| Author | Message | ||
     Ft_bstrd |
With the recent announcement of the departure of the Buell brand, do you anticipate an impact on future HD sales? As current Buell owners and fans age and move into the cruiser realm, do you think the way Buell was handled by HD will affect your decision to buy a HD product in the future? | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
I will never buy a HD product again! | ||
| Rocketsprink |
There is no decision to make. H-D is dead to me. | ||
| Pkforbes87 |
At 22, I'm far from the ideal rider to speculate on how my motorcycle tastes will change, but I don't think someone who really "gets" Buell is ever going to reach a golden age and transition to a Harley. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Maybe that is/was part of the problem. | ||
| P_squared |
do you think the way Buell was handled by HD will affect your decision to buy a HD product in the future? That's an easy question to answer right now. The chances of me buying any HD product off the showroom floor right now is about zip, zilch, zero, nada. Doesn't mean I'd pass up a good second hand deal though via private sale. Give it a few years and see what happens with Erik's 200 yr. plan & I might step foot back into a dealership then, but don't bet on it. | ||
| Gowindward |
"As current Buell owners and fans age and move into the cruiser realm" WHAT???? Because I get old I have to ride a cruiser???? Oh come on! I'm a sport bike rider and always will be a sport bike rider. | ||
| P_squared |
but I don't think someone who really "gets" Buell is ever going to reach a golden age and transition to a Harley. Maybe that is/was part of the problem. Remind me to introduce you to my father-in-law sometime. The quintessential "grizzled biker" who "only rides Harleys". He was p!$$ed when I sold my X1 without giving him 1st dibs on it. Motorcycle enthusiasts appreciate a good motorcycle for its intended purposes. There was some crossover between Buell & HD owners. I see that drastically diminishing now, at least from 1 direction. | ||
| Skiaddict |
There is no decision to make. H-D is dead to me. +1000 I will never set foot in an HD dealership again. If anyone from HD is listening:  | ||
| Oldog |
No harley ever.. chrome couches are not for me, form follows function.. I hope that parts will be available for the 1125 for a good while =( With Buell gone, I will go back to metric. I wonder if rotax will make parts avaialble in leu of HD the suck factor is through the roof, watching Eriks message broke my heart..... | ||
| Swordsman |
Well one thing's for certain: they just prmanently lost 3% of their profits!  ~SM (Message edited by Swordsman on October 15, 2009) | ||
| Acav80 |
I'm sure a cruiser will come into my garage in a few more years. The decision was just made for me...it won't be a HD product. IMO, HD isn't building their bikes for true American riders anymore, they make bikes for wealthy image-seekers. It's too bad, but the closing of Buell is a clear indication that their priorities and values don't match up with mine. | ||
| Bluzm2 |
I'll never set foot in a HD dealer again. Buell parts only... aftermarket if I can. Truly a bad day.. | ||
| Spike |
It's difficult to predict the future since I do not currently intend to buy an HD, but I don't see this affecting my decision. As much as I hate it, I understand the gravity of the situation. It would do no good for HD to keep Buell around a few more years only to have HD fold as a result and take Buell with them the hard way. HD does not exist solely to keep Buell afloat. | ||
| Fast1075 |
I bought Buell because it was the only American sportbike. I personally couldn't give a rat's banana about owning a road couch...harley or otherwise... At this point, I have ZERO motivation to step into a Harley shop except for parts for my bike....or warranty service.... If I outlast Jezebel and need a new bike...it will not be a Milwaukee Vibrator. It pissed me off when they cubed the Blast...now they cubed the whole company...WTF... | ||
| Borrowedbike |
HD sent me a survey last month. I told them then I was only interested in sport bikes. I have no reason to set foot in a shop that does not have sport bikes on the floor. HD has made a business decision that excludes me as a customer, wasn’t my choice it was theirs... | ||
| B00stzx3 |
They can keep their friggin chrome. Good job killing the promising American Sportbike there Harley. Oh well, you'll still have the yuppie weekend warriors to sell to. They never liked Buell anyways. | ||
| Drkside79 |
If i ever want an American cruiser it will be a Victory if i want a touring bike it will be a BMW or a Honda. Screw HD Sorry Fatty! | ||
| Slaughter |
We've got a couch in the living room, will never have one in the garage. | ||
| Jssport |
You can be pissed off if you want,.... ... but HD gave this co a chance to make it, if not for HD, you're Buell experience would have been almost nonexistent. This is a business, not a charity with warm fuzzy's all around. If they were making a profit they would still be in business. I will miss Buell, I was seriously looking at an 1125CR. | ||
| Steve_mackay |
Here's to hoping that Victory makes a sportbike in the future! | ||
| P_squared |
If they were making a profit they would still be in business. Based on quarterly reports, I'm pretty sure Buell was doing better than most, if not all, of their competitors from a profit/loss standpoint, % unit sales, etc. They definitely weren't a "big" part of HD's income/expense, but they were carrying their own weight. I also have to wonder how you go from spending money on a new motor from Rotax and winning the AMA DSB championship to shutting the doors from a purely business standpoint. I hope there's more of this story yet to be written & read. I'm only on year 26 of a 200 yr. story. | ||
| Rocketsprink |
at the East Troy formerly H-D owned Buell factory! | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
I'm gonna take a flaming bag of poo and toss it on the door step of the PDC. | ||
| Xl1200r |
I probably am not too likely to purchase another HD product at this point. I've owned them in the past, own one currently, but this is so sickening that I wouldn't feel any remourse going to a foreign marque for another bike. I really like HDs products, but at this point I feel extremely ousted by them and I don't wish to reward them for that. | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
Maybe this is one of the reasons the BUELL name was taken off the Blast.... Gotta keep making something for Riders Edge.... | ||
| Koz5150 |
Steve_mackay - A victory sportbike... Gotta wonder if they are thinking about that at all now? Lord know's they have access to the technology with all the snowmobile and jetski engines they have. | ||
| Balloyd66 |
will never even buy a HD t-shirt again, much less a bike | ||
| Buellhusker |
Victory is already a major owner of KTM But it would be nice if they would come to the rescue of the Buell line. | ||
| 1313 |
Quite honestly, after H-D's foolish (IMHO) decision, I can't see myself EVER buying another Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Heck, I'm even contemplating getting rid of my V-Rod, 1313 |
