2008 Buell 1125r (Rotax-power)

[.paul]

SWEEET!!!!!
There may be another Buell in my future. I got rid of my 2003 XB9S for the Feej, if they break away from H-D count me in. I hated going to H-D stealerships they didn't know dick about the Buells and EVERYTHING was a special order (i.e. no returns when they screw up). I'm going to keep up with this for sure!

Sorry to hear about your experience with your dealer.There were a lot of problems with the 2003 but buyers dont forget a bad year and are less likely to forgive and dish out five figures on a second chance.Buell separating is NOT likely to happen.I read a report in a British paper that Eric only owns 2% now not 51% as before 1998 but if anyone will be able to get new under fifty blood into a HD dealer it will be Mr. Buell.He has so many international patents that all of us have been blessed with on our modern machines.I am sure that the royalties keep him fat and happy.BTW there is a dirtbike in the works also.Pretty cool concept using a variation of the patented frame. Here is the story about Buell in the British press. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtm...4/ccprof114.xml

I forgot to add that the new machine will not be on the showrooms until the end of September or first week of October according to my sources.

One other note is if you want to find out what it will be like then talk someone into letting you ride the new KTM SuperDuke.Similar spec motor and wheelbase.Watch the SuperDuke video.Brings out the hooligan in all of us

I know Buell will not separate from H-D, since they don't have the resources to go it alone but it's nice to dream. Also, you are right about the 2% ownership of the company - at least thats what I was told at Battley Cycle in Gaithersburg, MD, which is apparently the first Buell dealer in America. I've heard about the dirtbike and it sounds a bit weird to me.

Honestly, I didn't have any problems with my bike it was great and I still wish I owned it sometimes when I just want to hop on the bike and ride like a dic 'er hooligan :-D. Really, the only two small things I had go wrong were the oil cooler feed and return lines, which rubbed together and ended up leaking and the speed sensor went bad - I didn't mind that much - but I was trying to sell it. What pissed me off the most about dealing with H-D dealerships was the absurd amount of time to get things done with the bike, I never had to deal with it, but my brother did and everything routinely took at least one month. Also with H-D of Washington when I was trying to explain what lines I needed for the oil cooler, I asked the parts guy to walk with me to a bike on the showroom, so I could point out exactly what I needed the guy said the '03 and '07 bikes are completely different and it won't be the same part. This was after I previously expalined exactly what I needed and they still ordered the wrong parts (oil resovior feed and return lines) for $61.00.

 

[PapaUtah]

Buell® only sells about 10-12K bikes a year. Not very likely to be split off from Harley-Davidson®.

Interesting story between the lines in this announcement though. In 2002 Harley-Davidson® needs to develop a radically new engine for a new line of bikes. They go to the "engineering" department and.........find out they need to go to Porsche(Germany) to get the expertise.

In 2003 Harley-Davidson® wants to go NHRA Pro Stock Bike racing. Rather than racing their new found motor and getting embarrassed in the class Harley-Davidson® lobbies the NHRA into allowing them to race purpose-built, non-Harley-Davidson® motors and call it a Harley-Davidson®. Oh, and by the way they wanted and received a 105% increase in the displacement for their custom motors they would race against the stock blocks from Suzuki and Kawasaki. As I have said before, the Harley-Davidson® race team logo is a short yellow bus, with Number 2 on the side.

In 2006 they went to the "engineering" department for a new air-cooled motor for their lineup as they had the lowest HP, lowest torque and smallest displacement available compared to Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Victory and Kawasaki. The "engineering" department delivered a motor that is still lowest HP, lowest torque and smallest displacement available compared to Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Victory and Kawasaki.

In 2007 they need a new lightweight, watercooled powerplant for their "sportbike" line. They go to the "engineering" department and.........find out they need to go to Rotax(Canada) to get the expertise. At least Eric was able to free himself from that slug 50 year-old sportster motor and may very well be able to field a competitive bike. (We won't hold the fiasco of racing his 1350cc bikes in the AMA 600cc class at Daytona and getting his ass kicked against him. Probably a corporate ploy like the NHRA shenanigans) As long as he can keep the Harley-Davidson® "engineers" from adding tassels, fringe and a couple of hundred pounds of chrome he may very well succeed.

I wonder if it is 4 strikes and your out for the "engineering" department. If not, it might be the greatest job to have since the weatherman at any local TV station. Get it right 10% of the time and your are here to stay. And so much for that "American-made" flag waving oriented marketing campaign. We ride Jap-crap. The Milwaukee boys are now peddling Canuck-junk??

Harley-Davidson®, better performance through marketing!

 

[chipset]

Wow... A Buell I can actually see myself owning. And the price isn't too bad either. They just need a better looking cowl on the bottom. Looks like a nice little ride..

 

[teerex51]

Buell® only sells about 10-12K bikes a year. Not very likely to be split off from Harley-Davidson®.(...)

Harley-Davidson®, better performance through marketing!

Man, that's caustic stuff but a very enjoyable post. :clapping:

Stef

 

[st4gary]

They had several at MotoGP at Laguna this past weekend. A couple to sit on and one that was sliced up to see

the various unique parts of the bike. They even fired one up on Friday. Sounded pretty good. It'll probablly

get me into a Buell dealership for the first time.

Gary

San Jose

 

[PapaUtah]

The new Harley-Rotax® will be built in Austria. Found the specs below. The 45 degree Harley-Davidson® iconic configuration appears to have been scrapped. Photos of the motor show a 72 degree configuration. (It is interesting that anyone with any knowledge of high performance motors that Harley-Davidson® deals with immediately dumps the 45 degree air-cooled V-Twin configuration. I wonder if those people know something that The Motor Company® doesn’t?) The very over square nature of the motor appears to account for the drop off in torque numbers. Lot’s of compression. Looks like premium only fuel. Fuel injected. The bike will only tip the scales at 375lbs.

Bore - 4.055 in.

Stroke - 2.658 in.

Compression Ratio - 12.3:1

4 Valves per hole.

Torque - 82 ft. lbs. @ 8000 RPM

Horsepower - 146 HP @ 9800 RPM

Maybe Eric is getting a little autonomy at The Motor Company® and finally has a long enough leash to build an honest to God true sportbike. Would be nice to have competitive representation from the Americans for the first time in a long time!!! :clapping: :yahoo:

 

[quicksilver]

More pics and heavy detail spec.

buell

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

<snip>.....build an honest to God true sportbike. Would be nice to have competitive representation from the Americans for the first time in a long time!!! :clapping: :yahoo:

Yep.....with an Austrian engine, Italian frame, and other Euro or Japanese components. :blink: :huh:

 

[.paul]

<snip>.....build an honest to God true sportbike. Would be nice to have competitive representation from the Americans for the first time in a long time!!! :clapping: :yahoo:

Yep.....with an Austrian engine, Italian frame, and other Euro or Japanese components. :blink: :huh:

Actually, the frame is no longer made in Italy. It's now built in 'Murrica

 

[xcsp]

MotorcycleDaily has a first ride report here: https://www.motorcycledaily.com/27august07_2008buell1125r.htm

 

[Niehart]

My 02 Buell is on it's way to Indiana museum so I have some room.. hmmm

 

[Jetmaker737]

That bike is worthy of consideration for sure.

 

[Shadowfax]

They are pretty entertaining, power is similar to the FJR (minus 200lbs of excess weight of course) but delivered smoother and I think sooner (ie more low-end).

Brakes are amazing, but you have to get used to them before you kill yourself. This is not a newbie bike.

2 year warranty is nice and Buell has a great test ride history (at dealers and tracks) so get yourself a ride on one!

I could run circles around the ZX6R I rode at SuperBike school, I'd love to compare it to a literbike but of course the Japanese dealers don't allow test rides.

 

[Barabus]

They are pretty entertaining, power is similar to the FJR (minus 200lbs of excess weight of course) but delivered smoother and I think sooner (ie more low-end).

Brakes are amazing, but you have to get used to them before you kill yourself. This is not a newbie bike.

2 year warranty is nice and Buell has a great test ride history (at dealers and tracks) so get yourself a ride on one!

I could run circles around the ZX6R I rode at SuperBike school, I'd love to compare it to a literbike but of course the Japanese dealers don't allow test rides.

Wait, how did you test already? I haven't even seen tests in the mags yet. Are you an industry insider?

 

[Shadowfax]

Buell has an "Inside Pass" track day - for $100-150 (depending on track) you get 7 sessions, two on your bike and up to 5 on theirs.

As of a few weeks ago, all Buell demo bikes are the 1125R (the 30 or so pre-production bikes the journalists got to ride in Monterey).

You also get a tshirt, pucks, free track photos and depending on the track, breakfast and lunch.

see www.buell.com

 

[Barabus]

Buell has an "Inside Pass" track day - for $100-150 (depending on track) you get 7 sessions, two on your bike and up to 5 on theirs.As of a few weeks ago, all Buell demo bikes are the 1125R (the 30 or so pre-production bikes the journalists got to ride in Monterey).

You also get a tshirt, pucks, free track photos and depending on the track, breakfast and lunch.

see www.buell.com

Lucky bastage!! You look pretty comfortable on it. Beats the hell out of an FJR for a track bike.

 

[RatoneMuerto]

I tried to get a Track Pass for here in Texas but they sold out in no time at all.I called and will have to go to Cresson on Tuesday the 23rd and take my chances no one show up.It is a two day event here.Dealers on Monday and potential customers on Tuesday just as previously posted.Three levels offered.NOVICE,MIDLEVEL AND EXPERT with coaching, photos.laptimes and tshirts.On another note,I still am very pissed off at HD.My letter months ago got me some phone calls but as of yet no results.Also the dealerships here in Dallas that sell Buells dont have the bike yet and wont know when they will get one.My letter to HD is still about customer support and what I was shocked at is there is a dealer day at Cresson.There are three Buell dealers here and I know two of the sales guys personally.Typical HD bs again!One of them is a top Buell sales guys in the area was very pissed when I told him about the track day for dealers and his dealership wont pay for it!Same ol'...... Same ol' HD stuff.Sure seems stupid to me not to educate your sales force.As good as this machine may be if the local dealer wont pay $100 for his sales force to go ride a new bike then what kind of support am I going to get?

 

[Shadowfax]

As good as this machine may be if the local dealer wont pay $100 for his sales force to go ride a new bike then what kind of support am I going to get?

Good question, as ever the dealers will make or break it for Buell.

Incidentally, no coaching during the demo rides which are follow-the-leader, if you want coaching, ride your own and ask for help.

The bikes will start production in a few weeks ("late October" was the last I heard) so expect them at the first dealers in mid-November.

I've heard the top-selling dealers will get them first, I've also heard dealers with customer down-payments in hand will get them first.

check www.badweatherbikers.com for more info/reviews

 

[RatoneMuerto]

My understanding is if you have 0 track time like me then you get some advice or coaching on your bike .Cresson is a huge 3+ mile course.Makes me wish I still had the RZ350.I am sure they dont want the new ride crunched .I will be updating if I do get to ride on the TrackPass day. It still be as interesting to see if dealer support will be as good as Aprilia is here.My latest info on the new arrival is probably going to be December or January 08.Even that is speculation because everything has been pretty tight lipped.My friend already has taken two 10k cashiers checks as deposits.Will be interesting to see how his deals turn out.If he does go to the dealer day on Monday then they are sold for sure.

 

[Shadowfax]

>if you have 0 track time like me then you get some advice or coaching on your bike

As long as you are not on a demo bike you get coaching/advice. There are lots of coaches in all levels incl national champs and factory riders for the advanced guys. One guy (name I forget) owned the Road America lap record for his class. This is a top-notch track day and a steal for $100 (the Texas day is $100, others are $150)

I only demo'd so did not get coaching.