Everyone loves to hate the Buell Blast but it wasn’t as bad as people like to think. It was a simple, belt driven city bike. It was a bit ugly, I’ll admit, but for a smaller city bike it’s ok. I’ve often thought of picking one up or buying a blast engine to build a bike like Mac’s Blast-based motorcycle-

Almost immediately, he went gunning for Buell, which, according to CycleWorld, he described as “Erik’s racing hobby” and questioned “why anyone would even want to ride a sportbike.”

Interesting story. I didn’t know most of what you reported. You’re a little hard on HD closing down Buell but you have that right. I looked at Buell bikes a few times but they just weren’t for me. I think the stigma of HD was a negative with a lot of sport bike buyers. IDK. I had a Night Rod (sorry) and I hated riding… Read more

In my opinion, Buell made some amazing machines that were dragged down by the connection to H-D, and the terrible-quality parts involved in that connection. It’s almost safe to suggest that H-D deliberately sabotaged Buell from the start of that partnership. Even the Blast could have been an excellent bike if it had… Read more

Screw HD. Right in the bum. They don’t give a shit about innovation; Just the “lifestyle experience” of tooling around with other dentists going to bar after seedy bar and pretending you have seen america. Read more

I can't believe I hadn't heard that EBR went under! My hometown is 20min from East Troy and I know a couple people that worked there (I haven't seen them in a few years though). I was actually trying to get hired there when they went on the hiring spree...good thing I didn't I guess. Sad to see him get pushed down… Read more

I learned a long time ago that you can’t keep a good man down. This has been the case with Buell from the gitgo. Erik has more lives than the proverbial cat. He may or may not decide to build bikes again. But whatever he does will be amazing. Mark my words. The guy is congenitally unable to do anything but quality. Read more

After the trouble with Harley having such a huge stake in the company, even before owning it, why the hell did he let hero take such a large stake? I understand you need funding and the contractual obligations of such funding, but it doesn’t seem like he learned his lesson. While your article seems to grandeurize… Read more

Great write-up. More people need to know and respect Erik Buell, since he’s arguably the only engineer in the game that tries to bring innovative, forward-thinking shit to the sportbike market.
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I’m too old to start riding bikes, but if I did, it’d be a sport bike like a Buell. I saw one once on display and I said “That’s a Harley? I’m not used to liking them.” Now I understand. Sad and shitty. Read more

Hey Polaris, HIRE THIS GUY! Read more

What a great read. I’m a noob rider, but I always liked the look of Buell bikes. Hopefully 3rd time is a charm for Erik. Read more

Great article! Thanks, I like the Buell sad to see it going away :(
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A dual -purpose bike like the CRF250L (or go ahead and get the 650 if you’re a big lummox like me). It’s the best of both worlds: All the lane-splitting sweetness on the street, go anywhere a built 4x4 can go off-road, plus you’re (maybe) a little less likely to get all racey on the road when you just don’t possess…

The only Victory I recognize is beer! How the cycle company is still in business is beyond my reckoning. Read more

That exhaust looks sexy.
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Hey now, they produced a couple bikes before Polaris came calling. Here’s mine :)

As an avid rider/weekend racer and electric car owner, I’m stoked about this. I really want an elec motorcycle, but there’s no way it’ll replace my FJR (range) and I’m terrified to replace my R6 (track bike) because so much of the safety of rubbing elbows on the track comes from your ability to hear who’s just off… Read more

I had a Brammo for a couple of years. Mine was in ATOM form though. Read more