Buell on Cover of CycleWorld

[naustin]

Watch for the next issue.  You'll be blown away.  I've seen a sneak peak on the buell website...

[JamesG]

Sorry but the cats been let out of the internet bag.


Tis a shame.  Buell finally partakes of the liquid cooling cool-aid and the bike is going to sell like crap because its so fugly.

I wonder if this is a bit of self-sabotage for internal Buell/HD politics?
"See, we told you water cooled bikes don't work for "The Motor Company", here is your pink slip."

I only hope that their investment in that engine is such that it has to migrate into their other lines, the ones without such avant garde styling...

[Rogue]

Sorry but the cats been let out of the internet bag.


Tis a shame.  Buell finally partakes of the liquid cooling cool-aid and the bike is going to sell like crap because its so fugly.

Because it looks so different, yet it is functional, along with the power needed to keep up with the competition, Buell will sell tons of this bike.  Just like they do with the Ullysses.  And if the it wins one or two comparison tests, they will sell even more.  All they have to do now are two things:

1)  Avoid any quality issues with the bike and its new engine
2)  Educate their dealer network on how to sell this bike and how to sell Buells.  Period!

[UFO]

Watch for the next issue.  You'll be blown away.  I've seen a sneak peak on the buell website...

Cycle World is about a month late.  All of us have already seen the specs, boatloads of pictures, and watched videos of it in action.  I don't think CW can tell us anything that wasn't on the net 30 days ago.

[goodhawk]

yea the folks who are seriously into 'cycles have seen it, then there's the other 90%, who ride once in a while, might see the mag at a bookstore or grocery store . . .
I'm starting to modify my initial ' gawd that's cool' to 'well, we'll see. might be TOO odd in person,' hard to tell just from photos. I think I woulda preferred that Buell add 2" to w'base, put in conventional rad.- longer w'base also would be better fer touring, I think, even if actual riding position stayed same.? ( also would give even more tank range . . .)
Still, I think a VERY significant steip up for Eric.

[falcofred]

 the bike is going to sell like crap because its so fugly.

That's what they said about the Ducati Multistrada too, turned out to be one of their best sellers. Not arguing the bike has unconventional looks, but that doesn't always equate to a sales flop. Just look at how many V-Stroms are on the road, even the name is ugly and they still sell a bunch. Hyabusa is another love it or leave it style that has done well.

[JamesG]

Yeah I guess so.  

Just... day-amn!  that thing is ugly.

[Thor]

Oh no!  Kevin Cameron wrote it!  No topic sentence, unintelligible ramblings, and ultimately ending with no conclusion.

Buell is doomed!

[rauchman]

Tis a shame.  Buell finally partakes of the liquid cooling cool-aid and the bike is going to sell like crap because its so fugly.

I disagree.  While I'm not crazy about the looks, I think this is going to be their best seller.  I'm guessing price is more or less in line with the liter I-4 bikes and it's "different".  $12K is a bit much for me to spend on a bike, but it is REALLY tempting.  I've read a couple of things where the comfort level of the bike is more sport/tourerish ala VFR.  I think it's going to get enough press that there is going to be a lot of interest in the bike.  As for looks, like I said I'm not crazy about it, but I'm waiting to see one in the flesh before making any decisions on it.  It will be very interesting to see how the 1125 family evolves.

[cworley5150]

   I don't get it.  Everyone raved about the beauty of the Ducati 996 and still do.  This new Buell looks very much from the front like a 996 to me.  Actually it looks like a Buell Firebolt and a 996 made a little V-twin offspring getting none of the good looks from either parent.  

But, what do I know?  I am one of the rare few who thinks the Duc 999 was better looking than the 996 or 1098.  This Buell looks as weird to me as the 996 did.  At least from the very front.  The scoops for the radiator are a bit too much for me too. From the tank back it looks pretty much like most other Buells.  

[garry]

I need to see one in the flesh. Looks OK from some angles and kinda weird from others in the pics I've seen.

[JamesG]

Oh no!  Kevin Cameron wrote it!  No topic sentence, unintelligible ramblings, and ultimately ending with no conclusion.

But it will still be a really cool read.

This new Buell looks very much from the front like a 996 to me...

You need to get your eyes checked.

I am one of the rare few who thinks the Duc 999 was better looking than the 996 or 1098.

You REALLY need to get your eyes checked.  

[bizarro]

Yeah, I need to see it in person too. My initial reaction isn't all that positive. I remember seeing the superbike at Daytona and thinking to myself 'what the fuck is up with that fairing????'  

[cworley5150]

You need to get your eyes checked.

You REALLY need to get your eyes checked.  

It's true, I've always like the 999 Duc better.  When the 916 came out, I guess it was ahead of it's time with the undertail exhaust and the general shape of the fairings with dual headlights etc.  Now it looks like any other superbike.  The 999 was different looking though.  Now, I should admit that I am also not a huge fan of fully faired bikes in general.  I prefer nakeds.  Of the fully faired bikes out there i think the Duc Supersports look pretty nice.  Even better than the 999.

Look at the pics below and admit that from the very front they look similar.  My point is that many of the same people that say the 1125 is butt ugly also would say the Duc 996 is the epitome of motorcycle design.  I think they are both a little on the homely side, but I will admit that the looks of the 1125 are growing on me a little.

[cworley5150]

This is a good looking bike with a full fairing.

[bizarro]

This is a good looking bike with a full fairing.

  You've got to be kidding. The Turdblanche supersport is astoundingly ugly. As for the 1125 resembling the 916/98? Sure, from the front and after pumping it so full of collagen it's about to explode.

[Mookie]

While I actually prefer the turdblanch designs over the previous iterations (SS and the 999 -just barely- more so just because they didn't look as dated as their predecessors), I'm afraid cworley has less than zero credibility when it comes to evaluating motorcycle aesthetics after those last 2 posts  

[cworley5150]

  You've got to be kidding. The Turdblanche supersport is astoundingly ugly. As for the 1125 resembling the 916/98? Sure, from the front and after pumping it so full of collagen it's about to explode.

   I guess I like weird looking bikes!  I still think the headlights and upper front fairing on the 996 and 1125R look very similar.  Most of the full faired bikes just look the same to me.  I guess there is not much of a way to make them look that different from one another.  

I like the curves of the Duc supersports plastics.  It's different from every other SS bike on teh road.  I also think the new Yamaha R6 is a sharp looking bike for a Japanese sport bike.  Aren't you glad we don't all like the same thing?  It would suck if every bike you passed was the exact same model as your own.  

By the way Biz, I think your Goose is a gorgeous motorcycle.  That's more my style.  

[bizarro]

 It would suck if every bike you passed was the exact same model as your own.  
 

True that.

And thanks for the compliment on the Goose, I prefer naked bikes myself too. I hope to own another Speed Triple down the road, amongst other machines.  

[cworley5150]

OK.  I'll probably catch more flack for this one.  This is my opinion of a drop dead gorgeous, fully-faired bike.  Enjoy!