Moto-Brian Posted July 29, 2009 Report Share Posted July 29, 2009 Well, things have slowed down a bit long enough to give a review of the Buell 1125R. Had a chance to ride with Nick Ienatsch during the Buell Day (second event day) for two sessions on the 1125R.Nick's bike had it set to where he and Ken were wanting it in terms of suspension settings and their riding style. However, they were BONE STOCK bikes and nothing in addition to what you would simply buy off the floor. The one I rode was set in a general setting to suit the average rider...First session was tough in learning a new bike and trying to keep up with Nick. The front was too soft and the thing was shaking it's head in protest a bit to my inputs. So, I had to slow down to go faster and it was better, but just too spongy if I could describe it...The first session brought out a few things. One, the brakes. REALLY great brakes for a stock bike with stock street pads. Felt solid and no fade issues during the first session. Two, traction. Jesus, it has traction. I swear I couldn't get on the throttle soon enough out of the turns. It always seemed well planted and came out well of about every corner I was going through.Of course in the first session, we had a GSXR750 in the mix with Ken, Nick and I and they pretty much left me of sorts due to me not wanting to push with the way the bike was set up. I made it through the session well enough, I think and it had me interested in trying it with the front a little more stiff and a few adjustments to get a better idea. The Buell guys were VERY accommodating and did a few clicks of suspension tuning for me. It kind of sucked as I wish I could have tried some more changes, but it was the last session of the day as I waited for everyone to get a shot and didn't ride until the last two sessions... All in all, the fact that they were willing to even change a few settings was awesome. They typically do not do this for riders, but made an exception and I appreciated it greatly. BIG thanks to Chris from Buell in being such a cool dude.Going out for the last session, Nick and I went out solo. He was going to tow me and check my pace and we would run as hard as we could within reason of course. Nick is on my bucket list of riders I wanted to ride with and that day was awesome!We headed out and we started picking it up. The front felt a load better than the one I just rode. The rear felt planted and was slightly squirmy under load, but we didn't get a chance to adjust it and it was pretty damn good. The bike was great on the brakes and felt solid through the start. The brakes did however start to show signs of fading towards the end, but we were really pushing and when one thinks about it, these bikes have been ridden all day around the track and they are probably getting that fluid to the point it is starting to cause fade late in the day. When I say fade, it was still better feel than my 1000 would be at the end of a day...The traction was still there. Solid feel out and good drive. One thing I did have to adjust to was not closing the throttle fully. It's something I have come to learn on bikes like the Super Duke and RC8 we have ridden. If I closed it completely and picked it back up, there was a lot of jerkiness. It might be part of riding a twin, but it wasn't a big deal at all. The bike also has some power. It is really good on top and it is actually a LOT smoother than I expected. There's some vibration and it is a sensation that I am not used to, but it isn't like I expected. Not to stereotype, but I expected HD vibration and total hand numbing through the bars...Handling was really good, too. Coming off a race prepped bike isn't a fair comparison, but in terms of this being a stock bike, it is really good. I mean really good. It handles rather well and there isn't that top heavy feel I have had with other bikes like the Super Duke and other older V Twins I have ridden. This felt more like a 600. The seating position took some time to get used to. I also had issue with the pegs being so low. It really threw me a few times. I know I could have gone a lot faster had I not been dragging the peg feelers and my boot at times. But, that showed that the bike was VERY well mannered when at full lean and even when adding power at full lean. It was rather civilized and treated me well. Just when hitting those feelers, it makes you think that this isn't your machine and the thoughts of me being a second bike owner isn't in the cards. Yet... The big plus in terms of riding position is that when in full tuck, you get the best coverage I have yet to experience on a newer age bike. That fairing may not be the favorite of a few folks, but when in full tuck, you hear next to nothing and there is no wind or resistance placed upon the rider. When you come up out of the tuck off the back straight, it is amazing how much it protects.The seating position felt a bit "down in" as opposed to say what an R6 feels like. I think had there been some ride height added and some rear sets, it would feel rather similar. Just more of a relaxed seating position, but nothing too relaxed. It was still more supersport that sport touring, but just more relaxed than what I am used to.At about the halfway point, Nick had me lead and I took the point. I was feeling really good and the bike was starting to gel with me better. I felt as if I was starting to ride it better. Of course all things come to an end and the rear tire starting to spin under protest. The stock Pirellis were starting to yell at me and again, that thought of it not being my bike and not wanting to be "that guy" came into play. I gave some hand signals that the tire was getting greasy to Nick and I decided to pull in. I hate to quit, but I think it is best to not push. So, we came in and called it a day.Next up, some cons... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moto-Brian Posted July 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2009 The few cons, I guess are minor and almost not worth stating. But, it all can't be fuzzy bunnies and rainbows, right? The few cons are things that can EASILY be fixed with next to no money. The head shake is somewhat troublesome feeling. Especially at Mid-Ohio where there are a few spots where the front gets unloaded under acceleration. When the front got light, it wiggled. It wiggled too much for my taste at the pace we were running. Steering damper would easily solve this and take it out of the "issues" box. But, it was there and it had me slower in sections I usually don't have issues with. However, Nick had no damper and he was railing through them. I feel maybe some suspension changes/chassis adjustments MIGHT have calmed that down, but I wasn't willing to push.The second con would be the tendency to push without throttle input. For example, a few spots, you tend to have some neutral throttle before rolling on and the bike would push or under steer. Pick up the throttle even so slightly and it steered totally fine. Again, may be part of that V Twin deal, but I think a few chassis or suspension changes and we could have fixed that easily. It was MINOR to say the least and really only effected areas in the Keyhole and Carousel...The final con was just the detail of dragging parts. I had to tuck my foot up and almost had to put the sole on the frame to avoid touching my boots down. Tough to get done in some of the transitions, but not a huge ordeal. Touching the feelers wasn't a big issue, but it had me letting up at times as to avoid any more objects from touching. Again, simple fix and you'd be set. All in all, if you'd buy a damper and maybe a set of rear sets, you'd be the bee's knees with this thing. The power is great, traction on drive is awesome, braking power is amazing and through it all, it was BONE STOCK. STOCK. Did I mention we were on stock bikes? I have no idea of what times we were turning, but it was probably in the :36-:37 range. On a totally stock machine with a bit of head shake and parts dragging? AWESOME!!I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting much. I have mixed feelings on this bike in terms of the AMA and it being part of HD. I think a lot of people might. BUT, it is worth a ride. After riding it and being more open minded about the bike, I have a new found respect for the machine. Seeing what it is capable of in pure stock form shows me that Buell is serious. They really feel they are on to something and quite honestly, I think they are. The bike is really good. A few tweeks and it can be seriously good and give any Japanese bike a serious run for it's money. Hell, even a few Italian bikes ought to be nervous.I would like to thank a few people. Buell being the first. Thanks for coming out and allowing the general public to not only ride these bikes on a track and get free classroom guidance from some top riders like Ken and Nick, but to see these same riders show exactly how capable the 1125R really is. To show it breaks out of the stereotype that has been associated with Buell and HD. I think what Buell is doing is going to lead them to become a player in the sportbike category and make a serious mark.Secondly, I want to thank STT for allowing this to happen and for organizing it with Buell to be a day where regular STT customers can come to the track, do their thing and get to try out something new. You wouldn't believe the number of riders I saw trying the bike out. If they were open minded and tried it, I know they were feeling as I felt about the machine. Kudos to STT for having the Buell Day tied into their events.Finally, thanks to Nick Ienatsch. Dude, we had a blast, didn't we? I will never forget that one lap where we came onto the back straight. EPIC!! Your passion and ability to teach are well evident and I was honored to be able to ride with you. Ken was awesome, as well. I just didn't get to spend as much time with him, but saw his ability to teach and his passion as I attended a few of the classroom sessions. Speaking of which, everyone should have checked the classroom sessions out. Everyone (including myself) can always learn something new. Even if it is the same thing you have already heard or learned, getting a new twist on it can make it a bit more impactful and may lead you to try something again with a new attitude. In doing so, it can lead you to become a better rider. That;s the goal, no?Overall, a great experience and I wish I had been there for both days. I wish I had gone over and rode the bike sooner, as well. I believe that with a few adjustments, I could have been riding that thing even better and really learning what it could do. Oh, well... Until next time, right? I look forward to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RVTPilot Posted July 29, 2009 Report Share Posted July 29, 2009 Excellent write up, Lizard! It's reads like this that make me want to hurry to a point where all my time is spent on the track. Funds and the desire to ride whenever I want inhibit that now, but hopefully I can change that soon.As far as the 1125, thanks for the detailed info. It is a bike that I have been curious about, being a big V Twin guy myself. I hope to throw a leg over one sometime soon.And riding with Nick had to be the shiznit! My first trackday instructor was Dave Aldana, and for me it was like Christmas times 10. I couldn't shut up about it for weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSVDon Posted July 29, 2009 Report Share Posted July 29, 2009 That Rotax motor is a beautiful thing isn't it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorro Posted July 29, 2009 Report Share Posted July 29, 2009 So, Lizard...the Buell seems like a great bike and can compete with the Japanese bikes. With cost not part of the equation, would you trade your race gsxr for a race buell?Nice write up, by the way. Based on how quickly you passed me, it seems like you were enjoying that bike! LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flounder Posted July 29, 2009 Report Share Posted July 29, 2009 Nice work... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e-flores Posted July 29, 2009 Report Share Posted July 29, 2009 very nice write-up!!! i never really had any kind of reason to want to get on the 1125 and ride it before and now i kinda want to. though i still hate buell... and this Nick Ienatsch guy, i am pretty sure i own a book that was wrote by him... am i correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_Copeland Posted July 29, 2009 Report Share Posted July 29, 2009 Very Nice write up.I might just go buy one now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disclaimer Posted July 29, 2009 Report Share Posted July 29, 2009 This review sponsored by....? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moto-Brian Posted July 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 So, Lizard...the Buell seems like a great bike and can compete with the Japanese bikes. With cost not part of the equation, would you trade your race gsxr for a race buell?Nice write up, by the way. Based on how quickly you passed me, it seems like you were enjoying that bike! LOL.Maybe for the 1125RR ($40k). But not for a 1125R race prepped. My 1000 is doing me fine. However, if I had a 600 currently, I would consider very much so... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moto-Brian Posted July 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 very nice write-up!!! i never really had any kind of reason to want to get on the 1125 and ride it before and now i kinda want to. though i still hate buell... and this Nick Ienatsch guy, i am pretty sure i own a book that was wrote by him... am i correct?Yes, Nick was an editor for a few pubs. He also has a book or two, was chief instructor at Freddie Spencer's school and will be heading up the new Yamaha Champions School at Miller... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moto-Brian Posted July 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 This review sponsored by....?Nobody, why? Buell was at Mid-Ohio for two days and I got to ride one. Figured since not a lot of people get a chance to hear from someone as partial to the Japanese machinery as I, that I'd throw out an honest opinion...I was sceptical for sure until I rode it. Trust me, it ain't like a Firebolt or Lightning. This thing is pretty freakin good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4DAIVI PAI2K5 Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 so would u take it over a jap 600 as a race bike???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disclaimer Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 Nobody, why? Buell was at Mid-Ohio for two days and I got to ride one. Figured since not a lot of people get a chance to hear from someone as partial to the Japanese machinery as I, that I'd throw out an honest opinion...I was sceptical for sure until I rode it. Trust me, it ain't like a Firebolt or Lightning. This thing is pretty freakin good.I was just bustin' your chops because no one on here has nice things to say about American bikes.I was impressed to see a guy click off a 10.70 on one when we were at Norwalk. That's more than respectable for a vtwin machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosmo Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 waiting for Aprilia KWS....... pros lizard for such a nice write Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moto-Brian Posted July 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 so would u take it over a jap 600 as a race bike????Id have to ride one back to back. However, I cannot see why it wouldn't be a top choice over a 600 in race trim vs. race trim... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e-flores Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 Yes, Nick was an editor for a few pubs. He also has a book or two, was chief instructor at Freddie Spencer's school and will be heading up the new Yamaha Champions School at Miller...Nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorro Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 Maybe for the 1125RR ($40k). Wow. Not sure what your gsxr cost you, but when I hear a 'maybe' on a 40k bike...I feel the Japanese bike is still top dog.Again, nice write up. I would've like to have tried those Buells, but I'd rather not wreck someone else's bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McLovin Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 (edited) Id have to ride one back to back. However, I cannot see why it wouldn't be a top choice over a 600 in race trim vs. race trim...Hell, why don't we just ask Danny Eslick which one he'd prefer... ...or do we want to ask Jamie Hacking?? Sorry Lizard, I could not resist! Edited July 30, 2009 by McLovin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disclaimer Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 Awwww, i sorry i hurted your e-feelings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4DAIVI PAI2K5 Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 Id have to ride one back to back. However, I cannot see why it wouldn't be a top choice over a 600 in race trim vs. race trim...Hell, why don't we just ask Danny Eslick which one he'd prefer... ...or do we want to ask Jamie Hacking?? Sorry Lizard, I could not resist! hahaha someone caught where i was going with that comment haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moto-Brian Posted July 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 Hell, why don't we just ask Danny Eslick which one he'd prefer... ...or do we want to ask Jamie Hacking?? Sorry Lizard, I could not resist!Do I agree with DMG's rules allowing it in the 600 class? Nope. Not at all... However, the RR version is pretty trick and while I would still pick the 1000 GSXR or R1 over it in full race trim, it is really close. I'd pick a $40k bike over mine any day. Selling one and getting only $30k would net me a good start to 2010... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorro Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 Selling one and getting only $30k would net me a good start to 2010...That wasn't part of the question Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFM Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 Hell, why don't we just ask Danny Eslick which one he'd prefer... ...or do we want to ask Jamie Hacking?? Sorry Lizard, I could not resist!Give Eslick some credit. If the bike were the only variable in the race placing, we'd have Mike Barnes placing second, and so on. Besides, I love seeing Hacking getting stuffed...Excellent write up! I'm partial to twins, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V4junkie Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 Nice review. That was a lot more entertaining than the crap MCUSA has been shoveling out lately. +rep for you sir (like you need it) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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