Touring on a blast?, buell blast that is

[R1200RT]

Get a sheepskin pad for the seat and go ride.

[naustin]

I used to have a Blast.  I did several 200+ mile days and once did 350 miles on it and it was just fine.  Blasts are actually extremely reliable if you leave the stock intake alone.  They have a rubber coupler that is failure prone if you go to any of the aftermarket intake systems.  So, leave that alone.  Another added benefit of the blast over, say the 250 ninja, is that the blast has no chain to oil or maintain, and it never needs valve adjustments.  Just add gas, keep an eye on the oil and ride.  It will consume oil @ higher speeds due to the emmission system set up, the carb tends to suck the oil in through the breather lines that vent into the carb throat.  At most it will use a few ounces between oil changes.

Biggest problem with the blast is that the rear tires (only 3 choices) all wear out in 3-5K miles.  I only got about 2500-3000 miles out of them, and went through 3 in 8,000 miles.  But, the tires are comparatively cheap.

With me on board alone and light gear, the blast had plenty of power and would hit 90 if pushed.  It was very happy to run 70 all day long...

They're fun little bikes.  I still miss mine sometimes.

Nick

[rselin]

Yes, you can tour on a small bike.  But not on a Blast.  Seriously, my aunt has one and I've ridden it, and she has tried to tour on it.  She used to ride a Honda V30 Magna (500 cc), and I've had 65,000 km seat time on a Ninja 500, so we both know small bikes.  The biggest problems with the Blast are it has a tiny gas tank so it's hard to fit a tank bag of any size on, and it's a plastic tank so a magnetic bag won't work, and there is no good way to mount soft saddlebags at the rear.  Add to that the vibration, agricultural shifting, crap suspension, and serious lack of power (even compared to a Ninja 250), and the Blast ain't much of a tourer.  Look for a Ninja/EX500 or Ninja 250, or a Suzuki GS500, these can usually be found for just as cheap as a Blast.

[chesthing]

$1500 can get you a decent bike, but look for older instead of newer.  Something like a clean 80's 500 Interceptor or Ninja 500 or 600R, although much older than a 2001 Blast, would be a better bike in every way.

[Mini4x]

$1500 can get you a decent bike, but look for older instead of newer.  Something like a clean 80's 500 Interceptor or Ninja 500 or 600R, although much older than a 2001 Blast, would be a better bike in every way.

There are alot of decent bikes that fit what you want that can be had cheap, Nighthawks, Yamaha XJ's (Seca, Radian), older VFR's can usually be had cheap, lots of mid to late 80's stuff that were great bikes if you don't mind the 80's-ness of them.  

[Grainbelt]

You should be able to buy a mid to late nineties Kawasaki ninja 250 or 500, or a Suzuki GS500, for well under $2k. Yamaha Seca II & Bandit 600 are good options, as mentioned, and are cheap used. 

My first bike was GS500, I rode it all over the place, great bike. Will accept Givi topcase, pretty much any soft luggage, 1/4 fairings, etc. Plus the GS is air cooled and really easy to work on. here's a shot of me learning about carbs.

Mine is a 93 in good shape, just sold it to a n00b for 1500CAD.

[naustin]

Hobbner -

One thing you'll notice about the Blast is that a lot of people don't give them any credit and will tell you to buy this that or the other thing instead.  Certainly take a few test rides on as many different bikes as you can, but don't let all the negativity scare you off of the Blast.  I had nothing but good luck with mine and as I said, they require a lot less maintenance than many other bikes because they never require valve adjustments and the belts are good for 30K +.  They are very overbuilt and use the same primary and transmission, and most of the engine components, as bikes making 3 times the HP.  The buell blast is the most reliable bike ever produced by HD motor company.

If you do go with a Blast, get an `03 or newer if possible.  There were several upgrades that year, and they haven't changed a single part since.

Nick

[CBRXXBLACKBIRD]

You are not partial to buells are ya??  I kid....  I kid... I like the hard sidebags that are on your bike.

[bikerfish1100]

Hobbner -

The buell blast is the most reliable bike ever produced by HD motor company.

Nick

boy, is THAT statement just begging for a punchline!

[naustin]

boy, is THAT statement just begging for a punchline!

Hardy Har Har.  

CBRXXBLACKBIRD - Thanks.  I really like the saddlebags too. They have shaped neoprene-like internal soft luggage that's really handy.

[CBRXXBLACKBIRD]

Naustin I just have the softbags for my X1 they look very cool as well, I like them cause they come off very fast for going to work.

[naustin]

Touring on the Blast

[chesthing]

boy, is THAT statement just begging for a punchline!

Let's give the guy a break, someone's gotta buy Buell!  

[CBRXXBLACKBIRD]

Naustin how many problems did you have with the Blast?

[naustin]

I bought the Blast as my first bike because i needed something to learn on, but something that my wife could learn on too.  I liked the looks of the bike, and I always buy locally.  The HD dealer gave me a decent deal, and I was able to get a brand new bike, Helmets, jackets, gloves, boots and everything all rolled up together.  I could have paid cash for something else, but I got to have everything brand new, with a warranty, and what I didn't pay upfront they financed for like 4.9%.  All this about an hour after I talked the wife into going out there to "look". How can you beat that?

Anyway, I never had any problems with it.  It was flawless.  I had one repair item at 6,000 miles.  I was riding two up and hit a nasty pot hole.  I bottomed the suspension on both ends and tore the front isolator.  You'll know what I'm talking about as you have Buell, but for those that don't - Buells have rubber engine mounts. Hitting the pot hole with the bike fully loaded caused the front one to tear.  I don't count that as any kind of flaw or an undue failure, and I actually rode the bike for a week before it fully let go and I actually noticed.   I wasn't surprised, because when I hit the pot hole, it was so bad I pulled over to make sure I didn't crack a wheel or blow a fork seal or something...  I think it only partially failed at that time, and then over the next week it got worse - like a crack in a windshield running all the way across eventually.  The front isolator cost less the $30 and took about an hour to replace -- Very simple.

So, other than that, it was absolutely flawless.  I had it for 2.5 seasons and 8,500 miles.  It never stalled, quit, coughed, or even so much as leaked a drop of oil; nothing.  All I ever did was put gas in it, change the oil, and replace the rear tires (which as I said is about every 3,000 - 5,000 miles -- though avon recently came out with a new one that the Blast community is hoping will be good for 8-10K.  I was still running the stock front tire when I traded the bike off).  The belt is 100% maintenance free, there isn't even axle adjustment.  

I would have kept it, but my wife never really took to riding her own, so I needed something that could carry both of us + gear.  As you can see, I made the bike my own and had Banke rear sets, 4 way adjustable bars, and I cut off various other bits here and there.  Adding that drag pipe and re-jetting the carb really gives those bikes some extra punch, and there are 3 different grinds of cam available for it them, plus two different big bore kits.   It's pretty easy to get them up to 50ish hp at the back wheel, and just the cams and the head from an XB will get you a big improvement for not much cash.

Anyways.  I digress.

Nick

[CBRXXBLACKBIRD]

Sounds like it was a good buy for you.

[stinky93071]

Hey I meet a guy in AR from Michigan and he was on a trail 90 (mid 70s). I think he told us that the top speed was somewhere about 45 but he kept it @ 35. He was on the road for 4 weeks. He did blow the motor up the last day he was heading home. but he is prove to me you can do what you want with what you got if you have the time.

but if i were you i would be looking for a gs500 or Ex500. you should be able to pick one up for what you have.

[ctfz1]

Go to Buell site, remember people with troubles post, see if local dealer will support Blast partwise.  Also Blast is sized to new/short riders can cramp on trips.