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• Auction House:
  Donington Auctions
• Sale Name:
  Collectors' Motorcycles & Cars (New South Wales)
• Sale Date:
  12 Dec 2021 ~ 12noon (AEDT)
• Lot #:
  22
• Lot Description:
  2003 Buell XB9R Firebolt - Excellent example of one of the earliest radical Buell XB series
  While working as a chassis engineer at Harley-Davidson in the 1980s, Erik Buell also established a motorcycle racing career. His first efforts with a Barton two-stroke were promising but the project was torpedoed in 1985 when the AMA pulled the plug on the Formula One class, concentrating on Superbikes. Buell returned to preparing racing Harleys, first with the successful Battle of the Twins racer "Lucifer's Hammer II", and then with the Harley-Davidson powered RR1000 and RR1200. These early Buells, known as the "tubers," were difficult to build and as they were almost bespoke required a lot of attention from their owners. During the 1990s Buell was building around 10,000 bikes a year and the craftsman like production became untenable. By the turn of the millennium a new design was required.The XB was introduced by Buell as revolutionary and paradigm shifting. Rarely do the products match the hype but in the XR's case the radical new design resulted in an excellent motorcycle. Buell's design brief required mating the handling of a 250cc GP racer with a big Harley engine. The wide innovative aluminium beam frame doubled as a fuel tank, allowing the area above for a large airbox and straight intake duct. The swingarm was also the oil tank. The frame also included Buell's trademark Uniplanar Powertrain vibration isolating system. With the steep 21-degree rake and short 84mm trail of a 250cc GP bike providing agility Buell achieved stability through frame stiffness and mass centralisation. Along with the unusual frame and swingarm the most noticeable innovation was the front brake rotor. The perimeter 375mm brake disc and inside-out six-piston caliper provided a massive reduction in unsprung weight. With the braking loads no longer transferred from the rotor to the hub via the spokes the aluminium wheel was lighter than many magnesium units. Fully adjustable Showa suspension was fitted front and rear, an inverted 41mm fork and rear coil over monoshock. Beneath all the innovation lay a modified Harley-Davidson Sportster 45-degree, 984cc air-cooled pushrod V-twin. While the engines were built on the Capital Drive Sportster line at Harley-Davidson in Milwaukee, Buell changed the pistons, con-rods, camshafts, valves, and valve springs. He even fitted a new oiling system and new engine cases. The bore and stroke were 88.9x79.4mm and the compression ratio 10:1. With fuel-injection and ram-air the power of the XB9R was 92hp at 7,000rpm. Final drive was by a Kevlar belt. The resulting XB was tiny, rolled on a short 1,320mm wheelbase, and weighed only 175kg. Bespoke touches included Buell's Pegasus logo on the footpegs, front fork, brake calipers and pushrod covers. The XB's handling was so good that it was picked the winner of "Top 50 Cornering Bikes" in the September 2005 issue of Britain's Bike magazine. The 2003 Buell XB9R offered here has ADR approval and a sticker is provided but not currently attached to the bike. The sticker will be provided to the buyer. Apart from a scuff mark over front fairing and windshield it is presented in outstanding original condition. This motorcycle is being sold unregistered.
• Estimate:
  A$8,000 - 12,000
• Realised Price:
  *****
  

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• Category:
  Automobiles & Accessories

This Sale has been held and this item is no longer available. Details are provided for information purposes only.