When Buell introduced the 1125, there were questions about when, or if, Buell would take the gloves off with a race only version. The 1125 has been raced with some success already and now, the Buell 1125RR comes straight from the factory ready for the track. It is available only to licensed pro racers.
Hmm, … I wonder if the fairing is available to anyone else.
UPDATE: The fairing is available: Buell part number M2000B.08AZ. In extremely high-quality pre-preg fiberglass, it costs $1499 for the kit. Thanks, steve!
Buell press release:
BUELL INTRODUCES 1125RR RACING MOTORCYCLE
Race-Use Only Model Aimed at AMA American Superbike Class
EAST TROY, Wis. – Buell Motorcycle Company today introduced the 1125RR, a race-use only motorcycle intended for competition in the AMA Pro Racing American Superbike class.
“The 1125RR is designed to give privateer racers a turn-key machine to compete in the American Superbike class in AMA Pro Racing. We want to build on our program that has proven so successful for privateers in the Daytona SportBike class,†said Erik Buell, Chairman and Chief Technical Officer, Buell Motorcycle Company.
The Buell 1125RR features a modified Helicon 1125cc (103mm bore x 67.5mm stroke) liquid-cooled 72-degree V-Twin engine. Power increases come from components including a larger airbox and intake manifold, revised valves and camshafts, a higher compression ratio, titanium exhaust system and other weight-reduced components.
The 1125RR chassis is the standard 1125R design with fuel-in-the-frame, plus a billet axle adjustment system and chain-drive to allow gearing changes. Suspension travel is managed by fully adjustable units, with a Showa 43mm front fork and a remote-reservoir rear shock. A ZTL2 (Zero Torsional Load) eight-piston front caliper is mated with a modified front rotor.
Buell 1125RR features:
1125cc (68.7 cid) Helicon Powertrain:
4.055 inch (103 mm) bore and 2.658 inch (67.5mm) stroke
Dual 61mm down-draft fuel-injection throttle bodies
Titanium exhaust header and mass-centralized muffler
6-Spoke cast magnesium racing wheels
Front: 3.5 inch (88.9mm) x 17 inch (431.8mm)
Rear: 6 inch (152.4mm) x 17 inch (431.8mm)
Buell ZTL2 reversed rotor front brake with eight-piston Nissin caliper
43mm Showa fully-adjustable inverted forks
Showa fully-adjustable rear shock with remote reservoir
Cast-aluminum swingarm machined with billet axle adjustment system
Center position wheelbase 55.5 inches (1410 mm)
Buell will produce a limited number of 1125RR motorcycles for sale only to licensed professional road racers who will compete in the AMA Pro Racing American Superbike class. U.S. MSRP is $39,995. Orders must be placed through the Buell Race Department and delivered through an authorized Buell motorcycle dealer.
taxman says
YES!
now to get an aftermarket company to modify that front fairing for street use. it will probably be more accepted than the front side pods. the 1125R is an under-realized bike in my opinion.
kneeslider says
taxman, there already is the one company in the UK with a fairing kit, but it would be nice to have one available over here.
Scott says
Great day in Buell racing history!!! More exciting to me than the bike is that Taylor Knapp will be riding it. He’s a great young talent and I hope to see him racing Buells for many years to come.
Mark L. says
I would love to see Danny Eslick on an 1125RR in superbike.
By the way, I assume that everyone saw the last race at Laguna!
WOW!
That was a lot of fun to watch. I will be going to Heartland Park at the end of the month, and look forward to seeing the Buells in action there.
Mark
JustPete says
I assume the full fairing meets Eric Buell’s (since Buell designed and released this bike) aerodynamic idea/design, like the XB12RR did? Fully faired, but a very minimal drag coefficient on the rider that helped it run with the 1098’s and such?
steve_a says
The fairing has been available since January. It carries Buell part number M2000B.08AZ. In extremely high-quality pre-preg fiberglass, it costs $1499 for the kit. Both Taylor Knapp and Shawn Higbee have used it on their DSB bikes.
kneeslider says
Thanks for the info on the fairing, steve_a!
Jeff says
Does it meet AMA/DMG homologation requirements?
Scott says
Jeff, yes, obviously since AMA has said it meets requirements and will be racing. I have seen some websites (who hate Buell and lack credibility) harping on the idea that this bike isn’t street legal.
. . . but no bike running in the class is street legal. They don’t have horns, turn-signals, lights, license plates etc. etc. etc. and they have modifications (race pipe, stronger pistons, modified valve-trains etc. etc. etc.) that would never allow them to pass EPA noise or pollutions requirements.
This bike appears to be a modified 1125R – which is street legal. And there are numerous modifications allowed by the AMA in Superbike. Buell seems to have taken advantage of those modifications (like every other competitive team) and offered the bike for sale to racers.
Seems simple enough, so I’m surprised some people don’t get it.
. . . actually I suspect they do get it but are twisting the facts to support their irrational prejudices. I’ve seen them do that before.
Dudel says
Wow, 40-thousand dollars. Wouldn’t it would be substantially cheaper to buy the Type-1125 engine from BPR-Rotax, do some performance tweaking for competition, and then bolt the engine to a lightweight racing frame of your choice?
GunMD says
Perhaps some folks need to brush up on the rules. The issue isn’t special allowances for twins (KTM, Ducati, etc. have those same provisions) it’s the fact that this is NOT a production, street certified motorcycle that you or I can buy off the showroom floor. The rules clearly state the bike must be “street certified” and available for purchase by anyone. Per the DMG AMA Pro Racing application form, “AMA Pro American Superbike motorcycles must be street certified for use in the United States and be available at the time of competition from U.S. retail dealers. There must be sufficient quantity available such that any person wanting to buy one for racing purposes can do so in a timely fashion. … Importation must be completed by June 1st of the current season.” Those other bikes (Japanese inline 4’s) are the same bikes sold to the public sans the lights, mirrors, etc. This 1125RR is NOT BEING SOLD TO THE PUBLIC at all. You can’t go buy a new 1125RR with lights and turn signals. There’s a distinct difference here. This is (yet another) sad day for AMA roadracing.
Jeff says
The 1125 is made exclusively for Buell. It is not an off-the-shelf Rotax engine. I doubt you could by one directly from Rotax.
Jeff says
It IS being sold to the public, as long as you’re going racing with it. They are available through any authorized Buell dealership.
This is just a hopped up 1125R, which is a streel legal bike. Same thing racing teams are doing to the other bikes in the class.
GunMD says
“Same thing racing teams are doing to the other bikes in the class.”
EXACTLY. And prior to the TEAMS doing these mods, the bikes can be purchased on the showroom floor by ANYONE. Buell is building a factory race bike that is NOT street legal.
Scott says
Anyone who thinks Rockstar Makita has bins of headlights, turnsignals, exhausts, shifters, pistons, valves etc. that they stripped off the stock bikes they started with is, frankly delusional.
The idea that Mladin’s bike is more based on a stock bike than this is flat ridiculous and ignorant.
God forbid Taylor Knapp should race his $40,000 bike against Mladin’s $100,000 one. Poor Mladin doesn’t have a chance.
Brian says
Scott is right on.Also Ducati does the same thing, Pegram’s bike is a 1098rF08, the fF08 means factory built race 1908. This is last years factory World Superbike. But you cannot just go to the dealer and buy one. Brian
Brian says
Opps meant 2008 not 1908, LOL
rafe03 says
Just ignore the whiners & pit wall lawyers & LETS GO RACING!!
rafe03
nobody says
Yeah, racers are always buying bikes off the showroom floor, riding them to the track, and winning Superbike races.
Go Buell!
Doug says
It seems simple to me. Here we go again. Complete repeat of the whole XBRR situation in FX. Shame really. Eric Buell (Buell Motor Co) can do much better than this. We can all speculate on what could, should, would have been. We can also wish our lives away wanting a street legal version. All we really have is a good old repeat that will do nothing but diminish the true capability of what Buell is capable of if they were able to go it alone. They never will so long as H-D is majority owner.
To do it right would mean compete in all aspects of the sport, business, and competition. This would require H-D to leave Buell alone. Buell could then produce a true superbike for the market place. Once on equal footing with the market a Buell could then be purchased, modified, and raced just like their competition.
Meanwhile, I’m afraid Buell will face the same racing humilation in AMA Superbike as they did with the ill-fated XBRR. The 1125RR has no chance in litre bike competition.
Eric Buell and his crew of elves have remarkable accomplishment in the new 1125 range to be very proud of. Too bad they can’t ever be free to do what I’m sure they would, should, could.
GunMD says
As a matter of fact, Mladin’s Yosh team DID purchase a bike off the showroom floor. Remember last year when Mladin got DQ’d for some kind of variance with the crank from the motor of his GSX-R?? Shortly thereafter the team actually purchased a showroom bike to illustrate that his bike was no different than what you and I can buy. He raced with that bike until a few rounds into the 2009 season (until Barber I think) when the team offered it for sale to the public. If you think for a second that the bikes Buell is putting out (only to licenced professional road racers) is available to the average Joe, you’re not reading all of the details. But in order to put this to rest (yeah, right) I’ll pretend that you’re all correct in assuming that all of the teams are doing the same thing. Fine. Point taken. How then, do you explain away the fact that there is NO STREET LEGAL VERSION OF THE 1125RR, yet DMG has approved it for racing. There IS a street legal version of the R1, the GSX-R, etc. But there IS NOT a version of the Buell 1125RR that you can register at the DMV for street use. Period. I’m not a hater of Buell. I’m a hater of bending (or breaking) the rules for one company just to get them in the game.
nobody says
Street legal version of the 1125RR? It is called a 1125R. Duh! By time any street bike is prepped for American Superbike racing, it isn’t street legal anymore. Duh!! The differences between the RR and an R are the same as any generic race replica prepped for racing – the only change is that you are paying for the parts you need/want and not paying for the street junk, like turn signals and mirrors. How hard it that to figure out?
Just how convenient is the availability (to said average Joe) and support of HRC, Yoshimura, (etc..) RACING parts required for a competitive bike, anyway?
And if this is such a killer deal on such a cheater unit, then Buell is doing racers a huge favor by selling a competitive racer for so cheap. Yeah, that’s a terrible blow to the sport. Or you can ask why the other factories don’t care about racering enough to sell production racers.
TkpfBG says
It’s interesting to see all of the different view points people have on this subject. So far I have heard all of the different points but one has not been mentioned. If the 1125RR is nothing more than a 1125R that is given the same race treatment then the 1125RR should be the exact same bike that Danny Eslick races in the Daytona Sportbike class. Then why is is that the 1125RR is only allowed to compete in the American Superbike and not the Daytone Sportbike. Supposedly Danny’s 1125R is the same bike as the 1125RR yet he uses his in the Daytona Sportbike. DMG is really doing a bang up job in trying to kill motorcycle racing here in the US. Considering all of the bullcrap they put Suzuki through at the beginning of the season and yet letting Buell get away with this garbage you really have to wonder if any of the Japanese manufacturers are going to compete next year. Seems like DMG is putting in the final nails into their coffin.
Billy B says
…personally i’m a huge Buell fan, but unfortunately even I see a problem here…would hate to be proved right if another factory did the same thing as Buell and got knocked back….and sorry, but back to the actual bike….very nice fairing except for that ugly front nose.
Hugh says
“Supposedly Danny’s 1125R is the same bike as the 1125RR yet he uses his in the Daytona Sportbike.”
No, it’s not. Superbike allows additional engine mods not allowed in DSB.
The critics really need to think about Erik’s background and where he’s coming from with this. He is a big proponent of supporting PRIVATEER racers. The top Japanese racers get factory support in the form of special factory race parts that aren’t available for any price to the average Joe Racer. Buell makes all their race parts available to any licensed racer who wants to buy them. This bike is another step in that direction. This is just a standard 1125R that has been “pre-modified” by the factory, saving the low budget racer the trouble (and expense) of having to buy a new street bike and all the race parts and build the bike himself. It doesn’t have any modifications that the other brands won’t have when they show up at the track.
Taylor Knapp could have easily shown up at the track this weekend with this exact same bike labeled as an 1125R, it would have passed tech inspection, and nobody would have raised a peep. What’s the difference? How is this bike an unfair advantage for Buell?
Now, if the other manufacturers try do the same thing (make a pre-packaged race bike available to any licensed racer who wants to buy it) and DMG doesn’t allow it, the critics would have a point. So far, that hasn’t happened.
GunMD says
“Street legal version of the 1125RR? It is called a 1125R. Duh! ” I have to disagree w/ you on this one, Nobody. Some specs:
1125R: Belt drive
1125RR: Chain drive
1125R: Aluminum wheels
1125RR: Magnesium wheels
1125R: 5.5inch rear wheel width
1125R: 6 inch rear wheel width
1125R: 47mm forks
1125RR: 43mm forks
1125R: LED turn signals
1125RR: No turn signals
1125R: Six bulb headlamp system w/ daylight running mode
1125RR: No headlamps
1125R: 5W/12W Tail/brake lights
1125RR: No tail/brake lights
1125R: Available from the dealers’ showroom
1125RR: Available by special order from Buell Racing division to licensed AMA professional road racers
1125R: Street legal in 50 states
1125RR: Street legal in 0 states
And from the Buell press release: “Power increases come from components including a larger airbox and intake manifold, revised valves and camshafts, a higher compression ratio, titanium exhaust system and other weight-reduced components.”
The last comparison alone should be enough to disqualify it from competition in American Superbike. Please understand, I’m not taking issue with the mods. My frustration comes from the fact that this isn’t the 1125R sold in showrooms, making it difficult for me to wrap my head around how DMG/AMA has approved it for competition.
Scott says
GunMD,
Every modifcation you mentioned is legal in Superbike and performed by everyone competing.
You could make the same kind of comparison if you called Mladin’s GSX 1000 a “GSX 1000M” and compared it to it’s street-legal cousin.
Until someone can show a modification of the 1125RR that isn’t allowed by Superbike rules, it’s purely a matter of semantics and I think most of the people here are too intelligent to be dragged into an argument about semantics after the AMA has already clearly said the bike is legal.
If you want to hang everything on the rulebook, guess what? The rulebook has a new amendment. Anyone who wants to quote the rulebook as gospel needs to inlude that amendment that allows the 1125RR or risk being considered a hypocrite.
Chris says
I think everyone who is upset is only claiming the dealer/streetlegal issue. I think it is just semantics and doesn’t really make a big difference when it comes to racing. Does it really? As long as the bike meets the same mechanical rules as the others, same specs, it should be fair, correct? Duc has more displacement, I4s have more hp, its not like Buell broke the rules to allow a huge advantage.
taxman says
i really doubt that Mladin took a stock bike, removed the lights and called it good and races as is. i’m sure they tore that engine down and did everything legal to it that was allowed. hell i watched a show where some of the factory teams even replace the frames with different ones from the company.
i’m not saying anything about the above is wrong. i just think it’s rediculous to say that one company can do it and another can’t just because they offer it to the race teams in a different way.
if Buell had just told racers to go buy a regular 1125R and then offered to sell them a kit of all the “legal race upgrades” for another $30,000 would that be better? the result would be the same and it would be essentially exactly what other brands do.
jeff says
Mladins bike he used at the beginning of the season was a 2008 GSXR1000 that they bought from a dealer. It was offered for sale after the Road Atlanta round for $59,000
The following are its specs. Full of parts that ANYONE can buy thru places likes this:
http://www.yoshimura-rd.com/t-kit_index.aspx?imsec=raceparts
Engine Specs
_ Yoshimura camshafts
_ Yoshimura racing head gasket
_ Increased compression
_ Fully Ported and polished cylinder head
_ Yoshimura Race oil pan
_ Yoshimura Inner Rotor, Generator and Cover
_ Yoshimura Full Titanium Carbon Fiber R77 Exhaust system
_ EM Pro ECU with Race harness
_ BMC Racing air filter
Chassis Specs
_ Front Forks: Ohlins FGK pressurized internals
_ Brembo Mono-Block 4-Piston Calipers
_ 310mm Brembo Front Brake Rotors
_ Braided stainless steel brake lines
_ Yoshimura Triple Clamp, Offset / Caster assembly
_ Ohlins Steering Damper
_ Sharkskinz Fiberglass Cowling
_ Zero Gravity wind screen
_ JB Power Forged Magnesium wheels
_ Front 17 x 3.50
_ Rear 17 x 6.00
_ Ohlins TTX Shock
_ RK Chain, 520 racing chain
_ AFAM Sprocket
_ Galfer Rear Wave rotor
_ Motec ADL 2 Data logger / GPS, and Harness
AND it did something the Buell will not do…it WON superbike races….
I get tired of Erik calling them thinly veiled factory specials that nobodty can access and that costs hundreds of thousands of dollers more than his. $60K would have gotten you a race winning machine. Also, cut the privateer BS. Who goes to watch privateers race? That’s like going to a MotoGP race and cheering for Nicholas Canepa…..
Billy Pilgrim says
“I get tired of Erik calling them thinly veiled factory specials that nobodty can access and that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars more than his.”
We have a winner!!!! Erik Buell built an 1125cc street bike that is uncompetitive as a Superbike (barely competitive as a Sportbike). He got concessions to race in the Daytona Sportbike class against 600cc inline fours. Now he wants to be “competitive” in the American Superbike class. He got more concessions. The only surprise here is that the the 1125RR isn’t an 1850RR. Erik, quit being a whiner. If you want to race with the big boys, build a big boy bike and race heads up. Stop being a special case.
Scott says
And if someone bought the bike Mladin sold to race in the AMA, would they be allowed? Of course, why not?
But the nay-sayers could claim: “That’s not legal because the bike was not legal for street use when the racer bought it.”
And if Suzuki decided to build 10 of those bikes and sell them to racers, who would complain? I certainly wouldn’t and I doubt the AMA would have a problem with it. If the AMA prevented that, then people would be able to justifiably cry “foul”, but that has not and likely will not happen.
I expect the AMA would LOVE to have Suzuki follow Buell’s lead and do something like that.
Billy Pilgrim says
Scott…
You have no idea what the “powers that be” would allow. They don’t even know what they would allow. They make up the rules as they go. The AMADMG seems to want all of the Japanese OEM’s to leave. They may get their wish for the 2010 season.
John says
It’s amazing to me that these suckups to the Japanese co.s can hate everything American so much.The only way they would be happy is if either Harley Davidson and Buell along with the European companys went out of buisiness or they started making 4 cyls.They are not interested in variety.A large % of riders prefer V-twins and that what they want to see race. Jeff gives a list of what the Suzukis change before racing and it is identical to what the Buells change but in his head there is a difference somehow,then he adds that the Suzukis win while the Buells will not.Well if that’s the case what the hell are you people whining about.
GunMD says
Scott,
You’re right about the mods. There are similar ones applied to nearly every machine on the track. No disagreement there. I was attempting to illustrate to “Nobody” that the 1125RR is not the same bike as the 1125R (based on what he said in a previous post). Therefore making the 1125RR a bike that isn’t “street certified” (to use AMA’s term).
Chris says
^No, you can not make a 1125RR streetlegal because it has been race prepped. Just the same that you can not make a Ducati 1098rF08 street legal, because it has been race prepped. Just like you can not make Mladin’s suzuki street legal because it has been race prepped. But they ALL are based on factory bikes that you can buy from a dealer. 1125R for example. Then someone takes this bike and race preps it, be it Ducati racing support, Rockstar Mikita, or Buell Factory Race division. No longer street legal, aftermarket parts, modified engines, etc. Buell sells 1125R’s to anyone. Buell Racing only sells the RR to a select group of racers specifically for this racing division. Just like Rockstar Mikita or any other sponsor and race team. They’re bikes aren’t available to anyone after they have been race prepped. The fact that Buell Racing sells these to a select few IS EXACTLY what makes these allowable. If they sold the RR through any dealer to anyone, not being streetlegal, then it would break the rules as it would be a different bike. But it is just a race prepped 1125R, except Buell Racing will sell it to select few specifically for this race. Sounds exactly like the same setup of other bikes. That is what makes the difference, it is similiar to a sponsored racing group. The end results is a bike that follows race specs. Just think of the last R as a sponsor logo like on the other bikes. It means its been prepped based on a streetlegal bike, but now is distinguished because it is race ready. Just like Mladin’s bike. His came off the show room and was then modified, I could buy an 1125R and then have it modified.
I don’t buy the “Not available to the public argument” because could I buy the same bike as Mladin? Maybe, who knows. But it would take an awfully big check. And it wouldn’t be from a Suzuki dealer, but from the sponsored build team. With the Buell, I know that I could buy it from them, and I know the price. That makes it more readily available. And its not just from any dealer, but only through their Racing division. I just fail to see the “HUGE” difference in what comes down to, ‘who’ is doing the race prepping.
Billy Pilgrim says
I hope the Buell 1125RR is protested based on the specific wording of the rule book. That’ll be wicked fun to watch!!!
nobody says
It is obvious that the people whinging about the 1125RR have NO clue that racing support parts from the other companies often require a racing license as well. And in some cases, a resume.
What will be more fun to watch is the exploding little heads after the protest is denied. Then all they can do is………..blog/twit/txt about it.
Billy, GunMD, et.al., how will this affect your racing season? You ARE racers or otherwise directly involved in the AMA American Superbike class, right?
Schneegz says
There is no functional or practical difference between the mods made to the 1125R to turn it into the 1125RR and the mods made to every other bike on the Superbike grid. Quit whining. Let them race.
Buellish says
I hate to say it but Buell has made a mistake in getting this bike admitted into AMA racing. After the XBRR debacle and the issues this year with the 1125R with the sportbikes, I would have thought that they would have thought this one out a little better. All they had to do was make a street version of it to stop the bitching. If the price is 80K, to non racers, and 40k to racers, then so be it, they’ve followed the rules and could justify the added cost as the price of riding a race bike on the track, a-la Desomsedici!.
Kirill says
so does anyone know what is hp and weight of the bike?
Chris says
^and that would really change the racing outcome how? To me, its just people complaining about technical wording and it seems the AMA has deemed the modified buell legal. Thats it. I seriously doubt anyone thinks the Buell has an unfair advantage, or that other bikes in the series aren’t the same products of modified production bikes. Buell even says this RR is based on the 1125R. So what is the issue? The fact that it will actually be more readily assessable that to a privateer than say Michael Jordan’s race team bikes?
jeff says
Hey, BMW built a big boys bike…and it’s only $13,800…for another $1,480 you can get the Race ABS and Dynamic Traction Control added on. They trully are taking on the big boys with their machine and getting no brakes doing so. That’s a bunch of bike for the money compared to the 1125R at $12,500……
again on privateers…who really wants to go see the guys slug it out for 10th or 15th place. So, Erik has made a privateer accessible bike so guys can go fight it out for mid pack positions. Whoopee. I’ll get excited when top level talent actually rides that thing. There are other privateer options anyway. Call Graves Yamaha or Yoshimura and they will be happy to sell you the parts they are racing with. $1,500 for a fiberglass fairing kit from Buell??? oh please……
Attack Kawasaki will sell you a complete 600 for $10k…..
http://www.attackperformance.com/AttackBikesForSale.htm
Where are those 1/2 million factory special Japanese bikes Erik has been clamoring about …..REAL inaccessible I tell you….
Buell needs to do this…..shut their mouths and get down to racing with the big bikes and winning. An 1125 beating a 600 just doesn’t cut it. Sign some current top level talet – not your nextdoor neighbor, not a former Buell employee or some up and commer privateer, or some old dude (err….can you say Jeremy McWilliams…). Do that and go out there and win if you want people to drink your kool-aid….
4Cammer says
Yeah Jeff, that is a nice 2008 Supersport bike they are trying to sell…
http://www.attackperformance.com/AttackBikesForSale.htm
It is 2010 (almost) and the subject is Superbike….
John says
Jeff really has the key board bravado doesn’t he, what have you ever built or done that is so fantastic to make you mouth off like you do?
nobody says
Jeff,
It is painfully obvious by now that you do not know the differences between Daytona Superbike, American Superbike, and Supersport. That 600 you’ve linked is, for the most part, a street bike with all the vulnerable & expensive stuff swapped out for cheapo aftermarket stuff. Guess who then sells the leftovers to insurance companies every time Mr. Squid biffs it. Nothing wrong with that – or the bike – but it ain’t getting entered in any (what’s that class again?) American Superbike event.
What does the DMG care more about – whiners on the internet or racers on the grid? Make fun all you want about the Buell in “10th or 15th place” – what about those loser brands that finished 16th and later? What’s THEIR excuse? Which place did you finish? Only the first 4-6 places matter? Then how about a race with just one rider per brand? All that matters is what the fanboys have to say about brands the event on the forums, right?
The BMW S bike is indeed an impressive piece of machinery – but the 2 in WSB have been battling for, what, 10th or 15th place? They ain’t stock $13,800.00 bikes, either. But what would it cost to kit & prep one up for the American Superbike class? Better look up which class that is (again), what you’re allowed to change, compose an excuse on why you aren’t doing it even though you know much more about it than Buell, and why your opinion matters more than the ones who are putting their money where their mouths are and actually racing. Where is BMW’s standing in American Superbike, anyway?
When it looks like factories are dropping out of racing (and they ARE), then you need all the privateers you can get before you wish you did. No privateers on the grid = no racing. Oh, you don’t like privateers in racing? They are devoted a LOT more to the sport than you are. I’d say Buell is doing far more for racing than any one Brand X being ridden by Mr $.
You do know why those fairings cost so much, right? Didn’t think so: The ones that buy them are the ones that produce the cheap fiberglass race fairings. If you’re going to do R&D work for the aftermarket, you price it accordingly.
But if you think the fairings are expensive, do you have any idea of the cost of, say, race gas for a weekend? Or, better yet, tires? Hint: it makes those fairings look dirt cheap. What does a full BMW S1000 fairing sell for from BMW? Better look that one up.
What is your connection with Superbike racing, other than the internet?
Nathan says
What?… Has anyone actually read the AMA website… the 1125RR is competing in the AMERICAN SPORTBIKE class by Tayler Knapp… The only other Buells racing in the class is Shawn Higsbee’s 1125R & Steve Crevier’s 1125R. Unless the teams caught up to date, its not stating that Steve or Shawn will be piloting the bike or not….. the bikes racing against “Honda CBR1000RR, Kawasaki ZX-10, Yamaha R1, Suzuki GSX-R1000, Aprilia RSV1000R, Ducati 1098R”. What is everyone complaining about? the DSB?….hum.. the now race spec RR engine, RR frame/fuel tank, and the Marchesini rim in arnt going to be cheep with a 1 in a 1000+ maybe production run…. being a bike that doesn’t sell 100,000+ bikes a year… “sad to say” major components arn’t in house/union’s arn’t cheep
Nathan says
ha i spoke too late
John says
Well said “nobody” and as Nathan states the 1125cc Buell Vtwins are competing against 1000cc 4cyl., that are allowed the same mods and components,why all the squelling from these weasles.
ARN says
JUST RACE!! to much BS about what people think of ERIK Buell. I would love to see an american motorcycle dice it up with those imports.
Kenny says
Forget the rulebook. I think what everyone is complaining about is that Buell didn’t release a homologation special of say 300-400 units min so that the average joe could go down to the nearest dealer and empty his less than average wallet. He took the easy route of race preping a bike to his taste, and side stepping a huge chunk of government rules and regulations for getting it certified for road use. I can’t comment on the Duke F08, I’m not to familiar with it. But almost every other manufacturer who created a homologation special of their base model for racing, had it for sale, on the road, no matter how uncomfortable or impractical it was. Kawasaki ZXR750RR, Yamaha R1 SP, Ducati R models, Aprilia RSV Factory and Nera models, KTM RC8R. Or even just went all out from the start and sold factory race kits, Honda RC30/45, SP-1/2, Yamaha’s OWO1 and R7’s. The fact is that you could go out and buy one of these bikes and ride around with people thinking you were on a race bike and if you had the connections and the bank account…build one that actually was a race bike and I disagree that you can’t put a race bike on the roads. It just takes a bit of ingenuity and skill….and before you start clamouring, no I don’t have either…yet.
You can’t claim that Buell doesn’t have the resources to make a road-legal special, Aprilia, Ducati and KTM aren’t huge outfits, they all run V-twins(well Aprilia now has a V4) and they are all on competitive terms with the Big 4.
jeff says
John and nobody…..my points being…..
1. BMW built a bike to go race with the big boys. They did so with quite a bit LESS fanfare than Buell has done by running in the 600 class and 1000 class. Yes it finishes mid back, but you hear no whining from their camp about finishing midpack OR chest thumping about any of their innovations. They are keeping quite and going about the business of racing. As are their “fanboys”. I would imagine that BMW is not in American Superbike because they clearly did not meet the rules statement that the machine must be homologiated and imported in country by June 1. Something it clearly was not. As was the Aprilia V4. The good folks in WSBK seem to have given them an exemption. Something if you follow racing you would know about due to the noise the Ducati camp made about the Aprilia claiming it was a factory special prototype and not an actual streetbased machine. They are not moaning about the BMW becasue it did not rise to the top immediatly like the Aprilia did.
2. Put Erik Buell in front a journalist and he loves to talk about how the privateer never gets a break going back to when he was racing blah blah blah and he eludes that the Japanese bikes are rife with special parts the average guy can’t get blah blah blah. He has done so in several media interviews this year, and the Buell “fanboys” continue to perpetuate this throughout the internet. Yes, I recognize that was the case LAST YEAR and in the past and privateers and the such had a legitimate beef. I do not disagree with you there…this is 2009 though. The 2009 rules state that the parts in both the 600 and 1000 class must be homoligated and available to the man off the street. Thus my point of sending you to look at Yoshimura, Attack performance and Graves Yamaha. By the way, you can also buy a full homoligated HRC race kit from a Honda dealer for a CBR1000RR or CBR600RR (http://world.honda.com/HRC/products/cbr1000rr2009_kit/index.html). If the Buell folks think their are special non-available, non-homoligated parts in their competitors machines, have them torn down after the race in tech. I’m sure Roger Edmundoson would be glad to do so. Fact of the matter is, the DMG at least got that section of the rule book right. Parts must be homoligated and AVAILABLE. Which they are thru the above mentioned sources. Buell and their fans need to stopping beating the dead horse of “un-available secret parts” and get on with it. That situation has been dealt with by DMG for both the 600’s and the 1000’s. If Buell wants to put the homoligated parts on their machine in East Troy and sell it, big fat hairy deal. Point is, you can buy all the proper homoligated parts for the other guys stuff too, whether it is a 600 or 1000. So Buell trying to toot their horn about being privateer friendly because the top secret mystery japanese parts are unavailable is just a load of bull this year. Mladins race winning bike.$60k. Not hundreds of thousands.
3. The $1,500 fairing….You can go to places like sharkskinz or attack and they will sell you the same race fairing kit that is circulating the track on non-Buell machines for less than $1,000 and WITHOUT a race license. The Catalyst Composites stuff I mounted for a guy were pretty decent quality and a lot cheaper than $1,500. Heck OPP will sell you a carbon kevlar (Japanese and Ducati/Aprilia) set for $2,000…only $500 more than Buells fiberglass. Not race legal under current 2009 AMA rules though. $1,500 for fiberglass is a touch steep IMHO.
4. Privateers. If I wanted to see that level of competition, I’d go to area WERA races and such. The majority of racing fans, and sports fans in general want to go to an event and see top level talent. Who wants to see a bunch of guys that were not good enough compete in things like Arena Football, the defunct ABA, AAA and AA baseball, the IHL, etc. Not nearly as many as those attending the NFL, NBA and NHL events. Look, the AMA for the past several years has sucked. The Suzuki dominance made for very boring racing. I get that. The DMG is attempting to fix that,which is a good thing….. but in the process they are alienating the top level talent…the ones that bring in the big cash to support big racing. Are there more brands bunched up at the sharp end of the grid…yes…but…their is still the large gap back to “everyone else”. If DMG conitinues to alienate those at the sharp end, he will be left with “everyone else”…and sorry…I am not paying a premium price to watch “everyone else”. Roger and the DMG have to now compete with WSBK in Utah and MotoGP in California and Indianapolis for the fans entertainment dollar. Roger and the DMG will have a difficult time doing that if they continue down their current road and are left with “everyone else” circulating the track. As for me, I have not been to the local AMA race in over 5 years….but I’m going to Indy again this year for the GP’s….
taxman says
i heard, but have no support, that Buell tried to just have the parts homoligated and the AMA told them they had to put a bike together with all the parts and sell bikes instead. how would someone find out if there is any truth to this?
i really think that Buell would do what is best for everyone, and probably has been put in this position unwantingly.
Chris says
It is an 1125R with AMA approved mods done to it. Why is that illegal. Why homologate that? That like asking Michael Jordan to homologate 1000 GSXR-1000MJs.
Buell racing dept. is 12 people who receive an 1125R off the assembly line and then add race mods that are legal. They designate their work with an additional R and offer it to privateers. Sounds like what Rockstar Mikita does, but Buell makes their MORE available. Where is the harm in that.
You can buy “special edition’ bikes from the other manufactures, sure. And that meets homologation. But can you buy the actual bike that will be on the grid? NO. But you can with the Buell. So quit crying that the 1125RR isn’t a street legal bike. Neither is Mladins. But the BOTH come from street legal bikes.
And why Give Buell such a hard time? All they did was announce this bike. They didn’t talk any smack talk to complain about any other manufacturers. They sold this bike for 2 years, then offered a race version of that. BMW and Aprillia want to race thier bikes before they were out to the public. But bash the Buell….
GunMD says
Jeff, very well said.
nobody says
jeff,
If you are going to respond, then read what they wrote first. In the mean time, your reposnses can only lead one to conclude that, among other things, your reading comprehension is grossly lacking. It does not compensate for your vivid imagination.
I would gladly read an interview with Erik Buell by a reputable RACING publication editor (as opposed to the tabliod level writers), such as Roadracing World’s John Ulrich. Go pester him about it and see how far you get.
Hugh says
AMA responds:
http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=37360
Can we please move on now? Go Buell!
rafe03 says
Right on Hugh!
Now, lets just ignore the whiners & pit wall lawyers & GET DOWN TO RACING!!
Go Buell! & BMW! & Yamaha! & Ducati! & Suzuki! etc! etc!
Laurent says
I find the comments posted by some about “Privateers” completely clueless and appalling.
Let me get this straight, without the “privateer” in his various incarnations, there would be NO motorcycle racing, let alone a full grid in ANY event.
For those freshly hatched, a bit of history, courtesy of Sir Steve Mc Queen: http://www.hulu.com/watch/79438/on-any-sunday
Personally, I show up to ANY motorcycle race 🙂
Best
Paulinator says
Well. I’ve done it. I’ve read these posts. I’d would’ve rather gone to a PTA meeting.
Is there a “run what ya brung” class with no class, that tests technically divergent machines in a caustic environment to identify the best of the rest? maybe the class has claimers on the winningest bike to ensure low cost and level playing field for the sport? That would be a lot of fun to watch – and follow!!! If it exists please drop me a link. I’m missing out.
kneeslider says
Paulinator, you mean like this? Or maybe like this?
Paulinator says
Ya, like that. Or even like that. There were some good points about potential health risks associated with various fuels and closing speeds and such. The thing that shakes me off is the bench-marks costs that some are projecting. I’d like to see a venue that enables – even encourages – the participants to throw inovative, low-cost and potentially main-stream solutions at problems instead of obround pistons and long money. Who knows? Maybe the ultimate machine is a 49cc go-ped with a canard wing.
Thx Paul.
Gary says
The bike is an 1125R with approved mods? Take a look at the approved mods list (for both the Buell and every other bike) and the changes to the 1125RR and see if those mods are on the list. What bike gets a new set of forks??
The whole thing is laughable, and I have to say that this is the least informed thread I have seen on it yet…
Paul Yak says
I REALLY Don’t agree with the rules being changed just because it’s an American bike.
Its sooo against the rules of the competition, but Buell better watch out as Yoshimura are now going to offer a Gixxer made with all their parts already on it sold thru Suzuki dealers, now that’ll put a cat amongst the pidgeons. This will make the Street Certified rules a joke, as I CAN’T buy one of these for track days, as I’m not a racing team rider. I HAVE Tried to, but they said they CAN’T supply me one, even if I ONLY want to use it on a track. NUTS.
tyler says
The rules are accepted by participants because Buell has not been a threat to the upper half of competition until the recent induction of the 1125 into the class. It is understandable that the AMA is supportive of Buell’s efforts to gain even American recognition in the sport because it is the ONLY American made motorcycle competing in an American Motorcycle Association competition… The judgement call by the AMA is purely political (with a little American bias) and their intentions are for the sole purpose of one thing… MONEY! Can anyone remember the last time a NASCAR was actualever a stock car that you could buy and be competetive at the track? lol The cager’s sport is in my opinion is far less entertaining but has a fan base, sponsor base, and financial platform that is on the order of millions and millions bigger. Nascar has been the pinnacle for progression in every American motorsport for the past 4 decades… As an engineer I am very enthusiastic that Buell can make such a great looking and high performing machine 🙂 I am an engineer and I’m all for the progression of motorsports without placing a performance ceiling on any competitors… I say let em run wide open, and may the best engineers and riders win. Who cares if you can’t buy the bike that away, anyone with the money to do so probably lacks the brain to remain responsible about it. And quite honstly 99.9% of anyone reading this is just drooling and dreaming (guilty) lol
Happy riding everyone! And for all the critics out there, you wouldn’t even have anythign to talk about if it weren’t for the innovation provided from ALL manufacturers’ engineers.