 Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
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Yeah Nathan, it was a very good article alright!
After reading it, it sure made H-D look as if they had blown a golden opportunity to help create "The Great American Sportbike Company" all those years in which they were making money hand-over-fist.
Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)
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Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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Joined: Jul 2009
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that article set in stone a decision i made when i first heard about Buell getting the axe, and especially when I saw Erik's video on the website. Despite having ridden three Harleys of different types (a Night Rod, a Softail Deluxe w tc96 and a Dyna T-Sport w/ tc88) and being impressed by all three (excepting the NR's horrible low chassis and subsequent handling) I will NEVER buy a new Harley Davidson. NO ONE that works for HD Motor Company will EVER see one red cent of my money. I hope they fold. I wish Erik the best with his new company, and would be happy to buy the 1190 the moment the finances and street legality allow.
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Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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New Tires
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Coulda, shoulda, woulda? Triumph a privately owned company doesn't have to deal with the parameters of corporate governance,ie stockholders. Mr Bloor rolls the dice on his own dime, HD management doesn't. Triumph is far more progressive than HD for this reason. All one has to do is check out Triumph's line of bikes.
Both firms have to deal with banks and bondholders, but I don't believe Triumph finances bike purchases like HD. I imagine HD has taken a huge hit with the current economy on that.
My guess is that Buell MC is worth more than 125 mil selling it in pieces. I have always like Mr Buell and wish him the best.
It's interesting that all these critics of HD's decision to pull the plug on Buell don't own Buells. Will all these critics " roll the dice on their own dime", pony up and invest in the new Buell MoCo? If so Mr Buells future looks bright.
Last edited by MACMC; 04/09/2010 7:55 AM.
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
H. L. Mencken
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Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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Joined: Jan 2005
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3/4 Throttle
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3/4 Throttle
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I just hope HD doesnt fold we are losing too many jobs and companies everyday in the US and in the lastest Motor Cyclist issue I see where India ( Baja Auto) which recently looked into to buying Triumph and Ducati.
And it looks like that they might purchase MV from HD.
If things keep going the way they are alot of stuff will either be made in China or India and thats pretty sad....
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Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
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I hope HD stays afloat too and in the US we don't have much left.
I learned all I need to know about life by killing smart people and eating their brains.
Eat right ,Exercise ,Stay fit, Die Anyway!
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Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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Joined: Feb 2005
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Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
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Quote:
Coulda, shoulda, woulda? Triumph a privately owned company doesn't have to deal with the parameters of corporate governance,ie stockholders. Mr Bloor rolls the dice on his own dime, HD management doesn't. Triumph is far more progressive than HD for this reason. All one has to do is check out Triumph's line of bikes.
Both firms have to deal with banks and bondholders, but I don't believe Triumph finances bike purchases like HD. I imagine HD has taken a huge hit with the current economy on that.
My guess is that Buell MC is worth more than 125 mil selling it in pieces. I have always like Mr Buell and wish him the best.
It's interesting that all these critics of HD's decision to pull the plug on Buell don't own Buells. Will all these critics " roll the dice on their own dime", pony up and invest in the new Buell MoCo? If so Mr Buells future looks bright.
Well Mac, you made some valid points there, however do you think it's at all possible the reason all those folks who passed on purchasing a Buell were maybe just a little less than enthusiastic with them once they saw that it was powered by a relatively low-tech and somewhat dated engine, and thus might've felt them a bit too much of a compromise in design?
Yep, I have to say that I'm one of those folks who always kind of appreciated Eric Buell's innovative frame designs(his specialty), but was also always less than impressed with what was placed inside those frames of his. And that seemed to almost always be the consensus among the motorcycling press all the years Mr.Buell produced his machines with the apparent half-hearted help of H-D management, also!
(and like I said, that half-hearted "help" was during all those years H-D was makin' money hand-over-fist and could most likely afford to invest a little more capital into a little more R&D engine design, so Mr.Buell wouldn't have had to go to Austria to find a motor for his sportbikes, thus possibly keeping more jobs in America!)
Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)
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Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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Yeah. When I bought my tiger, I considered the Ulysses. If it had the helicon motor, I might have pulled the trigger. I liked the bikes but not those motors. I really wish I'd had the extra scratch (and room in the shed) when the 1125s were going for 4G. On a similar note, Fisher American Motorcycles here in MD makes pretty cool bikes. Again, they are held up by the motor. A Korean knock of of the Suzuki 650 twin is not my ideal. They do some good stuff with it, but I wish they'd gone in another direction. http://www.fischer1.com/Still, if Buell never comes back, I might have to get a fischer (And paint it with the Maryland flag)
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Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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New Tires
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I agree , HD could have invested in sports bike engine R&D, they probably did on some small scale. But, my guess is that HD has lost money on the butt ugly V-Rod and the sexy Buells. Buells are cool, but like Jimmy2bad said he went with the Triumph Tiger, a bike that is hard to keep under 85 on the highway. In these economic times HD has to protect their niche market and manufacturing of big slow, comfortable cruisers that look like traditional bikes. Traditional looking motorcycles like ours.
I've never understood why Buell stuck with HD this long and visa versa, if he wanted to produce sports bikes. Well except for their once deep pockets.
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
H. L. Mencken
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 Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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I just finished reading the article and it was a great read. Yes, HD did a lot of things that did not help BMC. Buell's law firm did advise him not to sell part of the company base on the contract and he did so any way. His law firm made him sign a document saying he was going against their advice. 
Kendall
"When you drink the water, remember the man who dug the well." Chinese proverb
2008 America Pacific/Aegean blue w/long slash cut TOR's, and stock carbs rejetted.
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Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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Fe Butt
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I think that's a very good point to emphasize, Kendall.
Yep. Though I can see why he might've been somewhat over-eager to get his hands on some of H-D's money in order to expand his business, in a way, Eric Buell kind'a sort'a set himself up at the very beginning for this ultimate fall, didn't he?!
Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)
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Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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Ha! As I revisit this thread there is a Harley add at the top of this page. 
-neight
2004 Triumph Bonneville Black
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Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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Fe Butt
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I didn't see that Nathan, but lemme guess here...it said somethin' like..."Come visit your local Harley-Davidson dealership today, where we NOW proudly promise you will ONLY find that Cruiser style motorcycle of your choice!" (was I close???!!!)  
Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)
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Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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Worn Saddle
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Worn Saddle
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A sad tale told well in this month's Cycle World. Erik should have taken his lawyer's advice and not signed. I also loved the lawyer's remark, "it amounts to indentured servitude."
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright (1876 - 1944)
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Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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Yeah, I saw the servitude thing and guessed he took what he perceived to be the financial backing to make his dreams come true... only to find way too many strings attached. Live and learn.
Long time observer of the human condition.
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Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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Quote:
I didn't see that Nathan, but lemme guess here...it said somethin' like..."Come visit your local Harley-Davidson dealership today, where we NOW proudly promise you will ONLY find that Cruiser style motorcycle of your choice!"
(was I close???!!!)
Ha! It was more like "Come test ride a Harley Davidson today...any Harley Davidson...really...please...pretty please...with sugar on top...ok ok...we'll pay you!"
-neight
2004 Triumph Bonneville Black
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Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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HA!!!! THERE IT IS AGAIN!!!! ^
-neight
2004 Triumph Bonneville Black
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Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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****Hijack Warning**** I was in a HD dealership with a friend of mine on Saturday that is a big HD fan and was a good customer of that dealership until he moved to the west coast. When we walked in he was shocked to see the low amount of inventory that they had on hand compared to when things were good at HD. Then we over heard a salesmen give a pitch to customer that he better buy today because most likely the bike will not be here tomorrow and then one minute later we heard him say it again to the same customer. You had to be their to hear the tone in his voice when he said it.  We almost laughed out loud.
Kendall
"When you drink the water, remember the man who dug the well." Chinese proverb
2008 America Pacific/Aegean blue w/long slash cut TOR's, and stock carbs rejetted.
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Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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Worn Saddle
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It does state in the Cycle World article that a big part of the politics at HD was a push to ratchet up the output to 600K machines a year. Yeah, that's the ticket, over-saturate your market and then start shuttering your satellite operations to make ends meet... Quote:
Yeah, I saw the servitude thing and guessed he took what he perceived to be the financial backing to make his dreams come true... only to find way too many strings attached. Live and learn.
You see the same thing all too often in my line of work. Players/Singers will do that repeatedly just to get a record deal so they can get a quality record cut and into the distribution pipeline. Then it plays out like that VH1 "Where are they now?" show. I understand what drove Erik to the choice as I've seen it done; it's just a shame HD made bad choices for him as well.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright (1876 - 1944)
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Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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Fe Butt
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Yep Ed, I agree. However, there sure are a whole lot of H-D afficianados out there who disagree with Anderson, and by consequnce, you, me, Kendall, Nathan, and the rest of us here. You see, I got into a little "p*ssing contest" recently with a couple of these..ahem.."gentlemen" at the Cycle World forum(geee...what's the chances of little ol' ME gettin' into some kind'a p*ssing contest, HUH?!  ) who think H-D did exactly the right thing here, as their "reasoning" is usually that H-D shouldn't attempt to compete against the "Japs"[read: Sportbike manufacturing] because Harley-Davidson didn't ever make that genre of motorcycle, and should just stick with makin' crusiers. Well, what these fellas apparently fail to know is that H-D DID make very competitive road racing machines back in the day, as famed H-D racer, the late Cal Rayborn won the Daytona 200 on an H-D back in the early 1970s.(the last H-D road race victory, BTW, and there were many many other H-D road race victories before that final victory there, as you probably know) But of course, this one particular H-D fan(and a few others at that forum) apparently don't know of, or remember, that little historical fact, and thus, true to form, the morons...ahem...I mean the "gentlemen" started throwin' accusations at me that I was somehow "Anti-Harley", "un-American", that "anybody who dare question H-D was somehow less of a real man"...and well, you name it, dude!!! (uh huh...you "might" know of or have encountered "a few" of those of H-D types out there I'm sure, right?!)
Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)
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Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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Quote:
Well, what these fellas apparently fail to know is that H-D DID make very competitive road racing machines back in the day, as famed H-D racer, the late Cal Rayborn won the Daytona 200 on an H-D back in the early 1970s.(the last H-D road race victory, BTW, and there were many many other H-D road race victories before that final victory there, as you probably know)
Did it ever occur to these guys that the "Sportster" is named thus because it was a SPORT bike?
--Jaeger
NEUTIQUAM ERRO
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Re: The Demise of the Buell Motorcycle Company
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Fe Butt
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Well Jaeger, I have a feelin' that more than a few of 'em only "know" of the Sportster as "a girl's bike"! And thus, because it's always been lighter and more maneuverable than a H-D Big Twin(and was, of course, created by H-D to compete both in the marketplace and on the track against the british road burners of the day...hmmmmmm..."road burners"....COULD that possibly be considered the "Sportbikes" of their era???)...well, "naturally" the Sportsters "have to be" a "girl's bike" because they has no real "heft" to 'em, like any "real man's" motorcycle "should have", RIGHT?!
(yep Jaeger, now I COULD BE wrong about how I read a lot of those fellas minds over there....but I don't think I am)
Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)
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