Whatever Happened to Harley’s Performance Brand Buell and Who Owns it Now?
Neither Erik Buell nor Harley-Davidson are involved in Buell Motorcycles anymore. And yet, the edgy American sportbike builder is not only surviving, but thriving.
For riders who may not be familiar with the history of Buell Motorcycles, the company was founded in 1983 by racer and former Harley-Davidson engineer, Erik Buell. By 2003, the company had become a wholly owned subsidiary of the bar and shield. That only made sense since the sporty Buell bikes used Harley-derived v-twin engines.
Turbulent times were ahead
Fast forward to the spring of 2009. Just months after a deal is made to lease a new 163,000 square foot facility for Buell, Harley-Davidson’s new CEO, Keith Wandell, cancels the lease. Wandell’s hobbies ran more toward golf than motorcycling and the executive reportedly had never ridden a Harley prior to starting his new gig. Wandell questioned “why anyone would even want to ride a sportbike” and referred to Buell as “Erik’s racing hobby,” according to Cycle World.
Wandell’s timing in questioning the value of the performance segment of the market was uncanny. Around that same time period, the real estate bubble burst. Millions of Americans lost their homes, the stock market crashed, and a painful recession began. Harley-Davidson was now struggling financially and a decision was made to focus on the brand’s more traditional — and profitable — products like touring and cruising bikes.
Buell Motorcycles was shuttered and its founder quickly moved on to form Erik Buell Racing (EBR). However, the new company also struggled financially. There was a glimmer of home when India’s Hero MotoCorp gave EBR an infusion of cash and technical support. However, by 2015, contributions dried up and Erik Buell’s dream found itself in receivership.
A new Buell rises from the ashes
Where some saw lemons, investor Bill Melvin saw lemonade. Melvin was personally involved in EBR’s receivership proceedings and his company, Liquid Asset Partners, took over the reins at the company. Eventually, Melvin even managed to secure the old Buell name and trademarks from Harley-Davidson. These days, Erik Buell is no longer involved with his namesake company in any capacity. Instead, the former-racer and engineer heads up an e-bike (bicycle) and all-electric motorcycle business called Fuell — get it?
Modern Buell motorcycles are said to use mostly American parts, which could definitely be an asset in light of the Trump administration’s tariffs policies on foreign goods. As well, the bikes continue to be built in the Midwest, albeit Grand Rapids, Michigan instead of Milwaukee.
Instead of the warmed-over Sportster engines of old, the modern Buell’s 1190 cubic centimeter v-twin is a proprietary design. To begin with, the cylinder angle is 72 degrees instead of 45 degrees. And that’s not to mention direct injection and four valves per cylinder. All told, it’s good for 185 horsepower and 102 pound-feet of torque in the brand’s Hammerhead 1190RX.
Besides the Hammerhead sportbike, there’s also a dirtbike concept called the Baja 1190 DR (short for Dune Racer), a bikini fairing-clad cafe racer called the Super Cruiser, and several other models to select from. Melvin’s goal is to become the third-largest American motorcycle manufacturer behind Harley-Davidson and Indian. If Buell meets its target of selling 28,000 bikes per year, that goal will not only be achievable, but likely.
Photos: Buell Motorcycles
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