Erik is baaaaack...

[tug296]

Taxes and unions has Harley Davidson looking for new stomping grounds in another state.

[tstruyk]

thank you Tim Struyk for the catch all response for when you really don't give a shit!

[SV88]

And I feel real bad to have deprived Mark of a good response!!  I'm in the worst possible spot(actually worse now that I've been unemployed for 4 months) - middle management - no power, lots of abuse from above and below.  I guess I feel some jealosy given that I've never enjoyed high wages along with great job security (provided by many unions).

Speaking of the Buell - HD relatioship, it is my impression that Buell was held back from competing against  the Jap bikes because of it's use of the HD engine.  Buell is an innovative org. that has come up with many smart designs - wouldn't the bikes have been more competitive with better power plants?  I was (only with many others) miffed at Buell's apparent preferential treatment from the race org.; particularly after the phenomenal season they had this year.  This attitute reversed 180 deg.  when i learned that HD was shutting them down.

On the potential sale of Buell - was Buell ever profitable?  The fact that it isn't being sold tells me that it's either a loss center or that there are no buyers out there.

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

I think it was a "loss center or there were no buyers" was due to lack of marketing it by HD. I dont recall ever seeing a tv commercial for Buell. Seen plenty for HD and the Big 4. Also some HD dealers pretty much treated people looking for a buell or bringing theirs in for service like crap. Sure fire way not to get a sale.

[Super Dave]

Well, in the heart of a Buell, there is Harley-Davidson.  This has been true for a long time.  Moto-Guzzi has some neat but old world designs too.  There's nothing wrong with it.  Even Ducati maintains some air cooled models. 

Yes, I would have liked to have seen the XB's be more cost competitive with the machines they were really up against, lightweight bikes. 

The liquid cooled engine was a sweet move.  Does it have an unfair advantage in the AMA?  I still don't agree that it does.  It is what it is.  It's not a superbike class where the bike is build beyond its origin, a sport based motorcycle.  It is not a hypersport.  It's in the class of the original Rotax Aprilia's and the SV1000, not in the mold of the Cosworth Aprilia and the race Ducati's. 

XB's sold well.  It took until 2006 for Buell to produce 100,000 motorcycles.  In the next three years, they produced more than 36,000 bikes.  Not a bad deal for a small manufacturer.  I think Ducati produces around 70,000 bikes a year, last time I remember keeping track. 

Dealers bad?  No.  It's an individual thing.  Place the blame with the ones that aren't able to succeed in their local market for the rational reasons.  Not even Corse Superbike could stay open with Ducati, Suzuki, and KTM for that matter.  I think most would say that they were a "good dealer" too. 

[Team Spalding]

Buell could not be sold because it was too integrated with HD. I forget how many patents the bikes have but it is many. From what I heard there was many offers but HD just could not find a way to separate it.

Would the XB be more competitive with different engines? I doubt it, they would be in different classes. Over the last couple years the XB's have won more National championships than SV650s. That is pretty competitive.

[NOBODY]

I dont give a shit about the business ins and outs of it, Erik Buell is a living legend.  The guy has a heart of gold, I think I am going to race a Buell next year.