Demise of a brand

[Dan M]

The CR is the better looking one to me. Super deal at $6K. If you're inclined to keep it, I'd guess it will appreciate in value. One year of production, can't be too many out there.

 

Congrats & good luck.

[Steve W]

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... . 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

Steve, I just noticed an R1200GS in your sig. I'm sorry, I can't see how anybody who would buy an R1200GS could ever criticize the styling of ANYTHING regardless of it's function. A good friend of mine had one (traded in for a K1300GT) and he freely admitted it was the ugliest motorcycle ever conceived. And, I think Buell would argue that much of the "styling" of his bikes came from the same "form follows function" argument as you make for your justification for the GS purchase. When you do things differently than everybody else, it's not surprising that the end product looks different than everybody else's.

 

Also, "universal negative" is a bit overstated - read this...

 

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/8/4506/Motor...omparo-III.aspx

 

Whatever. Doesn't really matter much in the end, we all buy what appeals to us and nobody else's opinion should be a significant parameter. But, I've gotta say, my CR looks orders of magnitude better to me than any GS I've seen, and that's in consideration of both bike's intended functions.

 

Steve

[Tom M]

Congrat's on the excellent deal Steve W If I didn't have two college-bound teens I would have been hunting for a deal like that on a black CR too. I imagine the Guzzi is going to feel awfully slow once you get used to that Buell.

 

You've probably seen this already but here's a good read on breaking in a new engine:

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

[Steve W]

Congrat's on the excellent deal Steve W If I didn't have two college-bound teens I would have been hunting for a deal like that on a black CR too. I imagine the Guzzi is going to feel awfully slow once you get used to that Buell.

 

You've probably seen this already but here's a good read on breaking in a new engine:

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

Tom - yeah, I've been following the break in rules. Lots of running it up hard, then rolling it off. Changed the oil at 53 miles. This break-in stuff is for the birds though - I guess I know it's getting done right, but it's really hard to hold the thing to 6k rpm (even though that's 90 mph in 6th). I'm not a crazy rider but it revs really fast, just wants to keep going.

 

The only thing that I dislike about the bike is the "clubman" handlebars, they really do not work for my 51 year old body. I could tell that sitting on it in the showroom. There is an accessory "high bar" but it's on back order. Other than that, it's a very livable ride (after 200 miles in a couple days, anyway). Fun stuff. Doesn't sound nearly as good as my LeMans with the Mistrals, though...

[DeBenGuzzi]

Congrat's on the excellent deal Steve W If I didn't have two college-bound teens I would have been hunting for a deal like that on a black CR too. I imagine the Guzzi is going to feel awfully slow once you get used to that Buell.

 

You've probably seen this already but here's a good read on breaking in a new engine:

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

those "break-in secrets" are bullsht, works fine for SOME bikes maybe but overall you're just cutting the life not extending it, had a very extensive thread on the aprilia board with mechanics techs and engineers chiming in that running hard is bull and I believe it, sure you can run a race bike hard upon startup but don't you realize they rebuild or replace the motors quite often? go ahead run it hard if you don't plan to keep it.

 

btw thats just a web article with who knows what for pics and one guy talking bullsht, I don't mean to get so emotionable about this but it just urks me that manufacturers have to warranty their bikes and want them to last and had engineers determine the best procedure to accomplish a long lasting motor. I don't think any marq hopes it explodes 2 weeks after the warranty is up, because who the hell would then buy another one of THEIR motorbikes? If you really believe this guys crap then you should buy into those pills that enlarge your john thomas buy the idea that the US gov knocked off the trade center and we never landed on the moon.

[Dan M]

those "break-in secrets" are bullsht, works fine for SOME bikes maybe but overall you're just cutting the life not extending it, had a very extensive thread on the aprilia board with mechanics techs and engineers chiming in that running hard is bull and I believe it, sure you can run a race bike hard upon startup but don't you realize they rebuild or replace the motors quite often? go ahead run it hard if you don't plan to keep it.

 

btw thats just a web article with who knows what for pics and one guy talking bullsht, I don't mean to get so emotionable about this but it just urks me that manufacturers have to warranty their bikes and want them to last and had engineers determine the best procedure to accomplish a long lasting motor. I don't think any marq hopes it explodes 2 weeks after the warranty is up, because who the hell would then buy another one of THEIR motorbikes? If you really believe this guys crap then you should buy into those pills that enlarge your john thomas buy the idea that the US gov knocked off the trade center and we never landed on the moon.

 

 

(there was no "I'm with Ben")

 

While the manufacturer will tend to be cautious with break-in procedure, the "ride it like you stole it" approach to break-in is pretty stupid.

All these "experts" seem to know more than the engineers who designed the motor.

 

We landed on the moon?

[Steve W]

those "break-in secrets" are bullsht, works fine for SOME bikes maybe but overall you're just cutting the life not extending it, had a very extensive thread on the aprilia board with mechanics techs and engineers chiming in that running hard is bull and I believe it, sure you can run a race bike hard upon startup but don't you realize they rebuild or replace the motors quite often? go ahead run it hard if you don't plan to keep it.

 

btw thats just a web article with who knows what for pics and one guy talking bullsht, I don't mean to get so emotionable about this but it just urks me that manufacturers have to warranty their bikes and want them to last and had engineers determine the best procedure to accomplish a long lasting motor. I don't think any marq hopes it explodes 2 weeks after the warranty is up, because who the hell would then buy another one of THEIR motorbikes? If you really believe this guys crap then you should buy into those pills that enlarge your john thomas buy the idea that the US gov knocked off the trade center and we never landed on the moon.

Well, I'm really not doing anything contrary to the break-in recommendations in the owners manual. I'm trying not to exceed the rpm limit, and the only thing I've done really different is to change the oil early. Every break-in I've ever seen suggests to not hold the rpm/load steady for extended periods of time, so I'm just being sure to not do that. Just a lot of constant accel/deaccel.

[gstallons]

You are doing everything okay. Do NOT take off like Batman leaving the the Batcave. Always let the engine warm-up before riding....

[Steve W]

You are doing everything okay. Do NOT take off like Batman leaving the the Batcave. Always let the engine warm-up before riding....

Not to worry, when I said earlier I run it up hard, it's really just a lot of cycles like running it up from 4k to 6k so there's some load on it, then rolling it off and letting it slow down, then repeat. Rubberband riding. I don't start out aggressively at all. And the display flashes a "CT cold" (coolant temp) until it comes up to some reasonable temp, so I just let it sit and idle until it's up to temp before riding. Takes a few minutes.

 

The continual fussing around with the throttle is a bit tedious, that's all. I've probably owned > 40 bikes in the 30 years I've been riding, and this is only the second new bike I've ever bought so I don't usually have to go through this "dating phase". I realize I shouldn't whine about it, though...

[waspp]

Congratulations on the CR Steve that's a great deal. A friend of mine who I ride with ran out and got one for the same price,6K for red Cafe Racer. The bike is really nice and the fit and finish is top notch. Have fun!

 

Hal

[DeBenGuzzi]

jesus the motor alone has to be worth damn near the 6k price tag, if anything use a bunch of the components to build a bike your happy with.

[Steve W]

jesus the motor alone has to be worth damn near the 6k price tag, if anything use a bunch of the components to build a bike your happy with.

I'm extremely happy with it as is other than the silly clubman handlebars. Once I get the accessory "high bars" on, I fully intend to leave it alone save for a couple well documented (easily reversible) mods - removing the passenger pegs/mounts, "de-noiding" it (don't ask unless you really care about Buell 1125 minutia).

[jihem]

there's more to come from Erik (and probably quite an interesting story why exactly Buell was closed up by HD...)

 

Erik Buell lauches new venture

[gstallons]

there's more to come from Erik (and probably quite an interesting story why exactly Buell was closed up by HD...)

 

Erik Buell lauches new venture

 

 

One "hell of a man".............

[Steve G.]

Steve, I just noticed an R1200GS in your sig. I'm sorry, I can't see how anybody who would buy an R1200GS could ever criticize the styling of ANYTHING regardless of it's function. A good friend of mine had one (traded in for a K1300GT) and he freely admitted it was the ugliest motorcycle ever conceived. And, I think Buell would argue that much of the "styling" of his bikes came from the same "form follows function" argument as you make for your justification for the GS purchase. When you do things differently than everybody else, it's not surprising that the end product looks different than everybody else's.

 

Also, "universal negative" is a bit overstated - read this...

 

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/8/4506/Motor...omparo-III.aspx

 

Whatever. Doesn't really matter much in the end, we all buy what appeals to us and nobody else's opinion should be a significant parameter. But, I've gotta say, my CR looks orders of magnitude better to me than any GS I've seen, and that's in consideration of both bike's intended functions.

 

Steve

 

 

Well, the fact that I can buy a R1200GS in spite of it's absolute ugliness means I know what I'm talking about. Yes, it's a pitiful looking thing, I agree. But there is absolutely no regard to form with EVERY big dual sport machine, heck, look at the Stelvio, V-Strom, any KTM, any of them. The sad part is with the Buell CR, is that it actually was designed that way to look that way, function has no input to why it looks the way it does, it's ugly simply because the graphic artists #@$&@#@ up!

As for justification of buying one, that's as personal an issue as buying a Buell. Sales figures of the GS series would seem to indicate that I know what I'm talking about, wheras sales figure of Buell over the years would seem to indicate that anyone who buys a Buell,,,,,,,well,,,,, no comment, the company's friggin' GONE!! The fact that the GS's overall use capability, including fuel economy, high payload, incredible handling, brakes, usable power, multiple road capability, means justification only needs to be used when you bring up it's potential for optional electrical overcomplication and questionable eastern European outsourcing of certain components. Buells justification of it's hamjmerhead shark styling is function first??? Yeah, those ugly gill like growths have to be there that's for sure.

Anyways, hope you got a good deal on yours, cause it'll be worthless in weeks.

 

Steve