| Author | Message | ||
     Not_purple_s2 |
It's all conjecture, but what do you guys think the 1125R will do to XB sales. Specifically XB12R sales. With only a $2000 difference in price I'm sure a lot of buyers will walk right past the XB12R to the 1125R. But at the same time I'm sure that the very existence of the 1125R will draw more customers into Buell dealerships. It's kinda of a shame that the XB9R is gone. I'm betting that with it's lower price it would appeal to many who like the 1125R but can't afford it. | ||
| Djkaplan |
Interesting point about the XB9R. I think the XB9 engine would be great in a replacement for the Blast. Low price, big bang. A loss leader to get more riders on the Buell bandwagon. | ||
| Not_purple_s2 |
Well there are probably going to be more used buells on the market after the 1125R hits the show rooms. Those that can't afford the new bike can still be brought into the Buell fold by test riding that nice used XB9R that someone traded in for a 1125. | ||
| Bigeasy |
I dont know, good ? though. I think that some people wont be looking for the extra power of the 1125r and would rather have the xb. I am a Buell and Ducati nut! Love them both for different reasons. Ducati has air cooled and the more powerful water cooled engines also. Its all down to ones taste in there chosen bike. I belong to some duc boards and there are plenty of die hard air cooled guys as well as water cooled. From what I have been reading over there lately I think there will be alot of guys coming over to try out the new Buell. People like me!! I will be keeping my s4rs and trading in my xb12s for the 1125r. Once the mags come out with there reviews I believe there will be alot of raised eyebrows and new interest in the Buell line as a whole. I cant wait to pick up this new bike and stick a big ass American flag on it! I am a american italian , so I will have the best of both worlds in my eyes  | ||
| Thespive |
Honestly, I think XB sales will increase, because of the extra show room foot traffic and those who learn more about the brand and realize and XB is a better fit than an 1125R. I think they will complimentary. The 1125R won't affect my next purchase of an air cooled Buell, but I am glad Buell finally has it. --Sean | ||
| Spiderman |
I don't know what happened to Fatboy sales when they introduced the V-rod? How about Monster sales when they introduced the 1098? People are going to buy what they want and like. The more choices you have the larger your customer base. | ||
| Anonymous |
We think the 1125R will help all sales. I agree that it would have been nice to keep the 9R, as it is a superb little motorcycle and a great value. But it was the lowest volume selling model, and we needed some complexity relief in the plant. | ||
| Court |
The 1125R won't affect my next purchase of an air cooled Buells, but I am glad Buell finally has it. "complexity relief" ? ? ? . . That's it . . . that's the term I've been looking for . . . that's what I need! | ||
| Court |
I think the 1125R will INCREASE air cooled sales. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
I have already had to drop the price of my one remaining 07 XB12R to match the price of the new 08 XB12R. Cant sell an 07 $500 more than an 08. Luckily it is my last one, and I dont have any 08s on the floor yet. The Blast being a loss leader hmmm I have sold six of those this year, the only Buell model to beat it was the Uly with 8 and one remaining. They fly out the door when I get them, I already have a deposit on our 08 when it shows up in two weeks. Want to talk about value? Try getting the owners to give them up after a season of riding. Nobody is doing it. Most are keeping it, a couple have converted them to track day bikes. Dont know what the rest of the nation is doing, but that is how it happens up in the soggy NW at our store.  Now where is that new dirt bike?!? | ||
| Midknyte |
But it was the lowest volume selling model, and we needed some complexity relief in the plant. the irony... now that it is gone, so many come forward to speak highly of it... oh - I got's mine! | ||
| Xl1200r |
I there are probably very few people out there who previously would have been in market for a bike like the 1125R but "settled" for the XB12 in order to stay with Buell. If people really wanted a water-cooled twin tht bad, they'd go buy one from somewhere else. If XB sales increase any, I woudln't attribute it anything more than typical and expected sales growth. The 1125R will bring more attention to the brand, but people are still going to buy what they want. | ||
| Blackbelt |
Well I kind of wished I would have waited to buy my 12R 3 more weeks and would have put a deposite down on an 1125... but I guess that I shall have to just ride Tony's... lol he won't mind. I think this will bring more people into the dealerships and into the Buell family, of all bikes... Air cooled won't be hurt... | ||
| Not_purple_s2 |
Anony - "we needed some complexity relief in the plant." Especially with the new line coming up.  It all makes sense. Xl1200r - "people are still going to buy what they want." Yes, but the attention of the new bike may cause people, who never payed any attention to Buell, to want a Buell. I still get the occasional "What's a Buell?" comment. Still, it'll be bitter sweet for Buell to be known and popular. I'll miss being the only Buell at bike night. } (Message edited by not_purple_s2 on July 18, 2007) | ||
| Thespive |
BuellS Oops, sorry Court, yes, Buells.  I think the 1125R will INCREASE air cooled sales. I wholeheartedly agree! I am sad to see the 9R go as well, frankly, I like that engine better than the 12, for reasons I have stated in other posts, but at least the CityX is still around. I plan on "Complexity Relief" as my phrase of the day, but with my wife due with our first child any moment/minute/day now, I am not sure how I am going to fit it in to a sentance today. --Sean | ||
| Kuuud |
"Complexity Relief" I can see the TV commercial now. Suffering from complexis modelii? The Helicon cures it! Buy 2 Buells and call me in the morning. | ||
| Maximum |
I'm just hoping that the interest in the 1125R causes dealers to start carrying more than 3 or 4 Buells on the showroom floor. I went into my local dealer to pick up some oil and noticed that they had an 1125R only brochure which i had not seen at Homecoming. So I asked a sales guy if he had an extra copy of the 1125R brochure, and he said that I should go next door (to their Yamaha/Honda showroom). I told him that it was the new Buell, and he back pedaled like a football cornerback. These guys better get schooled up and ready for the traffic that is coming! You only have one chance to make a good first impression. | ||
| Buellerandy |
Hey Cityslicker, I'm feeling you on the 07 12r's lol. Thank god the last one I have left is a demo! :P | ||
| No_rice |
i am getting the first 1125R we get into here. that being said, i will NOT sell my 9R to get it. completely the opposite is happening. we bought a blast a couple months ago which the gf loves(except when trying to keep up leaving the stop sign). i am on my way this weekend to go pick up an 04 12R for myself. on top of that one of the guys here at work let a coworker ride his 03 9S that he then abruptly totaled(as far as insurance says). i already told him to find out how much the buy back is and(depending on price) if he doesnt buy it i will buy it and ride it home. so i guess i will still be playing with the air cooled ones also... | ||
| Blake |
Personally speaking, I think the 1125R is great new sport bike and a stunning deal for $12K. But I'm an air-cooled lump kinda guy and I'd rather have a new XB12R, or Uly, so I sure am happy to see their price come down and those models stay on line. It's a tough choice! | ||
| Buellshyter |
I have a buddy with an R1 and his first comment on seeing the new 1125 was, " it looks like an R1". He appeared genuinely interested. So, beyond the question of what the new bike will do to XB sales, I wonder will Buell be able to keep up with demand? Seeing as the motor is outsourced, I am curious what the contractual arrangement with Rotax is concerning production quota. I assume Rotax is obligated to provide "x" number of motors per year. What if more are needed? Do they have the capacity to provide as many as need be? Beyond the Rotax question, the Buell factory was mighty small. | ||
| Not_purple_s2 |
Maximum - "These guys better get schooled up and ready for the traffic that is coming! You only have one chance to make a good first impression." Either 2 things will happen. 1. Dealers will learn quick and embrace Buell and things will improve for Buell customers (new and old) 2. Dealers will stay stubborn, ignoring people interested in Buells, and people will be complaining in even greater numbers of Harley's piss-poor Buell support. I suspect both will occur, it'll just depend on the dealer. For some reason, though, I think more of the latter and less of the former. I'm really jealous of those that have good dealers. The only Buell place near here has been lack luster in my limited experience. The local HD dealers are just assholes. To them, I might as well be driving a hondsukmaha. | ||
| Cgocifer |
Well, my local dealership was very quickly dropping Buell bikes and supplies. Even their website dropped anything having to do with Buells. Now, they have Buell stuff all over their website including links to the official site. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the new bike could do a couple of different things: A: It could blow everyone away and change all misconceptions about Buell's image. It could make the brand a world class name and therefore raise ALL the bikes to the next level. It would become acceptable in the eyes of other sportbikers to have a Buell, just like it's cool to have a Ducati Monster. B: It could get mediocre reviews and be perceived to be yet another strange contraption from Buell and the Buells could remain niche, boutique bikes that are generally scoffed at. | ||
| Damnut |
Yes, but the attention of the new bike may cause people, who never payed any attention to Buell, to want a Buell. I still get the occasional "What's a Buell?" comment. I get that comment more ofter than not. Quick story....... last week, At my local watering hole I go to pull up to my normal spot and there's a bunch of Harleys there so I back up and park a few spots down. There's a guy and girl decked out in Harley garb at the door smoking...... Girl: You don't wanna park that rice rocket next to those Harleys Me: Yea I wouldn't want any parts falling off and scratching my bike. Oh and by the way, this isn't a rice rocket. Guy: Oh what's that a Ducati?? Me: No stupid it's actually American made. Guy: (now frustrated) What company makes that?? Me: Buell. BTW Buell is actually owned by HD. Guy: That's not HARLEY!!! Me: Look right here DUDE. As I point to the bar & shield on the cylinder head. Guy: Oh I didn't know that Harley made these type of bikes. Me: They don't, Buell makes them, Harley just owes Buell. Some kind of "Harley" guy you are. The best part was when I got inside there was a fairly large group of Harley riders inside. I start talking to a few of them and tell them the story of what just happened. The guy and girl walk in a few minutes later and just got bashed for being "uninformed" about what a Buell is. Needless to say that made my night. | ||
| Sarodude |
I'm REALLY glad Buell did what they did. Watercooled, rotax, etc. It's the right thing for the company and it will hopefully buy a lot of credibility for the brand. Thing is I'd REALLY REALLY REALLY like to see an XBRR style (short stroke, bigger bore than sportster) motor gracing a street XB. That's what I want. But congrats to EVERYONE that made this bike happen. It's really too cool. -Saro | ||
| M1combat |
Well... I asked my local dealer (The Dewey branch of "Grand Canyon HD") if they had anyone that would be going to any training for working on the new Buell... He said "Yeah... The parts guy"... Crap. | ||
| Slaughter |
M1, You might consider talking to Scott Jensen at Arrowhead HD/Buell. Yeah, he is (for now) racing a GSXR1000 in AMA Superstock and Superbike - but he might be able to talk straight to you about repairs. Can't call for a few days, he's in Laguna tomorrow til Wed. | ||
| Trojan |
The XB12R has been completely dropped in Europe for 2008, so it seems to be just a US model from now on. People looking for a 'sports' Buell will only have the 1125R to choose from here, with the only XB platforms remaining being the S and the X series. Interestingly, it appears that the UK price of the new Harley XR1200R will come in at around the same as the XB lineup at GBP8200 (GBP300 less than the 1125R but slightly more than the XBS bikes). A Harley spokesman said it will be available in 'early' 2008. I still think this bike will attract buyers who still hanker after the tube frame Buells of old, and will eventually provide a home for the XB motor range when Buell put it out to pasture. This would then leave Buell free to go down a more focussed performance route exclusively using the new Helicon engine. | ||
| 12r |
+1 The XB is dead in the water over here, which is a great shame as I (and probably many other riders new to the Buell family) really thought the XB platform was going somewhere. Light, responsive, compact, nimble and usably fast on our gnarly roads, Buell had (almost) made the perfect road bike. *sigh*  | ||
| Mikej |
I'm going to assume that if the demand builds then dealerships will begin charging an over MSRP premium for their allocations, same game as before only applied to Buells instead of Harleys. Just a hunch. |
