According to a report from Reuters, Erik Buell Racing has made a major business move.
Since Harley-Davidson closed their Buell Motorcycles division a couple years ago, Erik Buell’s company has been focusing on high-performance superbikes – they haven’t been building machines that you’d see at your local dealer, like the Blast or Lightning models.
That could change now, though, with a report that Buell has signed a deal to co-operate with Hero MotoCorp, confirming months of rumors about a deal seeing Buell in India.
The Hero Motorcorp name might not mean much to you at first, but the Indian company makes more two-wheelers than any other manufacturer in the world. Hero ended a 26-year deal with Honda last winter, and this move now gives them access to cutting-edge technology again.
From Buell’s perspective, this may give his company an inside track on the Indian motorcycle market, perhaps the world’s hottest spot right now for bike sales – an opportunity that might not have happened with Harley-Davidson.
[…] the India-based company entered a deal with Erik Buell Racing, that saw them funding Buell’s race efforts in exchange for access to […]
Oh yeah, one more thing about winning the 2009 AMA Sportbike Championsip:Â
Buell has capped off a tempestuous season by clinching the 2009 AMA Daytona SportBike championship at New Jersey Motorsports Park. Josh Herrin and Jake Zemke took the top two spots (separated by a mere .063 seconds), but Danny Eslick’s Daytona Racing/RMR/GEICO Powersports Buell seventh place win was strong enough to land him five points ahead of Herrin, for a total of 387 season points after 20 races.The win has riled up racing enthusiasts, as Buell– which is owned by Harley-Davidson– has spent the season enduring accusations that Daytona Motorsports Group, the sanctioning body that runs the race series, has unfairly favored the domestic manufacturer. The competition Buell came under fire because rulemakers claimed its v-twin configuration puts it at a disadvantage to inline-4 cylinder engines. As a result, the 1,125cc bike was allowed to compete alongside race-prepped versions of bikes like the Suzuki GSX-R600 and Yamaha R6, which have roughly half the engine displacement of the Buell.Â
“Buell has capped off a tempestuous season by clinching the 2009 AMA Daytona SportBike championship at New Jersey Motorsports Park. Josh Herrin and Jake Zemke took the top two spots (separated by a mere .063 seconds), but Danny Eslick’s Daytona Racing/RMR/GEICO Powersports Buell seventh place win was strong enough to land him five points ahead of Herrin, for a total of 387 season points after 20 races.”
your aperently missed googling it before opening your mouth!!
OHHH – AMA Sportbike, not Superbike ! That’s kinda like kissing your sister, isn’t it ? Â ;-)”you can’t argue the fact that it increases handling performance wile maintaining the same breaking force and reducing centrifugal effects, your argument is that it isn’t reliable and hard for you to change (IN A HURRY)?- That is exactly my argument.””I appreciate all makes and models IF they work.”are you listening to yourself???
What don’t you understand about what I said ?  The perimeter braking system is MARGINALLY lighter than a conventional double-disc setup , as to whether it performs as well and provides any kind of handling benefit  is up for grabs. Show me imperically and I will apologize and retract. I hold strong with my concerns about durability and difficult to change in a pit-stop/racing situation.
I listen to myself just fine  – you have your opinions and I have mine, ain’t it great ???
And that’s why EVERYONE uses the perimeter brake, because its better, right ?
If everyone wanted a better handling bike by going to a perimeter brake, then why hasn’t it happened ? I don’t see any WSBK or Moto-GP bikes with that setup?
All brakes fade with heavy usage BUT you’ve changed more conventional setups simply because there are more of them out there.
I repeat, try to remove the wheel IN A HURRY – can’t be done.
I don’t own anything with a double-leading shoe front bake, nor perimeter brake and nor do I intend to.
Your experience may vary…
Why hasn’t everyone used it??? maybe because it has a PATENT!! You didn’t see such technology in WSBK or Moto-GP because no Buells/Harleys compete in those classes, But you would have seen Buell win the 2009 AMA Championship the last year they competed before Harley stopped production, and hopefully you’ll see them win again in the future with better backing,Â
you can’t argue the fact that it increases handling performance wile maintaining the same breaking force and reducing centrifugal effects, your argument is that it isn’t reliable and hard for you to change (IN A HURRY)?if you are going to mock Buell do some research and make fun of them for looking ugly and (pre-1125r) there lack of power, just like everyone else…Â
using your logic we should all be riding 2 valve, air-cooled, roller bearing crank, flat slide Carburated KZ or GS’s because (insert your voice here) “all that 4 Valve non sense is hard to set and the damned coolant needs checking, and plain bearings need oil pressure ALL the time not to mention them damn computers squirting fuel wrong…”
as much as I’m pretty sure you are not a Harley rider, you definitely have the same mentality of “Mine is best and screw yours!” to be a motorcycle enthusiast one should look at different technologies not as “Dumb or Stupid” but as leading edge with potential if not yet perfected..
Why hasn’t everyone used it??? maybe because it has a PATENT!! You didn’t see such technology in WSBK or Moto-GP because no Buells/Harleys compete in those classes, – If it worked BETTER than other technologies, people would pay the patent fees to be allowed to use it.
But you would have seen Buell win the 2009 AMA Championship the last year they competed before Harley stopped production, and hopefully you’ll see them win again in the future with better backing,Â
– I could have sworn Mat Mladin won the championship  on a Suzuki, what did I miss ?
you can’t argue the fact that it increases handling performance wile maintaining the same breaking force and reducing centrifugal effects, your argument is that it isn’t reliable and hard for you to change (IN A HURRY)?
– That is exactly my argument.
if you are going to mock Buell do some research and make fun of them for looking ugly and (pre-1125r) there lack of power, just like everyone else…Â
No, that’s not relevant to this discussion.
using your logic we should all be riding 2 valve, air-cooled, roller bearing crank, flat slide Carburated KZ or GS’s because (insert your voice here) “all that 4 Valve non sense is hard to set and the damned coolant needs checking, and plain bearings need oil pressure ALL the time not to mention them damn computers squirting fuel wrong…”
-No, that’s not my argument at all. Technology improves the breed, but change simply for the sake of change is irrelevant.Â
as much as I’m pretty sure you are not a Harley rider, you definitely have the same mentality of “Mine is best and screw yours!” to be a motorcycle enthusiast one should look at different technologies not as “Dumb or Stupid” but as leading edge with potential if not yet perfected..
No again, I appreciate all makes and models IF they work. You, by your last statement, acknowledge that perimeter braking  ‘has potential but is not perfected.’
I rest my case…
you argue like a woman!!
“Buell has capped off a tempestuous season by clinching the 2009 AMA Daytona SportBike championship at New Jersey Motorsports Park. Josh Herrin and Jake Zemke took the top two spots (separated by a mere .063 seconds), but Danny Eslick’s Daytona Racing/RMR/GEICO Powersports Buell seventh place win was strong enough to land him five points ahead of Herrin, for a total of 387 season points after 20 races.”
your aperently missed googling it before opening your mouth!!
“you can’t argue the fact that it increases handling performance wile maintaining the same breaking force and reducing centrifugal effects, your argument is that it isn’t reliable and hard for you to change (IN A HURRY)?- That is exactly my argument.”
“I appreciate all makes and models IF they work.”
are you listening to yourself???
I don’t know if this is a good idea to manufacture bikes. Those indian cars sure aren’t any good.
The perimeter brake system is an answer to a question no one asked and  its rubbish – it warps, it fades, it DOES NOT work better than a conventional dual disc setup.
AND its an absolute pain in the backside to remove the front wheel in any kind of a hurry.
End of rant…Â
oh get on your norton and go ride your dual leading shoe drum….Â
last I checked EVERYONE wanted a better handling bike, by reducing the unsprung weight significantly increases its handling,Â
increasing its diameter = increased torque applied = Â increasing its stopping ability,
warps and fades? I’ve changed more conventional discs due to warping than perimeters, all brakes fade with heavy usage….Â
and if you do what everyone else does, you will only ever be as fast as them! not everyone has a problem getting a front wheel off, remove the fender (4xT27 1/4-20) then rotate the fork with the calliper attached… done
“Through this alliance, Hero MotoCorp will also for the first time enter the exciting world of international motorcycle racing. The company will mark its foray into the racing arena by sponsoring two teams: Team Hero and AMSOIL Hero – a first by any Indian two-wheeler company at the AMA Pro Racing National Guard Superbike Championship. Popular young racer Danny Eslick will represent “Team Hero” while another well-known racer Geoff May will represent team AMSOIL Hero – both riding on EBR 1190RS bikes.”
Maybe Hero can finally convince Mr. Buell to give up on the perimeter brake fiasco ?
fiasco?? revolutionary you mean??? that brake works better than most dual disc set-ups.. but the whole point was to reduce weight…. which it did…Â