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12r
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 03:58 am: | 
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UK sales last year, from the MCIA:
#1 best selling new bike, all categories including scooters:
Honda CBR 1000RR Fireblade (2067 units). The Suzuki GSX-R600 is 2nd (1970 units), GSX-R750 is 3rd (1953), GSX-R1000 4th (1934). Cruisers ? Tourers ? Pfft !
Not far behind in tenth place is the BMW R1200 GS with 1468 sales, but if you include the 1200 GS Adventure the big Beemer is our best selling bike.
Judging by how many of these I see on the road, Ulysses sales must be barely into three figures. |
Trojan
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 04:09 am: |
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12R is right. As far as UK Buell/Harley dealers are concerned, MSRP stands for Manufacturers Set in Stone Retail Price.
You may be able to prise a few extras such as a race kit out of them (when the race kit was available), but discounts are not an option.
Blake,
My sales data comes from the oficial UK & European dealers that I speak to very regularly, and also from monitoring what we sell for various models. The Uly is certainly the least popular model. I don't include the TT as it hasn't been out long enough yet, and I don't actually think anyone has bought one in the UK  (joke) |
Blublak
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 10:41 am: |
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On the 'New Model Info' front of this thread.. Here's what I heard it coming out..
Buell has perfected the 'Mag-Valve'. A magnetically actuated valve that can move at obscene speeds without friction. They are using the principal in the new engine, made of 'Un-Obtanium 2' and total weight for the motor will be just under 2oz. (CA version 3oz.) The new frictionless motor will rev to about 36,000rpm and produce in the neighborhood of 450ftlb of Torque producing an arm dislocating 3,100HP at the crank. By removing the belt system and installing a hydrostatic molecular flow chamber they should only loose about 3% in transfer to the rear wheel for about 3kRwHp. Tires are expected to no longer be needed with the new 'gravity negation system' being employed, the 'bike' will ride on a cushion of inert plasma generated by the 'exhaust' from the engine, the 'exhaust' will be directed to two 'holding' discs located front and rear (where the wheels currently reside) and will form a 'cushion' around them, causing the bike to float. This, according to my source will make the machine stable up to about 400mph without worry, and with some tweaking should allow for 12G turns at full throttle with negligible drift of no more then 5.8 inches from centrifugal forces in such a turn. Speeds above 400mph were not tested due to the 'governor' incorporated into the Engine Management Package. The EMP will ensure that the system does not exceed set 'street' requirements and create the 'Opposite Magnetic Charge Effect' that has been known to cause early test 'mules' to be launched into low earth orbit.
The engine will run on an Oxygen, Hydrogen (and other gas) mix that Buell claims will be easy and cheap to locate. A side benefit of the new fuel is the removal of shifting fluidic weight effecting turning, or motor operation when in leaned at extreme angles along all four axis’s.
It is thought that retail price should be a reasonable $28.9Billion per unit (slightly higher for CA models). There will of course be three 'new' color schemes for the as yet unnamed model - Electric Neon Sun Glow Chunky Green and Pepto Pink, Mauve and Baby Poop Speckled Brown and what H-D executives are calling, Super Chromatic Ultra Mettalic(a) and Road Rash Red.
Hmmm.. I wonder how to finance one of those mothers and not be the government? |
12r
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 11:02 am: |
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Spank
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 12:07 pm: |
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07xb12scg,
I guess in a backwords kind of way I was agreeing with you. I just find it funny some of the ideas people come up with out of left field.....ya know?! |
Ridrx
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 12:56 pm: |
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I LOVE CATS...THEY TASTE LIKE CHICKEN!!!!
 |
Steve_mackay
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 02:44 pm: |
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Cat... the other white meat  |
Bads1
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 05:18 pm: |
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Spank: 1 out of 1,000,000 internet rumors might be true about the new models. The rest of the people are either liars or spreading false information. I was referring to the 999,999.
Spank there are probably handful on this sight that know alot more then you think. |
Jlnance
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 06:59 pm: |
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It is in England.
I should have qualified my post with "In the United States." Thanks for the correction. |
Spank
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 07:04 pm: |
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Bads1-
What part of what I said didn't you get? |
Bads1
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 08:32 pm: |
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Actually most of it. Not starting an argument. There are People here though that seem to peep enough to make you nibble. |
Cityxslicker
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 09:18 pm: |
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I hope the new XB14R will be available in Silver Tabby Stripes with Carbon Fiber accents |
Spank
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 11:01 pm: |
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Bads1-
I was more or less adding to what 07xb12scg had said ( I guess I didn't make it come across that way ). Not that it happened on this thread so far, but people will hear some story from their out of touch dealer and it ends up on here! Funny thats all.
Later |
Midknyte
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 11:04 pm: |
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New exciting color schemes!
New exciting color schemes!
New exciting color schemes! |
Blake
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 03:41 am: |
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Matt,
If going by your own orders, it might be relevant that compared to the first XB's out in 2002, five years ago, the Uly only hit the market in 2005, not even two years ago, what a year and a half ago for the UK?
R12,
"Judging by how many of these I see on the road"
Outside of Daytona Bike Week last year at the big Buell meetup at Nick and Sammie's and the BRAG parking at the race, I've not seen a single Uly on the road anywhere. Your logic would then dictate that they aren't selling well over here either. Or maybe that method of gaging sales for a particular model of motorcycle might not be very accurate?
It would be interesting to see actual sales numbers. |
12r
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 03:54 am: |
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New exciting color schemes!
u r sick people...
you asked for it...
here it is...
 |
12r
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 04:12 am: |
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Blake, BMW sold over 2000 1200GS's in the UK last year. That's enough to give them a visible presence on the roads in our little country. Why, I saw one yesterday evening and another one only this morning.
In contrast, I have only ever seen one Uly (excluding bike meets/shows/H-D shops)
Of course, this is a very empirical judgment and there may be dozens if not hundreds of Ulys somewhere in the UK. But if there are, they are maintaining a very low profile. |
Steveshakeshaft
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 04:40 am: |
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Plenty of Uly's amongst the UKBEG community. |
Trojan
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 04:40 am: |
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If going by your own orders, it might be relevant that compared to the first XB's out in 2002, five years ago, the Uly only hit the market in 2005, not even two years ago, what a year and a half ago for the UK?
Even in comparison with the 12SS, a model that was released after the Ulysses, the 12X parts sales are very low.
It isn't just my sales though, like I said, I speak to official dealers all the time, so I know which models sell here in the UK and which ones struggle.
I also drive up and down the UK a lot, and have never seen a Ulysses on my travels other than at Buell meetings. It is rare to see a Buell on the road anyway, but the Uly seems an endangered species.
However it seems that almost every other bike that I see on the road is a BMW GS1150/1200.
Breaking into the Adventure market was always going to be difficult for Buell, especially with no pedigree in that area in the way that BMW, KTM and even Yamaha/Honda already have. The other problem here in the UK is that the general biking public have some very strong preconceptions about Buells which the importer/factory is doing nothing to alleviate.
The Harley engine is seen as the biggest albatross around the neck of Buell sales, and the most common reason why jap bike riders state they wouldn't buy one. Regardless of the innovation that has been put into it by Buell, and whatever the actual truth really is, it is still seen as heavy, slow and unreliable by the majority of non Buell owners. The only way to address this is to get a lighter, more powerful engine and SERIOUSLY promote it by racing/rallying/whatever, to show that it is a serious alternative.
Maybe sending a couple of Uly's around the world with a TV crew and a couple of out of work actors would do it
The British biking public, to whom the cult of the sports bike is king, are now conditioned to a maximum two year model run before the bike is consigned to the scrap heap in favour of the new lightest fastest model. Any bike more than 3 years old is pretty much ignored by the press and the buying public alike unless it has that indefinable quality that the BMW R1200 has (and that has taken years to build up it's reputation) or is a budget commuter bike that the style police have ignored for years.
I've said it before, but if Buell want to compete head on with the other major manufacturers then they need to have a product that is capable of standing up for itself against similar priced alternatives.
Ploughing a lonely furrow and making 'idiosynchratic' bikes is great if you want to remain a sideline player like Bimota, Borile or Ghezzi & Brian (and they sell because of their idiosynchracities and high quality), but not if your ambition is to have a slice of the bigger cake. |
Trojan
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 04:54 am: |
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Plenty of Uly's amongst the UKBEG community.
How many is plenty Steve? 10? 20?
As a percentage of Buells owned on UKBEG, Badweb or most other forums, I would guess that the Uly is still the least popular model and would be interested to see actual figures. |
Jaimec
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 09:28 am: |
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Matt, I haven't heard "Bimota" and "High Quality" used together in the same sentence for many many years...
Expensive, and idiosynchratic yes. High Quality? Uh-uh... |
Court
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 09:39 am: |
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>>>>rare to see a Buell on the road anyway
Imagine how a couple of us felt when there were only like 6 in the world?
>>>>Maybe sending a couple of Uly's around the world with a TV crew
Standby. |
Trojan
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 09:47 am: |
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Matt, I haven't heard "Bimota" and "High Quality" used together in the same sentence for many many years...
Me neither, but by all accounts the new models are extremely well made and are certainly innovative.
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Jaimec
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 11:38 am: |
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I've seen that exhaust/shock layout before... |
Trojan
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 04:23 pm: |
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I've seen that exhaust/shock layout before...
Except that the shock you see under the engine operates the front suspension on this one. The rear shock is situated in a more traditional pace under the seat (you can just see the edge of the reservoir).
The exhausts actually exit either side of the seat unit are beautifully crafted Zard units.
(Message edited by trojan on May 24, 2007) |
Cityxslicker
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 07:35 pm: |
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I would be willing to take a year off of work (if I could get a sponsor) and visit every under served Buell Country out there. The Uly Buelly road trip, of course I would have to take my CityX. Scare-n the natives on every continent. |
4cammer
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 11:44 pm: |
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Anyone know how many 2007 XB9R's were/have been produced for the US? |
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