In mid-June, we told you Erik Buell has a new naked bike coming out, and showed you some photos. Now we have more details of the latest from EBR.
Supposedly, the bike’s motor has not been detuned from its configuration in the 1190RX, for street usage. EBR says the engine wasn’t reworked for this naked bike; it makes around 185 hp and 101 ft-lb of torque. Or, as EBR’s press release put it: “The streetfighter classification, which was so revolutionary when we first came to market, is now being used by marketing people for all sorts of motorcycles, including some thinly-disguised standard bikes that have de-tuned or obsolete powertrains, so, perhaps the appropriate new name for a bike like the 1190SX is, ‘Superfighter.’”
Anyway, that’s Mo Powah than its Euro and Japanese competition, but the press release doesn’t mention electronic trickery such as traction control to help less-skilled riders put those ponies to the ground. It also has no ABS option announced yet. And, it comes with a $16,695 MSRP in the US, which is hardly chump change – a used Buell Lightning can be had for much, much less, so the lesser-monied fans who want made-in-‘Murica machinery might not be able to pony up for the 1190SX – it’s still not a machine for the masses.
GALLERY
Check out all the pics that go with this story! Click on the main sized pic to transition to the next or just press play to show in a slideshow.
[…] In other words, they didn’t just take a superbike engine and build a naked bike around it, EBR-style. […]
[…] Other than that – EBR hasn’t hinted at any other new models lately, but that doesn’t rule out the possibility of a new bike, or an improved version of their existing superbike or naked bike. […]