2005 Buell XB12R: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
7 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
6,410 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: . 6 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 6 of 7 complaints (85.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 14.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 14.3% |
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 | 6 |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Concealment Devices | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 |
Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 6; Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Concealment Devices: 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 | 5 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 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: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 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 (5). 1 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 | 6 |
| 2011 | 1 |
2007: 6; 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10183250 · 2007-02-22 (February 22, 2007)
HEADLIGHT ISSUES ON 2005 BUELL XB12R MOTORCYCLE. REFLECTIVE COATING AND LIGHT LENSES DEGRADING DUE TO HEAT AND POOR MATERIALS. ONCE DEGRADATION BEGINS, HEADLAMP LIGHT OUTPUT IS SERIOUSLY DIMINISHED. MY LIGHT ASSEMBLIES HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY. IT APPEARS THAT THE MANUFACTURER KNOWS OF THIS DEFECT, BUT CONTINUES TO REPLACE THE LIGHTS WITH THE SAME UNITS THAT HAVE BEEN FAILING. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 4,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10183250 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10183256 · 2007-02-22 (February 22, 2007)
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 2005 BUELL XB12R MOTORCYCLE HEADLIGHT COATING AND LIGHT LENSES DEGRADING DUE TO HEAT AND POOR MATERIALS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONCE DEGRADATION BEGAN THE LIGHT OUTPUT WAS SERIOUSLY DIMINISHED. THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN REPLACE DONCE UNDER WARRANTY ON 06/2006. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THIS DEFECT, BUT CONTINUED TO REPLACE THE LIGHTS WITH THE SME UNITS THAT HAVE BEEN FAILING. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT HE HAD DIFFICULTY SEEING THE ROAD IN FRONT OF HIM DUE TO THESE HEADLIGHTS ON THE MOTORCYCLE. TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10183256 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10185379 · 2007-03-17 (March 17, 2007)
HEADLAMPS HAD BECOME EXTREMELY DIM OVER TIME. RE-AIMING WAS ATTEMPTED AS WAS NEW BULBS, BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINED. FINALLY I DISSASEMBLED THE LAMP HOUSING AND FOUND THAT THE REFLECTIVE COATING WAS GONE AND THAT THERE WAS MELTING OCCURING ON THE INSIDE OF THE PLASTIC HOUSING! SEEMS LIKE A POSSIBLE FIRE CONCERN.
Owner-reported narrative. 8,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10185379 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10191940 · 2007-05-29 (May 29, 2007)
ON MY MODEL YEAR 2005 BUELL MODEL XB12R THE REFLECTORS ON MY HEADLIGHTS ARE MELTING.THIS IS MOST NOTICEABLE ON THE LOW BEAM ASSEMBLY. AS A RESULT OF THIS MELTING AND DEGRADATION THE PROJECTED BEAM IS DANGEROUSLY LOW. IT IS NOW DIFFICULT TO USE AFTER DARK. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 7,719 miles reported. Look up ODI 10191940 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10191971 · 2007-05-29 (May 29, 2007)
FAILURE OF REFLECTIVE COATING INSIDE OF HEADLIGHT PROJECTOR, DIMMING OF HEADLIGHT NOTICEABLE AT 5,000 MILES, TOOK APART THE PROJECTOR AND NOTICED DEGRADATION (CHARRING) OF REFLECTIVE MATERIAL, NOW AT 17,000 MILES (8 MONTHS) THE LOW BEAM HOUSING DOES NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROAD ENOUGH FOR SAFE TRAVEL AT NIGHT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10191971 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10205871 · 2007-10-16 (October 16, 2007)
REFLECTIVE COATING IN HEADLIGHT HOUSING GETS HOT AND CHANGES COLOR. HEADLIGHT OUTPUT IS DIMINISHED AND NIGHT TIME VISIBLITY DETERIORATES. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 5,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10205871 at NHTSA ↗
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 ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
05V148000 · Structure:Motorcycle:Kickstand/Center Stand
Reported: 2005-04-14 (April 14, 2005)
ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE SIDESTAND MAY NOT RETRACT AS DESIGNED IF CONTACT IS MADE WITH THE GROUND WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.
Consequence: THIS COULD, IN TURN, DISRUPT THE STABILITY OF THE MOTORCYCLE LEADING TO A CRASH, CAUSING DEATH OR INJURY TO THE RIDER.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SIDESTAND PIVOT BOLT WITH A SIMILAR BOLT THAT IS .100 INCH LONGER FREE OF CHARGE. THIS CHANGE WILL ALLOW THE SIDESTAND TO OPERATE AS DESIGNED. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 5, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUELL AT 1-414-343-8400.
NHTSA campaign record ↗