"....EBR will continue to review strategic alternatives with interested investors regarding production operations.” "Let the dream die, LET THE DREAM DIE!......let it die."
I figured at at some point he/they would realize "it's made in America" isn't enough. We want good, quality, competitive, cool shit. Perhaps if he would stop trying to be different, stop trying to reinvent the wheel, and stop trying to push his ideas into the market, he might be successful. Get rid of that motor, lose that single rotor system, put on a normal frame with the gas where it goes, etc. BMW has all kinds of weird motors and suspension designs. Then it came time to build a Sportbike and what did they do...they went with an I4 with conventional brakes and suspension. He is trying to target a demographic that expects and can easily get a bike with a reliable 190hp, Brembo brakes, IMU based electronics, and Ohlins suspension...that is capable of being competitive year after year, without a leak or blown motor. I applaud his efforts and want to see him succeed, but people aren't going to buy a lesser and different bike, just because it is made in America. Stop trying to be different for the sake of being different. Stop trying to reinvent the wheel and give us an American version of the R1 or Panigale.
I agree, probably one of those guys that can sell ice to Eskimos. Perfectly said, and I'm one of those guys that even owns a Buell. IMO the bigger problem is the American market seems to have moved on from sportbikes, and that is all he sells now. Yes, some sportbikes will always sell,. But it isn't like, when I was a kid, and we only had standards. I dreamed of a Rickman, or even a 1/4 Cafe fairing with clubman bars. Damn those bars were uncomfortable.
You can go off on the "different" path after you have established a platform that sells in sufficient numbers to support the cost of developing "different".
This is more or less what Michael Czysz with his original petrol C1. Chassis was just a bit different, engine was unique in its design and arrangement and made plenty of power. Losing a guy like that with his vision was a real shame
I'm actually kind of curious as to why none of the MotoGP teams never tried that idea of turning the I4 90 degrees like Czysz did. It allows the bikes to be MUCH narrower.
ordinarily you're spot-on with stuff, but you're dead wrong here. people under-estimate and appreciate what the Japanese have done, especially the Euro-snobs. this forum EXISTS because of the Japanese factories. in the US....to compete in design, quality, reliability AND price , you wouldn't need limitless resources and the right people. you'd need a fucking time machine. that ship sailed at least 35 years ago.
Well, just give it time. Japan is in the midst of what some say is an unrecoverable demographic decline. In a few generations there won't be enough people left to keep the economy/country afloat much less build toys of leisure.
What's the over/under on the time frame for next EBR/Buell/EB-Racing/ iteration? 6 months? 18? 36? some multiple of 7?
The marketplace has embraced his "muffler under the engine" thing, and there's nothing wrong with that engine. The EBR models were good motorcycles. Did you ever ride one?
I wonder how it would have turned out if Hero didn't eF over EBR. A few motor and ECU updates, bolt on some Ohlins sticks and a Marchesini wheel with brembo bits would have gone a long ways to quiet critics
