Are you ready for Buell…..take Three? 🤔

[Mailman]

I don’t know how I missed this, but Buell is back! Minus Eric Buell of course, but the company that now carries his name has a bunch of new bikes that are currently for sale. They are in the direct marketing business now, you can order one and have it shipped straight to your door, or you can shop at one of their ( currently ) 35 dealerships in 21 states. What do you think their odds for survival are? Money aside….would you buy one? Btw, they all make monstrous power!

https://www.buellmotorcycle.com/

And this one caught my eye, not out yet, their touring bike, the new Ulysses?

 

[Downeaster]

Pricing? (I'm guessing if you have to ask, you can't afford it...)

 

[JesseeS]

So from what I’ve found the super cruiser is between $20,000 and $30,000. Claims 175hp, 101ft lbs of tq and a 450lb weight. Honestly I see them not being able to make enough of them. Harley guys will spend that much on top of the cost of their bike and still will never be able to reach that weight. Apparently they have $120mil in preorders. If they pull it off, good for them. I have a list of bikes I’d buy before one of these but I see the appeal. Putting out Euro numbers will bring in the good ol boys in droves

 

[WideAWAKE]

maybe I live on an island of my own ideas… but why are they so ugly???

 

[hovel]

Claims 175hp, 101ft lbs of tq

A quick internet search would lead one to believe that this is a proprietary engine.

 

[Vincenthdfan]

maybe I live on an island of my own ideas… but why are they so ugly???

Thats kind of what Eric Buell hung his hat on.

He thought way outside the box of conventional motorcycle manufacturing wisdom. With oil tank in frame, perimeter disc brakes, shrunken wheelbase, breathed on Sportster V-Twin engines, belt drive, etc...

Function over form, although many found his form refreshingly different.

 

[JesseeS]

A quick internet search would lead one to believe that this is a proprietary engine.

Sure looks like it.

maybe I live on an island of my own ideas… but why are they so ugly???

They are definitely....different, putting it nicely. Although I do think the super cruiser actually looks good. And I appreciate a semi normal seating position rather than full recliner spread eagle

 

[Its been a long time]

A quick internet search would lead one to believe that this is a proprietary engine.

The Buell 1190 v twin is indeed a Buell motor. It started life as the 1125 v twin designed and built by Rotax for Buell (first time around company). When the HD mothership closed Erik Buell down in 2009, Erik established EBR (Erik Buell racing). They moved on from building limited numbers of 1125's to 1190's and took the engine in house. Sadly EBR went into liquidation. It was bought out of liquidation by Bill Melvin who carried on in a very small way building EBR bikes with no involvement from Erik Buell. When the Buell trademark came up for renewal, Bill Melvin bought the trademark rights. So his company now builds "Buells".

I'll let others decide whether they actually deserve the name since Erik hasn't been involved in the company now for a significant time.

Those curious might care to know that Erik now has an interest in an E bikes brand called Fuell.

 

[gggGary]

Mumble, mumble.
Havent followed this much recently
Too much. HP n money
Too late. For the tech. EBR was quickly outdated. These "new" Buell are mostly warmed over EBRs
Nothing here for the HD guys.
Like Toyota if someone would develope a plug in hybrid MC, it might get the market's attention.

 

[JesseeS]

Mumble, mumble.
Havent followed this much recently
Too much. HP n money
Too late. For the tech. EBR was quickly outdated. These "new" Buell are mostly warmed over EBRs
Nothing here for the HD guys.
Like Toyota if someone would develope a plug in hybrid MC, it might get the market's attention.

Kawasaki is trying. They released the Ninja 7 hybrid. While not a plug in they are at least going for it

 

[Its been a long time]

Mumble, mumble.
Havent followed this much recently
Too much. HP n money
Too late. For the tech. EBR was quickly outdated. These "new" Buell are mostly warmed over EBRs
Nothing here for the HD guys.
Like Toyota if someone would develope a plug in hybrid MC, it might get the market's attention.

I note that some are trying. I see a fundamental issue with plug in hybrid bikes. There's a substantial weight and packaging issue putting two power trains in one motorcycle. Cars are already bigger and heavier than ever to accommodate such stuff.

Even without two power trains, such simple bikes as Royal Enfield or BSA 650 twin and single are maybe 30 or 40kg heavier than they would have been in the 1970's or 80's.

My 2007 Bonneville feels a tonne more lardy than my 1977 XS650.

Until we get a quantum leap in energy density from batteries, I don't think E bikes or plug in hybrid bikes are really viable.

 

[gggGary]

Even without two power trains, such simple bikes as Royal Enfield or BSA 650 twin and single are maybe 30 or 40kg heavier than they would have been in the 1970's or 80's.

The EBR weighed a little less than the XS650 with over 3 times the HP. IMHO it was too much, no fun on the street.

 

[Mailman]

It just seems so hard for start up companies to get going. ( New ) Norton couldn’t do it, Victory gave it a hell of a shot,
Royal Enfield managed to pull it off because its parent company is insanely big. I don’t know how Zero remains afloat.
And whatever happened to that retro cool looking ( New ) BSA?

Are the days of new motorcycle companies ( that aren’t an off shoot of a pre existing company) over?

 

[Vincenthdfan]

It just seems so hard for start up companies to get going. ( New ) Norton couldn’t do it, Victory gave it a hell of a shot,
Royal Enfield managed to pull it off because its parent company is insanely big. I don’t know how Zero remains afloat.
And whatever happened to that retro cool looking ( New ) BSA?

Are the days of new motorcycle companies ( that aren’t an off shoot of a pre existing company) over?

Victory just transitioned to Indian, still under Polaris' umbrella...

 

[Mailman]

Victory just transitioned to Indian, still under Polaris' umbrella...

Oh yeah! Indian is a good success story! After a couple different start up attempts, they hit on a winner!

 

[XSTime]

Oh yeah! Indian is a good success story! After a couple different start up attempts, they hit on a winner!

In Washington State years back when a large motorcycle dealership added the Indian franchise, Indian flat track racers were sponsored well and very visible in the pits at local oval dirt track races. That is where I saw the Indian come back in a big way.
Kudos ! For promoting local racing and getting noticed

 

[Vincenthdfan]

In Washington State years back when a large motorcycle dealership added the Indian franchise, Indian flat track racers were sponsored well and very visible in the pits at local oval dirt track races. That is where I saw the Indian come back in a big way.
Kudos ! For promoting local racing and getting noticed

Yeah, Indian has basically taken over professional flat track racing now. In fact, they had to place restrictions on their engines much like they used to on Harley XR's because theyre too competitive.

Yamaha has since really taken a run at the Indians and its made for some pretty great racing now days. Rumor has it that Honda may be re-joining the fray this year once again with a new vertical twin motor.

 

[WideAWAKE]

It just seems so hard for start up companies to get going. ( New ) Norton couldn’t do it, Victory gave it a hell of a shot,
Royal Enfield managed to pull it off because its parent company is insanely big. I don’t know how Zero remains afloat.
And whatever happened to that retro cool looking ( New ) BSA?

Are the days of new motorcycle companies ( that aren’t an off shoot of a pre existing company) over?

If you look at the people who may be potentially buying motorcycles they are from my generation… most of them sold a lie and are in debt up to their ears that they’ll never pay off.

15k-30k+ for a motorcycle is not a thought to be entertained.

All those companies fighting for a small slice of a small pie.

I think RE success is the fact that they are a nod to the past, in that they are affordable, reliable transportation. Well that and they own the Indian market.

Even the Harley dealer by me is now also a dealer of Honda, bmw and RE (which they told me they can keep on the showroom floor).

 

[WyoRay]

Odd. I was searching for Buell collectabilia online yesterday, trying to gage where to price some Buell stuff I need to unload...

I owned a 2000 X1, and bought the first-sold Blast in the greater Sacto area (for my son). I was also founding member #2 of the now-defunct SacBORG group and website. I was also the first to force Buell to buy my X1 back under CA Lemon Laws, due to the chronically failing rear shock. That was the pebble that started the avalanche...

I loved that X1. In fact I loved it so much I started to buy an M2 for the AFM Formula Twins class, but that died for reasons... We had some of the best all-day rides with the N.CA Buell crowd. Imagine an all-day >500 mile backroad burner which included Hi 20 twixt Lake Sonoma and Healdsburg. My clutching hand was useless on the way home that evening.

I met Erik at a Laguna Seca event quite a while back, and spoke with him at length. He knew I was "that guy", yet still was pleasant, professional and very passionate about all things motorcycling. It frustrated him endlessly that they could not get the shock issue sorted out. He signed a couple of items for me, and I gave him a copy of my band's CD. Very personable, likeable guy. I wish he had had better success because I think he deserved it as one of the True Believers.

Will this new lineup succeed? I'm not sure how any company is succeeding in today's environment, much less thriving. The demographics are upside down. Yung-sters are more interested in electric bicycles (...) than motorcycles. Very few of us at present have the discretionary income remaining at the end of the month to afford the indulgence of a brand-new bike (speaking on behalf of Very Few Of Us).

If'n I were to spring for a new bike, I've already settled on one of the Janus bikes. I no longer need to go fast. I don't much like cruisers. I very much do like old (looking) bikes with character, even if it means a 250 thumper. Why not? think of the old Ducati singles, and who wouldn't happily throw a leg over one of those...

I'm having a hard time envisioning who might be attracted to one of these latest-iteration Buells. We'll see.

 

[WyoRay]

It just seems so hard for start up companies to get going. ( New ) Norton couldn’t do it, Victory gave it a hell of a shot,
Royal Enfield managed to pull it off because its parent company is insanely big. I don’t know how Zero remains afloat.
And whatever happened to that retro cool looking ( New ) BSA?

Are the days of new motorcycle companies ( that aren’t an off shoot of a pre existing company) over?

I still have the Norton startup poster somewhere, with that gorgeous blond on it... Had it hanging in my shop which used to annoy my ex endlessly... I was going to put a deposit down on one, but my spidey senses told me to hold off for a bit and see...