| Author | Message | ||
     Court |
>>>at this point buell has a better chance of making a competetive dirt bike than a superbike.... I'm curious as to how you'd arrive at that conclusion. Seriously, I'd like to know. My opinion, as a simpleton construction worker, is that Buell, now a profitable company and enjoying much greater latitude to innovate, has scoured the world and quietly acquired some of the brightest young engineering talent in the world (Mexico, India, Canada), thrust them into an incredibly creative work environment that encourages (one of the 5 Buell principles) "Intellectual Curiosity" and set them free. The TT, like it or not, was (some will dispute this, I stand by it) a mid-year exercise to see how, sticking close to the parts bin like Ducati did when they created the first Monster, great a bike they could make. A young fellow named Dane has now, regardless of what you think of the bike, had a complete "development cycle" and knows what to expect. I expect great things from Buell. It has nothing to do with Kool-Aid. I was taking shit in 1988 for being a "hopeless optimist" when I predicted Buell would someday see 10,000 bikes. I think the Buell development process has the capacity and ability to develop an incredible superbike. Buell will be one of the top 5 names in racing in the next 5 years. Buells biggest challenge is pulling it's corporate feet from the mud of the HD marketing folks. . . . I stick by it. | ||
| Nickcaro |
maybe its one of these.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMUVCeHCt9g&eurl=ht tp%3A%2F%2Fgizmodo%2Ecom%2F | ||
| Blake |
"they made the XBRR to keep up with the 600 supersports" It's interesting then to note the multiple victories of the XBRR over 1000cc superbikes. To be fair, the 600cc machines that the XBRR competes against are not supersport class, never have been; they are works formula Xtreme class machines putting down about 150 RWHP. The XBRR has never been legal to compete in any 600cc supersport class. We are all free to choose the sport bike we most prefer; some may prefer a sportbike with a little 600cc IL4 engine that falls on its face under 8,000 rpm, requires sixteen valves, four cylinders, four throttle assemblies, a stratospheric 16,000 rpm rev limit, a radiator and water-cooling system all wrapped in plastic, while others may prefer a big yet amazingly simple air-cooled V-Twin beast of torque utilizing just four valves to produce 100+ thunderous BHP at under 6,800 rpm. I know which one I prefer. It ain't even a contest. But hey, if peak HP and top speed per dollar are the major factors one is seeking in a new sportbike, then the choice is clear; skip past the 600cc IL4 machines and go straight to the new GSXR1000. It is an outstanding repli-racer motorcycle. If that is what one is after then one may save oneself a lot of trouble by forgoing any consideration of any Buell, Ducati, BMW, Aprilia, KTM, Triumph, Moto Guzzi, or MV Augusta products. None of those highly respected manufacturers compete in the best price per HP repli-racer market. Not one of them. There are exactly four motorcycle manufacturers that do compete in that market. Any credible and fair analysis of a Buell "superbike" or new generation Buell sportbike must be in comparison to those sportbikes that target the same market, not the best $/HP Japan Inc. repli-racer market. Again, if that is what one prefers, there are four extremely good choices, all of which are virtually clones of one another. It seems to me that the Ducati 1098 has laid down the gauntlet for the V-Twin Superbike repli-racer. I'm not sure that will be the market that Buell will be chasing or not. I am sure interested to see what Buell has in store for the sportbike market and that will put Buell motorcycles among the dominant forces in motorcycle racing. Currently that is an elite group including the Japanese four, Ducati, BMW (Dakar) and KTM (Dakar and MotoX). I say, go Buell! & Go Buell Racing!  | ||
| Bueaddicted |
Court: From what I understood by your comments, Buell is coming out with a sports bike that will be significantly "better" than the Firebolt. I don't keep bikes more than 2 years, so if the rumors are true, do you think I should hold onto my 12R until next year, or will they be coming out with something "radical" this summer? Although my 12R cannot compete with any 600cc out there, it has given me the most pleasure of all my bikes that I've had until now. Hopefully they will come out with a bike that won't make me feel "out of place" with my Ducati/Triumph friends. Paul | ||
| Davegess |
Paul, I would wait.  I don't think you will be disappointed but I do think you will have some explaining to do to your friends. Any new Buell is likely to break a few "rules" just like the XB did. | ||
| Buelltroll |
Didn't we have this thread exactly a year ago? And the year before that? What did we get? The ugly I mean Uly. And some gay colored plastic. Wake me up when they make a fast bike that you don't have to be going slow on for it to be fast. | ||
| M1combat |
You're just a turn hater Donnie. "Although my 12R cannot compete with any 600cc out there" Bah... I'm just going to stop responding to this crap. It always just ends up with the original poster getting their panties in a bunch because I have to tell them to LEARN HOW TO EFFING RIDE and their XB would give any 600 a run for it's money anywhere other than a mostly straight line. 10,000 bikes Court? Come on... isn't that a bit out there? You're a dreamer my friend . LOL | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I do not understand this need to "compete" with 600's liter bikes, etc. Who gives a crap? So you beat your buddies GSXR. What's first prize in the retard race? Give it a rest. If your nuts feel like raisins because you can't beat a 'Busa in a straight line. Sell your friggin' Buell and join the sheep ranks! The rest of us will ride the bike we CHOSE to buy, the "anti-cookie cutter". Give it a friggin' rest! | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
>>>at this point buell has a better chance of making a competetive dirt bike than a superbike.... I'm curious as to how you'd arrive at that conclusion. Seriously, I'd like to know. .....sorry court just an uneducated guess...im not a lifelong student of anything cept cartoons maybe....not a business major or marketing guru...just a guy that has ridden his whole life and made bikes my passion ...and well someone has to stir the pot....just my rambling thoughts...seems to me creating a competetive dirt bike might be easier than a superbike...we will see wont we...the rumor mill in my neck of the woods was that harley was bailing out husky so i was guessing that maybe if buell took over from a major dirt bike company that might put them ahead of the game....other companies have made a decent dirt bike in less time that it took to develop a world class liter sized street bike....sorry blake didnt mean to offend u but am i wrong that the XBRR runs with much smaller bikes...it was my impression that they we running a 1200 cc machine with 600 cc bikes....we may love our buells but watching a gp race with friends its a little goofy to have someone ask why a big ole buell is runnin with all dem little bikes....but hey flame me smore...did i mention i love my bike...i could own any two wheeled machine the world has to offer...well except that new 60.000$ ducati.. i ride what i want....i am in the market for a new bike if buell dosnt cough up something very exciting and new it will be euro or japanese to sit anong side my 9R...im rooting for buell but like some have said it is time...new colored plastic wont cut it this year for me...more hp and some new goodies will do me fine for my next bike. | ||
| Buelltroll |
I'm FAR from a corner hater. I just hate being the last one INTO the corner. Ya gay plastic and dirt bikes wont cut it for me either... From the cycleworld mag buell stats. blablabla bikes sold blablabla something something number of ama formula extreme races WON on an XBRR ZERO. (Message edited by buelltroll on May 19, 2007) | ||
| Rocketman |
If a gp bike pulled next to me at a stoplight, idling at 3000 rpm, I think I'd notice. Ok smartie pants. I never mentioned ticking over at 3000rpm, as that wasn't the point. I was attempting to show that for example an RCV211 LOOKS like most other mass produced Super Bikes available from your local mo-cycle dealer. I wonder if you'd be so smart if your hearing was impaired  Rocket | ||
| Court |
>>>Didn't we have this thread exactly a year ago? Actually. . . we went though this in 1988 . . in 1990. . . we dabated it on the RIDE Motorcycle forum when Larry Walerstein suggested that the Triumph was better than the Buell. Dudes. . . I've been having these conversations for years . . . fact is . . there is no answer. Enjoy the ride. | ||
| Jiffy |
It is simple Buell needs a new street bike. It has been long enough. The XB has had a nice run, but it has been long enough. I honestly don't care what it is as long as it is a "new" bike that is improved. Not another re-incarnation of XB parts. The TT is a great bike but sometimes it is time to go all new. | ||
| Indy_bueller |
I was taking shit in 1988 for being a "hopeless optimist" when I predicted Buell would someday see 10,000 bikes. Court, you're going to have to modify that prediction to "10,000 bikes per year" I'm sure you'll have your "shit" quota in no time if you do that.  | ||
| Cgocifer |
Setting some shiz straight: "Hopefully they will come out with a bike that won't make me feel "out of place" with my Ducati/Triumph friends." First of all, who cares what people think? Second, you don't think your bike is in place with Monsters or the SS? "The TT, like it or not, was (some will dispute this, I stand by it) a mid-year exercise to see how, sticking close to the parts bin like Ducati did when they created the first Monster, great a bike they could make. A young fellow named Dane has now, regardless of what you think of the bike, had a complete "development cycle" and knows what to expect." If a new bike is in development, the TT and other variations could be just a way to reduce the parts bin stock of the remaining items. Or, it could be what I stated in an earlier post. A line of street fighters (XBs) and a superbike class (the new fast bike). "I was attempting to show that for example an RCV211 LOOKS like most other mass produced Super Bikes available from your local mo-cycle dealer." Looks? Uh, a little I guess. That's almost like saying a NASCAR vehicle looks similar to one you'd find at your local grocery store. (Message edited by cgocifer on May 20, 2007) | ||
| Rocketman |
Looks? Uh, a little I guess. That's almost like saying a NASCAR vehicle looks similar to one you'd find at your local grocery store. You're a little confused dude. Go back an read what I said. I was making the point (trying - for your benefit) that an RCV211 Moto GP bike looks like most of its manufacturing processes are done the same way most any other Honda you can buy in the showroom is. For your benefit, that is to say, if you look at the for example frame or swing arm casting, or for example the brackets that support the footpegs, or for example just the simple things like hose clips and nuts bolts and screws, the overall manufacturing make up of the Moto GP bike no longer looks like a one or two off prototype race machine. That's because they look very similar in the way they are produced, to a street Honda you can buy yourself. It has nothing at all to do with how an RCV211 sounds at tick over or how its individual styling separates it as a racing bike as opposed to a road bike. Please try keep up in future. Better still. Go study an RCV211 close up, or do like I did, and go to Honda Racing and have them show you around one. Rocket | ||
| 2kx1 |
Can someone please get back to what the bird said. | ||
| Rocketsprink |
Sean, you are just so damn smart. A legend in your own mind. I can't wait till you have to eat crow. And you will. Sooner or later. I'm betting sooner. | ||
| Ridrx |
I am SO glad I don't have the HP jones. From what I see here, when the '08/'09 super-whatever comes out used XB's will practically be buy one get one free! | ||
| Jackelfox |
man i wish arguments on badweb didn't so often include first names making me have to look up profiles to figure out who is talking about who... | ||
| Cataract2 |
Just an odd note here. Anyone else notice how the XB9R is no longer offered? While it's still on Buell's site I was talking to some sales men in the local dealership and was told they couldn't get the XB9R anymore. If this is true then the wheels in my head are turning as to what might be coming this year. Least, it would seem to me that Buell's planning something... | ||
| Buelltroll |
It's been known since last year the 9 will not be offered anymore. | ||
| Lost_in_ohio |
The formula for a super bike seems pretty easy to me. Chain Drive Nice Fat rear tire High Reving Big motor Liquid Cooled Loud exhaust Looks Pretty Handles ok Matching leathers available Matching Helmet available Matching Boots available Your choice of market makes a difference here. You could you all high end components or low ball it. Thats ok for some people. If I wanted that I would have bought a hayabusa. That just isn't my cup of tea. And you thought your insurance rates were high before. Wait till a few twenty somethings wrap a few of these around some movable and unmovable objects or worse kill some innocent bystanders. (Message edited by lost_in_ohio on May 20, 2007) | ||
| Jiffy |
I'm sure many Buell riders were skeptical of the XB series when it came out. Things change and if you believe in Erik he won't let you down. Change is good. | ||
| Spatten1 |
Buell will be one of the top 5 names in racing in the next 5 years. Buells biggest challenge is pulling it's corporate feet from the mud of the HD marketing folks. . . . It's that HD mud that makes me skeptical. I've worked for large companies, and changing the direction of a large ship that is doing just fine is not an easy thing to do. For Buell to build high performance bikes it will take a big shift in thinking from HD. You know more about what is going on than the rest of us, so maybe your confidence is well founded. I'm just skeptical due to the "Superbike" program and the V-Rod, both of which I think were done half-assed and without regard for the competition's high standards. | ||
| Cgocifer |
OK, yes, the RRs look like the RC211V. Oh, and some of the welds and nuts and bolts look similar too. | ||
| Spatten1 |
CG, the RR did get a few neat design elements that were first on the Honda GP bike, the swingarm and rear suspension, for example. | ||
| Cgocifer |
Yes, actually, the 600RR was touted as the first street bike to really gain direct benefits from the Moto GP bikes. The 1000RR followed closely behind. | ||
| Anonymous |
Ducati has embraced aerodynamics, and decided its MotoGP bike doesn't have to look like its streetbikes. While Honda was clearly styling its 800 to look like the next generation of CBR600s. It's interesting to see which approach is working . . . | ||
| Jackelfox |
working meaning winning or working meaning selling... |
