| Author | Message | ||
     1_mike |
Check this out. If Harley has no money, how do they do this? Sponsor both bikes and a series...? That's no easy feat..monetarilly. As I recall, I also saw something about the Prostock Bike series money also, but couldn't find it. http://www.nhra.com/story/2009/11/13/harley-davids on-extends-official-status-naming-rights-on-sports man-motorcycle-series/ Mike | ||
| Eboos |
From a marketing standpoint, drag racing seems pretty useless. I have seen nothing that shows me that people are buying Harley Davidson motorcycles due to their success in drag racing. On the other hand, Buell's winning races on the national level has greatly increased interest in the brand over the past year. | ||
| Tpoppa |
I don't really follow drag racing, but I knew that a Buell won the NHRA Prostock Motorcycle Championship. I didn't realize that 9 of the top 15 bikes were Buells. http://www.nhra.com/points/fullthrottle.aspx scroll down | ||
| Darkitekt |
Article states that the deal was inked 3 years ago. Probably a good write off for the company and with all of their losses, they probably need it. | ||
| Puredrive |
Advertising does help. No question on that. It might not translate directly to a HD Vrod sales but as an Brand awareness it sure does. And get over it that HD dropped Buell..LOL The question is ..how come no one has picked up Buell? =( If that's what this thread is all about (Message edited by puredrive on December 16, 2009) | ||
| Puredrive |
Oh yeah..and they also sponsor Art shows & UFC fights..oh no..  http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/D ark_Custom/dark_custom_art_rebellion.jsp | ||
| Americanmadexb |
Buell has been dominating NHRA for the last 3-4 years now! I'm guessing now that there won't be many Buell's there to race, they figured they have a shot at the title again. To tell you the truth, i hope Suzuki gets there shit together and dominates like they did before Buell got there. | ||
| Fast1075 |
Buell never Per Se sponsored the "Buell" dragbikes...the riders never put the name up front in any interviews I saw...they did bring up S&S and G Squared Racing...In the high stakes racing game it costs MONEY to get mentioned...no pay no play. | ||
| Badlionsfan |
The question is ..how come no one has picked up Buell? =( If that's what this thread is all about because Buell isn't for sale. | ||
| 99buellx1 |
Yeah, and find me a Buell that has a factory 60 deg engine. Those were definately not Buells. | ||
| Eboos |
Sure they were. They just melted down and recast the cases. lol | ||
| Kirb |
Someone at Can-am proposed buying Buell 3 years ago (they, rotax, supply the 1125 engine). Buell could live on elsewhere as liquid only, or at least source engines for the air cooled models from HD. HD's comments about it being 'too disruptive' are BS. HD wants Buell to die and not live one elsewhere. A bunch of guys were sitting around a room trying to figure out how to make HD's numbers look good for the stockholders. Buell and MV took the hit. I highly doubt it was as deeply planned as the HD execs were making it out to be. All the comments about putting focus on the main brand are BS...they never knew how to sell the Buell line anyway. A company like Can-am could have made Buell sell and help both product lines. | ||
| Moosestang |
I'd like to see someone put some wheelie bars on a CR and run 9's stock. I think it's doable. Maybe throw a tune on it for good measure. | ||
| Vicfirebolt |
I personally am happy to see Buell and Hardley part way's it's like oil and water never should have been too begin with IMOP. It's just a matter of time until there are production Buell's again they may not be called Buell's but they will be Buell's. | ||
| Richsm2 |
+1 VFB | ||
| Bptex |
Drag racing fans and participants are exactly the demographic that Harley caters to. People that like loud cars with lots of power tend to appreciate a loud, fairly powerful domestic motorcycle. | ||
| Cafefun |
Would be very hard to run 9's on a bone stock buell unless you where a fly weight and a really good rider and if there's wheelie bars on it then a 9 is just not that impressive to me. but then again I think the v rod destroyer was a joke running 9.70's and 9.80s set up like it was. That bike get's it's but handed to it by street bikes all day long. | ||
| Mickeyq |
I still don't get why HOG will not outright sell "divest itself" (in investment BS) of the Buell name/mfg/patents and facilities. I hate to think of the 180 people who lost their jobs and what they are going through. If their goal is to be profitable by 2011 then just slashing costs and skilled people across the board won't do it. The globalization is only going to cause increasingly stiff competition for market share, IMHO. Gotta draw the line somewhere and say we can and will compete with superior American products--like BUELLS. | ||
| Iamarchangel |
So if Buells won before, HD could take the credit. Now, if, ahem, cough, cough, when Buell wins, will the win be officially recorded under Buell or under HD? | ||
| Jng1226 |
I read that HD was officially writing off $125 Million specifically to shut down Buell. Maybe that was the real reason, so they could claim $125 Million in losses this year due to the closing of Buell, which is likely more than they could ever have sold the division for in this economy. Jeff | ||
| Xtreme6669 |
Theres a guy on this board runing high 9's on his 1125r..think his user name is littlebutquick. | ||
| Garrett2 |
cafefun - there are several destroyers running low 9s, i know thats only halfa second or so from what you said, but in a 1/4 mile thats a long time. | ||
| Moosestang |
Would be very hard to run 9's on a bone stock buell unless you where a fly weight and a really good rider and if there's wheelie bars on it then a 9 is just not that impressive to me. but then again I think the v rod destroyer was a joke running 9.70's and 9.80s set up like it was. That bike get's it's but handed to it by street bikes all day long. Well by the same token a stretched swingarm should not impress you. The CR needs something to keep the front wheel down, be it a stretched swingarm, strapping the front or wheelie bars. Wheelie bars would be the easiest to add and most effective. I know someone has run 9's on a modified R, but the CR should have an advantage in the 1/4 mile due to the lower gearing. I don't think you need a fly weight. A healthy weight person should work. Hard to find with all the fat asses in America. (Message edited by moosestang on December 17, 2009) | ||
| Tpoppa |
I read that HD was officially writing off $125 Million specifically to shut down Buell. Maybe that was the real reason, so they could claim $125 Million in losses this year due to the closing of Buell, which is likely more than they could ever have sold the division for in this economy. A tax write off doesn't mean they save $125 million. It means they can reduce their taxable income by $125 million. Depending on their actual corporate tax rates they would save $30-$40 million in taxes, not the full 125. HD was also probably able to accelerate the depreciation of some Buell assets. | ||
| Cafefun |
Moosestang, it takes alot to run 9's in the 1/4 by flyweight I meant about 150 to 160 lbs. and a wheelie bar in order to be effect really needs the shock removed and a strut put in place and a slick. ya you can run a wheelie bar without that stuff but it won't be as effective. takes me 190 hp on Busa to run 9.31 and that's stock wheelbase. my old busa was 165 hp and ran 9.60's. it's possible for a Buell to run 9's but it won't be easy. I'm guessing 10.50's at stock wheelbase for me. | ||
| Moosestang |
Well mid 10's has all ready been done on a Stock CR and that was not using all of 1st gear or 2nd to keep the wheel down. HP is not the only factor in a drag race. Your busa is heavier and not geared for drag racing. The busa can run the 1/4 in 1st gear right?  Does anyone know the top speed of each gear on the CR? Or where/how I can calculate it. | ||
| Cafefun |
No not hardly, try 5 gears for 1/4. And when I say mid 10.s I'm 215 lbs with out gear. Busa is roughly 130 lbs more which equals close to 15 to 17 hp which puts the Buell up to roughly 145 to 148 or so. still way down. No reason you can't use all of 2nd gear on the Buell IMO. I'm not knocking the Buell at all it's a quick fast bike. some guys just don't understan what it takes to go from 10.20's to 9.99 I make over 300 passes a year on a bike for the last 8 yrs. It takes alot for a litre bike that has more hp and the same weight as a Buell to run a 9. trust me i watch it ever weekend. | ||
| Fast1075 |
My old antique small tire 1075cc KZ ran mid 8's at 157. I guarantee ya a '25 with a slick and bars with some tuning tweaks will go low 9's...and it will go in the 8's with a couple of blue nozzels screwed into the intakes. | ||
| Cafefun |
LOL |
