| Author | Message | ||
     Lovematt |
I have seen them in Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Ipswich when traveling for work. I have also been to be non-pro GP races in the Netherlands in the summers for the last few years...the number of Buells has steadily increased faster at the races than on the roads over there...but regardless I can see the trend. When talking about motorcycles, when I mention I have a Buell most are very interested in it since it of such a different design than most bikes. This is in a land dominated by BMW, Ducati, Aprilla, and MVs... | ||
| Bomber |
nah, don't bother -- only research recognized on this board is that which upholds your dearly held beliefs -- Dave, you ignorant petrol head, you knew that! | ||
| Court |
Pardon me as I revel in this . . . imagine back in the day when there were 6 Buells in the world. I still recall the first owners gathering we had at my house in Topeka, KS (with HD CEO and WillieG, with their wives in attendance) and we decided that was the largest number of Buells ever in one place at one time. Erik had ridden his personal red, white and blue RS1200 600 miles to be there. I look back at those pictures and he and I, both now staring down the barrel of social security, were kids then. I used to know everyone who owned and rode a Buell. It still totally screws with me when I pass one in Manhattan. By wife yells "keep your eyes on where you're going" as I spin my head to see what model and "who it was". Buells are tremendously popular in Europe and Europeans tend to be, in may ways, more fanatical about their passion for motorcycles than folks in the US. In addition, and I'm not wanting to generalize but suppose I am, most the Europeans I know are far better riders than their Yank counterparts. Riding seems to be taken much more seriously. Frankly, it's a market MADE for the Buell product. Bol D'or and some of the other Euro-fests have long been big Buell celebrations. Many folks, who I know, that ride Buells in Europe spend far less time on the internet and more time riding. There....all the generalizations you get for one day. The TT looks to be aimed squarely at Europe! | ||
| Trojan |
The UK bike market is notoriously fickle and sports bike fixated. Unfortunately Buell will not gain a substantial foothold in this market by rehashing 4 year old designs with models that do not meet the expectations of UK buyers. Painting a Ulysses white and putting an XB12SS tail on it won't sell bikes here, unless it is to an already dyed in the wool Buell enthusiast. The UK market is used to the Japanese marketing and sales tirade and expects to see a substantial model change at least every two years, if not every 12 months. Whether this is right or wrong is beside the point, and it really wouldn't matter if the XB were the very best bike in the world. It is now viewed as 'old hat' by the UK buying public and needs major changes to maintain sales over here. Changing colours and making 'parts bin' specials may convince the Harley brigade, but it won't wash with the rest of the bike buying public. Buell has serious opposition in the 'naked sport bike' category in 2006/2007 with more and more manufacturers jumping on the same bandwagon. Price and spec on most of these bikes is very similar, so punters will look for something new and exciting to part them from their cash. KTM, Guzzi and Aprilia look to have delivered with their new and updated models. The 'new' Buell doesn't even make the inside pages of this week's Motor Cycle News in the UK whereas the Aprilia 'Shiver' gets 4 pages. | ||
| Pwnzor |
The UK bike market is notoriously fickle and sports bike fixated. Unfortunately Buell will not gain a substantial foothold in this market by rehashing 4 year old designs with models that do not meet the expectations of UK buyers. From the horse's mouth. Thank you Trojan. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I spent a week in Germany and saw a HUGE number of bikes. *very* *few* were sportbikes, most were scooters or other smaller displacement machines, lots of cruisers, and lots of standards of various types. I really enjoyed the mix. | ||
| Italicus |
Sales naked bike in Italy excluded series XB 9  | ||
| Daves |
I wish they would've listed the 9s in that. See Rocket, you just got to ride to Italy more often. Thanks for the info | ||
| Rocketman |
Lets get the facts right. 762 XB12S might have been shipped to Italy late 2004 through late 2005, but I doubt seriously that all 762 sold in Italy if they all sold at all. The practice is the same here in the UK. The dealer registers the motorcycle for road use to get the sales quota in. Then he sells it later at a discounted price. Or - the dealers still have some of them sitting on the floor waiting to sell, which equates to wanting less ordering from Buell for the 2006 model year. Last time I was in Italy I saw not 1 Buell. Yes I have seen them in France, because I visited several dealers and the Buell event at Croix for a couple of years. Yes I have seen them in Holland. I hung out with those guys for the Croix events. No I have not seen them in Belgium apart from the ones we were riding. No I haven't seen them in................ Never have 762 XB12S sold in Italy in 1 sales year. That's playing with numbers and I'd wager Italy is trading them into other Euro countries. Rocket | ||
| Chainsaw |
I've ridden coast to coast, and I can't say I've seen any Buells 'in the wild' on my road trips. All you BadWeb guys must just be a figment of my imagination.  locally, I might see 3 on a given weekend | ||
| Pwnzor |
I see one or two around, but that's about it. One of them lives three doors away. I like the low numbers. The lower the better, I say. I didn't buy this bike so I could be riding the same thing as everyone else. I see Ducati's just like my old one EVERYWHERE. pffft. | ||
| Buelluk |
Well all I can say is that if I ever moved back to the UK, I would be taking the Uly with me, or buying one in the UK if that was not possible. I think the TT is a waste of time lets face it , its a parts bin bitsa ...every change on it is a bolt-on / off ....but I won't be deserting Buell because of it. | ||
| Jscott |
"I like the low numbers." With releases like the "TT" we can be assured that they will remain low.  | ||
| Buelluk |
BTW I only saw one XB in Miami, FL last week ...does that mean they are not selling well in the US ....nah, didn't think so ! | ||
| Daves |
Rocket, If they aren't selling, why would they fudge the numbers to get more? That makes no sense to me. | ||
| Newfie_buell |
I saw two Buells today, One on the way out of my basement where I park it and the second out in the garage. Other than those two I don't see any here. | ||
| Blake |
Do we need to start a "Where's the Buell" photo capture contest? See who can garner the most photographs of random Buell sightings out on the road.  | ||
| Jscott |
"Punch-Buell"? | ||
| Greenlantern |
Do we need to start a "Where's the Buell" photo capture contest? See who can garner the most photographs of random Buell sightings out on the road.   } | ||
| Diablobrian |
OOOOH! now there's a design idea for the TT contest! a "waldo" paint scheme! red and white striped air-box cover Blue number plates and a red and white striped hat with a pom-pom painted on the windscreen. | ||
| Anonymous |
Rocket is one of the most delusional people on this board. No one "fakes" the numbers. Believe me there are thousands of Buells on the roads in Italy. I just came from a Buell party in Milan, and it was absolutely packed with hundreds of Buell owners on a cold night, mostly just from the Milan area. | ||
| Pwnzor |
of course you did.  supposing you did... it was a Buell party. A planned event. It was no accident that there were Buells present. | ||
| Jscott |
"...on a cold night" Was it as cold a the reception the "TT" is getting? (Message edited by JScott on November 15, 2006) | ||
| Daves |
They were still there. It's not like people went out and bought the bike just for the party. | ||
| Pwnzor |
Was it as cold a the reception the "TT" is getting? Somebody give that man a rimshot!  is anyone really trying to say that Buells are common? | ||
| Buellerthanyou |
I was in London 'bout a year ago for three days. Saw two Buells (both XBS models) riding on the streets and three for sale at Warr's (and an XLCR, ooooooohhhh).  Here in Austin, I'm a member of the largest group of Buells that meet or ride together regularly ('round 20+) and at least once per month I'll see a different Buell/rider on the roads that I don't recognize (where do these guys hang out? Maybe they don't!). I even made up some cheap business cards with contact info for the Hellbuellies so we could put them on bikes we don't recognize or hand them to folks we see on Buells. HellBuelly J "We shall wheelie on the beaches. We shall wheelie on the landing grounds. We shall wheelie in the fields, and in the streets, we shall wheelie in the hills. We shall never surrender!" --Winston 'Buelldog" Churchill P.S. I also have a copy of a French "adult" video where you can briefly see an S1 in one scene!  | ||
| Pammy |
Even though I live in one of the flattest and straightest states in the US, I see Buells every where here. And what happened to, Buells NOT being seen on every corner, a good reason to own one? I know that was one reason I bought mine. Being a motorcycle enthusiast(ALL motorcycles) myself, I hope Buell is doing well. I wish the same for Ducati and Indian and Triumph and Polaris, etc... The world is a better place with motorcycles and diversity thereof. | ||
| Blake |
Some people here try their best to be jackasses. Of course such naysayers have probably never accomplished much, certainly never started their own motorcycle brand. Aside from the rear number plates, I think the new TT rocks. I assume the rear number plates are easily removable. | ||
| Rocketman |
Ok let me get this across to you all. I couldn't give two shits how many Buells sell in Italy or Kazakhstan or the UK. I care that Buell don't go out of business but I also wish for a day when Buell actually build a motorcycle once again that I (yes I, not Buell) can be proud of. That hasn't happened for me since the S1W. Buell however continue to tell the world that they are getting it right. I have disagreed with that point for several years. They are only getting it right for a small amount of people. Put it this way. Not a lot of people will go out and buy an MV Brutale, but thousands will love the bike all the same. That is what Buell needs to do. Create motorcycles that make people who won't buy one mouths water. Bullshitting a reputation by proclaiming 762 XB12S have sold in Italy is not only a joke it's a lie. How many Uly's, City X, XBR's also sold in Italy that same year? A guesstimate must surely suggest that Italy is accounting for at least 15% of Buells total production. Do me a favour. Do I look stupid. Answers on a postcard please. We are talking Italy here. The home of style. Buells must be f**king cheap in Italy is all I can say. Make that Buell are all but giving them away. Buell want you to believe they are selling well because they are creating their own fashion in doing so. What's fashionable sells. Flops don't. That's why numbers are being manipulated. It's a well known practice to sell off inventory before it gets stuck like a limpet mine to you. As for the number of Buells around. Sure we like a cool bike that not many see that often. That has nothing to do with what we are discussing here. Rocket | ||
| Diablobrian |
For those so inclined those number plates will either make a backer to make a pair of soft saddle bags hang and mount easily or a foundation to build some hard bags. It's the old half full/half empty question. Do you see potential or a re-hash? I'm not trying to play cheerleader here, I just think some people are too quick to criticize. This is a mid-year release. Few earth shattering new designs come out like this. Overly optimistic expectations have caused a back-lash against the TT among some of the enthusiasts. To a new Buell customer it is another option to choose from. Don't urinate in their (new customers) lemonade. It seems city-x owners like the idea of a taller 1203cc version of their bike too. I'm looking forward to the major model release in mid-July (?) That is when I expect to see fireworks. Either then or in 08. Either way I'm hanging on to my good old XB1250R+(soon to be L too ) I'll be looking at saddlebag options in the near future too. |
