Oddball Buell SuperTouring 1190 bows with Buell Baja DR dirtbike
Buell pulls the wraps off two new motorcycles - the Buell SuperTouring 1190 and Buell Baja DR dirtbike - as it latest revival takes shape
Returning American motorcycle manufacturer Buell has revealed its first all-new wares since its latest revival with the launch of the Buell SuperTouring 1190 and DR Baja dirtbike at Daytona Bike Week.
The company is undergoing another metamorphosis some six years after it was mothballed in 2016 for a second time having been phased out by former owners Harley-Davidson in 2009 too.
Having restarted production in November 2021 with a rebooted version of the existing Buell 1190 RX sportsbike - now known as the Hammerhead - Buell this weekend revealed the production version of a new touring motorcycle it teased upon announcement of its comeback 12 months ago.
The Buell SuperTouring 1190 uses a detuned 185hp version of the engine available in the Hammerhead, which the company claims makes it the fastest production sports tourer in the world.
While that title might be disputed by other models purporting to be classified in the Sports Tourer category - such as the Kawasaki H2 SX - the SuperTouring 1190 is a lot of grunt for the money with 101Ib-ft of torque on tap and prices starting at $21,995 (around £17,000).
Though not an adventure motorcycle, the SuperTouring 1190 could be considered a spiritual success to the Buell Ulysses and appears directly targeted at the Harley-Davidson Pan America.
Much like the Ulysses - which was both maligned and made a cult favourite for its oddball looks and unusual road-bias set-up - from the outset the SuperTouring 1190 buys into the Buell’s quirky nature with a boxy, utilitarian appearance that will divide opinion.
The sculpted side profile is dominated by an alloy fuel-in-frame design, one that appears to bear resemblance to Buell’s of old stretching back to the Harley-Davidson era, such as the 1125R and XB9R.
The overall finish is also attention-grabbing with an unusual front-end dominated by two close-set circular headlamps shrouded in a chunky rectangular cowl box, plus a strip of running lights affixed below it and a vertical windscreen.
Buell Baja DR launches to more bold claims
At the other end of the scale, the Buell Baja DR sees the company move into dirt bike territory, an area which it says represents an important move for the company.
It too comes with the same 72-degree V-twin 1190cc engine generating a pacy 175hp, enough for Buell to regard this as the most powerful production dirtbike in the world.
Notably, the frame appears to have a tubular design - rather than the alloy of its rivals - plus motocross-style suspension and bodywork.
