Buell

Buell M2 Cyclone 1200

With its tweaked Harley-Davidson 1200cc Sportster engine and nimble chassis, the Cyclone is the all-rounder in Buell's line-up. The torquey Thunderstorm V-twin engine is housed in a rigid chrome-moly steel tubular perimeter frame.
Wheelbase is an ultra-short 55.5 inches (1410mm), and combined with a steep steering head angle, this makes the Cyclone a blast through back lanes and city streets.
This is a Harley that handles well enough to keep ahead of sportsbikes through the twisties.

Like the more focused Lightning, the Cyclone offers abundant show and go. There's only one disc brake up front - but it's a pretty impressive stopper. The 340mm fully floating disc is one of the biggest you'll see on a motorcycle.
Buell improved the gearchange on year 2001 Cyclones, so expect a smooth, slick shift from the five speed box. The Showa rear suspension has also been recalibrated. A wider range of adjustment gives the M2 Cyclone a more comfortable ride and better damping over rough roads.
The latest Cyclone also gets a higher output oil pump.
Other upgrades include a new instrument panel with a tachometer - owners of earlier models complained that they wanted to see the needle hit 6500rpm, not just feel it through the seat of their pants. The engine produces 93.5bhp at 6100rpm and impressive torque - 83-ft lb at 5600rpm. Top speed nudges 130mph.
The simple two-valves per pot air-cooled Harley engine is easy to maintain, and even features self-adjusting hydraulic tappets. A single 40mm Keihin CV carburettor fuels the motor. Final drive is by Kevlar-reinforced inverted-tooth belt.
Owners are still stuck with that ugly black plastic breadbox of an air filter stuck just below the petrol tank on the right, but smaller, neater carbon fibre covers are available.

Buell XB-9R Firebolt 1000

Top man Eric Buell has dubbed the Firebolt XB9R the "sport fighter", because he says his new baby bridges the gap between streetfighter and sportsbike.
Priced at a competitive £7345 on the road, the new for 2002 Firebolt is powered by a 95bhp, 984cc fuel injected V-twin Harley engine. Wrap that motor in a chassis that owes more to 250GP than Road King, and you've got a pretty potent package.
The Firebolt features a host of production firsts, including rim-mounted brakes, with oil carried in the swingarm and fuel in the frame. But it still has the same characteristic massive torque, low centre of gravity and aggressive look of all Buell sportsbikes.
Eric Buell says that he designed the Firebolt to be the best backlane scratcher ever. With a wheelbase of only 1320mm - shorter than even the Yamaha R1 - it ought to be good. Steering rake is 21 degrees and trail is 84mm, which is pretty radical. But the Firebolt remains stable however hard you throw it into bends.
There may only be a single disc up front, but it's a big one - a full 375mm disc with six-pot caliper that delivers massive stopping power and plenty of feedback. The rim-mounted brake allows Buell to use a lightweight wheel for quicker steering. Even the Dunlop D207 tyre has been specially developed for the Buell, and weighs in at 2kg less than standard tyres.
Suspension is quality kit courtesy of fully adjustable Showa units front and rear.
The Firebolt XB9R may be the newest entry into the Buell line-up but it still keeps to the founding father's philosophy of naked styling, clean design, righteous sound and the Trilogy of Tech - maximising frame rigidity, lowering unsprung weight and centralising the bike's mass.
The new Firebolt powertrain produces the best torque-to-weight ratio of any middleweight motorcycle. The engine may feature staggered headers, "high flow" heads and a big airbox, plus NASCAR-developed valve spring technology, but it is still based on the old Harley pushrod motor.
Don't expect a V-Rod lump in the next generation Firebolt - Buell claim the latest DOHC water-cooled unit is simply too heavy for a sportsbike. Or a Sport Fighter.

Buell XB-9S Lightning 1000

The XB9S is the reincarnation of the 1995 Lightning S1 but brought up to date with the radical technology of the highly acclaimed Firebolt XB9R. The Lightning features a bikini fairing combined with a classic round-tube handlebar and an aluminum tail section for the Streetfighter look.
The bike is very narrow and extraordinarily agile, thanks to its low overall weight, incredible level of mass centralisation, short wheelbase and the increased leverage provided by the wide handlebar. The relaxed riding position and the comfortable seat allow hours and hours of unlimited fun.
The front end of the motorcycle is so short that the bike practically disappears when riding reinforce the sensation of being directly connected with the road. The same Harley engine seen first in the Firebolt XB9R powers the XB9S.
It has been developed to deliver great torque over a wide rpm range and controllable power, user friendliness and an exceptional level of reliability.
This V-twin is a 45-degree, pushrod engine, equipped with DDFI fuel injection. It produces the highest specific output of any mass produced pushrod engine. The result: 61.9kW(84.2bhp) and 85.6Nm(63ft-lb) of torque out of 984cc.
The XB9S also features a compensated clutch for smoother transmission and reduced clutch lever effort. The belt final drive gets an additional idler pulley to make sure it runs true.
Petrol is located in the bottom-end of the frame; much lower and more centred than on a traditional bike. This lowers the centre of gravity and reduces the moment of inertia in pitch and roll. The overall weight of the frame is significantly lower than traditional components that it replaces.
The front brake is a 375mm inside-out brake rotor combined with a six-piston caliper. This provides exceptional braking power and excellent feedback, while dramatically reducing the front unsprung weight.
Rear suspension is a fully adjustable Showa shock absorber, installed between the frame and the swingarm in a semi-vertical position, allowing such a short wheelbase to be possible.
The fully adjustable Showa inverted forks ensure maximum rigidity and feedback. The forks' set-up delivers fantastic steering accuracy, while maintaining an excellent level of comfort and feedback to the rider. It is like having the front wheel mounted between the rider's thumbs.
The XB9S chassis has dimensions more suited to a 250 than a 1000cc V-twin, making it a brilliant back road scratcher.