Harley Davidson winds up Buell!

**Ocean1** · 20th October 2009, 19:54

Originally Posted by Big Dave

- and why H-D bought the Buell Motor Co in the first place. Job done?

Keep your friends close.

And your enemies closer.

Can't say I foresaw the demise of Buell, but I'm not surprised. H-Ds’ Buell acquisition/absorption/elimination process is a very typical American reaction to a perceived business threat.

**SixPackBack** · 20th October 2009, 20:23

All may not be lost. Courtesy Top Speed.

"After reporting on Harley-Davidson’s decision to suddenly kill Buell Motorcycles, we’re happy to hear that the American brand may have a chance after all as a group of officials from the Village of East Troy, Walworth County Board and East Troy Chamber of Commerce, formed by the Walworth County Economic Development Alliance, plan on taking over the [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]Buell[/COLOR][/COLOR] name and continue producing motorcycles at the East Troy, Wisconsin plant, where more than 180 people currently work.
According to reports, the group of American businessmen will meet with company founder Erik Buell to discuss about the possibilities to revive what until last week was the wholly-owned subsidiary of HD. We hope for the best".

**Bob** · 21st October 2009, 00:22

Authorities from Walworth County – the Wisconsin home of Buell - are trying to put together a business deal to save the company as a going concern, after parent Harley-Davidson announced the operation was to close.

According to Fred D. Burkhardt, executive vice president of the Walworth County Economic Development Alliance, no response has been forthcoming from Buell as yet. Burkhardt added that they have had “Very preliminary contact from an investment group out of the Chicago area and also out of the Minneapolis area.”

However, a rescue bid seems unlikely to succeed, as Harley-Davidson director Bob Klein reiterated "We (H-D) are discontinuing the Buell product line rather than selling the business because of how deeply integrated Buell is into our business systems and distribution network."

The Buell closure will see the loss in Walworth County of 100 salaried jobs and a further 80 hourly positions.

**jrandom** · 21st October 2009, 06:23

Originally Posted by SixPackBack

According to reports, the group of American businessmen will meet with company founder Erik Buell to discuss about the possibilities to revive what until last week was the wholly-owned subsidiary of HD. We hope for the best".

Ah, but if HD owns the IP, any resurrection will depend on its willingness to part therewith, or at least licence back on favourable terms.

This is when we find out whether HD do actually wish EB the best, or whether the acquisition was, as Ocean1 hinted at above, a typical corporate Murkn 'embrace, extend and exterminate'.

**vifferman** · 21st October 2009, 07:45

Originally Posted by Daffyd

... and has sold MV Agusta to an, as yet, un-named buyer.

In fact, the article said it was selling it, not that it had sold. The other thread had a reference that said HD were looking to sell MV but hadn't found a buyer yet.
Kinda stupid them buying MV in the first place, as it doesn't really fit in with the whole HD pholisophy and image anyway.

**Bob** · 21st October 2009, 08:01

Originally Posted by vifferman

In fact, the article said it was selling it, not that it had sold. The other thread had a reference that said HD were looking to sell MV but hadn't found a buyer yet.
Kinda stupid them buying MV in the first place, as it doesn't really fit in with the whole HD pholisophy and image anyway.

The MV angle ties in with what I have been able to find out. There are rumours of an Italian consortium and also Chinese interest, but nothing confirmed about a buyer as yet.

As for why HD bought MV? Well, aside from completing the alphabet, the move was made in boom times... and then, you had an aspirational sportbike range, which would fit with Harley's angle of being an aspirational brand.

If it had paid off, I still think Buell would have had a shaky future; Buell didn't fit the aspirational slant. As it stands, Harley are having to make cost cuts and hang on in there, so neither brand fits in the current situation.

**Cheshire Cat** · 21st October 2009, 08:06

poor MV

**slowpoke** · 21st October 2009, 08:23

Originally Posted by Big Dave

Sorry. No diplomatic way of saying and I'm out the door to do the T'bird photo shoot - I find that wrong. He's a designer - the whole deal is about solutions.

>>If that's not an admission that it's not a credible open class bike what is?<<

Beating the similar capacity Aprilias and other thunder twins in the field.

You seem to have missed my main point.

If you stick the product in a dealer with good support and suitable conditions for the vehicles - they sell OK. (Look how many are on the road here.)
If you stick them in a typical mainland USA Harley dealer - they don't.

Beyond NZ the problem was the distribution and suitability - not the actual product.

Edit: Distribution is the wrong word but YKWIM.

Yep, totally agree re the poor dealer support etc in the 'States....

....but can't agree with racing the up to the minute 1125cc Buell against aging 1000cc twins and 600cc IL4's. Why was the ducati 848 the Buell opposition and no 1098 or KTM RC8's allowed? They are supposedly direct competitors to the 1125. Wouldn't be anything to do with the fact that Buell are (were?) listed as the only official manufacturer as a partner to the AMA?

As for handicaping, what's that? Sorry mate, a 20lb (9kg) weight penalty doesn't quite cut it when you've got an extra 20hp and extra dispensation for: magnesium rims, a larger airbox, front forks, connecting rods, and a converted chain drive.

The whole category stank as a result, and Buell have rightly lost credibility, not gained it, which may have played a small part in it's demise. For HD to heavily invest in an open class sports twin and have it compared to middleweights must have stung.

Having said all that the 1125CR is a nice lookin' ride that I'd happily park in the shed.

**Big Dave** · 21st October 2009, 08:26

Originally Posted by jrandom

Ah, but if HD owns the IP, any resurrection will depend on its willingness to part therewith, or at least licence back on favourable terms.

This is when we find out whether HD do actually wish EB the best, or whether the acquisition was, as Ocean1 hinted at above, a typical corporate Murkn 'embrace, extend and exterminate'.

And although I've seen several seemingly valid opinions about the independence of the IP - eating it whole adds to the core brand and doesn't mean reams of lawyers or a lawyer's reaming.

(I ruv Engrish).

**vgcspares** · 21st October 2009, 10:00

Originally Posted by Headbanger

I'll help you with this one, You seem to be struggling with the concept, They are road bikes, Not race bikes. There is no "real competition" on the corners.

your right I am struggling with the concept of ignoring every proven design rule relating to a GOOD ROAD BIKE:

brakes which will stop
weight low enough to allow a normal human to handle the plot
enough power to break 100mph with ease even if you generally don't want to
adoption of the best modern technology to improve reliability

and all done for a price which is both reasonable and competative

**Big Dave** · 21st October 2009, 10:15

Originally Posted by vgcspares

your right I am struggling with the concept of ignoring every proven design rule relating to a GOOD ROAD BIKE:

brakes which will stop
weight low enough to allow a normal human to handle the plot
enough power to break 100mph with ease even if you generally don't want to
adoption of the best modern technology to improve reliability

and all done for a price which is both reasonable and competative

Yep - sounds like a modern Harley all right.

**Headbanger** · 21st October 2009, 10:38

Originally Posted by vgcspares

your right I am struggling with the concept of ignoring every proven design rule relating to a GOOD ROAD BIKE:

Your struggling all right.

But please, I implore you, never ever widen that narrow vision of yours, ever.

My bike cracks 200km/h easy enough, Not that I ever go there, Is a beautiful machine to ride, even around corners. And any fuck knuckle can hit a corner too hot due to not being capable of comprehending his own abilities (or lack of) no matter what use was in mind when the bike was designed. Its not the bikes fault.

**vgcspares** · 21st October 2009, 11:01

a simple solution would be to ride a harley thingy from Auckland to Wellesford and then swap it for any modern Jap road bike for the return journey and then declare to the world which one you'd sooner head back to Wellesford on

or you could read almost any bike mag article comparing the two

but I think the actual experience could be of some value to you and would save having to read

**nallac** · 21st October 2009, 11:01

Originally Posted by vgcspares

your right I am struggling with the concept of ignoring every proven design rule relating to a GOOD ROAD BIKE:

brakes which will stop
weight low enough to allow a normal human to handle the plot
enough power to break 100mph with ease even if you generally don't want to
adoption of the best modern technology to improve reliability

and all done for a price which is both reasonable and competative

Originally Posted by Big Dave

Yep - sounds like a modern Harley all right.

All except the last one.