Demise of a brand

[Steve G.]

There are obviously some good deals happening on these bikes, and you can expect some smoking deals on used Buells. I feel sorry for those out there with Buells right now, only because while I'm sure they are happy with their bikes, they are now virtually worthless monetary wise.

I personally am not interested in any Buell, especially the 1125, which I feel could have easily been a much nicer looking bike, and feel that it's overall physical appearance has been a major contributor to it's less than agressive sales figures, in spite of winning a U.S. race series custom made to it's specifications.

 

Steve

[felix42o]

There are obviously some good deals happening on these bikes, and you can expect some smoking deals on used Buells. I feel sorry for those out there with Buells right now, only because while I'm sure they are happy with their bikes, they are now virtually worthless monetary wise.

I personally am not interested in any Buell, especially the 1125, which I feel could have easily been a much nicer looking bike, and feel that it's overall physical appearance has been a major contributor to it's less than agressive sales figures, in spite of winning a U.S. race series custom made to it's specifications.

 

Steve

 

True enough, but the resale on a Guzzi has always been pretty dismal as well. So, now I have to decide between the air-cooled XB12 and the new 1125. As much as I like the idea of all that power, I do like the familiarity of the air-cooled mill over the new, somewhat untested rotax motor. The looks of either don't bother me much after seeing them in person.

[Tom M]

If I had the room for another bike I'd take a very hard look at a deal like this.

 

 

"Harley-Davidson is paying dealers a $5,000 per-bike incentive for each new Buell they sell, irrespective of model. Until now, this incentive was top secret, with dealers and Harley employees under strict orders not to reveal it to the public or media."

 

Could be BS?

 

http://hellforleathermagazine.com/20...-for.html#more

[Steve G.]

If I had the room for another bike I'd take a very hard look at a deal like this.

 

 

"Harley-Davidson is paying dealers a $5,000 per-bike incentive for each new Buell they sell, irrespective of model. Until now, this incentive was top secret, with dealers and Harley employees under strict orders not to reveal it to the public or media."

 

Could be BS?

 

http://hellforleathermagazine.com/20...-for.html#more

 

This particular bike is not a machine I would consider buying at MSRP. Getting it for 1/2 price is not going to make me want one if I didn't want one in the first place.

Motorcycle style plays a big part in my motorcycle purchases. Some machines like the big dual sports can be forgiven for being butt ugly as they are a machine that follows the "form follows function" ideal of design. But a sport machine, a retro machine, a standard machine brings with it styling cues to make it at least somewhat pleasing to the eye. Even body panel forms which follow function are done more subtly, with the thought to visual attractiveness. There are some oddities out there, the ZX14's front end definitely has a polarizing effect on people, but generally seems to be split down the middle. The same can be said for the early Katanas. Well, in the 3?? yrs the 1125 has been available, and the 1?? yr with the 1125 streetfighter, there has been a universal negative with the styling of the thing.

Anyways, if you like it, great, this is now the perfect opportunity to get one at a great price.

 

Steve

[GuzziMoto]

with the 1125 streetfighter, there has been a universal negative with the styling of the thing.

Steve

"Universal negative"?

I would agree that that color does not look good, but in black or white it is a descent looking bike. In person it looks better then in pictures. I find it to have a mean, purposeful look. Just keep the red. I considered buying one at normal prices, and would love to buy one at these kind of prices, but my latest purchase has me in a tight spot and I don't think I could convince the wife that I need another right now. I would have to sell the Griso and that would be a losing proposition. Guzzi's do about as well on the used market as Buells.

[NakedV]

"Motorcycle style plays a big part in my motorcycle purchases." Sure rocks my boat. Hell I wanted a Cali 'till I saw this;

[savagehenry]

I thought they were somewhat ugly too, until I saw the faired version in black at the local HD shop. Then I thought it looked a bit like a Harrier jet. I need to see it live before I make up my mind. Pictures are so often not truly representitive. Then again, some bikes are just plain fugly no matter what.

[jihem]

I went to try one at the local HD dealer here. Prices weren't very reduced or anything but wanted to try the thing before it becomes impossible...

I was lend an XB12 for the demo.

 

Took the bike thru some corners, 5 kms of motorway, downtown, just to get a (really fast) image of the bike.

 

My take on it is:

 

vibrates like hell at low rpm. really badly and not a very satisfying vibration, more one that would do your fillers no good.

front fork quite unstable at speed. wouldn't trust it.

position is rather mandatory and pushed up at the front.

braking is not bad at all but the lonely perimetrical system really makes the bike dive out badly when applied in corners (which sometimes you have to)

sounds terrible when legal.

warms your leg and ass and got a terrible fan noise when the bike is hot and you just switched off.

 

the good points:

should be very fun in the twisties

i really liked the injection set up at low rpms, you can really ride the bike on a light throttle

engine is fun

handling is light and precise (altho i wouldn't trust it at higher speed)

 

 

Would I get one ? naaa, didn't do it for me.

[DeBenGuzzi]

I test rode a Ulysses and if they got the rider comfort kit installed so when the fans kick on they don't melt your right leg I think I will get one, with bags and a taller screen and make it my hack, I mean why not if its dirt cheap? and that 1125R FOR THAT PRICE? I'd almost want to buy it part it out completely and dump the motor into my Aprilia, Its a rotax and I'm not sure if it would even fit but I'm sure they're similar then I could have the 1125 instead of my wimpy 998 sized motor,

 

 

 

 

its not wimpy I actually love it but someone looking to do more could do that and maybe even a super charger.

[Steve W]

I test rode a Ulysses and if they got the rider comfort kit installed so when the fans kick on they don't melt your right leg I think I will get one, with bags and a taller screen and make it my hack, I mean why not if its dirt cheap? and that 1125R FOR THAT PRICE? I'd almost want to buy it part it out completely and dump the motor into my Aprilia, Its a rotax and I'm not sure if it would even fit but I'm sure they're similar then I could have the 1125 instead of my wimpy 998 sized motor,

 

 

 

 

its not wimpy I actually love it but someone looking to do more could do that and maybe even a super charger.

Well, I read about the demise of Buell on this forum about a week after it happened (was out on a camping vacation). I found it horribly depressing. Although I hadn't had a lot of Buell-lust over the years, I respected them immensely for what they were doing, and their efforts to be a viable American sportbike company. I liked that they were doing somewhat quirky unconventional things - and although the styling is an acquired taste, at least they were distinctive. Anyway, the thing that always put me off was their reliance on the sportster engine - it just seemed a little too much at odds with the sharp focus the rest of the bike had. But when they came out with the 1125 - a "real" sportbike motor - well, I got really interested and figured I'd have one some day.

 

So when I found out about the firesales and realizing they were't gonna make anymore, well - I called my local dealer, they had 1 1125CR left at 1/2 MSRP ($6k). I mentally chewed it over for a few days, read every review I could find, found a really good Buell forum for support and education, and decided to go for it. I now believe this was the new bike deal of the century.

 

 

Picked it up today and put about 90 miles on it. An amazing bike, light - stupid fast, handles beautifully. I think it is going to be a ton of fun, particularly once I get it broken in so I can run it up past 6k (redline is 10,500). And it still has a 2 year unlimited milage warranty. Just makes me all the more depressed HD shut them down - this really is a world class bike. And, I know some find these ugly - and my '02 LeMans is prettier for sure - but I do think this is one wicked cool looking scoot...

[gstallons]

I could not pass that up! Good luck...

[The Monkey]

That bike for 6k is a deal. Good addition to the garage, and bound to be a blast to ride. I have always been intrigued by them and the man who designed em. You can sit on a crate, pop a beer and take in all the mechanical fun that makes up those beasts, they pass the garage test easy enough. I havent ridden one, but if it challenges you, so much the better. Easy gentle bikes come from other manufacturers, buy one of those and youll have to spin the crate so your backs to the bike, worse you wont have a reason to be in the garage and will end up in front of a TV! Heres to being different, congrats on that Buell.

[Steve W]

That bike for 6k is a deal. Good addition to the garage, and bound to be a blast to ride. I have always been intrigued by them and the man who designed em. You can sit on a crate, pop a beer and take in all the mechanical fun that makes up those beasts, they pass the garage test easy enough. I havent ridden one, but if it challenges you, so much the better. Easy gentle bikes come from other manufacturers, buy one of those and youll have to spin the crate so your backs to the bike, worse you wont have a reason to be in the garage and will end up in front of a TV! Heres to being different, congrats on that Buell.

A couple good points there - one of the really cool things about the 1125CR (or any Buell) is you can point back directly to THE GUY who is responsible for conceptualizing this thing and bringing it to reality. How many current production bikes can you say that about?

 

Second - about "being different' - agreed. That's part of the reason I love my Guzzi's, and a lot of the appeal of the Buell. Can't get too much different than that. For me, individualism has been a cornerstone of my motorcycling interests - conformance diminishes the appeal. Guess that's why I'm not a big HD fanatic (although must confess to owning a '75 ironhead sportster).

[gavo]

I,ve seen one in the flesh and still think it's fugly HOWEVER I saw a pic of a fully faired 1125, I think the article said special edition. It's a shame to see any bike brand fold, especially one as good as this. There's a rural harley dealer 100km from me that has one of the fugly 1125,s and if I had the cash I'd buy it because I can do this http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2008/03/...ll-fairing-kit/

[Steve W]

I,ve seen one in the flesh and still think it's fugly HOWEVER I saw a pic of a fully faired 1125, I think the article said special edition. It's a shame to see any bike brand fold, especially one as good as this. There's a rural harley dealer 100km from me that has one of the fugly 1125,s and if I had the cash I'd buy it because I can do this http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2008/03/...ll-fairing-kit/

Yeah, but like that article says - it just makes a uniquely styled bike look like everything else. I guess if that's want you want, ok

 

Believe it or not, there are folks who think Griso's are fugly...