The January 2011 issue of Motorcyclist magazine is just out and has a very informative interview with Erik Buell where Erik talks about some of the developments during and after the time Buell was shutdown. One point I thought was interesting was that Harley Davidson licensed the Buell name and allowed Erik to sell derivative Buell racebikes, but only until December 21, 2010, a date fast approaching. The agreement kept the brand alive so Harley could sell off the remaining Buells in inventory. Though Erik is obviously working hard on a street bike, none of his future bikes will be able to carry the Buell name.
Erik is a class act. During the interview he stated he’s not looking back and just wants to move forward. That spy shot we showed you here, was indeed the Barracuda 2 with Erik himself at the controls. It was planned for a 2011 introduction. Though he cannot build that exact bike since Harley retained the bike and the rights to it, he can build something similar integrating more of his own ideas. We’re all hoping those efforts are successful.
There’s a lot more in the interview, including a potential manufacturer for future Buell designed motorcycles, and it’s well worth your time to check it out. If you don’t have the issue yet, you can get a digital subscription and read it immediately.
TK says
How about “Erik” ? Erik 1200R supersport
Or.. how about Buellik
smithmotorwheel says
EFB…it worked for Stutz and Olds.
mark says
I vote for “Byool.”
Will13 says
Very sad to hear that the business name that Erik has built will be thrust into the history books simply because of the short sighted few that continue to drive Milwaukee right into the ground.
Regardless of the future name of the bike, I surely hope that Erik will continue to bring his ideas to market, both in the street and racing realms of the motorcycle industry. His past and current models lend to fresh, free thought in a time when the world truly needs such creative thinking in the industry that we all embrace so passionately.
kneeslider says
The point to take away is that Erik said he isn’t devastated that he can’t use his name, he’s just moving ahead and getting to work. His bigger mission to keep designing and building motorcycles is what’s important. Like I said, a class act.
Klaus says
A good product will “make” its name. Eric is right, just keep focussed, do what you do best and the bikes will speak for themselves.
I mean “Audi” didn’t sound good when you heard it for the first time, or did it?
Tinman says
The types of bikes Mr Buell is planning will appeal only to the dedicated well informed buyers, not the mass market, thus the name will not be important.Those in the know will be well aware who the designer is. The big question remains, out of all the detracters decrying HDs decision to close Buell, how many will actaully put their money where their mouth is, and BUY a bike??
dresden says
Weak that the guy can’t even use his own name.
fast eddie says
with death , diviorce, relocation, or the end of anything. The person or person’s holding on to what ever they had are the one’s that will suffer. Eric Buell is the one that will come out of this on top . History repeats itself all the time. Harley Davidson is uncapable of making a good decision. Go get um Eric your stollen Buell name will haunt Harley
forever. In my book anyway. Merry Christmas, ” Laughing all the way”, Eddie
FREEMAN says
Good for him to just keep moving forward. I think everyone could learn from his example and maybe give the Harley bashing a rest.
hoyt says
No better HD bashing could be done than Buell continuing to create great bikes. I test rode a 1125CR last week and that motor & chassis are seriously intense. Linear but also instant acceleration from that twin – quite the combination.
—
Mass production would be ideal, but the Bimota-esque reference in the article is also appealing.
Gerhard says
To Klaus…interresting you should bring up Audi. August Horch, one of the founders of A. Horch & Co, had a fall out with his board of directors and was forced out of his company. He too couldn’t continue to use the Horch name. Horch, in German means ‘listen’, and translated into Latin is Audi. Ta-da, problem solved. Today, Audi remains and Horch and several other German brands have been amalgamated back into that brand. You just can’t keep a good dog down.
BobG says
Tinman 12.08.10 at 11:14 am
The types of bikes Mr Buell is planning will appeal only to the dedicated well informed buyers, not the mass market, thus the name will not be important.Those in the know will be well aware who the designer is. The big question remains, out of all the detracters decrying HDs decision to close Buell, how many will actaully put their money where their mouth is, and BUY a bike??
Ditto.
BobG says
“Harley Davidson licensed the Buell name and allowed Erik to sell derivative Buell racebikes, but only until December 21, 2010, a date fast approaching.”
You would think that if HD licensed the name, that was done well before they shut Buell down, and that was probably approved by Erik. If it was done at the end, Erik probably got a chunk of money. Who knows.
Mule says
Gerhard, What’s the Latin translation for Eric Buell? Maybe that’s the answer.
The thing I take away from all this is that passion got Erik into this, carried him through for years and will give hime the drive to land on his feet and keep moving. The fact that he wanted to source an American made motor and HD being the only one, was the unfortunate part. If this was China there would 37 companies all lined up wanting to provide motors, but this is the US so the pickins’ are slim.
Good luck Erik. Oh yea, please hire some Italians to do your styling designs. Take the quirkyness out of the bike’s appearence and you should become a major player.
Ogre says
Mule, I respectfully disagree WRT “quirkiness”. I don’t think he needs to do anything of the sort – I like the look of the Buells and always have. But I may be biased given that main ride is an ’06 Multistrada…
B*A*M*F says
In the long run, it doesn’t matter if Erik Buell no longer can use the Buell brand to sell bikes. For what it’s worth, HD can’t really use it to sell bikes either. At least not without Erik Buell as the driving creative force behind the brand.
Assuming I could afford a new bike right now, I’d be quite interested in several of the current or recent Buell offerings. I can’t say the same about anything Harley Davidson has made in the last 30 years.
Yeti B. says
I think that Erik’s new bikes will be even better now that he’ll have total control of the end product.
I don’t know if I’ll ever buy one though… But only because I’ll never sell the Buell I already have.
tim says
Wouldnt the best name for the brand be “No Future Motorcycles”?
They could use the Sex Pistols song for advertising. I’m sure Lydon would licence it for a fee
dan says
for a company that essentially sells bikes on the name alone Harley has made quite the ironic situation. People are correct though, Eric Buell is just too good at what he does to be kept form being successful. I’m not a harley hater, but whenever I hear news like this about HD it really turns me off of their brand.
todd says
I thought his company was EBR for Erik Buell Racing. I think the BUELL licensing was for merchandise (remaining T-shirt stock) and Erik was allowed to use the 1125 and derivatives for a short time.
He just needs to do something about his horsey logo.
-todd
Nicolas says
@ Tinman, Freeman, BobGman and co, relax guys, it’s not about HD bashing, the bashing is for the individuals who’re at the lead of HD and may as well get this historical company down to the ground.
Doesn’t matter what you personally like to ride, there is a place for everybody, whether you like chromed porkies on wheels, plastic crotch rockets, leaky british bikes, UJMs, E-bikes … and somewhere inbetween, there is definitely a place for Erik Buell’s products, whatever they are called.
jeff from Va says
I would beg to differ with a lot of folks here. I know we’re supposed to accentuate the positive, but Eric Buell not being able to use his own name is a crock of crap. This situation can masquerade under the guise of business, licensing, etc. but the bottom line is that ( in conjunction with the weaknesses of the past Buell product & business model) Harley seems to have a beef with the continuation of Eric Buell.
I’m amazed at the people who think they are personal spokesmen and defenders of Harley..even when they throw their weight around in an unethical manner. Name matters.
How would we all like it if a “Britten” got caught in the mire? We wouldn’t.
FREEMAN says
@ Nicolas, all I’m saying is Erik is moving on, which is admirable. Maybe some folks around here could learn from that example. That’s all.
kneeslider says
jeff from Va, it’s actually pretty standard stuff. If he had called his company something else instead of using his own name, something like Super Duper Motors, he wouldn’t be able to put Super Duper Motors on his new bikes and everyone would understand. Since his own name was the brand and that is what Harley owned, it may seem odd or hard nosed, but Harley can keep him from using it. Even Erik recognizes this and accepts it. Could Harley just decide to let him use it anyway? Sure, but they don’t have to. I think lots of folks would like to see a Buell branded bike, but it’s probably not going to happen.
Now, wouldn’t this be a perfect opportunity for Harley to gain a few PR points by letting the name go? It’s not like they were planning to bring the Buell brand back and didn’t want future confusion.
jeff from Va says
Kneeslider, “It’s pretty standard stuff.”
Working in the legal field where I have to occasionally wade through business entities, I totally get that… that being said, there is existing case law where ( in civil court—where the rules change daily!!) — given names as business names, carry more weight and validity than created names i.e. Super Duper Motors.
In some cases, if the business has used the “name” before the new arrangement/partnership or a derivative of that name, they may be entitled to it again. Or found “not in violation” if there was no “intent to infringe or harm.” Intent is the buzz-word.
If I’m not not mistaken, Buell existed as Buell before “Harley-Buell.” Yes, Erik signed a deal with the devil ( and I mean that in the most positive of ways ) and that’s the end of story. He’s cool with that because he is a class act and he’s probably not quibbling like I am. He also realizes that the only course of action is to move forward and not waste capital on litigation but on R&D.
But I’m one of “those” guys who get a little worked up over principle. And this latest development is just Harley throwing it’s corporate weight around and inadvertently pouring gas on the “Harley hater” fire.
I just dig Erik Buell and hate to see him get the short end of the stick because he’s more of a do’er than the futurists at Harley-Davidson. Erik may be cool with it but I’m not.
Greybeard says
I think Harley needs a good spanking and get sent to bed without their supper!
The one thing Harley said that’s been well documented since they started is that they never want to go head to head with another manufacturer.
Fine.
If that’s your business paradigm, so be it.
But what possible threat could Buell be to Harley, even in another manufacturers hands?
Bent nose, spiteful, myopic old geezers they are, sitting in Milwaukee practicing their lines for “A Christmas Carol”.
I’m certain Erik wouldn’t mind signing away any threat that he’d ever get involved in cruiser development and manufacturing in exchange for HIS name back…and some tooling maybe.
Harley reminds me of some of the old New England business owners, many of Mediterranean decent, who just pinch and grind and hoard and begrudge…the scrimey old sods that they are!
(I know well, they’re in my family.)
Hopefully they’ll meet the ghost of riding’s future.
(And don’t mind Mule, he’s not feeling so well.)
🙂
Tom says
No better HD bashing could be done than Buell continuing to create great bikes.
====
There is not greater, better, or more thorough revenge than success.
Mule says
@Greybeard, 🙂 A couple days of Dilaudid will leave even me with a scrambled melon. Sorry about the email! Erik who?
Klaus says
One day we may all realize that the break between HD and Buell was the best thing ever happened – to Buell. To me the bikes were getting interesting since he’s started to use Rotax engines. Now he can build competitive bikes for the real world and not “space shuttles with Model-T engines”, as one MC mag once put it.
DoctorNine says
Well, in Dutch, Buell is the occupational name for a hangman. In old Germanic, it means ‘hill dweller’, according to some. Considering the previous names for Buell bikes, and the general Teutonic flavor they have, it might be appropriate to simply translate ‘gallows’ into German, which gives us: ‘Galgen’.
Considering his recent history with HD, I’m sure Erik would see the humor in that name.
hoyt says
Tinman/BobG: “The big question remains, out of all the detracters decrying HDs decision to close Buell, how many will actaully put their money where their mouth is, and BUY a bike??”
Now that his bikes’ aesthetics will not be restricted by an HD designer who knows nothing about sportbikes, chances are much better that he will attract new customers to his brand while stoking the already intense passion of many existing Buell riders.
TYRUSS says
Screw Harley !
Out smart the Bastards ! how about
E Buell
Tom says
Richard Schwinn can’t put his name on the bicycles he builds.
Wally Amos couldn’t make cookies under his last name.
Happens all the time in business.
Anyway, I read pages of comments on the BBs when Buell was shut down – and the most telling comment was repeated over and over: “I always meant to buy one…”
Even with HD’s distribution, dealer network and advertising dollars, Buell never sold that many bikes (sure, everybody ‘meant’ to buy one, but the hard sales numbers say that few actually did). Now, going it alone, I fear he’s on a fool’s errand to restart another production brand. Hopefully he’s using OPM and not his own.
kneeslider says
@Tom: “Richard Schwinn can’t put his name on the bicycles he builds.”
True, but you can still buy a Schwinn because the name is currently being used by the owners of that brand. Harley isn’t building Buell branded motorcycles and they don’t want anyone else, including Erik Buell, doing it either. If Erik were to become newly successful with a new brand name, can you imagine how Harley would look if they tried to use the Buell name after the fact? They have, essentially, killed the brand permanently, which is the sort of thing that makes for some pretty interesting speculation about reasons and motivations.
BobG says
Nicolas
“The big question remains, out of all the detracters decrying HDs decision to close Buell, how many will actaully put their money where their mouth is, and BUY a bike?”
Tinman wasn’t talking about HD bashers. This is a legitimate question.
hoyt
“Now that his bikes’ aesthetics will not be restricted by an HD designer who knows nothing about sportbikes, chances are much better that he will attract new customers to his brand while stoking the already intense passion of many existing Buell riders.”
I hope you’re right.
Kevin says
Buell had a lot of things working against it. Here’s a motorcycle company attempting to do cutting edge work being owned by another whose pace of technological improvement is glacial at best.
Add to that using HD engines for everything except their latest projects and the HD dealer network and you have a pretty steep up hill climb.
I just wonder how Buell would have fared if owned by Polaris or Bombardier and sold in the same showrooms as Ducati, Triumph, Honda etc.
Also, let me throw this out there. What if a car company, like Ford (who now happens to be making great products) backs Buell next venture?
Mule says
With all the spokesman, Harley press and attention they crave, perhaps an interview with someone from the “Company” is overdue. Being interesting to hear Harley’s angle on all this if they would be open to sharing any info. They probably aren’t though. We’ve heard plenty from Erik, just curious what the other side has to say.
Nicolas says
Now, to be honest, we need to recognize that without HD’s support, the Buell company may as well never have existed at all. The Buell/HD story didn’t end well, and there would have prolly a lot of better possible outputs, but the key is what several here have said : the important is to move on.
Maybe for the supersport/rocket market the Buell/HD structure was not good, but the concept of a light roadster with a torquey HD powerplant was good, too bad it disappears … HD should maybe try and do one of their own, diversify from cruisers to roadsters.
rohorn says
I wouldn’t put it past H-D to name a future (?) bike with a graphics package “Firebolt” or “Lightning”, like the way Ford named similarly marketed Mustang IIs “Cobra”.
John McDowell says
Hmmmmm… E-B-USA….Erik Buell USA
maybe to close to E-BUSA….
E-BUM…..Erik Buell Un-named Motorcycles
maybe to close to BUM
MAYBE….. Motorcycle At Your Buell Enterprises
BMW…..Buell Motorcycle Works… NOOOOO…
Oh, forget E-Boz and B-Boz.
Just make them better than H-D…..
HoughMade says
I suppose the contract could be written any which way the parties want it to be (at least that’s what I learned on day 1 in contracts class in law school), but I would be surprised if there was not an opportunity to do something like “___________ by Erik Buell”, or some such. No a name may not be all that important to the world at large, but being able to use my own name, I would find that significant to me.
Scott says
Regarding the name, I think Erik has said he intends to use EBR (Erik Buell Racing).
Regarding his future: Can’t wait to see it! Let’s stop arguing about what the mistakes of the past may have been a look forward to a future in which an American bike is right up there with the best in the world.
Regarding Harley: I’m willing to forgive and forget if they do right by him. The name’s less important to me than some of the technical rights that Harley has no intention to use themselves. As long as, when the story is fully told, we see that Harley has been reasonable, I might consider buying a Halrey at some point.
. . . if it turns out they screwed him, I just won’t be able to look at the Harley shield without feeling angry.
hoyt says
Tom: “There is not greater, better, or more thorough revenge than success.”
Revenge is probably not driving Buell. Liberated from “No” and the general apathy towards an important part of motorcycling probably lets them breathe & think better. Probably smile a lot more once a financial partner is found.
Kevin’s Ford comment is intriguing. (even with the HD-branded Ford trucks).
BobG says
Just picked this up from a news feed. It’s part of the last paragraph of an article by Melody Wade, Auston Motorcycle Examiner. Interesting.
” According to the site (Rat Pak Records) there is not a specific release date yet for the 1190RS but plans are for spring of 2011. We should also expect to see more pre-production footage as spring comes closer. As for how this all affects the non-compete clause, we will all have to see how that plays out, there are several unconfirmed rumors that the clause is either set to expire or that it has been or will soon be dropped.”
BobG says
Thats, Austin. Sorry.
kneeslider says
In the interview, Erik said the non compete ran out in February 2011, but it’s pretty much moot at this point since he’s not competing with HD anyway.
BobG says
Didn’t know he had said that. Thanks!
todd says
I think it’s critical that H-D retained all of the Buell patents. I can’t imagine Erik being able to defend those patents if Honda or Daelim decided to infringe upon them. Like with MV, Erik will still have the opportunity to buy back all his IP for so little as a buck when he’s more capable of defending it.
-todd
Scott says
Todd,
That would be nice, but I’m not so sure Harley will play it that way. In one interview, Erik said that he had contingencies: One design if he could get his IP from Harley and a different one if he had to do without. In the case of MV, there were liabilities involved that Harley wanted to free themselves from, but they have no such pressure from Buell. The only pressure they have is for fans like us to tell them that we want them to do the right thing.
I suspect Erik is less concerned with his ability to defend those patents and much more simply interested in making bikes using the ideas he pioneered . . . without Harley suing him.
Greybeard says
Yo, Mule…fuggedaboudit!
😉
steve w says
I am sure he is full of fresh ideas, that is what is great about the future. It may just be he doesn’t give a rats a– about the patents of the past because his new offerings will be bold enough and fresh enough that the old doesn’t apply. Let’s hope so.
Nobo says
I think the Buell just wasn’t loud and shiny enough to please HD fans.
Eric should be happy he can build an new bike without being stuck with that big heavy engine .
ps to DoctorNine ; Hangman in dutch is beul , I should know as you can see by checking my english spelling ?
DoctorNine says
@Nobo My knowledge of Dutch is probably worse than your excellent English. But I was referring to the origin of the name, not current Dutch usage. See the following: http://www.ancestry.com/facts/buell-family-history.ashx
Kevin says
It is kind of good that he can’t use his name. It is a fresh start. No restrictions in engine or body design from HD. No design limitations. It is a fresh start for Buell and a new name suits it. His new products already look fantastic(in terms of style, engineering and performance).
Whatever the brand is called, it will still be Buell.
Lincoln says
I’m with you Kevin. The Buell name have been associated with HD for too long now. Let em have it! I’ve followed Buell nice the mid 90’s and for me, Buell has always been about Erik and his bikes, not Harley Davidson. EBR1190 sounds great!
D Man says
The fact is that Harley has nothing more to lose by letting Buell use his name. And, as said above, it would be a gesture netting HD heaps of goodwill if they were to do so. If HD were truly a traditional American company, they would be motivated by the principals our free-market economy was founded upon: Competition, quality, product support, fairness and the most vital, generosity. Without generosity, selfish ambition rules and competition becomes war – and people and companies always die in war. I don’t think Buell knew he was at war with his former partner. Seems they were hiding something or changed the rules in the middle of the game…
Scott says
Well said, D Man. When Harley first shut down Buell, many Harley supporters simply shrugged it off as capitalism . . . but true capitalism is a far more complex system than simply greedily taking every dollar you can.
In the case of Harley their image is the most valuable asset they have. Their management jeopardized that image and (while we may never be able to quantify it with any certainty), I’m convinced that their actions with Buell (in terms of not making a good faith effort to sell and keep the factory up and running and keeping an American sport-bike in continuous production) cost them far more than they would have lost to the handful lost XR1200 sales that might have resulted from a continuing Buell.
I’m a motorcycle enthusiast, I like cars and bikes made in America. I might consider buying an XR1200, but I have a very bad taste in my mouth because of what Harley did to Buell. I probably won’t consider a Harley until Erik Buell is clearly up and running and no longer being restricted by them.
If they had said, on Oct. 15th of 2009: “We can’t afford to keep Buell, but we think they’re a great company and we’re actively seeking offers so as few people in East Troy will lose jobs as possible.” I probably would have actually gained respect for Harley and be much more interested in buying a Harley product now.
As it is, I’m slowly coming to terms with it and, if Erik is up and running, it will only be a painful memory . . . but there will be a scar that will make Harley’s always a little less lustrous in my eyes than they were before the shut-down.
Scott says
. . . I also think that Harley has clumsily and inadvertantly created a monster.
Sport-bike riders have generally been at odds with Harley. I think part of the reason Buell never really took off is that many sport-bike riders saw them as glorified Harleys and wouldn’t buy them on principle.
But now Harley has created an “anti-Harley”. I believe there may be future customers of EBR who never bought a Buell and who never would have considered buying a Buell who will now buy an EBR partly just to symbolically thumb their nose at Harley.
Sick Cylinder says
Good luck to Erik with whatever he does – the world of motorcycling is a richer place thanks to his efforts.
However – design is fun – development, quality and production engineering are hard work. that side of the equation was never balanced. I didn’t buy a Buell because of their poor reputation for quality reinforced by the almost constant recalls added to the terrible depreciation.
When something isn’t available anymore people look back and remember the shiny design – they forget the fuelling problems, the recalls, the finish that wiped off during delivery.
Maybe a lot of the above was down to Harley forcing the bikes to be as cheaply made as possible? I don’t know, but they could have sold a lot more bikes if they had got the basics right.
BoxerFanatic says
I hope this gives him a chance to clean-sheet some things that are not tied AT ALL to the HD platform.
Liquid cooled, modern engines… even if they are V-twins, with unitized transmissions, rather than separate.
maybe shaft-driven…
Maybe a little sleeker, rather than looking like the motorcycle aesthetic equivalent of a buffalo.
Wouldn’t mind if he and Czysz (Motoczysz) would collaborate, and create a new street and racing motorcycle company that actually sold some production bikes. Maybe between not being able to remember how to spell Motoczysz without looking it up yet again, and Erik Buell not being able to sell bikes under his own last name… Maybe they could come up with a new, catchy, memorable motorcycle company name, for a new generation of american standard and sporting motorcycles that aren’t trying constantly re-live the past.
Kevin says
@BoxerFanatic
1. Agreed, no HD at all.
2. A fully developed version of the Rotax from the 1125R is what you are talking about. As seen in the 1190RR it makes 185 rwhp and 93 ft-lbs.
3. No on shaft driven. It is the most inefficient drive type. Best off with chain.
4. Sleeker yes. That is the 1190RR(1190RS), much nicer than the 1125R.
5. Buell and Czysz could be great. Buell has a lot of innovative ideas and so does Czysz. To bad Czysz is all caught up on electric bikes, he should have just sold the C1 as a street bike.
Klaus says
I’ve had a VTR250, the Honda copy of the Monster, and just for fun had a DUCATI sticker made and stuck it on the tank. More people than I thought asked me how I liked my Ducati, not realizing that it was a Honda. That taught me that people believe what they read, not what they really see.
If I ever own a new bike made by Eric, I’ll stick a BUELL sticker on the tank – it’s my bike and I do with it what I want, and if I want to advertise BUELL that’s my business and nobody elses.
todd says
Kevin, who cares about drive line efficiency when you have 185HP? If a drive shaft saps another 5HP, just up the motor to 190 and it’ll be the same. Then again, who would ever be able to use even 185HP anyway? I don’t think anyone would be the wiser about performance, shaft or not, unless some motorcycle magazine compared the two on a drag strip. Even then, I don’t think you can put all of 185HP down without letting the rear tire loose or lifting the front end. After a certain point it’s all moot. It’s hard to argue against the benefits of shaft drive.
Here’s to hoping Erik will be able to make EBR into a viable American motorcycle manufacturing concern. I just don’t care to buy anything with 100+HP, that weighs more the 350 pounds, or costs more than a pay check (after taxes) so I won’t be a customer and my opinion won’t matter.
-todd
Nobo says
Tod , the biggest disadvantage of a shaft is weight , you can spent a lot on a rear shock to compensate , but even then it’s better to go for a chain or a belt
with a stock shock.
About the 185HP , I don’t know if you can use them all on a BUELL ,
but on a circuit on my kawa , I’m using them all ! ( not in first gear )
Darrin Wiitz says
I for one wanted an XB12 Buell, still might get it……so I hope Eric does make it happen.
Ken Haylock says
I’m sorry, but the biggest problem Buell had over its entire corporate life, apart from the fact that it was attached to the Harley reputational millstone (amongst potential sports bike customers at least) and sport-bike averse dealer network, was that the product holistically just wasn’t any damned good. I’m sorry, but half a dozen potentially great design memes flying in close formation, held together by crap from the Harley parts bin, and often very poorly executed in the implementation, does not a great bike make. The 1125R was a lot closer to the mark, but the bike they actually launched to the press and the public was a) pig ugly and b) at the level that somebody like Triumph or BMW would expect their first factory prototype test mules to be at before they were tested to destruction and went through three or four iterations of improvement and refinement. To be sure, I doubt anybody ever successfully took their Softail Deuce back to Harley and said ‘it vibrates too much, teh front brake barely works and the indicators are gonna get me killed so it’s not fit for purpose’, Harley will just say ‘That’s what you paid for, tough!’. Yuo can’t really do that with a sports bike. People have expectations of competence. That they aren’t going to have third degree burns of the shin after 20 minutes on board. That the forks will have the right springs in so that they don’t bottom out every time you brake moderately hard and spit you off. That… etc etc… Customers should really not be buying bikes with these kinds of design flaws or obvious production engineering failure style faults.
If little Ducati, in Italy no less, can (after a bit of coaching from TPG) design and consistently build reliable bikes of many types, then why (after how many years?) could Buell not perform the same trick under the wing of the rather larger Harley Davidson? Can we really blame all those years of consistent repetitive failure purely on HD management?
Don Banham says
Kind of reminds of the situation with the American industrialist John L. Grove who made hydraulic cranes and lifts. Grove Industries was sold along the way but John started another company eventually that was called J.L.G. which everyone knew stood got John L. Grove and which made similar products.. So Eric can use a variation of his name or initials and everyone who is a true moto fan will know who is building the bikes. Alternatively he can come with a flashy new brand name although maybe all the good ones are gone!
Don Banham says
Oops, earlier posting shoudl have read Erik not Eric.
I did an anagram of Erik Buell and came up with Le Bulkier. Not such a good motorcycle name …..especially in France although he could licence it back to HD for one of their land leviathans.