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Moonrider
 Junior Member
26 Posts
St. Louis, MO
USA
Honda
VFR 750F
Peer Review:
Blocked
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 Posted - 02/27/2011 : 3:55 PM
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Vstromer has news from the SMSA conference that contradicts Eric Buells video:
Contrary to what the Eric Buell video might lead one to believe, the Blast will continue to be manufactured, continue to be used as a training bike in Riders Edge classes, and continue to be offered for sale at H-D/Buell dealerships. It will be badged as a Blast, not a Buell, not a Harley, just Blast. This information comes straight from Tim Beckers mouth at the SMSA business meeting in Madison, WI, on Friday, 8/21/2009. Tim Becker is employed by H-D, and his title is Manager Rider's Edge.
Well, Vstromer, that's interesting. The Blast when it was a Buell sold very badly. Over the past four years, the most Buell Blasts were shipped in 2006 but that was only 1,602 motorcycles. Last year, only 1,177 were shipped - 26% less than in 2006. I don't know how many sites Rider's Edge has now, but I can't imagine that they will need many bikes every year and I can only imagine the economies at the scale H-D will be operating at supplying only RE sites.
I find it interesting that rather than import a small MV Augusta that would be an ideal training bike, H-D is going to continue to use the Blast.
I also find it alarming that H-D made a conscious and deliberate decision to continue to use a motorcycle associated with so many more injury and fatal crashes than another other single motorcycle out there. I guess TPTB decided the economies of acceptable loss v. profit were worth it.
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08-25-The Buell Blast will still be the training bike-but without the "Buell" part
