| Author | Message | ||
     Sickquad |
So, I took my M2 to its first cruise night last night. A ton of bikes, cars and trucks assemble every Saturday night in Plymouth Harbor, near the rock. I got so many questions!! Everyone stopped to look. Got as many people looking as my friend on his homemade chopper. Makes me think Buell is not advertising properly. So many people had no idea what it was and asked me how to pronounce it. Especially the young stupid kids. And the young stupid kids are pretty much the center of the sport bike market. I think I like it that way though. Being different is better than being on one of the many R1's and GSXR's in attendance. Got many race propositions also. Chris | ||
| Spiderman |
>>>>>>Makes me think Buell is not advertising properly. So many people had no idea what it was and asked me how to pronounce it. Especially the young stupid kids. And the young stupid kids are pretty much the center of the sport bike market. Unfortunatly Buell does not target the younger market. Most of the younger "stupid" market have a little something called "Nicky Hayden" syndrome. They need to get the go fast out of there blood IE go get a 600cc bike and actually read, ride and compare other bikes. Plus most of these "kids" are riding to "look cool" or "be down with the homies" none have the passion for riding like we all here do. (notice I said most) If these "kids" really get intrested in riding or become good or experienced riders (again this is most cause I have seen some Squids with great tallent that will never be really exposed cause they don't know where to go or who to talk to) ANYWAY they will either come around or not. Ok to much type off to sleep. | ||
| Blake |
If they don't know what a Buell is they are not sport bike enthusiasts. With all the coverage of the XB9R and XB9S in the mainstream moto rags, anyone who doesn't know Buell, doesn't know bikes. They were most likely just spectators. | ||
| Dynarider |
Spidey I agree that Buell doesnt target the young riders. Well maybe the Blast would qualify..I dont know what the membership looks like at your brag meetings but I know both the Hals group & the Ukes group definately lean towards an "older" clientel. A larger portion of us are 35 & up...significantly up in a lot of cases. Sure there are a few younger people but they are definately outnumbered by us oldsters. Hell I cant wait until I get my AARP card..discount meals baby!!!  | ||
| Daves |
"If these "kids" really get interested in riding or become good or experienced riders (again this is most cause I have seen some Squids with great talent that will never be really exposed cause they don't know where to go or who to talk to) ANYWAY they will either come around or not." All of us should adopt my "Save a SQUID kid" program. Every year I pick one kid that shows potential and kind of take them under my wing so to speak. They don't have to have a Buell, as a matter of fact so far in three years of doing this it's been a Kawasaki,a R6 and this year another R6 rider. Rather than writing off all the younger riders as squids let's help turn them into real motorcyclists. Make them feel welcome on the group rides, buy them a burger at a stop(they probably spent all their money on the bike) invite them to track days, help them with suspension set up, give them your already read magazines. We will never attract the younger crowd unless we make them feel welcome. At first I'm sure they don't want to hang out with people the same age as their parents. You'd be amazed at the results of this. Sorry Dyna you're too old to be my project next year  Ride to the edge! Dave Dave@iowaharley.com Iowa HD/Buell (Buell Cycle Center) | ||
| Sickquad |
I'm a young rider, 24. A Yamaha convert, I definitely prefer the Buell. I didn't know a Buell was an old mans bike. I love my Buell. | ||
| Country |
Its not an "old" man's bike. It is a bike for everyone. I think they do advertise to everyone. If they didn't they would never be changing the style and feel of their bikes. I am 23, ride an M2. I have always loved the Buells. And I always will. | ||
| Court |
Sir Country: ImAGine how those of us who were riding Buells before you went to kindergarten feel?  Court | ||
| S320002 |
"All of us should adopt my "Save a SQUID kid" program." This statement comes from a guy who told me, just a few years ago, before one of his first track days, that he thought he could pilot a 'Busa around the track fastest because it had big HP. Dave is a fine example for "The Evolution and Education of a Motorcyclist". Great going Dave! Greg P.S.: Has Curt been running the drag bike this year? How is he doing? I haven't talked to him since March when we helped Radar set the all time Nitro Slingshot ET record at Famosa. | ||
| Daves |
I haven't seen Kurt for a while either. Dave | ||
| Darthane |
22 got you all beat, you old farts! -=was youngest rider at the NorthEast Tour=- | ||
| Viros |
Buell doesnt target the younger market because the younger market cant afford buells. Im 21 and its costing me $2500.00 a year for insurance on my bolt. I shopped over 15 companys and some wanted 5 grand or more. Its even worse if you have a 1203cc tube framer. If your under 25 here in CA you get screwed on insurance any, but a new 600cc would of cost me alot less. -by the way at my recent track day there were a couple of middle aged squids who say they have been riding over 10 years and were slow on the turns and even going off the track while riding an R1 and cbr1100xx.. | ||
| Viros |
hey darthane I beat you (21) (was youngest rider at the CA adventure tour) | ||
| Mikej |
"Buell doesnt target the younger market because the younger market cant afford buells. " 75% of the sub-25yo drivers I see drive more expnsive cars or trucks than me. 75%+ of the sub-25yo riders I see ride more expensive bikes than me. Your assumption is flawed if based on my locality. I would suggest looking at any publications Buell advertises in currently and look at the demographics for that publication and that should/could say alot of Buell's target audience/market. I could be wrong, or not, don't know the demographics and Buell Marketing doesn't speak with me. | ||
| Bomber |
Hell, Mike, you 'n' me, if you believed the stats and marketing mavens, should be riding around on over-chromed purple dynas with multi-hundred dollar chrome grips . . . . . . . marketing is much more art than science, as is, it would seem, the creation of actuarial table for insurance purposes (25 year old on a 600 less liable to cause a claim than on a tuber or X-series buell? hmmmmmm) | ||
| Mikej |
Well, that does it then, I'm going to have to part out the M2 and get some chrome grips for the S2. Should just about cover the costs.  | ||
| Daves |
Bunch of young punks! Glad to have you aboard! Dave Still pretty fast for a 40 year old HD/Buell Cycle center Waterloo Ia Iowa HD/Buell (Buell Cycle Center) | ||
| Viros |
good point mike, I live on my own, and sometimes I forget 75% of sub 25yo drivers still live at home with their parents. If i didnt have to pay rent Id have an expensive car too. | ||
| Jim_witt |
Duh, What a bunch of delusional bullshit. Most Buell riders are old farts. The younger rider is going with the best bang for the buck. Buell’s are out of their price range for the most part and those that can afford to be in Buell’s price category are going to look at a bikes reliability history, overall performance, marketing hype and insurance cost. -JW:> | ||
| Rex |
I would have to agree with the older clientel getting buells..... The young kids know Suzuki, Yamaha, Honda, and Kawasaki...They know the costs, and the performance issues, and those are the bikes that they are looking for..If buell had a top performer, at a competitive cost, you might be seeing more of them with the younger kids.....I love my buell. It is more expensive than other performance bikes that I could have purchased. But I wanted the torque of the v twin and the handling of the buell. REX | ||
| Blake |
Jim, Bullshit? We are talking about who Buell is currently trying to market, not the current demographics of existing Buell owners. I see ads on MO, in RRW, in CW, and other popular moto rags. I see ads at arena cross and other events popular with younger moto aficionados. I think Buell is definitely targeting younger customers. Seems to be working. See above young men enthusiastic Buell riders. | ||
| Dynarider |
over-chromed purple dynas with multi-hundred dollar chrome grips . . . . . . . Aww shucks Bomber, ya remembered me. PS. The grips werent multi hundred, only a mere $80 a piece. Thats cheap compared to the Buell race kit & my grips probably gave about the same amount of HP increase And btw its impossible to "over-chrome" a Harley. | ||
| Road_thing |
I use the plain rubber HD grips on mine--they're a (relative) bargain at only $50!!   r-t | ||
| Aesquire |
I stopped in a Red Roof in Indiana, (driving X-country) watched a guy unload a Softail from a real nice trailer. After dinner, walking back to the hotel, saw the owner on the balcony, asked how much the trailer was, commented I could use one for my Buell. I got a "you don't look like a Buell rider" ,so I asked what a Buell rider looked like? "younger" was the reply. "F@#k em" was my reply, to the beer drinking group above, laughing. I then asked about helmet laws locally, & got "shock & awe" at the news I was a "New York Rider". Respect levels went up at the thought of a Buell in NY. LOL | ||
| Dynarider |
Roadthing, yep $50 is considered a bargain now days. The grips I got are the Choppers Inc 6 gun grips. They look cool as hell & are actually pretty damn comfortable...suprised the hell outta me. Pic from during the build. edited by dynarider on June 30, 2003 | ||
| S320002 |
I think it's cool that 18 year old squids don't buy Buells. It keeps my insurance costs down to $330/yr.  Greg | ||
| Sportsman |
I think for the most part, it takes experience to appreciate what a Buell is. Youngsters drawn to them are probably not new to motorcycles. | ||
| Ezblast |
LOL - Shit Dyna! I almost got those grips and mirrors for the Blast - I've seen 1" grips adapted to 7/8 bars - easy and those were my first choice before I went a different way - just made me laugh to see the setup proper done(I'd of had the mirrors upside down)(kept the chrome skulls though;0)) Proof I hung around my cousin Bill way too much! - Got Thump?! Just Blasting on the DArk side! EZ  | ||
| Sickquad |
Well, I think my orginal point was the fact that these young riders were on bikes which cost as much as a Buell, but had no idea what a Buell is. I'm pretty sure liter bikes go for over $10k. After talking to a couple of these guys, they seemed very interested in the Buell. I gave them a rundown of the current bikes on sale by Buell. As far as young people not affording a Buell that is false. A night at the bar costs $100, and that happens at least once a week. Most young riders can afford a Buell, but do not know what they are. That is the point I was most amazed at in my original post. If these younger riders like my M2, I'm sure they'll love the newer bikes from Buell. Sick edited by sickquad on June 30, 2003 | ||
| Road_thing |
Dyna--you wuz robbed!! Those grips are only 5-shooters!  r-t | ||
| Dynarider |
LOL..no shit, they all are. But for some reason the still call em 6 shooters. EZ, those mirrors are knockoffs of the PM ones. PM wants $125 a piece. I got those for $40 a pop. | ||
| Ezblast |
Nice Shopping - my ole lady be proud of ya - lol - GT - JBOTDS! EZ  | ||
| Blake |
I'd rather have five .45's than six .38's. Nice Harley. | ||
| Sgtbuell |
Speaking of Buell advertising, anyone know why Buell.com has been the way it has been for a while. I'm referring to all the red Xs. | ||
| Blake |
The Buell site looks fine from where I'm viewing it. Been there a few times earlier today too. |
