Buell
Buell has 11 model lines on NHTSA's register (model years 1995–2010), with 28 recall campaigns and 152 consumer complaints.
Campaigns were most numerous in 1999 (11). The component complaints name most often is electrical system (375.6 per 1,000 component mentions). The 1125R line has the most complaints, 45 over 2 model years.
A further 3 equipment, tire or child-seat campaigns name Buell and are listed on monthly pages. Comparisons here are between Buell model lines; complaint counts across makes depend on fleet size and reporting rates and are not compared.
Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA.
Model lines
Ordered by total complaints. "Per model year" divides complaints by the number of model years on the register, a comparison within Buell only.
| Model line | Model years | Campaigns | Complaints | Per model year | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1125R | 2 | 2 | 45 | 22.5 | Electrical System |
| 1125CR | 1 | 1 | 44 | 44.0 | Electrical System |
| S1 Lightning | 3 | 8 | 13 | 4.3 | Suspension |
| S3 Thunderbolt | 4 | 11 | 13 | 3.3 | Suspension |
| XB12X | 5 | 3 | 11 | 2.2 | Fuel System, Gasoline |
| M2 Cyclone | 4 | 10 | 10 | 2.5 | Suspension |
| X1 Lightning | 2 | 8 | 7 | 3.5 | Suspension |
| S2 Thunderbolt | 2 | 8 | 4 | 2.0 | Fuel System, Gasoline |
| S1 White Lightning | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2.0 | Power Train |
| S2T | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0.5 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic |
| S3T Thunderbolt | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0.0 |
Campaigns by year
Complaints by year
Components most reported
Per 1,000 component mentions across all Buell complaints.
Questions and answers
How many recalls has Buell had?
28 NHTSA recall campaigns name Buell vehicles (model years 1995–2010). Units potentially affected across those campaigns total about 94,244, a figure that includes other makes where a campaign is shared (Takata air bag inflators, for example). Campaigns naming several model lines count once.
Which Buell model line has the most complaints?
1125R: 45 complaints over 2 model years (22.5 per model year). Larger-selling lines draw more complaints; the per-model-year column controls for the number of years, not for sales.
What components are reported most for Buell?
electrical system (375.6 per 1,000 mentions), suspension (135.7 per 1,000 mentions), fuel system, gasoline (72.4 per 1,000 mentions). Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA.
Where does this data come from?
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation flat files, public domain, dated 24 Sep 2026 (recalls) and 15 May 2019 (complaints).
Provenance
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation flat files, public domain, dated 24 Sep 2026 and 15 May 2019. Make names are as NHTSA records them. Comparisons are within this make; see the methodology for why makes are not ranked against each other.