Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128003
1999 Buell/Harley S3T Thunderbolt · By David Walsh F I :::i ~ IIlii III ~ ~ Q m ~ :: N -5 -" 30 or 503 br eak-in miles, w e'd duti. full y kept the new Buell 53T to 3000 rpm and 60 mph . Now, it w a s b oo gi e tim e . The fu el-inj ected 1201cc Evolution 5port ster mill revved quickly a n d g row led. I s to m p ed th e lever a nd we were off. Th e g ro u nd, I m e an . N ear-v erti ca l r os e th e fr ont wheel, away went m y composure, an d on clamped the rear brake. Good God! Thin gs had changed a bit since 1995 and our last go-arou nd with a Buell. Back then, the mod est-sized company' s pulse was quickening. Okay, it was still the niche firm that tried harder, and boast ed jus t one mod el - th e 52 Thunderbolt. Harley-Davids on , thou gh , had become int erested eno ug h in Eric Buell's bab y to invest mo re than engi nes in its upbringin g. Cas h, that is. Initially, funds w ent for research an d d evel opment , thhen fO r ope rha ting expenses. Last yea r t e re Iations ip turn ed se rious . The Mot or Compan y emerged as the co ntrolling partner. After a d ecade, Eri c Buell's quasi-reli gious belief in a spo rt'ing Harl ey is payin g off. The Rebel has gon e uptown. My experience with the original 'Bolt wa s memorable. The bike pulled like a crane fro m wa y low and up through the fat midrange befor e colliding with its 6000-rpm limiter. This thick vein of torque (66 ft.-lbs. starting at 2500 rpms, and s ta y i ng there) dov etail ed with good, if slightly buzzy , cruising speeds of 75 to 85 mph, a top whack of 130 mp h and nearly full -day com for t. Handling was brilliant. Racerlik e lean an gles were all but ens u red via qu alit y sus pe nders • and br akes, Buell's "Un ip lanar" fra me and a short wh eelbase. In s u m, w h il e th e land -y a chts of Buell ' s Milw au ke e p artn ers ba re ly coug hed up 50 hp, this was a rocket ship - a light w e ight "Ha rley" m a k in g 67 dyn e -tested hor ses . Oddball? Perha ps . Still, the firs t Thunderbolt was an amusing scoo t. 50 is to d ay's 53T, and th e n so me . Like BMW, Buell/Harley have taken the delibera te, evo lu tio nary roa d to im provements. Hen ce, all th ree legs of the Buell tria d - 53T Thu nd erbolt, Ml Cyclone and Xl Lightning - resemble 1995's origina l 52 T-bolt. They all ge t the same-style fra me, steeri ng geo me try and man y ancillaries, but with a few happy surprises thr own in. A big p ow er inc rease is th e ma jor change. A horsepower rating of 67 in '95 has becom e 85 or so with the 1999 53T (and a claimed 101 at the cran k). To rque top s ou t at a healthy 90, thou gh ap pea ring lat er. For th e extra mu scle, cre dit several things. Firs t is Buell' s improved "Thunderstorm" cylinder head s, with their higher airflo w, ma ssaged ports, hotter ca ms and beefier hydraulic valves. They join with a modified exhaust collect or, obviMore power translates into more fun with the new BuelVHarley S3T Thunderbolt.