MOTORCYCLE Type
Make and model
Year
Top 10 Dual Sport
Reviews
Stars Refinement
21 ratings and reviews
Voted most helpful review
Sam
Hadyai, Thailand
Reviewed on July 2, 2009
Motorcycle reviewed 2003 Buell Lightning XB9S
5.0
As I've been riding on the big bike just a little over a decade, the Lightning finally explains my 'Review Title' without any doubts. Just got it for a couple of months with excellent condition and as all the Lightning's lovers do, I take it on the road almost everyday with no burdens. Ultimately, this is one...
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As I've been riding on the big bike just a little over a decade, the Lightning finally explains my 'Review Title' without any doubts. Just got it for a couple of months with excellent condition and as all the Lightning's lovers do, I take it on the road almost everyday with no burdens. Ultimately, this is one of all two wheels kind that you have got to take on if you want to get into the heart of 'Live to Ride' spirit!!!
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Voted most helpful review
K. Hazelton
Seattle, Washington
Reviewed on September 13, 2007
Motorcycle reviewed 2007 Buell Lightning XB12STT
5.0
I bought my new Buell XB12 Super TT last December. Easily, it's the best bike I have ever owned. It has some quirks which I will tell you about, but overall, it's a sweet ride. It has plenty of juice for traffic. You don't have to shift down to get any maneuvering power, it's instant, and it's on demand...
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I bought my new Buell XB12 Super TT last December. Easily, it's the best bike I have ever owned. It has some quirks which I will tell you about, but overall, it's a sweet ride. It has plenty of juice for traffic. You don't have to shift down to get any maneuvering power, it's instant, and it's on demand. The riding position is perfect. It sits high enough so that you can see traffic and your body position isn't too agressive. This is an excellent posture for urban slalom. In a drag-race, my Buell will do about as well as a 650cc Suzuki. My red-line is at 6.8 grand so a 650cc bike will bound ahead but will lose ground in the top gears. My Super TT will top at about a buck-fourty, which is a bit faster than a 750cc, and then it's `sayonara.` However, bigger bikes will leave me behind. In a cornering contest, my Super TT makes all the competition cry. The lean angle, handling and corner-exiting torque are all supierior to anything else on the road. Maneuverability and its ability to escape and accelerate through traffic are superb. Trust me - I live in Seattle. As I mentioned, there are some quirks: First; you have to `un-learn` your Japanese riding style. This is no exageration. Second; you must warm-up this bike before you ride away. If the engine is hot, you feel the joy. Otherwise, a cold engine isn't much fun to ride and could be unsafe. Again - trust me on this. Third; Road grime. The number plates really suck up the road-grime and it gets everywhere. I can't explain it, it just does. I turned those goofy number plates into a couple of `frisbees.` Then I got the Ulysses lower front fender and now road-grime isn't a problem. One last opinion: This bike is not for beginners. It can perform well past a newbie's ability to control it.
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Voted most helpful review
ray weber
santa cruz, California
Reviewed on July 16, 2007
Motorcycle reviewed 2003 Buell Lightning XB9S
5.0
I bought this bike new in Feb. '03 because it was what I had been looking for. I had also looked at the Ducatis, Triumphs, Aprilias, etc. I wanted an air cooled, belt driven,compact, light, nimble, reliable, locally serviced and if at all possible, American made. I also required a bike that needed 0 upgrades ...
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I bought this bike new in Feb. '03 because it was what I had been looking for. I had also looked at the Ducatis, Triumphs, Aprilias, etc. I wanted an air cooled, belt driven,compact, light, nimble, reliable, locally serviced and if at all possible, American made. I also required a bike that needed 0 upgrades to correct design/build flaws. The Buell met all the requirements on paper, received excellent reviews, and has been tons of fun to ride and live with. Thumbs up!
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Voted most helpful review
Matt
Reno, Nevada
Reviewed on July 6, 2006
Motorcycle reviewed 2004 Buell Lightning XB12S
5.0
My wife just baught an XB12SCG. It is a little small in stature for me but wow does it handle great. After riding her Buell for an hour or so I get back on my ZX6 and have to actually work to ride it. The Buell is very torqy and long in the gears. What a blast....
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My wife just baught an XB12SCG. It is a little small in stature for me but wow does it handle great. After riding her Buell for an hour or so I get back on my ZX6 and have to actually work to ride it. The Buell is very torqy and long in the gears. What a blast.
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Voted most helpful review
vance
reedsburg, Wisconsin
Reviewed on January 19, 2006
Motorcycle reviewed 2003 Buell Lightning XB9S
5.0
I never owned a bike before I rode a couple of bikes - a Suzuki, a Yamaha... I seen a Buell Lightning and couldn't believe it. I bought it without a test ride, AWESOME!!! I recommend this bike to a new rider, they are so easy to ride and when you want to challenge the road, it will work with you....
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I never owned a bike before I rode a couple of bikes - a Suzuki, a Yamaha... I seen a Buell Lightning and couldn't believe it. I bought it without a test ride, AWESOME!!! I recommend this bike to a new rider, they are so easy to ride and when you want to challenge the road, it will work with you.
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Voted most helpful review
DueceDriver
Wheatland, California
Reviewed on October 19, 2005
Motorcycle reviewed 2003 Buell Lightning XB9S
4.0
Plenty of power, splendid handling and iconic good looks.
The horsepower and torque from the 984 are sufficient for any application short of actual competition on the track. Corners are cake. Even a relatively inexperienced rider can flick the bike back and forth with easy confidence. Finally, there a...
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Plenty of power, splendid handling and iconic good looks.
The horsepower and torque from the 984 are sufficient for any application short of actual competition on the track. Corners are cake. Even a relatively inexperienced rider can flick the bike back and forth with easy confidence. Finally, there are bikes that look better on paper, but none that look better on the street. This bike turns heads right off the showroom floor.
Reliability
4.0
Quality
4.0
Performance
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Voted most helpful review
Scott
Nashua, New Hampshire
Reviewed on September 8, 2005
Motorcycle reviewed 2003 Buell Lightning XB9S
5.0
This is the quickest turning bike I have ever ridden, it handles like a motocross machine. You've got to ride it to truly understand just how agile this thing really is....
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This is the quickest turning bike I have ever ridden, it handles like a motocross machine. You've got to ride it to truly understand just how agile this thing really is.
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Voted most helpful review
chris
coppell, Texas
Reviewed on September 4, 2005
Motorcycle reviewed 2004 Buell Lightning XB12S
5.0
I purchased my bike purely on looks and the rareness of seeing them in my area. Since then I have gained a whole new respect for it. I had the race kit put on it when i bought the bike so I never got to experience it without it. But as far as the power goes, the front wheel will come up with ease in 1st th...
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I purchased my bike purely on looks and the rareness of seeing them in my area. Since then I have gained a whole new respect for it. I had the race kit put on it when i bought the bike so I never got to experience it without it. But as far as the power goes, the front wheel will come up with ease in 1st through 3rd gear. Was recently in Colorado and got to experience the handling aspect of my bike, and can't say I've ridden anything better. Far as I go....I'm a buell customer for life!
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Voted most helpful review
Jim Russo
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Reviewed on January 29, 2005
Motorcycle reviewed 2004 Buell Lightning XB12S
5.0
I am one of those long term, older, motorcycle riders, who continues to ride his motorcycle for work transportation during nice weather, and for the simple pleasure of owning, riding and working on his own machine. After 13 sorted machines with 6 H-D bikes among the listing that includes one '73 350 cc single...
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I am one of those long term, older, motorcycle riders, who continues to ride his motorcycle for work transportation during nice weather, and for the simple pleasure of owning, riding and working on his own machine. After 13 sorted machines with 6 H-D bikes among the listing that includes one '73 350 cc single SS H-D, three Sportster's, one '82 FXR, and one '96 Road King in those 35 years, I became tired of heavy 600+ to 700+ pound motorcycles and looked to make another change. So in July of 2003 I just happened to test drive a 2003 Buell XB9SL demo. What a difference between the extreme "light weight" 400+ lbs. and high torque performance from its air cooled 984 cc highly modified Sportster V-Twin engine in this Buell. For me it put all the fun back into owning a motorcycle that I had been missing with some of the heavier machines I had owned. It then took me till August of 2004 to actually sell my 2001 Victory cruiser and purchase a Black 2004 Buell XB12S which had 913 demo miles on it from our local H-D/Buell dealer. I also really appreciated all the effort that Buell did in their engineering design of the Lightning model, between the fixed rear axle with belt idler, to fuel in the aluminum frame, oil in the swing arm, zero resistance air intake and their outstanding fuel injection system, to its rider responsive handling just to name some features. So my suggestion would be to motorcycle riders who feel as I did, to just go and drive one, to see what I and others are talking about. It's a truly different sport "street bike" or motorcycle in general for all the right design reasons. The key word here is "Fun".
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Voted most helpful review
NC Buell Rider
Greensboro, North Carolina
Reviewed on December 20, 2004
Motorcycle reviewed 2003 Buell Lightning XB9S
5.0
This bike is truely awesome. I have had the bike for several months now, and I get excited everytime I get it out of the garage. The bike is a real eye-catcher and I get compliments on it everytime I ride. It's reliable and quick with little to no drawbacks. Get the aftermarket race kit for true power and s...
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This bike is truely awesome. I have had the bike for several months now, and I get excited everytime I get it out of the garage. The bike is a real eye-catcher and I get compliments on it everytime I ride. It's reliable and quick with little to no drawbacks. Get the aftermarket race kit for true power and sound. A great buy.
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Comfort
4.0
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