Speaking of Buell and the AMA/DMG Roadracing Series...

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by Rsv1000R

No, it was designed as a streetbike, which is why it has a belt drive, and while the older ones have an air-cooled engine, the 1125 has a water cooled Rotax for an engine.

Nope, it has belt drive because supposedly, according to Buell, belt drive is better. Gas in the frame is better. Oil in the swing arm is better. Perimeter brakes are better. Carrying the muffler under the engine is better. When the Buell was introduced, Erik proclaimed that he had a better motorcycle design. The ads and the accolades were endless. Well, I say prove it! Fuck, if they aren't trying to sell it as a sport/race bike then why race it in the first place? When it wins races it's a race bike, when it loses then it's a street bike.

[Phenix_Rider]

Originally Posted by TIGGER

Nope, it has belt drive because supposedly, according to Buell, belt drive is better. Gas in the frame is better. Oil in the swing arm is better. Perimeter brakes are better. Carrying the muffler under the engine is better. When the Buell was introduced, Erik proclaimed that he had a better motorcycle design. The ads and the accolades were endless. Well, I say prove it! Fuck, if they aren't trying to sell it as a sport/race bike then why race it in the first place? When it wins races it's a race bike, when it loses then it's a street bike.

So he should make a Jap I4 clone? That's where BMW is going, after all.

[tached1000rr]

Originally Posted by Phenix_Rider

So he should make a Jap I4 clone? That's where BMW is going, after all.

Why stop there, go ahead up to an 8cyl so it sounds like a chevy with flowmasters on it.

[Trip]

Well it looks like Buell races in Superbike, I don't know if you can actually call it racing, maybe more like backmarking. They need to give them 1000 more cc's. In other news, Mladin got smoked by the Duc. Apparently it was going more than 10 mph faster in the straights. Sounds like Moto GP. He still almost won the damn thing though.

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Jun/e/n090607g.htm

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by Trip

Well it looks like Buell races in Superbike, I don't know if you can actually call it racing, maybe more like backmarking. They need to give them 1000 more cc's. In other news, Mladin got smoked by the Duc. Apparently it was going more than 10 mph faster in the straights. Sounds like Moto GP. He still almost won the damn thing though.

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Jun/e/n090607g.htm

Aw come on, Pegram won by like .3 of a second or something... I don't call that a smoking... besides Pegram is on a WSBK spec 1200cc bike...

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by Phenix_Rider

So he should make a Jap I4 clone? That's where BMW is going, after all.

Oh I don't think that but if you're going to come out of the box saying that you have a better way of doing things.... again prove it!

[Papa_Complex]

Originally Posted by Phenix_Rider

So he should make a Jap I4 clone? That's where BMW is going, after all.

I would have preferred if they had gone with a triple, to give at least a nod to some of their older machines, but the fact that they have developed an inline four tends to support the notion that there is an optimal configuration for a sportbike.

It would be nice if Buell did better but until Eric and company get away from cruiser-spawned engine concepts, they simply won't be able to compete on an equal footing. Twins are viable, especially on tighter tracks, but not if they carry enough excess mass to build a second engine.

[marko138]

Do you guys know why the old Buells used Harley based engines? Probably not, and it's not because Erik thought they were the best engines ever. They are good engines, good for the street, but thats not why he used them to begin with.

[Phenix_Rider]

Originally Posted by marko138

Do you guys know why the old Buells used Harley based engines? Probably not, and it's not because Erik thought they were the best engines ever. They are good engines, good for the street, but thats not why he used them to begin with.

Because you can get them anywhere?

[marko138]

Originally Posted by Phenix_Rider

Because you can get them anywhere?

Nope.