I just sold an XB9S after getting hit from behind whilst sitting at a stop light. Favorite bike i've ever owned. I could have a full music library of buell idle clips and live a happy life. I like your style!

 

Of COURSE you like Buells. Miss mine. Will own another XB12R someday (would be my third).

Been riding a bunch. Have almost 7k miles on my KTM 790, and just picked up a Honda XR650R to ride out the apocalypse. Always been curious about the big red pig. Going to beef up that right leg starting the damned thing. Some pics, both from casual day rides and the one with luggage was a moto camping trip with a couple buddies.

Also, Zion national park is closed. Sneaked in there at night and got some awesome photos.










have more but internet is super slow uploading right now on the road.

 

Love the xb12 Eunos91! I've got a few of them. My two main bikes right now:



The cyclone is the daily ride and has quickly become one of my favorite bikes. Lots of character, enough torque to pick up the front wheel on a good twist, and still handles great. I got it for $1k so it's a perfect beater. The uly is for long trips.

I also have an xb12r that just sits in the garage now for the most part. I should ride it more.



Ed: Did you fix the KTM? I know it was making some.. unfortunate noises after your track day. Hope all is well.

 

Great to see some more Buellists here. In Europe they are rather rare and as a result expensive. No such thing as a 1000€ Buell around here, that's for sure. The cyclone has aged incredibly well, but for me it had to be an XB12S, from 2006 on, black, before the cat became mandatory. After two years of looking suddenly this 2007 model was up for sale, just 20 min from my house. It ticked all the right boxes. There was little my wife could have said to keep me from buying it. When the kids want to know why they can't go to college I'll show them the garage and they will understand.

 

Dealer says the noise is normal (it isn't). I will ride it til it blows up. Hopefully before the warranty is up. If not, I'll push the issue further.

 

I'd expect that response from a HD dealership, but not a KTM! Ride it hard and see what happens. One of my Buells is incredibly noisy but just keeps on ticking, so who knows.

 

I really want this: https://www.engelhart.com/--xInventoryDetail?id=8541690
Disclaimer: I like small displacement pretty things.

 

Oh look, so they really built that motorcycle I had painted when I was 5 years old?

 

Ha, I certainly at least played with one that was very similar! I checked out the RE Himalayan, Yamaha MT-03, and Honda CB300R on Saturday. I feel like I got the Miata of the group, absolutely the lightest by a long shot. Hadn't been on a proper motorcycle in a few years, but this felt like I was right at home.

Anyone have a suggestion for a very quiet helmet? I'm not into touring if that wasn't obvious already, but trying to protect my hearing which has been surgically corrected a couple of times. My current Bell auto helmet is not well suited to this at all and has been serving as a stopgap for too long.

 

Of my, icon, shoei, Arai, bell, and HJC helmets my HJC is the quetest, shockingly. But of the thousands of helmets on the market a sample size of 5 doesn't tell you much.

I just wear ear plugs anyway. My pipes are way to loud no matter what lid I wear.

 

I finally got my thumb out and bought a set of steering head bearings to mount the USD forks to my RZV500 frame. Did that over the weekend.




Now I just need to swap over the engine, install the modified swingarm I have with a Fox shock and other assorted bits. Then figure out how to get it titled with a different frame (already have a state title for it).

 

There are a lot of factors that go into how much wind noise you're going to have on a bike... helmet fit and design are big factors, but the airflow over the helmet is also very significant so the design of the bike and the windscreen have a role. If you're getting turbulent air at the helmet, it's going to be pretty hard for any helmet to be quiet.

The best thing you can do for hearing protection is ear plugs of some sort. For local riding I like the Howard Leight MaxLite foamies: I buy them by the big box as in the link, and use them for riding, shooting, grinding and other power tool tasks where noise is an issue. I also have a set of custom molded plugs with speakers that I used for touring. After nearly 20 years, the speakers have finally quit working. They were never as quiet as the foamies, but were great for music. I'm now looking at replacements...

 

I used ear plugs as well. I just picked the ones with the least amount of reduction. IIRC, windscreen height and also shoulder deflection played into how loud the wind was. If I shrugged my shoulders, I could get it pretty damn quiet. This was with a windscreen that caused the air to hit me mid chest

 

I usually have foamies in my jacket, but if I don't, I have a pill bottle with plugs on my keychain.

 

For my helmet, my Shoei X-11 and AGV Rossi were much quieter than my HJC. This was mid-2000s, so a while ago.

No windscreen makes it tough. If it was a true sportbike, I'd say "top of the line helmet, ear plugs, and a double-bubble windscreen." The double-bubble screens help get the air up and over your head so you don't get nearly as much buffeting.

 

Thanks for the feedback on ear plugs, I like that idea. Gonna give a set a shot and see how far it gets me. Much cheaper than diving in on an expensive helmet right now!

 

One thing to keep in mind is that everyone's ear canals are different sizes/shapes. Ear plugs come in different sizes and styles to cover that. For instance, my canals are relatively wide and shallow. The tapered style hurt if I try to wear them inserted far enough to do me good. I stay with the EAR brand yellow cylinders in the large size, works great for me.If the first ones you try don't do it, try another brand.

 

I just got an HJC RPHA 11 Pro a few months ago, fantastic hemet, but the only thing about it is the wind noice is quite high.

Im now looking a the new Sedici Strada 2. I tried one on and it was supremely comfortable. Fairly light too. Im gonna buy it through cycle gear so I can return it if the wind noice is just too much; then ill just splurge on a SHOEI X-14 and be done with it.

 

My HJC is the FG-17.

My Shoei (gt-air?)w my biggest regret buy as far as helmets go. It's itchy, not soft, has most wind resistance, loudest, chin strap digs in, not all that light and doesn't even have a pinlock lens like my HJC. Though I think it is an option.

edit* was thinking about this in a meeting just now. I also dislike my Arai helmet for a lot of the same reasons. While my bell, icon, and HJC are all cheaper buckets I like them more. Hmm. Maybe I don't like the inconveniences of a better for my skull / brain helmet.

 

Did you cross shop the Duke 390 and its husqvarna brother? Those seem like common bikes that get compared to the Honda.