| Author | Message | ||
     Xbmacon |
I keep reading that they sell so well overseas and have thought a lot about why. I would like to hear what you think. Since I bought mine, I have tons of people saying "What's that?" followed by "That's cool!" I have two guys at work that bought "japanese" just before I bought, and both said they wish they had seen and heard a Buell, b/c they would have bought one instead. In my (limited) view, there would be more interest with more promotion...too simplistic? | ||
| Court |
Earth: "Surface: Land surface 150,000,000 sq km, 57,500,000 sq mi." United States of America: Total U.S. area is 3718711 square miles (9631418 km²), of which land is 3537438 square miles (9161923 km²) You do the math.  Buell has always sold well overseas. Buell sell well in many countries, the Unites Sates being one. I also think that motorcycles are ridden differently in other countries and the Buell is a very attractive package. Japan, Holland and Italy are full of Buell fanatics. Often times sales can be correlated with the in country Buell manager. When Matt Levetich was in the UK he did a marvelous job . . . likely not unrelated to how he became a V.P. at Harley-Davidson. | ||
| Redbuelljunkie |
UK Buell manager to H-D V.P.?... sounds like a punishment to me!  | ||
| Jaimec |
Because America = "BIG HONKIN' CRUISERS" and the rest of the world is interested in REAL motorcycles, that's why. | ||
| Madduck |
Face it guys, most of the USA is ideally suited for plunking around on a 60hp cruiser. Flat road, police and damn few real corners are home to the cruiser. Europe has nothing at all like I-10 or I-29 or most of I-80. Life is good here but 55 mph speed limits and 3 good corners in a county don't make for many Buell sales. I remember hearing about a guy that almost made a coast to coast on I-10 without stopping at all for 3000 miles. Unthinkable for europe. | ||
| Ski25r |
Cruisers don’t do well on European roads. There are way to many roundabouts and hard carving roads. Throw in the ability to filter, high speed limits, some mountains, the culture advantage of life is for living not for working and you have a Buell commercial. | ||
| Court |
For the benefit of some of my fellow Yanks, I'll point out that "filtering" is roughly what we call lane splitting. I say roughly since the Europeans have elevated it to an art form. The last time I was in London I was amazed, as folks left the city at the end of the day, to see cars move to the side of their lanes effectively creating a mini-motorbike highway between two lanes with the bikes zipping through about 10MPH faster than the cars. The Europeans do this smartly and efficiently. In the USA we're more likely to see something that looks like an impromptu Joey Chitwood show as the motorists try to interfere and the cyclists ride like maniacs. I've heard tales (don't know if they are true) that you can be ticketed in London for NOT filtering. The Buells are an elegant solution to European riding conditions. | ||
| Ski25r |
Court, Once again you are correct. A motorcycle not filtering is considered traffic impedance. This is a ticketable offence and 3 points against your license in the UK. Essentially you are adding to congestion and causing a safety hazard. | ||
| Court |
I'm eager to return to the UK sometime and get a chance to ride. I have several good friends who are avid motorcyclists there and I always revel in their wonderful stories. We have a UK distributor for the 25 Years of Buell book and I may look for an opportunity to visit again this year. I am always fascinated just seeing the bikes around London. | ||
| Ski25r |
Proper way to lane split or filter in Europe. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hop-jGqIu6s&feature =channel Court send me a message, when you decide to visit. Love to take you around the MCN and Ride magazine test routes outside of Peterborough. | ||
| Moxnix |
My Brit friend and his French wife were doing a cross country drive, hit Kansas on the Interstate, he nodded off from straight line boredom and went into a corn field. Farmer helped pull him out, "Third on this week . . ." In Paris in the late 1960s, stayed in a cheap hotel on the Rue de Lille with an "Ace Cafe" type joint on the corner. Cafe racers, racing to cafes. Life was never the same after an M/C epiphany. In the years I lived in Germoney, 100 mph plus was normal. Buells sell overseas because folk like the H-D heart in a motorcycle that handles and stops like a metric. Here, I've always said Buells are, if nothing else, "significant" for giving we domestic buyers of domestic motorcycles a choice of buying a bike that handles and stops like a metric. Filtering works in Euro/Britain because people in cars and on bikes use their winkers, like the law requires. Folk here all drive with broken or burned out turn signals, it appears. (Message edited by moxnix on February 15, 2009) | ||
| Davegess |
"We have a UK distributor for the 25 Years of Buell book and I may look for an opportunity to visit again this year" Sounds like we need a road trip to sign some books!!! | ||
| Court |
And . . . FULLY TAX DEDUCTIBLE since we refused the federal bailout funds! | ||
| Davegess |
"refused the federal bailout funds!" And my bonus is not limited!! I could really use the two bucks! I think it would be a fun trip, if we could git a big Buell owner event we could sell some books. Of course the "official" Buell UK folks will likely not know us  | ||
| Court |
>>>>>the "official" Buell UK folks will likely not know us The good news is that the UK has one of the strongest, right there with Italy and Japan, "unofficial" Buell communities. It's a totally doable deal. | ||
| Davegess |
give me a call tomorrow my email is down | ||
| Ski25r |
Best time to come is May and June, if you want a semi-dry time. However, if you come over and stay a couple of days in England and then ride to France and Spain for a couple of days. You are guaranteed a dry time. The International rate was $1.36 /1 pound last week. Expect around $1.50/1 pound this summer. With rates like these, how can you pass up a book tour? Plus this way I can get mine signed. | ||
| Crusty |
If you time your trip right, you could duck over to the Isle of Man and catch the TT. | ||
| Davegess |
I am thinking we will be lucky to get a long weekend  | ||
| Aussiexbox |
I'm thinking you two had better come down to the land of Oz,we had guys who rode many miles to see and speak with Erik at the 1125 launch in Australia,I for one rode 11 hours straight from my home town,from memeory it was about a 2500km round trip to see "Da Man",so the pair of you would get the same response from us all,specially since we are getting some of your books from good book sellers now,it's been hard to get them in. Phil | ||
| Ourdee |
It goes back on itself = S-curve I spent 3 1/2 years in England. The best road riding I've ever done. Hardly any stop lights. The round abouts are not like the little ones common to the US. You can run 30 plus mph through the UK ones. When the gates stopped you at a rail crossing the cars would leave room at the front for the bikes to get in front while they were stopped. I never got a ticket while there. I ran 85 to a ton (100) in the 60 mph zones when the road was empty. I passed on double yellows anytime the cars were doing under 45. At over 45 I would follow. If someone didn't like how you drove, the only thing they would do was flash their' brights at you once. In 3 1/2 years I could count getting bright lighted on one hand. A backwards peace sign there is a bird here. A bird there is a female here. Sometimes I miss the UK. I averaged 20,000 miles a year. Lots of times I would ride some where just to knock up one of me mates and blow some fags. Yea the language was a barrier at first. | ||
| Ski25r |
Lots of times I would ride some where just to knock up one of me mates and blow some fags. Well that's a bit cheeky, mate!  | ||
| Court |
>>>I'm thinking you two had better come down to the land of Oz Careful what you wish for . . . . | ||
| Davegess |
Hey maybe we can borrow Nancy Pelosi's jet and do a world tour? Maybe we can get stimulus money to do it | ||
| Aussiexbox |
Bring it on you two,there's even accomodation for a pair of famous book writer blokes and even some strong Aussie beer as well. | ||
| Britchri10 |
Strong Aussie beer? Go to the UK. I grew up there biking in the '70's & 80's. Buells rule 'cause they are what you need for the roads in the UK/Europe.( The beer is good too) UK/Europe is all about handling/cornering and throttle control. No 2 hour "straightaways". Plenty of curves, hills & 2 lanes. I worked as a M/C courier based in the Midlands. Mainly "long" runs to London/SE/South Coast. Great fun & they paid me! Buells are ideal for that kind of riding.(Although I was on a Honda VFR750). Friends/family in the UK ride and I keep recommending the Buell brand to them. Ride safe. Chris C |
