Even with a long production timeline, interest in the new 175 hp bike is robust.

By Andrew Cherney Source: CYCLEWORLD

Even to the very end of its first run in 2009—when then-owner Harley-Davidson unceremoniously pulled the plug—Buell was known as a unique brand that never failed to provoke debate with its innovative products. No wonder the latest incarnation of the Buell Motorcycle Co., which resurfaced in 2021, seemed determined to take the same path when it unveiled its new Roland Sands–designed Super Cruiser concept back in February. Buell Nation was predictably stoked, but other riders took notice too; the company says that, in just six months, it has amassed over $120 million in preorders for the new cruiser, which won’t hit the production line until 2025. (Not to point out the obvious, but that’s an awfully long time from

Bill Melvin, CEO of Buell, was happy to take a victory lap, saying, “Americans love style, muscle, and performance. The Super Cruiser breaks the mold for all three, and the response shows that Buell simply nailed it. This is utterly unheard of for an American V-twin.”

In case you missed the initial hubbub, the high-performance streetbike is being designed and built in collaboration with Roland Sands Design. Sands says he was tasked with “using as much of the standard Buell rolling kit” as was possible in initial meetings with Melvin, so it’s likely everything from the inverted Showa fork to the 17-inch alloy wheels with signature perimeter braking system will appear on the Super Cruiser, as well as the 1,190cc liquid-cooled ET-V2 V-twin—all of which appear to be visible on these company-provided photos. Sands says he had to engineer his own steel tube frame and get the chassis to sync with the swingarm, fork, wheels, and brake system, but as the Super Cruiser is still being billed as a concept, most other details remain opaque.

There’s no question where styling inspiration comes from though; the Super Cruiser owes its entire silhouette to and leans heavily on Harley FXR cues, and what the company calls “the West Coast cruiser aesthetic.” Sands has admitted as much, saying, “(...the FXR was) potentially one of the best-handling Harley-Davidsons that’s ever been built. We wanted to take advantage of that heritage and connection with Buell.” Who knows; with a claimed weight of 450 pounds and an also-impressive 175 hp, the Super Cruiser may very well land at the top of the performance cruiser pyramid—if everything goes to plan, anyway.

Part of that plan, according to Buell, which has set up shop in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to assemble its bikes by hand, is to have 10 models in the portfolio by 2024. The Buell Hammerhead 1190, Super Touring 1190, and even a Buell Baja Dune Racer have all made their public reveals at this point (though some only in prototype form) and lineup expansion is expected to continue from there, with additional sport, touring, and adventure bikes said to be on the way. To the list you can add the highly anticipated Super Cruiser, which will enter production in 2025; Buell has estimated it will likely “retail in the $20,000–$30,000 range.”

More details, some specs, and preorder info can be found on buellmotorcycle.com.

By Andrew Cherney Source: CYCLEWORLD