Need advice- Speed Triple/ Lightning/ Brutale

Hello all, nice community you have here,

I'm buying a new bike, and I've come down to three finalists.  Actually, no, I've come down to the Speed Triple, but the runner ups were the Buell Lightning and the MV Augusta Brutale.  Guess I'm just looking for a bit of advice, or maybe a nudge in the right direction if I've made the wrong choice here.

Also, and this is an odd question, I know every year Triumph offers the Speed Triple in a 'unique' color (this year it is "Scorched Yellow", in the past there have been the Pink and the Green).  Does anyone happen to know what the Speed Triple's colors are for 2006?

Thank you in advance.
-AM  

I'd go with the Speed Triple. The Brutale doesn't have much low-end, and parts prices will make your wallet float away.  The Buell has an archaic transmission, less power, and an electric oil cooler fan that makes you sound as if a giant vacuum cleaner has pulled into your local bike hangout...  

You'll probably be able to find out what colors Triumph will offer in '06 sometime in September, that's when they have their dealership I'm told and when they'll release info about their '06 models (along with the *** companies introducing all their sportbikes/streetbikes).  Not sure how much a Brutale costs but I'm sure its more than the Triumph or Buell, as well as it's parts and service right?  I like the idea of the Speed Triple with its new longer stroke motor and styling tweaks, it looks good but it also looks a little weird to me...and compared to the headlights on the Lightning those bug eyes Triumph put on there look ridiculous.  Before you buy I say test ride a Lightning, it might not be the bike for you but (around here atleast) it's pretty easy to get a test ride on one.  I think the Buell is $500 more than the Speed Triple?  The '06 XBs have a new belt that Buell says will last the life of the bike, and is MUCH stronger than the '04-'05 belt.  I know I hate cleaning, lubing and adjusting chains.  Just get a test ride on one, they're definately not for everyone but it never hurts to test ride anything imo  

Just wanted to add that Buell put a new transmission in all the '06 XBs and has been getting GREAT reviews in the mags about it.  Clutch pull was also reduced by 22%.  Also new for '06 is a new swingarm that's stiffer and .56lbs lighter, slightly larger "fuel tank", and improved cooling for the rear cylinder via a revised air duct.  Yes the fan will still come on, you should have heard all 10 XB fans at the demo day a couple months ago when we came back from the test ride  Personally I don't see it as a problem what so ever but I understand some people do...for those people Buells probably aren't for them anyway, to each their own.  

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 I know I hate cleaning, lubing and adjusting chains.  

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 I know I hate cleaning, lubing and adjusting chains.  

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No offense, but you must not do very much work on your bikes, then.

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Yeah, I'd rather be out riding.  Chains won't collect enough gunk to need cleaning if they just sit in a garage or gas station/sonic parking lots.  If you don't clean your chain when gunk does build up on it, it does shorten the life of the chain.

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And attempting to change a rear tire with that belt drive? We're talking a total disassembly of the rear end (including detaching the exhaust!) that takes about 5 hours to complete. Totally unnecessary.

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Totally unnecessary is what I was thinking when reading your post.  The XB series isn't like the old tubers or some cruiser.  You can change the belt on any XB without removing any part of the exhaust.  Total disassembly of the rear end?  Unscrew part of the swing arm brace and take off the right footpeg assembly and that's about it.  Have you seen a picture of a Buell XB's swingarm?  I don't see how the exhaust comes into play at all?

2006 XB12S




Just to show what I mentioned about the Speed Triples headlights looking big and "out there" compared to the XBs.  

My 2-cents:
S3 if you want the best performance of the group and maximum attitude.
Brutale if you want Italian flair and exclusivity.
XB12S if you want to be different and Made in the USA.

All are fun rides in their own right.

I was able to demo ride a used Brutale (among other bikes and I enjoyed it.

 

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Yeah, I'd rather be out riding.  Chains won't collect enough gunk to need cleaning if they just sit in a garage or gas station/sonic parking lots.  

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Now now, is there a need to attempt to insult someone pointing out a counteropinion to yours? Hey, I'd rather be riding too; that's why I stated that for me at least, it only takes five minutes (OK, maybe 10 if I have to adjust the chain ) of my time to check my chain's condition. I'm not going to pound my chest and crow that I "have ridden more miles than you, blah blah blah"; I will say that I ride literally every day, and  have for quite a few years...

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If you don't clean your chain when gunk does build up on it, it does shorten the life of the chain.

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Totally unnecessary is what I was thinking when reading your post.  The XB series isn't like the old tubers or some cruiser.  You can change the belt on any XB without removing any part of the exhaust.  Total disassembly of the rear end?  Unscrew part of the swing arm brace and take off the right footpeg assembly and that's about it.  Have you seen a picture of a Buell XB's swingarm?  I don't see how the exhaust comes into play at all?

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Again, no offense (really), but I take it you've never attempted to change a Buell rear tire. You need to do alot more than "unscrew part of the swingarm brace, take off the right footpeg assembly" (which you don't need to do on any other bike). There's the plastic covers for both top and bottom leading to the countershaft; you need to unbolt the roller tensioner beneath the swingarm; you need to maneuver the rear brake caliper away from the disc so that you can move the wheel forward (which requires removing the underslung exhaust) to undo the belt drive because the belt is so wide and its tension is fairly tight because the axle position isn't adjustable, so that you can pull the wheel back and out of the swingarm. Then, you get to do that all over again when you put the wheel back in; the roller tensioner is especially nice to try and bolt back on the chassis...
Oh yeah, one more thing; you'll need both standard and metric tools to do the job, as there's a mixed batch of fasteners on the Buells.

Sorry, don't mean to put the Buells down, they're fun bikes to ride in many ways. It's just that in my opinion, the Speed Triple would be more fun for me.
The looks don't bother me much. Again, I get my enjoyment out of riding, not out of staring at the thing admiring it "in the garage or gas station/sonic parking lots". Can't really look at the bike while you're riding it.    

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Now now, is there a need to attempt to insult someone pointing out a counteropinion to yours?

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No I don't "dick-swing" as you so elegantly put it in the Laguna thread.  Can't say I've heard that term before.

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Again, no offense (really), but I take it you've never attempted to change a Buell rear tire. You need to do alot more than "unscrew part of the swingarm brace, take off the right footpeg assembly" (which you don't need to do on any other bike). There's the plastic covers for both top and bottom leading to the countershaft; you need to unbolt the roller tensioner beneath the swingarm; you need to maneuver the rear brake caliper away from the disc so that you can move the wheel forward (which requires removing the underslung exhaust) to undo the belt drive because the belt is so wide and its tension is fairly tight because the axle position isn't adjustable, so that you can pull the wheel back and out of the swingarm. Then, you get to do that all over again when you put the wheel back in; the roller tensioner is especially nice to try and bolt back on the chassis...

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The looks don't bother me much. Again, I get my enjoyment out of riding, not out of staring at the thing admiring it "in the garage or gas station/sonic parking lots". Can't really look at the bike while you're riding it.  

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I have helped a friend change a tire on a XB.

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Something to think about there; changing a rear tire on any other bike is a one-man job... j/k

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No you don't have to take off the footpeg assembly on almost any other bike, BUT you're leaving out that on chain bikes you have to break the old chain (if its going through a swingarm brace) and then reconnect the new one (PITA).

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Yeah you have to remove the belt gaurds same as you would remove a chain gaurd, and like wise with the countersprocket cover.  A shop manual will say to remove the idler pulley and brake caliper but some people don't feel the need to do it.  And nobody on badweb mentioned anything at all about the exhaust what-so-ever when removing the rear wheel or changing the belt.  If anyone wants to look for themselves...

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...but you can see the instrament pod and headlights while riding.  It doesn't affect your riding or visibility really but you can tell the Triumphs bits and pieces are sticking out there a good ways.  The same feeling I get when I hope off my friends R6 and onto my SVS, the SV's dash and windscreen seem a good amount farther from the rider...makes the bike feel bigger and longer.

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No you don't have to take off the footpeg assembly on almost any other bike, BUT you're leaving out that on chain bikes you have to break the old chain (if its going through a swingarm brace) and then reconnect the new one (PITA).

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Um...to change a rear tire? I've never had to split a chain to change a rear tire on a chain drive bike...
If you're talking about when the time comes to replace the chain, no big deal. PITA? All you need is a decent chain-breaker (available from places like Motion Pro), and it will take you about the same amount of time as it does to replace all the parts you removed with the Buell...

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Yes I was talking about changing a belt vs changing a chain, should have been more clear.  I don't think anyone out there is replacing their chain with every rear tire change.  You don't have to remove the right footpeg assembly to remove the wheel, only when changing the belt.

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You will notice in those threads that people stated it took them an average of 30 minutes to pull the wheel; a chain drive bike takes about a minute, tops.

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Well not everyone takes their motorcycle maintance as serious as a NASCAR pitstop  Actually there was only one guy who said it took him 30 minutes, and he followed the book to the T messing around with the brake caliper and idler pulley.

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However, I see one thing hasn't changed: the fact that there are still both metric and standard fasteners on the bike...

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link to pic showing XB component sourcing  Large pic of new Ulysses so I'll leave it as a link.  A Triumph Daytona's brake calipers say "Triumph" on them but they're just rebadge Nissin parts, the same found on many japanese sportbikes.  Theres only so many places you can go for good motorcycle parts at good prices, even Harley gets some of their wheels from Australia.  It sounds like you enjoy working on your bike as much as you do riding it so an excuse to buy more tools shouldn't be a problem  

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Well not everyone takes their motorcycle maintance as serious as a NASCAR pitstop  Actually there was only one guy who said it took him 30 minutes, and he followed the book to the T messing around with the brake caliper and idler pulley.

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The point I was making is taking that much time-- OK, let's say it's even half that time, so 15 minutes-- is a bit excessive just to remove the rear wheel. When I was saying "one minute tops", I'm not talking about spinning wrenches like a madman; I mean a leisurely pace that would take the same care as those Buell owners describing their pace ("have patience"... ).

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Theres only so many places you can go for good motorcycle parts at good prices, even Harley gets some of their wheels from Australia.

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It sounds like you enjoy working on your bike as much as you do riding it so an excuse to buy more tools shouldn't be a problem

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And so in a very roundabout way, we're right back to the comment I made in my original post in this thread. It's not so much that enjoy working on bikes, it's just that I have lot of experience doing it. Thus, I'd rather not spend any unnecessary time doing it; I'd rather be riding, just like you and everyone else. Spending an inordinate amount of time just to pull a rear wheel kind of falls in that "unnecessary" category, as does having to keep both standard and metric tools laying around. But this is just my opinion.
BTW, I'm not some Triumph freak or anything like that. I'm just callin' it like I see'em, that's all.  

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Theres only so many places you can go for good motorcycle parts at good prices, even Harley gets some of their wheels from Australia.

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If that's the case, it'd be nice to see Buell prices lower than what they are...

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The Brits, Italians and Germans have a hard time competing with the Japanese price wise too.

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I know you say you're not here to bash Buells but the "Buells are overpriced" line is said a lot on message boards, yet no one *** about Monsters.

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For a couple hundred more ('05 MSRP XB9's were $8,695) you get more horsepower, more torque, fully adjustable suspension and better brakes.

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I would go with the speed tripple myself. I test rode one at the local dealer and it was bad ass. It will definitely be my next bike purchase. The solid black is the best looking street fighter I have seen. Add the fly screen and ther rear cowl and the bike looks awesome. O and the sound of the triple is killer.