| Author | Message | ||
     Electraglider_1997 |
I love my Buell and only wish more folks had the sense to know what great bikes they are. We are Buell's ambassadors, and the more we are seen enjoying our bikes the more interest there will be. I'm rambling here but I worry about the fact that Buell probably isn't increasing their presence at more dealers. I'm under the impression that many dealers have dropped the Buell brand because of lackluster sales. Two Harley dealers in Omaha, one continues to carry Buells (about 6 bikes on the floor) and the other dealer only carried the Blast for about 3 years but not anymore. What gives? | ||
| Thunderbox |
The worst thing we could have for Buell is dealers who are forced to deal with the Buells. We only want those who actually enjoy selling the bikes and servicing them. Sales at Buell have to be up over the previous years just because of the Uly and the CityX. I don't see a problem with dealers who don't want to be dealers not dealing. | ||
| Naustin |
Its a tough situation. All we can do is share our enthusiasm with people we meet, let our buddies test ride our bikes, and then if our buddies buy their own Buell, provide moral support help if it breaks down and they have no dealer to take it to. I'm tired of railing against the dealerships. I will not buy another buell until I find a dealer I can trust - and I don't mean a dealer 100+ miles away either. That does me no good. Luckily I just bought my 2001 S3T last fall and it only has 9,000 miles on - so it should last a few years. If the problem isn't solved by then, I'm sorry, but I won't be able to buy another Buell. I will not reward incompetence, even if that means I must sacrifice. I still think Harley, Inc. should punish dealers who fail to treat Buell customers properly and who's overall service fails some kind of audit. Maybe restrict their inventory of ElectraGlides to ZERO until they take better care of Buell customers. No servie Buells - No sellie ElecrtaGlides. Buell and HD need to bring the hammer down on these dealerships. If they bitch - tough! The Dealers don't have to carry 10 buells in stock if sales in their geographic area are slow- Just 2 or 3 is fine. And beyond that, all they have to do is be polite and competent when a Buell comes in for service. That's it. Why is this so difficult? I don't know and I don't care, but if they can't do it - HD, inc. should tan the dealer's ass like the naughty little brat-ass children that they are. Nick | ||
| Fubar |
My local dealership how has treated me very well through 3 Harleys and my Uly now has *zero* Buells in stock, and is apparently not planning on getting any '07's. While they are still servicing me, I find this lack of commitment very disappointing. Is it possible that there is already an independent dealer plan in the works? bj | ||
| Naustin |
You should take your Uly elsewhere for service and let them know you'll be buying your next Hog from a dealer that carries Buells. | ||
| Wesman |
My 2 cents is that they can't make the same high mark-up that they do with HD/Borg folks with the Buell line.....so they can't imagine giving the same service to the Bueller's.....they ought to try working with the margins that the Big 4 dealerships do....they would appreciate us more. As Harley sales drop (as their customer base gets too old to ride) they might have to lower their margins on the HD line and have more respect for ALL of their customers. | ||
| Naustin |
Why is everything good in my life dependant on the baby boomers dieing off? | ||
| Blake |
Buell sales are increasing significantly. The title of this thread is based upon a false assumption. Don't judge the entire market based upon a few dealerships. And don't assume that all dealerships who dropped Buells did so because they couldn't sell them. Many had only taken on Buells in order to get the additional allotment of H-D cruisers; when H-D stopped that incentive program, a lot of dealerships dropped the Buell line; they were never interested in being Buell dealers to begin with; they just wanted the extra allotment of Harleys. | ||
| Stevenknapp |
My local and not so local dealer experiences have been very good. I do most of my own service (there isn't much to do) so I can't say I'm really supporting them much either. I do talk up the Buell, and a friend of mine bought one. But they are a bit strange, that's part of the appeal. Honda's they aren't and I don't wish they become Hondas. But changes in perception need to come with time. It's not too long ago that the quality was poor, and people remember that. Maybe they should charge a wee bit more for parts. I find the parts to be really cheap, which I like and all, but hey, and extra buck here or there...? Oh, and if their dirt bike is street legal, EFI, and isn't a total POS, I'll have two Buells in the garage! | ||
| Az_m2 |
I've never seen Buell get so much exposure in motorcycle mags. You see a Buell either advertised or written about in every single magazine. This has been going on for about a year now. Buell is going to be huge in 5 years. | ||
| Lorazepam |
The XB series has put Buell truly on the map. More folks understand the bike, and the Uly has done wonders. It is truly a wonderful bike. I wish more dealers understood the bike, and the brand, and embraced it. I too look forward to the dirt bike line, and hope to see a streetable bike for fun in the woods. | ||
| Reepicheep |
16k on my 05 XB9SX, and the dang thing just won't break. Change oil, change tires, and ride ride ride. And I still get a big grin every time I jump on it. Though when some TT's start showing up cheap and used, I may have to do some mixing and matching with my 9sx... though the idea of moving my HID setup is not something I look forward to. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Good grief. Don't be asking Buell to up the prices on their parts. Buell cannot rest on their laurels. 2, 3, or 4 years from now I hope that the ULY has changed more than cosmetically. I for one would love to see the gearing changed. My Electraglide has better gearing. A lower 1st and a higher 5th please. I know that it's livable but I also would bet that everyone of us has tried to shift into a lower gear and you're already in it. I do it all the time. 1st gear is too high. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Buell has always been an "optional" product for a HD dealer to carry. I know in recent seasons the Buell line has gone from a novelty to a legitimate product, especially at our shop. Bryan having a successful racing season never hurts, LOL. However, we've seen a real spike in Buell sales this season especially. I'm hoping it'll carry through and I'll be able to "sell" the dealership on the idea of stocking more Buell parts and accessories. It takes time. How long has HD been around? 104 years? Patience....people are figuring this "Buell thing" out. Just yesterday I put a lady on a 12Scg for the first time ever. She's got an '00 XL1200 and was a bit skeptical...but she came back with the biggest grin possible and couldn't get her card out fast enough for the deposit. She's already hammering her hubby and his three brothers (all HD riders) to at least *try* it. We're growing in sales, and with it comes Service growth. Practice makes perfect - the guys in the shop need to SEE and TOUCH tubers and XBs on a regular basis in order to improve their response time, attitude, and quality. Training is a good start, but you have to practice. Don't do ALL your work yourselves...save some for the dealers from time to time and give them a chance to learn and grow along with us owners. | ||
| Windrider |
E-Glider, I am with you on this one! First is a bit high for my taste. I wish that the Uly had a 6 speed tranny. A first gear that was about 20% lower would be great for crawling around on dirt roads (Adventure, eh?). It would also be better for certain heavy traffic situations in urban environments. I would only add another, lower 1st gear and keep all other ratios the same for my ideal Uly transmission. I have to say that I like where the current 5th gear is. It puts the engine in a very comfortable position for running speeds from 60 to 90 MPH. I wouldn't want the top gear any higher.... the Uly feels very comfortable to me at road speeds. Back to the original thread title I hope that Buell can improve the dealer situation and continue to add new and truly innovative motorcycles to their lineup. I am really looking forward to seeing their dirt bike and a more dirt oriented Dual Sport would be great as well. | ||
| Court |
Interesting note about the gal going from the XL1200 to the Buell. At one time some folks thought the Buell would be an entry ramp to HD. I, however, have been hearing of more folks than you'd guess doing the Road King traded for a Uly and the Sportster for an XB. Me? . . . I think it's cool as can be. I can "see" both a Uly and an FLHTCUI (which I can't seem to get out of my system) . . . . . | ||
| Naustin |
Ratbuell - Thank you for your post. If you worked at my local shop, I'd be a lot more patient. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Keep Buell in business??? Buy more bikes ! WE only get 18-20 Buells a year. I would like to have more, but it is based on Harley sales for allocation and quota. I am sure that if I had customers beating the door down with a stick to buy the bikes then we would have more of culture of Buell at the dealerships. I ride one, I sell them, I am excited about the bikes. Everybody sees the Buell line, first in the door, and the last out the door when you leave. (End Capping 101) Demo rides, Buell specific events, and of course the coming Dirt Bikes will grow the brand. Then having the standard maintenance replacement parts on hand (Just threw a belt this morning  ) | ||
| Hughlysses |
For those of you who still worry about Buell's future, make an effort to attend a Buell event sometime. I attended March Badness IV this weekend (at TWO in the mountains of NE Georgia). It didn't seem like I saw that many more Buells at TWO this year, but while out riding I passed Buell after Buell on the road. In fact, I think I saw more Uly's out riding this year than I saw all Buells combined at MBII (the last I attended). That was freaking awesome. Two different non-Buell riders quizzed me at length about my Ulysses and were clearly seriously interested in Buell. One was riding an FJ1300 Yamaha and the other a Harley. It was definitely cool to see so much interest. I think the corner has already been turned, and we are going to see a visible major improvement in Buell's popularity in the near future. | ||
| Court |
>>>>I think the corner has already been turned, and we are going to see a visible major improvement in Buell's popularity in the near future. Close your eyes . . . use your wildest imagination. Dream. Someone else did. Not a bad time to read Bryce Courtenay | ||
| L_je |
Court said, "At one time some folks thought the Buell would be an entry ramp to HD" Yup, Buell was my HD offramp. 6th gear, higher reving engine, mount the exhaust cans under the seat...these are some of the things people wish Buell would do. My wife's Mutlistrada has these things, but I have to say that I like my Uly better. My Buell puts a smile on my face the way no other bike has. We had a great time at MBIV, and both of us look forward to the next time. | ||
| Court |
The Ulysses is an excellent motorcycle that is proving, in actual use, that some of the processes used in design and production work. Quality is at the top of the industry, it's not alone at the top, but there are no "better quality" prodcuts in the motorcycle industry. The Ulysses has opened some eyes to the name "Buell" and paved the road ahead. . . The MultiStrada is, by all reports I've read, an excellent bike. I'd, personally, go with the Buell just for the company of the kind of folks you meet at a gathering like MBIV. The MBIV event has become one of the best planned and executed Buell events. . . I'd hoped myownfoolself to Uly down but school, lackabuell and work conspired against me . . see you next year! |
