| Author | Message | ||
     Led |
Damn, this is a sweet bike! https://www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-us/flat-track- race/ftr1200/ | ||
| Led |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=SMyeude1R CY | ||
| Sbaugz |
yep, awesome bike. I would order one except that I just purchased a 2018 Indian Scout Bobber last year- prior to knowing about this FTR release in spring 2019.... regarding your post though- not really sure what the relation is to "bringing the tuber back". I guess its a twin, and its a tube frame, but there are dozens of bikes out there that also fit that description. (Message edited by sbaugz on December 10, 2018) | ||
| Kc_zombie |
 | ||
| 89rs1200 |
Damn! An American sport bike, and it is not a Buell. I could cry. | ||
| Ratbuell |
...and I believe there are Elves on the Indian team... Hell, you can read the ad copy for the FTR and if you ever read any Buell ads...well...deja vu, all over again. | ||
| S1owner |
I am looking at the road masters! My neighbor works at polaris and has one very nice | ||
| Upthemaiden |
I love the Indian Scout bikes. The original scout is my favorite, but I'd gladly ride any of them. I have hope that someday they'll use the engine and that FTR frame to just make a regular streetbike, something a little more S1/Superduke/Monsterish. I know the motor isn't in the same league as current naked bikes, but when I rode one the motor reminded me a ton of my old XB9 engine, just without the vibration, so it'd definitely make for a fun bike. | ||
| Kc_zombie |
KTM was doing a "Tuber" in the form of the RC8 1190 from 2008 to 2015...  It is on my "have to own" list.... | ||
| Upthemaiden |
The RC8 is gorgeous, but the Superduke 1290 is the version that made my 'have to own' list. | ||
| Kc_zombie |
You had me at "Super"  | ||
| Led |
I own a gorgeous 1996 Lightening example. The first year Harley was involved with Eric Buell.... I still have that bike! Only 3k on it...... NOW Indian does the same thing to me....GOTTA have that first bike!! But now living on a Pension......I just cannot swing that deal.....SUCKS!!!  | ||
| Dave |
1st Commandment of Buell Nation: Though shalt not use the "C" letter in spelling the name of "He that Centralizes Mass"  L-O-V-E the FTR1200. It possesses many of the traits of what Buell could have become. DAve | ||
| Led |
With that said, I would opt for the cheaper version, and build to suit. But do not take too long to do all this! When I had the money for my '96 Buell......I blew a wad on every factory piece I could get...Clip on handlebars.....rear sets....you name it. Vance and Hines exhaust and a Corbin "Gunfighhter" seat included! Just cannot do all that crap today.......... | ||
| Jayvee |
Honda never made a decent street tracker kind of bike to capitalize on their Championship winning 750 twin, so it's good Indian is. The Indian racer looks a lot like that old Honda winner of Ricky Graham and Bubba Shobert from 1984. Coincidently I got both their autographs on a program from a Sacto Mile in the mid-80's. Because of it's water cooling, I'd still rather have a Dick Mann or Steve Storz Tracker than the Indian. | ||
| Bargoyle |
489 pounds dry? 60 inch wheelbase? I’m sure it’s a nice bike but it’s heavy and long compared to a tuber. | ||
| Buell3some |
I was drooling over those new FTR's a couple weeks ago at the Progressive motorcycle show at the Javits center in NYC. Sat on all 4 models. Interesting how the battery is mounted up front low left in front of the engine. Like DAve said they make you think about what Buell could've evolved into. | ||
| Upthemaiden |
I just wish they weren't so ugly  They look good from some angles, but that tail just doesn't seem to go with the rest of the bike. I know they just copied the gas tank from the scout, but I feel like a gas tank with a little shape, and a tail with a bit more thought put into it really could've done wonders from that bike. To be fair, I'm looking at it from a street bike perspective, and not a flat tracker opinion. That FTR750 was great looking though, shame they couldn't have kept that tail. I know they needed space for all of the electrics the 1200 has that the 750 doesn't. | ||
| Ratbuell |
They actually didn't "copy" the Scout tank. The production Scout has a gas tank where the gas tank is. The FTR takes after the race bike (and the XB) - the "tank" is a large-volume airbox. The FTR's actual fuel cell is under the seat. They built a race-replica. Which, in turn, was styled to be a race-track representation of the street bike. The tail is part electronics, and part DOT regulations. | ||
| Firemanjim |
Hey Led, 1996 was not first year-- the S-2 was first and was being built in 1994 as a 1995 model! | ||
| Ratbuell |
Actually...other than misspelling Erik's name, Led is correct. The S2 was handbuilt, and prior to HD's involvement/purchase. Erik simply bought stock XL 1200 motors, and built motorcycles around them. The 96 S1 was the first production-line, mass-production, HD-partnered Buell. https://www.amazon.com/25-Years-Buell-Court-Canfie ld/dp/1884313744 (Message edited by ratbuell on December 17, 2018) | ||
| 1313 |
The S2 was handbuilt CORRECT! , and prior to HD's involvement/purchase. BALDERDASH! The '95 S2 was built on the same 'production-line' as the '96 S1. The '95 S2 may not have been as 'mass-produced' as the '96 S1 - but the S1 wasn't built in MEGA numbers. The '95 S2 was definitely after H-D 'partnered' with Buell. But what the heck do I know (remember)? | ||
| 1313 |
OK, I used to buy LOTS of Buell stuff off eBay. Quite often I would buy a lot of items in a lot for a couple/few select items. Well, this one time, one of these lots had something that should settle a lot of arguments. I don't think I knew these were in this particular lot, but it sure resolved a question that had been in my peanut for a while.   With these dates for the origins of Buell Motorcycle Company, I'm sure that anyone can 'do the math' and figure out that the S2 was the first product from Buell Motorcycle Company. | ||
| Court |
The S2 was indeed the first product . . . the S1 grew out of another set of fun and unusual circumstances. My personal memory was, on one of my monthly factory visits (I was still in the construction business and would go to East Troy once a month for meetings . . I think I was the only non-employee with a key to the factory) I was telling Erik about my growing desire to pick up a bike a friend, Miguel Galluzzi, had designed. His face lit up and he told me to follow him . . . We went back where Jack and Dano were and Erik yanked a bed sheet of the bike of my dreams and handed me the key. We had the ride of a lifetime which was punctuated by him doing a mondo wheelie through East Troy on my S2 and the seat, which was not latched, beginning to slide off and Erik continuing the wheelie with his leg laid on the seat . . .holding it in place. The S2 was . . . in many ways . . . the evolution of the RS-1200 into a more "factory" environment. Suddenly . . . bodywork could be made and dicey vendors like Tomahawk Kit Car were weaned from the process. There's quite a story there . . . | ||
| Falloutnl |
Erik yanked a bed sheet of the bike of my dreams and handed me the key. An early S1 prototype? And Galluzzi was a friend? Another entirely unrelated question: do you know how Erik felt about the Sportster engine? (Did the team secretly want more power or was everyone of the opinion that its characteristics were actually perfect for road use?) I thoroughly enjoyed reading your book by the way. Managed to buy a copy about a year ago. Cost me a pretty penny, but it was worth it :P. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I guess I was mistooken/misinformed about HD involvement in the S2. Apologies. I guess I need to re-read The Book! Just need to find the one that doesn't have all those autographs scribbled in the front liner  As always, Brankin sets me straight. | ||
| Court |
 Was indeed an early iteration of the S1 . . . . I actually wondered onto some photos a while back of some of the versions that "didn't make it". I met Miguel when I moved to NYC to help with The Art of The Motorcycle . . . the entire event was awesome. I actually got to go to dinner with Kirsten Britten, Miguel and David Robb. I was amazed that Miguel and David had both gone to the Art Center School of Design in Pasadena. prior to each having amazing careers. David has done tons of stuff for BMW and interesting work for Audi. I find no mention of it but also have a reason to believe he may have been involved in the S Series Mercedes-Benz. He was doing that stuff about the time Erik Buell was trying to keep the ship afloat by designing a complete motorcycle (that went on to be a best seller) for one of the major Japanese manufacturers. Good times. | ||
| Court |
By the way . . . if you enjoy design. . . watch this . . http://www.artcenter.edu/about/alumni/alumni-stori es/miguel-galluzzi.html | ||
| Court |
Just for grins . . . and to see who's tuned in . . . let's see who catches the Erik Buell product in that video . . . Shhhhhhhh . . . . . Elves may slip out of sight . . . but, the never go away. | ||
| Upthemaiden |
"I actually wondered onto some photos a while back of some of the versions that "didn't make it". " Are those allowed to be shared? We definitely need to see those. "Erik Buell was trying to keep the ship afloat by designing a complete motorcycle (that went on to be a best seller) for one of the major Japanese manufacturers." You've gotta give us a little more than that haha. Some hints? |
