Vehicle: Buell 1125CR (2009)

[FAPTurbo]

Name: Buell 1125CR (2009)

Date Added: 01 September 2012 - 09:44 AM

Owner: Pervez Musharrfap

Short Description: Hydraulic clutch is slightly weepy but that'll be fixed in due time.

View Vehicle

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*I'll have better images when (if) I manage to crank out a review in the fall.*

This bike is amazing. It's powered by a liquid-cooled V-Twin by Rotax built specifically for Buell. The 'pods' at the side serve to route air to the radiator.

The powerband is smooth and controlled, unlike some inline-4 bikes that are peaky and require revving to ~11K rpm to move.

Riding this is an adjustment from the Blast. The seating position is more forward, although I can sit quite upright. I'll likely drop the pegs about an inch to give me a little more legroom but so far, I haven't had cramps.

If you notice in the first picture, there's a 'snail trail' of fluid on the circular plate, above the exhaust. That is DOT-4 braking fluid, which is what the clutch uses for lubrication. These bikes are susceptible to leaking there so I'll need to buy a new slave cylinder, which isn't too bad to install. The old owner didn't ride it for a long time, so the O-Rings likely dried out and caused this to happen. But I'll still do the proper fix anyway.

Other than that, this bike is a hoot. Whether going slow around curves or 60mph down a highway, it'll put a big smile on your face! It's certainly capable of going fast down a track, but I'm babying it until I get used to the power and its prowess.

It's a pretty uncommon vehicle too. I've had nearly a dozen people in the past two days ask about it. Other people just point and wonder why Batman is getting coffee at Tim Hortons.

Edited September 1, 2012 by Pervez Musharrfap

[Intrepidation]

Batman approves of this bike.

[ocnblu]

I like the looks of it. Be watchful.

[Blake Noble]

Hmmm ... it's an American bike powered by an Austrian snowmobile engine produced by a company owned by a bunch of Canadians. Sounds to me like you bought something that's only good in a straight line, hellbent on genocide, and runs on maple syrup.

Just kidding. It's a nice bike and I do really like Rotax engines. I had one in an old Bombardier Rally 200 ATV and it had a very surprising amount of power for such a small motor. It didn't have any trouble keeping up with quads with twice the displacement.

[G. David Felt]

Very Cool, Nice Job!

[ocnblu]

BOOYAH???

[FAPTurbo]

A year down the line and so far, this bike is responsible for at least 26 different women lifting up their crop tops when I pass by. This almost matches my normal count when I'm just walking on the street.

Year-long review to follow when I feels like it.

[ocnblu]

Hey, nothing wrong with farm girls.

[J Reinhardt]

That is a sick ride. Did you test other litre bikes before you bought this one? Like a Yamaha R1 or Kawasaki ZX-10? What sold you in the Buell?

I'd like to get into riding in a few years time but I'll start with something less dangerous like a ninja 250 or cbr 250.

Edited September 19, 2013 by J Reinhardt

[FAPTurbo]

I got the Buell because I've always had a soft-spot for the brand. I did test some older 600's that my friends had, and an R1. All of them are technically better than my bike.

The Buell competes a little more against the likes of Ducati's Monster line and the Triumph Triple. They're more urban, backalley streetfighters than they are track-oriented powerhouses, like the R1 and ZX-10 are.

Besides my love of the 'oddballness' of the brand, the 1125CR has killer looks that no other bike matches. It's the kind of bike that people who have no idea about motorcycles will stop and stare at. I had a 92 year old man talk my ear off about how it reminded him of his old bike from the 30's, before he was sent off to WWII. I've had others say that it's more work of art than machine. There's something beautiful about an object that stirs people's imagination in these ways.

Essentially, it was my dream bike because of the general rarity and the looks. Performance is good, but even an R6 will likely take it down in the straights. I'll have a more comprehensive review when I'm less burdened with work.

Starting on a 250 isn't a bad idea but I learned on a 500 single. People focus on displacement, but neglect weight and centre of gravity. If you can find a bike that's easy to handle and you feel safe on, having a higher displacement isn't a big negative. In fact, knowing you have the extra power means you become more judicious about using the throttle. Just my toonie's worth.

[J Reinhardt]

I got the Buell because I've always had a soft-spot for the brand. I did test some older 600's that my friends had, and an R1. All of them are technically better than my bike.

Starting on a 250 isn't a bad idea but I learned on a 500 single. People focus on displacement, but neglect weight and centre of gravity. If you can find a bike that's easy to handle and you feel safe on, having a higher displacement isn't a big negative. In fact, knowing you have the extra power means you become more judicious about using the throttle. Just my toonie's worth.

Toonie's worth? Are you a fellow Canadian?

Everyone I've talked to says a 250 is a good bike to start on. Although some like you, have mentioned that 500cc bike cruiser type bike would work too. However, aren't bigger displacement bikes naturally heavier? For example, a Suzuki GS500 would be heavier than a Ninja 250 right? I would prefer a lighter bike because I don't weigh much (150 lbs) and think a lighter bike would be easier to handle.

[FAPTurbo]

Yeah, I'm from Vancouver. As far as I know, there's just one other guy in our city's regional district with the same bike.

There are some higher displacement bikes with lower weights. For example, Suzuki's dual sport DRZ400 is 319lbs when gassed up, whereas an '08 - '12 Ninja 250R is 375lbs with the tank full.

I learned on a Buell Blast which is a 500, that weighed a hair under 400 pounds. Despite the slightly heavier weight, I was sold on the Blast's comfortable seating position (for me) as opposed to the Ninja 250's. I felt a safer with the more upright seating position.

All I can recommend is that people ought to buy the bike that they feel safe and comfortable on. When you get it down to three models, then you can start looking at the more superficial qualities, such as how long you intend to own the bike, how it fits your commute, etc.

In your case, a 250 sounds like a solid decision. Many people buy 250's and then immediately look for something bigger. But your weight may be an advantage, as you'll likely find the bike to be plenty for your needs for a couple seasons.