New Buell 1125R launched

[Guzzirider]

 

Looks interesting- no Harley motor in this one- its a watercooled Rotax. Hope that single disc is up to the job with all that power! Not much more expensive than the old Firebolt.

 

MCN story here

[waspp]

Still several years behind the times as BMW and Aprilia move away from the trusty appliance Rotax engine, IMO Buell suffers from an identity crisis and the 1125 is just plain ugly.

[belfastguzzi]

Buell suffers from an identity crisis and the 1125 is just plain ugly.

Is it an inflatable? Could be filled with helium to aid mass-negation.

[John in Leeds]

Still several years behind the times as BMW and Aprilia move away from the trusty appliance Rotax engine, IMO Buell suffers from an identity crisis and the 1125 is just plain ugly.

 

 

She ain't no beauty, unless she's the best at something she needs to be <_>

[Ouiji Veck]

I wouldn't kick her out of bed.

[g.forrest]

it's just plain ugly. that exhaust! those scoops! 4 piston caliper one disc..

i'd still like to try. but i couldn't live with it.

[badmotogoozer]

8 piston caliper. Braking won't be an issue.

 

Rj

[Guest Nogbad]

Not sure at all about this.

 

The H-D engined XB12 is a great road tool with enough power and way better than average fuel economy from the long stroke engine.

 

On track the current XB suffers from insufficient straight line grunt, but I wouldn't want to trade the real world road flexibility of the H-D model for a purely track focussed tool that guzzles fuel due to being tuned for absolute power.

 

I think maybe waasp is right about an identity crisis. There are many better developed track tools out there. The reason I bought my XB12 was its quirkiness. By putting a clone Aprilia engine in there, they are moving towards the anodyne.

 

The Buell customer is not someone who wants any other watercooled track bike. If I wanted a track bike I would buy a CBR600R, a GSXR600, or, if wanting something a bit quirkier the Triumph 675. All of these would do the track job a sight better than some galumphing Morini Corsaro clone with that weird ZTL front brake, which is the one thing on my XB I would lob into the nearest canal in favour of a proper pair of Brembos.

[soloNH]

Are you kidding me, it looks hot.

 

In the video it has looks that remind me of a 916.

 

The exhaust is the "latest" moto GP look, sure the perimiter braking has it's drawbacks but it's a Buell thing.

 

Sure Buell has an identity crisis as he has had to work with old engine design as has MG.

 

So is it a HD? No

 

Sport bike? Yes.

 

Can it compete with the other sportbikes available out there on the track? No.

 

Now.....maybe.

 

He has done a great job!!! This new ride is the only way to make something compettive. HD would never build a motor like this so it's up to others like Rotax to do so.

 

By the way, the only way that MG will ever be make this kind of power is going to be with liquid cooling and OHV.

 

Welcome to the modern age!

[Guzzirider]

I guess Buell owners will either be spitting their drinks out in disgust or coming in their shorts when they first set eyes on the bike with the new motor.

 

When Guzzi eventually go modern I would not be surprised if they did something similar and fit a Rotax designed transverse watercooled V Twin- and I guess there will be similar mixed reactions depending upon whether you want modern power or a traditional old lump.

 

Guy

[Skeeve]

 

By the way, the only way that MG will ever be make this kind of power is going to be with liquid cooling and OHV.

 

No argument on the liquid-cooling, but Guzzi big blocks have *always* been OHV.

 

I think you meant overhead cams, ie: no valve rockers, etc. to slow down valve actuation so you can rev the engine higher and make more power out of the same torque numbers.

 

Torque is what moves things; power is just how fast you can produce the torque... ;-)

[Guest Nogbad]

I guess Buell owners will either be spitting their drinks out in disgust or coming in their shorts when they first set eyes on the bike with the new motor.

 

When Guzzi eventually go modern I would not be surprised if they did something similar and fit a Rotax designed transverse watercooled V Twin- and I guess there will be similar mixed reactions depending upon whether you want modern power or a traditional old lump.

 

Guy

 

Well, as a Buell owner I spat my drink, then came in me shorts after. But where does this leave the H-D relationship - unless H-D are flying a watercooled kite with their less retro-nostalgic Buell customer base, using a low investment Rotax mill to see whether it will go down well or be shunned. If it flies with the Buelligans, they will probably festoon it with chrome and fake fins and try it in the Sportster.

[Guzzirider]

Well, as a Buell owner I spat my drink, then came in me shorts after. But where does this leave the H-D relationship - unless H-D are flying a watercooled kite with their less retro-nostalgic Buell customer base, using a low investment Rotax mill to see whether it will go down well or be shunned. If it flies with the Buelligans, they will probably festoon it with chrome and fake fins and try it in the Sportster.

 

Would not be surprised- Harley have showed their willingness to go with a watercooled European designed engine with the V Rod so I guess a watercooled sportser (sold alongside the aircooled one) would not be a massive step for them.

[v50man]

Boys --

 

No thanks. Like Nogbad, I bouight my Firebolt for its quirkiness.

 

Those air scoops are UGLY -- and the exhaust looks too complex for the Alabama engineering that freed up my bike.

 

Remember...

[DeBenGuzzi]

I think its horribly ugly, almost fugly, and I'd much rather have the Aprilia go at the rotax as its much more attractive and has higher line parts on the rest o the bike. This looks like vomit, I mean come on, its almost comical and a complete reversal from where they were, but maybe they have no choice I don't think they're doing very well and have to do something, but Really a bike is all about the engine, for a company to make it long term they need that iconic reliable strong engine, Guzzi, BMW, Triumph, Victory, Ducati and Harley all have it I don't see how borrowed engine bike companies can ever hope to make it the engine is the identifier to me more so than anything else on the bike. To me everything can be changed but the engine is the soul. Now Guzzi might not be as successful as the others I've mentioned but I think its the engine above all else that's kept them afloat to date. Guzzi just need more in other areas, or so I think. I still believe a road legal copy of the MGS could have been a spark to light a fire, they just didn't convert.