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Buell Forum » Storm Fronts: Buell Groups, Clubs, & Events » 202 Rocket City Buelligans (Huntsvillle, Alabama) » Archive through November 14, 2005

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Author Message   Edonis Posted on Friday, September 30, 2005 - 02:29 pm:        I'm in the Harvest/Madison area. Ratyson, I bet you've been seeing me quite a bit. I don't have a car, just my bike, everywhere I go is on the bike. My girlfriend lives outside of Ardmore, so I go through Harvest all the time. I also make it around all parts of Huntsville and Madison quite a bit. I'm on the Black XB9S. Ring a bell? I've been looking for some close Buell riders. I found one around Somerville, Kenny. Also, I've thought about attending the TVSBC Sunday meetings. How is the club?   Ratyson Posted on Friday, September 30, 2005 - 06:45 pm:        Edonis, Yeah! I have seen you. The last time was on Capshaw near Sam Thomas by the Church. I was wondering who you were. Good to have a fellow Buell rider around! The club is great. We ride mainly on Sundays, meeting at the Sonic on Jordan/University at about 10am and heading out from there. I think this sunday we are thinking about heading out towards little river falls. Join us! All the folks in the group are fun to ride with, many different experience levels.   Buelltoys Posted on Friday, September 30, 2005 - 11:00 pm:        Hey, anyone going down to Dothan for Bikefest? I think it is like the 2nd or 3rd weekend in November. I am thinking of heading down there Sat. evening and sunday. Got a friend who has a HD, going to meet him there. But would love to meet up with some other guys down there from here. Well hope to see some of you there.   Southern Marine Posted on Saturday, October 01, 2005 - 07:40 am:        I retire in Feb of 07 and when I get back next year, sometime later in the year, my wife and I will be coming down there looking for a place to live. We are seriously considering moving to the Huntsville area. If that's the case I'll be looking ya'll up.   Ratyson Posted on Saturday, October 01, 2005 - 04:11 pm:        Southern Marine, We will be glad to have you! And thanks for your service!   Dave Posted on Sunday, October 09, 2005 - 08:30 am:        Rocket HD in Huntsville got a black one in. Before I could get up there I was told it was sold. I called back after the weekend to see when they'd expect another in and I found out it wasn't sold after all. There seemed to be a height issue with it and the potential new Bueller. They offered a test ride & had a very competitive price/trade so I ended up trading my '01 Tiger in on it Friday. It was my first time in Rocket and it really is a very nice HD dealership. There's potential there for Buells but the dealership needs to embrace the brand. I spoke with one new employee there that had on a Buell shirt. I think he's a new mechanic. ANyhow, the finace/paperwork guy told me they sell about 5 a month! Yeah????? Not a Buell t-shirt in the store though. I plan on calling the GM and offering some ideas. Wouldn't it be something to have a bunch of Buellers show up one day. Hell...if they are selling 5 a month then there should be 30 Buellers just from the last 6 months! DAve   Odie Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 11:36 am:        Hey Guys, I have a friend looking for a bike. He may take a Tuber if the price is right but leaning towards an XB. Looking to spend around $5000. Anybody have anything they are looking to sell? Let me know. Thanks, Odie   Ratyson Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 03:44 pm:        Dave, If they are selling 5 a month, I don't think they are local folks. I only know of 3 local buell riders (including myself), and I am ALWAYS on the lookout for them. I want to get a BRAG club started up here in Huntsvegas, so I really hope those numbers are true!   Dave Posted on Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 02:02 am:        In case you have the need for antique speed http://www.barbermotorsports.com/ahrma.html Barber's in Birmingham has AHRMA DAve   Ara Posted on Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 10:20 am:        Dave, 5 a month? I find that difficult to believe. I've been there 4-5 times in the last three months and they've never had more than three Buells in stock, no new models, and they're hidden in the back where the salesmen have their offices. You want a part, they're happy to order it for you. They no longer have a parts book for my tuber. Southern Marine, You'll find that Huntsville is one of the best places for military retirees. Redstone Arsenal has a good PX/commisary complex and a well run medical clinic. If you want to continue to work in the military/industrial complex, there are any number of "beltway bandit" contractors in the area. BRAC has the Army Materiel Command HQ coming to Redstone Arsenal, and if that happens there will be that much more employment possibilities. Keep us posted. I'd be delighted to show you the local twisties. Russ   Ratyson Posted on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 - 10:53 am:        Ara, You should meet up with us one Sunday for a ride. We have a group that meets on Sunday at the Sonic on 72 and Jordan at 10am. Edonis has ridden with us, seemed to have a good time. It would be nice to get a few more Buellers out there. russ   Ara Posted on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 - 11:53 am:        Hey, Russ. There aren't many RUSSELLs about, so I'm glad to make your acquaintance. I'll keep your invitation in mind, and thank you! Russ   Dave Posted on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 - 01:03 pm:        Based on my whopping 2 trips to Rocket, it's a Harley dealership that sells Buell. I recommend a phone call to "EJ" the GM and let him know there are Buell riders that could use some dealer interaction/support. Plenty of opportunity for success if the dealership could be told we're out here. (I don't hardly believe the 5 a month line either....) DAve   Ratyson Posted on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 - 02:00 pm:        Ara, I will probably be out there this Sunday. I may even make a trip out to Sonic on Wal Triana and Madison Blvd on Thursday for bike nite if you are interested in that as well. We usually have a few guys from the group out there also. Dave, You make a good point. I would imagine that there aren't too many folks asking for parts from Rocket hd for their buells, knowing that they don't really carry any. Maybe if we show them some interest, we can get them to carry more stuff for us.   Ara Posted on Wednesday, October 26, 2005 - 12:11 pm:        Russ, I won't be able to make it this weekend. Once football season is over and my stepdaughter isn't performing with the band at half-time, I'll have more time on the weekends. Russ (ara)   Dave Posted on Friday, November 04, 2005 - 09:21 am:        Besides the 4-6 lane SLAB of asphalt running between B'ham and Huntsville, you guys have any route suggestions? Twisties good-straight is bad. With that said, after living in IL for years even I-65 offers more elevation change and curves than most of IL. DAve   Odie Posted on Friday, November 04, 2005 - 11:30 am:        Dave, I rode up to Talledaga last year and any of the roads around Cheahaa (sp?) Mt. are great.   Ara Posted on Friday, November 04, 2005 - 11:58 am:        Sure. Try this ride: From the south end of Memorial Parkway, go east on Hobbs Island Road. Turn left on Old 431 Hwy. Turn left on Old Big Cove Road and bear right at intersection (you'll still be on Big Cove Road). Turn left on US Hwy 431. Turn right on Dughill Road. Turn left on US Hwy 72. Turn left on Maysville Road. Turn left on Bankhead Parkway (if you turn right it'll be Pratt Avenue) and go up over the top of Monte Sano and down the other side to US Hwy 431 again. At this point you can turn right and go back to Huntsville via the direct route or turn left and go down to Old Big Cove Road and retrace your path. Lots of twisties!   Ratyson Posted on Saturday, November 05, 2005 - 12:06 pm:        Also, Little River Canyon provides an awsome road. Many twisties/elevation changes and beautiful scenery to boot. This is between Fort Payne and the Georgia State Line. Another route that we ride often is AL Hwy 65 in paint rock just past Gurly. Then through skyline up into Lynchburg, TN. Basically any road north of 72 into TN is a good road. Russ   Ara Posted on Sunday, November 06, 2005 - 11:03 am:        Russ is right on the money - any road north of Hwy-72 into Tennessee is very likely to be an excellent road. AL Hwy 79 through Skyline (just east of his Hwy 65 suggestion) is a case in point. It's pretty good on the AL side of the state line, but when you get into Tennessee you're suddenly on a racetrack quality road with ample runoff (in case of serious error) and very little police presence. I know guys to do that road at 130 mph. I wouldn't do that - there's quite a bit of horseback riding up there. When you get into Tennessee and down on the flats again, cool your turbines. Tennessee State Trooper Karen Russell is absolutely the nicest, most professional and most proficient ticket rider you'll ever encounter. Russ (the other one)   Ratyson Posted on Monday, November 07, 2005 - 09:09 am:        Hwy 65 Update: The repaving is complete. The entire stretch has brandy new pavement. Very smooth... it's a wonderful thing.   Ara Posted on Friday, November 11, 2005 - 04:57 pm:        I visited Rocket Harley-Davidson/Buell yesterday. They had ONE Buell, a 2003 Blast. Abysmal.   Ratyson Posted on Saturday, November 12, 2005 - 09:32 am:        Ara, Not surprised at all. The guy that sold me my buell didn't even know what it was when I saw him at Sonic a few weeks ago. He looked at it and said, "What is that? One of those Buells?.. What do that call that one?.. The street fighter??". I stood there for a minute waiting for him to say he was kidding... he never did. I am quite sure that Rocket will be out of the Buell business very soon.. if not already.   Odie Posted on Saturday, November 12, 2005 - 11:26 am:        Ratyson- that is too funny! Actually it's pretty sad......   Ara Posted on Sunday, November 13, 2005 - 04:25 pm:        Buell has an odd history in North Alabama. In 1997 I bought my S3 from Rider's H-D in Birmingham (long before they moved to their new location). In less than a year they'd abandoned their Buell franchise due (they said) to having been forced to accept more Buells than they knew that they could sell at their location. They'd also been forced to accept a mix of Buell models that they new wouldn't sell. They didn't, of course, and they said to hell with it. That's how Rocket got the franchise. It was rumored that Roger, the previous owner of the H-D dealership in Huntsville, wanted the Buell franchise but couldn't get it because of the proximity of Rider's in a soft market. When Rider's threw up their hands, that opened the opportunity for Rocket (under new management) to become a Buell dealer. But why did they bother? You can't even buy a Buell tee-shirt there any more. I had to order something as mundane, low priced, and easy to stock as turn signals. As long as they will still order Buell parts I can live with it, but I'd sure never buy a motorcycle from such a lukewarm dealership.   Ratyson Posted on Monday, November 14, 2005 - 08:44 am:        It is an unfortunate situation. The only parts I have had to order so far were a set of foot pegs (dropped the bike in the garage .. then SNAP.. left side foot peg broke). Rocket said it would take 2 weeks. So I ordered them from sporttwin.com. They arrived 2 days later. I am about to order some frame pucks, but I am going to order them from americansportbike.com, because again, Rocket quoted me 2 weeks. "This place is a geographical odditiy... 2 weeks from everywhere" --   Ara Posted on Monday, November 14, 2005 - 10:55 am:        Russ, They have to say a "ten days to two weeks" at the parts counter, but it's usually about a week to ten days in my experience. BTW, have you been there lately? The parts counter is half the size it was and they've set up some tables and chairs to the left. I haven't a clue. The other Russ   Ara Posted on Monday, November 14, 2005 - 11:02 am:        BTW for all the folks in the South, if you've never visited the Barber Motorsports Museum near Leeds, Alabama (at the new Barber track just east of Birmingham off I-20) you will not be disappointed if you go. They've got 3-4 Buells showing the development of Eric's dream, Vincents, Broughs, Triumphs, BSAs, the Honda NR oval-pistoned machine, Harleys and Indians up the cazoo, one of Freddie Spencer's race bikes, two of Dave Sadowski's race bikes, Rich Oliver's last Yamaha racer, a couple of Whizzers, and even a Muench Mammouth. It is a nearly exhaustive display and very worth your while. I highly recommend it.   Odie Posted on Monday, November 14, 2005 - 12:35 pm:        Ara- a few of us have been meaning to get up there for quite a while now. Maybe this early spring we can head up or better yet, during a race weekend! I'll post here when we finally get around to coming up. Odie   Buelltoys Posted on Monday, November 14, 2005 - 07:06 pm:        Hey, count me in on the B'Ham trip. The new RoadRunner mag. has an article on the museum. Sounds great. Maybe by then I'll have my Uly. Been waiting 9 wks so far. Should be in this wk though. Wish me luck.