hubec

I owned a Buell and I can say it is impossible to get more power out of that engine, past the baseline gains you receive after a pipe and jets. Impossible that is if you plan to use the engine as a "reliable" street machine. The reason? IT'S A DECADES OLD DESIGN ORIGINALLY SPECED TO OUTPUT LESS THAN 40HP! Stock Buell's now make almost 3 times that and the result is bad detonation, overheating and poor reliability. Once you get the bike home and overrichen the engine you may be able to safely get another 10hp, but that's it. There's just no more drivable power on the table, the engine simply can't deal with the associated heat.



Buell needs an entirely new engine and as an earlier poster pointed out; a comprehensive 3 year warranty. Only then would I consider buying another.

xlr8r

Since writing my earlier reply and hour ago, I've been doing some checking, though I don't have a full range of US prices to go on. It seems that we're both right. European bikes like Guzzis and Ducatis are more or less the same price on both sides of the Atlantic, give or take a few percent for local sales taxes. Harleys are even more overpriced than they are in the US (a V-Rod, if and when it ever gets here, will be the equivalent of $21k) but it's in the Japanese prices that the real differences show. Our Yamaha R-1 is 21% up on yours, at $13k. Others are similar.

That's enough on unequal pricing. I've seen a Firebolt in the metal and it looks very good. It should compare well in real-world performance (and on price!) with the larger Monsters and Fazers. In densely-packed li'l ol' Europe, light weight and high torque is the way to go.

12er

Looking at the frame it bulges out and is the widest point on the bike. So it is defintely going to take the full blow once it hits the ground and slides. Frame sliders are a good idea but looking at the design you would have to stick them on the widest point of the bike and have them then protrude another 3 inches out. Also how would you attach them? There is no where to tap into so you would have to weld a bolt onto the gas tank / frame. The whole thing sounds pretty scary to me as Ive seen how aluminum can grind down very very quickly on pavement. Most sport bikes tanks are centrally located and dont take the brunt of the force when the bike is layed down. Normally the frame, subframe and bars take the hit along with some of the motor not the tank. Im just getting a nasty low side vision of sliding down a road of flames.

mark_l

I hope you're not expecting much in the 1/4 mile and acceleration department. This bike weighs about the same as the 600cc R6 and produces 20% less power.



You're sure to be disappointed.

jackbird

It's light enough, and I like the mascara eyes although it needs a mouth to really look like a face.

The V-rod got a slightly more modern engine but it's too soon to expect it in a Buell.

Hey Eric! If you'd make it a 90 degree V-twin it might run smoother and produce more power, and we might actually see an American bike winning races again!

He ignored me and my bike (my 59 Chevy-finned highly hot rodded Harley) the only time I ever rode with him and his cronies. I passed them in a curve and one of them went down trying to catch me.

xIrvx

Call your local Buell dealer and get an estimate on shop hours for belt replacement (with that oil tank/swingarm). How many sets of O-ring chain and sprockets could you buy for $500?

xIrvx

One comment I hear all the time about Buells is: "why for Pete's sake don't they drop that pushrod motor?" Perhaps the Harley executives are worried about training illiterate factory workers to assemble overhead cam engines. Anyhow, if it was about common sense we would all be driving compact sh!tboxes instead of suv's and cruisers.

intruderman

I'm still hoping someone like Polaris, or some other American company will step up to the plate and make us proud. I've about given up on Harley. Even with the V-Rod coming out.

BBD_Racing

Reliability, Recalls, History:

Talking about past performance is germane to the subject because the company and its leadership are unchanged. The fact that Buell has designed all new parts to replace the faulty ones only implies that they will have all new failures.



Gas and Oil Tanks:

If Honda had announced these same design ideas in a new Superhawk, nobody would wonder about failures because we all know Honda would have engineered the problems out of the design.



Quality Issues:

All Gold Wings are made in the USA. All Accords are made in Marysville Ohio by UAW workers. Many Toyotas are made here. The Accord has so much domestic content it is classified as a domestic by the gov't. It isn't American workers, it is American motor company management of processes and policies. Why did I say MOTOR? Because of companies like Dell and Intel. They can do it, Honda can do it, but our motor companies can't. That is aggravating.



Capitalism vs Socialism:

Being Capitalists, it is our DUTY to punish poor performing companies and reward good products. In the long run it makes us stronger. As for gov't aid, Washington doles it out pretty heavily. Besides, our comanies don't need it. As of the Most Recent Quarterly Report, GM has $18.4 billion in cash, Ford had $10.6 billion. H-D had $562 million in cash, a profit margin of 12.8% and annualized income of $413 million.



Our companies can afford to do what it takes to compete. They don't because we allow ourselves to Buy American instead of taking the long view and Buying Capitalism. The anti-Patriots are the folks who pawn inferior proucts with American flags on them.

intruderman

Yes!! Polaris should have the funds and the technology to do it well.