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[J-Carr]

Schaeffer's in PA still has quite a few on the floor and continues to replenish their stock as they sell.  Buell and Harley have not divorced, Buell is a wholely owned subsidiary of Harley now.  The new 1125R uses a non-harley produced motor by Rotax (I think).  That sparked the rumors.

At least two dealers in the central PA area stopped selling the Buells in the last three years.  It may be more.  The Sportster engined Buell's have not been that appealing to the sportbike crowd.  A 1200cc Buell can't keep up with a 600cc Japanese street fighter so no matter how well they handled the sport bike crowd wasn't interested.  Apparently it's better to kill yourself at 160 mph then 120 mph.   

If the new 1125 levels the field a bit maybe Buell can come back.  If not, I'd guess you'll see then go away in the next 5 years or so.

Best Regards,
J-Carr

[Midnight Rider]

The local shop here still has them.  Have noticed them in the new shop in Rogers, AR as well.  At least in this part of the country it seems to be a coin toss as to whether you'll Buell's in a Harley shop now.  Harley shops always seemed the wrong venue for the Buell's to me anyway.

There's your problem right there, Vern...Buell is competing with not only the Jap sport bikes, but bikes like Ducati, Aprilla, etc.  People who are interested in those types of bikes don't want a HD Vtwin sitting between their legs when they can have a lighter, lower CG, and chit load more powerful, powerplant under them.  HD has a hard enough time selling the Vrods in the same room as the air cooled, so the Buell doesn't fit on the showroom floor.

I'd take a Duc any day over any Buell made

[sfarson]

FWIW, from Motorcycle Consumer News, YTD volume plus final quarter '07 projections...

%Change From 2006, Market Share
Harley-Davidson -4.41% 26.55%
Honda -10.75% 26.28%
Yamaha -4.50% 16.53%
Suzuki -7.81% 13.54%
Kawasaki -3.83% 10.81%
KTM 8.18% 2.04%
BMW -3.13% 1.38%
Thriumph -0.79% 0.88%
Ducati 13.52% 0.67%
Victory 30.68% 0.61%
Buell -6.95% 0.56%
Piaggio 3.46% 0.15%

Total -5.58% 100.00%

Buell business isn't off that much versus the rest of the industry in the States.  My dealer sells a bunch of them.  Firebolts have been discontinued with the upcoming 1125R on the near horizon.  They still have the Lightning and their best selling Ulysses.  Additionally, Buell sells more bikes overseas than in the States and the business is healthy/growing.  Believe the 1125R is critical to Buell and Milwaukee's need to offer an appealing product to new market segments.

[spydglide]

Dang.........according to those stats:  Victory is 'kicking some azz in the growth catagory.    har!  spyder

[Mr. We]

that's a shame.  If I was still able to 'tuck & roll', I'd have to have one......neat bikes.    har!  spyder

Spydy, you can! I just did, and it didn't even hurt. Course it helped that it was simply the stitching on my new Corbin seat! I'll get ya some pics soon...

 

  Buell, there, all better now! 

[spydglide]

Spydy, you can! I just did, and it didn't even hurt. Course it helped that it was simply the stitching on my new Corbin seat! I'll get ya some pics soon...

 

  Buell, there, all better now! 

Hey Jamie, I'm always wanting to see new seats on these SEEGs....I know it'll be good.. .....waiting for the pics.  har!  spyder

[110tHunDer]

Hey Jamie, I'm always wanting to see new seats on these SEEGs....I know it'll be good.. .....waiting for the pics.  har!  spyder

You know you really wanted to call it a "Huckleberry."   C'mon, admit it!

[spydglide]

You know you really wanted to call it a "Huckleberry."   C'mon, admit it!

I did.  But, Jamie doesn't like that moniker, so... ....har!  spyder

[CVOJOE]

Local HD dealership here still carries, and services Buell's. They claim to have a 1125R due in Q12008, love to test out that puppy! 
Joe

[JCZ]

Dang.........according to those stats:  Victory is 'kicking some azz in the growth catagory.    har!  spyder

You're right, Spyder.  But I find it interesting that I never see them on the road.  Maybe they just don't travel the same roads.

[spydglide]

You're right, Spyder.  But I find it interesting that I never see them on the road.  Maybe they just don't travel the same roads.

Hey JC, you're right.  I don't see too many either.....maybe they're riding the same roads the old EVO's are on.....I don't know where all those are now either. A blue-million EVO's can't just suddenly disappear from the hwys., can they?    har!  spyder

[sfarson]

You're right, Spyder.  But I find it interesting that I never see them on the road.  Maybe they just don't travel the same roads.

Yes, a 30% volume increase but on an extremely LOW base.

[arcticdude]

Selling 3 bikes last year equates to 4 this year!!!!  That's why you don't see them !