Buell is back
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Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Lake View Terrace, CA
Buell is back
Erik Buell, founder of Buell Motorcycle Co., is making a comeback with a limited-production street bike that will be made in East Troy.
Tuesday, Buell said he would have the motorcycle ready this spring, for sale in small numbers.
"The first round of bikes are going to be collectibles, exotic, special-edition," he said.
Motorcycle industry journalists have speculated that a sequel was in the works for Buell after the company he founded 28 years ago in a Mukwonago barn was shut down in 2009 by its owner, Harley-Davidson Inc.
"This is true Americana. Here's a guy who goes down and comes back fighting," said Laurence Richardson, editor of Clutch & Chrome, an online motorcycle magazine.
Buell has always been an underdog working on a tight budget.
His company won accolades on the racetrack but struggled in the marketplace, where it competed against much larger Japanese motorcycle manufacturers.
After the shutdown, blamed partly on the recession, Harley-Davidson granted Buell a license to continue building racing motorcycles but not bikes for the street. Harley has since released him from that agreement, Buell said.
The rest here:
http://www.jsonline.com/business/116281784.html
Tuesday, Buell said he would have the motorcycle ready this spring, for sale in small numbers.
"The first round of bikes are going to be collectibles, exotic, special-edition," he said.
Motorcycle industry journalists have speculated that a sequel was in the works for Buell after the company he founded 28 years ago in a Mukwonago barn was shut down in 2009 by its owner, Harley-Davidson Inc.
"This is true Americana. Here's a guy who goes down and comes back fighting," said Laurence Richardson, editor of Clutch & Chrome, an online motorcycle magazine.
Buell has always been an underdog working on a tight budget.
His company won accolades on the racetrack but struggled in the marketplace, where it competed against much larger Japanese motorcycle manufacturers.
After the shutdown, blamed partly on the recession, Harley-Davidson granted Buell a license to continue building racing motorcycles but not bikes for the street. Harley has since released him from that agreement, Buell said.
The rest here:
http://www.jsonline.com/business/116281784.html
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,138
From: Austin, Tx
HD took Buell into the toilet as their market collapsed. But the the more sinister intent was evident months before. Harley knew that if they no longer owned the only claim to American fame their survival was even more dubious. This is a story that I've watched in the magazines since it started to unfold. I like a man of his words. He said he had the right to build racing bikes and that it would take about two years to get geared-up to do that. He's right on schedule. I see the bikes ride by, a friend of my son has one, I've not even been very close to one to look it over. I like the idea of builder who innovates maybe more than the innovations themselves - but at least somebody is trying.
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Squid
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 85
From: NorCal
The sad part is that HD sold MV to a group of Italians for $3 but they would NOT sell or give Buell back to Erik.
That's why I will NEVER own a HD. Nothing against the bikes or their owners, just will not support the suits in charge of the company.
That's why I will NEVER own a HD. Nothing against the bikes or their owners, just will not support the suits in charge of the company.
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MotoGP
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,934
From: altoona, pa
erik screwed by by linking up with Harley w/o first being guaranteed total autonomy because most sportbike consumers would not buy anything with a junk HD motor powering it no matter how advanced the rest of it was. He should have started slowly and tried to elicit support from investors who would allow him to use another power plant. I liked the buell light weight/mass centralization/etc., but couldn't reconcile the antiquated, over priced, unreliable piece of crap Harley motor.
Nothing personal if you own a harley and i don't dislike Harley riders, just can't tolerate what i perceive to be overpriced garbage and manufacturers that sell it.
Nothing personal if you own a harley and i don't dislike Harley riders, just can't tolerate what i perceive to be overpriced garbage and manufacturers that sell it.
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MotoGP
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,934
From: altoona, pa
erik screwed by by linking up with Harley w/o first being guaranteed total autonomy because most sportbike consumers would not buy anything with a junk HD motor powering it no matter how advanced the rest of it was. He should have started slowly and tried to elicit support from investors who would allow him to use another power plant. By the time he got the austrian motor, too much time, money and creditability had passed. I liked the buell light weight/mass centralization/etc., but couldn't reconcile the antiquated, over priced, unreliable piece of crap Harley motor.
Nothing personal if you own a harley and i don't dislike Harley riders, just can't tolerate what i perceive to be overpriced garbage and manufacturers that sell it.
it's a moot point anyway unless I hit the lottery.
Nothing personal if you own a harley and i don't dislike Harley riders, just can't tolerate what i perceive to be overpriced garbage and manufacturers that sell it.
it's a moot point anyway unless I hit the lottery.
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,934
From: altoona, pa
+1 I wish him well for sure. But i would hate to have to compete with the amazing, even unbelievable, group of motorcycles being produced in today's market. The technology alone would be enough to drive you mad.
If i had the money and could only pick one, I would really be at a loss to decide, but it probably wouldn't matter anyway because they'll all so good.
Motorcycles have risen to a whole new level within the last few years creating another era going who knows where.
If i had the money and could only pick one, I would really be at a loss to decide, but it probably wouldn't matter anyway because they'll all so good.
Motorcycles have risen to a whole new level within the last few years creating another era going who knows where.
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