The Buell S3 Thunderbolt was the touring-tinged member of Buell’s 1,203 cc family. Shown to the public in 1996 and on sale from early 1997, it paired the air-cooled Thunderstorm V-twin of Harley-Davidson origin with a space frame, an inverted fork and a toothed belt final drive.
Buell S3 Thunderbolt at a glance
| Maker | Buell Motorcycle Company, United States |
|---|---|
| Production | 1997–2001 |
| Engine | 1,203 cc Thunderstorm 45° V-twin, air-cooled, Harley-Davidson derived |
| Power | about 101 hp |
| Frame | steel space frame |
| Front fork | inverted telescopic fork |
| Final drive | toothed belt |
| Fuel tank | plastic; front and rear body panels in glassfibre |
| Fuel system | carburettors; electronic fuel injection from 1999 |
| Swingarm | box-section steel; aluminium from 1999 |
| Touring version | S3T with fairing, screen and hard panniers |
Based on one source: the S3 has no English Wikipedia article, and this page is written from the Italian one.
History of the Buell S3 Thunderbolt
The S3 was presented to the public in 1996 and went on sale at the beginning of 1997. Its engine was the Thunderstorm, a 45° air-cooled V-twin of 1,203 cc derived from Harley-Davidson and rated at roughly 101 hp. Around it Buell built a steel space frame, fitted an inverted front fork and kept the company’s trademark toothed-belt final drive. The fuel tank was plastic, while the front and rear body panels were made of glassfibre.
The range included a more comfortable touring version, the S3T Thunderbolt, where the T stands for Touring. It was better equipped than the standard S3, with hard side panniers, a fairing with leg protectors and a windscreen, which made it the long-distance option in the line-up.
The 1999 model year brought two significant changes. Carburettors gave way to an electronic fuel injection system in the intake manifold derived from the X1 Lightning, and the box-section steel swingarm used until then was replaced by an aluminium one shared with the X1. Production ran until 2001.
Design and features
- Thunderstorm V-twin: a 1,203 cc air-cooled 45° V-twin of Harley-Davidson origin rated at about 101 hp.
- Space frame and inverted fork: a stiff chassis in the Buell manner, with the fork legs upside down at the front.
- Belt final drive: clean, quiet and free of chain lubrication.
- 1999 upgrade: fuel injection and an aluminium swingarm shared with the X1 Lightning.
Buell S3 Thunderbolt versions
- S3 Thunderbolt (1997–2001): the standard unfaired bike.
- S3T Thunderbolt: the touring version with hard panniers, fairing with leg protectors and a screen.
- Carburettor bikes (1997–1998): early machines before the 1999 injection change.
The S3 shared its later fuel injection and swingarm with the X1 Lightning and sits in the same family as the XB12. More Buells are in the Buell collection.
Sources
- Buell S3, Italian Wikipedia: engine, chassis, production dates, 1999 changes, S3T
