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The American Motorcyclist Association Posted October 4, 2006 |
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More room, same zoom: Buell Lightning Long lets the rider stretch out a bit, but it's still a quick-steering streetfighter by any standardSince the beginning, Erik Buell has gone his own way in motorcycle design. This is, after all, the guy who decided in the ’80s that an air-cooled, V-twin Harley-Davidson motor was the ideal powerplant for a sportbike. Since then, the bikes that carry his name have included such innovations as motorcycle frames that double as gas tanks, swingarms that double as oil reservoirs, perimeter front brake discs and underslung, canister-style exhaust systems.
Built around a Harley-Sportster-derived, air-fan-cooled, pushrod, 45-degree 1,203cc V-twin engine, the Long certainly has a family resemblance to the rest of the line. There’s the massive cast-aluminum frame that carries the fuel, the complex cast swingarm that serves as an oil reservoir for the dry-sump motor, the big, automotive-looking muffler and the exemplary front brake. And like its siblings, the Long receives new color options and stock Pirelli tires for ’07. What’s different with the Long, though, is a slight but significant change in geometry. The more sportbike-oriented Firebolt and the standard streetfighter Lightning come with ultra-tight dimensions, including a fork rake of just 21 degrees and a tiny 52-inch wheelbase. The Long, officially designated the XB12Ss, wouldn’t live up to its name in anybody’s else model line. But with a 23.5-degree fork rake, a lengthened swingarm and a wheelbase of 54 inches, it is long by Buell standards. Still, for a bike with this much motor, the Long sure feels small when you climb aboard. And the minimalist styling—incorporating a tiny flyscreen accented by a under-engine chin fairing—enhances that impression. There’s little to take your attention away from the motor, which isn’t a bad thing, since the big V-twin is charismatically torque-happy.
There’s tons of oomph from idle to the 6,800 rpm horsepower peak (a claimed 103 ponies), which makes surfing backroads using one or two gears not only possible, but seriously fun on day one of the intro. The next day, the intro moves to nearby Buttonwillow Raceway, where the Long proves surprisingly comfortable. The Buell folks have the whole line of 2007 models at our disposal, and on the basis of appearance, the sport-styled Firebolts (available in 984cc and 1,203cc versions) look most at home. But both of them, along with the standard Lightning and its 984cc counterpart, the CityX, are built on the short-wheelbase platform. Their steep steering-head angle and tight wheelbase create a tendency to stand up when you brake while leaned over. As a result, you have to adopt a brake-in-a-straight-line-then-turn-it-in style that puts an emphasis on corner speed. The new Pirelli tires are designed to improve that tendency over last year’s bikes. But the Long’s geometry seems to improve it even more, in addition to keeping the front wheel more planted on corner exits. Overall, riding all the Buells back-to-back shows how one core chassis platform, two displacement versions of the same basic engine, and various ergo and styling tweaks can create a line of bikes with their own personalities. The Firebolts riff on the V-twin sportbike theme, with clip-on handlebars and an aggressive stance. Lightnings offers wider bars and, in the case of the Long, a cushy seat. Finally, there’s the XB12X Ulysses “adventure sportbike,” with all-day comfort, luggage capability off-road prowess for the occasional gravel road. And with every one, Erick Buell’s innovative approach to designing a real-world American motorcycle comes standard.
© 2006, American Motorcyclist Association |
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