Harley to Discontinue Buell Motorcycles - Harley Forum

Buzz Kanter · #1 10-15-2009, 10:51 AM

EAST TROY, Wis. (Oct. 15, 2009) – Buell Motorcycle Company officials thanked the company’s customers, employees and dealers for an unforgettable ride, following today’s announcement by Harley-Davidson, Inc. that it will discontinue the Buell® product line as part of Harley-Davidson’s go-forward business strategy. The new long-term strategy aims to drive Company growth through a focus of efforts and resources on the Harley-Davidson® brand.

“I want to personally thank all our past and present Buell employees, dealers and suppliers for their efforts. I also want to thank Buell motorcycle owners for their support and passion for the brand,” said Buell Motorcycle Company President Jon Flickinger.

Flickinger said a limited number of new Buell motorcycles remain available for sale through authorized dealerships and production will wind down by October 30. He also stressed that Harley-Davidson will provide replacement parts and service through dealerships and that warranty coverage will continue as normal for Buell motorcycles.

“I will always be proud of what we have accomplished. It is a testimony to what a small group of passionate and inspired people can do, and with brilliant innovations, we’ve produced some of the best-handling bikes of all time,” said Buell Chairman and Chief Technical Officer Erik Buell. “I personally look forward to exploring how I can continue to work with Harley-Davidson to bring advanced product technology to riders.

“I have also had the great fortune to meet and get to know many Buell riders over the years, and they are an amazing and interesting group of free thinkers,” Buell said. “May you ride with pride into the future. And may your roads ahead be as adventuresome and rewarding as mine have been for the last 26 years.”

A wholly owned subsidiary of Harley-Davidson, Inc. since 1998, Buell Motorcycle Company was founded in 1983 by Erik Buell and produced more than 135,000 motorcycles. Over the past 26 years, Buell motorcycles won numerous design accolades and awards, and countless races and championships around the world, including the AMA Pro Daytona SportBike championship in 2009.

For more information and to view a video message from Erik Buell, go to www.buell.com

GOMO · #2 10-15-2009, 11:34 AM

Sad to hear. Maybe my 99 S3T will become a collectors item now

doorgunnerjgs · #3 10-15-2009, 04:38 PM

Guess crushing that bike was a portent of things to come. Sad they had to go out this way. They definitely fit a niche!

texan321 · #4 10-15-2009, 05:20 PM

that is sad news - you might be right about crushing that bike.............

street bob · #5 10-16-2009, 12:04 AM

Another American business gone.........

Gas Man · #6 10-16-2009, 02:57 PM

This is truely a sad day yesterday. You could also see it on Erik when he put out his video release. He looks and sounds devistated.

That being said, I will sit back and see how this plays out. I can not imagine a guy who put his whole heart into the company like Erik did will let this go down in this fashion.

I know many buell owners. one in particular who has been a long time loyal customer, and has read many books on the subject. He said this was like loosing a family member. I understand, his Buell is an amazing bike.

Twinpeaks · #7 10-17-2009, 02:39 PM

The Buell was hands down the finest American made bike to date. It's chassis, suspension and handling were with the finest. Unique looks and many industry innovations Had it had sufficient HP to compete with the Jap $hit it might have survived. I'm sure it's not the faithfuls cup of tea but it will go down as a true American classic and I for one was proud it had a Harley powerplant.

Gas Man · #8 10-18-2009, 12:53 AM

Some more info from a post I put on another site... I'm still very sad about this whole thing

************************************************** ***

I cant believe this is not on here already.

FLASH NEWS from Thursday.

As of the end of the month HD is ending all production of Buell. In order to trim up the ledger and protect the core line up (HD). They are ceasing all production of Buell and MV is up for sale.

You can see a somber Erik Buell at http://www.buell.com The man is a genious and this was his baby.

When I found out Thursday and still today, makes me feel like a family member died. The whole thing makes me sick to my stomach. Its simply terrible.

I went today to the dealer and picked up a couple t-shirts before they are all gone. Also, if you're in the market for a Buell. HD is backing the dealers and they are going to be selling them at about 50% retail for the new bikes. They are for sale all across the country for $6k on a new 1125.

Some more info and links

Quote:

Harley-Davidson Inc. said Thursday it will discontinue its Buell motorcycle brand and divest its recently acquired MV Agusta lineup as part of the company's long-term business strategy.

The news that Harley was dropping two lineups came as the struggling manufacturer also said that its third-quarter income fell 84% to $26.5 million, or 11 cents a share, from $166.5 million, or 71 cents a share a year ago.

The company had $1.12 billion in sales in the quarter, down 21% from $1.42 billion in the third quarter of 2008. Worldwide motorcycle sales at Harley dealers fell 21% during the third quarter compared with the same period in 2008. The company said it shipped 27% fewer motorcycles in the quarter.

In a news release, Harley said it would discontinue its Buell brand, based in East Troy, and divest the Italian MV Agusta brand. The Buell decision will result in the loss of about 80 manufacturing jobs in East Troy and about 100 salaried positions.

"The fact is we must focus both our effort and our investment on the Harley-Davidson brand, as we believe this provides an optimal path to sustained, meaningful long-term growth," CEO Keith Wandell said in the release.

Harley may someday build motorcycles overseas - JSOnline

Quote:

What's going to happen to Erik Buell? - Hell For Leather

We just got off the phone with Harley spokesperson Paul James. According to him, Erik Buell is in ongoing discussions with Harley about taking on an advisory roll at The Motor Company, in which capacity he'll contribute to future product design. The rest of Buell's 180 employees won't be so lucky, they'll be out on the street as of December 18, the day the Buell plant shuts down. This news will come as a shock to them, like the rest of us, they only found out about Harley killing Buell this morning.

Paul didn't have Buell sales figures to hand and we don't believe they're published by Harley, but he suggested that this year's sales were down compared to last's about the same percentage as Harley's better-than-industry-average 21.3 percent figure. Indeed, Harley isn't killing Buell because it's unprofitable, it's killing Buell because it wants to invest every last penny back into Harley to save that brand from possible failure. It's not actually sales that are Harley's biggest problem -- although they can't help -- it's the troubled finance wing. Harley's practice of giving sub-prime motorcycle loans to unsuitable candidates has bit the company in its proverbial ass, forcing Harley to borrow $1 billion in operating capitol at 15%. That's only enough money to see it through to the end of the year. So far this year, revenue at Harley is only down 17 percent, yet net income has fallen 71.4 percent.

The decision was made to shutter rather than sell Buell because it's product range and distribution network are so heavily dependent on its parent company, that there's relatively little value in the company that could be transferred to a new owner.

Asked how Harley intends to replace the customers that will now be lost to Buell's competitors and how Harley intends to expand its appeal to post Boomer generations, Paul is insistent that Harley's current range already has the ability to appeal to that audience, saying, "Keep in mind, in the U.S., H-D holds the number two share position overall (all size bikes) among young adults 35 and younger and we are the share leader in heavyweight motorcycles among this group, so we know our motorcycles appeal to young adults.

"We will continue to develop products under the Harley-Davidson brand that appeal to riders under 35 years old. That said - and while I can't discuss the specifics of future product plans - you can expect us to focus on high-impact product introductions that attract new riders and help define the future of motorcycling. We are not ruling anything in or out...we simply will pursue it through the Harley-Davidson brand."

Wes Siler. October 15, 2009 — Permalink

Quote:

Interesting take from the Soup.

Soup :: Expletive Deleted: The Broken Man :: 10-16-2009

It's truely a sad sad sad thing. Not that I agree with the Soup. However, its true. The owners and followers were cultish. But for good reason. They went up to everybody that sad it couldn't happen and it wouldn't work and showed them it would. They took on critism from the big jap companies and their riders. Still pushed on. If you don't get that, then you must be dead or without any passion for these great machines.

I was just hanging out with a buddy in PA that had one. Simply gourgous bike.

Still aren't convinced its sad?

It's all about a dream of one guy

YouTube - We Are Buell (Official Video)