any thoughts on the demise of Buell Motorcycles?

Eric Came from the grass roots; he applied what he learnt on the track to road bikes.

If you look at a kawasaki ER6 you'll see that where possible kawasaki have applied his rules of mass centralisation to create a bike that CAN even at only 70 BHP compete ; heck there is even a GP class building up on this bike.

The engine in a Buell only resembled a SPORTSTER in the fact it shared common components, the 883 sportster engine didn't produce enough HP for harley even to be proud of mentioning. But BUELL took that engine and re machined it so even the 900cc engine was up to DOUBLE that Harley designed it to produce and the 1200 was over 100BHP.

When HD to a controlling stake over BUELL they "wagged the Dog" and prevented him using engines off of their line which could have taken the bike further. The METRIC engine used in the "-ROD" range would have ended up producing nearly "litre" sports bike power and performance figures.... Guess What HD didn't want it.

He was forced to look in a parts bin of the agricultural side of the business and hence ended up with an engine that was developed from the leisure industry (snow mobiles seadoo's and microlights).

The ROTAX engine is something else BUT it was designed to perform at one engine speed NOT to be reved up and down the whole spectrum and this (until rectified) was where BUELL's weakness in performance sports bikes sales was rooted. The acquisition of MV augusta was a good move; their expertise in making that engine perform was a winning line. BUT.....

With sales of the Parent company down 60% ( not 40% ) and the purposeful delay of reporting quarterly returns by up to a MONTH on THREE occasions was an attempt to hide the slide. HD financial side saw the avalanche in the failure of their "Balloon payment" scheme way too late for there to be any recovery, With Sales of new bikes in an all time low and decent in the parent company work force, something had to give first.

The CASCADE effect is now gaining momentum and the Halt has yet to come.

Had HD allowed Buell to put either the V-Rod or the MV engine into the Bike then there would have been a track and class winner there. Had MV been allowed to apply BUELLS mass centralisation who knows...!

It's no secret that HD are now offering the BUELL 1200 engine in their SPORTSTER as a factory fitted performance enhancement. This is a dig in the ribs to buell as he is NOT allowed to use any HD designed improvements on any road bikes~ This is why he has THUMBED HIS TEETH at them and set up the race company where their legal department failed to stitch up the loop hole, that and working on existing bikes. So Expect to see PHOENIX bikes rise from the ashes.

And on a separate note HD are likely to be making changes and their current ( well listed) range of big air cooled twins will be running generic engines S &S for one advertised as being "factory options" More like "oh we can't afford to make engines anymore lets buy them in instead" This is no failure as ALL the generic V twin engines being offered on the market as retrofit are ALL better than HD'S own contribution

If Buell was truly competing with the Big Four H-D wouldn't have shut them down. I'm told Buells were running poor third on the track. Honda still sets the pace.

I've only seen two Buells in my town. I've seen a lot of Hondas, Suzukis and Yamahas.

Eric Buell may be on the cutting edge of a new way of doing business in America, though. Top-heavy corps like H-D, GM and Walmart are in trouble, their day in the sun may be over.

It saddens me greatly that our boys behind the bar and shield seem so hell bent on letting us down and creating overseas converts on a steady and certain basis.

I, myself am now strongly considering building my own custom long distance cruiser for lack of options from the brand. It's the only way to keep my money domestic, and get exactly what I want.

With the coming of their liquid cooled engines, I felt confident that diversity in the form of all kinds of recreational craft were soon to follow.

We as a country need to remind people of the spirit of A.C.M.E.

Americans Can Make Everything.

What`s wrong with a Sportster motor? - I wonder about YOUR thought process mate.You de - bunk anything you don`t build your self whilst defying all common sense safety rules ( helmets - mirrors etc.)You ought to see a doctor for that eye problem of yours - every time you answer some thing every second word is I.

HD sales are down 40%. Guess who might be next..

Sad.

Good luck and ride safe.

Hey they crushed the Blast.... and then got crushed themselves.

lol sorry, I know nothing about motorcycles!