| Author | Message | ||
     Ducxl |
Ok, so i never want to hear how a CBR or GSXR is "Jap Crap" ever again.Based on the Buell business model WE should instead consider the R1 Yamaha as being superior in raw performance(to the performance enthusiast anyway)to Buells'.When someone comes in saying that they're considering an 1125r we should not try and dissuade them against an R1 and should point out how superior the Japanese machines' REALLY are. Because THEY ARE! Don't ever come crying how we should stay away from the boringly styled "Jap Crap" is compared to the American "assembled" machine | ||
| Jaimec |
In my dictionary, "Assembled" = "Made." I buy ingredients from all over the world and country, but the pie I bake was made by ME, not by any of the companies that provided the materials. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
The difference between companies like Boeing, Honda, Chrysler and Buell, they don't say or imply that their products are American. Buell's logo and theme is "American Motorcycles". Harley doesn't even do that. | ||
| Ducxl |
I'll state that as an AMERICAN company Buell motorcycle Company has a patriotic duty to source as many as possible parts from it's HOMELAND.To outsource purely on cost advantage alone is traitorous and is happening in WAY too many parts of OUR economy.You OWE your neighbor the chance to earn a living | ||
| Court |
>>>Ok, so i never want to hear how a CBR or GSXR is "Jap Crap" Anyone who'd say that needs to get out more often . . . both the CBR and the GSXR are excellent bikes. So are Buells. Boeings new 787 is presently being delayed waiting for parts being manufactuered in a host of countries. I posted the chart a while back. >>>>To outsource purely on cost advantage alone is traitorous It would indeed be. Buell, so folks will know, does no such thing. Buell takes a number of things into account and cost is one. It figures less than you may think and it's a function or not "the least cost" but an optimized formula. If a vendor is far cheaper and provides very undependable delivery . . well, it wouldn't matter that they were free. Me? . . I want the best motorcycle that can be produced from the population of ALL motorcycle parts made . . not the subset of the USA in the big supply Venn diagram. Most motorcycle "catalog rooms" are in Italy and Japan. . . take a look at anyone's controls. HD has had major foreign content for years. . suspension, brakes, etc. . they've stayed clear from the "MADE IN USA" deal for a good reason . . they'd prefer not to discuss it. Buell is proud to make the best motorcycle they can. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
I'd have zero issues with "Buell... American Motorcycle Company". | ||
| Cycleaddict |
there is a major differance between my ZENITH t.v. and my BUELL .... THE T.V. never touched AMERICAN soil until i opened the box in my living room ! where as the BUELL was lovinly assembled by people standing on American soil. | ||
| Anonymous |
Duc and China, Buell is the ONLY company making sportbikes that have significant US manufactured content, and they are designed, tested, and assembled in the USA with plenty of US made parts. That makes it American. And as Court says, there is absolutely no regulatory reason why the 2007 nor any earlier Buell can't say American Motorcycles due to content. The reason it came off is due to the prior Anonymous posting. It also ain't real popular to pound your chest about being American in countries outside the US at this point in time, and Buell exports more than half of what we make. What exporting work done by guys in the US doesn't appeal to you? You want to continue to be mostly an importing country? Or maybe we should block our ports against import and export? And if you think parts are sourced outside the USA for cost reasons only, that's far from true. We have moved sourcing from the USA to overseas at a cost penalty because the US supply base for those parts had no quality. We have also brought parts back to the US for quality reasons. Overall, the supply base does not exist to make a quality reasonably priced sportbike with all US parts. No, we can't pay $1000 for Penske shocks on bikes that retail for $8500 and up, now can we? Nor can H-D, so they buy Showa. We have tried to get Monroe and other US manufacturers to make forks and shocks, and they have no interest at all. Not even for H-D volumes. Or would 12,000 per year of you be happy to step up and pay $40,000 each for a Buell just to be able to say it was all made here? I thought not. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
"And as Court says, there is absolutely no regulatory reason why the 2007 nor any earlier Buell can't say American Motorcycles due to content." The only issue I have Anon. is the 1125. The motor is a "significant" part in that bike and it's not made here. According to the FTC, that bike would have issues being called "American". But the 1125 is an 08, not an 07. Dropping "American Motorcycles" off of bikes leads me to believe that more than just the 1125 is going to be using Rotax. Truth? (I know, I know, nobody is spilling the beans) I'm all for American companies doing what they can to stay competetive, I bought a Mercuray Marine motor that was made in China. I understand the economics of it, I don't accept a company promoting its products as American when they aren't. Mercury's slogan isn't "Mercury Marine, American Motors" | ||
| Old_man |
Of the five televisions in my house the one with the best picture by far is a 20 year old Magnavox, made in the USA. The new ones are probably made in the Orient or Mexico and can't possibly be as good. That's right, 20 years old. I bought it in 1986. Zenith used to make a great TV, the last one I bought was terrible. Now the best come from the orient with brand names from there. It's sad but a fact of life. At least our Buells are assembled here. | ||
| Jlnance |
According to the FTC, that bike would have issues being called "American". No, the bike might have issues being labeled "made in America." You can call the bike American, Chinese, Martian, or whatever else motorcycle you want. It's just a name. Just like French Fries don't have to be made in France, and American flags can be made in China (remember that thread  ) As Anony pointed out, the US isn't the most popular country in the world today. If you're selling half your bikes in Germany, you call them what the Germans want them called. | ||
| Brumbear |
my dodge was built in canada and my neighbors mercedes in mexico have we all gone nuts whats next TACO STRUDELL or Maple Fajitas | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
"No, the bike might have issues being labeled "made in America." You can call the bike American, Chinese, Martian, or whatever else motorcycle you want." You cannot imply that something is American when it isn't. Please read up a page on this thread. I quoted directly from the FTC. | ||
| Ducxl |
Thanks guys' for some pretty thoughtful and enlightening posts yet again.Court always comes back with calm convincing posts.Keep it up  .I'm still not happy at the thought of the loss of opportunity for my fellow American.We do what we can i suppose. | ||
| Jlnance |
You cannot imply that something is American when it isn't. Please read up a page on this thread. I quoted directly from the FTC. I did read what you wrote, I just disagree that calling something an "American Motorcycle" implies that it was made in America, any more than calling something a French Fry implies that it was made in France. | ||
| Bombardier |
You guys can discuss all day what and how and when it should be called. I would be happy here in Oz to call it a McFarterBurger as long as it still rides and sounds like it does. Well done Erik Buell. Or should we change your name to Chuckie Cheese to satisfy the Made in America people. Top bike guys. Please keep it up! | ||
| Jlnance |
I woke up this morning, with vague memories of something from my daughters past. A little googling and I present you with:  The American Girl Dolls. The brand was created in 1986 by Pleasant Rowland and later acquired by Matel. The dolls themselves were originally designed and manufactured in West Germany. Production later moved to Hungry and then China. | ||
| Spike |
So, we have two anonymous postings and a posting by Court all stating that the removal of the "American Motorcycles" label has nothing to do with the content of foreign parts or the FTC and yet we're still debating how the FTC interprets "implied" statements and even speculating that this indicates that future models will use the Helicon power plant? | ||
| Court |
Well. . . I confess I have a personal agenda. When AMERICAN MOTORCYCLES was taken off the tank, partially for politics, partially to create a cleaner look. . . I was an advocate of adding the words SUPERIOR MOTORCYCLE. I thought it was nice and would translate well into a number of languages. The popularity of the Buell is off the charts in some countries and I marvel daily at the Italians and the Dutch. Talk about a couple groups filled with enthusiasm!    | ||
| Buellerthanyou |
I think if it bothers you that the sticker is no longer on the tank (airbox), then skip your happy l'il ass down to your local Buell dealer, grab that idiot Harley parts guy by the front of his shirt, and demand to see all his Buell parts books. You can still order any of the "American Motorcycles" stickers/decals from years past and paste it on your bike (or pickup, snowmobile, friend's Goldwing, etc) for like $10 or something. Heck, get one from a different year in a different color and make your bike even different-er (in every sense!) from all the production bikes. Then quit whining 'bout it and go ride! HellBuelly J "American business has just forgotten the importance of wheelie-ing." --Barry GoldBuellie | ||
| Cyclonedon |
when I'm out on my Buell and stop to gas, eat, or have a drink, people ask me about my motorcycle, I'm happy to tell them that it's a Buell "American Motorcycle" made locally in East Troy, Wisconsin! I proudly show them that "American Motorcycle" decal on the tank of my 2006 Ulysses. Lots of people like Harley-Davidson motorcycles because they are a great American success story and I think Buell is also, but you just have to tell people about the product since it doesn't have the same name recognition! I like my "American Motorcycles" decal on my tank, it just adds more character to the bike! | ||
| Cityxslicker |
American Made, Like it or Lump it, On the front where it belongs.  | ||
| 1324 |
Some of this dialog is amusing. It would be quite a challenge to name one product in recent history that was completely MADE IN AMERICA. The basics of a global economy require manufacturers to source the best solution. That solution can be based on cost, availability, quality, etc....as already mentioned by others. To demand that all of Buells parts be made in america is a tall order than almost no one would care to finance, myself included. Rather, we should relish in the fact that the components in/on our bikes were designed and manufactured as best as possible. Systems are too complicated today to design/fabricate/support completely in-house. Something to think about: in 2006, the US only mined approximately 3.2% of the world's iron ore. So, even if your (iron or steel) parts were completely fabricated in the USA, you'd be hard pressed to figure out where the material came from. So, are the parts American or not? You be the judge...how many hairs are we going to split? | ||
| Court |
Wanna have some fun? . . . do what I just did . . . take a piece of legal paper (I use Evidence brand by Tops but any good yellow legal pad wiill work) and write down everything on your desk and then see if you can discoverate where it came from. . . my computer . . along with monitors and perhiperals . . . China. . . the biggish piece of electric cable came from France. . . I've got a bog ol' Panasonic #2 wood pencil sharpener . . no joy there "Made in Japan". . how about the spanking new laptop . . oops. . China. . . the stack of 2" blue binders was looking like a sure win . . . no good . . "Made in China" . . hey I know . . I just bought refills for my pen this morning . . . Gads "Made in Germany" along with the 62.5 ml of ink (yes, I write with a real fountain pen) I bought . . The Fujistu 20MB pocket hard drive from OWS . . hmmm "Made in Thailand". So we get to the end of the entire desk, drafting board and credenza and we end up with:
And you are concerned that Buell does what? Frankly. . . I think the air box should read "conceived, designed and built by passionate giggling Elves from around the world using the best parts available . . ANYWHERE in the world" I see Buell as being the first company in America to source from another planet . . . Take a look at your desk . . . then see what you think. | ||
| Barker |
American Made. High Quality. Low Price. Most of the time you only get to pick two. | ||
| Superdave |
I just want the airbox to say "Owned and Operated by ME!" Anything else would be inconsequential. Well, "Paid in Full" would be nice too. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
"It would be quite a challenge to name one product in recent history that was completely MADE IN AMERICA." The issue isn't who makes what in the USA, it's who SAYS they're product is American Made when in large part it isn't. | ||
| 1324 |
Exactly my point...although slightly distorted. Buell also uses Ford electrical connectors. Where in Ford was this done? US? Europe? Where do the materials come from? Does that affect anything? No. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
I'm distorted, so that fits | ||
| Ducxl |
The issue isn't who makes what in the USA, it's who SAYS they're product is American Made when in large part it isn't. I beg to differ.It's all about your fellow American,and his ability to feed,clothe,and house his American family.When we "Cop out" and buy the cheap imports we're pushing that STAKE into the American heart. |
