<![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike - Jalopnik Comments]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike - Jalopnik Comments]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @biminitwst:

You're right.

@Wes Siler:

Tried to comment on the Moto Guzzi piece, just didn't work (yes, I did set up an a/c and all that).

Mind you, the comment count for most items looked like 0, so maybe something needs oil or a hammer or something.

Stoatmaster

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @Stoatmaster:

I first heard the term Hell Bent For Leather in the Frankie Lane song "Rawhide" from the TV show of the same name, way back in 1959.
Anyway, I enjoyed the site, Wes.


biminitwst

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @Wes Siler: Wow.

It (with "bent") was something my great-grandfather used to say that, among other things, he said his dad used to say. Great-great-grandad was King's Guard (and his dad was also military), so the British military connection makes sense, at least.

I've only just recently (last 10 years) heard the "hell for leather" version, so I assumed it was just another symptom of cultural laziness (like "I could care less").

Huh. The more you know...



beercheck

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @Tanshanomi:

Hell Bent For Leather was born as a punning and Halford-referential album title by Judas Priest.

It didn't exist before that.

Hell for leather is what the civilised world uses.

Stoatmaster

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> ha, thanks. Read the about section on the site, I go into it:

[hellforleathermagazine.com]

Wes Siler

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @Wes Siler: From takeourword.com, a respected etymology site:

"Hell bent for leather seems to be a very recent usage in which two phrases: hell-bent and hell for leather have been run together. The bent in hell-bent means 'determined' or 'resolute', as in 'bent on revenge', so hell-bent means 'intent on going to hell'.

"Hell for leather, on the other hand, means "fast". It occurs twice (1889, 1893) in Kipling's stories of the British Army in India. In both cases it refers to horse-riding and leather probably refers to the saddle. It may have originated as Army slang or it could possibly have been one of Kipling's inventions.

For the meaning, we can only suggest that you ask the next person who uses it in conversation with you. It is understood to mean "as fast as possible", having retained the meaning of hell for leather with the extraneous bent."

As for me, I must admit to hearing "hell bent for leather" in conversation more often than the original version. I always took it to mean something along the lines of "irrationally or compulsively determined to go as fast as possible" which, as it turns out, is pretty close to what it should mean.

But that would just be an unnecessarily long URL, since the shorter version is correct.

Tanshanomi

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @beercheck: No, it's not.

Wes Siler

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> I bet my "ONE" cylinder KTM and it's puny 30 or so HP and I can out run that thing on a twisty road ANY day. Getting your ass passed by a guy on a what typically is a dirtbike, but with street tires...pwnd.

HP doesn't always equal better on bikes. Hell most all bikes now a days pull near 11sec 1/4 miles and a 0-60 in 2-3.5 secs.

SupermotoThud

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> A Hayabusa goes out the door new for $10,600 They look much better and there's a big aftermarket for hopping up the power for a lot less than $60k that's for sure. There's no way to sell a bike when there's a well made Busa at 1/5th the price with a huge number of go fast parts available for it.

Hello_Newman

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @beercheck: Well, to the best of my tribal knowledge, anyway. Gonna have to look into it tomorrow. It'll beat working.

beercheck

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @Wes Siler: The customary phrase is "hell bent for leather".

beercheck

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @beercheck: huh?

Wes Siler

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @my favorite car is a motorcycle: Or have oval pistons..

beercheck

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @Wes Siler: What happened to "Bent"?

beercheck

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> ...and people think the BMW K1200S is too big and expensive. The German may be a bit heavier and have "only" 167hp, but its vastly more innovative and at ~$15k, it's a whole lot more practical.

Should i straddle anything costing $60k, she'd better be Italian.

my favorite car is a motorcycle

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @sabrepwr: Agreed, they clam 192kg dry, but i bet ts closer to 205 to 210, its like a third again as big as a 1098.

Wes Siler

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @Tanshanomi: Thanks.

1. I think it'll evolve into a multiple times a day site, just give us time (and contributors)

2. We're trying reappropriate traditional motorcycle iconography from the low brow chopper crowd back into the world of real bikers.

3. Spend some time exploring the tag cloud on the right and the features on he left, you'll find plenty there too.

wes

Wes Siler

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> I call BS on the weight. Look at the picture: it's a BIG motorcycle. The engine is a huge lump of metal. Maybe 192kg with helium in the tires, no oil in the fork tubes and shock, and a dry engine and battery.

I think the Revolution would be a great engine for a gentleman's sport tourer, but I just can't see its applicability in a sportbike.

sabrepwr

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @Wes Siler: Check it out, and not bad. Not exactly a multiple-times-a-day check-in, but good.

I'd always dismissed HFL in the past because the header font and that "culture-style-design" subheading had me expecting mostly that new brand of creepy rat-rod, rockabilly, retro-smut thing, with scary, skull-tattooed Betty Page wannabee sitting on brakeless bobbers.

Fortunately, you had Fast Freddie, the TZ250 and a back protector. I retract my preconceived notions.

Tanshanomi

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @Tanshanomi: or you could just read Hell For Leather

Which i hear is a totally awesome blog about bikes. I also hear the editor is really, really good looking, but then my sources aren't always the most reliable.

Wes Siler

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @NatefromOgden: Good point, which causes me to wonder (yet again) why there isn't a Gawker "Cyclonik" blog to address that very issue.
Motonik?
Bikenik?

Hell, at least figure out a way to partner with Paul Crowe on The Kneeslider and up the lagging post frequency.

Tanshanomi

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @beercheck: Motorcycles are like T-buckets. Huge power to weight ratio, sometimes frightening, and not for every one!

joneez

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> ..orr a better looking Buell 1125 + a backpack with $48k in it.
[www.buell.com]

Either way you'll hear whining from the aircooled HD fans now its not a 'real Harley'..which is all the appeal, of course.

Bad Juju

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @beercheck: OK, but just you two allowed, no guests.

Wes Siler

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @Wes Siler: Oh. Sure. Just let everybody in on it then.

beercheck

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @Wes Siler: All that coughing, I think I just cought a drift from you.

beercheck

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @Wes Siler: thanks, been bookmarked for later perusal!

joneez

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @joneez: Yeah, i grew up riding in England, I know.

It's just that there's some people that get motorcycles, and some that don't. Those that don't miss out.

I'm doing my bit to try and make people understand here: [hellforleathermagazine.com]

Wes Siler

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> Hm, it was more economical to just have my 750 bored out and get a smaller sprocket/520 chain instead of buying a liter bike. But if I did want one I'd go with a 'busa or a ZX-14 instead, they're much cheaper than that!

That bike looks pretty horrid too.

Castagere

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> Seems a little pricey. $60k? For two wheels?

NovaloadMissesPolar

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @Wes Siler: I agree, but it's the #1 reason there aren't more riders on the road. I took a vacation to England a few years ago (wonderful!) Lots of motorcycles. Cagers there are used to seeing bikes on the road and actually look for them and seem to be better at judging their speed. Or maybe they have less of the "me first cause I'm better" attitude than here in the U.S. It's always been my opinion that people should have to ride a bike for a year before being allowed to drive a car. Maybe some of that paranoia will carry over. Cagers feel too safe in their cars. Phone, TV, AC, heated seats, inflatable pillows in case you hit something. It's like being safe at home.

joneez

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> Heh, 60k for a bike rejected by BUELL for being to BIG and HEAVY. Exclusive, indeed.

Sean_Hannity_has_AIDS

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> A Busey? That sounds dangerous!

way2bee

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @beercheck: *cough* hell for leather *cough*

@smalleyxb122: while the V-rod engine was originally intended for Buell, and designed with Erik's input, it ended up being too big and heavy for use in a sports bike. Thats why they had Rotax develop an entirely new engine for the 1125R.

@joneez: All good points, but talking about safety every time a motorcycle come up is boring.

Wes Siler

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> Just to clarify, the V-Rod engine is not a Harley engine (just ask any Harley guy) It is a liquid cooled 60 degree twin with head design input from Porsche. It is a damn nice engine, and is very far removed from the Sportster based engines powering Buell's lineup.

I, for one have been waiting for Buell to abandon the air-cooled purist BS, and drop the V-Rod engine into one of their nimble frames for a long time. At $60k, even if this handles as well as a Buell XB9R, it won't sate that desire. If they could drop that engine into a naked frame and get it under $15k (hopefully closer to $12k), it might.

smalleyxb122

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> two things cause probably 75% of all motorcycle wrecks, inexperience and alcohol. Any fool can come in off the street and buy a 200hp 'busa. Many of them aren't responsible enough to ride a GS 250. I'm a mechanic at a motorcycle dealership and I've been a rider for 20 years, a few of which I didn't own a car. I lived in LA for 7 of those years and put over 100,000mi each on two of my bikes. Up 'till now I've had no accidents. A better record than many cage drivers I know. So, no, it's not the bike's fault! In a two car pass from 50mph a 'Busa will easily hit triple digits by the time you pass the second car, I know, I've done it! If someone's not responsible enough to deal with that, then they should swallow their ego an buy a more reasonable ride.
Now that I've vented, I like this bike. But at 60k it's way out of reach for mere mortals. Alot of bikes have similar appearance and performance, it's nice to see something a little different.
BTW, Buell FTW! A nice guy, a serious motorhead, and a great product.

joneez

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> I can't believe people keep bothering to try to build an American sportsbike using the Harley engine. It's time to just give up that dream and design your own engine. Plus, for $60k I could buy a Desmoseddici RR that's basically a detuned MotoGP bike that'd blow the pants off this. Or buy a 1098R and get the Ohlins Superbike forks and some carbon bodywork and have a bike that's still cheaper and would blow the pants off this. Plus, a Ducati or MV Agusta is way better looking.

elwood

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> More bikestuff, please.

beercheck

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> Wait. This bike is a Buell reject because of size and possible handling issues, 20kg overweight in relation to the performance competition, and costing $60k?

For some odd, undefinable reason, I'm unable to see where this became a good idea.

190kg... I have a 1980 tourer, made of what appears to be exclusively iron, that weights less...

@OG_: Indeed.

Grive

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> Like the Buell and the V rod from which the Roehr 1250sc is derived, this is just another answer to a question that nobody asked.
And a very expensive answer, at that.
There is nothing I can see here that Ducati, Suzuki, Yamaha etc. don't do better for less money.
Sure its unique, but the Harley guys will hate it, and the Hyabusa guys will blow it into the weeds.
Thats an awful lot of money to pay just to be different.





biminitwst

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> I don't even care about the price, but how on earth do you supercharge an engine and only make the same horsepower as a normally aspirated Ducati 1098 engine?

I'm all for an American sportbike, but until America appreciates real road racing, it'll never take off. We're too obsessed with Nascar and oval crap that sportbikes are on no one's radar and not worth the business risk.

Has anyone here been to any race in Europe? They have a true passion for road racing that puts American racing enthusiasts to shame...

hockyis1

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> $60K? That's ridiculous! I could buy two turbo Busa's and have money left over for a decent sports car. Not that I want a Busa. Maybe a B-King...

$60K is a nice down payment on a new GT-R!

slackinfux

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> Designers meetings went something like this:
"Since we're going to compete with the Ducati 1098, lets just rip off the body of the 999 it replaces."
"Brilliant!"

diskreet

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @dculberson: Nope. Never.

NatefromOgden

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @NatefromOgden: But you're not bitter at all, right?

dculberson

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @donjumpsuit: I created some OCC style and beauty this morning after my first cup of coffee and before I got in the shower.
But seriously, all the bikes made by OCC and the others have is "style" and not a style that appeals to me. At least this has a chance of functioning well as a motorcycle.


Iron-Balls McGinty

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> If I was going to spend that kind of money, I would rather get a Ducati Desmosedici RR.

Dr.Danger, Shogun of Jalopnik

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @jconli1: Ah, so you can. Just checked it out.

Number_Six

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @Mike the Dog:

Funny you should mention the V-MAX. At least my dad waited a week to crash his. With me on the back. Luckily no one was seriously hurt.

68stang

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> These people are insane to think anyone will be purchasing a $60,000 item that can't stand up (i.e. destroy itself) without assistance.

I thought Ducati was disturbed for offering something 14k over what is a reasonable price for a motorcycle, but this trumps it.

At least a 120k custom from OCC has style, and beauty. This bike looks like a late 80's throwback at 2020 prices.

Look for this company to go under within minutes of opening

donjumpsuit

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> 60k? That makes perfect sense....

Picarso

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @Stoatmaster:

We do "get them bikes here", and they're anywhere from $25-40k.

Not sure what's hard to understand about the Roehr's price - just like with cars, limited run models that are built largely by hand are way more expensive than mass-produced assembly line models. Roehr isn't trying to compete with any of the major brands, its going for a niche that probably won't be too hard to find.

jconli1

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> Yay, more horrible sounding Hardly-Doanythin engines to pay too much for!!!

If I were paying 60k for a bike, there had better be a 25000 on the tach, and enough tiny cylinders to shame a corvette. Which I could also buy for 60k.

This looks like standard motorcycle design with the same engine that the Teutels hammer together 16 times a week.

Feds

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> The style on the front end reminds me of the Ducati 999.

@tenbeers: Nothing will make the Busa fanboys shut up.

Dr.Danger, Shogun of Jalopnik

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @Wes Siler: So how's that arm?

cyclopticgaze

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> Insane, I saw my buddies bike yesturday for the first time in awhile. I thought the 90hp out of his little GSXR600 was nuts.... but then I saw the nitrous bottle and knew he had gone insane.

He has 20, 45, and 60hp pills for the giggly gas... he said the 20 shot feels like getting punched in the face.

reefer

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> There's a reason (or 30) that Buell partnered with Rotax instead of using that Revolution engine.

I'd love to see a competitive American brand in WSB or even MotoGP one day - but I also like rally racing. Silly me.

jconli1

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> What's this, my oft refreshed link to Jalopnik changed over to some unknown motorcyle blog that kinfd of looks like Jalop? How the heck did that happen?

Oh, wait, its just an off topic post. Instead of seeing one of my often submitted but never used suggestions, today we get unaffordable and impractical motorcycles... Hmpff

NatefromOgden

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @Stoatmaster:Pretty sure you can't get them there bikes there.

Number_Six

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> I thought the decline in the USD was only supposed to make imported products more expensive.

j6r

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @Wes Siler: I know, I've only managed to break one arm in twenty years!

Number_Six

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> i'd just stick with a Buell........

MK2K4

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @Wes Siler: I was going to make a joke about asking my dead cousin, then thought it would be tasteless as my cousin actually died riding a motorcycle. Keep it fleshy side up, ok?

Turboner

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> what the hell, 60K?. At this rate, the Busa fanboys will never shut up.

tenbeers

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> It looks really good, but MotoCzysz is way more stunning. Especially because of all of its engineering and innovation.

[www.motoczysz.com]

OG_

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> Sooo... You can buy a bike with the same performance for twice the money just because it's American? Freedom ain't free, afterall :)

Turboner

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> How much is a Bimota in the colonies?

Stoatmaster

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> What are you guys talking about? Motorcycles are perfectly safe.

Wes Siler

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> @Mike the Dog: What would change? Quite a few bikes make @180HP these days. The price will keep this from really contributing to the Nicky Hayden wannabes dying.

Number_Six

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> Hopefully they will sell enough of them to bring us an "entry level" 120hp N/A version for under $20k.

It may sell well if they can develop a full line of performance levels and price it in line with the 1098.

smalleyxb122

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> Emergency rooms and EMT services all over America are ordering crash cart and messy cleanup supplies as we speak...

Seriously, the day the V-Max went on sale I heard that about 5 people died within 10 miles of the dealer. Darwin Award, anyone?

Mike the Dog

]]> <![CDATA[Roehr 1250sc, The New American Sportsbike]]> Nice bike but the photoshopped reflections are jacked-up.

BlueRSX

]]>