Latest Buell

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spook
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Re: Latest Buell

Post by spook »

I think you are making a fairly long stretch in comparing it to a Britten BJ.

To my mind there is nothing equivalent about-between the two at all.

Hooligan
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Re: Latest Buell

Post by Hooligan »

you're right, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but that doesn't make bad design good. and this is coming from someone with a design education and 15 years of professional experience in the field.

also, the parallel twin currently parked in my garage has never leaked a drop of anything. :D
Jason, aka: Hooligan
1994 YZF750-R
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kiwi60
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Re: Latest Buell

Post by kiwi60 »

also, the parallel twin currently parked in my garage has never leaked a drop of anything.
I bet you wouldn't be saying the same thing if it was a T120V :D

I rode both the streetfighter and the cafe racer Buell 1200's when buying my last new bike in 2005, and I have to admit that the Harley engine in the Buell frame actually made sense for our NZ roads as they tend to be long twisting snakes rather than a motorway drone which need a good tourqey motor, and to my eyes they look good too.
But in the end I just knew that I'd be needing to rebuild the motor before 20,00kms so the SV got the nod, and I haven't regretted it for a second :thumbup:

As for this new Buell, can't say why, but the instant impression was that it reminded me of a Hyosung 650...
“I venture not to cross that finish line in a neat, tidy well ordered bundle, but to slide across it sideways in a shower of spark’s, leaking oil, hissing steam shouting ..Geronimo !!!!! “

2005 SV996R SOLD
1988 FZR750/1040 race bike SOLD
1988 FZR750/1000 - the next project CHANGING THE LOOK AGAIN, BUT STILL ON THE ROAD
Now he's got a KAWASAKI!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nope - Sold that one too
Dang - he’s got a Triumph now :o

spook
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Re: Latest Buell

Post by spook »

Here is an innovative american company who's approach and ingenuity is not unlike that of Britten's.

http://motoczysz.com/motorcycles/c1_990_2008

Big Jon
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Re: Latest Buell

Post by Big Jon »

I'm not saying that the new Buell is similar to to the Britten, however my mind keeps wondering what Buell might have been capable of producing if his resources were similar to what Britten had available to him. By the time Erik had corporate backing in strength, it was with an anachronistic corporation that effectively put a strangle hold on what he could do. Even with this handicap, he still managed to change the architecture of most every production sportbike on the road, and now, without that restriction he has begun to alter even more, "hubless" wheels blow my mind, and this is from a tiny crew with no money. Maybe now that they are able to focus on something akin to pure racing (with homologation concerns that never hindered John) we can see more innovation like the 1190, as well as the V1000, and soon. I, personally am excited to see more.

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kiwi60
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Re: Latest Buell

Post by kiwi60 »

Code: Select all

however my mind keeps wondering what Buell might have been capable of producing if his resources were similar to what Britten had available to him
Um, I don't think so Jon, have a look at this clip for a bit of back ground info on John Britten

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM_aNwao ... re=related

Britten did it all himself with out ANY corporate backing, and in his own home workshop, making his own castings, frame (or lack of), forks, wheels, body work etc etc with the assistance of what can only be called an enthusiastic group of mates helping him.
And in doing so, he took on the might of the factories, and beat them at their own game and took the world championship.

Even though I found his bikes interesting to ride, in comparison to him, Erik Buell is a glorifed frame designer and bike assembler, good on him for what he's achieved, by he'll never be a John Britten. :D

For the full story on Britten, see if you can get hold of a copy of 'One mans dream: The Britten bike story'.
“I venture not to cross that finish line in a neat, tidy well ordered bundle, but to slide across it sideways in a shower of spark’s, leaking oil, hissing steam shouting ..Geronimo !!!!! “

2005 SV996R SOLD
1988 FZR750/1040 race bike SOLD
1988 FZR750/1000 - the next project CHANGING THE LOOK AGAIN, BUT STILL ON THE ROAD
Now he's got a KAWASAKI!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nope - Sold that one too
Dang - he’s got a Triumph now :o

Big Jon
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Re: Latest Buell

Post by Big Jon »

He was also a very wealthy architect with Money (and a house many would be seriously jealous of) Mr Bell left HD
'S engineering dept, built a purpose built square four race bike, only to have the race class disappear and financially ruin him, he's done what he has by crawling back to HD and signing a deal with the devil. He had corparate backing that Britten didn't, but not the same kind of freedom. Even being hamstrung, he still managed to produce radical frame chasis and exhaust designs. Now that he has some freedom, I'm still interested to see what's next. Don't get me wrong, I love the Britten bike, but it's an end product, and never something that will ever hit the road, or evolve further. Let's see what's coming, even if it's not from a backyard "shed" from your side if the world. ;)

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kiwi60
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Re: Latest Buell

Post by kiwi60 »

He was also a very wealthy architect with Money (and a house many would be seriously jealous of)
The links below will give you a little more info on Johns life.
He was never a wealthy architect (that rumour was probably started by Ducati after he thrashed them...), but he was a hard working kiwi who figured out how to run a good business in commercial real estate development. His house was a run down tip on the edge of an industrial area when he bought it, and he made it into what it was by pure hard work, recycling materials from condemned buildings and just giving it a go.
A fact that many don't know about him was that he was also dislexic, and the story of his achievements is shown in New Zealand schools to help childern with this problem, and under priviledged back grounds realize they can do anything they actaully put their mind to.

http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/Theme.aspx?irn=1487

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Britten

Yes, Erik Buell probably was ham strung by HD, but he did have complete freedom of design in the years prior to joining HD, and the best he could come up with then was still a HD Sporster engined bike (RS1200). ;)

Sorry Jon, were always going to disagree on this one, but then again, I am a one eyed kiwi :thumbup:
“I venture not to cross that finish line in a neat, tidy well ordered bundle, but to slide across it sideways in a shower of spark’s, leaking oil, hissing steam shouting ..Geronimo !!!!! “

2005 SV996R SOLD
1988 FZR750/1040 race bike SOLD
1988 FZR750/1000 - the next project CHANGING THE LOOK AGAIN, BUT STILL ON THE ROAD
Now he's got a KAWASAKI!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nope - Sold that one too
Dang - he’s got a Triumph now :o

Big Jon
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Re: Latest Buell

Post by Big Jon »

kiwi60 wrote:Yes, Erik Buell probably was ham strung by HD, but he did have complete freedom of design in the years prior to joining HD, and the best he could come up with then was still a HD Sporster engined bike (RS1200).
That was when he was already broke from creating a square four 750 race bike (certainly no sportster), and having the rug pulled out from under him. He was an employee of HD, struck out on his own, went broke, and started a working relationship with them that led to what some consider an unfortunate deal with the devil.

I can understand the Hyosung reference, the narrow front, and stacked headlights resemble both the GT, as well as to my eye, an older F4 from MV.

sickle44
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Re: Latest Buell

Post by sickle44 »

Yeah Hoolie,

I will give you that for sure, I for sure liked the looks of the XB9/12R, finest looking beull to date imho, and yes, the next machine after that as well as this latest don't look nearly as good as they did. It's almost as if they forgot to attach the fairing after the got it near mounting and it still needs to go back another three inches.

That said, they aren't fugly enough for me not to own one, however, if I had 15 - 20K to buy something new, I'm not sure it would be 'the' one machine I would buy for sure, specially with MV now being available to the Canadian masses, especially with the F3 for sale as well, or Triumph's 675, not to mention several other desirable machines. Would I kick it out of bed for eating crackers, well no, but... not sure she'd get into me bed at all to begin with. I sure would like to see Mr. Buell have some long lasting tenure with a successful company though.
Michael
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Basement is done now, 850 finished and gone...
Gotta get the new siding up on the house.
Fixing the FZ1 up, cleaning up garage and then I might even begin

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