Buell RS1200: American hot rod
(Page 3 of 4)
May/June 2006
By Roland Brown
Mind you, the engine could easily be livened up with aftermarket parts. For real go, the hot set-up included twin-plug heads and a Branch Flowmetrics porting job, a camshaft set, and replacing the stock CV carburetor with something by Mikuni or Screamin’ Eagle. The price was high, but the result was a ball-busting final output of around 95hp.
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Alternatively, the RS rider could just try and catch ’em in the corners. The compact Buell chassis really is remarkable, combining a Ducati-esque steel ladder frame with Erik B’s unique engine-mounting system, and a suspension set-up that was almost as weird but — on this evidence — not yet quite as wonderful.
Buell’s “Uniplanar” set-up joined engine to frame via rubber mounts in three points, and it had one big advantage over Harley’s contemporary anti-vibe system. Instead of the rubber allowing the engine to dance in all directions, Buell used four adjustable ball-ended rods, each bolted to engine and frame, to restrict the V-twin’s leapings to the vertical plane only. The result added engine stiffness to the trellis without passing vibration to the rider.
Other parts show Buell’s determination to get things right in his own way. Forks are 42mm Marzocchi M1R units plumbed with Buell’s Harley-style Air Control Technology (ACT) anti-dive system. This uses solenoid valves, operated by the front brake lever, to cut the forks’ air volume, effectively increasing the springs’ rising-rate just when it is most needed.
At the back, a rather puny-looking steel swing arm operates a Works Performance shock which, as there was no room for it to stand behind the huge engine in such a tiny bike, lays horizontally beneath the engine. The shock body is enclosed to keep out road grime, and the unit extends over bumps, compressing its spring via two bolts running down its length.
Brakes and wheels, too, were Buell’s own design. Wheels are polished aluminum 17-inchers running fat Dunlop Elite tires. Brakes followed racebike trend, being massive at the front but miniscule at the back: four-piston calipers clamp twin 310mm rotors at the front, while a two-pot caliper brushing a single 230mm disc works the rear.
The effect of all this is much as expected. Grab a handful of front brake and the little 450lb bike attempts to loop the loop as it digs a trench with its front Dunlop. The stopper is as controllable as it is powerful, though, and gives heaps of feel at the standard Harley lever. The rear brake was intentionally more like a stock H-D front item — virtually undetectable — and could therefore usefully be used to slow the bike gently without risk of locking-up.
There isn’t much wrong with the forks, either. The stout Marzocchis, variable for air pressure as well as having a four- way compression damping adjuster on the right leg, give a mix of firmness, comfort and control under braking that is just about right. Rear suspension is less impressive, though, lacking the rebound damping to keep a stiff spring under control. Over bumps the bike jolts harshly. And even in smooth bends the Buell’s back end pogos slightly as the shock fails to cope. At least the steep steering geometry gives lightning-quick changes of direction, even at speed. A steering damper lurks inside the fairing’s lower left side, just in case.