The Buell Saga Part 1: Can American Sportbikes Be Saved?

Metier Law Firm
Wed, 03 Feb 2016 20:00:47 +0000
Motorcycle Accident, Sportbike

When you hear the name Buell you think of motorcycle racing and the most turbulent soap opera in the motorcycling world. It all started in 1983 when Erik Buell—a former racer—started a motorcycle business and made the only American sportbikes on the market. The dream grew when Harley-Davidson bought the little company in 2003, but rocky times were on the horizon and the dream of an American sportbike has yet to be fully realized.

Can American Sportbikes Be Saved?

Tough economic times forced Harley-Davidson to tighten its belt, and the Buell Motorcycle Company became extra fat in need of removal. In 2009 Harley shuttered Buell, but did not enforce a non-compete clause against Erik Buell, which allowed the man to launch Erik Buell Racing. The dream of an American sportbike remained alive for another five years until investors in EBR pulled their funds and forced the small manufacturer into receivership in August of 2015. It looked like the end of the road for American sportbikes.

Will EBR Survive?

Auctions have been held for parts of the EBR business, and the defecting investor—Hero Motorcycles of India—bought the projects EBR was developing for them at a bargain-basement price. This left the rest of the company in shambles, to be picked at by vultures. The company’s fate looked even grimmer as Liquid Asset Partners—a company known for buying and selling off the pieces of companies in bankruptcy—won the auctions for the remaining pieces of Erik Buell Racing last month. However, the fate of American sportbikes and EBR might not be as grim as it seems.

What will be the fate of EBR? Will America ever produce a competitive and thrilling sportbike? Keep following our blog for the next part of this saga!

Brought to you by the motorcycle accident attorneys at the Metier Law Firm, serving Colorado, Wyoming and the nation.