By year
Owner complaints about Buell vehicles peaked at 40 in 2007
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, 1995 to 2026. 2026 runs through October.
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints and recalls files. Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.
Make
Buell
The complete NHTSA record for Buell vehicles: owner complaints, recall campaigns, defect investigations and manufacturer communications, for every model and model year on file.
Most Buell recalls are filed by Buell Motorcycle, part of Buell.
Owner complaints in the last five years1264 on file in all, across 39 models
Recall campaigns441 in five years
Severity index7.2Crash, fire, injury or death per 100 complaints
Investigations321 service bulletins
Components
Electrical system draws the most owner complaints about Buell vehicles, 23% of them
Share of all owner complaints on file, by component.
Source: NHTSA ODI.
Models
The 1125R has the most complaints of any Buell model
Every Buell model with complaints or recalls on file, by complaints. Counts are not rates: NHTSA publishes no sales volumes.
| Model | Model years | Complaints | Severity index | Recalls | Investigations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1125R | 2008 to 2010 | 45 | 4.4 | 2 | 6 |
| 1125CR | 2009 to 2010 | 44 | 0.0 | 1 | 4 |
| XB12R | 2004 to 2010 | 18 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 |
| Firebolt XB9R | 2003 | 18 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 |
| S1 Lightning | 1996 to 1998 | 13 | 0.0 | 22 | 3 |
| S3 Thunderbolt | 1997 to 2000 | 13 | 7.7 | 22 | 4 |
| XB12X | 2006 to 2010 | 13 | 23.1 | 5 | 0 |
| M2 Cyclone | 1997 to 2000 | 10 | 10.0 | 21 | 4 |
| XB12S | 2004 to 2006 | 10 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 |
| X1 Lightning | 1999 to 2000 | 7 | 0.0 | 9 | 2 |
| M2 | 1997 to 2002 | 6 | 50.0 | 4 | 3 |
| Blast | 2004 to 2009 | 5 | 0.0 | 4 | 0 |
| S3 | 1997 to 1999 | 5 | 0.0 | 3 | 3 |
| XB12XT | 2008 to 2010 | 5 | 20.0 | 3 | 0 |
| Thunderbolt | 1995 to 1998 | 5 | 0.0 | 0 | 4 |
| S2 Thunderbolt | 1995 to 1996 | 4 | 0.0 | 12 | 2 |
| S1 White Lightning | 1997 to 1998 | 4 | 25.0 | 7 | 2 |
| X1 | 1999 to 2002 | 4 | 50.0 | 2 | 2 |
| S1 | 1996 to 1998 | 3 | 66.7 | 3 | 2 |
| S3T | 1997 to 2002 | 3 | 0.0 | 3 | 2 |
| Blast P3 | 2000 to 2001 | 3 | 33.3 | 1 | 1 |
| Cyclone | 1997 to 2000 | 3 | 0.0 | 1 | 2 |
| 1125 | 2009 | 3 | 33.3 | 0 | 2 |
| Buell | 1997 to 2002 | 3 | 33.3 | 0 | 1 |
| S2 | 1995 to 1996 | 2 | 0.0 | 2 | 2 |
| S1W | 1998 | 2 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 |
| S1W White Lightning | 1998 to 1999 | 2 | 0.0 | 1 | 2 |
| XB9SX | 2005 to 2010 | 2 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 |
| S2T | 1995 to 1996 | 1 | 0.0 | 6 | 2 |
| Lightning LOW | 2003 | 1 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 |
| XB12SCG | 2009 to 2010 | 1 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 |
| XB12SS | 2009 to 2010 | 1 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 |
| XB9S | 2004 | 1 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 |
| S3T Thunderbolt | 1997 to 2000 | 0 | None | 16 | 3 |
| 1190 RX Hammerhead | 2021 to 2022 | 0 | None | 2 | 0 |
| 1190 SX | 2021 to 2022 | 0 | None | 2 | 0 |
| XB9SL | 2003 to 2004 | 0 | None | 2 | 0 |
| M2L | 2002 | 0 | None | 1 | 0 |
| XB12XP | 2009 to 2010 | 0 | None | 1 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA ODI. Recall counts add campaigns across model years, so a campaign covering three years counts three times.
Latest recalls
Recent campaigns listing a Buell product
- 23V-257 Apr 7, 2023
Index spring may be installed improperly
Engine and cooling · 30 vehicles - 09V-465 Dec 2, 2009
Right hand side footpeg mount may have been manufactured to incorrect specifications
Equipment · 23 vehicles - 09V-347 Sep 3, 2009
Front brake line may contact the front tire
Brakes · 405 vehicles - 09V-109 Apr 2, 2009
Subject motorcycles have a front brake line which may contact the front tire
Brakes · 3,316 vehicles - 08V-554 Oct 20, 2008
These motorcycles can experience a premature failure of the rear cylinder cam chain tension guide (part number f0020.1am)
Engine and cooling · 140 vehicles - 08V-538 Oct 14, 2008
Windshields may become dislodged and allow the windshield to either strike or distract the rider while the vehicle is being ridden at a high speed
Visibility and wipers · 624 vehicles - 08V-439 Aug 27, 2008
Fuel tank may experience some local deformation under high-heat conditions that creates contact of the tank with the cylinder head
Fuel system · 1,335 vehicles - 08V-267 Jun 16, 2008
These vehicles can experience 5th gear galling on the clutch shaft due to lack of lubrication
Powertrain · 1,579 vehicles - 07V-026 Feb 1, 2007
Certain motorcycles may have a vibration at the mounting location of the bank angle sensor which, if combined with the misrouting of various wires…
Fuel system · 2,044 vehicles - 06V-245 Jul 11, 2006
Certain motorcycles may have been built with two issues that could compromise the sidestand's performance
Structure · 1,021 vehicles
Source: NHTSA ODI recalls file.