Motorcycle: Erik Buell shuts down, again

[chopper]

Erik Buell Racing, an East Troy motorcycle manufacturer previously owned by Harley-Davidson Inc., has ceased operations.

The company, with 126 employees, also is filing for court protection from creditors, Buell said Wednesday.

Erik Buell Racing is the sequel to Buell Motorcycle Co., which was owned by Harley-Davidson Inc. for more than a decade before Harley dropped the brand in 2009.

http://www.jsonline.com/business/erik-bu...tml?page=1

[N-OS X-tasy!]

That's too bad - I was really hoping he'd make a go of it this time around.

[Gareth]

I've always like Buell bikes, but he hasn't had any good beginner bikes. It's hard to build brand loyalty if you can't capture the beginners from the get go (or you kill off the beginners because they buy bikes too big/powerful for their skill level...).

[N-OS X-tasy!]

For the most part, I've never considered the bikes that Buell designs and builds as being intended for beginning riders. The Buell Blast is an obvious exception to this statement, but I believe that bike owes its existence more to H-D than to Buell himself.

[robfilms]

ebr bikes often gets good reviews.

folks who own his bikes are often quite loyal.

but his bikes have had some electrical reliability issues which undermine the brand.

this go-around, the idea was his indian partners would have deep pockets.

i guess not.

making/selling motorcycles is a tough business, made even more difficult by only having a small percentage of riders here in the states.

(3% of motor vehicles in 2012: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/motorcycles/)

and that is sad because as someone who rides 100+ days a year, even while living in the northeast and dealing with winter, i love riding my motorcycle.

riding a bike is fun, cheap, easy to park, and ecologically sound.

of course, there are plenty of a-hole types on motorcycles and it sure easy to die on a bike.

but i truly wish state and city governments would be more motorized 2 & 3-wheel friendly and stop fearing bikes as cultural images revolving around brando and the sons of anarchy.

ymmv

be well.

rob

[N-OS X-tasy!]

robfilms wrote:
making/selling motorcycles is a tough business, made even more difficult by only having a small percentage of riders here in the states.

(3% of motor vehicles in 2012: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/motorcycles/)

Not to mention that the bikes Buell loves to create will appeal only to a small percentage of the total number of riders.

[Speedy]

IIRC, Harley-Davidson is only around because of a government intervention.

[OWC Jamie]

Harley never got "bail-out" money.
Businesses borrow money and issue bonds to operate and invest in themselves.
When the banks were in troubles of their own operating capital dried up.
Stock values plummeting didn't help.
The government popped in as a lender of last resort for many many companies.
All the typical (H-D) short term operating loans were paid back like they normally would have been.

[RAMd®d]

I've never been a fan of the Buell line, but I sure hate to see just about any manufacturer shut down.

I wouldn't call myself an H-D fan either, but every now and then I see one I like.

But I am a fan of big twins in general, and motorcycles are no exception.

Buell chose a tough road. A niche market within a niche market, and that makes it tough to make a respectable profit.


IIRC, Harley-Davidson is only around because of a government intervention.

The closest "government intervention" of any significance is the number of various police agencies nationwide that choose the H-D. The CHP chose Harley last year, and several CA PDs and SOs go with whatever the state buys. Harley is almost always the low bid choice, tossing in parts and service to offset any price difference in the bikes themselves.


but i truly wish state and city governments would be more motorized 2 & 3-wheel friendly

rob, I'm curious as to what steps you'd feel would accomplish that. In many years of riding, I don't know that I've every experienced any governmental unfriendliness. If I have, I didn't recognize it as such.

Ok, more motorcycle public parking comes to mind. But there are problems there. The percentage of riders over drivers is small, and a *lot* of riders don't see 100+ days a year. So how many spaces, and what happens in the rain and snow when the bikes are reigned in or hibernating? That's all random stuff on my part.

As much as I love riding, and I do indeed, I'd rather see efforts go to public transpiration and responsible bicycle routes, and parking.

[robfilms]

ram-

many bikes get mpg of mid 30s into low 60s. that energy efficiency could be rewarded in the same way hybrid cars got tax credits and access to hov lanes.

it takes approx 6 motorcycles to fill a parking spot that would hold one car. there should be easy access to cheap/free parking in/near urban environments that welcome motorized two wheelers whether a scooter or a harley.

cheaper ez pass tolls.

under 25 mph lane splitting/filtering which could really reduce congestion.

an effort by the insurance companies to reduce insurance costs-everything named "ninja" has a near 25% premium.

i'm sure others can come up with more thoughtful public policy suggestions.

lastly, again and again law enforcement sees motorcycles as a negative, as the "biker" iconic imagery from the 50s to the present is constantly reinforced. but that is an american prejudice.

all over the globe, motorized two wheel machines are appreciated as a thoughtful transportation option. not here. and that is a shame.

with my devotion to motorcycles, i am also in thorough agreement on better mass transit solutions and the inclusion of bicycles as also a true transit tool.

how many cities actually have buses or trains where bicycles can be carried on?

not many. and that is a shame.

let the last subway car be for bikes, and i'm sure more folks would ride their bike to their mass transit.

ymmv

be well.

rob