| Author | Message | ||
     Jscott |
José had posted this on Sacborg. Though it was a good read... http://raptorsandrockets.com/News/Erik_Buell_Super TT_interview.htm I like the shirt Erik's wearing. | ||
| Snakedriver |
Interesting read. What was even more interesting was the read between the lines. | ||
| Anonymous |
Jscott, The other sleeve has a Buell emblem. Equal billing is nice. | ||
| M1combat |
"The other sleeve has a Buell emblem. Equal billing is nice." Pretty funny how some people just can't see what's not right in front of 'em eh anony? LOL  | ||
| Spatten1 |
What a load of crap about the engine. Politicallty correct to the max. He has to be sick and tired of watching competitors build a purpose built engine for each bike. I'd have much less respect for him if I thought he was being 100% forthright in that answer. Nobody of his caliber would be truely happy with this engine. Lets see, I want a clean sheet frame, clean sheet brakes, high-end suspension, and for the powerplant let's do what we can with this 1984 cruiser bike motor. | ||
| Holling |
I agree Spatten1. Buell is going to slowly fall by the wayside if the parent company does not allow them to build a modern powerplant soon! There are only so many models you can create out of existing models. | ||
| Holling |
Another thought, here in the U.S. everybody wants more power and speed than they can ever use. The Japanese are happy to provide these types of bikes. In Europe, V-twin sportbikes are very popular with the high gas prices and smaller tighter roads. This is why Buell (I believe) sells more bikes over there. | ||
| Spatten1 |
Yeah, but these engines are not close to what we can use. I mean 80-90 rwhp? No need for 170hp, but 125hp in a reliable package is hardly asking a lot. That would be a 10 year old japanese or european design. | ||
| Buellshyter |
HD is going to take care of itself first and if Buell can do something with the shavings that hit the floor then so be it. Otherwise, it doesn't look promising for a new modern engine. | ||
| Buell920 |
shyter don't forget the current XB only meets 2008 CARB requirements. also only a very small hand full of parts retro to an XL. new engine? updated with new tech? they may even get a little trick with the cams. | ||
| Ducxl |
3 cams...as in the newest S&S design maybe? Be nice to think the aircooler can still be further refined with MORE power. | ||
| Spatten1 |
I really do like my bike, and like the true HD engine in it. However, as stated by Holling, you can only use the same forumula for so long before the package becomes a tough sell. | ||
| Pwest |
I think it is funny that he has never ridden any of his competitions bikes. How does he know how much better the buells are? | ||
| Ozymandismotard |
So, what's better? the precision of the incision, or, the speed of the steed ? | ||
| Adrenaline_junkie |
Since Buells already have 4 cams, I doubt they will be backing up to three cams. Buell920 may be onto something if he is suggesting variable valve timing. That could make a difference in engine emissions. | ||
| Teddagreek |
Ducati monsters are great bikes if were comparing apples with apples. A monster will outrun a buell IMO as far as handling better? Well that may be a different story depending on the model? Take stock buell and Monster SR4 or SR4S see which one runs faster? Even better put the Buell and Ducati race Kits on them and see who is faster. I was at one of the local dealers and they had brand new 04 on the floor.... Sad | ||
| Steve_mackay |
Pwest, how do you know he HASN'T ridden competitors bikes? You do realize that HD has a massive fleet of competitors bikes. It's very likely he has ridden the competitors bikes. | ||
| Djkaplan |
The Buell/Sportster based engine stacks up fairly well against the air-cooled DS1000 Ducati engine as far as all out performance. If Buell wants to stick with the XB engine, it would look a lot better in a newly designed frame... maybe a mix of tube frame and aluminum construction to expose more of the engine. That's what I liked so much about the Buell tube framers and Ducati Monsters in the first place. | ||
| Rocketman |
Erik Buell “...........you know although we buy a ton of competitive vehicle, I have never ridden any of them". I too thought it strange that he hadn't ridden any of them given he is referring to a ton of bikes Buell own. That makes me think two things. He's hooked on his own brand or he doesn't want to influence, for better or worse, his designs. Either way I find it strange to look analytically at other bike designs when they're in your ownership yet you don't ride them. Weird. Rocket | ||
| Jlnance |
I too thought it strange that he hadn't ridden any of them I suspect we are missing some context. He obviously has ridden competitors bikes, he used to race them. I also think I remember other interviews where the opposite was said. Perhaps he is refering specifically to the two bikes the interviewer mentioned when he asked the question? | ||
| Spatten1 |
I agree with DJ in that if you are going to keep the lump, let's enjoy seeing it. | ||
| Diablobrian |
I think he was refferring to the hyper-motard style bikes. He owns several other brand bikes that he was storing at the factory during one of my visits. | ||
| Mainstreamer |
What a bunch of BS ... "I don’t want to do any gimmicks" What do you call the number plates on the TT? I think the entire interview is just a lot of cheese cake... feast on my public, feast on! | ||
| Etennuly |
Politically correct! The way answers go when you have something up your sleeve. | ||
| Toona |
Erik Buell “...........you know although we buy a ton of competitive vehicle, I have never ridden any of them". And what would the competition do with a pic of Erik on their bikes? | ||
| Steve_mackay |
Toona, it would be easy to do, getting a pic of Erik on a Yamaha... I pulled up on my S3T about a year ago to Don & Roys in Brookfield, WI. They are a Yamaha, Kawasaki & Honda dealer. I Pulled my helmet off and started walking inside, when a salesman started talking with me... "Ya know, Erik has bought a couple of bikes from us.". I responded "Dirt bikes?", sheepishly, he admitted, "yeah..." So, not only could they have gotten a pic of him *ON* one, they could have framed the sales order... | ||
| Rocketman |
They'd have to be bloody good because we don't get to see the Buells never mind Erik on them before they're launched to the buying public. Rocket | ||
| Anonymous |
I'm sure that Erik was quoted slightly incorrectly there. He hasn't ridden some of the 2006 and later KTM V-Twins, which is what I think he was trying to say; they're not yet in the Buell test fleet. He has ridden everything from BMW to Honda to Aprilia to Suzuki to Ducati twin-cylinder competitors. And he at one time raced Ducatis with a fair amount of success. | ||
| Mortarmanmike120 |
Dan, why change the frame?? Just to see more of the engine, c'mon now. The frame works great and looks great too. Very sleek and clean. If I cared about everybody seeing the engine, I would've bought a sportster or a Duc or a Triumph... To me, the frame is one of the coolest parts of the XB. Now if you could design one BETTER that also allowed more visible engine that would be ok. I'm no metallurgist or welder but in talking to others who are they are very impressed with the weld quality of the frame. There are ALOT of other things I'd change about an XB before I did anything different with the frame. My .02 | ||
| Court |
The words were accurate the thought was not. Tor Sagen, who did the interview, and I visited about this when he sent me a draft copy to look at. Erik's INTENDED words were that he had not ridden the Ducati Hyper-Motard. The context of the conversation, at the moment the question was asked, was the Hyper-Motrard and similar style bikes. He answered he'd not ridden any of them. The way the words fell, in the middle of 40+ hours of travel and 2 days without sleep, in the story it created the misimpression that Erik had ridden no other bikes. The words are accurate, the meaning was not. Tor elected, in the interest of integrity, to leave them as they were. Good call. Hope the facts lay that to rest. Court |
