Launching Buell Motorcycles in 1983 was a brave venture for ex-Harley-Davidson engineer Erik Buell. Harley-Davidson loyalists love their cruisers, so building a new sportbike was a risky business. But it paid off. Buell Motorcycles became a subsidiary of the Bar & Shield in 2003.
The 1995 Buell S2 Thunderbolt for sale on eBay is from Buell’s Signature Series. It’s a first-gen bike. Only 1,399 Thunderbolts were made in 1995. This one—number 382—is one of the cleanest Ice White Pearl survivors around.
Full of Torque and Character
The 1995 Buell S2 Thunderbolt differed from other sportbikes because it sourced a V-Twin engine instead of an inline-four. Harley-Davidson provided it with the 1203cc Evolution engine from the Sportster, albeit with a different intake and exhaust. So the 1995 S2 Thunderbolt is torque-rich and full of character.
Keeping a vibration-filled V-Twin in check in a performance package is no easy feat. Buell’s background as a racer and engineer came in handy as he elected to house the Thunderbolt’s engine in a trellis frame. That helped centralize mass. Between its short wheelbase and tight rake, the S2 responds quickly and is a blast to ride.
These words are from Motorcycle.com’s review:
This bike grunts out of corners with authority, its burly V-Twin music straightening out the kinks in your favorite back road…Packed with tire-shredding torque and a well-sorted chassis, this bike screams. It’s a good attempt at fusing opposite ends of the motorcycling spectrum.
The white powder-coated frame of the S2 is a distinctive trait among Buells. The flowing, aerodynamic bodywork is made from hand-laid fiberglass. Buell ditched the expensive, time-consuming process (for ABS plastic) the following year. Thanks to the pearl content in the three-stage, 14-layer paint, all of the 1995 S2 Thunderbolts change colors slightly, depending upon lighting conditions.
It can be hard to find a set of OEM factory painted Ice White Pearl fairing lowers for the 1995 Buell S2 Thunderbolt.
While carbon fiber is in fashion these days, Buell was ahead of the times. The 1995 S2 Thunderbolt’s air cleaner cover, belt guard, and fender shroud are made of carbon fiber. Buell assembled the motorcycles by hand.
Signed by Erik Buell
The seller of this Buell Thunderbolt says it’s “the nicest original S2 I have seen since I picked up my first back in June of 1994!”
Shop now for Buell motorcycle partsHe picked it up from the original owner about a year ago, where it had spent the last 21 years on stands in storage. The new owner put his long-standing knowledge of Buell motorcycles to good use and went over it with a fine-tooth comb. He replaced the ignition unit and rear brakes—and rebuilt the carburetor. After an 80-mile shakedown, the S2 Thunderbolt also got a new voltage regulator, battery, and throttle cable.
To sweeten the deal, this 1995 Buell S2 Thunderbolt on eBay comes with OEM factory paint matched fairing lowers, touring bars, footpeg lowering brackets, fairing bags along, and an under-seat bag.
There’s also a D&D muffler, extra swingarm, factory service manual, and the original Signature Series package.
In addition, that series includes an enticing piece of American motorcycle history: a timing cover signed by Erik Buell with an accompanying certificate of authenticity.
