New pads
 

American Sportbike does it again. Pads where low on the XBike when I picked it up a month ago. 500 miles later the pads are just about shot. So Friday afternoon I ordered some pads from ASB. They came yesterday! 2 fucking days from California. I love Americansportbike.com. They are great people.


The details:


The pads are Lyndall Gold+ Carbon/Kevlar. They are HIGHLY recommended by just about every Buell rider on the planet. I have no complaints about the ZTL brake...but they say these pads really improve the stopping power. And there is NO break in time for the pads. Hammer them right out of the box.

So today...new pads will be installed, fresh fluid, and the caliper will be thoroughly cleaned.


Hell yes.

:rockwoot:

How muck those fuckers cost? Need new pads myself

I didn't notice an enormous difference, of course I had been off the bike for like 4 months too... My only beef with those pads is that they are gold flake and you can see that shit when mounted in the caliper... Looks gay.

$55 bones plus shipping.

I don't mind the gold look. Here's a few pics. Oh..and what a pain in the ass it was to do this job. The ZTL doesn't make life easy when working on the front end.

Fluid didn't go in...yet...I elected to wash, wax, and polish the Zuk for it's new owner.

good for you, sounds like some good service there.

Did you use your manual to get the caliper and shit off? I didn't the first time... what a pain in the ass... The 2nd time I did and it made life much easier...

Loosen caliper.
Remove fender.
Pull front axle.
Gently rotate right fork leg out while dropping the wheel out and forward.
Drink beer and rejoice.

Yeah I read the manual....it said nothing of fender removal or wheel. Loosen caliper pin. Loosen and take out botton caliper bolt. Loosen but do not take out top caliper bolt. Rotate caliper counterclockwise. Remove pads. The inside pad is tricky to get in.

Hmm... maybe I was drunk when I read my manual... could have been... either way my method is WAY easier... Pulling off the whole caliper makes putting those pads in a snap.

Yeah I wanted to pull the caliper...but I don't have a front stand. I wanted to clean the pistons....so I got them the best I could with it on. I changed pads exactly to manual specs. Took about 45 minutes...but about 15 of that was searching for a tool to push the pistons back in.

Every Buell owner should have one.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=2792
Exhaust jack points FTMFW!

Yeah for sure. I'd rather have a front stand tho.

Until you want to drop the engine to ceramic coat the headers or to change the spark plugs with minimal cursing... Just don't fuck up your wires putting it back up in it...:whistle:

Can plugs be changed with engine still in frame?

Yeah, but it's a pain in the ass...

Luckily these bikes require little maintainence...

I like the quote from one of the Cycle World reviews... "Maintainence... What Maintainence?"

Seriously... 5k service intervals... no valve adjustments... no drivetrain adjustment/lubrication... Change the plugs and oil/primary every 5k, fork oil and brake fluid every 10k, put gas in that motherfucker and go.

Yep. It's nice. I'm gonna change the oil at 6k tho. Previous owner said it was done at 5k but I'm gonna do it anyway. And brakes are a little spongy so I'm swapping that too....

Well, I guess those mileage intervals are only as good as how much you ride the bike... My brake fluid was starting to look a little yuck, but brake performance wasn't compromised much... that's with almost 9k miles in about 11 months. I could only imagine what it would look like on a bike that was a few years old...

I love the idea of no valves, no cam chain, sprockets, chains. F yeah.

Limits your gearing option is about the only downside I see... For the street though it doesn't matter... I was trying to get someone with a 9 to swap primaries with me though... It's an 11% change...

On the 12 11% increase in torque, decrease in top speed. So you'd max out just under 120, but you'd have like 90ftlbs at the rear wheel. I feared the wheelie-fest that was sure to follow.

I've thought about the 9 swap as well...but I dont have any issues with the torque right now.

And I pulled my first deliberate wheelie on Friday. :lol:

squid...

I can't help it. It begs me to break the law.

Marko=rides like an asshole :lol:


j/p I'm like'n the firebolt more and more

V-twin FTW.


Buell makes you ride like an asshole... no doubt about it.

You just told me not to ride like an asshole 2 minutes ago. Fuckin Hypocrite.

No, I said you were a dumbass... I am an asshole and you are a dumbass... There's a social heirarchy that you're missing... of course, that's because you're a dumbass...

:lol:

you got me. I'll allow it.

:lol:

Fucking right. And I don't care.

what are you getting for gas milage on that assholeridermake'n Sommbitch?

Averaging 46....and thats with my daily commute (8miles round trip), and twisty riding.

XB's get amazing gas mileage...

I was looking at the buel website... says 45 average in town... 65 freeway!? if that's the case I think I know my next bike! :lol: granted not for a couple years... but as I plan to do some long rides... that extra 20mpg would be awesome!

Don't let the shit talkers get to you. It's a great bike. Go test ride one.

I thought that shit was all hype, but on my bike I'd routinely get about 45mph while floggin' the shit ouf the bike...

don't worry... I let the bikes speak for themselves... and honestly... if OSP had as much problems with his on the trip but would STILL buy one... says alot to me...

really I don't care if it's a Honda, Kawi, Buell or Duc... I'll go with what fits my riding style... I want something a bit more upright... and has the torque down low for daily riding... things may change in the next year or two... but for right now... the Buell's (Firebolt and 1125R) fit the best... I wanna put at least 20-30 k on my bike though... figure if I get to Mississippi that'll happen by end of next year... Colorado will probably be summer of 2010.

Check out some Buell forums too. The XB's are relatively problem free. Of course there are exceptions...but most problems really seem to be caused by their owners. I've read of guys with 30, 40, or even 50,000 miles on the XBikes with zero issue.

FYI...www.badweatherbikers.com and www.buelletinboard.com are the best in my opinion.

Again, I am 99.9% certain the problems I experienced were a result of my wrenching and not some sort of mechanical defect...

yeah I was just trolling badweatherbikers... I'll wait till I'm closer to join up... got enough useless forum memberships from other "planned purchases"

I think you should get another...

Badweb's forum is ancient and generally tough to navigate but there's a TON of info on there.

yeah I looked at it and was like... WTF?! but I'll just be that noob who doesn't search before asking... :lol:

If I had the money to buy all the bikes I wanted, a Buell XB would surely be in the stable... Since I don't, I'm gonna get motarded, then start saving for another bike for distance rides... Who knows, if I find the right deal on a gently used Lightening Long... :idk: Honestly though, with all the shit I did to my bike, It'd make me sick to get a bone stock one and start over... Might have to wait a few years before I can handle that shit...

Well you won't get shit upon... you'll just get ignorned...

yeah I understand... I'm just not big on the motard thing... and with you being in FL... figured the roads wouldn't lend themselves well to it...

Well the roads suck ass here... no matter what bike I get. I think it'll be a fun commuter and I could track it without much fear of it wadding up if I dump it... Plus, we have great medians and shit that I will surely be jumping... Ooo... and some sweet golf courses too... :wink:

:lmao:

Nothing like taken a detour thru the golf course :dthumb:

So how are the brakes Marko? Are they grippy?
When I changed my pads on my 03 R1 the rear always wanted to lock up so easily, but the fronts had great stopping power.

I want my bike, and your milage! :lol:

Honestly, haven't even riden it yet since I put them in. It was raining Tuesday night, last night, and probly will be tonight when I get home. But you live in the area so you know this.

Well you look like an asshole on one, you might as well ride like one.