Yamaha to buy Buell?

[D-Mac]

Latest internet buzz. Could just be crap, but who knows. I saw a link on another forum.

October 16, 2009
AP
Iwata, Japan

In a statement released by Yamaha Motor Corporation, Hirofumi Osawa, President of Yamaha Corporation of America, stated that the company is looking into acquiring recently defunct Buell Motorcycles. “We are interested in the spirit of innovation that Buell has used as a foundation in their business. We feel their values align well with Yamaha’s culture”, stated Mr. Osawa.

----

Wouldn't it be cool to take some of the Buell ideas and re-release the offspring as a 3rd generation FZ6? I love the Buell Ulysses on paper, but the actual product suffered from too many issues (and IMHO the wrong motor). If Yamaha got involved, it might just work.

 

[Hellgate]

Hummm....The press release from HD states that B is not for sale because the operations and finances are too integrated into HD. But for the right amount of money anything is possible I suppose.

 

[D-Mac]

Hummm....The press release from HD states that B is not for sale because the operations and finances are too integrated into HD. But for the right amount of money anything is possible I suppose.

Yeah. I'm pretty doubtful.

Then again, when Indian folded last time, the property, tools, and name/designs were sold off separately. Maybe Yamaha could buy the name/ideas (think Rotax projects) for a bargain?

HD needs cash badly. I think they'll sell anything they can. You know Erik Buell would like to stick it to them too (or at least get some control over his own name back).

I was at the Harley museum in Milwaukee last week. I was surprised at how little attention was paid to Buell. It was barely mentioned (there were only a few in the whole museum - the displays of the AMF Harley Davidson snowmobiles and golf carts took up more space!)

 

[Tailgate]

HD needs cash badly.

Geesh, doesn't Harley charge enough already for motorcycles? They sure are getting top dollar. I noticed that police departments around here no longer (for many years) look to HD for their police bikes---they're all BMW's.

 

[RJ2112]

Geesh, doesn't Harley charge enough already for motorcycles? They sure are getting top dollar. I noticed that police departments around here no longer (for many years) look to HD for their police bikes---they're all BMW's.

The departments in my neck of the woods are roughly evenly split between BMW and Honda ST1300s. Not an H-D in sight.

 

[jmerch44]

Harley sucks ass!:rockon: I hope they go out of business, then we can get rid of the jackasses that dont return waves, but get all the praise from cagers as being the good riders ( thats crap):spank:

 

[FZ6771]

Latest internet buzz. Could just be crap, but who knows. I saw a link on another forum.

October 16, 2009
AP
Iwata, Japan

In a statement released by Yamaha Motor Corporation, Hirofumi Osawa, President of Yamaha Corporation of America, stated that the company is looking into acquiring recently defunct Buell Motorcycles. “We are interested in the spirit of innovation that Buell has used as a foundation in their business. We feel their values align well with Yamaha’s culture”, stated Mr. Osawa.

----

Wouldn't it be cool to take some of the Buell ideas and re-release the offspring as a 3rd generation FZ6? I love the Buell Ulysses on paper, but the actual product suffered from too many issues (and IMHO the wrong motor). If Yamaha got involved, it might just work.

Thats great news! I hope that works out a big Yamaha V-Twin or a 900 twin TDM motor would be sweet! yamaha sold a the TDM850 twin adventure bike in the US in 92 and 93 they are still in production .

 

[wrightme43]

That would be cool. Big bang, fuel in frame.

 

[fazer.rider]

a yamaha with a motor that has self adjusting valves sound very nice to me.

 

[emsee]

Everyone's just quoting the same baseless thing, forum to forum. No real facts, most likely someone's fantasy posted as fact.

As for the Harley Museum having a few Buells, I'm pretty surprised they have any actually. HD always treated the Buell portion of the company as "those people". No respect always the outcasts; I have no idea why the hell they ever bought them in the first place, someone must have been smokin' the wacki tobacii that day. They never gave them the opportunity to grow, their marketing (what marketing?!) was miniscule until they won the AMA. And just when they were starting to get a foothold, think Rotax, liquid-cooled engine, they pull the plug.

 

[Red Wazp]

Harley sucks ass!:rockon: I hope they go out of business, then we can get rid of the jackasses that dont return waves, but get all the praise from cagers as being the good riders ( thats crap):spank:

OUCH, I never wish for anyone to lose their job. That's some mighty bad Mojo your spreading.

I agree that many Harley riders are not the best riders but not all. After a recent trip on a Goldwing in the mid-west I got a big dose of "if you ain't on a Harley you ain't sh^t' " - Whatever- I rode 2,555 miles in 6 days and was having way too much fun to care who waves back.

Personally I think it would be a big step backward for Yamaha to go after Buell.

 

[Hellgate]

I Googled this briefly this morning and the first hit was the OP! Then I found the same quote on a Buell board I'd never heard of.

I think Yamaha's technology is pretty damn good and I'm really not sure what Buell would bring to the table.

 

[mcteague]

Buell could not survive on their own nor under HD's roof. They may have had some interesting features but just could not make a product that enough people wanted to buy. HD customers would not touch them and I don't think Buells were in the same league as Yamaha\Honda\Kawasaki\Suzuki. For a small brand with really nice bikes I would turn to Triumph.

I never really understood Harley's buying them and then treating the company like a red headed step-child.

Tim

 

[Oblinox]

sounds like scuttlebutt and everyone knows not to trust that ")

 

[fazer117]

I never really understood Harley's buying them and then treating the company like a red headed step-child.

Tim

I LOL'ed.

Nice analogy

 

[CanadianFZ6]

a yamaha with a motor that has self adjusting valves sound very nice to me.

That won't happen... besides you already get 42,000 km between valve adjustments now, way more than most manufactures. Your FZ6 is one of the cheapest bikes to own and operate...

 

[Wavex]

Your FZ6 is one of the cheapest bikes to own and operate...

In the US? in the World? Based on what comparison? I know a LOT of other bikes that are much cheaper to buy, maintain and operate...

 

[urbanj]

Strickly from a tech stand point and this is HD as a whole, (Buell is thrown in the mix) You buy something for the name when you buy a HD. Same reason you'd buy a Porche, MB, BMW etc. now the difference is those auto companies are on the LEADING edge of technology. Would you buy 2010 aircooled Porche right here and now without ABS T/C etc. just because it's Porche.

People are learning. Now with the economy the way it is people are saying "I can get so much more for less."

A sportbikes using a aircooled OHV engines. give me a break. That's like right now you go out and buy a brand new car, spend a pretty penny and it doesnt have DOHC's, variable valve and ignition timing etc. Makes poor power and get poor economy vs. the vehicles it's competing with.

In this economic climate, a "brand name" only goes so far. Take at a look at what Hyundai is doing........

 

[Andz]

you already get 42,000 km between valve adjustments now

OMG that is what my bike is on now! Where's my feeler gauges....

 

[grommit]

Thought this would be of interest.

Buell: Top 5 technical innovations - | Motorcycle News | New Motorbikes | Buyers Guides | MCN