| Author | Message | ||
     1313 |
One of the mysteries that has plagued the owners of Escort Bikes (S1W Enforcer, M2 Peace Keeper and S3T Defender) has finally been resolved! Because it's been 16 years (but whose counting...) since the Battle of Champions event where these bikes were most heavily used, I'm not going to just blurt out this often-thought, lost to history information. I'm going to give the back story of how this information came to light first and make you wait for the information that some of us have been clamoring for. Well that is, unless you just jump ahead in this post to the most clamored for information... Back in 2008, I had to travel to the Columbus, Ohio area for work. As is customary for me, I try to incorporate 'Buell stuff' into any trip - business or otherwise - that I make. Some may recall some of my epic adventures in Germany, taking in the BORG (Buell Owner and Repair Group - akin to the Badweb of Germany) MSM (MidSummerMeeting) 2 years in a row, as well as visiting some select Buell dealers in Germany. But back to my first Columbus area trip. I knew that the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame and Museum is in Pickerington, OH (which according to Spidey is NOT Columbus proper, just like I doubt his mailing address is actually Detroit, but I digress...). So the museum was on my 'definitely must hit' list. This was shortly after the 'Heroes of Harley-Davidson' installation had ended. In the gift shop they had the hardbound book on the Heroes of Harley-Davidson installation on sale. Since Erik had been inducted into the Hall of Fame, and there was some Buell content to the book, AND it was on sale I bought one. I can't remember if it was in the book - or if someone from the museum informed me - that some of the bikes (Buells included) were from a local dealer. This local dealer has 2 locations in the greater Columbus area. After leaving the museum, I went to the closest location (the downtown location) first and found a smattering of new Buells on the floor, some of the displays from the HoH-D installation, but none of the bikes from the installation. So then I went to the 2nd location, a little further away and was greeted with the following sight shortly after entering the dealership.  Sharp-eyed Buellers will see what the real item of interest in the picture was, so I made a bee-line (at climbed the stairs) to get to the RR 1200.   But, in the background of that pic you'll notice a bare carbon fiber XBRR, as well as some 'funky' all-white tuber with 'odd' reflective graphics. An M2 Peace Keeper! With all of the original 'police lights' intact - just like used at the Battle of Champions!!! The only problem is that it is up on a ledge about 10-15 (or so) feet off the ground and getting decent pictures was impossible - especially those detailed enough to ID the lights.    At the time of my first visit, I only owned 3 bikes, and yet I was labeled as a 'collector' to the associate that I chatted with during my visit. If only the M2 Peace Keeper would've been easier to access, I would've inquired about being able to get the pictures that we were so desperately in need of. And it soon became time for me to get to the airport to catch my flight. But I still kept a mental note of where this unmolested M2 Peace Keeper was... | ||
| 1313 |
I visited the Columbus area again in 2009, this time on a personal trip, but alas the reason for my visit forced me to arrive at the dealership just as they were closing. As luck would have it, I had to travel to the Columbus area for work again in 2010 and was able to stop in at the dealership again. The good news is that the bike was still there, while the bad news is that it was still up on that ledge.   I didn't have as much time to spend at the dealership this visit, but at least all the COOL special Buells were still intact. Keep in mind that this was after Buell was shutdown, so that red-headed stepchild feeling was even more-so and I didn't inquire about getting the pictures that we still sought. But I still retained that mental note of where an unmolested M2 Peace Keeper resided... | ||
| 1313 |
And then, last week, I must have done something to shake up the grey matter in my melon as I had the best idea that I've had in a while. I, to quote the old slogan from the Yellow Pages, let my fingers do the walking - but in the 21st century way... I got on the dealerships website and noticed that there were contact Email addresses for pertinent dealership staff. I thought "What the heck? The worst that could happen is that I don't get a response as they'll think I'm a nut, or I get a response that 'Sorry, it's too difficult to access the bike'", so I gave it a try by sending an Email to Bob Althoff, the Dealer Principal. No response for a few days and then I realize that I only asked about the lights and forgot to mention/request pictures of the switches used to actuate the lights. So I sent another Email. And I got a response! The response was asking if I had not received the pictures that were sent, and saying that it would be 'no problem' to get pictures of the switches too! The perilous journey to get these answers seemed to be close in sight - as long as the technology gods smiled upon us and allowed the pictures that were sent to actually reach me, that is. Well, the technology gods sure smiled down upon me today as I received 5 pictures - each in an individual Email that showed the brand name of the 'police lights', detailing the switches as well as giving some insight into how the lights were mounted! The information probably isn't enough to duplicate the installation 100%, but the big hurdles of identifying the brand of the lights and the switches used had now surfaced! I'll quit my narrating and post the original (but resized for Badweb) pictures, as well as some cropped pictures that reveal these details.    NiteRider brand lights!     Definitely NiteRider brand lights!   And the switches, which it's somewhat odd that there are 2...   So now the journey to find some NiteRider brand lights begins. As is customary at this point in time, all the lights that NiteRider currently sell are LED lights, but they still offer police lights! Special thanks definitely have to be extended to Bob Althoff, Dealer Principal, for his gracious willingness to assist us in documenting this info! Now that this mystery has been resolved, what's next? 1313 | ||
| Mighty_mouse |
The AMA motorcycle hall of fame is just off of I-70 outside of columbus isn't it? MM | ||
| Ratbuell |
One light switch...one siren? | ||
| Reepicheep |
So how much for the genuine Buell NOS black zip ties for mounting?  | ||
| Hootowl |
Bill, I have a whole bag of them. I'd be willing to part with a few for the right price  | ||
| Blks1l |
I was wondering if you had climbed up there! I did a quick search for those lights with no luck, probably have to find some used ones some where. | ||
| Damnut |
Those NightRider lights are for bicycle use. I have a set for my mtn bike. I'm guessing the blue/red lenses are just a cover that they slap on the standard lights. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Nite rider makes lites for police as well. I want to say policebikestore.com... | ||
| Blks1l |
I looked at the policebikestore it looked like it was mostly for bicycles though. | ||
| Damnut |
I know the front police lights on that bike are the same exact lights I have on my mtn bike, except for the cover with the lenses on the front. Same push button switch and all. | ||
| 1313 |
So, would you like to upgrade/update your lights (by selling your current ones to me)? Hey, someone had to ask... 1313 | ||
| Damnut |
Let me think about it. I know they were around $250 for the lights when I bought them originally. I think that was 2000-2001ish...... I have no idea what they are worth. | ||
| S1owner |
Has anyone tried to contact Niterider and send them these pics and explain the restoration they may still have something sitting on a shelf. Does not matter if it bike or not if its the same lights and 12 volt thats what matters | ||
| Lake_bueller |
Check fleabay for the kits. A very quick peek showed a few "vintage" niterider light kits. They don't have the red/blue lenses but it's a start. | ||
| Jim2 |
Look here http://www.rbsales.com | ||
| 1313 |
I'll be contacting NiteRider in hopes of, at the very least, getting the proper name and model numbers to help ease the search for used lights and components. Hopefully they'll come back with more, though. Probably won't have time to draft the correspondence until this weekend, however, and that could be as soon as tomorrow night. Damnut, hold that thought. Let's see what kind of info NiteRider comes back with first. If they can't offer much and if you're willing, I wouldn't be opposed to working something out. I did buy a single light - minus the tinted lens cover - on eBay, mainly just to see what it's like and to have a physical sample on hand. Ratbuell, I don't recall them having sirens, but then again there's so little knowledge out there, who knows? However it would be pretty difficult stashing a siren on an M2 or S1W, and I sure can't discern any sirens in the (few) pics I took during the festivities back in the day. Heck - at this point - I'm not sure if I'll even put the emergency lights on my Defender... 1313 | ||
| Ratbuell |
As we discussed on the phone - nice thing about new LED's is, clear lens when off (no LEO attention!), colored LEDs when on. "Original"? Nope. "Impersonating an officer"? Also nope And remind me when you're here Monday - I'll hit the horn button on my Uly so you can hear the completely hidden Stebel. Granted, "you were there", but if they were "police bikes" they had sirens somewhere. If a Stebel can fit behind a flyscreen...so can a Whelen, or Galls, or Federal Signal. And...that may be another email/call/visit to "the dealer", for an autopsy of sorts, in the name of restorations. | ||
| 1313 |
I had to take advantage of the dry weather after work last night and mow my lawn. So during the rain this morning I sent an Email to NiteRider. I'll post an update if I hear anything back from them. Hopefully the Email gets received with the same serious attention that it was sent with, 1313 | ||
| 1313 |
Sorry to take so long updating everyone. I was on the road for business for the first half of the week. Just like most of my other business travel, I incorporated some Buell fun into the trip. Monday night Ratbuell and I documented the decals on his Defender and compared them with the stack of Escort Vehicle decals that I have. Oh yeah, back to the lights... I got an Email while I was at Ratbuell's place from the CEO of NiteRider. Good point #1: He remembers putting the light packages together. Good point #2: There are still some materials on hand at NiteRider. Not so good point #1: There will need to be some work done by NiteRider to duplicate the light packages. Not so good point #2: It won't be cheap. I don't have a feel for what 'It won't be cheap' means, unfortunately. So, what is the level of interest from the owners of Escort Vehicles? Feel free to PM/Email me if you'd like. Amazingly - even after all these years - it seems feasible for this to become a reality! 1313 | ||
| Court |
I'm in. | ||
| Ratbuell |
1. I'm in. 2. What escort bike does Court have stashed away?? We did find some interesting discrepancies from Brankin's bike to mine. Like, tail decals on one bike matched the tank decals on the other, and vice versa. Placement with regard to body lines. And the best - front fender decals ON fenders that read D E F E N D E R And a front fender decal on paper that read R E D N E F E D THAT was a fun discovery! And as I mentioned to Brankin...if I have a lighting 'brain', lights, and a schematic for the connections on the lights and the brain...I'm happy to make harnesses for at least the Defenders, since I can use mine as a template for lengths, etc. I would also be interested in "incorrect" LED lighting, since LEDs can have colored output with clear lenses. Clear lens when off = no LEO issues. And swapping "correct" colored lenses onto the lights would seem to be fairly simple.   | ||
| Blks1l |
I would be curious to find what the setup would cost. At the moment I wasn't planning to put mine back on the road in full escort setup. I did just pick up a partial Niterider Patrol light kit though that I can use to at least fill the hole I have in my windscreen. | ||
| Blks1l |
Oops meant to post a pic of what I found.  | ||
| Court |
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| Ratbuell |
That's....an S2 Defender?? | ||
| K12pilot |
Found this whilst surfing late last night  He just might be waiting for Court to ride by.... total speculation of course.. Lowcountry HD in Charlston SC has a couple Buell race bikes up on a loft like that also, very cool thread ) | ||
| Ratbuell |
That last photo is an S3...Brankin - weren't all Defenders white/white? Or were some built with nuke blue frame/wheel setups? | ||
| Blks1l |
Was the last picture even a Defender, I thought I had seen some post about police departments using the Buells as police bikes. |
