Buell Lightning X1 reviews

This is in response to the last post from LA. Did your friends X1 have a race kit? This makes all the difference in the world. Try one with the kit! Later Dave Show less

I recently had the opportunity to ride a friend;s 2000 X-1. The overall handling of the bike impressed me, but the motor isn't impressive at all. It starts to make good power at 5000 rpm, but red line is 6500 rpm. Below 5000 rpm there isn't a whole lot of power. I would probably go for the M-2 instead and upgrade the suspension to the units on the X-1. If you can live with the peaky motor, go for the X-1, just don't expect the same level of performance you can get from a four cylinder bike. Show less

I've been riding bikes longer than a lot of the guys I ride with have been on the planet. My bright yellow Buell X-1 with the factory race kit is just great. My last bike was a H-D Low Rider Custom with about an extra $5,000 in it. The Buell is about ten times the fun to ride. I went on a Sport Bike ride and found that I could pass the Japanese bikes on the inside of the turns, on the outside of the turns. It was a kick starting out in the back of the pack not knowing how competitive I'd be and ending up in second place. Out of the twisties and onto the freeway running at 120 with the pure Sport Bikes and as smooth as a babies behind. Not a great tourer but lots of fun. that's what I bought it for. Show less

I bought it new in July after all recall work was complete. I have had in and out of shop for various problems (Fuel leaks, Fuel injection problems). The bike currently has 550 miles on it and is for sale!!!!!! (Shop put over half those miles on testing problems) I got no help from H.D. Dealer or Southeastern Buell rep. Show less

poor reliability, poor customer service, I purchased this Buell in April of this year. It has been at the dealer for more than seven weeks for repair. I have had problems with the rear tire (lost air but wasn't punctured), clutch, alternator, rear suspension (recall item), and now the front brake. The folks at Harley customer service have not returned my calls or letter in two weeks. This bike handles great and is great to look at. Unfortunately, despite my dealer's best efforts, it's impossible to keep it running! Show less

I have been riding a Buell for two years. When I traded in my S-1 for a brand new X-1, I was expecting the same ride -- far from it. Buell has made dozens of improvements. The ride is smoother, more comfortable, and has a better engine. All around it is an excellent bike. Great for anyone with the need for raw power and the sound of a hell raiser at your heals Show less

If you are into the latest, greatest sportbikes then you probably won't be interested in a Buell. If you like to carve corners without buying overseas then you have no other choice. Although '99 was the first year of the X1 (remember the old maxim about never buying the first model of anything? It's true...) and it has problems, it also has outstanding handling, the ability to rocket from corner to corner without rowing the shifter, and the components necessary to hang with friends riding Triumph Speed Triples and Ducati Monsters. Erik Buell's marriage of a torquey V-twin and stiff frame using the engine as a stressed member is the simplest possible definition of sportbike. The mass is kept low in the frame and this allows a Buell to change directions easily. You don't suppose Honda and Suzuki have recently marketed big-bore V-twin-powered sportbikes as a whim, do you? Unlike most street-legal racebikes, this bike has real-world ergonomics. The footpegs are where they belong (under your butt without feeling like they're part of your cheeks and not three feet out in front of you, either) and the handlebar (no clip ons!) is a comfortable reach. The 74-c.i. (1203 cc) engine will spin willing right to the rev limiter (almost 7,000 rpm), is smooth from 3,000 rpm on up, and will cruise all day long at 95 mph (or until those bright, colorful lights show up in the rear-view mirrors....)There is virtually none of the high-rpm buzz that an in-line fours produce at speed. The faster you go, the smoother it feels. Buell apparently did very little testing of the engine management system. This was their first shot at a production machine with fuel injection. The original-equipment ECU (brain) stinks. An extra $200 gets you the "Race Only" module with a huge improvement in rideability, particularly at low engine rpms. Other mods included gutting the airbox, K & N air filter, stainless steel SuperTrapp exhaust can (way better sound, some extra power, several pounds weight savings), and a radar detector. If you go with the American sportbike be sure to check out potential dealers carefully. Harley dealers make a lot of money selling Harleys, but most would rather not have Buells on their lots. Harleys sell for list plus whatever the dealer thinks he can make on top of that. Buells go for no more than list. When it comes time to service your bike be sure your chosen dealer has someone who has actually worked on Buells before. Just because it has a Harley engine doesn't mean the dealer's wrench has clue one about a Buell. Plan on shopping elsewhere for most of your after-market modifications. Despite spending too much time at the dealer for various repairs (all under the extended warranty I was smart/lucky enough to buy) this bike does what I want: Gets me wherever I want to go with little fuss. It looks cool, the girls love it, and the guys envy me, what else is there? Show less

As far as the fun factor of this bike is concerned its at least 5+ stars but due to the inherent design flaws, which were fixed not exactly for free (it was at a cost of a few weeks to a month down time, but not a dollar more!) I have to rate this bike at high 4 stars. Along with the fun factor, the bike's ease of maintenance is unprecedented in modern sport bikes. The valves require no adjusting (unlike its competitors, DUCATI?), and the parts are definitely cheaper because the engine and a lot of the other components were borrowed from the sportster which has been around since the Wright brothers (almost). This is my opinion only, and if you're in the market for a good used Buell, or even a new one for that matter, I say go for it and let the HOOLIGAN in you out to be free Show less

I own a 2000 X1 - tons of fun. Great in traffic and on the highway. Total wheelie monster. I think reliability could be better, and a higher revving engine would certainly help things. On the other hand, its competition is really the Duc Monster and Triumph Speed Triple - neither has a rep for reliability (in fact quite the opposite) and the Buell has better performance and components. I'd have bought the monster if it had any thing close to the performance (and it will next year). I do own a Japanese Sport bike, but the Buell fits my punk style and my vanity (it gets a reaction) and is easier to ride around town so it is the commuter. Hey BMC, when is that water cooled OHC comming? Show less

I am a huge fan of twin cylinder sport bikes, and I have always wanted Harley to build one with no excuses. Each year I test rode a Buell and each year is better than the last. The chassis is great. This bike handles well, as expected, but rides comfortably also. The ergonomics are near perfect. The finish is almost there, far less of a home made look than the earlier bikes. Brakes are first rate. The transmission shifts fair, but could use another gear and narrower ratios, because the engine has such a narrow (!!!) power band. This was a huge surprise, to me. I'm hoping for a more modern engine (maybe a Sportster Twin Cam) but not a Japanese style DOHC. Then I'll buy one in a heartbeat. Show less