| Author | Message | ||
     Anonymous |
Inside info. or The next rumor. Firebolt delayed because a test rider was killed at Daytona. | ||
| Loki |
a rumor is still a rumor till it aint a rumor any longer. Then it becomes a truth or falsety which becomes history  | ||
| Buelliedan |
Shoot, I already stated I don't care when they actually come out cause I only need to worry about the giveaway Firebolt which I'm going to win!!!  | ||
| Court |
That's a terribly insensitive joke to anyone who has ever done any test riding or lost two friends to test riding. | ||
| Anonymous |
"Falsies" are for show, and I want to go. Here's a rumor for you, the delay is due to a well known leather racing suit manufacturer being delayed with their stitching due to a shortage of kevlar thread used to stitch the sleeves onto the jackets. The plan was to offer a free racing weight suit with full bodyarmor to all delayed purchasers during the initial 90 days past April 27th. The suit is to be called the FireVansaBoltSuit, or FVBS for short. Comes in either a perforated or non-perforated version. An optional "rider comfort" option will be available, called the FireGerBolt (FGB), but an additional delay with the glove company not being able to currently meet pre-production quota estimates to keep up with expected/projected FGB guessitimates on their FireHeldBolt (FHB) preliminary production line is causing further delays (insiders think it's related to micro-wires in the finger-warming coils breaking due to excessive clutch/brake manipulation by the XB9R test riders). But in any case the XB9R/FVBS/FGB/FHB consolidated package is still slated to be previewed in April. There were insider rumors of a Dyna-link purloined from a Juneau avenue marketing recycling trash bin, but that rumor was quickly quashed when someone noticed what looked like a Knucklehead engine in the doodled artwork on the back of the memo sheet, plus it had Holendaise sauce smeared into a pseudo-exhaust cloud emminating from the exhaust of the doodle, and everyone knows that Holendaise sauce is not allowed on Juneau avenue. If you want to do up a rumor, do it up right. | ||
| Blake |
Their are valid reasons to post anonymously. I think many will agree that we are seeing too many anonymous posts for no good reason other than to disguise inflamatory or inciteful comments. Come on people, if we don't have the cojones to sign our names to our posts, maybe we ought to keep our thoughts to ourselves. The alternative is the elimination of public anonymous posting. | ||
| Anonymous |
ELVIS! has left the building, many times over. | ||
| Anonymous |
Anon 6:46's information is correct. It's a happy day in E.T. | ||
| FB |
hot damn, ladies and germs, then it sounds like we'll soon be dancin' in them Buell-swayed Shoes!  Ferris | ||
| Rd350 |
Lets get something straight.. I am only giving the facts as I hear them. I am trying to help other people out about what is going on with Buell. I to have been a Guinea Pig for the S-1 project bike. Everything that broke was always fixed on later X-1 bikes. This bike was the Exxon Valdez. The bike killed all the life in the garage from all the oil coming out of it. And the motor was fixed two times by the dealer with a total motor rebuild spliting the cases and everything. The damn thing still leaked oil and Buell and the dealer said this was normal. Normal my ass, if you pay $10,000.00 for a bike it should be perfect. The big 4 can do it. Why not Buell? And I got the worest service from any dealer in America, hands down. I fixed everything myself because the Dealer has jackasses working on bikes. Oh ya I forget the someone put the staiter bolts in wrong and it can lose and it grenated the engine. (He was the a qualified no certified Buell mechanic) I love Buell as much as the next guy and after spending $20,000.00 on a bike and repairs from Buell and getting pissed off I sold the bike for a TL1000s because of the dealer and Buell. ANd did I give up NO... I went out and still bought a blast last year. Hoping, praying that is bike would do me no wrong. And knock on wood I have no problems with this one so far. I haven't given up hope on Buell and I am only trying to help others from what I hear and have learned... I am trying to save Buell from going out of business. And they are getting really close to pissing off even the most loyal buyers from ever buying a Buell again That includes me.. If anyone really knows the true about what is going on with Buell speak up NOW and help the company from going out of business... | ||
| Anonymous |
Let's see, RD... if Firebolts were shipped today does that count as "put up" from me? Oh, right, someone at Buell is being fired over this...why don't you "put up" on your end and let us know who that is? Can't? Well my comment about the 235 bikes stands then... Rumours are OK, ideas, opinions, sure...but why do some posters BS that they are in the know of the insides of Buell when they aren't? I don't get it. | ||
| Anonymous |
And, not all anonymous postings are the same person. The posting re. the rider being killed at Daytona is total BS. So, all you posters from competitive factories who are on here lying...get the F...off the board. | ||
| Dynarider |
I think Blake should eliminate the anonymous posting feature anyways. If anyone has anything to say, at least be man or woman enough to let everyone know who you are. Either that or stfu. | ||
| Anonymous |
TALLADEGA -- A 30-year-old Harley-Davidson test rider died in an accident at the Talladega Superspeedway. Paul Howie of Oxford was pronounced dead at Citizens Baptist Medical Center in Talladega from injuries sustained in the accident early Thursday March 10th. Talladega County sheriff's invetigator Jay Stephenson said details haven't been released because the death remains under investigation. Skid marks from other vehicles cover the racetrack, Stephenson said, making it hard to determine the motorcycle's speed at the time of the crash. | ||
| Rd350 |
Anonymous, At least I am trying to help Buell and not put them out of business.. You wants names here you go... Scott O'Neill, Scott Johnson, Steve Swatts, Bill McNell.. Happy..... Oh ya.. and what the hell is Anonymous.. can't put a name down afraid to get fired from Buell no that is H-D sorry!!! And if your are wondering what RD350 it is a 1973 Yamaha 2 stroke streetbike that was the best in its day and yes I owned one... | ||
| Blake |
RD: You might want to stop to consider that these so called "facts as (you) hear them" are simply bullshit rumors. The "belt pitch goof" never seemed plausible to me. Nice tantrum you throw though. The point of which was?  In my book, throwing out a rumor without naming a source or at least some form of their credentials is no different than posting anonymously. You are "trying to help Buell"? You'll have to explain that one to me cause I just don't see it. The only thing in danger of "going out of business" is your credibility. I suggest you step back and put the ego in check here. We are all just sitting around the virtual table talking about bikes. Anonymous public posts are now disabled.  | ||
| Mark_In_Ireland |
I was in the local dealers, Black Bear, at Newmarket this weekend and enquired about the delivery on the Firebolt, told end of May. They said they would ring me.....not expecting a call for a while...wouldn't it be something though if we got them before the US!!!! Sorry Rocket, no oil filler badges, it appears the new HD filler caps are no longer flat, thus nothing to stick the badge to anymore..... | ||
| José_Quiñones |
Paul Howie??? I think I met him at the Buell demo rides at Myrtle Beach last year. If its the same person I'm thinking about he's one of the Test riders shown in the Discovery Channel VROD special spray painting the bikes black. Godspeed...... | ||
| Rd350 |
Thanks Blake for putting me straight.. But I have a some questions if you could help me understand better? I really like Buells and think they are great bikes when they run and are not in the shop. All I have been doing it helping keep everyone informed not to give up hope on Buell. Buell needs to keep everyone informed about what is going on with them. If they don't they will go out like of business like Bimota. I know that H-D owns them but 3 years of not making any money out of Buell and this year is looks like number 4. Can't keep this up to long. I hae talked to many dealers about buying new bikes this year and all of them are not taking on any more Buells. BUell told them to take on 25 firebolts and 25 blasts all declined and said that they are happy were they are now. So.... don't you think it is kind of hard to understand (to the public) when Buell calls the firebolt a 2002 and than a 2003 and spends alot of money on advertising about this bike coming out in the spring around April 27th. And tells eveyone that it is put on hold and can't tell anyone when it is going to released. If I was just some guy and looking in all the magazines about this bike it tells him that it will be in stores on April 27th. I know Buell is having problems and this bike needs to be perfect for them to grow. If this is the case than they should have not dropped the tube frames this year. The cyclone is one of there best selling bikes. And if I am not mistaken this bike the XB was supposed to be a 2002. Doesn't make good business since.... Look I am sorry but if I was just some guy I would just give up and go buy a Ducati or a big 4. This is peak buying season and Buell only has the blast to sale.. If Buell/H-D would come out and say hey do to wanting every dealer in the world to have this bike we are holding back until July so everyone can have one. It would be a lie but at least it would keep that one guy interested to maybe hold out until then.. | ||
| Mikej |
Here are a couple of direct links to the Talladega crash that I just found with a quick dogpile search. Neither article say what the rider was riding at the time of the crash, just that he was a H-D test rider. The articles don't even state if he was actually test riding a test bike at the time, or if he was at the track for some other reason. Many/most details are missing from the articles, perhaps additional stories are posted someplace providing more info. Seems like Paul Howie was a nice guy, sorry to see him go. Even sorrier to read this: "Howie was survived by a wife and four children." MSNBC ESPN | ||
| Buelliedan |
RD, You seem to have a bad habit of twisting the truth a lot. For example; you say that the only Buells available at the dealers to sell are Blasts? WRONG!! The tube frame Buells are still available this year. Or have you not seen a 2002 M2?? Next year they will not be. Let go of the Doomsday/sky is falling mentality! HD has been in business longer than any of us have been alive. I think they have a pretty good grasp of what to do. | ||
| Jim_M |
The only thing that I'll wager is that the dealers will not be able to move out their tube frame bikes due to the new firebolt platform... I'll bet that people are willing to wait on the XB bikes, rather than take the tube framed bikes as a "consolation prize"...(unless there is an S2, I know that I would wait) | ||
| Court |
That's a most interesting statement. "Know" infers some objective, verifiable sort of "fact". Even I stive to include "my personal opinion". . . "unless I miss my guess" . . .or "based on shat I have heard". If, in fact, you KNOW Buell is having problems, I'd really welcome knowing the source of the problems and what Buell is doing to resolve them. I recall the very early days of Buell when things like heat in the barn, shipping a bike that had been borrowed against at the bank and trying to expand a line of credit that wouldn't buy one motor seemed like problems. If Erik Buell has exhibited one salient skill it's the ability to identify, define, plan a strategy and resolve a problem. My prediction, based on PURE SPECULATION (and Lord knows I've pulled the false alarm switch of Buell more than my fair share), is that someone or somesones are going to be eating crow. I'd further wager that there were incredible hurdles to be dealt with in the final hours headed to Job #1. I, for instnace, still have my notes from the 19 X-1's we kinda shipped a bit prematurely and the night I spent finding them in transit and making a quick swingarm changeout. The team at Buell has exhibited a tremendous ability to bring innovative solutions to bear quickly. That's my personal opinion regarding all the "know" crowd espousing Buell doom and gloom. I bet on Buell 15 years ago and my bet's still on the table. Court Blake: I'd leave the anonymous function avaialable. This is the single area I know where a couple folks who DO KNOW feel free to participate with the anonymous function. The KNOW what is and is not appropriate to say and, frankly, it's little challenge to tell "the sky is falling" folks. Just my opinion. | ||
| Jima4media |
Here is the info on Paul Howie that I found on this site- http://www.annistonstar.com in the obituaries section, from March 8th. http://www.AnnistonStar.com/obituaries/2002/as-deaths-0308-0-2c07w1750.htm Howie OXFORD Services for Paul C. Howie, 30, of Oxford will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Miller Funeral Home with Rev. Floyd Willis officiating. Burial will be in Dogwood Trail Cemetery. The family will receive friends 6-8 tonight at the funeral home. Mr. Howie died Thursday at Citizens Baptist Medical Center in Talladega. Survivors include his wife, Stacey Howie; his father, Jerry R. Howie of Okeechobie, Fla.; four sons, Matthew Howie, Nolan Howie, Hunter Howie and Austin Stockinger; a brother, Gary Howie of Oxford; and a sister, GeGe Alzhadia of New Orleans. Pallbearers will be Gerald Cash, Tim Everett, Al Cooper, Scott Johns, Wayne Tombs, Jim Whittaker, Doug Decker, James ÒDocÓ Smith. Honorary pallbearer will be Steve Ryder. Mr. Howie was employed by Harley Davidson Motor Co. as a test rider. He was a member of Weaver Congregational Holiness Church. | ||
| Mikej |
Copied from the link Jim provided, if you want more details on the V-Rod recall then click on his link above: === begin copy === Paul Howie, 30, of Oxford died March 7 following a motorcycle accident at the Talladega Superspeedway. He was test riding a V-Rod, company spokesman Joe Hice confirmed on Monday. Sometime in early March (the company hasn’t specified what date), the manufacturer notified its dealers that it would replace all V-Rod engines because of horsepower deficiencies. “That problem we had with the engine was not safety related and was not a factor in the accident,” emphasized Hice. Howie had pulled from the second turn and was racing down the straightway when the accident occurred, Hice said. The company’s investigation of the crash is ongoing. At this time, officials don’t know if mechanical or driver error caused it, the spokesman said. “We are still in the process of doing our final evaluation of the accident,” Hice said. “Until we finalize that and have a chance to meet with the family…we don’t want to say a whole lot more.” === end copy === | ||
| Davegess |
My condolance to his family and friends. We all owe him and all the other test riders a debt. Without them our bikes would be no where near as safe or well built. dave | ||
| Blake |
Anonymous posting is still available for registered users. Our most appreciated anonymous in-the-know informants will still be able to post with total anonymity. RD: "All I have been doing it helping keep everyone informed not to give up hope on Buell." No. You've been spreading rumor and inuendo based on heresay. "Buell needs to keep everyone informed about what is going on with them. It certainly is not for me to decide what Buell needs to do. And I certainly do not expect them to justify every action they take. If I don't like their product or their delivery schedule, I am free to purchase another brand of motorcycle. "If they don't they will go out like of business like Bimota." Really? So Bimota went bust because they didn't reveal operational details to the buying public? "I know that H-D owns them but 3 years of not making any money out of Buell and this year is looks like number 4. Can't keep this up to long." The Buell division of HD has not made a profit for three years? Please tell us your source for that information. "I have talked to many dealers about buying new bikes this year and all of them are not taking on any more Buells. BUell told them to take on 25 firebolts and 25 blasts all declined and said that they are happy were they are now." First, please define "many". Which dealers? Who did you talk to at the dealerships, owners, salesmen, machanics? A credible reporter doesn't speak in generalities and strives to reference credible sources. | ||
| Court |
I disagree. | ||
| Blacksix |
Don't know about the rest of you...but the only thing keeping me out of "ANY" Buell/HD dealer on the 27th would be locked doors. Thats not optimism, ass kissing, or even faith. I dig these bikes. Period. RD...you claim to mean well...but you are WAY out of your league in this discussion. | ||
| Ferris |
didn't care for Rd's style at first (major understatement), and his delivery still could use some serious fine-tuning, but...it sounds like he's at least trying to engage in a serious conversation here--for what it's worth i'm willing to continue giving him an audience. (providing, Rd, that you back up your grand pronouncements with a modicum of evidence we can sink our teeth into...) also for what it's worth, i disagree with disabling the Anonymous function. not trying to second guess you, Blake, but i can put up with a little bit of crap now and then from the nameless/faceless weenies, in return for EVERYONE feeling like they can speak their mind in a manner that's most comortable for them. lost, it seems, in all of this is a large HOO-RAH! that should be emanating from this forum over the news that "Elvis has left the building". sumbitch, that's GREAT news, ain't it? my condolences to famly and friends of Paul Howie. we all know that our obsession with motorcycles carries with it an acknowledgment of the risks involved, but it sure doesn't make it any easier when a brother or sister goes down. this is a great family we belong to, this family of motorcycle enthusiasts--i'm so glad to be a member. ride to lean, Ferris |
