Buell M2 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
5 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 to 2002 model years. Data snapshot: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Seat Belts is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 5 complaints (20.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 1 | 20.0% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 20.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Seat Belts | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 |
| Suspension:Rear | 1 |
| Tires | 1 |
| Unknown Or Other | 1 |
Seat Belts: 1; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 1; Suspension:Rear: 1; Tires: 1; Unknown Or Other: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 5 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
2001: 1; 2002: 2; 2009: 1; 2012: 1
Pattern summary
Seat Belts leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10006446 · 2001-06-01 (June 1, 2001)
REAR BRAKE IS SO INEFFECTIVE IT CAN NOT LOCK UP TIRE ABOVE 25 MPH, MANUFACTURE CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THIS IS HOW THEY INTENDED THE DESIGN TO BE "HIGH EFFORT". THEY HAVE NO FIX AND DO NOT INTEND TO PURSUE ONE. ALTHOUGH REAR BRAKE IS ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE STOPPING POWER IN A STRAIGHT LINE STOP, IT IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT IN A TURN SUCH AS AN EMERGENCY MANEUVER. I HOPE THAT THE REQUIREMENT FOR A REAR BRAKE ON A MOTORCYCLE INCLUDES THAT IT FUNCTIONS TO A MINIMAL LEVEL, ABLE TO STOP OR LOCK-UP THE REAR TIRE AT SPEEDS ABOVE 25 MPH. *S…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006446 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10457273 · 2012-04-27 (April 27, 2012)
2002 BUELL M2 MOTORCYCLE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A DEFECTIVE PIRELLI SCORPION TIRE *TGW WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CONSUMER LOST STEERING IN THE FRONT TIRE AND ALMOST CRASHED, BUT HIS ARM STRENGTH PREVENTED IT FROM HAPPENING. WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED, THE CONSUMER GRABBED THE HANDLE BARS AND EXERTED OVER 150 POUNDS OF PRESSURE, ALONG WITH DECREASING DECELERATION TO 40 MPH, THEN TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY FLAT AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANYTHING PENETRATING THE TIRE. THE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10457273 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 1 |
| 1998 | 1 |
| 1999 | 1 |
| 2002 | 1 |
1997: 1; 1998: 1; 1999: 1; 2002: 1