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Firemanjim
| | Posted on Saturday, August 12, 2006 - 01:00 pm: | 
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"e) Start by building low production exotic versions of our streetbikes, which march to a different drummer? Yep we are doing that."
Oh, boy,when do we get to see them?? I have not bought a new Buell since 1995(though have had 3-4 used,still have 2,S-2's of course.)
Though I suppose you are referring to the XBRR. Sure would like to see that sort of small run exotic in street trim. Kinda like Harley does with the Screaming Eagle bikes or Ducati with their "specials". |
Court
| | Posted on Saturday, August 12, 2006 - 01:03 pm: |
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TALK IS CHEAP
I didn't coin that, but I wish I had.
The world is an amazing place and as one ages (I am easing into my golden years) the chasm between the "talkers" and the "doers" grows wider and more evident.
Buell is alive and healthy. That's fitting testimony to a group of "Doers" that I coined the term "Elves" for after two of them performed an amazing overnight metamorphosis to create a motorcycle overnight years ago.
"Doers" are interesting folks. They can be found at the front of most crowds. They think, they form fascinating associations with other "doers" and make the damnedest teams you can imagine. Two genuine "doers" can produce the output of a dozen "talkers".
"Doers" can be recognized by their scars. An element common to these folks is that all of them have totally f***d up MANY projects. They've all been put on their ass a number of times. To the "doers" this provides valuable lessons....keys to future navigation. To the "talkers" it provides fodder for cheap shots, innuendo and idle speculation about what they "would have done".
You'd think that "doers", particularly the ones accused of being liars and "rock star groupies" would go away, but they don't. They seem, instead, to become galvanized and more intent on what they are doing. You'd think a phone call from a Harley-Davidson executive calling one of them a "lunatic" and another "hopelessly out of control" would put their tail twinxt their legs and send'em running...but the SOB's seem to just knuckle down and keep coming harder.
Surely a spate of recalls and a barrage of qualify complaints would send "doers" off to their rightful place among the failed has-beens of life. But oddly, enough these crazed folks fire back with a volley of products that redefine manufacturing quality....can't these guys be stopped?
"Doers" simply don't go away.
Neither do "talkers". . . they are always there, eager to point out that although the "doer" did well, they didn't do the "best".
There are some things that attracted me to Buell in 1987, none involved motorcycles. Lately I've been called some down right nasty names, but I've owned a Buell continuously since the day Buell used (4 years before Ducati introduced the Monster in 1993) the word PASSION.
Talk is cheap. Folks who purport to be able to convince me that HD is on the brink of big problems, can't name a single one of the executives whom I'm betting are gonna make sure Harley and Buell thrive.
Anyway....as a former guest speaker at Ducati's largest event in New York City, I'll sit hear and keep listening, but you're gonna have to bring a lot more convincing argument to the table to get me to shed my Buells.
Court
P.S. - the Ducati advertising group is still bent out of shape over the little deal in 1999. When they sent out the engraved invites to the event, flew in the chefs from Italy and lined up all the limos for celebs and tv coverage, they didn't plan on snow. I arrived in an Armani tux aboard a Buell M-2 Cyclone (one of the BEST motorcycles EVER made and I can PROVE it!). It was a Ducati event with all the execs from Bologna and guess what the TV crews, waiting out front, were showing?
I take credit for a LOT of stupid shit. I've never been accused of NOT acting.
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Diablobrian
| | Posted on Saturday, August 12, 2006 - 01:45 pm: |
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That brought a tear to my eye Court.  |
Jens
| | Posted on Saturday, August 12, 2006 - 01:49 pm: |
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Well, I am not all time happy how "the worldwide company" is acting. BUT I can say that the level of supporting racers is unique from BMC. Erik and Henry (and others!) have not forgotten were they come from and help were they can in a quick and non conformable way.
I tell you, you can race years a italien, a japanese Bike or a BMW and the support is and will be for all time zero.
Driven by passion -for Buell more than a flowery phrase.
Jens |
Diablobrian
| | Posted on Saturday, August 12, 2006 - 02:16 pm: |
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I don't remember if it was on this thread or not, but I stated before, that I wish Buell
the very best in terms of growth, but I fear that growth because it can mean the loss
of the individual support and family atmosphere that we all love so much. |
Davegess
| | Posted on Saturday, August 12, 2006 - 10:02 pm: |
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Passion is certainly the truth about Buell. It is a passion that is catching and I know that as long as Erik is involved it will be THE key element of the company.
Also as long as Erik is involved they will not do things like other people.
The reference above to Honda (Buell oughta follow the Honda model) is also very true. Mr Honda was a very passionate man and the company he founded was, and I unfortunatly say was, a very passionate company. Since his death they have lost their way a bit, become more focused on winning sales wars and less on designing and building the best products they can think of.
The comment "Ducati can go racing at a high level why can't Buell" alwasy amuse me. Ducati has been workign at this racing game for almost 50 years and started very small time running 125's and 250's in the Italian championships. It took them a long time to build to the level they are at. Buell cant pick up the phone and race like Ducati without first paying some dues.
Buell faces a very difficult challange at present, moving from 10000 bikes a year to 50000 may be harder that from 1000 to 10000 was, and that was dam difficult. |
Anonymous
| | Posted on Saturday, August 12, 2006 - 10:43 pm: |
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Jens,
Don't let the jackasses get to you. The worldwide company does not properly represent Buell at times, but you can bet your *** that Erik, Henry, Abe, Tony, etc. will. So race Buells even though the bigwigs don't make it easy, and you will kick their butts and look all the better for it. Don't let the bast***s grind you down. |
Bad_karma
| | Posted on Sunday, August 13, 2006 - 04:27 am: |
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Anonymous
I hear a lot of talk but it appears that you are one of few that is willing to walk the walk. God bless nuclear weapons.
Joe |
Court
| | Posted on Sunday, August 13, 2006 - 07:02 am: |
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>>>>I fear that growth because it can mean the loss of the individual support and family atmosphere that we all love so much.
You may ease your fear, that’s not going to happen.
Although sometimes unfortunate, most the public gets ne'er a glimpse of "The Elves". Buell has not, and is not, accomplishing the things they are with one Erik and all the rest a different type of folks. Buell is plum chucked full of "Erik Minded Individuals" filled with a passion that reinvigorates me each time I visit with them.
I wrote several tales, about 11 years ago, about "The Elves", some of the most, even to me, amazing stories of Buell people, their fascinating backgrounds and how they got to Buell. There were, among Buell employees, some of the most popular stories I've ever penned.
If you heard just one of these you'd, I'll bet, be amazed. There are names you'll never hear, folks several tiers from the executive offices (which at Buell really don’t much look like executive offices) who turn the crank and make the cogs mesh daily.
I can think of about 9 people right off the bat I'd tell you about. I'd also share some amazing stories of incredible things "normal" people have done to guard against the mediocrity you fear.
I'd tell you about Nate and the Australian speedometer, Matt and the problem bike in Europe, Joni and the S1W1 at the grand unveiling, Dave refusing to ship (in direct violation of an order from a HD exec) an S-3T that he considered "not perfect", and some very recent amazing stories as a small group (much smaller than you'd imagine) with little funding (much less than you'd imagine) fought to make certain the XBRR was sitting on the grid at Daytona.
quote:I fear that growth because it can mean the loss of the individual support and family atmosphere that we all love so much.
Not a snowball's chance in hell.
I was contacted, several years ago, by the Harley-Davidson communication group about writing a monthly column to go on the Buell website. I think the idea of actually DOING it likely scared the hell outta some folks and I never heard back. I'd offered to provide the manuscripts 90 days in advance to allow detail scrutiny. I think it'd give folks a good reason to visit more than once a year to see the new models. Looooooooong shot, but I'd love to have the chance to show you some of the wonder that makes a Buell a Buell . . .
P.S. - Dave....was that "Passion" on the poster "yours"? You do the photo or the text? |
Davegess
| | Posted on Sunday, August 13, 2006 - 10:56 am: |
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<p.s.>
I wrote the words, another Elf working for free, using the space after hours at the studio he worked at, did the shot. |
Diablobrian
| | Posted on Sunday, August 13, 2006 - 01:46 pm: |
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Thanks for the affirmation Court! |
Jimidan
| | Posted on Sunday, August 13, 2006 - 03:15 pm: |
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Anony sez: "Thanks for your and Court's comments about following the Ducati model."
Whoah! I don't think that Buell should use Ducati as its business model...HD would be a much more successful model, although it is kind of an apples (Cruisers) and oranges (Sportbikes) thing there.
What I said was that 'Buell should model its racing sponsorship program after Ducati'. How can anyone argue with the success that Ducati has had getting folks to give them money in spite of their brink or extinction existence.
Other than that, your business model (and racing program) looks just fine! I enjoy all of the venues where I can watch Buells race...and you don't have to be in World SBK or MotoGP to suit my taste. I actually like CCS/ASRA racing more than AMA Superbike, as it is more about the rider and set-up than how much money you can spend. There are some folks actually discussing implementing some of these ideas into AMA racing.
jimidan |
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