Buell S1 Lightning
Owners filed 13 complaints across 3 model years of the Buell S1 Lightning. The 1997 drew the most (7); the 1998 the fewest (3).
Model years3
Complaints13
Recalls22
Fires0
Deaths0
Which Buell S1 Lightning years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 1997 is the weakest year on record, with 7 complaints concentrated in the suspension. It carries 8 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.