Buell XB12S

Funny thing is they've been getting away with it for a while. Eric Buell spooked the H-D corporate horses during the mid-nineties with this weird mix and, after buying a 51 per cent share of the business, Hogley Central launched its better (but imperfect) sporting interpretation in August 1998. It was called the X1.

Glitches aside, it was a seriously sexy motorcycle - so much so that I came within a whisker of buying one.

The toy we've just been playing with is the X1's spiritual successor - an aggressive naked sports bike with a later-gen 1200cc powerplant that claims a lot more horses in standard trim.

WHAT THIS THEN?

Buell has taken the XB9 engine and stroked it, to give 1203cc using a 10:1 compression ratio and claiming 100 horses. A host of other changes have been made to the engine room, including larger throttle bodies, an electronic valve in the muffler, stronger clutch components and lower primary drive ratio.

The ultra-short chassis (1320mm) runs a very steep 21-degree steering angle and relies on a 41 Showa USD fork for the front suspension duties.

Fuel (14 litres) is carried in the main frame rails, while the swingarm acts as an oil reservoir.

MAD HATTER'S SPEED PARTY

There are some motorcycles out there which just have "ratbag" written all over them. Flat bars, fat engine, short chassis, big brakes - that sort of thing - and the XB12S is one of them.

I guess you could ride it gently around town, but it would be like a night out with the Prime Minister. Slow and not particularly pleasant. The Buell's low-end carburetion stumbles a little and the powerplant really needs to be kept above 3000rpm to run smoothly. Meanwhile the track-hard suspension, and thin seat don't really suit this environment.

The suspension feels as though it's struggling a little over rough roads and the damping could probably be backed off a little. I ended up running both ends on minimum.

Find a tight sports road with a halfway reasonable surface, however, and the 12S transforms from John Howard to Robbie Williams in a flash. It really is a hoot in this environment, and the tighter the turns the better. The steering is ultra-responsive (those used to slower-steering machinery will feel as if the bike's about to turn inside-out) and as quick as anything out there.

The suspension which was somewhat challenging round town settles in at higher speeds and starts to work properly, though it will still get caught out by the larger craters.

Braking is super strong, with the single rim-mounted disc offering a lot of feel at the extreme ends of its performance. Meanwhile the rear causes no complaint.

Performance is lively and experience with the XB9 series says there's a lot more to be had once you get some breathing mods done.

There's certainly plenty of power, though only about 3500-4000 useful rpm on hand, which means you need to be on your game when it comes to selecting gear ratios.

Speaking of which, the gearbox performed pretty well, proving accurate, though it required a slightly longer shift than you'd experience with a Japanese equivalent. The clutch is one H-D's lighter offerings, and has a broad take-up brand, while the belt final drive proved to be snatch-free.

A low seating position makes it one of the more accessible big bikes out there, and in stock trim this really is a one-person motorcycle. Instrumentation has plenty of info and the controls in general are what you'd expect. Fuel consumption is around 15km/lt depending on usage.

Finish is really a highlight on this motorcycle - someone obviously went to a lot of trouble to justify the substantial $17,495 (plus ORC) price. As photographer Stuart put it, there's lots of little sexy bits on it and the XB could hold its head high in any company.

If the idea of a compact big-bore sports bike with a fair bit of street cred rings your bells, this one is worth a look.

Likes: Finish, Small size, Front brake. Dislikes: Low-end carburetion, Harsh suspension.

By Guy Allen

TRANSMISSION:
Type: Five-speed, constant mesh;
Primary drive: chain;
Final drive: belt.

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR:
Frame type: Twin-spar alloy.
Front suspension: 41mm upside-down Showa with full adjustment;
Rear suspension: Monoshock with full adjustment;
Front brakes: six-piston on single rim-mounted disc;
Rear brake: single-piston calliper on 240mm disc.

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES:
Dry weight: 179kg.
Seat height: 765mm;
Fuel capacity: 14lt.

PERFORMANCE:
Maximum power: 100ps @ 6800rpm;
Maximum torque: 109Nm @ 6000rpm.

MISCELLANEOUS:
Test bike supplied by: Haley-Davidson;
Recommended retail price: $17,495 + ORC;
Warranty: 2 years/unlimited km;
Colour options: black, red.