| Author | Message | ||
     Boltrider |
Court, don't forget Mr. Cash!!! | ||
| Midknyte |
A picture is worth a thousand words... To paraphrase a famous person, "That's an inaccurate picture" Here's a better one,  | ||
| Davegess |
Bill was one our first customers. those dealers who signed up to take bikes on "the cruise" really got this whole deal off the ground. | ||
| Rocketman |
Ever considered Erik is the Devil, and those that can't steer the mother ship through rough waters fear him! Rocket | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I believe HD is in REAL trouble. Consider the departure of Buell and MV as the last efforts of the ship's crew tossing the coal and fuel oil overboard in an effort to offload ballast. I don't think they had any intention of offloading Buell in this fashion. I think this is also one of the reasons Buell is not being sold like MV. I believe that HD is hoping that they can weather the storm and start up Buell again soon. If the company craters, Buell won't matter and the little bit they could get from the sale of Buell won't matter. | ||
| Court |
>>>I don't think they had any intention of offloading Buell in this fashion. I think they did it poorly. Make no mistake . . there's a damn good reason they are crushing Buell and putting MV on the block . . . | ||
| Rex |
I just got a call from Chandler HD Buell in Chandler Arizona. Some CR's are coming their way. Hope they are black..rex | ||
| Cataract2 |
Court, if that's so then what was it? | ||
| Teddagreek |
Just my feelings... Sometimes I get the feeling Buell made some people at HD Jealous.. Especially the racing part... I can how some executive in a board room shouting that should be Harley.. Maybe its just the magazines I read but its seemed buell got more story's... Speaking of Crossroads.... | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Make no mistake . . there's a damn good reason they are crushing Buell and putting MV on the block . . . I think MV had a lot farther to go before it was going to be a profitable venture for HD, but it was much less "integrated" into HD and thus easier to sell. | ||
| Xbduck |
Hey folks just to give some perspective on this "to integrated" crap, I used to work for DuPont. A few years back as the petroleum based textile fibers market started to slide south, Uncle Dupee created a textile fibers division, DTI. They said nothing to worry about, it's to integrated into the company to leave behind, we just want to structure it so we can watch it. Within a year we had people "splitting systems" to stand alone. Within 3 years we were sold to Koch (say coke not kotch) Petroleum. Point is, if they want to sell you they will find a way. | ||
| Xbduck |
Court your right about MV, if HD had crushed MV they would have never gotten another HD bike into Italy as long as HD existed. Not a big market, however do you really want to piss-off an entire country, especially one in the European Union? | ||
| Rocketman |
Actually, now the Lisbon treaty things being swept, sorry sorted, make that European Superstate! Rocket | ||
| Court |
MV was never a threat . . . if sold . . to triple sales the next year and make folks at HD look like idiots for their legendary marketing failure with Buell. | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
My take is that the H-D that bought into Buell in the nineties is not the same H-D that made recent decisions. Has anybody like Teerlink or Beals made any comment since Oct 15? And where is Willie G these days? | ||
| Court |
Has anybody like Teerlink or Beals made any comment since Oct 15? No. And where is Willie G these days? He's long ago been relegated to figurehead status. He, I'd bet, would be ashamed of the last two HD projects that were shoved through the pipe. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I think Erik and Flick should have offices across the hall from each other. Actually...strike that. Knowing those two, the "hall" would be a race trailer. Still preferable to the current situation. As long as they let Kim drive, that is  | ||
| Davegess |
I'm thinkin' you folks are straying dangerously close to the truth. Be careful someone could get hurt. | ||
| Gohot |
FT Bstrd, I think you hit it right on the head, period.... I say !!period!! | ||
| Court |
>>>I'm thinkin' you folks are straying dangerously close to the truth. Be careful someone could get hurt. That's an accurate statement . . . writing as this discussion takes place. | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
Hey Court.... can ya give us a crumb... I twig... something to hold onto? | ||
| Bott |
yea yea yea- what Wolfridge said!!! and please no more o' that "sit down, shut up hang on"  | ||
| Rocketman |
The threat was Erik heading up HD and the cheese maker grated! Rocket | ||
| Sphere79 |
Sphere79, I am pretty sure it is covered in the book and besides it is a good read. The part about how they came to be sold in dealerships is an interesting one. If you want I can send you my copy. Thanks but I want my own! I was checking my local B&N the other day for it, I'm gonna have to get it online. I'm ashamed to say I don't know all the details and history of Buell like I should. I'm basically a human Pink Floyd encyclopedia but it's all old knowledge acquired when I was in high-school and my brain was a sponge. The S2 was not Buell's first street bike. It was Buell's first real production bike, no? Damnit where's that book. And stop it with the Pheonix motorcycles crap. I'm not saying I like it either. But who knows, if the split with Harley (or the contracts stipulate it) was too nasty he may not even be able to call them "Erik Buell Motorcycles". It could end up like Fender guitars did - Leo Fender sold the brand to CBS (who started mass producing and lowering costs / quality) and eventually started making real handmade "Fenders" again as G&L guitars. Originally he changed headstock and body shapes so as to avoid litigation. Nowadays he will license back his designs for some models so he can make G&L Strats and Telecasters without getting sued. I guess we'll eventually find out what is in-store for Erik and any future plans. It sucks things had to go down this way, I really hope it ends up ultimately being a positive thing. Yea I know, tell that to the folks without jobs. I've experienced a corporate plant shutdown before - it's a strangely sad thing to go through. I couldn't help but feel like it was something I did and take it personally, even though it was just the usual "we can make it cheaper somewhere else". But in this case it's absolutely no fault of the great folks at BMC and I think they all felt that on the 26th..... | ||
| Hughlysses |
It could end up like Fender guitars did - Leo Fender sold the brand to CBS (who started mass producing and lowering costs / quality) and eventually started making real handmade "Fenders" again as G&L guitars. Originally he changed headstock and body shapes so as to avoid litigation. Nowadays he will license back his designs for some models so he can make G&L Strats and Telecasters without getting sued. Fender actually started two companies after he sold Fender Musical Instruments; don't forget Music Man which was the first company he started after Fender. BTW, Leo died in 1991. Being the musician he is, I can imagine Leo Fender's business dealings have been on Erik's mind more than once since 15 October.  | ||
| Jammin_joules |
F_Skinner +++1 I lived in two states prior to Colorado since Buell started to be seen at H-D dealers. None were ever within convenient reach of me. Once moving here in 1999, the local dealer, I now work at, got them as soon as a new owner took over. I can't tell you how many Buell owners I have met because of my association with this dealership. Additionally, a large number of our Buell customers were Harley owners, most still are. It would be a far smaller reach Buell had if it were not for the infusion of cash that Harley gave unto Buell. Unfortunately it's the bed fellow we're now stuck with, errr.... by. | ||
| Sphere79 |
BTW, Leo died in 1991. I guess I need the Fender book too... I do know G&L's are fairly expensive and they only sell them new at smaller shops. Kind of like what could happen if Erik started doing smaller numbers on a new bike with an independent fabrication shop. Though he'd have to use off the shelf engines, I doubt they'd have the budget for a Helicon (or similar) in that scenario. If he was going to focus on racing I wouldn't envision the above happening. But maybe when (more like if) the economy picks up a larger manufacturer would be interested in a partnership? I've heard Rotax builds Championship worthy engines..... | ||
| Ratbuell |
I do know G&L's are fairly expensive and they only sell them new at smaller shops. Kind of like what could happen if Erik started doing smaller numbers on a new bike with an independent fabrication shop. Though he'd have to use off the shelf engines, I doubt they'd have the budget for a Helicon (or similar) in that scenario. MAN, do you need that book. Sounds just about exactly like The Barn Days, when they were literally handbuilding bikes on wood stands, with componentry sourced from various vendors. Want to borrow a copy? I have one that's not autographed that I can loan ya until you get your own.... | ||
| Sphere79 |
Alright, I just ordered 25 Years of Buell. Hopefully if I make it the 2010 Buell Home(less)coming I can get mine signed. I'm willing to ride to Wisconsin from Connecticut (I'm getting a seat upgrade this winter) on my little Blast if I haven't acquired an XB by then. However, the wife wants to go (why, I'm not sure - it's probably jealousy) which would require flying or driving. I'd much rather ride - even a measly Blast. I think I can convince her that I love Buell's but not as much as her..... | ||
| Court |
GuitarMan just opened a new shop near me that is carrying G&L. I did not know the background . . . interesting. I'm going to look closer. |
