[SteveFord]

Fly and Ride - I just booked the flight to pick up my "new" 2002 Buell X1W which is a replacement for the one I stupidly sold a month ago.
I'm really excited about this - these bikes are so much fun.

Fat Boy goes nutso!

[Rocket_Ronny]

Good stuff Steve. What's the appeal of Buell over other bikes?

My ride is very dirt oriented, although somewhat street legal with lights, etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2G_NNP63KA

Rocket_Ronny

[SteveFord]

That GASGAS does indeed look like a gas.
You see that guy jumping over the log?  That would turf me onto my head and drive it into the ground like a tent peg.  I'm just pathetic off road probably because I hate to crash!

The Buells, well, they put the fun back into motorcycles for me.
I've had quite a few: Triumph, BSA, Norton, BMW, Ducati, Moto Guzzi (plus an assortment of Japanese bikes when I was too poor to afford anything else) and the Buells remind me an awful lot of a modern version of a Norton Commando.
They've got that same rock and roll motor but (knock on wood) they don't leave you stranded on the side of the road with no hope of getting going again.   
I must have around 125,000 miles on the things, maybe a bit more. 
They're better bikes than I am a rider: no matter how fast you enter a corner the bike can go through it faster without fuss.
Add tremendous brakes, light weight, more power than anyone really needs, aggressively ugly styling (to match the owner, ha, ha) and a really wild exhaust note with an aftermarket exhaust and that's them.
I've been to two of the week long Buell Tech Schools when I worked at dealerships and I'm pretty familiar with the old things.
They're unique and are just plain fun bikes.
I also admire Erik Buell for what he's accomplished over the years and he's a nice guy, too.

[Rocket_Ronny]

That's a lot of miles. You must ride as much as you spend time on this forum, ha. Saying you like the Buell more than a Ducati is saying something.

Rocket_Ronny

[SteveFord]

I do 100 miles a day commuting so yes, I put on a lot of miles just dodging homicidal commuters whose brains are the size of a walnut.
I average two really close calls per month, they're just idiots around here.

I prefer the Buells to Ducatis but the Italians make some beautiful machinery.
Part prices are murder, though.

[Rocket_Ronny]

That's a nice way to get to work. What's your gig?

Rocket_Ronny

[SteveFord]

Currently I'm an Examiner for the Dept of Labor & Industry which means I'm a detective and low level judge rolled up into one.
I like solving mysteries so it's an interesting job for me but getting paid to ride motorcycles was a lot more fun!

[Rocket_Ronny]

Cool.

getting paid to ride motorcycles was a lot more fun!

You mean you got paid to ride bikes?


Rocket_Ronny

[SteveFord]

Yes, I got paid to ride motorcycles.
I owned a motorcycle dealership at one time and then I ended up working for two motorcycle dealerships.
For 20 years I earned my living working on, selling and riding motorcycles.
It was a lot of fun although I stopped doing the demo rides after this one guy nearly took my leg off with a Harley V-Rod.  I saw the State Trooper, he didn't, I slowed way down and that was a close one.
They don't pay me enough for that kind of thing.

Tomorrow it's Fly-N-Ride so I'm really looking forward to the weekend!
The soft bags I ordered are at the seller's house, money orders are all done, plane ticket is done, now it's just pack up a license plate, some tools, a map and some crap and hit the road tomorrow.
Vroom vroom!

[SteveFord]

What a day - security nearly makes me miss my flight by having to board my tools and oil after they first tell me it's okay for carry on and then I had to go through security a second time.
STEVE FORD, THE PLANE IS LEAVING IN 3 MINUTES comes over the PA system and I'm at the other side of the terminal having some security guy pat me down...
I make the flight, the bike is all super duper but the exhaust is incredibly LOUD (louder than my old factory race exhaust), slap on the soft luggage, get the Title and haul ass down from Cleveland back to Pennsyltucky.
Luckily, I don't wish to father any children as that seat made sure that I never will be able to and I went deaf as a post somewhere in the Alleghenies.
The bike ran great, traffic was light, I just cruised along doing 75-80 the whole way, the one unmarked police car I saw actually pulled over the car next to me instead of me(!), I got caught in the rain for a bit which was good as it helped cool me off and I even managed to make it home before dark.
I nearly gave Lynda a heart attack when I walked into the bedroom as she was changing as she was expecting me home sometime around midnight and I walk in at 7:30.
A very busy, very productive day!

[SteveFord]

A few changes over the Summer:
Wileyco titanium canister (muffler), race ECM and air filter, carbon fiber tank accents, Corbin seat, neoprene fork gaiters, billet rider pegs, inverted clubman handlebars sprayed full of insulating foam, Tommaselli Gran Tourismo grips, lots of stainless fasteners, some other crud I'm probably forgetting.
The British reviewed this bike back in 2002 and titled the article, Erik Buell Sends A Psycho From America and that pretty much sums it up.
This is a wild bike.