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2006 Buell XB12Ss Lightning Long Gets Tastefully Customized on Italian Soil

When your selected donor is a brutal leviathan with 103 horses on tap, the end result better be extraordinary.
Buell XB12Ss Lightning Long 6 photos
Photo: Greaser Garage
Buell XB12Ss Lightning LongBuell XB12Ss Lightning LongBuell XB12Ss Lightning LongBuell XB12Ss Lightning LongBuell XB12Ss Lightning Long
Is it just me, or do outstanding Italian workshops have a strong proclivity for the use of words like “Officine” and “garage” in their names? As time went by, we’ve featured countless masterpieces from the likes of Officine GP Design, Milan’s South Garage and Officine Rossopuro, to name just a few of the enterprises that amazed us with their graceful achievements. Furthermore, the city of Genova is where you’ll find Greaser Garage – a reputed firm with some genuine talent at work under its roof.

In the past, one of their most remarkable exploits has adorned the autoevolution pages, namely a fascinating Ducati SportClassic GT1000-based creature. Given that it’s been a while since we looked at that majestic showstopper, we’ll take the liberty of introducing you to yet another drool-worthy machine brewed by Greaser’s moto masters.

Buell XB12Ss Lightning Long
Photo: Greaser Garage
For this breathtaking project, the chosen donor was 2006 model from Buell’s XB12Ss Lightning Long lineup. This nasty animal is powered by a ferocious V-twin mill that packs two valves per cylinder head and an astronomical displacement of 1,203cc. At about 6,800 rpm, the air-cooled monstrosity is fully capable of delivering up to 103 fearless ponies. When the tachometer displays 6,000 spins, this four-stroke brute will be more than happy to produce as much as 84 pound-feet (114 Nm) of twist.

The engine’s wicked oomph travels to a belt final drive via a five-speed transmission, leading to a generous top speed of 134 mph (216 kph). Furthermore, Buell’s behemoth will cover the quarter-mile distance in 12.2 seconds without breaking a sweat. Let’s cut to the chase and analyze how Italy’s Greaser Garage managed to transform the XB12Ss into something truly special.

We’ll begin our examination in the powertrain department, where the experts discarded Lighting’s factory belt drive in favor of a chain setup. The powerplant exhales with ease thanks to a state-of-the-art muffler from Sebring, which is worn with pride by the exhaust system. For oil storage, the team went about developing a one-off aluminum tank, while the bike’s electrics are kept alive by a Skyrich lithium-ion battery.

Buell XB12Ss Lightning Long
Photo: Greaser Garage
A Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R's forks are tasked with handling front suspension duties, joined by an XB12S’ modified swingarm and an FG Gubellini shock absorber on the opposite end. Ample stopping power is summoned by Tokico calipers and 320 mm (12. inches) rotors up front, along with a top-grade Brembo module at the rear. As soon as these components were installed, the Greaser crew tasked Metalbike’s pros with the creation of an astonishing attire to replace the stock items.

You will spot a cafe racer-style tail section sitting atop a custom steel subframe, as well as a gorgeous front fairing, fresh side panels and a fake alloy gas tank. A new fender hugs the front Avon rubber-clad Alpina STS wheel, which hails from a Ducati Monster, as does its rear counterpart. To wrap up the cosmetic side of things, the gurus added a tasty saddle upholstered by the folks over at OV Leather.

Finally, the cockpit flaunts a pair of clip-on handlebars from Tommaselli, equipped with aftermarket levers and switches. The clip-ons are accompanied by rear-mounted aluminum foot pegs at the back, while an intricate color scheme envelops this glorious Buell XB12Ss from head to toe.
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About the author: Silvian Secara
Silvian Secara profile photo

A bit of an artist himself, Silvian sees two- and four-wheeled machines as a form of art, especially restomods and custom rides. Oh, and if you come across a cafe racer article on our website, it’s most likely his doing.
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