Brake lever lightly touched as I was going into the the turn @ 25 MPH, no brake control bike leaned instead of down, and I went into the ditch and fractured myn pelvis. There are 4 know accounts of the exact same incident, one was by a dealer mechanic of which I purchased the motorcycle from had lost control of the bike and brakes he had serviced. He had a car brake infront of him and he touched the brakes a little and the bike went down, my best friend had the same thing happen to him and I have read articles @ www.badweatherbikers.com on similar incidents. The same models and makes of the equipment are the same.
The worst 1998 Buell S1 White Lightning problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Brakes1
- Engine1
- Suspension1
- Transmission1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Brakes1
- Engine1
- Suspension1
- Transmission1
Recalls 6
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: mounting
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: motorcycles. These motorcycles were built with a fuel tank mount system that could, in the event of a crash, allow the fuel tank to separate from the motorcycle.
- Risk
- This could result in an explosion or fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the fuel tank mount system.
Recall number 99V104000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: motorcycles. These motorcycles were built with a fuel tank vent valve assembly that could become plugged.
- Risk
- Under certain conditions, this could cause the carburetor to overflow fuel which could result in a fire. This condition could also prevent sufficient fuel flow, which could cause the engine to misfire or stall.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the fuel tank vent valve assembly.
Recall number 99V105000 · Recall details
Suspension: rear
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: motorcycles. These motorcycles were built with a swingarm that could break.
- Risk
- If the swingarm should break, loss of vehicle control could occur.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the swingarm.
Recall number 99V106000 · Recall details
Suspension: rear: shock absorber
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: motorcycles. These motorcycles were built with a rear shock absorber front eye that could break.
- Risk
- If the shock eye should break, the underside of the vehicle will drag on the ground possibly causing loss of vehicle control.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the rear shock absorber.
Recall number 99V107000 · Recall details
Unknown or other
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: motorcycles. These motorcycles were built with a sidestand switch that could become inoperative
- Risk
- This condition can cause the engine to stall/quit when riding.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the sidestand switch.
Recall number 99V097000 · Recall details
Suspension: front
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: motorcycles. The front isolator mount system can lose clamp load and possibly break.
- Risk
- This could lead to an unintended distraction to the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the front isolator mount system.
Recall number 99V086000 · Recall details
See all 6 recalls for the 1998 Buell S1 White Lightning
Defect investigations
Throttle fails to return to idle
To address the problem described above, buell is recalling those fuel-injected motorcycles that it built without a throttle cable control clamp.for more information on this subject, please refer to the memorandum entitled the scope of buell's safety recall, 03v‑427 copy attached.
PE03043
What 1998 Buell S1 White Lightning owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Recall 99v106000/swing arm, and 99v107 000/rear shock absorbers: both recalls received and reported to dealer, but still both recalls have not been honored. Dealer is still waiting for parts from manufacturer. Owner wishes for dealer to repurchase vehicle.
Main belt drive broke while motorcycle was in motion..could have locked up the rear wheel causing an accident.
While driving at 65 MPH transmission went out.
Compare the 1998 Buell S1 White Lightning
Other model years
1998
Questions about the 1998 Buell S1 White Lightning
Is the 1998 Buell S1 White Lightning reliable?
Owners have filed 4 complaints about the 1998 Buell S1 White Lightning, close to a typical S1 White Lightning model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Buell S1 White Lightning?
Brakes, with 1 complaint. Next is engine (1).
How many recalls does the 1998 Buell S1 White Lightning have?
6 recalls, covering fuel system, gasoline, suspension and unknown or other.
VIN decoder
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