More Time Riding The 1125R

[Rogue]

I took my 1125R on its second long sport ride.  The first one was just a getting-to-know the bike ride.  I realized on that first ride that I needed to make some fine tuning of the bike's suspension.  It was set too high for me.  I also realized how inadequate the OEM toolkit was and how little room there is for a flat tire repair kit.  The OEM toolkit had all the tools needed to adjust the suspension and that was it!    I did manage to stuff a sufficient-for-one-flat flat tire repair kit under the passenger seat.

The ride consisted of 300 miles of which 100 miles were slab.  I can’t help but compare this bike to my XB12R.  It’s surprisingly very different from it!  In the twisties, I found myself not so concerned about losing too much speed in mid-corner because it’s so easy to gain it all back.  In 2nd gear, the 1125R is just so strong with no need to spin to get lots of drive out of the corner.  The XB12R has the torque but the gearing is off due to the 5-speed, so it has to “climb” passed 5k RPM to get a strong drive out of the corner.  The 1125R also has the revs to easily keep it in 2nd for the next corner while the XB12R needs an upshift just when it gets to fat part of the power band.  So overall, energy management is more important on the XB12R than the 1125R.  The slipper clutch on the 1125R helps to keep things smooth when it comes time to close the throttle from high revs, or a shift down from speed.  The bike is simply much easier to ride fast in the corners than the XB12R.  Of course, when it came time to pass slow-pokes, the extra power and revs makes it almost too easy.  No waiting, pass any time!  

Then there is the extra range.  The 1125R has a 5.6 gallon capacity vs the XB12R’s 3.8 gallon.  That means at 100 miles I’m already thinking about my next fuel stop when on the Firebolt.  Meanwhile, the 1125R still has 75+ miles of riding left before reserve and that’s twisty road riding.  The thing is there is no need to rev the Helicon as much even in enthusiastic riding.  When passing, I find a 7k RPM upshift is more than sufficient.    So the bike will routinely get 38-40 mpg mixed highway and twisty road, which works out to 180+ miles to reserve at the lowest mileage point.  On my favorite stomping grounds I only need to fuel up once.  Very convenient indeed.  

Once on the freeway, that controversial fairing and polarizing radiator pods do their work by keeping the windblast to a minimum.  Bar none, the 1125R has THE best wind protection of any sportbike I have ever ridden.  The airflow around me, and up and over my helmet is very smooth and calm.  Even my hands are well protected!   The other big surprise is how I felt after these 300 mile sport rides.  I just don’t feel tired at all.  I thought I would given the 1125R has a sportier riding position than my Firebolt.  Much to my amazement, the ergos are not tiring for me at all.  
I suppose I can get many of the same satisfaction with a CBR600RR, R1, GSXR, S1000, RSV4, RC8, etc., etc.  Maybe, but for now I will never know.  At least for the time being, the 1125R will keep me very happy and sufficiently entertained.  


Pods, smodge!  She looks pretty good to me.  I thought I wanted to put the Buell Accessory lower fairing but I'm having second thoughts.  I kind of like the Pods!  


My favorite hiding spot from the rest of the world.  After a good romp up the mountain, I stop here, break out the coffee and gas-station-Bear Claw, then I proceed to have breakfast with a view.  


I really need to learn how to make my camera fill in the flash on shots like this!

[Rincewind]

Nice write-up.  I'm glad to hear the large gas tank yields a good fuel range.  

Looking good.  

[Bueller]

I got the fairing sides with the bike.  They wouldn't stay tight and kept on moving and burning on the headers.  08 and 09 have different stator covers and it looks like the mounting would be better on the 08.  Without a belly pan though they aren't really held tight and I was getting speed wobbles that I believe were due to the sides.  They also make the bike wider.

My 1125 is pretty thirsty, so even with more fuel on board the range in some places isn't much further than my Firebolt.  If I keep the revs up on the 1125 the consumption is better.  I seem to get better in 5th at 60mph than in 6th.

[2DFlyer]

Sounds like someone who is pretty pleased.  Good to know.  Besides performance how else might you compare motors including intangibles?

[Rogue]

2DFlyer, if you are referring to the 1125R vs XB12R Firebolt, the motors are just so completely different that to me there is no fine line between which one is better.  Horsepower aside, I think the XB12R motor is better because it is so simple and low maintenance.  I think that if the XB12R motor had another 1,000 RPM of revs in it and about 10 more horsepower it would be just about perfect.  XB12R is also smoother at high RPM if you can believe that!  The 1125R does have a better transmission and a slipper clutch which makes sport riding a lot faster and easier (closer ratios, more ratios, and smoother, consistent engine braking).  Another intangible improvement that is not motor related is the higher stability in cornering with the 1125R’s longer wheelbase/swingarm, and the aforementioned substantial increase in range.  

Now that I’ve had more time to evaluate the two bikes I would say this in all honesty:

From the perspective of a sport biker the 1125R is superior in every way.

From the perspective of overall, long term motorcycle ownership, I give the Firebolt XB12R a higher grade.

The 1125R gives you the performance that is very high up there.  But the price of maintenance is high (that major service every 12.5k miles requires engine rotation or practically removing the engine off the frame!).  The Firebolt is the kind of bike you just ride and ride and ride.  Put fresh tires on it, gas, change the oil/filter/plugs/air filter once in a while and that’s it.  Having said that, the 1125R is just way more fun to ride!

[Rogue]

My 1125 is pretty thirsty, so even with more fuel on board the range in some places isn't much further than my Firebolt.  If I keep the revs up on the 1125 the consumption is better.  I seem to get better in 5th at 60mph than in 6th.

Bueller, do you know why your R is that thirsty?  Did you put a new ECM in it that increased fueling?

I just finished another 300 miler on my R and it is very efficient.  I haven’t ridden it to the reserve but I got up to 160 miles and no reserve light.  Based on my actual sport riding mileage calculation and tank/reserve capacity, I should get 180 miles to reserve at 38 mpg.

The Firebolt XB12R will go to reserve at 120 miles in sport riding mode.  140 in highway mode.

[Brad1445]

The Firebolt XB12R will go to reserve at 120 miles in sport riding mode.  140 in highway mode.

+1

and I had a Ulysses x-bike that never delivered less than 50mpg and if I was nice would give 65mpg with luggage.

[2DFlyer]

Rogue,   So aside from HD pulling the plug there really was room in this world for both bikes?  My only complaint, and maybe the one thing that held me back some is the XB12 running out of revs.  Not that it really needs more, but sometimes you just like to wick it up some.  But I wouldn't want to give up everything else just for the extra performance the 1125 offers.  

Of course I'm not really attracted to sport bikes either, which makes me wonder.  How many people would own an XB9/12R that wouldn't otherwise consider a sport bike?

[kevin_stevens]

Rogue,   So aside from HD pulling the plug there really was room in this world for both bikes?  My only complaint, and maybe the one thing that held me back some is the XB12 running out of revs.  Not that it really needs more, but sometimes you just like to wick it up some.  But I wouldn't want to give up everything else just for the extra performance the 1125 offers.  

Of course I'm not really attracted to sport bikes either, which makes me wonder.  How many people would own an XB9/12R that wouldn't otherwise consider a sport bike?

I'll tell you one thing, it was a PITA rowing the XB12R around Willow Springs compared to the 1125R.  I rode them back to back at the Buell demo day in 2008.

KeS

[Rogue]

2DFlyer, the XB9/12R's main problem is that people wanted it to be a sportbike equal to the best Japanese/European sportbikes.  It can't be that given its engine!  It was really more like the Ducati 900SS, or BMW R1150S/1200S.  It has a fairly modern chassis with an old-school, low maintenance, but still fun to ride engine.  But it won't compete with the likes of the R1, 1098, etc.  No way.  

Was there room in the market for both the 1125R and XB12R?  Only if Buell priced them apart with the lower rung going to the XB12R.  I also believe Buell needed to relax the XB12R's ergos a bit, extend the wheelbase to that of the Lightning "Long", and basically make it more comfortable.  The bike would be their "sport-tourer" for mature sportbike enthusiasts who don't need to have maximum power but value low maintenance and simplicity.  I certainly would have bought into it.  I kind of turned my XB12R to something similar.  

But the market has changed.  Ducati no longer markets the 900SS and BMW has dropped the R1200S.  This is the decade of the Adventure Bike.  I do think Buell had the right combination:  the simple Thunderstorm 1203 motor and the Helicon 1125 motor.  

I'll bet H-D would love to have those Buell sales right about now.  

[Rogue]

Of course I'm not really attracted to sport bikes either, which makes me wonder.  How many people would own an XB9/12R that wouldn't otherwise consider a sport bike?

The XB9/12R chassis is too small for most riders.  It's like an R6.  

However, if you sat on an R6 and then an XB12R, the XB would feel like a couch!  It's that much more upright!  Having said that, I believe it still needed a more relaxed riding position and a longer wheelbase to appeal to the more mature audience that Buells tend to attract.

[Bueller]

Bueller, do you know why your R is that thirsty?  Did you put a new ECM in it that increased fueling?

I just finished another 300 miler on my R and it is very efficient.  I haven’t ridden it to the reserve but I got up to 160 miles and no reserve light.  Based on my actual sport riding mileage calculation and tank/reserve capacity, I should get 180 miles to reserve at 38 mpg.

The Firebolt XB12R will go to reserve at 120 miles in sport riding mode.  140 in highway mode.

I had a 2000 km ride last weekend.  The best I got on any stretch was 6.0 litres per 100 km.  It is stock, stock fuelling and muffler at the moment.  Stock my Firebolt used about 5.2 litres / 100km on the hwy.  With the Micron, tune and taller gearing I could get down to 4.6 litres / 100km.  Best I got from the Firebolt was 311km on 13.9 litres.  Best stretch last weekend on the 1125R was 280km on about 16 litres.