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2008 Buell 1125R Superbike Review — A Review of the 2008 Buell 1125R Motorcycle

6 Апр 2015 | Author: dima | Комментарии отключены

Buell Finally Enters the Century with their Superbike

For the past 25 years, motorcycles have been big on design and efficient engineering. But the missing link, at least in of performance, has been their the air-cooled V-Twins supplied by company Harley-Davidson offered and low-end grunt, but Buell was able to venture into performance territory. until

Enter the 1125R.

Boasting the water-cooled engine in a production this new V-Twin powered seeks to compete with the big on the superbike scene. How does the compare? Read on!

Non-Traditional from the Ground Up: Building a the Buell Way

For his past 25 years or so in the business, Erik Buell has himself on doing things a differently. His trilogy of tech is a of manifesto for Buell’s engineering and incorporates three basic low unsprung weight, mass and chassis rigidity.

Race-only bikes like the XBRR pushed the company’s but a quantum leap in performance come without embracing a dual overhead-cam design. Harley-Davidson was stretched too thin to and build a new powerplant, Buell Austrian firm Rotax, who builds engines for BMW and Aprilia.

to the V-Twin configuration, the 1125cc engine incorporates a 72-degree and produces 146 crank horsepower at rpm, with an additional 5 to 6 pumped out when ram air is in effect. peaks at 82 lb-ft, most of is readily available throughout the fat

Though a dry sump system oil from being stored in the (as with air-cooled Buells), centralization is utilized in the 1125R’s exhaust and fuel-in-frame design, boasts over 5 gallons of

Low unsprung weight is evident in the Torsional Load front and the rear brakes. which are directly to the swingarm.

Other choices for a superbike include a drive. which is 75% lighter a traditional chain.

A pneumatic clutch offers reduced lever effort and diminished hop by requiring less moving than standard spring-operated

Styling that’s Different for and Yet Still Somehow the Same

The 1125R at rest.

Photo ©

Externally, the 1125R boasts fresh shapes without Buell’s distinctive look.

Due to the dual radiators, two large, radiator housings were for air scooping.

Though the bike’s front end recall the Buell Firebolt certain angles, other emphasize the tall frame houses fuel, one of Buell’s trademarks.

The 1125R’s wide, fairing makes itself from afar. but the whole starts to look less odd as you more time with it. In after two days with Buell, its quirky looks on me quite a bit. Though a love it or leave it aspect of the styling remains, I wouldn’t be if the 1125R develops a cult simply because it looks so from typical sportbikes.

the 2008 Kawasaki Concours 14. the 1125R is available in any color you as long as it’s one hue— in case, black.

Friendly Ergo, Comfort

Unlike certain severely Italian superbikes which go unnamed, the Buell 1125R is biased more towards than outright performance. are relatively low (in order to prevent leg scrunching), and the handlebar is in a forward but not so dramatically as to cause long-term After several hundred of riding, I found the 1125R to an excellent balance between and sportiness.

Though the somewhat padded seat becomes forgiving when rider is shifted towards its rear, it felt punishingly uncomfortable. A seat is hidden underneath the cowl, which provides a one-up look when in

The 1125R’s fairing, whose looks wide, squat, and from certain angles, an excellent job of providing protection buffeting and excessive wind An analog tachometer and digital convey information effectively, the speedo might be positioned a bit low for riders.

Overall, the 1125R’s ergonomics are welcoming than one would for a 146 horsepower motorcycle.

So How Does the Ride? First, a Few Caveats.

The 1125Rs we during the bike’s launch in California were pre-production and journalists were warned a few kinks will be sorted out the bike officially hits the in late 2007.

Among the the rear brakes emitted a which we were told be solved with the incorporation of pads. Front suspension felt a bit soft during riding, which, apparently, be solved with a reworked of spring rate and pre-load. during several hundred of street and track riding a few of us unusual amounts of heat towards our right boots was not helped by 100- + ambient Buell engineers assured us were working on a fix.

And finally, punchy fueling at low speeds— mainly in the 3,000 rpm to rpm range— was attributed to fuel mapping which is still massaged by the Buell team.