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| Motorcycle Message Board - Motorcycle USA > MotorcycleUSA.com! > Sportbike > New Buell Sportbike - liquid cooled! | Forum Quick Jump
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louemc
Registered Member
      
Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 15451
| Posted 7/8/2007 3:33 PM (GMT -8) |   | Real eager to see the comparison test on these bikes. I can't trust Harley-ites to know what a sport bike is doing. At the same time, even if the new Buell doesn't compare well, it will be fun having a pretty serious Buell out there, so... with two possibilities, one it is great, and the other just nice, there isn't much of a down side (hope the suspension isn't crap) no matter what.
Kinda funny though, the engine is from Rotax (Austria) frame from Italy, Suspension I'll guess Japan. I don't know, If I was running a MotorCycle factory, and my engineers couldn't do the design work on their own, I'd be wondering why I was paying them, and, why it ever came to that 
Focus the forces, Be The ForcePost Edited (louemc) : 7/8/2007 11:40:50 PM GMT | | Back to Top | | |
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EdbearNZ
Registered Member
Date Joined Jul 2006
Total Posts : 1047
| Posted 7/8/2007 7:04 PM (GMT -8) | |
louemc said...Harley's problems are totally because they insist on doing things wrong, dragging their feet (they thrive on a customer base that says we don't want to change) They are not pushing boundries of air-cooling. Those boundries have been pushed by others and met. Harley just doesn't stay ahead. Granted Harley knows they have to go liquid, to keep meeting tougher requirements, but there is no excuse for their on going problems. The out-sourcing and numbers game, view, just means the management is slow. There is another way, but, there is no way I can give a course in manufacturing technology.
Actually you've probably got a point,there, Louemc. Just reminded me of Enfield's new 500. They finally reached the point where the old motor couldn't meet the latest regs, so designed an all new alloy single that meets all the latest European laws and is still pushrod, air-cooled. Not very high tech or high performance, but apparently it wasn't too difficult to meet the regs while maintaining the look and feel of the old single banger. I still prefer the original, and hope to get hold of one but maybe this example shows it can be done?
The fact that Harley have a ready mod for the motor shows they are well aware of the shortcomings ex-factory.
They say you're only young once! I'm trying to make it last... | | Back to Top | | |
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Green9R
PWTPT
Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 577
| Posted 7/8/2007 7:14 PM (GMT -8) | | | | |
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Dr. Bombay
Registered Member
Date Joined Oct 2004
Total Posts : 1328
| Posted 7/8/2007 11:11 PM (GMT -8) | | I think we should all just wait until the thing is tested. Let's not be a bunch of spec sheet jocks. We all know there's a lot more to bikes than peak power. I don't know why there's such doubt about the crank numbers. Didn't everyone laud Rotax motors before one showed up in a Buell? Should be 125-130 at the wheel.
I read a post from someone who was inside H-D while the bike was being developed. He claims that the motor is actually capable of much more power but they left it in a milder state of tune due to emissions. I don't know why they were having problems while other manufacturers seem to be able to meet the standards. However, Buell is claiming that the bike makes lots of power throughout the rev range with no dips. That could explain things if you believe them. If it's accurate, the trade-off might make sense. It's also got a claimed dry weight of 375 lbs, which, when accounting for the usual weight fudging, is still pretty light.
And remember that there's no way that an American sportbike could be built and designed almost entirely in the U.S.without pricing itself out of the market. Frankly, 12K is significantly less than I thought it would list at and still significantly less than the 1098 and the Mille. Every manufacturer outsources components. Some, like the Japanese and the Italians, just happen to have many of their suppliers in their home countries. I don't hear people complaining when Ducati uses Ohlins (based in Sweden and now owned by Yamaha) and Showa suspensions (Japan, and also used by the all the Japanese manufacturers). No one makes their own brakes: Nissin, Tokico, Brembo, PM, all used by the leading factories. Up until recently, Aprilia was using all Rotax motors. BMW uses Rotax motors in some models. And Buell does do most of its own engineering.
By the way, suspension on the Buell is Showa.
And yes, it looks pretty weird. At least it doesn't look like every other bike and all the oddities are supposed to be functional (claimed). Here's to hoping it looks better in the flesh. | | Back to Top | | |
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Desmolicious
Registered Member
Date Joined Aug 2004
Total Posts : 4618
| Posted 7/9/2007 10:10 AM (GMT -8) | | That pic reminds me of "Kindergarden Cop" with Ah-nold.
"It iz naht aye too-mah!"
Engine No. 9 said...
Hopefully Buell has a winner on their hands here. Too bad it's so fugly though, maybe it'll look nicer in person.
I thought most people put panniers on the BACK of their bikes? 
Børk! Børk! Børk! | | Back to Top | | |
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HDXLCR
Registered Member
Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 500
| Posted 7/9/2007 10:58 AM (GMT -8) | | | I think all of you guys are in for a rude shock when the comparos appear. What you are all saying sounds mostly with wishful thinking. As in, you wish it would just go away, and it might, while you watch it disappear in the distance. | | Back to Top | | |
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