How fast is the buell lightning

Around , but the ecm cuts ignition to prolong engine health. XB12s So, theres no way to go faster without cheating. But I feel that it would go a bit further cause the engine is still pulling :D when it cuts Remap :.

I have an '07 Lightning. It has done an honest That is plenty fast for me. I know I've seen an XB12R road-racing bike with Most of the XB12 series will do an honest and some change, the speedometers run pretty high over 85 mph.

Last Jump to page:. Replies: Last Post: , PM. You can do it but at the expense of painful noises and crushed toes. The not particularly impressive looking front brake will lift the rear wheel on demand, at any speed you like, while the purposeful looking frame and suspension make short work of the bends.

Mind you, it sounds great when given its head and is certainly capable of hustling the bike up to respectable or totally unrespectable, depending on your viewpoint speeds in very little time. This bike has a very short wheelbase. Very short indeed. And it has an awful lot of grunt. From tickover. If you want to do wheelies, get one of these. You see, that front brake may look a little odd, and may not even be that impressive at first glance, but it has the sort of stopping power normally reserved for unlit skips on quiet back roads.

Expect this once or twice a week. The first thing you will notice about the Lightning is that it is physically tiny. This is not a big bike. It feels very well screwed together, and though the clocks may not be the clearest in the world the rest of the controls fall comfortably and easily to hand. Take a glance in the neat and very well positioned mirrors, turn the ignition on, wait for the fuel pump to finish and the check engine light to go out, thumb the starter and feel what cc of off balance vee twin does to a very light frame.

And to the rider. Marvel as the clear view of the world in those mirrors vanishes into a haze of vibration. The clutch is surprisingly light for something that has to handle so much potential abuse, although it still has a pleasingly agricultural feel to it. Engaging first is rewarded, if such a term is appropriate, by a loud clunk and a slight lurch forward.

Nothing too alarming but enough to make you aware that something is stirring. Accelerate away and, as if by magic, the world behind stops shaking and blurring and all becomes clear in those mirrors. The transmission is very direct, the throttle response is crisp enough although not exactly razor sharp and the whole thing generally gels together in a very satisfying way.

Changing into second, best done very deliberately, remember, sees little change. The bike still bunny hops over speed bumps given half a chance and the front wheel, while far more manageable, is still a little keen to save tyre wear by relinquishing contact with the ground.

Handling is very nice indeed. Although hardly a featherweight, the Buell is very easy to drop into corners and tracks steadily and surely under all the conditions I could throw at it. Open road high speed corners sometimes induced a very slight weave, but I think that was down to me rather than the bike, and it certainly never felt as though it were getting out of hand.

Turning in requires a deliberate effort but is by no means hard work, and the bike responds equally well to shifting your body as to staying in the seat. Ground clearance is not a problem — I think you will touch your elbow down before anything solid decks out on the bike. The brakes remain powerful and progressive right up to silly speeds, the lights are very good, the horn is as effective as it could possibly be asked to be and the pillion seat is only of any use if you are on very good terms indeed with your passenger.

And they are quite bendy. And brave. And not very big. A durable new Goodyear Hibrex final drive belt with Flexten Plus technology requires no scheduled service. A redesigned swingarm all models except XB12Ss is stiffer and 0. The swingarm continues to also function as the oil reservoir, and the oil cap has been relocated and redesigned to be easier to access and open.

The inner fender and upper and lower belt guards have been restyled. The engine air intake has been integrated directly on the air-box cover with an aluminum hex screen that wraps around the fuel cap cowling, replacing the air duct that formerly passed through the frame.

Fuel-in-the frame capacity is increased to Both the hp Thunderstorm and hp Thunderstorm cc feature electronic fuel injection for precise throttle control. The Thunderstorm cc engine also features Buell InterActive Exhaust, which utilises a valve in the dual-chamber muffler that is controlled by the ECM and adjusts exhaust flow according to riding conditions to smooth torque delivery and optimise engine power.

The Buell Trilogy of Technology design principles — frame rigidity, mass centralisation and low unsprung weight — contribute to the performance of each Lightning model. Fuel is carried in the massive aluminium frame, engine oil is carried in the swingarm, and the muffler is located below the engine, all in an effort to centralise mass and lower the center of gravity. The Buell Uniplanar engine mounting system reduces vibration to the rider and increases frame rigidity by utilising the engine as a stressed member of the chassis.

The Buell Zero Torsional Load ZTL front brake features a single mm rotor mounted near the wheel rim, gripped by a six-piston caliper. Because braking forces are transmitted directly from the rim to the rotor, torsional load at the front wheel is virtually eliminated and brake feel and control is enhanced. Reduced torsional load permits the use of a very lightweight cast aluminium front wheel for a significant reduction in unsprung weight and steering inertia.

A lightweight drive belt reduces unsprung weight at the rear. Premium suspension components include a Showa upside-down fork adjustable for pre-load, compression and rebound damping and a fully adjustable Showa coil-over rear shock.