2003 Buell Blast

Pros: Good handling and cornering, great on the gas, and is cheap to insure.
Cons: It vibrates, its small and light and not recommended for the freeway.

The Buel bike is not bad and well its not that great either. I basically bought this bike because of insurance reasons and the fact that I was a first time rider. So I'm going to give you the good news and the bad news. Starting with the good news f ...

Pros: Reliability, torque, seat, brakes, high revs performance
Cons: tiny gas tank, vibration at idle, doggy at low speed.

I had a chance to borrow a friend's Blast for a weekend. Hearing all my HOG riding friend's rude re ...

Pros: Inexpensive to buy and insure, Comfortable, Great handling, Very reliable
Cons: Vibration at idle, clunky 1st gear

After being out of riding for almost 20 years my wife and I just bought new bikes - she, a new Suzuki Volusia cruiser and me, a second-hand 2004 Buell Blast. The Blast had about 375 miles on the clock when I bought it and 45 days later now has almost ...

Pros: Fun to Ride would say it all
Cons: Vibration, Vibration, Vibration

I grew up wanting to learn how to ride a Motorcycle. After trying and buying a two scooters I was ready for a "real" Motorcycle. After looking around for Months and reading reviews I purchased a new 2003 Buell Blast. With four months of riding and ...

Pros: Great looks, great sounds, great handling, great price. A terrific beginner bike
Cons: The bikes are LEMONS! DON'T GET ONE!!!

Hi all. I've spent the past month doing TONS of research on a motorcycle. So I wanted something cool, good handling, not too fast and not expensive to buy or operate. I found myself staring at the Buell Blast! It was all of the above and man I thought ...

Pros: Handling, Reliability, Gas Mileage, weight, Maintenance free. Belt drive, self adjusting hydraulic lifters.
Cons: Lawn mower sound, Smallish, Bad Reputation. Must be started aggressively due to low torque.

I've owned and ridden this P3 and by the reviews I've seen I'm pretty sure Buell finally got it right from 2003 on. There are no recalls, no complaints, and problems are few and far between. I've had nothing but fun on this bike. It returns 70 mpg if I ...

Pros: Easy to maneuver, affordable, reliable & sharp!
Cons: Small gas tank, little storage.

Deciding to do something different in my life (my husband claims I'm going through a mid-life crisis ...

Pros: Belt drive, neat styling
Cons: small, way expensive compared to other starter bikes, vibration, air-cooled

I had a chance to test ride this bike a short while ago and I wasn't impressed. At the time I had a 1992 Ninja 250r. The Ninja was great. I picked it up for $1100, rode it for 4 years and sold it for $1200. The Buell was a VERY rough ride in comparison. ...

Pros: inexpensive good handling very good mileage easy oil change belt drive
Cons: tire wear at 3300-3500 miles (is it Dunlop's fault?)

Had been riding in the past for 20 years. Started out on Suzuki's and then went to BMW's. Laid off in 1996 and sold my last BMW. Discovered I was like a some folks my age, got back into motorcycling. A Buell Blast. Wasn't sure about the yellow color but if you have a cult bike, why NOT yellow? A windshield and saddlebags addition makes for a lot of fun. Tank bag and tail pack are on order. The BMW's allowed me to travel several states but the Buell Blast will suffice me to stay in this state. I always rode one up so this wasn't much of a sacrifice except for some power.

Pros: Easy to learn to ride on. Works great on the freeway with a windshield.
Cons: Likes to get stuck at Neutral when you try to go to 2nd gear.

I bought my 2003 Blast used for about $2200 including tags etc. in May. This is my first bike, and I had just learned to ride at a Motorcycle Safety Class the weekend before. The Blast does vibrate at idle, but I don't mind it. I have since gone to Vegas (about 5 hr drive one-way) and to Monterey (6 hour drive one way). My bony butt did get sore, but I put a "Butt Buffer" on the seat for long trips, and I did put the windshield on. Oh the Buell Blast is almost perfect with a windshield - no more fighting the wind, a must have. I found that I could ride for exactly 101 miles before my bike runs out of gas and I coast to the side of the road - I'm not experienced enough to switch to Reserve while moving. Reserve gives me at least 25 miles. The Blast has built up my confidence tremendously - I'm female, 115lbs, 5'4" and I almost laid it down at an intersection, but was able to 'muscle' it back up so it didn't fall.

Pros: Low cost, low maintenance & looks good
Cons: Clutch friction zone too short for beginners

I bought a new 2003 Blast in June 2004 as my beginner bike. After doing a lot of research the Blast seemed to be a best buy. You can still buy 2002 and 2003 left overs at a steep discount from the 2004 models. Mine cost around $4000 out the door, which included tax, tags, etc.

I wasn't sure if I wanted a cruiser or a sport bike and the blast was somewhere in between. It's considered a standard. I find it very comfortable for my 5'-7", 160lb frame. The bike has plenty of power and handles well.

The only drawback I've found is that the clutch has a very short friction zone which makes it difficult to get the bike going. I've already dropped it once at an intersection due to this problem. Other than that I think it's a great first bike. I've only been riding for a few weeks and am getting more comfortable with the clutch every day I ride it. I recommend lots of practice in a parking lot or other controlled environment before venturing out into traffic.

Pros: Gas Milage. I get around 57 mpg.
Cons: There are too many to list.

I would not recommend buying one of these bikes to anyone. It is extremely under powered, the clutch is jerky and will stall the bike on take off if not let out precisely with just enough throttle. A little too much power and the bike lunges and spins the rear tire. The rear tire is good for a maximum of 3500 miles. Maintenance is made difficult by the fact that the placement of the bolts make some tasks extremely difficult. To change the Primary transmission fluid you have to completely remove the left foot peg. The bike also burns oil and you constantly have to monitor the oil level and add oil.
Don't try going up a slightly steep hill and doing more than 50 mph. Don't attempt to ride with a passenger if you want to do more than 45 mph. To summarize, its a piece of **** bike.