| Author | Message | ||
     Americanmadexb |
Never heard this before.....Very interesting. Another reason to hate HD... http://www.buelletinboard.com/forums/showthread.ph p?t=12992 (Message edited by americanmadexb on December 19, 2009) | ||
| Hughlysses |
Wow- again. | ||
| Mndwgz |
WOW here too... another thread on the subject: http://www.buelletinboard.com/forums/showthread.ph p?t=12951 | ||
| Ulynut |
 Dude, that just broke my heart. I can't imagine the level of frustration it must have been working with those stiffs. Why in the HELL wouldn't they build that? Not even offer it as an option? I really feel for Erik and crew. | ||
| Sticks |
I always thought that the hole in the frame was meant to serve as a means of cleanly routing turbo plumbin' We've seen one awesome, awesome example (at least) that I always thought was inspiring in a way. What might have been, or what can be done. It's been discussed before, but to see Erik confirm it and site numbers and how HD rejected it... Hard to get your head around. HD just didn't want Buell being "too" good. An American air cooled turbo I4 killer. Even if it was just a halo variant, mean't for limited production, it would have had people tripping over themselves to just get a look at it. People would have bought 'em. Some who are riding on other bikes, who sought more ponies than the Buells had at the time. How stupid can you get? "Buells are slow" no, it's HD who is slow. Ever intent on tanking anything that is remotely interesting, they don't want to sell anything that even hints at performance. Why don't they just start making wheel chairs and walkers? Really, by not attracting new buyers, ultimately, that would probably be the only thing that would keep HD viable on down the road. | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
The more we fine out what Buell Motorcycles could have been.... The DUMBER H-D looks.... Can you imagine 150 rwhp?! | ||
| Boney95 |
Aint that a bitch!!!! | ||
| Bads1 |
The more we fine out what Buell Motorcycles could have been.... The DUMBER H-D looks.... Actually thats inaccurate. Ever think that the bike would be out priced?? Who'd buy it?? Yeah... me maybe a few others. But to be honest they would have sold far less volume wise and Buell is a small company. It just wasn't feasible. What would of been maybe cool if they had a kit that could of been sold on a by order basis. | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
I think its a very accurate statement not limited to this thread. | ||
| Nik |
EBR turbo kit? | ||
| Sticks |
A 3 to 5 thousand dollar premium over the lower priced bikes with that kind of power would have sold. True, not everyone is going to buy a $15,000 dollar performance bike, but people do. These kinds of machines will always occupy more dreams than garages, that's a given. It would have competed with whatever the world had to offer. Ducati, Aprilia, KTM all make spendy hot bikes. They would have sold and the normally aspirated bikes along side in greater numbers. Harley just doesn't know how or want to market anything other than Dynas, but not everyone wants a Dyna. | ||
| Ulynut |
EBR turbo kit? I think that would be a BIG seller. Of course, there is always the problem of installing it. But looking at the service manual for the Uly, I think EBR can do a fine job of explaining the process to a layman such as me. | ||
| Bads1 |
Wolf, You can think whatt you'd like to think. As can anyone else. This turbo story is not a new thing just found out just new to and others. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I think you might have strayed *dangerously* close to the truth... How many VRod sales do you think a turbo XB9 would have cannabilized? Answer... Damn near all of them... | ||
| Bads1 |
Reep, Just to much of a specialty bike is what it would of been. | ||
| Greg_e |
But think of the price of insurance. I would not have been able to afford that aspect, the 9R that I have is way higher than I would like. I've been riding for 20 years, no accidents, no speeding tickets in the past 15 years and none on a bike, I'm obviously older than my twenties and own a house. $230 a year without comp, collision, or medical (just liability). A turbo of the same would be well over $500 a year. That's a lot of money for something that will realistically get a sum total of about 120 days use (if the weather is lucky). | ||
| Nik |
Actually thats inaccurate. Ever think that the bike would be out priced?? Who'd buy it?? Yeah... me maybe a few others. But to be honest they would have sold far less volume wise and Buell is a small company. It just wasn't feasible. What would of been maybe cool if they had a kit that could of been sold on a by order basis. Do you think Suzuki makes the Hayabusa to sell in numbers, or the Ducati Desmosedici? They're Halo bikes; flagship models to show off the brands full capabilities and draw drooling fans into the showroom with the hope that they'll ride away on something more affordable. And with Buell's production model they wouldn't have had to exactly halt the line to retool or anything. It could've been a marketing coup. | ||
| Nik |
Greg_e, I'm playing less than that for more coverage (on four bikes even...) and I haven't hit the magical age of 25 yet. I suggest you shop around. | ||
| Boltrider |
Does anyone here actually believe that HD has been on top of the market lately with their product decisions? I sure don't. This was another stupid product decision from HD. | ||
| Bads1 |
Do you think Suzuki makes the Hayabusa to sell in numbers, or the Ducati Desmosedici? Actually the Busa is a real big seller. So that is not even a comparison. And with Buell's production model they wouldn't have had to exactly halt the line to retool or anything Do you believe that actually??? My god man I have a homecoming to organize this is a old topic. | ||
| Froggy |
They could of had a high price turbo model sitting next to the standard slow XB9 in the showrooms. Not every Caddilac CTS has the supercharger, but if you got the extra $30k, the V package is worth it  | ||
| Greg_e |
Nik, it's a new york thing. Insurance varies from really cheap to oh my good depending on where you live. In some places in Canada it is past Oh my god level to the point where people hope their year or two old bike is stolen so that the insurance can buy them a new one. After three years they have already paid what a new one costs so it might as well be stolen. When the insurance companies started paying out to rebuild things in NYC, all the rest of us in the state got whacked by higher rates, my car insurance went up like $200 a year for absolutely no reason. The cheapest I found for my 9R was $135 a year with the lowest level of liability coverage. The coverage I have now is through the same agent that has my car policy, so it should have been a nice discount. Probably change next year when I'm not under pressure to get it on the road like I was this year. | ||
| Froggy |
$3500 a year full coverage here Yes, it still has saved me money. | ||
| Ulynut |
You don't need insurance on a turbo-powered track day beast. | ||
| Mikef5000 |
They could of had a high price turbo model sitting next to the standard slow XB9 in the showrooms. Not every Caddilac CTS has the supercharger, but if you got the extra $30k, the V package is worth it : ) That sums up exactly my train of thought. Go over every anti-buell magazine article since the XB's came out. What was the biggest complaint? A turbo model could have done wonders for the brand, even if they didn't sell tons of them. Simply having a model with a spec sheet that would make magazines happy would have changed everything. It would have opened up the brand to an entirely new group of riders. My 05 XB12Scg is begging for an EBR turbo kit! | ||
| Rubberdown |
I would love a turbo R. | ||
| 46champ |
Oh I can see a market for 03 thru 05 Buells that still have the hole in the frame. | ||
| Wpadave |
This info is great. Right now my 2005 XB12Scg is sitting about 3 ft from a 1982 Yamaha Turbo SECA. I never realized all along the Buell wanted the turbo. Dave | ||
| Froggy |
There is a ton of things Buell has wanted to do, but couldn't, whether it was due to Harley shooting him down or it not being practical. I saw another thread about how they wanted the 1125R to come from the factory full faired, but that got shot down. | ||
| Reepicheep |
The EBR turbo kit is gnawing at my mind... If he builds it, used XB's will be harder to find then original Honda Hawks... They will be unobtanium... Lots of people will want one and nobody will want to sell one. |
