The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

Magpul Ronin – Possible Limited Production for Buell 1125R Based Special

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Magpul Ronin
Magpul Ronin

Remember the Magpul Ronin, the modified Buell 1125R we showed you back in January? Magpul was pleased with the response from readers and they’ve further refined their prototype with the intention of exploring limited production. Grady Barfoot of Magpul, sent over some new photos and they look better than the bike we saw earlier. The Magpul designed girder front suspension, a Magpul linkage fork with Penske coil-over monoshock, and front mounted radiator dramatically change the appearance of the Buell and according to Magpul, improves the steering, as well. I think the design changes look right, if it works as well as the appearance leads you to believe, this could be an interesting special. Your response here will have an influence on whether they go ahead so be sure to add your thoughts.

Magpul Ronin
Magpul Ronin

Press release follows:

The Magpul Ronin is an experimental motorcycle project based on the Buell 1125R sport bike. The project itself represents the first iteration of a design exercise inspired by interests, hobbies, and passions shared by many within Magpul. Taken from the Japanese word for a samurai who lost his master, the name “Ronin” was chosen after the Buell Motorcycle Company ceased production and closed its doors in 2009. The model 1125R was selected due to its high level of performance and aesthetic potential that were never fully realized by Buell as a subsidiary of Harley Davidson.

Drawing inspiration from both modern and classic motorcycle design, the Ronin is a balance of form and function that maintains an aggressive, yet purposeful aesthetic. Using a combination of factory Buell parts and custom Magpul-designed components, the 1125R is transformed into a road-going sport bike that pays homage to classics like the Vincent Black Shadow, and to the café racer and streetfighter cultures that so heavily influenced the Ronin design. In order to ensure a seamless blend of style and performance, the stock Buell was rebuilt from the ground up with this vision in mind.

Magpul Ronin
Magpul Ronin

Suspension
The Ronin’s most obvious and controversial feature is its custom linkage fork and front-mounted radiator. Engineered to mimic the axle path of the stock Buell fork, this contemporary iteration of the venerable girder fork uses sealed bearings and modern hydraulics to provide performance on par with conventional telescopic forks. In addition to improvements in rigidity and tunability, a slight change in trail eliminates the heavy steering of the stock 1125R in turns, and yields a lighter and more responsive feel up front.

The dual side factory radiators have been replaced by a single custom unit, and repositioned
forward to allow direct airflow to and from the radiator. Unlike the stock Buell configuration
which forces hot air into the engine bay and onto the rider’s legs, the smaller, lighter Magpul
radiator vents openly, thereby increasing rider comfort and lowering both engine and fuel
temperatures. Utilizing lightweight materials and minimalist design, the complete Ronin front
end is comparable in weight to the factory 1125R, allowing the steering to remain light and fluid.

Aesthetically, the linkage fork helps balance the visual mass of the fuel frame and swingarm,
while the front-mounted radiator is reminiscent of a vintage hot rod grill. From a rider’s
perspective, the vertical articulation between the machined aluminum linkage and the cast
aluminum fork creates a visual experience that was lost with the advent of the modern
telescopic fork.

Magpul Ronin
Magpul Ronin

Cockpit
Mounted atop the fork is a new cast aluminum handlebar and steering yoke, including a small
integral Motogadget multifunction gauge to replace the large factory instrument panel.
Designed to position the rider in a more comfortable, upright posture, the Ronin handlebars can be easily replaced with an aftermarket tapered bar via 1 1/8” handlebar clamp. Despite this extensive modification, the Ronin retains the factory ignition and steering lock, using the same factory key.

Supported above the engine by a minimal steel subframe is a cast aluminum tail section and air intake manifold, which form the foundation for the redesigned bodywork, air box, carbon fiber cover, and hand-stitched seat. Relocated from its original position in front of the engine, the factory intake has been replaced by two ram-air intakes now located atop the fuel frame. designed with increased cross sectional area, the new intakes are positioned just behind and
below the handlebars for improved airflow. Together, this combination of custom components
is largely responsible for the Ronin’s 50lb total weight reduction over the stock 1125R.

Magpul Ronin
Magpul Ronin

The addition of negative space beneath the rider serves to enhance the bike’s aggressive forward-leaning stance, while showcasing the machine aesthetic of the Rotax engine that is hidden in the stock configuration. Relocated from its original position, the factory seat lock is concealed inside the cast aluminum tail section, just in front of the custom LED taillight. Designed to compliment the lines of the factory fuel frame and swing arm, the tail section, seat, air box cover, and intakes form a unified body that sits naturally atop the frame of the 1125R to complete the Ronin’s distinct profile.

At the time of publishing (22 March 2010), the Ronin remains an ongoing developmental project, and all information regarding features, specifications, and availability is subject to change. A series of design revisions and additional modifications are in process, and more information will be released at www.magpulronin.com as updates become available.

Link: MagpulRonin

UPDATE: The photo shows the Magpul Ronin on the track for the benefit of Mule who was asking about the bike.

Magpul Ronin on the track
Magpul Ronin on the track

Comments

  1. I don’t understand the rad location, other than to be different. It looks like they could put it in the traditional location (in front of the engine) with adequate air access while lightening the steering. Cool bike other than the rad location.

    Integrated lights are cool but would be strange at night on an uneven surface since they are not suspended.

  3. Again…a group of do-ers. These guys/gals are primarily involved in gun accessories, tactical training, etc., but multiple people pooled their talents and pulled this off. Unlike others who comment bloviously, I would purchase this bike based on principle alone.

    “FREE ERIC BUELL” “FREE ERIC BUELL”

  6. This definitely looks better than a stock Buell, but I’m a little unsure of the front end logic. Want more trail? Add some offset to the triple clamps. That wouldn’t have required a huge front end design. Is the front end lighter, cheaper or easy to tune than a stock Buell front end? It’s pretty, but I’m a firm believer in not reinventing the wheel unless there are major breakthroughs in technology to be had. This is basically a sportbike which would be better off following in the footsteps of MotoGP or World Superbike, not the “Wraith”.

    Also, I would add 3-5″ to the tip of the tail section to give the bike a bit of follow through in the back half. The front end has been blunted up considerably and the tail chopped off. Adding length to the back half would give a faster looking, tear drop. silouette.

    Once again, it’s an improvemnet on a stock Buell.

  7. Awesome looking bike, It would be even better if you could buy one for a resonable price like 12K ish

  8. Nice to see interest in this engine from Buell/Rotax. Erik will not stay down for long. Does the strange Fork and Rad help performance? The side view looks like the Bike hit a wall at 30 MPH, If the forks help thats ok, but if its not an improvement, Go back to Stock, Please!!

  9. Gosh that’s a brutal looking beast, and should have the bite to match it bark. Stirling work.

  10. I’m not sure how putting a heavy radiator on the steering column “improves steering,” but I’ll take their word for it, now.

    I do welcome a 50lb weight reduction (on an already light bike) and a more upright seating position.

  11. Interesting looking bike. First time I saw this I was a little put off on the design but it is growing on me. I would love to take it for a spin and see how it performs. I actually like the 1125’s initial design by Buell, function over form. Magpul looks to have created a neat looking bike here that if it performs as well as its base platform would make for an interesting ride. Great work!

  12. i am a fan of the 1125 and i really like this bike, i do think they’ll lose a fair amount of folks because of the radiator placement, as that is the main criticism i have read in the comments of this build. it’s current placement may or may not affect the handling as much as one might think and it doesn’t really bother me that much but i wonder if it might just make more sense in the traditional local. i suspect that this is function following form.

  13. I think I will sell the kids & send the wife out to earn her keep. I can then work every hour that is physically possible & puchase this mind boggling sculpture. I want to be one of the baddies from Mad Max.

  14. A lot of folks here seem curious to know why the radiator is mounted in the front. I found this on another website:

    “The most obvious alteration is the linkage fork and its front-mounted radiator. Not only were the stock side-mounted radiators hideously ugly, but they were also inefficient, requiring airflow to bend 90 degrees to both enter and exit. The new radiator is considerably smaller, yet far more efficient at cooling as it’s now directly opposed to airflow and free from the radiant heat of the engine. Mounting it on the fork does turn it into unsprung weight, which isn’t an ideal engineering solution, but the location of the 1125R’s front suspension in relation to the engine leaves no room for a traditional radiator mounted on the front of the engine. ”

    http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2010/03/magpul-ronin-buell-1125r-of-th.html#more

    I think that it’s a very interesting design feature. Controversial for sure but still looks better than the original 1125R I think.

  15. Not bad, not bad at all. I think that this bike needs a longer tail like the poster above me said, AND, a lower fairing sculpted in the same style as the girder…to look as much like a stealth fighter or new batmobile as you could without being lame.

  16. personally, i find their design aesthetic to be spot on, and if only superficially, i love the front fork the way it is, regardless of weight addition/reduction/performance. it could be sluggish compared to stock and i’d still ride it everywhere… looks a beast! my $.02.

  17. I wonder if the rad could be placed under the seat and still be as efficient or as near efficient. I like how the front suspension matches the frame. Great looking build.

  18. Ugly, awkward, ungainly. Anyone who compares this monstrosity to clasics like the Black Shadow should be caned.

  19. This bike looks like a headless gorilla. Somehow the front fork was never that noticeable when it was on a stock Buell, but now it sure is and it looks like a pair of overgrown biceps.

    cl

  20. this is a lot of fun nicely executed by folks with passion
    my only comment is the seat should be much wider in the rear, the reason for this is because when the rider goes past you all you will see is his ass..
    seriously a wider seat will make the rider look a lot better

  21. Like it, as commented by others wth the exception of the Rad. Would replace with a large single headlight.

    Otherwise, Kudos. A nice inprovement over the original Buell and the fork is really something.

  22. This is not a criticism, but the pictures don’t look natural. Is this an actual motorcycle that has been built or still in the computer stage? I looked at all the nice pictures on there website, but can’t tell if it’s real or not.

  23. i am all for ‘not reinventing the wheel’. However if the radiator still performs well and does not effect handling, why not do something really different? I personally like where it is and think that it goes well with the look that the girders, frame, swingarm, and seat set up. I love the tapered seat and tail light section, its pure art. And who is going to argue with better handling and some extra pounds shaved off? Don’t know if i like the gauge and i really don’t like the gas cap. Unless its a different type than im seeing, those screw on caps always seat way too tight and are a pain.

  25. Of course my opinion isn’t any more valid than anyone else’s, but I’ll just comment that this thing is horribly ugly.

    That’s not a compliment. I would not buy one of these, regardless of the price — unless it’s powered by magic rather than gasoline.

  26. Brute force indeed. I’m in very much like with this bike. Ever since the Britten graced the cover of Cycle World, I’ve been in love with this Hossack/girder type front end. You’ve also got a great engine, great frame and a nice riding position.

    I do however feel as if the seat/butt of the bike is too small as some others have noted. I know this is a trend that has been growing over the last few years but it still looks weird to me. The design of it is spot on, I just feel it should be about double its current size.

    As for the radiator placement – why not? There’s direct airflow, you’ve got the space to fill and it adds to it’s brutish qualities. Now the tiny lights on the side of the radiator are another thing altogether. Once again, I know this is a trend that has been growing over the years but it makes bikes look too insect like. Maybe LEDs imbedded in the vertical plane of the legs (arms, forks?). I do however like that they are only on one side.

    In the end, great job.

  27. An hommage to a motorbike legend !
    Creativity at it’s best !
    I would have inserted the radiator more inside the fork to flush it in
    more !
    But look at the details and finishion …
    C est super Beau .
    Sami NYC HARLEM !!

  29. Nope. I own a Buell XB9R. The front end sucks. Tank and tail look a bit undersized (but I don’t mind the shapes).

  30. Imagine the front end with the right Superbike fairing and a high mounted radiator. It might be the right combination to go racing.

  32. Those of you who think the bike looks funny have probably not seen very many streetfighters. The stance and proportions are spot on for one, including the stubby tail. Personally, I like the design a lot (but I like the stock bike too), but I too don’t really “get” having the radiator on the suspension itself. Otherwise, very nice!

  33. Nice work! I, personally, love the front-end. The lines and proportion match the frame and swing arm spot on, the radiator location is a stroke of genius. If I had a Buell, any Buell, I’d want a girder front-end like this. Of course, most Buells wouldn’t need the radiator, so that’d solve the aesthetic issue some seem to have with it. The bodywork lloks good and fits with the overall tapered angular design of the bike. I agree the tail could be a bit wider, but if this was offered as a kit/package, and if I owned a Buell, the narrow tail wouldn’t keep me from buying it.

  35. Generally speaking, every design that mounted the radiator (or oil cooler) on the pivoting portion of a suspension system (forks), has ended up removing it again. Do you have to fight radiator hoses to turn the bars? Do they get stiffer as temperature and pressure rises? Just curious how they got around that. Perhaps they could make the huge girder fork members into long, thin cooling tower/radiators? I like the verticle taillight.

  36. I think the bike for the most part looks amazing. The radiator position flows well with the bike but I would suggest doing something else with the headlights. They look out of place in their current location. I would suggest putting them above the rad but set back a couple inches to fill the gap between the rad and the handle bars. Right now that empty space is my only b1tch with the bike.

    The exhaust hugging the engine looks great! I bet peeps at ducati are looking at that setup and wishing they could pull off the same lines with the monster.

    I also love the the seat, its perfect and is what I expect to see on a apocalypto street fighter. If I want a shark tail that sticks three feet out I will by the typical crotch rocket for that. Actually if you could make this a kit for the current buell lightning\firebolt owners I doubt you could keep them in stock.

    Lets hope you can keep this under 12k or I doubt your target audience will be able to buy. Under 12k and you have a buyer right here.

  37. Mike/Grady: Great build quality. What material was used for the forks?

    I’d like to see this bike on a track with Jason Rodman’s R1 girder bike. Those are the types of comparisons that should get press.

  41. I really like how this bike looks. The abbreviated saddle and all that air between the rear wheel and the seat are spot on. I like the chunky front end, but, the girder fork although cool looking isn’t absolutely necessary. A conventional USD fork would be fine. The rad could be mounted like a fixed fairing: mounted to the frame with enough clearance to turn the forks from lock to lock. It’s sort of amazing this gem was hiding inside the Buell’s plastic.

  43. I LOVE it, I have seen many Buell conversions and Buell kits, but this is by far one of my favorites. It reminds me of a street fighter. I love the chopped tail and the girder front end.

    One question though, I have a xb9r and i may be wrong but it has no radiator, any reason you have to have one on the 1125r? I think the idea is golden.

    I AM NOT in any way a builder and am just speaking from aesthitics and others opinion, but why would you want more unsprung weight on the front end? i would think you wanted less. And as Mule said, where are the coolant hoses?

  44. JerseyMayham:

    The XB series used a HD mill for an engine where the 1125 uses a purpose built rotex engine. The get the performance to play in the superbike racing world like EB wanted he had to get away from the air cooled HD engines.

    I would love to see magpul provide a run of these seats for XB owners.

  45. JECO- You know what, i am going to see a guy about a custome exhaust for my xb, im gonna bring this pic with me and see if he could do a tail like this. I’ll let you know how it goes.

  46. Can you say… “Confederate?
    For better or for worse,that’s what it looks like.

  47. Never commented here before, but signed on just to say I would definitely consider this if it were priced in the $15-20K range as a completed kit (including the base 1125r–even a used one). My vote is a strong yes.

  48. Where do I sign up for the test ride? I’m more excited about this prototype than I have been about a bike in a while. How many years did people just like me stare at the Buells and think “i’ll wait till they get things sorted out, then i’l buy one”? I know I did. I want a performance v-twin (or V4). I can not afford an Italian. My friends think the same way. Why can’t someone make a decent v-twin to the same budget as a Honda? I love my 04 CBR 1000rr, but it doesn’t have the same soul as a TLr, RC51, 1098 or Mille.. Dammit bike manufacturers, give me what I want! Oh, and if it’s going to be based on the 1125, can you build it well enough that parts aren’t going to fall off? If you need help, look at the S1000. BMW figured all the problems out BEFORE they released it.

  49. will they except my first born?? how much is this thing going to cost me is what im thinking about bc i want one….