Better Hurry: There Are Only Two Ronins Left
In 2009, the firearms engineers at Magpul in Denver, Colorado, began an interesting side project – turning 47 Buell 1125s (acquired in the first Buell fire sale) into 47 unique customs. We’re not sure which came first, 47 Buells or 47 Ronin, but the 47 Ronin were legendary samurai warriors of Japanese history: Each bike was named for one of them and numbered, and now there are only two more left for sale. The one in our lead image is the #2 Teraoka Nobuyuki:
“Ronin #2 is the final motorcycle in the art series and the paint scheme was designed by local Denver illustrator Samuel Lee Turner. Mr. Turner studied traditional Japanese illustration and tattoo art to accomplish his design. The artwork depicts the Samurai Teraoka Nobuyuki, who was the only warrior in the 47 Ronin clan who remained alive after they enacted revenge on the Lord who disgraced their master. The leader of the 47 Ronin, Oishi Yoshio, requested that Teraoka watch over the spirits of his fallen comrades, depicted as Tengu mountain creatures on the right side of the motorcycle. Mr. Turner portrays Teraoka on the opposite side wielding a heavy hammer, his weapon of choice during the counterinsurgency of the Ronin Samurai. The motorcycle is hand painted and exquisitely detailed in the style of traditional Japanese tattooed body suits.”
Oh wait, that bike is sold already.
#45, though, the Kimura Sadayuki, is still available for a mere $38k. This is one of the original batch of Ronins, which began with #47 and worked down the line to #1.
Anyway, for the well-heeled Buell connoisseur who wants to add something a bit different to the garage, the Ronins make quite a statement.
Find out more, watch the cool video and see pics of all 47 Ronins, over here at the47.com
More by John Burns
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Here’s an idea: Buy one, paint it a nice red or yellow, and call it a Buell. Magpul does make nice stocks and magazines if you’re into that sort of thing. But I miss Buell. Drooled on a dozen or so pristine examples at the Barber Museum last week.
yeah, they gone.