Buell XB12R problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
18 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
5,100 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 to 2009 model years. Data snapshot: . 15 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Exterior Lighting:Headlights is the most frequently named component, appearing in 16 of 18 complaints (88.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 5.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 5.6% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 16 |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Concealment Devices | 3 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 |
Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 16; Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Concealment Devices: 3; Exterior Lighting: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline: 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 | 12 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 3 |
| 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: 12; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 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 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (12). 3 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 |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 16 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
2007: 16; 2008: 1; 2011: 1
Pattern summary
Exterior Lighting:Headlights leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 1 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns 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 10394197 · 2011-04-04 (April 4, 2011)
IGNITION FUSE BLEW ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS IN PAST 2 YEARS CAUSING MOTORCYCLE TO QUIT IN TRAFFIC, INSPECTED WIRING HARNESS REPLACED FUSE, NO DEFECTS NOTED. WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE MOTORCYCLE DIED, I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY BUT REPLACING THE FUSE DIDN'T HELP, IT BLEW AGAIN UPON TURNING THE IGNITION KEY. HAD IT TOWED HOME AND AFTER TROUBLESHOOTING THE FAILURE, I TRACED IT TO A CHAFED WIRE ON THE IN-TANK FUEL PUMP. AFTER RESEARCHING, I FOUND IT TO BE A FAIRLY COMMON FAILURE. LUCKILY THE TANK WAS FULL OF FUEL OR A POS…
Owner-reported narrative. 29,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10394197 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 |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 0 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2009 | 1 |
2004: 0; 2005: 1; 2006: 0; 2009: 1