| Author | Message | ||
     Classax |
Amazingly the RX was a distant fourth to the BMW S1000RR (28%), 899 Panigale (22%) and CBR1000RR (16%) in the the readers choice for 2014 Sportbike of the year award with only 14% of the vote. I say amazing because considering how few people even know what an EBR 1190RX is it is staggering that it got even that much of the vote.http://www.motorcycle.com/readers-choice-awards/readers-choice-best-sportbike-2015-bmw-hp4.html (Message edited by Classax on March 16, 2015) | ||
| Reepicheep |
I agree... Suzuki, Yamaha, and Kawasaki must be really annoyed. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Cory West is on a dealer/trackday tour with a couple of EBRs in a van right now. I watched a video interview with Cory over the weekend where he said this tour is basically his idea to promote the brand. Cory thinks a lot of trackday enthusiasts are still oblivious to EBR's current offerings, and I suspect he's right. | ||
| Court |
Although I am assured they are selling like hotcakes . . . . I am meeting very few fellow enthusiast who know :Erik is back in business". I'd say 70% never heard that HD dispatched the Buell brand. I am told that EBR's are littering Craigslist at attractive discounts . . presumably by dealers. Cory is a personable and effective Ambassador. I'd be very surprised if he is funding this tour personally. | ||
| 46champ |
Court I have no doubt that Cory is being paid to do his little tour, but it would not surprise me one bit to find out that it is his idea. | ||
| Court |
Precisely . . . | ||
| Hughlysses |
I'd be very surprised if he is funding this tour personally. I didn't mean to imply that he was. Here's the video interview I mentioned. Cory comes on at 20 minutes in: | ||
| Smoke |
Cory was here at COTA this weekend with the EBR van and with a stock RX and on the track he was flying past a lot of top tier equipment (and everybody else too). He earned a lot of respect for the brand for sure. Great kid too. When he left he was on the way to race in China! tim | ||
| Classax |
Cory was here at COTA this weekend with the EBR van and with a stock RX and on the track he was flying past a lot of top tier equipment (and everybody else too). For the most part this sport is more about the abilities of the rider than the power of the equipment, but still, as I have been saying the RX is a devastatingly quick piece of kit that is easy for mere mortals to learn to ride VERY fast. To even place on their readers choice poll is very impressive since so few people as Court so caustically put are even aware of who they are. Having Cory hit the track to show what it can really do is smart but EBR needs much better marketing if they want to actually sell any bikes to people who were going to buy one anyway. | ||
| Court |
You've mistaken candor for caustic. Go to about any motorcycle event and mention EBR. The look you get will resemble a 6 month old Lab looking at an oscillating fan. Fact. Then say "Buell" . . . and you'll be treated to a monologue about recalls and Harley-Davidson. EBR needs a much better, and far more visible to their target market, advertising and promotion effort. It very well be one of the best motorcycles ever made that most motorcyclists have never heard of. I've watched the local dealer, with a potential market of something like 17,000,000 consumer in the market area walk away. I've visited dealers and listened to folks who knew about as much about EBR as I do about potted plants. Cory, one of the best possible folks there could be for this role, will be an effective ambassador. Having spent a couple years traveling to 44 states, taking folks on rides, playing on race tracks and doing interviews for Buell . . . I can attest to how powerful that can be. But . . .he will be greeting primarily those who are well versed and fluent in the product. Most will want, even if they can't swing the jack, an EBR. The next market will be those who can purchase, who love sport bikes, are brand-mobile and would respond to a credible information delivery. We'll see. The media work from last week. . . whoever was behind that . . . was spot on. | ||
| Ljm |
I tend to agree with Court on the knowledge, although my reception has been far more positive personally. People seem to know about it when I tell them what it is and they are interested. My EBR's are in the Phoenix area where there is a dealer but mine is always, always the first one that anyone has ever seen in person. And they are interested. I mentioned before that people follow me in to gas stations (especially on the RS because you can't help but hear it) to ask questions. I have suggested that EBR appear during bike week. There is a track day on each end of it, drag races, two bike nights, and a dealer open house. The dealer isn't making a dent or showing up. THAT is not going to sell any bikes, or not many anyway. I did a track day on a track prepped CBR. My SX, with its tail bag was my pit bike. A few people noticed. At the same time, the Yamaha Champions School was letting people demo all of their bikes (except the new R1). They sold half of them there as near as I could tell.  | ||
| Buelliedan |
"It very well be one of the best motorcycles ever made that most motorcyclists have never heard of" Unfortunately I cannot argue that. Hopefully this year they focus a bit more on marketing. I am doing my best to get the word out there in my area. NRHS EBR is the only EBR dealer in CO, WY, NM and UT circle so it is challenging. | ||
| Court |
>>>NRHS EBR is the only EBR dealer in CO, WY, NM and UT circle so it is challenging. And the reason is not exclusivity . . .it's that no one was interested. They'd love to have dealers on those venues. The greased mirror is getting steeper after 5 years. Some of the folks I've talked to, in making shadow visits to dealers, thought that EBR has come into and out of business and that they were looking at "leftover inventory". It's a great opportunity for someone who understands the market and the minds of the target audience. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Court- surely Erik can't be happy with this situation. It sounds like you, like a lot of us, are wondering what in the hell are they waiting on to begin serious marketing? | ||
| Ffbuell1 |
Some very good post's about E.B.R.s poor marketing to this point, there are many dealers who have not sold 1 bike .and also you look at the EBR web sight and you still see the same old pictures and no where on the site do they even mention what model year you are looking at! does anyone even know if they are making 2015 model's ? and if so what changes there are? The fact that they have Cory West going around the country to track days and bike nights etc. is a great idea but perhaps a little too late. I suggested to some higher ups that I met from EBR back in early 2012 that very same thing and having interactive web sights, mailing fliers to competitive sport bike owner's and was told yeah those are great idea's we will contact you ( I never heard anything) they would pass me from one person to another , very frustrating and disheartening I very much want EBR to succeed but there are just to many red flags that I see. getting back to the web sight the impression that I get is that NO BODY is home.Sorry about the long rant but I had to get it off my chest. | ||
| Deanh8 |
Yeah I own a motorcycle shop and I am very active in the motorcycle riding community. Have always ridden buells and tell eveyone and anyone I can about the new EBR's when they ask about my buell. No one knows what the hell an EBR is... or had any idea that erik buell was still in the motorcycle industry . its sad. | ||
| Mog |
At a large computer company in 1972 I would dismount my BSA B50 (then upped to 600cc by yours truly), go over to my friend's 360cc 2 stroke Suzuki and with two fingers pull down on the kick starter and rev it up. He was embarrassed but I thought it was hilarious. WHATS THE POINT? Point is that Suzuki's last laugh is on me. It has since won many AMA and World titles both in 2 stroke and 4 stroke trim. They started their name with scrawny bikes and established a breed. Erik made light of crushing into a cube the questionable Blast. However, I as one of many, took a ride on one which turned me to an XB9S, XB9R, XB12X, 1125R and a pristine XBRR. Without a single cylinder stump puller that is able to be (better than) a Royal Enfield GT... with a better price... better handling (not hard to do) and a similar (great appeal) look....... I do not see a new fleet of young millennials moving up to an EBR 1190RX, SX or FX. For heavens sake, Din Li of Taiwan has a damn 800cc water cooled loafing single and makes the engine for export. Not all newbies want a 350cc CBR_NINJA. Just a simple bike at a price point they can buy and sell without losing their shirt. It is more than marketing a product (EBR 1190). It is establishing a brand at the doors of dealers, who want a bike that is not burdened with warrantee work and does not threaten their current sales items but instead brings folks in. I am sure I have offended nearly everyone with such an outrageous idea but then I am old, retired and like all my Buells (an EBR 1190 RX in the future though).  | ||
| Classax |
Marketing is truly the problem but part of the issue is the myopic view Erik/EBR has towards the market as a whole. The bikes do take radical engineering solutions to common problems and they really do work, BUT too few dealers, techs and thus even the public know how or why. Facebook and WSBk alone aren't going to cut it. The lack of shootouts in the liter bike class in 2014 didn't help. The ONE you did get you make the fatal mistake of sending a less than perfect bike. Moreover the relationship between dealers and EBR appears to be eroding and that scares me as a customer. In the 4th largest city in the USA, there are 3 2014 EBR RXs sold and we on the verge of loosing our only remaining dealer who has sold only 1 bike since October 2013. Most of the people I meet on the bike have no clue what it is much less why they should plunk down the green backs to get one. I get they're a small company but more and more the reality seems to be they are an engineering company that happens to race and manufacture bikes on the side. If they don't do something to help dealers move bikes they won't be around much longer. THAT would be a tragedy! | ||
| Mog |
Classax... I agree with you wholeheartedly. I can still get my XBs worked on long into the future by a really great Carolina Coast HD dealer but I just do not get that same warm fuzzy feeling with XYZ PowerSportz being there for an 1190Rx down the road... that is why no Rx in the garage. I am interested in your take on the idea of a smaller EBR (maybe a single) that could establish itself as a beginner bike capable of self- or dealer maintenance? My old BSA B50 single was lightweight and simple to work on (needed to be, it leaked from the oil sump). I would ride it back and forth to work and scramble it on the weekends. It still gets attention. Establishing some kind of recognizable face is key and that is in dealership front windows. Something outrageously cool and priced for the newbie. Surely EBR could grab a frame, engine and parts to cobble up a long life, simple, air cooled American (retro? made in India?) bike for the dealers to sell and a low price with decent incentive and margin. Am I really that far off? What are your thoughts?  | ||
| Mog |
Classax.. I agree wholeheartedly. Carolina Coast HD owner has honored my XB purchases and stands behind repair and warrantees his work. I do not get that same feeling from an 1190Rx 'powersports' dealer. That is why no Rx in the garage. What is your take on EBR creating a thumper, air cooled big single for new riders and those of us who would love to have a fuel injected thumper that is modern retro. A price point could be made by using Hero that would appeal to the 'powersports' dealers and bring them on board over time. The looks of the Royal Enfield really sucks people into dealerships. I would like your thoughts on that direction.  | ||
| Hughlysses |
It's been stated that the Hero HX250R may be brought to the US as an EBR model. That would seem to be exactly what's called for. | ||
| Mog |
Hugghlysses, To some degree, I agree to that approach but the engine displacement is just too small for most younger aspiring USA rider's first bike. The look of the bike is also very competitive against the Japanese bikes and is similar to the 1190Rx but that still does not set my hair on fire. The contemplated linkage of 1190Rx to the HX250R depends on whether the first look of the observer even knows what an 1190Rx is. There is something to be said for placing a different, more controversial look (in my case here a 'retro') that is light weight (310 pounds dry for a 250 is not light for me) and sports an easy to fix jug with no fresh water plumbing. That equates to a mildly on road, off road and entry level track day bike. That is something a dealer might find more able to help pay the floor plan and get prospects into the sales hopper. Having been in the business of pointy end engineering and design, there is a real challenge to reconciling advanced design and marketable product recognition. Actually, I hope my idea is wrong and that once again Erik pulls another well earned, planned and executed rabbit out of the hat. Erik reminds me of Carroll Shelby and I expect his contribution to motorcycling will be no less. My apologies for the March 27th double post. Somehow the first post did not appear, so I wrote the second post...oh well.  | ||
| Court |
I'm excited about the potential product. I'm concerned about the marketing and support. Doing the same thing over won't work. There are some extremely talented folks on this. | ||
| Hughlysses |
An HX300R might be better for the US. I always figured EBR would work towards a complete range of motorcycles, from a cheap single at the bottom to superbikes at the top. I really hope there's a whole lot of work going on in East Troy and the floodgates are about to be opened, but I've been thinking that for 2 years now. Court says the EBR engineering staff is gainfully employed and making plenty of money to keep the company going, which is great, but it doesn't put many any closer to riding an EBR product. | ||
| Ljm |
For my part, I would like to see the Hastur. I can say that I am going to buy a middleweight bike and about a million other people will too. It will be someone elses probably. | ||
| Mog |
Court,,, You have brought into focus four very important points, to which I will most respectfully respond, out of order. Extremely talented folks.... ABSOLUTELY Excited about the potential product.... To my core also. I am not so concerned actually about marketing as Support. A great manual and simple fix will get kids off their phone. Same thing over won't work..... Of course you are perfectly correct and that is my point. Long ago in my profile I wrote a need for a 270 lb 60 hp AC single. There is no way a street single of that ilk is not highly advanced. Erik can not only do it but he has the production facility that will listen to him in India. I am on a rant here but damn, it takes a genius to cut through the crap and make a really cool stump puller that can take to the road too. And a self fix it bike. Erik is the genius. Next time you get a chance to talk to Erik, ask him how much he would love to make that single and screw the market. I am sure you know him well enough to presuppose the answer. OK, it is time for this old man to go to bed, best to all.  | ||
| Henshao |
An entry level bike needs 30 to 50hp in my opinion. Looking at a 350 to 400 twin or a 600-800 single. Traffic in many places holds 80mph and you should always have enough juice to get ahead of it, comfortably, if you need or want to. | ||
| Blake |
Winning races is going to help, and Cory bagged pole, track record, and two races last weekend. That's gotta help. The track day scheme is brilliant I think. Some club racing wins wouldn hurt. | ||
| Court |
And..... I suspect....... They will gain more from Cory's efforts than from the WSBK undertaking. Folks know who Cory is and his track days and club racing gets much more traction than the poorly translated excuses for the continuing international stumbling. | ||
| Mog |
Yup. Cute, redhead (?) with a big jug..... in reverse yet! Put on your best headphones and crank the bass before you play this 800cc single motorcycle video. Just something to gnaw on before Erik rolls out his Freeway/Forest Bomber.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1b4c8T1PT4 | ||
| Midknyte |
Still hoping for the Hastur | ||
| Hughlysses |
EBR variants of the HX250R and 600cc Hastur combined with the 1190RX and SX would be a pretty decent model range. Of course all has been silent on the AX front recently, but a lot of people are waiting on that. |
