| Author |
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Danger_dave
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 06:34 pm: | 
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>>I wonder why they didn't include the BMW HP2 Megamoto?<<
It's my Bike of the Year so far. I've had some beauties - but the Bimmer is winning by quite a large margin. |
Sticks
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 07:03 pm: |
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Make the Hyper sleep in the wet spot. |
Rocketsprink
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 07:59 pm: |
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I like the Duc. I don't judge a bike for what I want it to be. I judge it for what it is.
The TT is living on in the new SS. It's pretty much the same bike now, just packed different. That's a good thing too, because the TT was/is a great bike, but presented all wrong.
The Duc? It's a Duc. What else can you say. I'd personally take it over the TT, but that's me. |
Court
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 08:17 pm: |
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>>>Buell looking for any marketing people?
The marketing folks (at the time) had nearly no knowledge of Buell, they were simply HD folks assigned a task.
This was the same group, when tasked with doing the "Buell display" for an IMS show in 1997 didn't know. . . sit down . . that Buell made motorcycles.
They'd seen Buell shirts, hats, and so forth and thought that Buell was a sporty arm of HD merchandise.
They did the graphics for the Buell booth at the IMS shows.
I got to the first show and there is the big easel with the BUELL on it depicting a store with lots of fancy slat wall racks, shelves and so forth and a neat Bandit 1200 with BUELL emblazoned on the side.
As luck would have it the bike was in the left quarter of the display . . . since it was the merchandise they were featuring. I took a Leatherman and neatly sliced off the pride of the marketing group and concealed it in my backpack. It sits here in my office to remind me of the hill we have to climb.
Things are. . . I must share with you . . . showing signs of opportunity for improvement. Two names, veterans of the time when Buell marketing was done right . . and I mean REALLY right . . have returned. I'm watching closely to see if they spread their wings or have them clipped.
Court |
Ft_bstrd
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 08:26 pm: |
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I'd be interested if there is an opportunity. I do sales and marketing now.
I used to work for Abercrombie and Fitch. POS merchandising. |
Danger_dave
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 08:55 pm: |
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I'm be up for it too but the commute is a bugger. |
Sticks
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 09:08 pm: |
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Wow imagine a job that wouldn't blow...don't forget, the HOV lane can make a big difference on that commute! |
No_rice
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 09:26 pm: |
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If there was a bike to kill off, you think the next one on the block is the Blast! It didnt even make the brochure.
i know this is not a blast thread, but i couldnt pass up that opportunity.
that was just plain stupid. who the hell does that? i havent looked at a brochure lately, but are the most recent ones still that way? i just figured some of the early brochures were a fluke that got sent out before it was caught.
if you are making a brochure of your products you put everything you have in it. do you have any idea how many blasts we sell or how many i see running around town on a daily basis. why would you ignore it even if it hasnt really changed for years. it still accounts for alot of buell business |
Ft_bstrd
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 09:34 pm: |
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I guess if you are Ford, you could leave the Crown Vic out if you only plan to sell it to government agencies.
Maybe the people who find the Blast don't find it via marketing.
It is kinda dumb, though. |
No_rice
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 09:35 pm: |
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back on topic, the only reason i dont own a 1098/HM or one of the ktm super motards(was leaning more towards going motard style) is because the 1125 came out. i was about to pull the trigger on one but got informed i should hold out since what was coming might interest me a bit more.
the TT is a fun bike, but not what i was looking for. it was heavier then i wanted in the market i was looking at getting into. |
Djkaplan
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 10:19 pm: |
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Funny how the 1000DS engine is often over-hyped...while the XB12 motors are of oft maligned.
I'm sure the DS engine is magnificent... the fact that someone feels like they could go faster on a racetrack with a TT is cool and totally unexpected.
It's good power if you use it right! |
Cityxslicker
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 03:10 am: |
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I know it doesnt like the mud as much as the Buell. Those big tires are just too damn slippery 
We have this wonderful new dirt pit next to the shop, 1.5 acres of hard pack, with a embedded track of peagravel, the infield turns to MUD every rain. Damn shame the Dirty Buelly never showed up... |
Jlnance
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 09:33 am: |
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why would you ignore it even if it hasnt really changed for years. it still accounts for alot of buell business
I don't think Buell is very interested in that bike. It had a place in their past. They used it to develop a new way to design bikes, and to demonstrate their credibility.
It's current purpose is apparently to give HD a way to teach Riders Edge classes w/o having to do so using a competitors bikes. I wonder if Buell makes much money selling those bikes? They sure sell a lot of them, but for cheap.
A related thought occurred to me the other day. HD (not Buell) dealers buy these things to teach Riders Edge on, and then sell them after a couple of seasons. But since they are not Buell dealers, they can't order parts to service these bikes when their customers bring them back. Is that how it works? |
Bill0351
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 10:38 am: |
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Isn't that how Honda almost took over the world? (at least the motorcycling side of it?) They sold a ton of small efficient bikes the got the market ready for the CB750 which totally redefined motorcycling.
That little 500 thumper could be the key to the future for Buell. Instead of letting that bike just sit there, I would love to see them refine it, cut the price to directly compete with the 250 Ninja and give it some new style... maybe along the lines of the Ducati retro-bikes.
So many people are buying scooters because the idea of getting their motorcycle license is intimidating. With the Rider's Edge infrastructure, Buell could all but guarantee that the new owner could get licensed as part of the purchase process. They could even include it in the price.
Instead of being the forgotten bike in the Buell lineup, it could be an icon as an ultra cool way to get on the road... kind of like a real Vespa is to the scooter cognoscenti.
Bill |
Tm74
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 12:06 pm: |
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I somewhat agree with you Bill. I will say I honestly don't have a clue(or even understand) the direction Buell is heading. I would like to see more diversity. I'm not asking for much. I'm only asking that they have an excellent bike in every category that I'm interested in.  |
Rainman
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 12:17 pm: |
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Ignore the Blast at your peril. I teach RE and MSF and ride one to classes and students are amazed when they hear 63 mpg average in the city and 73 on the freeway bona fide. Then they discover I drive it at 80 mph over the Blue Ridge Mountains on the freeway....I've sold three in the past two years.
It's the perfect bike for a beginner and for a commuter and it's cheap. Gas prices have created a niche for it, but you have to market it, which is where this post began. |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 02:22 pm: |
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It needs a new Rotax 450 thumper engine, tuned for reliability and drivability, and to loose 50-75 pounds.
And it needs 8 inches of suspension travel, and knobbies
Wah! Bring back the dirt bike! |
Oddball
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 07:25 pm: |
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Maybe we'll see a new TT owner around here. Old Glory finally sold the used TT they've had for months. Only had 500 miles on it. Marked it down to $7000 recently and finally got a buyer it appears. |
Rick_a
| | Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 11:10 am: |
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quote:the fact that someone feels like they could go faster on a racetrack with a TT is cool and totally unexpected.
The only thing that surprises me there is that someone admits to it in print.
quote:It needs a new Rotax 450 thumper engine, tuned for reliability and drivability, and to loose 50-75 pounds.
And it needs 8 inches of suspension travel, and knobbies ; )
I'd like to see a modern thumper out of Buell, too...but the Blast does it's job well and new riders generally enjoy riding them without complaint. It really doesn't have to change as it continues to suit its purpose. |
Sekalilgai
| | Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 11:34 am: |
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Not to wander too far off the thread but the Blast rider (JohnJacob) at our little meet in WV last week showed us other Buell riders a thing or two. Most impressive. Marketing wise, more than one of us has said to go after the commuting market, add the Outdoorsman topbox to the Blast and spank the living daylights off a Vespa. |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 11:52 am: |
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True! The existing blast is a great street bike. I'm just carping for a dirt bike.  |
Cityxslicker
| | Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 01:07 pm: |
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quote:
It needs a new Rotax 450 thumper engine, tuned for reliability and drivability, and to loose 50-75 pounds.
And it needs 8 inches of suspension travel, and knobbies ; )
Dont get me started damnit, I just had my coffee and a morning dose of MUD. |
Sub65chris
| | Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 01:12 pm: |
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That little 500 thumper could be the key to the future for Buell
http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/327 77/357468.html?1219333309 |
Cityxslicker
| | Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 01:39 pm: |
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That XBlast would be a good bike to run against the KTM street690... What I really want is something that will run against the SMC450 . Something light for the MUD
The almost had it the second time with the italian connection. Before Caviga sold to Husky, before Husky sold to BMW, Before BMW jacked the price to 8k |
