| Author | Message | ||
     Ferris_von_bueller |
Why would you "respect" a liquidator? | ||
| Hybridmomentspass |
"Maybe the real new owner will reimburse Belfer for the salaries he has been paying." lol | ||
| Hootowl |
Sure feel bad for Bruce. He's put a lot of cash into this only have the football moved at the last second. | ||
| Jaimec |
Sigh. And the latest designs from Victory have pretty much convinced me we won't be seeing a decent sporting standard from them anytime soon either. Just another "Power Cruiser."  | ||
| Midknyte |
Is it possible that this only represents the unfinished inventory? | ||
| Crusty |
I find it interesting that the people who might actually know something are being totally silent. I have to wait until Tuesday to find anything out. I hope the news is totally the opposite of my fears. (Message edited by Crusty on December 12, 2015) | ||
| Henshao |
Victory continues to allege its bikes are "power" Cruisers heh | ||
| Noone1569 |
Bruce Belfer confirmed this a few moments ago on the Facebook discussion | ||
| Ferris_von_bueller |
Where on FB? | ||
| Dave |
https://m.facebook.com/groups/289943317829883?view =permalink&id=558806804276865 EBR 1190 Owners DAve | ||
| Ferris_von_bueller |
Liquidators don't always break up a company. Sometimes, they try to turn a quick profit by selling the business whole. However, EBR isn't a steel mill, etc. and I don't have any confidence this is a positive development going forward. | ||
| Henshao |
Bruce is "choosing his words very carefully." He isn't crying about it so I'm optimistic | ||
| Greg_e |
Sometimes investment groups buy things because they know another company wants it but cant get the money together fast enough... Might get sold again real fast for a small profit, to the right buyer. | ||
| Teeps |
Greg_e Posted on Sunday, December 13, 2015 - Sometimes investment groups buy things because they know another company wants it but cant get the money together fast enough... Might get sold again real fast for a small profit, to the right buyer. Just like house flippers! | ||
| Court |
Money . . . in the instant case of the auction . . . is of little consequence. We're talking about less than most of those involved get for an annual bonus. The challenge and commercial maze requiring navigation is akin to the dog chasing the car . . . . what the hell do you do with it if you catch it. Both Erik Buell and the resulting company present a myriad of both concerns and opportunities. Any investor, possessing commercial logic, will do their own cost / benefit analysis and weigh the fit with their organization and strategy and the commercial possibilities. We, in the Buell community are illogical and irrational. We are fueled by mental momentum, enthusiasm and will. Those things, by the way, can make a border line deal work. Should, for example, Buell fall into leagues with the right person or company, I'm irrevocably convinced that there exists a seething, now mostly dormant, wealth of enthusiasm. I number myself among those, having experienced, enjoyed and reveled in each of the "Buell periods" from barn to bankruptcy and had my life changed for the better as a result. I'm perhaps with the most irrational and rational among the population of the quiet storm of support. I love my irrational side. It takes me back to the online bet that took me to 44 states on a Buell. Those days when HD quietly "sneaked" Buells to me to ride and get thoughts on during development . . those days when I'd leave Kansas, nearly every weekend, and fly all over the country leading enthusiasts with unformed opinions into the wonder which was the Trilogy of Tech and the forming party that was perhaps, rivaled only by the BMW nuts, the most enthusiastic group of folks to ever ride motorcycles. I loved, during those 2 years, attending every IMS show in the country . . . . unpaid and constantly arousing the ire of the Harley folks at the newly formed Buell Distribution Corporation (those folks who went from calling me to tease me about being President of Buell to . . . when I refused to be used to "keep a leash on Erik" . . went to being fairly surly to me) as I took on my personal Buell advocacy anywhere I could find interested folks. Oh how I wish I could recapture one of those moments, or periods in time but . . alas . . But time,tide and technology are fluid. Times have changed. Some luck's been good other luck less good. The Elves, some of the best trained and most in-damand folks in manufacturing, have moved on to great jobs. You can find them every from Executive suites of competitors to engineers for some of the premier names in tools. They are beyond good . . . their passion and pride made them incredible then, it makes them incredible now. Dave Gess, for example, as he approaches 70 . . . has the spirit, vision and exuberance of a 22 year-old. He'll be turning it to writing novels soon and I can not wait to read them. But . . .from an investors point of view . . . there are some things I'd have to consider that make the deal . . .in my eyes evidenced by the lack of any interest (be careful about buying into the "everybody is lined up at the door to get it" hype) shown in both auctions. Motorcycles companies are both expensive to operate and fickle. Long time readers will recall that since my columns in 1995 when folks threatened to "show Erik how to do it" that I often commented that "once you get a sort out, well tested, great motorcycle, ready to go to market . . you are only 3% on your way to having a motorcycle company". There's a lot to it and what Erik Buell and the Elves have done, in the history of American industry, is . . .rightfully so. . . pure legend. It's going to be a while before Erik, like others who've walked the road, gets recognized for what he did and how he did it. He was even able to parlay, unlike Jon Britten, his weaknesses into advantages. He knows his fears, his demons and his own weaknesses and his insatiable thirst to make that "just go ride the motorcycle" dream and show the world the same freedom he found on the Slughi. The business is mean and filled with tough, well funded competition. A firm has to start about 3 years out (Buell has, to the collective credit of the Elves, greatly reduced the number on a couple occasions) and try to hit a marketing and consumer demand moving target where the company **think** it will be in 3 years. It's akin to a helicopter going "feet wet" as they pass the coastline, headed to the open sea, to meet a carrier about 3 minutes before they use their last drop of fuel. It's scary shit and being smart, a genius or dedicated will have you sinking in the commercial ocean . . . to survive you have to have what Erik Buell and Jon Flickinger had and what Keith Wandell wished he had. I've got lots of opinions, perhaps a couple facts, and have nothing but the bet wishes for everyone involved. But, I also have a friend in the fight who I've watched suffer, tolerate folks' petty shit, and fight for years who I want to see happy. Erik Buell has given, given and given to all of us. He's loved every minute of it as much, or more, than have we. I want to see him as happy as I was the day I told him I was thinking about a Monster and he walked me into the garage and pulled the sheet of an idea he was working on . . the S1 Lightning. I live to see him with that same smile again and the idea of a bunch of commercial buzzards tossing low ball bids for his tooling is repulsive. I hope someone sees that in the rubble of the post Hero EBR lies the genius and know how to change the motorcycle world. Will it happen? I'm hoping. But, most of all, I want Erik Buell to get to see himself in the same way all of us have for years. Court | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
 | ||
| Mcgiver |
WOW! Thank you Court | ||
| Reepicheep |
Amen to that Court. | ||
| Crusty |
Thank you, Court for posting that. | ||
| Thumper1203 |
Bravo.. wonderful post Court | ||
| Robertl |
Thank you Court. Not sure I've ever met anyone with as much energy and excitement as Erik Buell. | ||
| Fb1 |
But, most of all, I want Erik Buell to get to see himself in the same way all of us have for years. Amen. | ||
| Two_seasons |
That was one of the most honest posts I've read from Court in a very long time. Ride on brother  | ||
| Phelan |
Beautiful. | ||
| Steveford |
Court, What elegant prose - whoda thunk it? Erik is one of motorcycling's giants, I would hope he knows that. | ||
| Blake |
Thank you Court! Even with your zipper down, that's worth a standing, slow. CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! . . . | ||
| Prior |
Thanks Court! | ||
| Gearheadgrrrl |
My take: http://gearheadgrrrl.com/2015/12/14/rip-buell-and- ebr-motorcycles/ | ||
| Sagehawk |
There are so few men that have stood up for dreams and to turn dreams into a reality for others. My wife got me the documentary of John Penton covering the trials and tribulations of dreaming a product, creating that product, and then marketing that product to share with the world. True, these were two men, in different times, and different world markets. The drive and enthusiasm of both were the same. I have the utmost respect and admiration for Erik and elves, on all they have accomplished. Still waiting to get into the next chapter! Court, that was most meaningful post ever! Thanks. | ||
| Jon |
I think your comments are well said, Court. Erik has done well. He has already won IMHO. Let him move on to whatever's next. He deserves a life too. And it's probably not going to come from being nested within a corporation. |
