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#BS-1998-BUES3T-1263

1998 Buell S3 Thunderbolt

Based on reports from 15 owners and 7 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Recalls

TSBs

✅

Preliminary Verdict

Green Light

Based on 15 complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 7 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Suspension:rearHIGH

3 owners reported suspension:rear issues.

!Inspect the Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission ControlMED

Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure

+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Suspension:rear (3 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Suspension:rear3 (20%)

Other3 (20%)

Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control2 (13%)

Suspension:rear:shock Absorber1 (7%)

Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:mounting1 (7%)

Power Train:driveline:differential Unit1 (7%)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:drum1 (7%)

Brakes1 (7%)

1998 Buell S3 Thunderbolt: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Suspension:rear Issues

Suspension:rear complaints account for 20% of all reports filed for the 1998 Buell S3 Thunderbolt, with 3 owners filing complaints with NHTSA.

Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control complaints account for 13% of all reports filed for the 1998 Buell S3 Thunderbolt, with 2 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Suspension:rear:shock Absorber Issues

Suspension:rear:shock Absorber complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 1998 Buell S3 Thunderbolt, with 1 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to suspension:rear:shock absorber-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:mounting Issues

Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:mounting complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 1998 Buell S3 Thunderbolt, with 1 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly:mounting-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

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Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (7 recalls)

97V153000Sep 1997

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THE E-CLIP WHICH RETAINS THE DRIVE PIN ON THE FRONT BRAKE ROTOR AND CARRIER CAN SEPARATE FROM THE DRIVE PIN ALLOWING THE PIN TO MOVE OUT OF POSITION AND COME IN CONTACT WITH THE FRONT BRAKE CALIPER.

99V086000May 1999

SUSPENSION:FRONT

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THE FRONT ISOLATOR MOUNT SYSTEM CAN LOSE CLAMP LOAD AND POSSIBLY BREAK.

99V097000Jun 1999

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THESE MOTORCYCLES WERE BUILT WITH A SIDESTAND SWITCH THAT COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE

99V104000Jun 1999

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THESE MOTORCYCLES WERE BUILT WITH A FUEL TANK MOUNT SYSTEM THAT COULD, IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, ALLOW THE FUEL TANK TO SEPARATE FROM THE MOTORCYCLE.

99V105000Jun 1999

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THESE MOTORCYCLES WERE BUILT WITH A FUEL TANK VENT VALVE ASSEMBLY THAT COULD BECOME PLUGGED.

+ 2 more recalls in the full report

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 15 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 7 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Buell S3 Thunderbolt Model Years

2000 1999 1998 1997

View all Buell S3 Thunderbolt years →

1998 Buell S3 Thunderbolt: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1998 Buell S3 Thunderbolt?

The most commonly reported issue with the 1998 Buell S3 Thunderbolt is related to the suspension:rear, with 3 complaints filed with NHTSA.

Is the 1998 Buell S3 Thunderbolt reliable?

The 1998 Buell S3 Thunderbolt has 15 complaints, 0 crash reports, and 0 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.

How much does it cost to fix 1998 Buell S3 Thunderbolt problems?

Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.

Does the 1998 Buell S3 Thunderbolt have any recalls?

Yes, the 1998 Buell S3 Thunderbolt has 7 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

What mileage do Buell S3 Thunderbolt problems start?

Mileage data is limited for this vehicle. The full report analyzes available data to identify failure patterns by mileage range.

What’s in the full report?

10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.

How is this different from free NHTSA data?

NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.

How is this different from Carfax?

Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.

What if the report isn’t useful?

100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.

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10 sections of AI analysis based on 15 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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