Is Buell About Ready to Really Bounce Back?

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com

What’s Erik Buell been doing since the Buell brand, owned by Harley-Davidson, was closed in 2009?

Well, he built the expensive and limited edition 1190RS superbike under the EBR (Erik Buell Racing) marquee. It only cost $40,000 for the 175-horsepower machine. He also forged a relationship with Indian bike-maker Hero MotoCorp., which became the title sponsor for two AMA racing teams that ride EBRs.

Now, though, having just lined up GE Capital to provide inventory financing for dealers, Buell is working to assemble a dealer network, come out with some affordable street models and return in a big way.

Harley-Davidson of Danbury once sold Buells and has been aligned with EBR from the get-go. It signed a dealership agreement way back in August 2011 that gave it the ability to quietly sell the 1190RS.

What hasn’t been widely disseminated is the fact that EBR has already lined up 45 other dealers, including stores in Albany and Syracuse, NY and in Flemington and Metuchen, NJ. That number was good back in October. There are certainly more now.

More public is the fact EBR is planning three new street models that are expected to sell for less than $19,000. That’s according to an article in “MPN” (Motorcycle and Powersports News). They’ll use a modern, water-cooled, 1190cc Rotax-made V-twin and have chain drive, unlike the old Buells that used air-cooled Sportster engines.

The new models are the RX, which is a sportbike. There will also be a naked version called the SX and a dual sport/adventure model called the AX.

All this action by Buell (the man) and EBR has H-D of Danbury excited. “Al was adamant about being the first (dealer) in the tri-state area,” said the dealership’s Jeff Watson, referring to owner Al Lucchino.  “They’re starting to get where they wanted to be. You hear the excitement. You hear the enthusiasm.”

Just when EBR will get product to dealers isn’t known — maybe 2013, maybe 2014. “We’re still waiting for them to do the big reveal about three new bikes,” said Watson.

For now, H-D of Danbury has no plans of erecting an EBR sign out front. “We can’t jump the gun,” said Watson, reporting that a sign will go up “as soon as we have units on the floor.”

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More to read:

– Triumph is relocating its North American headquarters from a Newnan, GA (about 40 miles southwest of Atlanta) to site near the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. WABE radio has the story here.

– There’s more info on a Utah legislator’s effort to get a helmet law enacted in the state. KSL.com has the story in print and video form here.