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Davegess
| | Posted on Sunday, November 22, 2009 - 07:14 pm: | 
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That anon post pretty much has it covered. |
Ferris_von_bueller
| | Posted on Sunday, November 22, 2009 - 07:35 pm: |
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About time someone explained in plain speak. |
Leatherneck
| | Posted on Sunday, November 22, 2009 - 07:46 pm: |
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I thought it was explained well in the press release. |
Boltrider
| | Posted on Sunday, November 22, 2009 - 08:25 pm: |
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quote:Why does everyone keep talking about a non-compete clause? I haven't heard anyone, including Court, confirm it's existence.
From the Dale Franks blog:
As of this afternoon, Harley Davidson announced that Erik Buell has left the MoCo, and is opening a race shop. His new venture, Erik Buell Racing LLC, will specialize in creating race-use only 1125r motorcycles under a lciense from Harley-Davidson.
As such, he will no longer be an employee of Harley-Davidson, and will once again be directly involved in the motorcycle racing world.
The fascinating question is whether or not this is just a stop-gap venture to take up his time until February 2011, when his no-compete contract with H-D expires, and he is free to join up with another motorcycle company to begin building bikes for the rest of us again.
The full press release from Harley-Davidson is below the fold.
http://dalefranks.com/cycles/index.php/2009/11/ |
Ferris_von_bueller
| | Posted on Sunday, November 22, 2009 - 09:13 pm: |
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Well, Dale Franks is da man. |
Gregtonn
| | Posted on Sunday, November 22, 2009 - 09:39 pm: |
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"When folks here have tried to copy or use Buell's logo, who's come after them?"
Huge difference between logo and name.
G |
Buellinachinashop
| | Posted on Sunday, November 22, 2009 - 10:12 pm: |
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dude...the name is the logo. BUELL is registered. |
Jlnance
| | Posted on Monday, November 23, 2009 - 09:53 am: |
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EBR will do their own production of racing only bikes.
I'm extraordinarily happy for EB and the people working with him to establish this shop. I feel personally connected to these bikes, and I want him to succeed. They have worked too hard and produced such great things to just let it fade away.
Of course it doesn't change my personal situation. I don't race motorcycles and don't really follow motorcycle racing in any serious way. Yesterday I attempted to stop by the Moto Guzzi dealer (out of business) and the KTM dealer (closed) to see if they have anything for me when my Uly wears out. Hopefully I have a couple of years before I have to worry about that.
Which brings me to the press release. It is very pointed in that EBR will only be making race motorcycles. I wonder if that is there to make HD happy or because it is what Erik wants to do.
I really don't know the answer to that. EB has always been upfront about his love of racing. I assume that had he been born rich, that there would never have been any need for him to make street bikes. But he did end up making street bikes. Despite the fact that that might not have been his first choice of what to build, he obviously poured his soul into it and produced some remarkable machines.
So now that he essentially gets to start over, but this time with a race capable engine already designed, I wonder what the long range direction of EBR will be. He has certainly earned the right to build what he wants, and I'm sure that is race bikes. But he built some incredible street bikes along the way, I hope he wants to do that again some day. |
Swordsman
| | Posted on Monday, November 23, 2009 - 10:54 am: |
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While I'm thrilled for Erik and what crew will be going with him, I'm not really sure "what's in it for us"....? Unless you have cash in hand to buy a custom built race-only machine, which I seriously doubt is going to be in the ballpark price range of previously available Buells, I don't see this having much of an impact on the rest of us, good or bad. Maybe some of the 1125 guys will have some EBR aftermarket goodies to play with, but by and large we're all still high and dry. Unless I'm totally missing something (which is quite possible).
~SM |
Hughlysses
| | Posted on Monday, November 23, 2009 - 11:17 am: |
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The line which stood out in Anony's post above is:
quote:The goal is to keep the doors open at the little shop and keep a handful of people employed while other doors into the future are researched.
Setting up the race operation lets Erik walk away from HD and into EBR the next day, hopefully along with a few of his best employees. This keeps the core of BMC together while the legalities and finances are worked out for the next generation of Erik Buell motorcycles, whatever they're called. This has to make it MUCH easier to start a new operation than if everybody scattered the day BMC ceases all operations next month.
The $40 question seems to be how much of the existing design/existing supplier base can be moved straight over BMC to the new operation. I'm sure Erik'll make a go of it even if he has to start from scratch, but it would obviously be much easier if they could start production of the next-generation 1125 using existing designs and suppliers. That's where a letter-writing campaign may still be very beneficial. |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Monday, November 23, 2009 - 12:08 pm: |
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I'm not even a construction worker, so I don't have any facts either.
But the math looks pretty clear to me...
1) Assume you (and more importantly some of your key talent) have an X month non compete agreement. And need to do something other then "wait" for X months.
2) Assume you can get all the existing 1125RR parts for close to "scrap" value.
3) Assume that a race program can be run in such a way as to make it an outstanding research and development program for sporting street bikes.
4) Assume that racing the "dead bike running" will make for a good story for preliminary marketing for some future street bike platform.
5) Assume that a "dead bike running" and winning will make for one *hell* of a good story for preliminary marketing for some future street bike platform.
6) Assume that if you managed to be successful in spite of HD, just how successful you can be with them the hell out of the way.
7) Assume you have done this before. Started from nothing and built something amazing. Done it a few times in fact, and learned some really valuable things each time.
8) Assume you did learn a few smart things from HD (some executives are obviously sociapathic idiots, but some, like Flickinger, are pretty smart and may have nicely complimented your skill set and shown you some pretty neat tricks).
There you sit. An X month window to do the best skunk works development you ever had the the chance to do. Have fun, go race, build a new brand. Then at the end of X months, you then have one heck of a story, maybe a race bike on a podium, and some "leaked" photos of the Baracuda II... which is like the Baracuda I, but even *less* screwed up by Harley Davidson. 
Oh... and Harley is left supporting all the bikes you made prior to his date... while their owners still mostly loathe Harley, and have nothing but the best wishes for your new endeavor. When a Buell sucks, it'll be because of Harley Davidson. But when they don't (most of the time), it'll be because of Buell and Buell employees.
Looking at how Harley ran this whole thing, the phrase "you could screw up a train wreck" comes to mind... There was a tremendous amount of pain caused to fantastic Buell employees, and for that I will have a hard time forgetting. But the rest of it was done so badly it crosses into comical. Factor in the MV Agusta decision, and it reaches the level of an epic tragedy.
But where Erik sits now... it looks like one heck of a fun year in front of him!
Go Buell Racing! |
Court
| | Posted on Monday, November 23, 2009 - 12:18 pm: |
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>>>>But where Erik sits now... it looks like one heck of a fun year in front of him!
That is an accurate statement.
You'd make a good construction worker.
Hurry on the laptop . . . it's headed to East Troy for a month.
 |
Koz5150
| | Posted on Monday, November 23, 2009 - 01:56 pm: |
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Court,
Looks like you should have titled your book "The first 25 Years of Buell" and then been prepared to offer 5 year updates! |
Benm2
| | Posted on Monday, November 23, 2009 - 02:01 pm: |
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quote:Setting up the race operation lets Erik walk away from HD and into EBR the next day, hopefully along with a few of his best employees.
Nice to know Henry Duga will still have a job!
not that I've any information about that. just hopin' I guess |
Rainman
| | Posted on Monday, November 23, 2009 - 03:30 pm: |
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I'm not a construction worker, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn-Express.
Now hand me that Sawzall |
Not_purple_s2
| | Posted on Monday, November 23, 2009 - 04:48 pm: |
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"you could screw up a train wreck"
I believe the phrase would be "you could f' up a wet dream"
Which would be more fitting actually.
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Lemonchili_x1
| | Posted on Monday, November 23, 2009 - 06:00 pm: |
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No comment, just subscribing to the thread |
Gregtonn
| | Posted on Monday, November 23, 2009 - 08:39 pm: |
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Reep,
I was thinking about trying to layout some of the same thoughts, but I certainly couldn't have done it any better than you have.
G |
Sparky
| | Posted on Monday, November 23, 2009 - 08:48 pm: |
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quote:The goal is to keep the doors open at the little shop and keep a handful of people employed while other doors into the future are researched.
"other doors into the future are researched"... Boy, does that phrase get my imagination soaring.
When it comes to imagining the future, I'm reminded of where we've been. We, being sport bike and racing enthusiasts, probably all have seen Michael Czysz and his quest to build a world beating MotoGP racer with its 6X Flex w/Ohlins shock front end and 990 cc Twin Crank/ Triple OHC engine. He was on the verge of greatness when that project got scrapped by a rule change. (Who's been there before?)
The Cyzsz 990 engine is a derivative of the square-four engine that Erik Buell started out with!!! I'm struck by the serendipity of this observation, and maybe I'm taking liberties calling it a square-four engine but, that's what it is, isn't it? (Who's had an engine like this before?)
Wouldn't that engine, front suspension setup and Buell tank/frame chassis be the ultimate world-beater? (Nobody's done this before...)
Imagine the best of American entrepreneurship in one street motorcycle. To hell with the rules!
(Naysayers, Hey, I've got nothing against the 1125 Buell/Rotax engine/powertrain; just thinking out loud here, that's all.) |
46champ
| | Posted on Monday, November 23, 2009 - 11:20 pm: |
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I've just checked out various different online motorcycle news organizations, about 10 of them and guess which one hasn't said a peep about Eric Buell Racing. You guessed it STUPIDBIKEPLANET some things just never change. |
Sphere79
| | Posted on Monday, November 23, 2009 - 11:29 pm: |
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....first they ignore you. I think you know the rest.
Actually, it looks like we're through one cycle of ignore, ridicule, fight then win only to end up back at ignore. That's alright, the process of getting to "win" will be easier this time around.
(Message edited by Sphere79 on November 23, 2009) |
Court
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 - 07:57 am: |
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Reep:
You may want to cut and frame that.
Court |
Mndwgz
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 - 08:10 am: |
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All of it Court? |
Wolfridgerider
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 - 08:28 am: |
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I like the way you think Reepi... |
Davegess
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 - 11:29 am: |
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Bill, excellant post. |
Snowscum
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 - 08:44 pm: |
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Asked about the emotional rollercoaster he's been on since Harley's shock decision to bin his 26-year-old firm Erik says: "I've been worse, I've been better. I try to stay as level as I can these days.
"With all the chaos in the world and all the controversy that can be stirred up these days with partial facts, I think it is a good time for people not to over-react." |
Hughlysses
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 25, 2009 - 04:40 am: |
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Source of Snowscum's quotes above:
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults /General-news/2009/November/nov2409-buell-race-bik es-will-be-competitive/?R=EPI-120348
Very interesting! |
B00stzx3
| | Posted on Friday, November 27, 2009 - 01:41 am: |
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Let the haters choke on their haterade. Good for Erik, dunno what it means for us street guys but I'll be cheering him on stomping imports. And holding onto my aircooled Firebolt baby forever! Long Live Erik Buell.......
As for Harley... all I gotta say is brupbupbrupbupubuprupbrup if ya watch South Park
(Message edited by b00stzx3 on November 27, 2009) |
Spuds
| | Posted on Friday, November 27, 2009 - 11:04 am: |
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hmmmm....interesting set of assumptions Reep. Nicely framed and articulated.
What if, eh? for sure!!
What an interesting and ever-changing world we get to live in!! |
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