to the shop. At this rate I'm going to have to get visitation rights to see my bike. I only hope that the problems are all fixed before the warranty is up. Show less

Found a brand new '97 Thunderbolt S3-T at the local Buell dealership for less than 10 grand in June of this year. A discount of nearly $2500 over the MSRP in '97 and only two miles on the bike made for a really attractive deal. Buells seemed to be the only thing coming out of Wisconsin that you could actually find a "deal" on at the time. It doesn't have the Thunderstorm heads or fuel injection but still makes around 85 ft-lbs or torque and 90h.p., enough to suit my needs. The only immediate problem was with the saddle bag latches which would stick closed leaving stuff inside. The dealer replaced the faulty latches with latches from a newer bike on the floor, which were re-designs, and these have worked flawlessly since. I have put nearly 9000 mi. on the bike since June and in that time the only other problem was the muffler mounts got vibrated into pieces. I put an aftermarket Supertrapp muffler on and it's main mount broke in less than 500 mi., the Buell IS a Milwaukee vibrator after all. I redesigned a cable type mount which allows the muffler to find it's natural state and everthing seems to be holding up well now. The Supertrapp also added a big boost to throttle response in the mid-range which should equal a few more ft-lbs of torque. My main riding is along the Blue Ridge and other mountain ranges here in western NC. The Buell just eats up the curvy hilly roads, roaring up through mountain gaps like they were little hills. This bike is very well suited for mountain riding with plenty of pulling power from the 1203c.c. engine. I weigh 200+ and even with the bags full of gear the bike still pulls hard in fourth gear at 70+mph up these mountains. I'm not a racer so I'm not going to brag about scraping anything or relate an anecdote about blowing past anybody on the track. Let's just say the bikes handling gives me great confidence when the roadsigns start looking like reptile snapshots. I don't believe I've ever worn tires on a street bike so evenly before. My "chicken strip" was 3/8" on the Buell but on my older hawgs the tire would sometimes look square when it was replaced. All in all, I feel like I have a great ride and that Buell will stand behind me if necessary. I can't recall the number of times I've found myself grinning from ear to ear after tackling some back road or cresting the eastern divide. If you like taking long rides on some very curvey roads, the Thunderbolt will make an excellent choice. Show less