The 2011 Dakar rally and future Erik Buell offroader in the works?

[DrogeN Omen]

saw this today, not sure if anyone has posted this yet...

anyone seen any picks of this concept Buell offroader?

http://www.twowheelsblog.com/post/5...-and-future-erik-buell-offroader-in-the-works

The 2011 Dakar rally has a list of the usual suspects for its motorcycle categories, but with a few changes in the number of participants. Making its presence felt is the new 450cc capacity rules, meaning that KTM has a lot less bikes in the rally this year than previously. There will be a reduction from 126 to 62 KTM bikes, but the flipside is that other manufacturers are increasing their competition, with Yamaha, Honda, Aprilia and BMW all entering extra bikes.

This is not to say that KTM won’t take home the prize in the 2011 Dakar anyway with its new 450 Rally bike; it’s been on a winning run since 2000 after all. Last year, though, it had to share the podium with the new Aprilia RXV 4.5. Meanwhile, news has broken that before Harley-Davidson killed off the Buell brand, there was an Erik Buell 450cc off-road model in the works.

According to an interview between Buell and motorcycle journalist Alan Cathcart, that offroad project is back in the development books. The 450cc Buell offroader uses a single-cylinder Rotax motor and has an aluminium frame, although it may not be the lightest bike in this segment. While Erik Buell Racing is clearly born of track roots and will probably stay that way, it plans on investing specifically in the reliability of its offroad model.

 

[delta one]

resurrect the griffin idea? cool

 

[Red93stang]

Actually Erik hated this project I thought? I don't think it will revisit the drawing board. All the Griffin parts got sold off at the Buell auction a year ago.

 

[bttrfngrz]

I Just Read the whole article of alan's, it doesn't hint at resurrecting the griffin at all.

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/f...iew_erik_buell_is_back_in_business/index.html i guess he didn't post all of the q and a's

 

[Red93stang]

Look through these pics and somewhere is all the parts in several milk crates.

http://www.liquidassetpartners.com/liquidation341.html

 

[RudiRulez]

Maybe they're trying to get themselves a big name by finishing the Dakar?, bit like what Honda did in the TT back in 1959.

 

[upthemaiden]

I would love to see a 450cc Buell dirtbike. a Buell SM would look great next to my lightning. I'd appreciate if they made it a twin so it made the same noise too. The only thing that would confuse people more than a sportbike that sounds like a harley, would be a dirtbike that sounds like a harley.

 

[bfletcher]

The only thing that would confuse people more than a sportbike that sounds like a harley, would be a dirtbike that sounds like a harley.

It appears that they were planning on using a rotax for the "go gear" My CR sounds nothing like a harley

 

[DrogeN Omen]

hmmm, interesting, on the page i linked there wasen't any of those Q's & A's...