Show #205 Airdate 08-06-2025. Stewart welcomes Erik Buell, Motorcycle Designer and Manufacturer, Racer, Musician and Actor. They discuss his time at #HarleyDavidson, his own brand #Buell, corporate egos and planning and testing a motorcycle at #Talladega at 179mph! + Keith Martin of Sports Car Market's #specialoffer plus insights on classic tours and rallies. @Porsche https://www.buellmotorcycle.com https://www.sportscarmarket.com/testdrive6
Erik Buell, founder of Buell Motorcycle Company which was sold to Harley Davidson, joins Stewart to discuss his career on another great episode. Erik started as a musician, but soon grew tired of the lifestyle and became an engineer for Harley Davidson before starting Buell Motorcycle Company and then Erik Buell Racing after he sold to Harley Davidson. He is also a musician.
Buell is a member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame and was inducted in 2002. Erik is an honored guest this year at the 2025 Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance in Malvern, PA. They even have a class for Moon Motorcycles.
The first Buell Motorcycles were Formula One biked with Harley Davidson engines. He talks about the difference between Yamaha and Ducati and what he liked and disliked about each bike. He discusses the powerband of the bikes and how they rode.
Stewart and Erik discuss the rise and fall and ups and downs of Harley Davidson and what made them incredibly successful, as well as mistakes that hurt them and things they did that made them so popular. Harley Davidson went bankrupt in the early 1980s before rising to incredible popularity. Erik brought his racing mentality to Harley Davidson that helped their design and performance. Erik had just come off Formula One racing and really tried to put the bikes to the test.
The first Buell Motorcycle he built was the RW 750 and it did 178 miles per hour at Talladega and it could have gone faster but they ran out of gearing. The bike probably could have gone 190 miles per hour and had 165 horsepower.
Harley-Davidson sold Buell brand motorcycles through their dealerships. Harley eventually purchased Buell Motorcycle Company and Erik Buell went back to work for Harley Davidson. Jeff Bleustein who was CEO or Harley-Davidson at the time
Buell started a powertrain with Porsche that became the V-Rod and led to the Revolution motor, which was a 60 degree V-Twin. Harley executives wanted the engine, but they didn’t realize that their customer base didn’t want it.
Erik modeled his Erik Buell Racing after the business model of Porsche. Stewart and Erik also talk about motorcycles that were turbocharged and how Harley was developing a turbo bike but wanted to build the turbos themselves. They also review why the V-R
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Recorded in our Showcase Studio just inside the entrance of the Classic Auto Mall in Morgantown, PA, Host Stewart Howden, Classic Auto Mall President and Classic Car Specialist Steve Saffier talk about this unique and amazing place often with amazing guests.
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