| Author | Message | ||
     Spatten1 |
Court, I believe that you know the difference in power that goes through a final drive vs. a valve train. Like I said, they just better get it right the first time if Buell builds a powerful bike. Performance enthousiasts will be much less forgiving of four generations of belts than Buell enthousiasts. If more mainstream riders get stuck on the side of the road with broken belts Buell is screwed. Just ask my friend that bought a KTM Adventure three weeks ago why he didn't buy the Uly. He isn't taking chances. | ||
| Spatten1 |
You guys really think a drive chain would make a Buell exactly like a Honda? That is a bit silly. My XB has a chain and does not feel much like a Honda to me. | ||
| Whitj |
The suspense is starting to ware on me. My wife is going to kick me to the curb “if you (I) don’t get off the G..D… internet & wait till next week like everyone else.” I think I have lost around ten lbs. I don’t eat or sleep and my finger tips have gone numb. Throw us a bone Might help if we could spell his name correctly. ;) (Message edited by blake on July 04, 2007) | ||
| Tintin74 |
> Trojan: I think Triumph made your point with the Daytona 675 that sell like hot cakes... | ||
| Spatten1 |
The 675 is exactly the niche bike that should inspire Buell. Everyone seems to love it, and it is not a clone repliracer. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
You guys really think a drive chain would make a Buell exactly like a Honda? Nope. But let's say that Buell scrapped the ZTL concept, went to chain drive, went with a water cooled IL-4, and scrapped the fuel in frame, would it still be a Buell or just a Japanese bike with a Buell sticker on it? IF that is the end result, to make a bike that is just like H/Y/S/K, why would anyone want to buy a Buell when there are so many more established, better refined, better tuned, foreign sourced, and cheaper bikes with more street and racing credibility, produced with a greater economy of scale and with greater after-market products support? Why try to go head to head with Wal-Mart? Why not compete in the niches where Wal-Mart fails to deliver? Sometimes it isn't about gaining a gallon of average but savoring an ounce of distinct. | ||
| Bmonty72 |
OK Court...I've read your other post trying to lead someone to the "complete engine assembly drawings". I, alas, am not a Buell owner "YET". I am lusting after the TT, but all this talk of new engines has commanded me to wait and see what around the bend. I also like the ULY but fear I may get a nosebleed from that perch atop the saddle. Let a little guy know, throw this little bird a bone...I'm going to the dealer tomorrow to get my 5000 mile service on my Sportster. Show me why I need to wait...Give me the power to withstand the draw of a newer bike for a little while longer!! "Help Me Countney Wan Kenobi, you're our only Hope!" | ||
| M1combat |
Thank you Court  . | ||
| Imonabuss |
He isn't taking any chances and he bought a KTM? Bwahahahaha! He ought to ask guys who've owned them,! I'd rather have a broken belt than a broken transmission, gas tank or frame!!! | ||
| Aatch |
"The 675 is exactly the niche bike that should inspire Buell. Everyone seems to love it, and it is not a clone repliracer." I absolutely agree! In the end, i think what we all want is for the bite to match the bark. they sound cool, they look cool, they handle well, but they sure could use more power... VERY close to post 1,000 and to the 8th... | ||
| Badlionsfan |
post 1000, nothin to say.  (Message edited by badlionsfan on July 02, 2007) | ||
| Court |
>>> I am lusting after the TT, Bmonty - There's really, if you are lusting after the TT, need for you to wait. Don't get me wrong. . . I think there's some fun coming through the pipeline like a pigmy through a boa constrictor. But, if you are truly in Kansas City. . . run, don't walk, to your nearest dealer. . . beg'em to score you the Buell financing deal (that technically ended Saturday but will be good until next Saturday), snag yourself one of those bad boy TT and head up 92 highway. Take the long route around Perry Lake, cross Farmers Turnpike and do the loop around Lake Clinton, past the covered bridge and home. You won't be the same. I wasn't. Countney Wan Kenobi | ||
| Court |
Wait . . am I Courtney or Countney? This age thing is hell...pure hell I tell ya! | ||
| Doerman |
You might have been a bit to quick with this sentence too: Bmonty - There's really, if you are lusting after the TT, need for you to wait. Didn't you mean: ",no need for you to wait"?  Asbjorn | ||
| Indy_bueller |
Wait . . am I Courtney or Countney? LOL Thats it, from now on I'm calling you "Count". The Count of Buell-TT-Cristo | ||
| Doerman |
The Count of Buell-TT-Cristo Perfect! LOL  | ||
| Bmonty72 |
I would try to blame that spelling error on fat fingers, but it appears that the n is nowhere near the r on my keyboard???? And my fingers aren't really all that fat... | ||
| Cgocifer |
I can't wait!!!!! Buell is definitely up to something or they wouldn't be sending emails about a major announcement on Sunday at the track!!!! I hope I can get a good trade in value for my Lightning!! | ||
| Cgocifer |
"IF that is the end result, to make a bike that is just like H/Y/S/K, why would anyone want to buy a Buell when there are so many more established, better refined, better tuned, foreign sourced, and cheaper bikes with more street and racing credibility, produced with a greater economy of scale and with greater after-market products support? Why try to go head to head with Wal-Mart? Why not compete in the niches where Wal-Mart fails to deliver? Sometimes it isn't about gaining a gallon of average but savoring an ounce of distinct." I've had all the typical sport bikes. I have a Buell because I am an engineer and I love the engineering Erik and the elves put to this bike! They took a pushrod motor and installed it in something nobody else had tried before to make a wonderful motorcycle. Does it do 160? No, does it scream to 15,000 rpms? No. Do I care? No! It is a unique, beautiful machine with all the muscle American ingenuity is known for. | ||
| Olinxb12r |
Hey Bmonty, go check out the KCLW in the Storm Fronts section, and come ride with us. I'm sure you'll really want a Buell once you are headed home on the sporty after taking a spin with a bunch of Buells. http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.ind ividual&videoid=2036069089 I thought you guys would like this. | ||
| Jiffy |
I love all this talk that basically says making a more refined machine makes it Just like A Honda. Go buy an old BSA or Norton if you want to tinker and be different. Buell already built a highly refined bike with a so called "lump" motor that is refined and works wonderfully. Sometimes you just have to do something different and new isn't that what Buell is all about? I could care less what type of engine the Buell has. I get tired of all this Air-cooled vs Water-cooled, Honda like vs Buell. Buell is Buell and it will always be different and unique no matter how many people own them. You should all hope Buell sells 20,000 bikes next year. Deep down it is nice to have a unique bike on the road but having something that is unique at what cost? You can't always be the few and the proud. Triumph owners used to feel like they were cool and proud to be the few. Then the 675 came out and many squids and posers bought them. Does that make the older Triumph owners feel like they should switch bikes? I hope not. Who is the poser then? | ||
| Prof_stack |
Olinxb12r: Ahh, to be so young and fit and of excellent riding skill and fearless and perhaps invulnerable! But, one slip up and ... maybe ...  . Be careful, man. Prof (still healing...) | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Olinxb12r, That shit is gonna hurt one day! Cool though! | ||
| Nicozzzz |
sometimes answer is technology : I think technology can permit to have belt that resist at 200 hp without trouble ... I love belt .. no dirt from every where no maintenance to do less trouble in changing tyre .. a sweet driving more light rear wheel of course you lose some hp during the way but no so big quantity .. I hope this bike will not mount ohlins fork and dumpers at same quality which other builders cost 30% more .. and finally customer pay this duty for free .... yes is a brand , but on the road is quality not brand that made the difference . . surely brand is like honey for fly in calling customer but the price of buell bike is little bit high in europe , and the risk is that the bike will be sell near 1098 price so people will directly go on 1098 actually beautiful and best bike at world | ||
| Trojan |
If Buell produced one exactly like the offering by Honda/Yamaha/Suzuki/Kawasaki, would anyone really be willing to leave one of the other four for Buell? If they were, would there simply be a slicing of the same pie share? What would Buell's slice really be? How small? You miss my point. I am not advocating a Honda IL4 clone, or even an RC51 clone. What I am saying is that history is littered with 'innovative', 'groundbreaking', 'different' and 'unique' motorcycles that simply didn't sell. These are not just small manufacturers like the Bimota's Tesi or Mantra, but also the big 4 jap firms all have their share of 'brave' failures such as the Yamaha GTS, all of the very early 'chocolate camshaft' Honda V4's, Suzuki RE5 etc etc. If Buell want to compete head on with the best sports bikes in the world then unfortunately they will have to use what works at the highest level. If they are serious about racing then a short stroke, over square 4 valve motor is almost a prerequisite, as will be chain drive. The 675 is exactly the niche bike that should inspire Buell. Everyone seems to love it, and it is not a clone repliracer. The Triumph engine is what sets it apart from the opposition (although it is not a match for any of the Jap 600's in race form unfortunately), but the cycle parts are exactly the same as used by all the top sports bikes. Take the badges off and you would strugle to tell it from any of the sports 600s from any distance. This is what I was alluding to earlier, people that ride bikes may take physical risks but they are incredibly conservative when it comes to new technology. They buy what they KNOW works, and what they see racing on TV every weekend, hence radial brakes, USD forks etc are the flavour of the month. Bike magazine (the same one that said that the XB was the 'best cornering bike ever') has just published the 2007 Bike of the Year results. Bikes were judged against a set scale of categories by a panel of judges and scored accordingly. The categories were: Performance Handling Styling Engine Practicality Wow Factor Expectation Value In the top 150 bikes whee do you think Buell placed? 140 Buell XB12X 127 Buell City X 120 Buell LIghtning XB12S 99 Buell Super TT 62 Buell Firebolt XB12R The top 20 were: 1 Honda CBR600RR 2 Triumph 675 Street Triple 3 Triumph Tiger 4 Yamaha R6 5 Triumph Daytona 675 6 Honda Fireblade 7 KTM 950 Supermoto 8 Aprilia Tuono 9 Triumph Speed Triple 1050 10 Kawasaki ZZR1400 11 Honda Hornet 600 12 Suzuki GSXR750 13 Suzuki GSXR1000 14 Yamaha R1 15 Kawasaki Versys 650 16 Kawasaki ZX6R 17 KTM Superduke 990 18 Yamaha FZ1 Fazer 19 Triumph Sprint ST 20 Aprilia Shiver SL750 Notice anything about the top 20 list? (other than an almost embarrassing favouratism towards Triumph that is) Almost without exception they share the same type of cycle parts with no 'innovative' bikes in the top 20. There are only 4 V Twins (2 x KTM & 2 x Aprilia), and they have exceptional engines that pretty much put them on a par with the 4 cylinder bikes in their class. The only other twin is the Kawasaki Versys (an Adventure styled version of the Ninja 650), and that is there simply by virtue of it's incredible value for money and practicality. If Buell want to be considered a major force in sports bikes then they still have a way to go, and I hope that the new model goes a long way to redress this balance. | ||
| Garrett2 |
guys i am so sorry, i really am, i didnt want to be a part of this, but there is a deal (wont say which), but they have several buell enthusiasts there, my dad stopped into said dealership sunday afternoon and talked with the guys (we're very tight with these guys) sigh.... again, im SO SORRY, but its killing me too.... well they are saying "get ready" "trying to seriously compete with the japs" etc etc son of a bitch, this MIGHT mean I have to wait until october or so to get another bike. sorry | ||
| Olinxb12r |
Thanks Ft and Prof. That is actually one of my friends here in KC in the video. I lover riding wheelies, but I'm not as good as he is at them. | ||
| Doerman |
Matt says.. These are not just small manufacturers like the Bimota's Tesi or Mantra, but also the big 4 jap firms all have their share of 'brave' failures such as the Yamaha GTS, all of the very early 'chocolate camshaft' Honda V4's, Suzuki RE5 etc etc. Honda V-4s, I'd venture to say was and still is a success. VFR, Magna, Interceptors etc. Today it is only the VFR that continues, but still, Honda had success with that motor. Other innovations and departures, like BMW's para and tele lever suspension systems, including BMWs new Hossack like front suspension I believe can be counted as a success (in terms of sales, not on the track). The GTS and the RE5 were both different for no good reason, thus failure. If Buell want to be considered a major force in sports bikes then they still have a way to go, and I hope that the new model goes a long way to redress this balance. True. But I do not believe that conformity to the norm will be the way Buell goes to achieve this. Court has often said "amongst the top 5 in the next 5 years". If you think about it, you can reach that goal as stated w/o following in the IL4 and conventional wisdom of today's consistent race winners. Cheers Asbjorn | ||
| Kmfw160 |
this is unbelievable, I hope Buell does compete with the japs. I have been lurking for a week or so reading ya'lls posts and now I'm on pins and needles. This sucks...as if I don't have enough stress in my life. | ||
| Court |
>>>>Court has often said "amongst the top 5 in the next 5 years". And in the face of all the racepert's cries of woe . . . Court has consistently stuck to his guns on that statement. I continue to. You'll soon be joining me in my joy. Look at the picture. |
