| Author | Message | ||
     Left_coast_tim |
For the 3rd time, I got to take a lengthy demo ride on a Buell this past Sat. (5/14). At Glendale H-D/Buell's "Demo Ride Day". Wanted to try the City, but another "Left Coast"-er named Al claimed it first. So, I settled-onto a red XB12S. I first rode Buells 2 years at the Long Beach Cycle Show, and last July at the Super-Bike races up at Laguna Seca. Bought my first street bike last 4th of July weekend, after racing speedway bikes for a few years, but was steered away from Buells by the then-dealer, OC H-D/Buell, now only a H-D Dealer. To me, their dumping the marque was a bad sign. If you can't get a Buell in "The OC", what does that say about the long- term future of the marque? Wanted to speak to Erik B. Sat., but I had to get up to Madera as I work on super-modified race cars (hey, it's all about speed, whether 2 or 4 wheels!). My biggest suggestion would be to sell Buell as a separate brand, available at non-Harley dealers. So, if a store sold Hondas or Ducatis or Triumphs, etc., it could also carry Buells. Why not, they're more import sport-bike than Harley cruiser, and at least these other dealers WOULD know how to sell and service them, yes? Oh well, just a thought. I do like the massive torque on the Buells, and if and when I get bored with my 600cc Brit-bike, I COULD be convinced to trade it in on an XB9 or XB12, etc. Now, if they only offered the various frame, bodywork, wheel color variations that they used to...(esp. ORANGE....) | ||
| Burnmyheartdown |
I've always thought having a standalone Buell dealer would be awesome. I mean, I'm sure they would sell much better with people who were actually motivated to sell them than people who could care less about selling them. | ||
| Phat_j |
i dont think stand alone is the key....... hard to make a profit that way..... but paired with duc, and aprilla, etc....... maybe guzzi.... that i think is the key | ||
| Koz5150 |
I always felt that the tube frame bikes (like my own) were at first a Harley alternative. Kinda like a sportster on 'roids. It was easy for a HD educated person to see the familure sportster engine. The XB is so different that I think even an educated HD guy won't recognize what the bikes (Buell and HD) have in common. HD guys have never cared about anything other then HD's for the most part so why not try and sell Buells at their own dealerships? What does the mothership have to lose? If an HD dealership isn't motivated to sell Buell, find someone who is! Personally I find it sad that the Childrens clothing department has more products then the entire Buell section of my Dealership, and I go to a Buell friendly dealer! | ||
| Cataract2 |
I think they should keep the Buell's in HD dealers who actually care about selling them and put Buell in the alternative dealers in places where the HD dealers don't give a crap. | ||
| Tripp |
that's a good idea! they should let other brand dealers in the area pick up the buells if the local harley dealer don't care, for instance in brockton mass there is a huge multibrand dealer that would probably do really well with the brand and the harley dealer down the street has never and probably will never sell buells. | ||
| Mikej |
I've been thinking about this a little bit and there is a way to test out the theory. Look at used bike stores, how well do the Buells do there? There's a couple of shops around here who deal mainly in used bikes, I'm fairly sure one of them doesn't have a single new bike in their inventory but they've always had a couple of Buells on their sales floor. It would be far easier to open up a used bike shop than a new Buell/Harley shop. Put together a group and go do it, then let us all know how it goes. There's lots of used Buells on the market for less than the prices their parts will fetch, so there should be plenty to snap up for a showroom. Go for it.  | ||
| Tripp |
i bought my bike from a multibrand used bike dealer here in mass., they always seem to have at least one buell on the floor sometimes up to four and they're a little pricey but they seem to do well selling them. my brother has a thunderbolt on hold right now.2002 s3t with hard bags and fairing lowers, they're asking 7k for it, it has 3k miles and is immaculate. i think that's a little expensive but they do give you a 30day anything goes wrong and they'll fix it warranty which sure beats buying from a private party.  | ||
| Signguyxb12 |
Windmill??? | ||
| Mmmi_grad |
I remeber back in 97 when the s1 was hot. Anyone I knew and guys at the dealer had nice things to say about the Buell but most were like " that bike is just good for around town showing off, good for a second bike " I kinda disagreed with them I had alot of faith in the bike but am disapointed it doesnt sell better .......BUT as with my x1 the first owner paid 12,500 for it and I got it for less than half with almost no miles, thats the problem. With new bike selling now at 10000 i know my local dealer had about zero interest in taking my bike in on trade and was about 7000 less than new price. This exuberance by the factory ....inflateing prices and all that doesnt do a damn thing in the Buell world does it !!!!!!!!!! | ||
| Tripp |
windmill indeed |
