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Buell Produces 125,000 Motorcycles

by Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" on 11/14/2008

in American Motorcycles, Motorcycle Business

2009 Buell 1125R

On Wednesday, Nov.12, 2008, at 8 a.m. central time, Buell rolled out their 125,000th motorcycle, a 2009 white 1125R bound for Australia. That's quite a ways from a company turning out a handful of motorcycles in a Quonset hut and old farm buildings. If you build a product people like, you succeed. Congratulations to Erik and the entire team of Buell employees. Nice job.

{ 23 comments… add yours below ... }

Jeff 11.14.08 at 6:39 pm: Kudos Buell ! I love to ride my 06 XB12R .
Skizick 11.14.08 at 8:09 pm: And now for their 125,001st bike, a DUAL PURPOSE BLAST!!!
Keith 11.14.08 at 8:09 pm: Thank god they got rid of that Sportster engine .
GenWaylaid 11.15.08 at 1:09 am: It’s so rare that motor vehicle startups of any kind succeed. Getting this far is a rare achievement.
Randy in N. Wisconsin 11.15.08 at 9:02 am: I’ve got a lot of years on my 2002-built XB9R and have found the engine and chassis to be very well suited to my needs on the street. I wanted a bike with low maintenance, easy to shove around the garage, a big twin for the street, a sound that had soul, something light for dodging tourists and large mammals, something that laid down tractable power to the road when the surfaces were bumpy, cracked, loaded with debris, or turned to gravel and dirt. I wanted a bike with real feedback when rolling. The XB9R was it. Ridden in all sorts of weather, it always gave me confidence and allowed me to relax on long hauls.

I’d always wanted a street tracker bike, and shortly after I bought the R, the S model came out. I test drove it, laughing like a maniac most of the time as it seemed like a 90-hp mini bike, and really wanted to buy it. But by that time the R had it’s hooks in my heart. Unless something destroys it or it’s stolen, which is a long shot where I live, it’ll be in my garage for many more years.

It simply works, all the time. It’s a motorcycle that serves me, not the other way around. I’d love the Uly XT in the garage too, but until the mortgage is paid, that will have to wait.

I’ve had bikes from all the major manufacturers in the last 35 years. This is without question, a benchmark motorcycle. The neat thing is that some folks keep downplaying them not realizing that their 1000cc/1200cc twin is still a very effective street motor. This makes for good deals to be had in today’s market. You can buy a used XB model today for much less than a new scooter. I’m currently averaging about 58 mpg on a well broken-in Firebolt with the race kit.

It’s great fun!

Randy
Kurt 11.15.08 at 9:14 am: Great job Buell! Finished a ride to Deals Gap last week on my XB12X. Its a fantastic bike and engine! Best kept secret in motorcycling.
Allen P 11.15.08 at 11:59 am: I wonder how many of the people that complain and have negative comments in regards to the Sportster based Buells have ever owned one. The XB series of engines are terrific fun on the street, and that is where Erik Buell and his team designed the bikes to be ridden. That they are some of the best handing and most interesting bikes in motorcycling is just a bonus.
I love my ‘07 XB9R and cannot ever see selling her. Just put her away for the winter this week and cannot wait until April 1…or sooner if global warming finally gets to Chicago!
I met Erik Buell one time and he was a really cool and approachable guy. Kudos to him and his company for creating interesting (quirky, some would say) bikes for the last 25 years that wemt against the norm and make us owners smile evertime we hit the starter button.
Jeff 11.15.08 at 1:54 pm: I love the Sportsteresk engine in my XB12R . Perfect for the street .
Tom 11.15.08 at 6:31 pm: Congratulations!!!
yamalink 11.15.08 at 6:49 pm: A local rider loves his Buell so much that he sold his barely ridden Super Duke.
JustPete 11.16.08 at 2:50 am: AWESOME! I for one can not wait to get my grubby hands on a XB12Scg or XB12Ss Lightning.
Schneegz 11.17.08 at 5:25 am: “If you build a product people like, you succeed.” – The Kneeslider

Quick, someone alert the US auto industry before they go out of business!

“I wonder how many of the people that complain and have negative comments in regards to the Sportster based Buells have ever owned one.” – Allen P

The Sportster engine is precisely the reason I haven’t owned a Buell yet. I’ve been following the development of the 1125 line very closely and got to see them in person – finally – at Intermot in Cologne. I was very impressed. I’m still holding out for a sport touring or adventure touring model, however.
Bill 11.17.08 at 9:19 am: I’ll second Buell Blast dual purpose bike. I’d buy one tomorrow if they had it. I’ve been talking to some engineers at H-D for two years about such a thing…
Phoebe 11.17.08 at 12:05 pm: For you thumper fans, someone on one of the Blast discussion groups I’m on said that an all-new Blast is on its way within the next couple of years. It will still be a single, but have more power and of course a lot more refinement to match the rest of the Buell line. I’m very curious what it will be like.
Jeff 11.17.08 at 12:48 pm: A 650R perhaps ?????
Jeff 11.17.08 at 12:49 pm: Ah maybe a 650CR ????
Phoebe 11.17.08 at 2:05 pm: I don’t know, but I hope so. Supposedly the new single will not be based off the Sportster engine, either. Maybe 1/2 of of the 1125’s engine?

Regardless, it’s about time the Blast got updated.
todd 11.17.08 at 3:28 pm: Would a non-Sportster derived Blast engine be built by Rotax? Would that be a conflict of interest if Rotax is already doing such a motor for BMW? If I were BMW I’d be a little concerned any tech I paid for would get utilized in the Blast motor.

Maybe it will be a derivative of the Harley-Armstrong Rotax motor?

-todd
Jeff 11.17.08 at 5:45 pm: Add a…. Ley…. and what does it spell .
Phoebe 11.17.08 at 5:55 pm: Unfortunately, all I know is what I said here, and it comes from someone who is supposedly an insider. I’ve searched online to see if I can find any more info on the upcoming Blast, but I come up with nothing. Your guess is as good as mine at this point.
B*A*M*F 11.17.08 at 9:54 pm: I never thought that BMW owned that 650 engine or had any real exclusivity on it. Both Aprilia and BMW used the same Rotax engine in the Scarabeo 150 and C1, respectively. I could be way wrong.
todd 11.18.08 at 12:02 am: The F (and G) Rotax engines had some BMW input. The head, the plain bearings, dual plugs, etc. I don’t know how much of that Rotax will be able to use on competitor’s motors. I’m sure it’s a sticky issue that they worked out before hand.

Regardless It would behoove Buell to expand their lineup a little.

-todd
George 01.16.09 at 2:27 am: I have a 2003 Buell Lightning XB9S (Sunfire Yellow), IT has the sport twin engine (984cc), and I just love it in comparison to alot of bikes I have owned and ridden, and it gets alot of looks and people asking about it all the time. I got a sweet deal on it, original owner, only had 3000 miles on it and I swooped it up for 4 grand. It is cosmetically perfect, I love this bike, it takes nuts to take it off the backroads and onto the freeway, because it is small, light and nimble as hell. The absence of a Front fairing and windshield make it a nice adrenaline pumping ride. It won’t pace, with a Ninja, but it is torquey, lous and definitely cool.