Buell 1125r - The Dark Horse

When you own a Buell you've joined a sub-culture of the motorcycle enthusiasts and have been deployed to the faction bounded by the city you live in. The typical stares every rider gets are amplified. Pedestrians don't recognize your machine and other riders don't know what machine you're on either.

When you own the flagship Buell 1125r 25th Anniversary Edition you're an ambassador.

The story of Erik Buell and the Buell Motorcycle company has been told many times, but owning a relic is understood only by a devoted few.

A year ago I joined the ranks and I mentally saluted Erik Buell himself who I could only assume was across the globe scrutinizing his latest project.

Love Doesn't Always Start Out Pretty

Three years ago I wrote a sweet and salty comment on a story JamesL wrote on the Buell 1125r.

The Erik Buell story is a tragic one so much potential thwarted by industry bias, mismanagement and politics. I think the 1125R is hideous, but it is an amazing bike in terms of the technology - Devon

I was still on my Yamaha R6 at the time and I loved its sharp looks, its sound and uncomfortable seat. Circumstance caused us to split and for a time, I had no two-wheeled mistress to hide from my car. I welcomed the idea of a new motorcycle, but I needed a departure from the most recognized sport-bikes and I wasn't ready for an adventure motorcycle or a cafe racer. The elusive Buell popped up, I stalked it for a few weeks, then with some hesitation, pounced and she was mine.

Power & Sound

It doesn't sound like the Japanese litre bikes; think more like an Aprilia or L-twin Ducatis. It grumbles, burps and grunts before settling into its throaty hum. It can be likened to your grandfather rambling on before settling into his point - its really quite nice.

The torque is impressive. The large belt-driven sprocket delivers the 82 ft. lbs of torque requiring the rider to keep a tight grip. Whether you're launching or already rolling, the power plant is aggressive, responsive and can be unforgiving. Slower maneuvers on bikes with this much power require focus and control.

The liquid cooled Helicon engine claims 146 hp and the 6-speeder tops out at 190 mph. As with all the big bikes you feel like you're just getting started when you're cruising at 120 kph and even though its a 2009, it keeps up with the litre bikes of today. The power curve is straight, not curved and torque doesn't drop off at its max, translating to consistent low to late-middle torque and high-end performance in speed. My motorcycle mechanic once stated, "[…] the thing has shit-kicking power from top to bottom".

The Ride

The riding position is sporty, but not cramped or slanted too far forward. The Showa suspension, with inverted fork, works wonderfully. The 1125r can definitely squat when using all that torque, but the ride isn't necessarily soft. In fact, it may be a bit too firm for some, but I came from an R6, so this was comfort.

Don't let the maw and thin wide headlights fool you, this bike was made for leaning and is surprisingly nimble thanks to the fuel tank being in the frame and providing a lower centre of gravity.

Even with three balancers the big Rotax V-twin does vibrate a bit and when you find the sweet spot in your gear the side mirrors still shake a lot. It also gets pretty hot. If you are stuck in traffic you will lane split to prevent from overheating. The fans over the radiators kick in often, even in cooler temperatures but then again, V-twins tend to run hot.

The 1125r was purposely built to perform without imitating any aspects of traditional motorcycle engineering. The 1125r wasn't without its critics, but when the 1125r went from a terrible prototype to an AMA race winner its capability and legitimacy were no longer debatable.

Today Buells are rare. It has been a year and I've yet to see another 1125r on the road, I was even cautioned before buying it, "will it be reliable, where will you get it repaired?" but I am an underdog kind of guy so I had to pick the dark horse.