I suppose I should kick this off with a disclaimer: I have tremendous faith in my sources here, but before you dive into one of these modifications, check it out. As I massage my Cyclone, I will pick and choose which features to change based on what I want my black Buell to become. Next week we'll post a couple shots of my untouched beast and a shot of the Bikernet mascot--Karley/Harley. She's bad. Let's check this week's assortment:

Air Box Mods

More Buell stuff coming. Right now I'm running an air horn inside the Buell race air cleaner. The tall K&N air filter allows this. It works good. This setup is more practical than the S&S setup.

The top photo is the short air horn with the Buell race backing plate. This fits inside the air cleaner and cover. It's good for an extra two to three HP over the plastic donut that comes with the kit. I made this by cutting up an S&S air horn for an "E" or "G" carb and welding on the mounting flange as shown.

This shot also shows how I trim the cam cover for easier access to the oil pump -- a must when checking the oil pump and drive gears for wear. It saves a lot of time and aggravation when wrenching.

S1 with a stock header pipe and a Vance & Hines carbon fiber muffler. It works good on a stock header pipe. It's light weight and looks cool. The Supper Trapp muffler is about the same weight but at least half the cost of the Vance & Hines unit and can be tuned.

I have heard good things about the Force 1 stepped header pipe w ith reverse cone technology. Stepped headers have been used successfully in drag racing. It is a loud pipe, for those who want and need that. I hope to have some pics showing the new stock oil pump changes for 2001. There are some ways to I.D. it without pulling it apart. The new pump has better scavenging. Zipper's makes a good oil pump for racing. It's not needed for a street bike though. The 2001 stock one is more than adequate. More to come as time permits.

--Later, Paul, Charlotte, H-D

Muffler Mods

I was thinking about your Buell project and it rattled my brain some. What's left anyway. Rick who is in charge of R&D at Titan had a Buell S2 like mine. He cut up a rejected Thunder Header and used just muffler part. He made a adapter for it to fit the stock Buell header pipe. The sound was more like a Sportster or Big Twin than a Buell. This may be something to look into. I haven't seen one anywhere else but his.

KT products make a very loud pipe. Also Force One in Lake Havasu, AZ. make a good pipe using the reverse megaphone technology. Also a gutted Buell muffler (Race Type) sounds really good, to me anyways.

-- Paul Davis, Charlotte, H-D

CV Carb Mods

When a CV carb is bored by Trock Cycle to remove the step in front of the throttle plate, you will get 5 to 7 CFM more airflow through the carb. This was tested on a flow bench at 10 inch W.C. You can bore this carb to 42mm but you have to make a new throttle plate and use some Davcon epoxy close to the air horn area of the carb. The throttle plate shutoff angle is 10 Deg. This is a lot of work and since the 44mm CV is now available, why bother? Use your own judgment. There are a lot of 40mm CVs floating around though.

Also, I use an 88 Sportster needle along with a .010 spacer under the needle. My main jet is usually a 185 (stock H-D) and a #45 slow jet. I use a dyno jet spring but you can cut coils (2) to start with if you don't have the other spring. Lots of Dyno testing done on this!

I start drilling the hole in the slide at .109 diameter and usually never go over .120 diameter. You can feather the leading sharp edge of the slide if you are feeling ambitious and have the need to play.

Now here is a cool little trick. On the throttle plate on the sharp edge on the back side and bottom of the plate when looking from the air horn side or air inlet of the carb, we want to feather the sharp edge some. The bottom gets most of the massaging and tapering off as you go up the throttle plate to the area where the throttle shaft goes.

You can also do this on the top of the throttle plate on the edge you see when looking down the air horn or air cleaner side of the carb. You must use a good-fitting screwdriver to get the screws out. You can file the staked ends of the screws if you want, but you shouldn't have to if you get the right screwdriver. It's a good idea to support the back of the throttle shaft when doing this. You should leave about .010 to .015 shutoff on the throttle plate. This is where the plate closes off in the throttle bore. This mod will give you an increase of air flow of 2 to 3 CFM at 10 inches W.C. A rule of thumb, which of course varies: for every 1 1/2 CFM increase of air flow, you get approximately 1 HP. You may see this increase and it might be less but you will see an increase in air flow and it's FREE HP. All this applies to the 44mm CV also.

That's it for now. Gotta go do a Saturday night here. More later on running dual CVs for a Buell if you got the motor for it!!!

--Paul Davis, Charlotte, H-D

Got A Plane To Catch

Got to make this quick as I have a plane to catch this morning. Got together with the local Buellies last night and got to looking at some of the tricks and tips they have put together as a group.

1.) Shifter linkage and brake lever sideplay? Invest $30 in a set of bronze bushings from American Sport Bike P/N 5546. They tighten up the linkage nicely for smoother shifts and ease of finding neutral. (ABS phone: 760/946/3379)

2.) While you're at it, the aluminum shifter linkage and brake lever polish up nicely. Spray a coat of clear on them before reinstalling to maintain the shine.

3.) Want some footpeg relief from the vibrations? Replace the solid Buell footpegs with a set of standard H-D pegs. I installed a set from my old FXR and what a difference.

4.) The three-spoke wheels can also be stripped of the paint and polished for a totally custom look. They are super nice wheels when you stop to appreciate them.

5.) Maybe by now you found out that the Buell quits running if you attempt to ride away with the kickstand down. There is a cut- out switch at the kickstand pivot mount. It can be bypassed by shorting out the wires if you so desire.

I dropped the stock muffler in anticipation of the Vance/Hines SS2R replacement I ordered. Couldn't help but start it up with the header in place. Sure sounded like a hotrod Harley! The kids at the bus stop started cheering!

I am out of here - Ride fast, ride safe.

--Agent M2 Anson

Drag Specialties Buell Connection

Get a hold of a late-issue Drag Specialities catalog, it has a Buell section. After speaking with a Vance/Hines rep, I ate my earlier words and went with one of their SS2R systems. They admitted to earlier problems and assured me that recent improvements in the mounting system material and design have been addressed. They also offer a warranty. So I bought it through a local dealer and will see what happens.

The Drag Fat Book also features the Supertrapp and White Bros. systems and a kickass-looking BUB system. The local shop's experience was with the V/H so I went with it.

New bikes are always a learning experience. Tomorrow is bike night in New Orleans. Upwards of 500 bikes get together uptown in Kenner/Metarie to cruise and pose. I am gonna ride over, down a couple Hurricanes at Pat O'Brian's and then head uptown come evening.

--Anson

A Source For Buell Components

KT Components
3711 E. La Palma Ave.
Anahiem, Calif. 92806
(714) 630-7144

1. Try the V-Thunder ignition. You can make up your own ignition curves. It's a very good system for puter geeks. Lots of nice features.

2. The high-performance Screamin Eagle cams are a very good choice if you want more than the Buell S1/Andrews N4 offer. They are a good combo with 3 3/4 inch bore American Aircooled cylinders and some good head work.

3. 883 heads use a 1.900 Screamin Eagle intake and seat. A 1200 Sportster exhaust valve and seat. You want to try to get around 160 CFM at 12 inches W.C. from the intake. The 883 ports are small for shaping and the floor of the intake port can be welded to raise it. It has a very good combustion chamber to start with.

4. 2001 oil pump has improved scavenging.

It is possible to get 100 HP at the rear wheel on a Buell by using a lot of parts from H-D/Buell without the need of using exotic aftermarket parts that don't work!!

--Paul Davis, Charlotte H-D