FAPTurbo

Speeding through a city’s arteries, few vehicles get your blood pumping like Buell’s 1125CR. With a futuristic design and a frame coddling a heart that bleeds Red, White and Blue, this American sportbike is unlike anything else on the road. I step outside from a neighbourhood pub, only to notice an older gentleman poring over my motorcycle. Circling around, his gaze moves from side to side before fixating onto the large disc on the front wheel. Upon my approach, he looks up at me, grinning ear-to-ear. “Well mister, I’ve never seen anything quite like this in my life,” he says. “Where did this bike come from? Area 51?” “It is quite otherworldly, isn’t it?,” I smile. But before we can begin to chit-chat, he’s called into the pub by a friend. Cracking open the door, the grin on his face reappears. Before stepping inside, my new friend looks at me, with one more question: “So, do you go by Mr. Wayne? Or just Bruce?” And that’s Buell 1125CR ownership in a nutshell. Though the bike may stop, the fun doesn’t. Cafe Crawler Debuting in 2009, the Buell 1125CR was the brand’s interpretation of a ‘cafe racer,’ hence the CR designation. A famous motorcycling subset, ‘cafe racing’ typically traces its roots to the sixties, where Triumph’s and BSA’s volleyed down London’s streets.Today, ‘cafe racers’ have become the domain of hipsters, who’ve taken to ratted out Honda CB400’s and Suzuki XS400’s. But the 1125CR doesn't have time for PBR and ill-fitting jeans. While parent Harley Davidson always looked to the past, Buell always preferred its own direction - often producing some oddball creations. In this case, the 1125CR is firmly entrenched in the future - one that seems a little dystopian. At home in back alleys and urban decay, the 2009 1125CR’s menacing appearance is almost prescient, channeling America’s frustration with the ‘Great Recession’ and further industrial decline. The 1125CR’s polarizing looks begin with the two pods on either side of the bike. Though many people believe these to be intakes for the powertrain, they actually house radiators that cool 1125cc engine. From the side, they create the appearance of muscular haunches, ready to pounce forward. The headlight fixture scowls beneath a tiny cowl, glaring ahead at oncoming traffic. It all works very well, unless when viewed directly from the front, in which case the bike suffers a case of butterface. But eyes will quickly be drawn to the 1125CR’s other assets, including Buell’s unique ‘zero torsional load’ (ZTL) floating disc brake on the front wheel, a low-slung muffler and of course, the 1125cc engine wrapped by header pipes. Holding everything together is a svelte, state-of-the-art aluminum ‘beam frame,’ which doubles as the 1125CR’s fuel tank. Yes, the fuel is in the frame, and the oil is in the swingarm. Science! It’s all so ‘Hot Wheels’ and thus, you’ll be getting thumbs-ups from every boy, ages 5 and up. Park it at the gas station, and even Lambo owners will be rubbernecking. The Naked Truth As it bears the ‘cafe racer’ namesake, the 1125CR bares all its internals, eschewing fairings and plastics that are typical of many sportbikes like Kawasaki’s Ninja. The 1125CR is an unashamed member of the ‘Naked’ category, which is becoming increasingly popular. Ducati’s ‘Monster’ and Triumph’s ‘Triple’ models are well-known examples. As the name goes, riders are left with little protection from the elements. The Buell 1125CR is no exception. In ‘Raincouver,’ riding the 1125CR in inclement weather all but guarantees that the rider will be drenched from head to toe. With a popular aftermarket ‘tail chop,’ water will also kick up behind the massive 180/55 rear tire. And without any front fairing, the rider gets to face the wind. Fortunately, the engine runs hot enough to add some warmth. For anyone outside of a desert environment, expect the 1125CR to be garaged for at least a quarter of the year. Smooth Operator Unlike the rip-snorting Buell’s based on Harley Davidson’s V-Twins, the 1125CR is downright sophisticated. A collaboration with Austrian engine-manufacturer Rotax (owned by Bombardier Recreational Products), the 1125cc ‘Helicon’ V-Twin engine boasts 146HP and 82 ft-lbs of torque. Keeping the vibrations in check are three counterbalancing shafts. The engine can rev high, but powers through the RPM range in a predictable manner, thanks to a deep well of torque that is on tap. Unlike previous Buell’s, the 1125 series features a six-speed gearbox, a welcome change from the brand’s previous reliance on clunkier, five-speed units. Buell also geared the bike down slightly compared to its track-oriented cousin, resulting in a better city riding experience. It all adds up to a big smile when the lights turn green. In gentle hands, the 1125CR will scoot to 100km/h in under four seconds. It won’t outrun a Hayabusa or ZX-10, but it will take on just about everything else. The rush of power to the rear wheel is similar to that of a wooden roller coaster: smooth and sustained. Steering the 1125CR is a smooth affair, regardless of whether you’re on the highway or the alleyway. Despite the use of ‘clubman’ style handlebars, the riding position is fairly neutral. Taking corners is always predictable and there’s never any sense of jitteriness that some other bikes are claimed to have. This bike is at its best when negotiating gridlock and funneling between cars. Its flickable yet forgiving handling gives the rider the ability to skirt everything from potholes to pedestrians. But if you’re hoping to skirt the oilman, there are better options than the 1125CR. In mixed riding, the bike typically averages 40 mpg. Stuck in the city? You’ll be stuck in the high-20’s. Naturally, 91 octane or higher is recommended. Barhopper Bargoon? Unlike BMW and Honda, Buell never set out to make motorcycles for everyone. They were driven to be different - it was even in their tagline. The 1125CR is emblematic of this philosophy, and it'd be the final steed out of the 'Pegasus Brand's' stable before the gates shut. Fortunately, the 1125 series isn't in limbo. Erik Buell Racing continues to support these bikes with parts, some of which are improved. That’s important, because the 1125’s had their share of gremlins, including issues with charging stators and weepy clutches. Some cursory Googling will enlighten potential buyers. Prices for these models are quite low, and they’re often babied by their doting Buell enthusiast owners. Only 3,100 were built. If you don't mind being the centre of attention and are comfortable riding something that's a little harder to service, a used Buell 1125CR is a standout option. Editor's Note: Jeremy Sally is a long time reader guest posting for us today. Our Roadmasters section is where we put reviews of vehicles that deserve a review, but that don't come to us in the traditional fashion of a manufacturer loan. -DD View full article

Pet peeve: Why do the rear seat screens have composite jacks? This is 2014. Are people hooking up Colecovision's in their Escalade's? Put an HDMI port in there.

Though I do wonder if it's possible. As the article says, RR still had to ensure the vehicle can be capable off road. An Escalade isn't expected to be an off-road performer so perhaps GM's engineers would have more flexibility to make it out-handle competitors. It'd be a bit silly though.

Jordan Haskins is not going quietly into the night. After some soul-searching, the Saginaw native busted multiple times for breaking into government vehicles and masturbating inside them is re-entering the race to fill a state House seat. Haskins, a 24-year-old Republican, entered the race to become a Michigan state representative to fill a state seat, but his arrest record for numerous "cranking" incidents came to the surface immediately after he put his name in the hat. Let's revisit what cranking is: "Jordan would remove the spark plug wires and sit in the car and masturbate while the motor was sparking and making noises," the police report states. Haskins was charged with additional misdemeanor offenses related to a third incident at the mosquito control property in October 2010. According to that incident report, Haskins again said that he damaged county vehicles by pulling spark plug wires to "masturbate while cranking the engine." Deputies said he told them the act is a sexual fetish he learned about online. More at Jalopnik Detroit

But truck advertising and PR has always been akin to boy-racer cockwaving. In 2005, it was 'my engine is bigger.'

A redux of the Pacifica would be amazing. The vehicle was ahead of its time. I saw one a week ago and it's incredible how contemporary its appearance is. It was hobbled by a bad launch and bad engines/4-speed transmissions. It didn't help that it came out at a time when people were demanding more powerful engines. With ChryCo's new powertrains and a couple design nip-tuck's, I wouldn't be surprised if a new Pacific were to sell better than its pre-recessionary model.

Consumer Reports isn't 'anti-American.' It's anti-Anusgarbagebutts. When GM, Ford and Chrysler built cars that were Anusgarbagebutts, they got bad reviews. Since they decided to make vehicles that aren't Anusgarbagebutts, they're getting good reviews. I miss the days of when C&G was all 'OMG TEH MEDIUH IS BIASSED!!1!' When's the last time we heard that ol' chestnut?

This is awesome news for fans of bad quality and lack of competition!

Evidence supporting this theory is here.

My latest smelled of pickles. Must've been the Big Mac from 5 hours ago.

I don't think they're interested in the 'only goes fast, handles like total ass' market.

Awful design + Limited Fuel Network x Not a Tesla = LOL

OH GOD WHAT THIS THREAD IS BACK?!

Hi Sandy, thanks for your comment! It's good to hear I'm not the only one who experienced issues with the shifter, and bad at the same time. I'm curious why the Harley dealer was giving you a hard time and what they said? I've heard stories about Buell owners being jerked around by HD dealers, which says something about the dealer's business acumen. Hi Kevin! Nothing new, as my Blast has been in the garage since the fall of 2012. I've since 'graduated' to a Buell 1125CR. I may get the Blast back on the road for a little more follow up in the future. Hi OneKlutz, thanks for commenting! Though I've changed bikes, I do find myself on occasion wishing I had the Blast's handling. The 1125CR is pretty forgiving but there's something 'comfortable' about the Blast and how it lets you take the curves very fluidly.

SUBARUUUU IMPOSSIBRUUU

The LiveWire is a surprisingly compelling vehicle from a company better known for two-wheeled lawn-tractors. I'm interested to see how the bike evolves and wouldn't mind having one in my garage after its release. From sound samples, the bike is akin to a 'pod-racer' from Star Wars, whic 'Loud Pipes' don't save lives because they don't indicate the rider's actual location on the road. All they do is cause motorists and the broader community to loathe motorcyclists, which potentially makes riding more dangerous for us yet. In the case of Harley's, many aftermarket pipes haven't even been accompanied with an ECM remap, so riders who think a louder bike is a more powerful one, are actually riding something that is less powerful than stock.

Hyundai has shown that it's possible to straddle multiple tiers and price-points with a single nameplate. I don't think keeping Dodge in the mix is helpful because FCA will never be able to decide if it's the value brand, or if it's the performance brand. It'll be muddy, like it is right now.

FCA does have too many brands. I think the optimal set-up would be three mainstream ones, with two dealerships total. Dealership A: Chrysler = Dart/200/300/Journey/T&C & Jeep = Wrangler/Cherokee/Grand Cherokee Dealership B: FIAT = 500/Ram/Promaster FIAT has enormous brand awareness outside of North America and it's already gaining ground in our market. Dodge is the opposite and its few recognizable nameplates can be appropriated by the Chrysler brand. Charger isn't needed because the 300 exists. Chrysler Challenger would only sound weird for about a month or two before everyone moves on. 'Dart' hasn't done too well so losing it for another name likely won't cause many issues.

If Toyota needs a reason why this is a bad idea, I'm sure Honda would be happy to send over an unsold CR-Z. Why are people and Toyota fixated on making big changes to the FR-S/FT-86? It's near-perfect for what it is. There's no real need for extra power, because that's not what the car is about.

It's not the California government's fault that FIAT wasn't capable of building a cost-effective electric car. This is entirely FIAT's problem and Sergio is too embarrassed to admit it. They're the ones who made a $33K subcompact. Tesla and Nissan are making money on their electric cars. FIAT is just bad at business.

My Note 2 is still running great. I had to unroot it to get the 4.3 update and now it appears 4.4 isn't too far off. I liked having it rooted for additional security. However it seems my battery is on the wane and doesn't hold a charge like it used to. I'll likely buy two new batteries for ~$20. Also, Android's Chrome browser is proving to be a heap of garbage. Despite clearing my cache, it continues to be slow and crashes often. I think it's because my Google account is sync'ing my bookmarks and tabs with it, but that's one of main points of the browser. I do find myself very interested in what the next Moto X will be like, as well as the upcoming OnePlusOne.

I don't think young people who can afford cars want a relic from the Limp Bizkit era like the xB. Kia and Hyundai understand this and make vehicles that appeal to someone who is young but can own it into their early 30's without appearing like a D-bag.

Nice editorializing in the title. FYI: "California state regulators last year docked the company $99,245 for violating state labor laws by under-paying Chinese engineers it brought over to work at the Lancaster factory. The labor commission later dropped that charge and reduced the fine to $37,803 for minor infractions of state labor laws." Clearly BYD has the interests of the 99% in mind. LOL! Also: China is leading in EV technology because their government boasts the limitless funds, legal bodies and various state-controlled companies necessary to 'corner and own' the market. The US could do it too but instead your population seem happier to let companies like A123 get bought out by the Chinese or oppose any kind of government funding/subsidies to EV manufacturers because HURR DURR SOSHULIZM.