EAST TROY, Wis. (July 15, 2004) – Buell Motorcycle Company expands its line of Lightning models for 2005 with the introduction of the Lightning CityX XB9SX (pronounced “Lightning City Cross”), a middleweight urban streetfighter, and the Lightning XB12Scg, a big-bore powerhouse designed to bring Buell Lightning performance and style to riders who prefer a lower center of gravity and seat height.
Back for an encore in 2005 is the Lightning XB12S. The original Lightning XB9S has evolved to become the 2005 Lightning CityX XB9SX.
Flexing American Muscle
The Buell Lightning series offers a unique blend of minimalist, naked styling and the real-world powerband of an American V-Twin engine. The riding position is athletic. Agility is uncompromised. The torque is unreal.
Compact and narrow in profile, the Buell Thunderstorm V-Twin engine is the perfect powerplant for serious street performance. Both the 92hp Thunderstorm 984 and 103hp Thunderstorm 1203 engines are 45-degree air/oil/fan-cooled V-Twins with electronic fuel injection. Both are tuned to put out a mountain of ground-pounding torque and deliver the kind of mid-range acceleration a rider can really use on the street. The Buell Uniplanar engine mounting system reduces vibration to the rider and increases frame rigidity by utilizing the engine as a stressed member of the chassis.
The Lightning is created utilizing the Buell Trilogy of Technology design principles-frame rigidity, mass centralization and minimal unsprung weight. To lower the center of gravity, fuel is carried in the massive aluminum frame, engine oil is carried in the swingarm, and the muffler is located below the engine. The Buell Zero Torsional Load front brake features a single 375mm rotor mounted near the wheel rim, gripped by a six-piston caliper. Because braking forces are transmitted directly from the rim to the rotor, torsional load at the front wheel is virtually eliminated and brake feel and control is enhanced. Reduced torsional load permits the use of a very lightweight cast aluminum front wheel for a significant reduction in unsprung weight and steering inertia.
Buell Lightning models are agile and flickable, thanks to a short 52-inch wheelbase and 21-degree fork angle. Both the rear Showa shock absorber and the new 43mm Showa upside-down fork are adjustable for pre-load, compression and rebound damping to accommodate rider weight and riding style. The Lightning offers an unmistakable style, inspired by the rough-and-tumble world of flat-track racing. Handlebars are wide and aggressive. Dual headlights are mounted below a short flyscreen. The clipped, aluminum tail section covers the meaty, 180mm rear tire with a screened panel.
Buell Lightning CityX XB9SX
A brawny, new black-and-blue urban hooligan, the Lightning CityX XB9SX was designed to rule the city streets with pure attitude. Its wild new see-through Hero Blue Translucid airbox cover and flyscreen put the bike’s mechanical details on display, while Villain Black wheels and Midnight Black lower body panels hide the grime of the city. Handlebar deflectors and a headlight grille send a tough message, while Supermotard-style handlebars and a new Skyline seat put the rider in complete control. The soft-rubber Buell X Guard helps protect the airbox from tankbag scuffing.
Buell Lightning CityX XB9SX features:
Hero Blue Translucid bodywork
Headlight grille
Handlebar deflectors
Buell X Guard airbox protector
Supermotard-style crossbar handlebars
Villain Black wheels, handlebars, handlebar clamp, license plate bracket
Pirelli Scorpion Sync tires
Buell ZTL braking system
Buell Thunderstorm 984 fuel-injected air/oil/fan-cooled V-Twin engine
92 peak hp, 70 ft. lbs. peak torque
Fuel-in-frame, oil-in-swingarm
43mm fully adjustable Showa upside-down fork
Fully adjustable Showa rear shock absorber
Buell Lightning XB12S
A bad-boy streetfighter with irresistible good looks, the Lightning XB12S offers a level of brute V-Twin power and premium technology only offered by Buell. The Thunderstorm 1203 V-Twin engine is equipped with Buell InterActive Exhaust, a valve in the dual-chamber muffler that is controlled by the ECM and adjusts exhaust flow according to riding conditions to smooth torque delivery and optimize engine power. The Lightning XB12S is offered in Racing Red, Midnight Black or new Thrust Blue, with high-gloss Translucent Amber wheels that glow in the sunlight and contrast with a Graphite Gray frame and swingarm. Magnesium-tone cam/clutch cover, a coarse-texture seat cover, and special Amber nose, tail and airbox graphics are standard.
Buell Lightning XB12S features:
Buell Thunderstorm 1203 fuel-injected air/oil/fan-cooled V-Twin engine
103 peak hp, 84 ft. lbs. peak torque
Buell InterActive Exhaust
Smooth drive belt system
Graphite Gray frame and swingarm
Fuel-in-frame, oil-in-swingarm
New 43mm fully adjustable Showa upside-down fork
Fully adjustable Showa rear shock absorber
Buell ZTL front brake system
Translucent Amber wheels
Flat track-style handlebars
Buell Lightning XB12Scg
Fly a little lower aboard the new Lightning XB12Scg. Altered front and rear suspension and a reshaped seat lower the center of gravity and reduce seat height to 28.6 inches – 1.75 inches lower than the standard XB12S. Performance and handling are uncompromised. Offered in Racing Red, Midnight Black or new Thrust Blue with brilliant Translucent Amber wheels and Graphite Gray frame and swingarm.
Buell Lightning XB12Scg features:
Buell Thunderstorm 1203 fuel-injected air/oil/fan-cooled V-Twin engine
103 peak hp, 84 ft. lbs. peak torque
Buell InterActive Exhaust
Smooth drive belt system
Graphite Gray frame and swingarm
Fuel-in-frame, oil-in-swingarm
41mm fully adjustable Showa upside-down fork
Fully adjustable Showa rear shock absorber
Buell ZTL front brake
Translucent Amber wheels
Flat track-style handlebars
Seat height 28.6 inches
