| Author | Message | ||
     Court |
I have photos of the Blast when it was a clay mock-up . . . and photos of the first day Gary Valine lopped the rear cylinder off an S-1 on his dyno. There will be plenty of pictures SOMEWHERE. After my 1-year premature "intro" of the Ulysses there will be none from me! I don't want another one of those calls on a holiday.  | ||
| Hex |
Look what Hell for Leather has had to do to the "spy" photo at the photographer's request (I think the photog is trying to cover up his part in a conspiracy...):  | ||
| Hex |
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| Hex |
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| Teach |
Court, how about just a number? (It will just be between us!) 2 or 4?  | ||
| Davegess |
I don't know this for a fact BUT I got 50 bucks says it is a twin and heavily based on the 1125 engine. | ||
| Teach |
I guess time (or Court) will tell!! | ||
| Poppinsexz |
If as rummer has said, 1199cc and 180 horse. Then you would need a bigger airbox for more volume. Got to have room to breath.  | ||
| Rocketman |
http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://ww w.autofieldguide.com/mag_images/100702a.jpg&imgref url=http://www.autofieldguide.com/articles/100702. html&usg=__nec0xzFKFVPGMucP4gpsSJSgSt4=&h=183&w=17 5&sz=8&hl=en&start=17&sig2=kowYp92iEvQ0ARTY5B9qfA& tbnid=kJmUsJGJa_7_XM:&tbnh=102&tbnw=98&prev=/image s%3Fq%3Dhelicon%2Bengine%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa% 3DG&ei=hSQFS7WUO4fx-QaT3-zVDQ Rocket | ||
| Phillyblast |
FTFA: --- “What’s most amazing is that we self-funded this engine without Harley’s help.” --- FHD | ||
| Gregtonn |
'Airbox cover looks larger?" Wasn't anyone paying attention when Erik said, on multiple occasions, "horse power is dependent on airbox volume"? G | ||
| Mpolans |
Personally, I'd be hoping for a smaller displacement twin or a big single weighing around 300lbs wet (or less). | ||
| 46champ |
I have read this before about airbox volume. Does anyone know what the ratio of airbox volume to cylinder displacement is? | ||
| Teach |
Thanks for pointing that out Gregtonn. I now understand that a higher horsepower engine requires a larger airbox. Thanks for the reminder. | ||
| Panhead_dan |
i WAS READING AN OLD (2000) ISSUE OF RIDER MAGAZINE THIS MORNING AND AFTERWORD BECAME ENLIGHTENED. i AM PROBABLY WAY OFF BUT FOLLOW WITH ME FOR A MINUTE... bUELL (hd) INTRODUCES THE blast! Damned cap lok. I aint gonna re type it, sorry. So it's the year 2000 and they introduce the BLAST! as a beginner bike, complete with the rider education program to help with the aging demographic as a way to get new and younger folks into harleys and riding in general. Erik did a superb job on the design of the bike and it worked well. It's not Erik's cup of tea I'm sure but he is very good at what he does. Now fast forward 8 years or so. Buell is making tremendous gains in the sportbike world and there are models being developed that will not see the light of day for a couple of years. We have had a peek recently of one of them and it seems like Buell is about to explode while the other makers are wollowing. There is some tension behind the scenes because HD is one of the other makers. I don't know just what went on but the cubing of the BLAST! seemed way off the wall. I thought that it was an HD directive to cube it but what if it was not? What if Erik just did it as a slap in the face toward HD? What if HD's kneejerk reaction was to shitcan Buell? | ||
| Rex |
sounds like the blast deal and the ruthless engineering was leading to the yellow bike. something that was really going to be wild. I don't think the Blast ad would have gotten printed without approval of someone up the chain at HD. Usually all of the ads are run by the top execs. | ||
| Panhead_dan |
You are right. That kind of cowboying could get a guy fired. Or worse. | ||
| Court |
>>> but for the most part they're a bunch of elitist jerks. Be mindful that ALL Buell advertising, PR, media affairs and public affairs were handled by Harley-Davidson marketing. No one at Buell has any hand in that campaign. | ||
| Hex |
No one at Buell has any hand in that campaign. Now Court, I've been and still am a optimist, but that statement might need some clarification. Erik Buell himself stared in the cubing of the Blast video. Q: Why is Erik Buell so compliant/complacent when it comes to HogWash? | ||
| Court |
>>>Erik Buell himself stared in the cubing of the Blast video. The marketing group, CPB, was selected by the folks at Harley-Davidson marketing. It is Harley-Davidson marketing that commissions and approves all the media work. Erik, as has been the norm for years, was cast in the role and I think was genuinely excited about the program. But the entire thing was packaged to him in a "we're focusing Buell on racing" . . not a "we're cubing your company". Time may yield some insight into the demise of the Blast and make things clearer. Nonetheless . . . Erik doesn't go through the phone book, call ad companies and script campaigns. Shame about the Blast. | ||
| Hex |
I know one thing, if you are willing to cube your children (as Erik did), then it doesn't hurt as bad when someone else cubes you (as MOFOCO did). Accepting cubing of the Blast and BoB, and not standing up for what is right and respectful, ultimately can haunt your high moral ground in the future. This is the main reason, I have not devoted every moment of my free time to Erik's plight. To me, he seems to be in on the gag. Thanks Court. I'm getting ready for the letter writing session, and I just need to be certain that we really do have a solid position. | ||
| Hughlysses |
I sure wasn't expecting that out of CPB. They've done some clever, funny ad campaigns like the ones for VW's TDI diesels. Something along those lines for Buell would have been really cool. Yea, it'll be really interesting to hear what the rest of that story is. | ||
| Hex |
All my questions have been answered! I'll assume no need for the letter writing campaign for now???...except one more to EBR llc after the first... Hex | ||
| Ponti1 |
My questions just keep stirring... If Erik is leaving HD to start Erik Buell Racing, in what class(es) will these non-production, 1125R-based, race-only bikes be eligible to compete? | ||
| 2kx1 |
I would think they would be able to race in AMA for next year, they did make 2010's. Someone will cry about it though. | ||
| Panhead_dan |
It seems to me that this move on the part of HD is little more than posturing. If what we are doing by getting the word out is effective, and I think it is very much effective, maybe HD is attempting to protect themselves. Maybe our little campaign is working. I say we double up our efforts. I see blood! Letting Erik go to sell race only bikes is simply not good enough! It is everyone's best interest the Mr. Buell be allowed to further develop his own company the way he sees fit, even if he has to buy it back to do so. There is more to this story yet to come out. | ||
| Rainman |
I understand the Blast cubing, although it did p!$$ me off, being as I ride one. I don't understanding the cubing of Buell, however. I'm glad to see he's going to be racing and doing something he loves. If there are bikes to be had when I'm ready to get a new one (it's the economy, ya know) I'll get a Buell, either used or otherwise. If there are not, I'll find another brand, but either way, I'll be watching the races and telling everyone "the guy that designed that winning bike also developed mine..." | ||
| Ratbuell |
Maybe our little campaign is working Really? I hate to bring bad news...but I don't think the HD execs are giving us any more thought than the bugs I cleaned off our rental cars' windshield earlier today. I agree there is more to the story...but I doubt seriously there are hidden agendas or anything like that. At least, beyond someone being "out" for Erik and convincing someone, somehow, to axe the company. I truly believe this was, at the bottom of it all, nothing more than an extremely bad business decision. Period. And I think EBR is nothing more than a man who is so passionate about what he does, that he can't *imagine* giving up on it. So he's finding a way. My hat is off to him, and next time I see him I will be sure to shake his hand. He has more determination in his little finger than I've (I'm afraid) been able to muster throughout my entire life. And I don't think HD has a GD thing to do with EBR, aside from letting Erik out of his contract early. I could be wrong...it happens to me just about every day...but that's my take on things. I, for one, am more than ready to take HD completely out of any thoughts I have concerning EBR. Neither good nor bad...just seperate now. | ||
| Doerman |
You're surprising me there Joe. An entangled web of agreements and contracts has to be undone one piece at a time. It all about a strategy and a process to unfold the strategy. EBR is a good start. | ||
| Court |
>>>>EBR is a good start. That's an accurate statement. I have a dream of HD, responding to pressure from stockholders and media, turning over the "non-integrated" Buell assets such as all the 1125R and future products. If Harley-Davidson doesn't want to make them fine. . . let someone who is passionate. I see some amazing possibilities for 300-500 folks building motorcycles in East Troy, WI. HD simply screwed up and they have their own problems right now. The best action would simply be to give Erik Buell what he needs to build street bikes and get him, and his merry band of letter writing Elves, out of your hair as you pursue that "core business".
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