| Author | Message | ||
     Kc10_fe |
I was at the local pig store and had a long convo about Willie G and Buell with some of the employees. Guys working there said they are expecting HD to change direction once Willie G is gone and hopefully it will be the end on the air cooled V twin. It appeared to me that they have great hope in Wandell turning the company into something different. Maybe its the kool aid but I cant tell. They are going to push the XR1200 soon with a demo day and some other hocus pocus shit. The company line is its the best performing bike HD has produced in years. Who gives a crap anyways. So I bring up that HD already had a kick ass bike in production called the 1125R. Things at the part counter got quiet. One part guy went and said Erik screwed the pooch when HD got 51%. Others starting saying that should have never of sold Buell at the location and it should have been sold along with Ducs and the rest. Guy looks my way and says enjoy your bike while you can. He said Erik is totally screwed and cant use a single thing hes come up with over the years to build a new bike because HD owns every patent. Guy then goes Buell should have struck a deal with MV Agusta before things went down. Any truth in that? | ||
| Froggy |
Interesting idea.
Wandell can be a blessing or a curse, so far he as been a curse.
Dealers will do whatever they can to sell what they got.
Perhaps. Hard to say what would of happened to Buell if they went in another direction than HD.
I sort of agree with this. I felt they should of been sold at both types of dealerships as there are many HD dealers that attract a diverse population of riders and would be able to easily sell them to the typical BMW guy and the typical HD guy.
While HD owns those patents, Erik is far from screwed. Remember, he made them, he can make them better. 
Thank god they didn't, MV is a financial disaster. | ||
| 46champ |
MV is way too elitist to have anything to do with a mere Buell. | ||
| Spiderman |
He said Erik is totally screwed and cant use a single thing hes come up with over the years to build a new bike because HD owns every patent. LOL Erik has a LOT of patents way before HD came along. The only ones HD may own are the ones when he was working for them. And that is just assuming, maybe it was in his contract that all patents belong to him? Who knows, certainly not some parts guy and definitely not me... | ||
| Jimduncan69 |
I asked Erik himself at homecoming will he still be able to do the stuff he has patents on. he looked at me with a goofy smirk and said " since i am the one who wrote them. i know how to get around them" he then went on to tell me that we would still see fuel in the frame and mass centralization and several other things. just some of it might be tweaked a little bit. he seemed very excited when you got him talking about building production bike again. | ||
| Boliver |
My prediction is that all us people who own XB and older models with HD motors are screwed.The people with 1125's will have and get total support from Erik Buell Racing.I've already been into the local HD shop looking for a $2.00 brake reservoir gasket and told even the 1125's which has the same part as my 2005 Xb was obsolete and would need special order from"vintage parts" I told him I could order that myself and his reply was:No only HD can order from them.An 1125 part is already obsolete?Uh yeah I'll be buying a Triumph or Honda next time.FHD and good luck all you HD/Buell bike owners. | ||
| Bob_thompson |
"he seemed very excited when you got him talking about building production bike again." I believe thats very true. About what he told me at Millers also, when he was here. Although he's probably doing what he really wants to right now, building "race" bikes, and racing them as best he can, I imagine he feels he needs to go back into production to have funding and be eligible for a production based entry into various venues of racing. When he does he will kick some butt. I for one, and I believe many others also, would really like this to happen but there are still some logistical obstacles to overcome. Go Erik and Buell into the future, there's good things ahead! Bob  | ||
| Spiderman |
My prediction is that all us people who own XB and older models with HD motors are screwed. Yeah like that Eddie guy would ever come outta the shop to work on an XB...  | ||
| 04buell |
Some people just don't get who Erik Buell is. Or what he can and will do in the future. I have the faith!  | ||
| Davegess |
"since i am the one who wrote them. I know how to get around them" Erik learned by having several of his patents appear on Japanese bikes after they were modified enough to avoid infringement. His dad was a top notch patent attorney also. He know his way around patents! | ||
| Xl1200r |
One thing I learned a long time ago is that dealers, whether they be Harley, metric or even cars, have no clue about anything going aside from the product line (and even that is hit or miss). | ||
| Hootowl |
<sarcasm> I'm sure the guy at the parts counter knows all about IP law. I'd believe what he says over just about anybody. </sarcams> I'd be willing to bet that HD will license certain aspects of their IP portfolio to Erik Buell Racing (or whatever the new streetbike producing company is called) for a reasonable fee. I'd also be willing to bet that Erik knows exactly what to change on each part so he doesn't have to license anything. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
harley disavowed the dirt squirter, I am hoping it makes a comeback as a street legal DS/SM/ with contentions of being modified for superthump racing ala Roland Sands and what he did to Mx bikes. Bring it, I will ride one for street, and one for track. |
