2005 Buell reviews

I rode a 150cc over seven years; finally opted to "step up" to this versatile creature. One can sit upright or drop into a tuck. Almost a decade later, the styling is unimitated. It's throaty rumble turns heads and has powerful front brakes and an exquisitely balanced chassis. Drop it into 4th on a highway incline and the bike breaks away effortlessly. A short wheelbase invites underestimation. We've been riding five weeks, from 3,900 miles to 7,900 miles. This bike is almost ideal for traveling around Atlanta; from the local highways, to the city streets, to the interstates. Show less

After riding two years on a Buell Blast, I finally upgraded to a Buell Firebolt XB12R in 2006. It needed some getting used to, but I have to say it is easier to turn the Firebolt into the corner than the Baby Buell. Six years later I am still riding the Buell, I am looking at other bikes, but for some reason they just don't seem right, none of them has the clean look of the Buell. It is too sad that Buell was disolved. I am commuting on the bike, so I probably use only 20% of the bike's potential, but it handles fantastic, I absolutely love it. 50 miles to the gallon is not a bad thing these days neither. Just hope I can get 50,000 miles more out of the bike. Show less

Good bike but it needs about 40 more hp and the pegs need to be bout 3/4 in higher. Mine are all chewed up by the corners but after you get through the rubber, the sparks are kinda cool. At least it gets on one wheel! Show less

I have owned 5 bikes, mostly Suzuki's. Right now I own a '04 DL 650 V-Strom, a '04 GSXR 1000, and an '05 City X. The Buell is the most fun bike to ride of them all. I love how it corners, the way the bike just disappears in front of you (like highway surfing!), the usable torque and sound (with the aftermarket pipe). It is so different, it's hard to explain, but you feel more bonded to the machine than the others, especially after riding a bunch of twisty roads. It has personality. For once, the stock tires (Pirelli Scorpion Sync) are excellent and I will replace them with the same. Downside? There is some heat that you will notice on the right side on hot days (the GSXR puts out a fair amount of heat also), the suspension needs to be adjusted to your weight to really enjoy the abilities of this bike, I wished both headlights could be on like my V-Strom (best lights around!), not much wind protection for cold days and rain. Get the select seat, it is better. I Love this bike!!!! Show less

Returning rider at age 40+. This has been a great ride. From around town to the back two lanes, through the passes and along the coast to the highways this bike is taking care of me and is more than a "blast" to ride. The short fall for this one cylinder is on the highway here, especially on our gusty Santa Anna days. I can keep 60-65 no problem but general traffic is flying by me. I'm like a 16 year old with a new license with this bike. I want to run all the errands or think of excuses to go on them. It's a natural around town. At 65 miles to the gallon, it's an easy one to rationalize too. This bike is all about fun but it does draw curious looks too. Show less

I purchased the bike yesterday and let me tell you it's an awesome bike....it's very comfortable and provides great performance in the handling category. haven't been able to open it up because it's far from being broken in but I'll write back once I have more miles on it for an update....its a real eye catcher too. Show less

I used to have a 2003 Honda CBR600RR and have been a long time Crotch Rocket owner. Over the last 2 years I noticed that I was not riding my Honda that much and started to wonder why. It came down to comfort. The bike, for commuting purposes, just isn't all that friendly although it was great otherwise. This led to cramped neck muscles and sore arms. So I decided I was going to get something a little more friendly and was pretty set on going back to a Kawasaki. While explaining this to a contractor who is a Harley advocate, he suggested Buell because it is American Iron. I AM SO HAPPY HE DID!! Due to its styling and color, the CityX immediately caught my eye. I then watched all of Mr. Buell's technical explanations on the web site and was blown away. I had to find out for myself if the theory I was hearing translated into the real world. After calling numerous dealerships I located one very close to me that had one in stock and went to take a look. When I got there, I fell in love, and purchased the bike. On a Monday I took my bike home and was lucky enough to have a perfect work week of weather. I traded in the Honda and haven't looked back. The first thing I noticed when sitting on the bike was the nice upright position akin to a standard. Having actual handlebars vs. clip-ons really allows me to do some super tight slow spin circles and figure 8s that just weren't possible on a crotch rocket. I can now dictate the body position and be comfortable or aggressive to my taste depending on how hard I am pushing it. The engine is very different from an inline 4. Right from the get-go it pulls like a demon. Combine that with a pretty stiff clutch, and you have to be a little careful about not hitting the car in front of you or hopping a curb on take off. This translates into some very useable power on the street and really reduced the amount of shifting you have to do. No longer is it imperative to keep the bike above 10k RPMs to ensure power out of a turn. I was prepared to lose a little bit of handling compared to my previous pure race rocket but that proved to be an unnecessary concern. Turns out the opposite happens. For some reason, this bike inspires a level of confidence that I did not have with my Honda. As a result, I have been leaning into turns quite aggressively without even knowing it. An inspection of the rear tire 3 days after getting the bike showed that I am using all of the tread at this point except for about 3/4' on either outside edge. Hey, cut me a break, I am still breaking in the engine. I'll let you peruse the Buell site for the remaining details of this fine piece of equipment, but as far as I am concerned, the theory of this bike has translated exactly into reality. Get one and own the street. Show less

Bought New Year's Eve. Been riding in very cold weather. So far bike has performed great. I also ride dirt bikes. When I'm riding my City X I'm looking for dirt to ride on. This bike is total fun. Show less

I just got this bike last weekend, so I'm still in the break in period. So far I love it. Even while keeping the rpm's low it has plenty of get up and go. I can't wait for the break in to be over so I can open it up. After reading a lot of Buell reviews I bought one without a test ride. I was expecting a ton of vibration and was pleasantly surprised when I found that there was not much. The suspension is very good, I might play with the stock settings to see what happens. I probably will get a new exhaust and air filter, once I get some more miles on it. I almost got a BMW r1150r, but I've had beemers before and wanted something different. It's cool to have a bike designed and built is the good old USA!! Show less

Great bike with no problems. I got mine in August, number 62 off the line. I wasn't impressed off the show room floor but just put in a race kit and wow this bike should come with it stock. No problems with this bike. There's a lot less vibration than the '04 9s that I test rode. Show less