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Over the winter I installed the Pro Series Kit on our S3 and everything went together well. The instructions were thorough, however the fact that the rear shock had to be dropped down to fit the Pro Series Header in place was not noted. You need a special center stand, that hooks onto the frame rather than by the swing-arm, ensuring no preload is on the suspension so you can remove the shock easily.

I got a D.S.E. Center Stand for our Buell and like that it hooks onto the foot peg mounts. This provides a stable platform to service or wash a motorcycle.

Overall the stand works great. As a precaution I block the rear wheel to prevent the bike from rocking backwards.

When installing the air cleaner assembly I noticed the rear portion of the air filter doesn't seal entirely against the backing plate because of the offset bolt pattern of the air cleaner cover. (Requires some kind of clip to hold the cover tighter to the backing plate.)

Esthetically, the Pro Series carbon fiber air cleaner assembly is a lot nicer than the stock "breadbox" style. It enhances the overall look of the motorcycle.

Although I did most of the work myself, I took my S3 to Deeley's House of Buell to recalibrate the Throttle Position Sensor (TPS).

The Before Photos...

<click photo to enlarge>

A look at the stock Header Pipes. These can be polished up nicely, and although the bronze color eventually returns, the blue tint does not.

This is a good view of the stock black muffler. The new stainless steel Pro Series muffler looks and sounds much better!

Performance of the newly enhanced 1999 Buell S3

Immediately noticeable is the greater torque throughout the rev-range. Able to putt along at 2200 RPM then crank on the throttle and it just goes! Got to be careful in the rain though, once you hit about 4000 RPM the rear wheel just wants to break loose. It's like a big block trying to put the power down in the rain; it just can't.

Fit and finish of the header is similar to stock (it is made by Buell^®), but the Pro Series muffler enhances the look of the motorcycle. It has an appealing exhaust note and resonates beautifully, a little loud for the street but I don't care!

On the on-ramp of the freeway I got to crank it on pretty good and effortlessly got up to 160 km/h. It went through that flat spot around the mid range like it wasn't even there, as it's getting the gas it needs to make the power.

Naturally, it put a big grin on my face. Finally...Buell Season is here!

Ride On!

Don Scott
1999 Buell S3

March 20, 2000

Our Buell S3 Thunderbolt projects:

DDFI | Fuel Filter Recall | Winterize