Buell is back, they’re planning to build sportsbikes AND adventure motorcycles

BUELL motorcycles are back in production, under the ownership of Erik Buell Racing, and are planning to go much further than sportsbikes - they have set the lofty goal of 10 new models to be released up to 2024, including sportsbikes, adventure bikes, and off-road motorcycles. 

Currently, on the Buell website, they list 3 production models, as well as 1 off-road Hillclimb motorcycle - the 1190HCR, which was piloted by Logan Cipala to win the AMA Pro Hillclimb Championship in 2020. The 3 production models listed consists of the two familiar sportsbikes, the 1190RX Hammerhead sportsbike and 1190SX super-naked, as well as the new 1190 Super Touring adventure bike, which will be a first for ‘new’ Buell. 

Is it a coincidence that this 1190 Super Touring adventure bike sees the light of day around the same time we expect to hear more about the Harley-Davidson Pan America? Probably not at all, given the history between the companies. 

Watch | Our 2021 Sportsbike Comparison

Buell 1190 Super Touring

There’s a small bit of information on the 1190 Super Touring, as it’s still early days for the adventure bike - it’s planned for release in 2023 - but the 1190SX will be receiving a ‘Super Touring’ accessory package in 2021 if you can’t wait a couple of years. Side note, the webpage for the Super Touring bike is listed as “copy-of-1190SX’.

This 1190 Super Touring is planned to harness 185BHP in true Buell-power fashion, and it’s looking like it could be a real competitor in the ever-growing adventure bike market, where there’s plenty to pick from! 

A quick Buell history lesson

This relaunch is Buell, but without Buell. If you were unaware of the history, the American manufacturer was founded by ex-Harley-Davidson engineer Erik Buell in 1983. Harley-Davidson acquired 49% of the company in 1993, and 100% in 2003, and Buell were producing motorcycles as a subsidiary of Harley-Davidson up until October 2009, when Harley-Davidson discontinued the brand in order to focus on their own range. 

Buell produced a total of 136,923 motorcycles in their time, and Erik Buell then went on and founded Erik Buell Racing (EBR) in November 2009. They faced difficulties over their time, and filed for bankruptcy, where they were bought out and continued by ‘Liquid Asset Partners’. This brings us full circle, as EBR has taken ownership of the original Buell name to release new motorcycles for us to enjoy once again. Phew. 

Rundown of the Buell 1190RX Hammerhead & 1190SX

The 1190RX Hammerhead appears as an extremely familiar style for Buell, and definitely something we’d expect to see with their racing heritage, with a 1190cc V-twin producing 185 bhp at 10600rpm, and 138Nm of torque at 8200rpm, and 190kg wet weight. The aluminium frame with an integral fuel reservoir remains as a defining characteristic, and brakes feature a 386mm perimeter rotor up top, with a 220mm disc at the rear.

Whilst the 1190SX houses the same motor, but an upright riding position, 188kg wet weight and super-naked look, giving it the ideal characteristics for town riding and back-lane blasts. The 1190SX shares the same characteristics of aluminium frame fuel reservoir and perimeter front rotor, also. 

We’d love to see these planned American superbikes and adventure motorcycles hit the UK shores, so we’ll keep our fingers crossed for now. It’s incredibly ballsy launching a new motorcycle brand at the (we hope) tail end of a pandemic, so fair play to them!

I just hope they also diversify to mid-capacity motorcycles as well (maybe even some smaller capacities), and perhaps even electric power - otherwise they may be a tad late to a changing market.