| Author | Message | ||
     Slaughter |
Yep - it's an "R" Check out the Moto Forza (formerly Pro Italia) racing reports... HARDLY a mention of Higbee except in a couple places (can't blame them now can we???). http://www.moto-forza.com/custompage3.asp?pg=racin g Eric Nolan (1098-S), followed by Matt Cusumano (1098-R) - note, NO HIGBEE in the picture - wonder why???? Think in terms of 2 seconds per lap separation... you get the picture.  | ||
| Court |
Steve: You'd better check you facts. I've read a lot about the 1098R and based on what I read on the internet there is no way a Buell could hang with a 1098R. Surely you've read something wrong. Court | ||
| Slaughter |
Musta been a typo error somewhere. My bad. I apologize for my mis-information. Shawn obviously didn't read the memo that came out about the Duck v. Buell. | ||
| Court |
>>>Musta been a typo error somewhere. Yeah, musta . . . I've read the internet and the 1098R is an extremely fast motorcycle. It's be hard to imagine the Buell hanging with it and then you start spouting all this "Buell walked away from it" nonsense. Young, impressionable minds will buy into your BS. Please be more careful when you start spinning yarns about such feats. | ||
| Indy_bueller |
Especially a Buell with that heavy stock fairing, and the rider carrying the extra weight of two kneepucks!  | ||
| Gregtonn |
On the "The Fastest Track in the West" no less. Gosh, the Ducs must have been handicapped by the heat. | ||
| M2nc |
So Buell has topped the 848, 1098, 1098S and the 1098R. Just go ahead and through in an 1198 so we can get that out of the way. All poking aside I have made some mental notes of my own with the Uly. It handles okay for a sport bike and excellent for an Adventure Sport bike. The Firebolt is still the best handling bike I have ever been on. Sad to say, I have yet ridden an 1125R, but following Buell's family of design, I can only image how good the 1125R does handle. Now on the track either in street trim during bike reviews, or racing in different series, the 1125R is besting motorcycles all the "experts" say it should not be able to. Why? How can the entire press be so far off? I have a theory. You know all that advertisement, "Own the Corners!" I believe that has been proven to be an accurate statement with the 1125R. Now that a Buell as enough umph to stay close in the straights, it's prowess in the corners becomes more apparent. I know some excellent Indians are shooting the Buell arrows, but how can they overcome as much as 40rwhp deficit on a race track against other Champions if they are not making ground somewhere other than the straightaways. It validates the advertisements and Erik's design principles. Way to go Higbee and go Buell! | ||
| Eweaver |
>>>Just go ahead and through in an 1198 so we can get that out of the way. Well... Actually, the 1098R is a 1198! | ||
| Fresnobuell |
Where's ROcketman when you want to rub it in someone's face? Thanks for the info Slaughter...I hope to make it down there one weekend soon. | ||
| Rfischer |
You can rub it in Trojan's face - that's almost as satisfying..... | ||
| Trojan |
You can rub it in Trojan's face - that's almost as satisfying..... Nothing to rub, I congratulate Shawn and the team unreservedly  I also telephoned Julius Ilmberger to congratulate him on his win too. Now all we need to see is an 1125R in 'Proper' superbike racing (HP restricted Canadian Superbike doesn't count BTW) instead of various oddball twins classes isn't it?  When a professionally run 1125R team beats the equivalent 1098R ridden by people we have actually heard of in that class then I will concede that it is a match for the bike and not just down to having a much better rider. Whilst I am not taking anything away from anyone who actually goes out to race, we cannot judge just how good the 1125R was or how bad the Ducati was unless you know the respective rider ability and budget of the other guys racing against it. Like I've said before, we have won races on a stock XB9 against Ducati 998 and Aprilia RSV1000R's before, but I wouldn't say we had a better bike. (Message edited by trojan on September 26, 2008) | ||
| Court |
Matt: You **do** know we're just teasing you. I really enjoy and applaud all you do for Buell racing. This is just plain fun stuff to see as the Buell works it's way into racing heritage. Court | ||
| Trojan |
This is just plain fun stuff to see as the Buell works it's way into racing heritage. I absolutely agree, and of course while Mr Fischer is having a go at me he isn't bothering anyone else, so that is a good thing I am extremely chuffed at Buells race results with the 1125R, but also frustrated because it isn't racing at world level yet. In the UK there are NO 1125R's racing even at club level, not surprising given Buell UK's total disregard for anything to do with racing in this country though. Buell UK supplied two 1125R custom painted bikes for travelling marshalls at British Superbike races, although even that has backfired a bit recently. When I attended the recent Croft round of the series the two bikes were parked in pit lane during the public 'walkabout', so I hung around to see what was being said. The most common comments regarded the horribly rusty exhaust and rear brake discs! Surely if Buell are going to do this then they have to keep it up and keep the bikes looking presentable? This is the closest most people get to one so it matters a lot! As it happens, the 1125s didn't move all weekend and nobody got to see them running, as the marshalls were using Audi R8's instead | ||
| Court |
>>>but also frustrated because it isn't racing at world level yet. Buell . . . .in what seems like just days ago . . . was operating in a frickin' barn in rural Wisconsin with a budget that would fall short of buying you and I dinner. The fact that Buell, against all odds, absent the "big" sponsors and in spite of the nay-sayers is mounting what will be surely remember as one of the greatest stories in motorcycle racing. This is a true grass roots efforts and I, for one, enjoy the heck out of watching Buell win over "the big boys" and it's even more delighting when they not only win, but was their asses. But, hey . . . I'm partial. | ||
| Court |
By the way . . . what do you have against the Audi R8? Let me guess you don't like the orange one they did for the Saudi Prince? . . . they are all over Manhattan. | ||
| Trojan |
what do you have against the Audi R8? Don't like silver cars  Thatis the only criticism I would have though Funnily enough, the biggest crowd of the day at Croft BSB was around the R8 safety car, and it sounded lovely I agree that Buell are doing great things in US racing, and there are a few brave privateers doing well in Europe despite the lack of support from the 'powers that be' in their respective countries. What I would like to see (even on a small budget) would be some form of support for Buell racers outside of the USA. This could be parts support or contingency money, or even supplying a team with some bikes to start with? (No I am NOT angling for this, I have had it with racing for a while) Take a look at what H-D Spain are doing with their BBQ race series (one make race sries for XR1200 and for the 1125R), and they appear to be the only European H-D/Buell distributors doing anything to raise the profile on track, for which I applaud them long and loud. http://bbqseries.com/index.php If only other distributors had the foresight to see how good this is for brand sales and positive PR, and for very little cost to themselves. | ||
| Sd26 |
I've been to the barn off Road X. It is a cool gig to see an old school push-rod, air cooled twin do well. I think that's why I'm on one. I think Higbee was in a class of his own, though. I can appreciate some of the excitement, but I'm sure Shawn would like to be on par to do something bigger against some harder competition to test his ability and the machine. | ||
| Rfischer |
Matt, I only "have a go at" those who seem to need going at. You see, I have an good memory and vividly recall your dismissive attitude towards various BadWebers who foresaw that the 1125R would be competitive on the race track. But, it IS in jest. Sorta.. | ||
| Doerman |
Trojan sez: When a professionally run 1125R team beats the equivalent 1098R ridden by people we have actually heard of in that class then I will concede that it is a match for the bike and not just down to having a much better rider. Keep in mind. There was a track record involved in this race as well. Higbee smashed the previous record by nearly 1 sec. Higbee's lap times were on par with the open class IL4s that day. The best rider in the IL4 class is Jeremy Toye. And to continue the story, Jeremy Toye beat Jakub Smirz it last year's Toyota 200 at Willow. Just to put some sort of perspective on the level of racing at Willow. | ||
| Slaughter |
The track record was set by Kenny Kopecky on a Ducati Corse-built 999R - that same bike was used BY Ducati as the centerpiece of the LA International Motorcycle Show. Kopecky has a couple decades of racing at Willow. I don't want to take ANYTHING away from Higbee by saying that "THE 1125R" beat Kopecky's record. Higbee is an awesome professional. Heck, how many people have been "factory" riders for Suzuki while working in Buell Engineering? How many have podiumed at Macau? | ||
| Jens |
Congrats to Shawn! Jens | ||
| Fresnobuell |
Hmmm....seem to remember Jeremy Toye riding in Superbike at Laguna Seca yesterday. | ||
| Slaughter |
Just another note (looking through lap times on line)... In practice times, Higbee was always in top few as far as lap times. Usually right between Toye and ahead of Tigert. Tigert is an HRC development rider on a CBR1000RR. Trying to keep the perspective. (Message edited by slaughter on October 02, 2008) | ||
| Easyrider |
Let's see, what this winter will bring us. We will build a complete new 1125R engine and blueprint it with calculations for cams, heads and the rest. We are going to use it next year for a complete race season. So we will see if we can keep up with the jap-italian devils.. | ||
| M1combat |
Can't wait . | ||
| Slaughter |
I watched Dris working on Seth Buchbinder's motor in the pits at Road America - and just after a couple minor tweaks to the map, Seth was pleasantly surprised at the improvements in the performance. If Dris and Twinmotorcycles get their hands on an 1125R - watch OUT - racing in Europe will become very interesting!! | ||
| Slaughter |
Let's all cheer for the Buells racing at Daytona this weekend! 8 hours! | ||
| Easyrider |
slaughter thanks for the credits, but that is too much, he was driving faster afterwords that's cool. somebody at daytona is driving with my fuel map on a 1125R (-; is there anybody who has a link to a website to follow the progress please.. or where there this week also other races in Daytona | ||
| Slaughter |
Dris - try these: http://www.moto-st.com/ When they are on-track, there is live timing: http://www.moto-st.com/livetiming/ (Message edited by slaughter on October 17, 2008) | ||
| Xbolt12 |
"The track record was set by Kenny Kopecky on a Ducati Corse-built 999R " Hey Steve, I am pretty sure Kenny's 999R is stock from what he has said. His 749R had the race top end from what I know and I believe both came from Moto Forza who now sponsors Eric Nolan. Kenny still rides the 999R. Higbee breaking the record is pretty freaking amazing considering the HP advantages a 1098R has, not to mention the current competition. It really says a lot for Buell. What totally amazes me though is that the overall bike record is still held by Steve Rapp from way back in '99 on a Ducati and is in the 1.19's. I did hear that his bike was basically in the WSB HP range. XBolt12 |
