Kaput!

Sic transit gloria.

My most recent issue of Cycle World, January 2010, reports that Buell Motorcycles (“BULE;” as in “mule) is kaput.
This is a shame. Buell Motorcycles is the only other American motorcycle manufacturer beside Harley Davidson, although by now a wholly-owned subsidiary.
It was named after its founder and head-honcho, ex Harley engineer Eric Buell.
Buell fielded a motorcycle of his own design in 1983, a square-four two-stroke.
He then fielded a crotchrocket in 1987 with a Harley Davidson Sportster engine.
Harley bought 49% of the stock in 1993 and took control, and made Buell a wholly-owned subsidiary in 2003.
40-50 years ago the Harley Sportster engine was la-crem-de-la-crem.
But sadly engine development has passed it by.
The Japanese are fielding motorcycle engines with as much horsepower at half the displacement.
Harley stuck to tradition, and built motorcycles that appealed to those into the macho Harley schtick.
Appeal to the Hells Angels wannabees; and “loud pipes save lives!”
BLAMA-BLAMA-BLAMA-BLAMA! and BRRRAAAPPPPPPP-uh!
“The look” was more important than function. Try to control a motorcycle with “ape-hanger” handlebars.
And a front fork so extended ya can’t negotiate your driveway.
Buell fielded some great ideas:
—1) Primary was slinging the muffler under the engine, between the wheels, instead of alongside the rear wheel.
Doing so increases lean clearance — you’re not scraping the muffler.
—2) was using the twin frame spars as a gas tank. A sport motorcycle needs two huge frame spars to connect the steering-head to the rear swingarm pivot.
Put a gas tank in its usual place, in front of the rider, and the spars crowd it.
—3) Buell also used the rear swingarm assembly as an oil tank.
—4) Another great idea was putting the brake-disc out at the tire-rim.
Such a large disc can generate incredible stopping power, so ya only need one.
But regrettably Buell kept using the Sportster engine (although the new 1125R had a non-Harley engine). He was in no position to develop a crotchrocket engine of his own.
I’ve only seen one Buell up-close-and-personal.
I was on my way to Horseshoe Curve, and had stopped in Williamsport, PA.
A Buell was parked in the lot of an adjacent hardware; and the rider came out and fired it up.
It had an edginess to it — more so than a Harley.

• I ride a motorcycle myself — a 2003 600cc Honda CBR-RR.
• A “square-four” is a four-cylinder motorcycle with two crankshafts; two cylinders per each. A “two-stroke” is an engine that delivers a power stroke with each down-stroke. Ya hardly see two-strokes any more, since they grossly pollute. Oil has to mixed with the gasoline, and is burned with it. The gasoline-charged intake air is cycled through the crankcase, to pump it into the cylinder. And that crankcase needs oil. —Most gasoline engines nowadays are four-stroke; every other downstroke is a power stroke. Gasoline-charged intake air is sucked in past open poppet-valves — independent of the crankcase. Operation can be more precise, and meet pollution requirements. (Poppet-valves are round valves popped open mechanically.)
• A “crotchrocket” is the nickname for a sport-bike. Such a motorcycle is capable of being ridden extremely fast. (My CBR-RR is a “crotchrocket;” but I don’t ride it that way.)
• The “Harley Sportster engine” is the smaller Harley Davidson engine; V-twin (two cylinders in a Vee). Harley also makes a bigger V-twin used in its road motorcycles.
• “Ape-hanger handlebars” rise 3-4 feet above the steering-head, so ya look like an ape hanging on.
• RE: “Front fork so extended......” —Part of “the look” is to severely extend the front fork-tubes that mount the front wheel. Along with this, the steering-head is also “raked” (cranked into a much more horizontal angle), such that the two modifications extend the wheelbase so much, ya hardly can steer it.
• Horseshoe Curve (the “mighty Curve”), west of Altoona, Pennsylvania, is by far the BEST railfan spot I have ever been to. Horseshoe Curve is a national historic site. It was a trick used by the Pennsylvania Railroad to get over the Allegheny mountains without steep grades. Horseshoe Curve was opened in 1854, and is still in use. (I am a railfan, and have been since I was a child. —I’ve been there hundreds of times, since it’s only about five hours away.)