Relax Noob.....Everything I said rings true. Buell marketed it's machines as "American sportbikes". The 1200cc Harley motor averages around 70 to 80 horsepower. The Japanese/Euro literbikes more than double that. Buell could simply not compete. Add to that, the disdain most Harley dealers treated the Buell line with while it was in their showrooms, one doesn't have to wonder why it failed. Buell's machines had trouble finding an identity. They didn't fit the mold of the leather bandana/black harley t-shirt wearing, "loud pipes save lives" screaming customer that the dealerships were used to pedaling to. Because of their relatively weak/ancient motor they were not considered by the sportbike crowd. Hopefully Buell can continue to work with the Rotax and separate itself from the stigma Harley has attached to his name......

Who's bashing? Harley makes what they make. Their bikes aren't for everyone, and certainly not for the sport bike crowd. 916's assessment about the Harley engines are pretty much true. Doesn't mean Harley makes bad bikes, just mainly for the cruiser crowd, of which I'm not.

It would be nice to see an American company make a nice sport bike. In fact it would be nice to see an American make about anything and succeed at this point.

Grow up and stop with the HD bashing would ya?
I ride Honda, HD and Ducati and I find it rather childish that you must always group everyone who rides a kind of bike together. I am glad my friend Eric is going ahead whith what he always was interested in and that is going fast.

Good call 916. Good call!

Good luck to Buell.....With his partnership with harley he had the financial backing he needed but he was tied to an antiquated, low performance motor......hardley something to base a sportbike on. With the access to the Rotax motor he received during his final year working with Harley, Buell actually has a bike that could give the Japanese/European machines a run for their money....There is no doubt that after breaking free of the cruiser/pirate/weekend tough-guy mindset that Harley bases it's market around, that Buell's bikes will be better than ever......