| Author | Message | ||
     Hotdog271 |
http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/news/erik-buell-le aves-harley-davidson-for-erik-buell-racing | ||
| Froggy |
Repost.  | ||
| Hotdog271 |
http://www.buell.com/en_us/experience/news/detail. asp?news_id=1507 http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2009/11/erik-bue ll-quits-harley-founds.html#more | ||
| Hotdog271 |
Try one of those | ||
| Iamarchangel |
Just watched the video. Last one, it looked like he was trying to keep a straight face and not break down crying. This one, it looks like he is trying to keep a straight face and not break out laughing. I like this one better. | ||
| Ourdee |
Where is the vid.? | ||
| Biggie |
???? | ||
| Poppinsexz |
buell.com front page bottom | ||
| Geforce |
What video? Come on man, don't hold out on the GOODS! | ||
| Captcaz |
http://www.buell.com/en_us/company/ | ||
| Boltrider |
Click on the small pic that says "Introducing Erik Buell Racing." The video should start right up. | ||
| Flyer |
use us an loose us. its hind tit for all buell street riders. maybe in time mr. buell will throw us a bone. it seems like he gets to go on vacation racing while we all get left in the lurch. for me it dosent say much about the man. | ||
| Panhead_dan |
this ride aint over yet | ||
| Xbgeorge |
Is it just me or does anybody else get a bad feeling about this? He is under license from HD. It seems that there is absolutely no chance of a Buell buyout now. HD gets to keep their name in racing and still controls everything. | ||
| Boltrider |
The licensing is to allow for EB to use parts he's been developing. This was per an anonymous posting in another thread. The following is just the way I see things, but I don't believe this new arrangement will be permanent. Harley probably has a non-compete clause with EB, but that will only last so long. This arrangement keeps Buell in the business of racing and gives him something to do in the meantime. I think we will see street bikes again after the non-compete expires (it's been said that to be 15 months). From now until then, we sit back and watch the Buells win more championships. | ||
| Iamarchangel |
Looks to me like Erik found a window. He keeps the name and the product alive. We live to ride another day. This is good. (Flyer: what was that whine all about? Is Erik supposed to curl up in the fetal position and cry himself to sleep? Sounds to me like he's come up fighting and ready to help everybody.) | ||
| Xbgeorge |
I sure hope you guys are right. It seems like HD is trying to save some face. | ||
| Randomchaos |
I ain't heard no fat lady! | ||
| Ducxl |
This may be a chance to prove if "Win on Sunday/sell on Monday" can hold any salt? In the class they belong..AMA Superbike/WorldSuperbike Cool video of EB^^ | ||
| Aptbldr |
Wow, what a "retirement plan": racing motorcycles. I guess it's an obvious outcome for a reputed planner. | ||
| Ourdee |
How hard will it be to carve the Uly's vin off to put on the race bike? | ||
| Srwitt |
So wonder what inventory they have on parts to build 1125's. A short non compete and building race only bikes, seems like HD wants their inventory clear (without warranty liabilities) before EB starts on his own (again). Of course this is all 30 seconds of speculation that played out in my mind reading some of the posts here. | ||
| Hotdog271 |
It is really hard to say what this means to the rest of the bike line up and street bike sales vs. race bikes. 1. Erik may not want to get involved with street bikes anymore (I hope not) 2. If there is a no compete clause, I am sure it is for more than 15 months, more like 5 years in most cases. 3. Where would the bikes be sold and serviced if street bikes are made again? 4. Without some large financing keeping the Buell line up on the street is going to be tough. I am optimistic that there is a chance, but not an easy one. | ||
| Boltrider |
From the Dale Franks blog: As of this afternoon, Harley Davidson announced that Erik Buell has left the MoCo, and is opening a race shop. His new venture, Erik Buell Racing LLC, will specialize in creating race-use only 1125r motorcycles under a lciense from Harley-Davidson. As such, he will no longer be an employee of Harley-Davidson, and will once again be directly involved in the motorcycle racing world. The fascinating question is whether or not this is just a stop-gap venture to take up his time until February 2011, when his no-compete contract with H-D expires, and he is free to join up with another motorcycle company to begin building bikes for the rest of us again. The full press release from Harley-Davidson is below the fold. http://dalefranks.com/cycles/index.php/2009/11/ | ||
| Starbellied_sneetch |
Well, so much for the XB line. Looks like I'm SOL.  | ||
| Nvr2old |
The XB's are still fantastic motorcycles. HD has promised parts and service into the future. It's up to the owners to hold them to their promise. And it's up to owners to keep them on the road, so people can see how happy we are with them. Who knows, a bankruptcy here, a buyout there, or even a simple change in management and the XB may reappear. A fantasy perhaps, but if we keep them visible and continue to enjoy riding them, anything is possible. | ||
| Newxb12ss |
Reading between the lines: The program is funded by H-D. Erik Buell therefore still works for H-D. There is zero benefit for H-D to operate such a financial sinkhole unless they have plans on keeping Buell motorcycles in some form after restructuring the brand to suit market conditions. | ||
| Iamarchangel |
I think you're looking at some other lines. Independent and license mean specific things. Like I've said before, this keeps Buell "live". That's a valuable thing. It may well be that HD has learned a couple of things here. One is how to play the share-holders. Two is that they ticked off a large number of people who were most likely to grow/retire into future customers. | ||
| Kurosawa |
I'll have some heartache the day my XB gets put into long-term parking for lack of some part that should be very easy to get. And that will probably happen more than once, and more frequently as time goes by. But in early 2008 a little old lady in a hurry gypped me out of a year and a half of riding, and this recent quadruple bypass looks like it'll cost me a few months. Stuff happens, and for some reason it seems we get more angry when we can semi-logically blame some identifiable person or group, in this case Erik or Harley. But I can't blame Erik, all of whose dreams came crashing down just when it seemed total victory was assured--a continuing street line with a prestigious racing pedigree to back it up. Nor can I even blame Harley. Hell, they're not even in the motorcycle business as I understand motorcycles, and who can understand what goes on in the fashion industry? Not me. I'll just enjoy myself riding this good ol' bike into the ground. Who knows when the end will come? This bike almost came to its end by being totaled by my insurance company twice before they decided to fix it. And is it even worth wasting time worrying about things we can't influence, instead of enjoying life? Definitely not, if my recent heart attack offered me any lessons worth learning. (Message edited by kurosawa on November 23, 2009) | ||
| Court |
You need to read better. Harley-Davidson has not one plug nickel in this. . .they are investing, contributing or putting in ZERO DOLLARS. Erik Buell will pay Harley-Davidson for a license to "build and support race bikes, support racers and supply race parts". Erik Buell's last day as a Harley-Davidson will be within the next week. You should be able to hear the corks from where you are at as the party starts at 5:00pm. |
