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Davegess
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 21, 2002 - 04:20 pm: | 
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The last time Motorcycle dot com left their back door open, Tiffany Amber Thiessen got out.
I do remember that. HD was not happy.
Dave |
José_Quiñones
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 21, 2002 - 10:10 pm: |
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Right side of the VR and REVO
Left side of the VR and REVO
For comparison Aprila RSV1000 Engine left and right
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José_Quiñones
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 21, 2002 - 10:25 pm: |
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Quote:Erik Buell's contribution to the VR Program was the frame.
Kevin Cameron, Race Watch, Cycle World, May 2001, page 90.
Quote:The VR program came into being in the late 1980s. Although Erik Buell and perhaps others designed chassis for it, it was Englishman Mike Etough's design that was built.
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Court
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 22, 2002 - 06:31 am: |
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The VR program came into being in the late 1980s. Although Erik Buell and perhaps others designed chassis for it, it was Englishman Mike Etough's design that was built.
Not sure wha this discussion is, but the above statement is true. At the time, Erik Buell was augmenting his family income by doing contract design work (by the way, for several companies).
Erik would leave the Mukwonago quonset hut and I remember loading the computer in the truck of the aging Audi to be hauled home for the "2nd 8 hour job" of the day. When the wife left for the hospital (nurse), Erik headed home to sit the girls and work on a chassis.
If Erik's design was not the one that ultimately evolved on the race bike don't fret.....I smile every time I see the Erik Buell designed street bikes that no one knows he designed.
Hey...times were tough.
Court |
Two_Buells
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 22, 2002 - 12:20 pm: |
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I smile every time I see the Erik Buell designed street bikes that no one knows he designed......
can you say GSXR????? |
Jim_M
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 22, 2002 - 12:30 pm: |
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I thought the Hayabusa was based on some of Erik's work? |
Mfell2112
| | Posted on Thursday, June 20, 2002 - 05:41 pm: |
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When did Erik work with Suzuki on the GSXR or BUSA?
Mike |
Jrh
| | Posted on Thursday, June 20, 2002 - 06:24 pm: |
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My 0 cents worth on what i'd like to see Buell do for a sport touring bike,nothing.Keep the Buell line focussed only on high-performance;light weight,super brakes,and handling,+ Double current power(whatever it takes)So what if it costs $15000.
If i ever took a tour it would be in a car,why mutate a motorcycle into a big lumbering car?
All or nothing is my choice.Sport Touring=nothing |
Court
| | Posted on Thursday, June 20, 2002 - 07:45 pm: |
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"Based on", not "worked with"
But...I am unaware of any attibute to the Hayabusa. I am with the GSXR, to the extent that many folks pretty much saw the "bumble bee" tailsection as being "stolen" from Erik Buells bag o' tricks. |
Jrh
| | Posted on Thursday, June 20, 2002 - 08:12 pm: |
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Court
Since you mentioned the bumblebee look as being an Erik Buell thing,i'm wondering,did he or someone else come up with the S1 asthetics?(imo just about the best of any motorcycle)
Thanks if you can answer |
Davegess
| | Posted on Thursday, June 20, 2002 - 08:15 pm: |
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The S1 is pretty much an Erik deal. Mike S. had a great deal to do with it but Erik was the driving force. |
Jrh
| | Posted on Thursday, June 20, 2002 - 08:23 pm: |
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Dave
That's just what i was hoping to hear,maybe there's some more of that type styling to come.
Thanks |
Henrik
| | Posted on Thursday, June 20, 2002 - 10:59 pm: |
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Quote:All or nothing is my choice.Sport Touring=nothing
Jrh, that's a fairly closed minded statement, that could lead someone into thinking (wrongfully, I'm sure) that you don't exactly know what you're advising against? 
Respectfully
Henrik |
Court
| | Posted on Friday, June 21, 2002 - 06:29 am: |
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Ditto what Father G said. . . the S1 was "Erik Unchained". Mike S handles details and fitment.
My first glimpse at Erik's genius, in the aesthetic design phase, occured during the very early portion of the Thor (later to become the BLAST) project. That's a story that'll need telling someday. |
Blastin
| | Posted on Friday, June 21, 2002 - 09:33 am: |
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Hey Court,
It's someday, today. Spill the story please. Since I can't ride my Blast this weekend. (Waiting on a new rear subframe after sending my poor Blast off the road and down a hill. It crashed supprisingly well though.  )
Thanks,
Jerry |
Jrh
| | Posted on Friday, June 21, 2002 - 09:53 am: |
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Henrik
Well,i do have to admit i could be way off,having never ridden a modern,built for touring machine(unless you consider a Goldwing a motorcycle)A long time ago i rode way too many customers bikes that had Vetter Windjammer fairings + huge,heavy, varnished wood beer boxes bolted on top of chromed steel luggage racks that stuck out at least 6" past the back of the rear tire.I had to work Saturdays + more often than not,a group of these guys would show up right about quitting time with "funny"tire wear problems,or broken giant chrome luggage racks,or want a radio(a huge car type complete with 8track tape player)put in their plastic metalflake paint barndoor U-bolted to front of their bikes.I guess thats where my attitude came from.These particular bikes started out as some of the better machines of their time,but they became mutants thanks to their owners odd ideas and my eating food habit.
Ah,getting that off my chest after so long feels good,kinda therapeutic or something.
Now i just realized why i dont like the looks of the fairing on the XB,it seems to me a smaller Vetter with a broken front mount.
Oh well,i didnt mean to sound so hostile in that last post,im just saying i'd like to see Buell stay totally focussed on the hi-performance streetbike theme.
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Cafébill
| | Posted on Friday, June 21, 2002 - 04:38 pm: |
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Whoa! A Goldwing ain't no sport-tourer...
Most sport-tourers are "gentlemanly" sportbikes with available hard luggage. The S3/S3T are perfect examples. Pull off the luggage and it's a darn good sportbike. Put the luggage on and it's a darn good long distance runner.
My S3 is a ball in the twisties, but it really begs to be rocketing on the interstate at 110 with the hard bags filled for a week long trip... Throw in lots of twisty backroads along the way and THAT'S sport-touring. |
Jrh
| | Posted on Friday, June 21, 2002 - 06:51 pm: |
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Cafebill
Yah,I know a GoldWing's not a sport tourer,sport tourers are like you say,S3s,Futuras,ST4Ss,all those more rational type bikes.I just threw in the GoldWing because to me its the perfect example of a motorcycle that lost the "cycle" somewhere along the way.
Anyway;Mr. or Mrs.Buell lurker,if you're here, give these guys whatever they want for a sporttourer,i give up,its none of my concern,if they want wood beer boxes though,ahh forget it,give em those too. |
Dynodave
| | Posted on Friday, June 21, 2002 - 08:09 pm: |
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I got three letters for ya: K T M!!! The article in Cycle World really puts to rest all that CR*P about how costly a new engine development project would be. From concept to Dyno Run in 12 Months!!! Chr*st, I waited longer than that AFTER the Firebolt Prototypes were running!!! Lessee, just slide THAT puppy in the F-Bolt frame and GO RACING. Plenty of POWER for Touring, too. Just IMAGINE if Buell was standing next to a state-of-the-art engine as opposed to that warmed over 1952 thingie!!! |
Jrh
| | Posted on Friday, June 21, 2002 - 09:39 pm: |
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Yeha! Dynodave,every time i say that i get in trouble,im staying away from that one from now on.Good luck! |
José_Quiñones
| | Posted on Saturday, June 22, 2002 - 07:08 am: |
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Well, to be fair, the engineer that designed the new KTM engine had just finished Aprilias RSV V-Twin, so he had a pretty good idea what what he wanted to do next.
Did you see in that article the pictures of the prototypes, did you see the one with the WHITE HARDBAGS and the exhaust under the tail??????? |
Henrik
| | Posted on Sunday, June 23, 2002 - 11:46 pm: |
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Jrh; it's all in good fun - no blood, no foul ya' know.
I guess my idea of sport touring varies somewhat from what you describe; how about laying out a 4 day trip doing about 250 -300 miles of the most squiggly route you can find between 2 spots? Covering part of Blue Ridge Parkway, NC Route 80 & 221, Route 421 into Kentucky all in one day, just to get up and do it all over (different roads of course ) the next day.
Pack light, bring the old socks & T-shirts and just throw them away after usage. Ship a box of clean clothes to one of your overnight stops midway in the trip. Fit everything in a tank bag and a tail pack, and go corner strafing for 8 hours a day without hitting the same turn more than once.
Now that's Sport Touring 
Henrik |
Jrh
| | Posted on Monday, June 24, 2002 - 10:07 am: |
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Henrik
Oh,thats what you guys call "sport touring".Well...
There's nowhere on earth more beautiful than the Appalacians,but whats a motorcycle got to do with it,man thats CANOE country.Sport tour those ancient rivers full of curves + overhanging cliffs,centuries old trees,deer,hawks,owls,stone wall pasture fences,sunshine,blue sky,avoid those locals from 'Deliverance',.....all from a 17 foot kevlar canoe,thats my kinda sport touring.
Oh yah,you guys who've been posting your photos lately of some of the scenery like i describe above(even though its not shot from inside a canoe sport tourer)Beauty,thanks! |
Court
| | Posted on Monday, June 24, 2002 - 11:44 am: |
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>>>>>From concept to Dyno Run in 12 Months!!!
Wait a minute.....let's make certain that no one thinks that is "concept to commercially suitable for sale".
If so, I urge them to study the homologation requirements. It can take TWICE that long to pass the required tests once the motor is right.
Buell did a similar thing once with an unnamed engine development firm. The "concept to dyno run" period was even less....problem was the transmission locked up on the 1st of 2 "R Bikes" ((running prototypes)).
Development, even "quick" development takes times. The "quickest development" could be similar to the "cheapest heart surgery".
Court |
Court
| | Posted on Monday, June 24, 2002 - 11:46 am: |
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By the way, I am a HUGE KTM fan who lusts for a Duke on the streets of Gotham. KTM releases that bike, I'm a serious candidate....uh..to own it, not to operate it anywhere near it's potential...that, of course, would required my racing bud Henrik's talent. |
Firemanjim
| | Posted on Monday, June 24, 2002 - 12:02 pm: |
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Henrik,AMEN!!!That's just about a perfect description of the All CA Buell Ride we just did.Makes me lust for more. |
Henrik
| | Posted on Monday, June 24, 2002 - 12:47 pm: |
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Jrh: I'm with you on the canoe thing - it's been too long since I went. I used to go canoe touring in Sweden & Norway with my buddy from Denmark. Absolutely the best way to de-stress and let "your soul catch up with you". Bring a fly rod, a few dry's and nymphs (that's for fishing, guys) and I'd be all set.
Buell content: a 4-piece fly rod will fit nicely strapped onto the S2/3 hard bags
Henrik |
Jim_m
| | Posted on Monday, June 02, 2003 - 03:01 pm: |
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Are the Firebolt's control cables long enough to convert the Firebolt to a helibar/clip-on type of set up? or are they too short for that type of modification? |
Darthane
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 04, 2003 - 08:55 pm: |
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GAH!
I put 9S pegs on in preparation for the Northeast Tour. Lowers the pegs an inch, by way of compensation, shifter and brake must come down a similar amount. While adjusting the shiter peg down the linkage bolts SHEARED RIGHT OFF. !#$%ing aluminum hardware. Damn it, nuts and bolts should be made of STEEL!
Now I am faced with the dubious prospect of a dealer around here actually having one in stock. I have a backup plan - thank God for Home Depot - but I'd feel much better with an actual shift linkage on him while riding through the twisties.
GRR!
Bryan |
Darkside
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 04, 2003 - 10:46 pm: |
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Jim_m,
According to Jaime at Heli-Bars the stock cables will be fine. I've included the email I received.
Mac...
Hi Mac,
Thank you for your recent email. We have recently completely the Firebolt project, and your actually the first person that I'm giving any specifics to. What we will be offering is the 'Heli Performer Top Triple Clamp'. We have machined, from billet aluminum, an entire new triple clamp, in which your stock bars will install. Your bars will be 1" taller and 1 1/2" more rearward than the original position, and all of your stock cables and hydraulic lines will work. I should have photos available some time in the next week or so. We will be offering two different finishes, the first being an aluminum machined finish which will be $295.00 plus shipping. We will also offer the Heli Performer in a black anodized finish which will be $320.00 plus shipping. We are hoping to have these available to start shipping in the next few weeks. If there is anything else that I can help you at this time please let me know. Thanks again!
Sincerely,
Jaime / Sales Manager
Heli Modified, Inc. |
Imonabuss
| | Posted on Thursday, June 05, 2003 - 08:03 pm: |
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Dynodave,
From concept to first running protottype on a dyno in 12 months when it's a two cylinder version of an existing single? Why did it take them so long?
To get the prototype engine into production and homologated? Try tens of millions and many years.
Believe that.
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Darthane
| | Posted on Monday, June 16, 2003 - 11:05 pm: |
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From concept to first running protottype on a dyno in 12 months when it's a two cylinder version of an existing single? Why did it take them so long? <~~Imonabuss
The XB and Blast motors share only pushrod covers and one other thing, but damned if I can remember what it is or where I read that little tidbit. Don't let the doubled displacement fool you.
Course, I could just be plain off my rocker. Hell, I know I am, but even so I might be right.
Bryan |
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