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Ratbuell
| | Posted on Friday, October 17, 2014 - 10:42 pm: | 
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Send me an AX.
I don't give a shit how they configure it, as long as it lives up to the concept.
I'll publish ride notes, photos, whatever. I want to see EBR survive, and if my sorry ass can do anything to assist...I'm there  |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2014 - 12:18 pm: |
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I think the AX release this year was a BHAG, and good for them for having one.
It's OK for a BHAG to fail, and to regroup, and to start over. That's why they are BHAG's instead of just G's.
Better to scrap some "we are now in a death spiral" excercise than to come out with something like the 1125 that combined equal parts pure genius with epic stupidity.
Stop, regroup, and do it right.
And that in fact is the strength of a small agile team of really talented people. They can stop, throw everything away, reboot with the really good bits, and get back to where they were in a short period of time.
Large beaucratic organizations can't afford to fail on "rev 1", so there are never any real risks, and little that escapes the factory that is real genius.
Being able to fail quickly and cheaply is VERY valuable.
(All intuition on my part, I have absolutely no inside information). |
Electraglider_1997
| | Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2014 - 12:31 pm: |
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Wasn't the ULY the best selling Buell model ever? I can understand that Erik's heart is with racing but the AX seems more important to EBR than any of the models so far introduced. The folk's waiting for the AX are not buying the RX or SX because they don't want those types of bikes, they want what they want and that is an adventure type bike. Considering the cost of buying any of the 1190 bikes it is not reasonable to think that we'd buy just because of what is available. I never bought a Buell until the ULY came along and I won't sink $15K + tax + license + insurance into a crotch rocket or hooligan bike. Apparently that is what others must be thinking because discounts sure don't happen until bikes are gathering dust and inventory builds. I want EBR to succeed and I'll help if my type of bike becomes available and so far it hasn't. |
Electraglider_1997
| | Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2014 - 12:38 pm: |
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One other thing is that the RX and SX should have started out at this discounted price in the first place. Now they've pissed on the guys that paid $2K + tax more than if they'd waited just a few more months. Not a good way to treat the faithful. $2K these days is not chump change to anyone. Not a darned thing these early adopters can do about it either, other than hold a grudge. |
Hughlysses
| | Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2014 - 12:44 pm: |
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Wasn't the ULY the best selling Buell model ever?
A lot of people think that, but it's not true. If you look at the Buell poster that was unofficially released shortly after the closure showing all the Buell models and total production, there are at least a couple of other XB's that did better.
One other thing is that the RX and SX should have started out at this discounted price in the first place.
It may be that that's where they had to price them initially to turn a profit. As production ramped up and they added a second model sharing many of the same parts, the cost per unit very likely dropped. They may have also found new suppliers for parts that allowed additional cost reductions.
I had HOPED that the price cuts indicated they were coming out with substantial improvements for the 2015 models, that would be priced without the $2k discount. That doesn't seem to be the case though. |
Froggy
| | Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2014 - 12:55 pm: |
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The best selling Buell didn't even have two cylinders |
Sharkguy
| | Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2014 - 01:23 pm: |
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I just got back from the aim expo. Supposedly no AX for a few years. EBR rep said to look for something from Hero before EBR. Probably based on the 350cc or so range. According to him there is just too much competition in the adventure bike field with not enough return to warrant a prototype at this time. By the way, he told me that the AX is the question of the year. On the other hand the SX felt awesome to sit on. There were no demos left until tomorrow afternoon and I got there at 9:00 this morning. I saw three other Ulys in the bike only parking besides mine. One was an elusive 2010 model. |
Court
| | Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2014 - 01:36 pm: |
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Blast was bestselling BUELL.
Poster was official..... Not necessarily accurate. |
Rayycc1
| | Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2014 - 03:22 pm: |
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well then ...I'm glad i bought my Uly....but that leaves EBR out of the buying equation for me...I'll be looking a LOT harder at other makes /models for my future motorcycling needs |
Electraglider_1997
| | Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2014 - 05:08 pm: |
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Zero or LiveWire. |
Rayycc1
| | Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2014 - 05:31 pm: |
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thats funny i was just looking at zeros today on the net |
Ramman4x4
| | Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2014 - 09:49 pm: |
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I test rode a 2013 and 2014 Zero FX about a month ago. Crazy amount of torque...power wheelies on demand! I talked the dealer down on price over the course of a week. I almost bought one but read several bad reviews for repair times...one of which started this past spring and still isn't fixed.
Ultimately, I just can't buy a bike that leaves me at the mercy of the dealer and manufacturer for repairs. |
Electraglider_1997
| | Posted on Sunday, October 19, 2014 - 12:29 pm: |
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That is one thing that would make owning a Zero problematic, the lack of a good dealer network. Closest dealer is at least 300 miles away. Makes warranty work kind of a joke if it costs you that much time and effort to get something fixed during the warranty period. Can you imagine a situation where some component goes out and they won't let you put it on yourself because the dealer has to do it. |
Hughlysses
| | Posted on Sunday, October 19, 2014 - 01:17 pm: |
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I just got back from the aim expo. Supposedly no AX for a few years. EBR rep said to look for something from Hero before EBR. Probably based on the 350cc or so range. According to him there is just too much competition in the adventure bike field with not enough return to warrant a prototype at this time. By the way, he told me that the AX is the question of the year.
Sharkguy, Dynasport got a different answer when he asked about the AX:
quote:I asked about the AX and was told that their work for Hero had slowed things down. The guy said they were still in the prototype stage and to expect the AX some time next year.
See post here: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/show .cgi?tpc=713493&post=2447885#POST2447885
I'm hoping his answer was more accurate than the one you got. |
Sharkguy
| | Posted on Monday, October 20, 2014 - 08:51 pm: |
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I hope it appears sooner than later. I have no plans to get rid of my Uly in the short term even if the AX comes out. However, at this point I am an old guy and don't know how much time I have left for riding. I did 2 400 mile days on the Uly last week going to and coming back from Barber. I have to admit it beat me up a bit but it was good at the same time. If the ergos on the new AX end up being better than the Uly I will definitely be interested. I'd probably still keep the uly though. |
Electraglider_1997
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2014 - 11:40 am: |
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Sharkguy,
I was born in 56' also and do not consider myself old or even remotely close to hanging it up. Just the fact that you ride a ULY testifies to your lasting power. |
Electraglider_1997
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2014 - 12:06 pm: |
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http://arstechnica.com/cars/2014/10/harley-davidso n-goes-electric/#image-5 |
Court
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2014 - 12:37 pm: |
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>>>>Sharkguy, Dynasport got a different answer when he asked about the AX:
Be mindful that no one, actually aware of the program or it's progress, has commented on ANYTHING related to the AX yet other that allusions that it's "future" and to use the word "adventure".
It's been the collective buzz of the internet that has morphed "adventure" to mean similar, in any way, shape or form, to the old Ulysses. I, PERSONALLY, suspect it will have almost nothing, other than perhaps number of wheels, in common with the Ulysses . . . of, for that matter an 1190.
I'm also not aware of any one with knowledge ever using the term "1190" with the AX. I'd be happy (and somewhat sad because the combination of 185hp and "adventure" seems odd) to see them in concert.
I suspect if we see something next year that the original schedule will have been met. |
Natexlh1000
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2014 - 01:12 pm: |
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I think the "Adventure" not the actual bike but rather listening to the various communities prattle on and on about what the bike will actually be.
Since everyone is conjecturizing and passing rumors, I will initiate my own:
The AX will be the world's first and only superbike made entirely out of hardwood. |
Sugarmcguinnmsncom
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2014 - 02:48 pm: |
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Yes, I believe I heard a story on NPR about EBR using Brazilian Ironwood for the new AX frames. Apparently, the delay in the delivery of the AXs is that the welders are having trouble with the construction of the new frames. Until they work that issue out, I doubt we'll be seeing one. |
Pnw_uly
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2014 - 02:50 pm: |
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"The AX will be the world's first and only superbike made entirely out of hardwood."
Why of course, why else would they call it the "AX"? ? ? |
Natexlh1000
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2014 - 03:14 pm: |
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You have to TIG weld those as they flame up otherwise. |
Motorbike
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2014 - 04:25 pm: |
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Maybe they could just hold the frames together with all the red Loctite they must have had left over from when they built our bikes?  |
Hughlysses
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2014 - 06:24 pm: |
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I'm also not aware of any one with knowledge ever using the term "1190" with the AX.
As was pointed out in another thread, the term "1190AX" is currently used on the official Australian EBR site:
http://www.erikbuellracing.com.au/1190ax/
If that's erroneous, somebody should pass them the word so they can correct it. |
Cyclonedon
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 22, 2014 - 02:11 am: |
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As far as the AX model everyone is talking about, I can't imagine using any other moder that the 1190 in it since EBR has invested so much time and money in that motor! To me that would be a step on the wrong direction for a new and upcoming motorcycle company |
Hughlysses
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 22, 2014 - 06:29 am: |
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^ EBR can't really build a complete range of motorcycles around that one engine.
We know Buell had been working on a range of middle weight models using a new water-cooled in-line triple (Steve Anderson's article in Cycle World on the Buell closure). IIRC, the design for those bikes was complete when Buell was closed in 2009. Perhaps EBR acquired the plans to that engine and is going to introduce it in an EBR model at some point. Of course, they could have designed an entirely new engine from scratch by now. |
Skifastbadly
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 22, 2014 - 02:58 pm: |
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I think the AX release this year was a BHAG, and good for them for having one.
It's OK for a BHAG to fail, and to regroup, and to start over. That's why they are BHAG's instead of just G's.
Better to scrap some "we are now in a death spiral" excercise than to come out with something like the 1125 that combined equal parts pure genius with epic stupidity.
Stop, regroup, and do it right.
And that in fact is the strength of a small agile team of really talented people. They can stop, throw everything away, reboot with the really good bits, and get back to where they were in a short period of time.
Large beaucratic organizations can't afford to fail on "rev 1", so there are never any real risks, and little that escapes the factory that is real genius.
Being able to fail quickly and cheaply is VERY valuable.
(All intuition on my part, I have absolutely no inside information).
This is very well said and illustrates business acumen beyond what I'm accustomed to encountering either on the internet or in my corporate life. Proves once again that Uly riders are smarter than the average bear. |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 22, 2014 - 03:07 pm: |
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I learned it when I was doing one of my biggest "solo" projects as a solo engineer... back in the good old days when I was young enough to still get to just do a big project without being bothered by other people, but old enough to actually have that big project be significant.
I had two simultaneous hard drive failures (primary and a backup), and in a panic to retrieve my "offsite" backup from tape, I used the wrong tar option and zinged the backup too. So two months work deeply technical coding work just ***gone***.
I walked away from my desk, took a really long trip on inline skates (don't judge me, it was the early 90's) along the little Miami river, and went back to work that night and started over from scratch, using only the experience from the previous effort.
It was the best damn program I ever wrote, and I fully believe I finished the year long project *faster* as a result of loosing the first three months or work.
I haven't had the guts to purposefully repeat that exercise since for more than a week or two worth of work, but the lesson stuck with me. |
Skifastbadly
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 22, 2014 - 04:27 pm: |
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I presume you've read 'The Innovator's Dilemma'.
I spent several years as a Sr. Product Manager for a well known software company and when we dumped waterfall for eXtreme programming, things really took off. One of the problems with corporation is they don't understand that spending too much time on a project weds you to its completion even if it's a crappy idea. Much better, as you say, to fail early.
Regards,
Craig |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 22, 2014 - 04:36 pm: |
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Haven't read that, but I'm sure I've been influenced by the influence it has had in the industry. |
Court
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 22, 2014 - 04:52 pm: |
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These are the threads I love . . .
What I'd give to have the mounting army of "help" arriving on my project taught this lesson.
Motto is . . . if there is a chance it can fail, falter or FU . . . hire a consultant to blame it on.
I've long said . . if you lack the authority to screw it up . . you lack the authority to make it great. |
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