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Hootowl
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 02, 2010 - 05:19 pm: | 
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That's just dead sexy. |
Macbuell
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 02, 2010 - 05:23 pm: |
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Are under mounted mirrors supposed to convince me that this bike is special? |
Jasonnennig
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 02, 2010 - 05:23 pm: |
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48 HATE IT |
Rex
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 02, 2010 - 05:49 pm: |
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This was on the market before the 48 was. I like it better. REX |
Ustorque
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 02, 2010 - 06:01 pm: |
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Are under mounted mirrors supposed to convince me that this bike is special?
No they are supposed attract you cause you are young and cool!
If this is the kind of thing that HD scrapped buell for, then good F'n riddance to HD! Erik and all involved are better off! I'm glad i became a buell owner 4 years ago when i had the chance, and to own a truly well made motorcycle that was built by people that love motorcycles and not just an image. HD could have learned a lot from Buell, and I have a feeling over the next few years They will and they will not like what they learn.
 |
Mndwgz
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 02, 2010 - 06:23 pm: |
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Re: the first vid, I like how they threw in the "own it for around $7 a day" Sure, let's see; $7 x 365 x 5 years = $12,775 for the $10,500 bike + $2,275 financing at what rate today? + title, tax, set-up, etc. Is the moco trying to pay down some of their loans? I think I'll pass and build my own, if I wanted something like that. Oh, wait, I really don't. |
Brumbear
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 02, 2010 - 07:14 pm: |
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Was at Bergan Harley Davidson in NJ today man there were alot of people looking at BMW's nobaody looking at crome crows |
Oddball
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 02, 2010 - 08:22 pm: |
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"I notice the part about "one per dealer" seems absent. I suppose they'll be telling us it's "rare" and therefore sells for $2,000 over MSRP.
Frankly . . . I suspect HD will soon be paying the price for all the folks they gave the "either you take it at that price or someone else will" line several years ago.
I'd be interested in the 48 at around $6,500."
I've got to agree with you Court. Seen that way of sales since the 80's and each time it's years before I'd look again at HD. Over 10K is nuts for it, the nightster and the xr. All of them need at minimum the 3K drop I suggested. Saw a dealer drop the XR down to 8K and they went from about 6 to 1 on the floor a couple weeks later.
At $6500 I'd strongly consider it. Can't help but think all sportsters would look (and perform) better with thunderstorm engines. Or atleast XR engines. |
Court
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 02, 2010 - 08:40 pm: |
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Here's the deal . . it's my personal opinion . . with regard to the "48" and the XR1200.
I love Sportster. Probably owned as many of them at one time as anyone here. I am nuts for the look of them. I bought my first one, 1 of 2,106 1987-1/2 XLH 883 "Huggers" in 1987. Bought the XLCR and XR-1000 within 2 months. I was a Sportster manic.
But there's a "look" to the Sportster . . part of it's the tank, part is the way the thing sits.
I'm reminded of Heisenberg as he attempted to explain why one can not simultaneously know, with certainty, both the speed and momentum of an atom. The more you pursue one, the further you get from the other.
When I go . . as an example to look at the XR1200 my first thought is a muted "wow". Then I look at the price and my enthusiasm doesn't so much go away as it gets displaced.
It works something like this . . . I start looking at the XR and then I start seeing all the places that it DOESN'T look like a "real XR".
Then I see that $6,000 (no clue what the actual price was . . I bought mine for $3,995) . . . compare it to the $12,000 and then start the . . "hey, I could buy the 883 for $6,000 . . put $4,000 into it and have EXACTLY what I want".
With me?
Apparently a lot of folks are the XR, after running two years past scheduled intro (recall those 2 years of "any day now") and tens of millions of dollars over budget has sold less than 500 units at retail making it one of the greatest failures in the history of Harley-Davidson.
I'm getting from a couple dealer folks that the "48" is going to be a "one per dealer" gig to draw "younger" customers into showrooms.
Put that "48" at $12,000 and a Buell XBTT @ $8,000 in a parking lot and see where the young crowd forms. |
D_adams
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 02, 2010 - 08:55 pm: |
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Pfffft, put the 48 at $8000 and the 1125R at $12500, I'd still buy the f*&king 1125R, every time. Hell, put any HD model up there against the 1125 for those prices, I'd buy mine again. I paid full price in June of 08, I'd still pay it today if it was the only way to get one.
PS, Thanks Erik!
You know, come to think of it, even if they GAVE me a HD, I'd sell it outright and buy another Buell.
(Message edited by d_adams on February 02, 2010) |
Oddball
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 02, 2010 - 09:16 pm: |
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All depends on if they come in as new riders with leather and chrome in their dreams or riders who love to corner. With little experience, they may not see the shortcomings in the sportster family as-is. They also may fall for the cool badass marketing. But I think budget restraints may dampen that for the foreseeable future.
My brother rides my old bandit. He loves that bike as much as i ever did. But I haven't been able to get him interested in a buell. Once I get the city-x broken in maybe I'll get him on it and spark some interest. He definitely likes his wife's Nightster and she loves it. |
Just_ziptab
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 02, 2010 - 11:33 pm: |
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The only good looking Sportsters are the ones that have that lettering on the lower triple tree cover.........XLCH! 1967 for example
Tin primary,no turn signals,magneto ignition,Cobra seat,buck horn bars,Sportster script on the peanut,no battery to dick with,bobbed fenders,rubber tail lamp assembly an and if you look close,I have an UNDERMOUNT mirror,inboard of the clutch lever perch. I though that was my idea. The damned thing was a flawless crown jewell of my builds. Wish I still had it. Everybody wanted to buy it..not for sale...till I HAD to sell it to pay for a big assed hole in my front yard with a new 3" PVC pipe in it and then covered with cement. |
Jon
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 - 12:03 am: |
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It would be tough to buy from Harley, but all prejudice aside, I like the bike. |
Blake
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 - 09:06 am: |
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I'll start looking at Harleys when there are once again new Buells being sold nationwide. The basic single seat Sportster has been on of my favorite Harley models from an aesthetics perspective for a long time. |
Elvis
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 - 09:22 am: |
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+10,000 Blake.
I've never been a fan of cruisers, but I have at least had a romantic interest in Harleys and thought I might get one some day when I had enough money and room to have several bikes in the garage.
. . . but until Harley sells the Buell rights, I won't put one dime in their pocket, and I'm going to vent to anyone who will listen about just what I think of Harley management and why I won't support them until that happens. |
Court
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 - 10:35 am: |
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Pretty much where I am . . . . I saw another FLH in my life and we'd looked at a Sportster for Vick.
Until the time comes that they "unscrew" Erik Buell I will continue to write letters, preach to my students and other faculty at Columbia , find a way to get it in every speech I give and in every conversation I have with Wall Streeters and journalist in NYC . . . just how screwed up and out of touch Harley-Davidson is.
You'd be amazed at how much interest there is in Buell among folks who have never ridden a motorcycle.
Erik Buell and The Elves were on the cusp of a new dawn for American Manufacturing. |
Jasonnennig
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 - 11:01 am: |
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The designers at HD are on some sort of big retro, nostalgia kick. They think we all, especially young guys, REALLY want to time travel back in time to the fifties or something and ride the chopped down machines, the so called, cool bunch rode then. Maybe Willie G. has those outdated dreams of youth, but not me. God, look at the way he dresses, can you say "hot Rod Culture". He's stuck in the past, just like HD as a whole. It would be like GM re-tooling and only selling 57 Chevy like retro cars. They may sell a few, but that's no way to run a modern company. Court, for being an old guy (hahaaa), your right this time. If you parked a 48 and a Trick modern sport bike in a room with young buyers. The 48 is not the bike the vast majority of people there are going to be drooling over. Regardless of how many young goons, dressed just like Willie, are there to try to talk it up and make it look like the shit to pay top $$$ for...HD has to wake up and embrace change or else they are DOOMED. |
Dano_12s
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 - 11:02 am: |
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I'm in the same mindset-lost alot of respect for H.D. Even if they let Buell free I can't say I'll be a customer again.
I blame it on pure GREED.Now if EBR somehow starts producing road legal machines...Dang,now where is that UPS truck with my EBR+American Sport Bike order?!PS haven't bought HD parts since Oct. |
Grancuda
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 - 11:15 am: |
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Jasonnennig - The designers at HD are on some sort of big retro, nostalgia kick. They think we all, especially young guys, REALLY want to time travel back in time to the fifties or something and ride the chopped down machines, the so called, cool bunch rode then. Maybe Willie G. has those outdated dreams of youth, but not me. God, look at the way he dresses, can you say "hot Rod Culture". He's stuck in the past, just like HD as a whole. It would be like GM re-tooling and only selling 57 Chevy like retro cars. They may sell a few, but that's no way to run a modern company. Court, for being an old guy (hahaaa), your right this time. If you parked a 48 and a Trick modern sport bike in a room with young buyers. The 48 is not the bike the vast majority of people there are going to be drooling over. Regardless of how many young goons, dressed just like Willie, are there to try to talk it up and make it look like the shit to pay top $$$ for...HD has to wake up and embrace change or else they are DOOMED
Have you not seen the "new" Camaro which is styled after a '69 camaro or the new Mustang which is styled after '69 mustang or the Challenger which is styled after '70 Challenger. I believe that the old looking bikes/cars are more popular than you think.
The 48 vs new sport bike drooling question is also wrong, the majority of younger people are going to like the 48. The sport bikes are way over done and people have seen them in every color with about every variation you can come up with. I have had quite a few 20 somethings ask about my S1 and not know what it is and say they were planning on selling their sport bike and buying a cruiser but want something sporty still. |
Jasonnennig
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 - 11:24 am: |
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Grancuda,
I put more than a few miles on a friends new 09' Camaro SS. The car is an Overweight TURD. It's ALL motor...ALL it has going for it is looks. My old 2000' Toyota Celica handles better and is more fun to drive.
You can keep keep the Camaro!!!!
The new Mustang is a better car, but not worth 35 or 40 large for the sporty model, IMHO...
And Cuda, I'm not an oddball in terms of what I like. I know most younger guys see thing my way. We will just see who sells more sportbikes. Honda, suzuki and the rest- or HD with the new 48, to younger buyers.
(Message edited by jasonnennig on February 03, 2010)
(Message edited by jasonnennig on February 03, 2010) |
Court
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 - 11:36 am: |
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How those new Camaros from the bankrupt company selling? |
Grancuda
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 - 12:15 pm: |
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From what I read they are selling better than the bikes from the closed down motorcycle company.
I don't like the new camaros, mustangs or challengers.
I don't really like any of the Buells except for the S1, X1, Early M2 and kind of like the CR. |
Court
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 - 12:17 pm: |
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Just to make sure . . . is this the same Camaro, the 2010,that you are talking about ?
quote:After fits and starts, the Camaro rollout hit another pothole this week when GM confirmed to Camaro-enthusiast website Camaro5.com that the company is suspending shipments of Camaro SSs (V8-engined) with manual transmissions while engineers investigate reports of failed output shafts.
It isn't yet known if GM will recall manual-transmission Camaro SSs already sold, but one insider tells AutoObserver it is unlikely given the low numbers involved. Through June, Chevrolet sold a total of 15,397 Camaros, but manual-transmission SS models represent a markedly smaller population.
In January, GM delayed Camaro production for one month, pushing back the start of production at its Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, assembly site from February 16 to March 16 as engineers grappled with quality-control and supplier issues.
From there, the Camaro has endured a litany of confirmed and anecdotal quality problems perhaps most entertainingly characterized by an unintentionally humorous list posted at Camaro5.com to help potential new owners scour their Camaro for quality issues reported by other buyers.
The lengthy -- and sometimes hilarious -- checklist includes such worrying entries as loose oil-pan bolts and oil-cooler leaks; "mismatched paint on parts of the vehicle;" hoods that won't unlatch, intermittent air-conditioning operation; loose emblems and interior trim pieces and misaligned and poorly fitting body panels.
The entire checklist of 65 items the forum suggests new owners inspect before taking Camaro delivery can be found on the Web site's forum here.
For some fun . . go to the link . . . there were so many problems that the Camaro fan club removed the list of problems. |
Court
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 - 12:46 pm: |
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For the record .... I really like the looks of the new Camaro. But I wouldn't pay 5k for one from a bankrupt company owned and controlled by the government.
Given the huge losses they are reporting, as Ford reported a $1,000,000,000 profit in the 3rd quarter, I am not alone.
Harley, reading the stories coming over the wire this morning about their looming interest payments, may soon be in the same boat. See Harley's Amazing Downhill Ride in the current issue of Fortune. |
Cyclonedon
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 - 12:54 pm: |
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I'll start looking at Harleys when there are once again new Buells being sold nationwide.
I agree! For me personally, Buell was the only reason I went to the Harley dealers.
I simply refuse to support a company run by a total idiot like Wandell! |
Reindog
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 - 01:31 pm: |
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I sold all of my HOG stock on October 14, 2009 and used the proceeds to purchase an 09 XB12XP that same day. I have no need to ever reenter a HD dealership unless it is for warranty work. |
Jaimec
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 - 02:18 pm: |
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I held out a little longer, but eventually dumped all of my HOG stock and rolled it into VZ, which has been nicely profitable so far (and they pay a better dividend, too). |
Oddball
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 - 02:20 pm: |
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I wonder if after the moco shrinks to the level of demand and the economy finally reaches bottom, they make the former Buell look like a huge company?
Retro/ nostalgia designs will have an appeal for a long time but it's a small segment. For the boomers, who were around back then it's reliving youth. For the rest it's playing a bit enjoying what was (if truly an old machine) and imagining your there.
Look at the song they picked "I love the way we were".
For GenX'ers and beyond sport bikes have been the thing. I think fondly of designs 20-25 years ago. Compared to the cutting edge now they are way out of date but they were fun and still comfortable.
I'd love to see them evolve designs more. Changing some visual aspects and physical designs for a better machine. Sure it wouldn't look as much like it's kin from decades ago but would give it a newer foothold in the current generations. Others have pointed out the diverse offerings from BMW and other makers. They could do that as well if they chose but they stay with what they know and feel safe doing.
I do have to wonder what would have become of the VR1000 had they listened to Erik more and used his design. I might have been riding a powerful liquid cooled HD sportbike a decade ago. Or the XB/1125 would have been on the market as much as a decade sooner. Wonder how different the market would be now if that were so? Ah, to dream. |
Cityxslicker
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 - 04:53 pm: |
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You can try and capture the look of the original... but if it doesnt of the 'it' factor, you are pulling your own chain and wasting your time.
Witness the The Ford Thunderbird redeux...
For a couple that are working?...
new Beetle, new Mini Cooper,
I consider the "48" on par if they were to bring back the Matador... |
Oddball
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 - 07:14 pm: |
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The T-bird never captured the look of the original. It was almost a tribute to the original corvette. |
Rainman
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 - 10:31 pm: |
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When I sold my Sportster to buy a house and rode only the Old Wing daily for 5 years, I lost the need for an HD. Still love Sportsters, but I don't want a low, don't want a custom. The XR would work for me -- I'm not into a need for speed or strafing every corner, just riding long and often -- but not after riding an XB12Ss.
That bike was perfect in the way it handled, the horsepower, the torque, the weight. It was The Sportster. I don't want to accept anything less, so I'll stick with my Blast until Buell is born again or someone steals the design. |
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