This may not be as much of a project as it is a labor of love and a culmination of many years of having an affinity for well engineered motorcycles. I grew up riding dirt bikes, and once I reached my early twenties I started longing for road worthy bikes that could take me places other than dirt tracks and trails.
I started my street riding with a quirky and underappreciated bike that was loosely considered a small displacement sport bike, the Honda Interceptor VTR 250. I bought it used in the mid-1980s and thought that I had hit the jackpot. This bike had lot of style (for the time), a water cooled Honda V Twin (almost indestructible), and loads of fun. It was lightweight and had brakes and suspension to match sport bikes in much larger displacement categories. It was designed to imitate the much larger displacement Honda Interceptors of the era. I was a street bike newbie and happy to have a bike that would maintain highway speeds so I teamed up with some of my buddies and joined them on jaunts to what are now tourist attraction roads in Western North Carolina. Along with my friends, which were on GSXRs, CBRs, and the like, we made many trips to Deals Gap (aka Hwy 129 The Tail Of The Dragon), Hwy 215, Hwy 276, Hwy 226, and many more great motorcycle roads in the state of NC. During all of these trips the mighty little 250cc Honda never let me down. My buddies would be amazed that I could keep up with them in the twisty roads. What they did not understand was that on this bike I could just open the throttle and never hit the brakes. So if the road was straight they would leave me (I would struggle to hit 80 mph) but if it got twisty that little Honda would hang with them as it was always throttle on and never brake. I loved that bike. This was a well engineered machine. The problem, of course, is that the US is obsessed with horsepower and large displacement. The VTR did not last long over here due to the market demand for high horsepower sport bikes, and I also longed for more power once I came to understand the thrill of speed.
The Honda VTR 250 Interceptor. The 250cc V Twin on which I rode many 1000 mile long weekends into the Blue Ridge Mountains, Deals Gap, and even into Virginia...
After that I moved up from the VTR 250 to a late 1980's Honda Hawk. This was also a V Twin and had a displacement of 650cc. Wow! I was amazed at the power and torque over the little 250. This bike was a minimalist exercise in design. A 650cc V Twin mounted in an aluminum twin spar frame and a single sided swing arm. This was a blend of state of the art at the time frame design and MotoGp tech. This is the thing racing bikes are made of and many of these made their way onto the track. Needless to say I made many trips to the mountains of NC, VA, and WV with the same group of buddies. This time I was not just keeping up, but actually leading much of the time. My ongoing love affair with V Twin power was solidified.
The Honda Hawk 650. The 650cc V Twin on which I rode even more long weekends to Tail Of The Dragon, Shady Valley, and even into West Virginia, Virginia, and Tennessee...
From there I briefly diverted into V4 territory. I bought an early 1990's Honda VFR 750. Wow! This bike had loads of horsepower and torque. My wife (at the time) and I could comfortably ride for hours 2 up on the twisty NC mountain roads where I had cut my teeth on street riding. This bike was an exercise in precision. The brakes, the torque, the suspension. The problem for me was it was almost too perfect. Like riding a well oiled sewing machine. My two previous bikes had personality. Predictable imperfections. V Twin sound. I was longing for a bike that offered long range capability (the VFR totally did that), two up capability (again the VFR could do that), and the riding experience of a V Twin (the VFR did not deliver on that). Honda continued the MotoGP derived single sided swing arm, excellent suspension, and added the grunt of a V4. It totally worked mechanically, as this bike was scary fast and even my wife knew when to hang into the turn and pull in tight, except there was no soul. It did not speak to me.
Enter Erik Buell. Buell Motorcycles introduced the S3T Thunderbolt in 1998. I had been keenly aware of the Buells prior to this. His tenure with HD, his racing heritage, and his ability to engineer the fastest machines from basic engine technology. The S1, S1 Lightning, and special editions. Those were Hooligan bikes that I had an affinity for because they took a basic Harley Davidson engine and tuned it into a high horsepower torque monster and then built a lightweight motorcycle around it. But I wanted something that would take me, my significant other, and our weekend gear on sporty roads at the pace I was accustomed to. With a Hooligan performance background. When Erik Buell introduced the 1998 Buell S3T Thunderbolt I knew this was the bike for me. Pop wheelies on a bagger bike and then smoke Deals Gap two up on the same bike? Yes please. This was a Hooligan air cooled V Twin based on a Harley Davidson Sportster motor, but it had twice the horsepower of any Harley Sportster at the time. 101 Horsepower right off the show room floor. With Harley sound. And touring bags. And high cornering clearances. And sport bike suspension. And sport bike brakes. And sport bike tires. Sign me up! I opted for the grey/green color that most folks at the time could not decide. Is it grey or is it green? I loved it. Here is a stock photo of the S3T Thunderbolt in all of it's bagger/hooligan glory in black.
Now let's fast forward. I wrecked this bike on a ride with my sport bike buddies, riding solo. Bad. It handled like a sport bike so I rode it like a sport bike. Wrecked it like a sport bike. Total loss but I walked away. Good. So what do I do now? Riding with a significant other was no longer in the picture at that point so I thought why not go back to a full on sport bike? Enter the Erik Buell X1 Millennium Edition. A bare naked version of the previous hooligan S1 but with some upgrades to celebrate the turn of the century, the new millennium. I had to have one. I found one used at a local dealer. Now this particular version of the X1 was labeled Millennium Edition as it was the 2000 model year and it had a limited run with special graphics. Only 800 were made, all signed by Erik Buell. Half of those went abroad, the other half were sold here in the United States. I bought number 348.
This bike exceeded all expectations. Low end torque. Handling in the curves. Brakes. This bike would hang with any sport bike up until top end high speed runs. It fell short at high speeds, but the low end torque was hilariously fun. It turned out to be a great track bike as well because much like my first V Twin (250) you could stay on the throttle and never hit the brakes.
Ok, so, I wrecked that bike also. Walked away. Then moved to a Ducati. S4R water cooled Monster. This bike was also a limited edition. Ducati 1200cc water cooled, 130hp. This was the epitome of V Twin power at the time. Wheelie in every gear. I loved it. This was the best bike I had ever owned relative to power, handling, and straight up speed. Yep, you guessed it. Wrecked that one too. Walked away. A little injured but Ok. Long story there.
At this point we finally get to the real story. I love bikes. I will always ride motorcycles. After the Ducati I realized I should probably go for a bit more of an old man bike. I keep wrecking the sport bikes and maybe I need a Bagger. Slow. Low. Touring. Not a high horsepower light weight bike. I decided on a new 2016 Victory X1 Stealth. Another limited edition example. Only 200 made. I really seem to have an affinity for the low production special edition type of bikes. This is an American V Twin produced by Polaris (they also produce the new Indian line). The appeal was having something different than a Harley.
It is a bagger. Big. Heavy. Slow. Mechanically it has some really good stuff, though. Overhead cams, inverted forks, low center of gravity, sport bike brakes, large capacity saddle bags, the list goes on. So I bought this over a Harley. I had this bike when Lynn and I met and we love it and ride a lot. I also have been on many trips with my newer group of riding buddies. Long trips, short trips, it is absolutely the best bike I have ever owned for where Lynn and I are now on our journey.
Enter once again Buell Motorcycles. A long way from the original company founded by Erik Buell in 1983, a former engineer for Harley Davidson. Erik Buell is no longer associated with Buell Motorcycles, but the vision that he created lives on. High horsepower V Twin Engines. The new company uses Erik's racing tech and water cooled V Twin engine, and carries on the tradition of an American V Twin that surpasses expectations of what a cruiser should be. Low weight (480lb range), high horse power (175bhp), and a laid back cruiser riding position that is similar to the FXR, which Eric was instrumental in designing.
This bike promises to be a combination of everything I have sought in a bike over the years. Fast. Handles well. Comfortable for long rides. Basically, sport bike performance in a comfortable package and after owning the Victory for 10 years now I am ready to add something new to the garage.
I have laid down my deposit, received confirmation of my place in the production line, and hope to take delivery by the end of the year (2025). This will be an experience to share for sure, so more to come once the bike is a reality. More to come!
Photo of the prototype:
Update 10/28/2025 - my place in the production line is in the 500 range. Production has started and based on the current status a realistic time frame for delivery will be February 2026. Stay tuned for more updates!
Here is a photo of the actual production version, 50 state compliant:
Update 1/4/2026 - I am now told my place in line may be early Q3 2026. Alrighty then. At least I am in line! I have received swag from Buell and multiple emails confirming production. Why do I keep seeking these exclusive low production bikes? Because they rock, that's why...
- These bikes have a HUGE cult following in Europe. There are specialty shops dedicated strictly to old Buells, owners groups on social media, parts support networks, etc. This was good to hear as in the US these bikes were always underappreciated.
- The old Buells are becoming quite rare and especially here in the US it is difficult to find one that is in decent condition available for sale. Over the course of a few months I came across only a hand full of the tube frame bikes available in all of the US in a condition that could be considered worthy of ownership. There is a bike shop in Connecticut that specializes in vintage bikes, is a Buell dealer for the new Buells, and often has older ones in the showroom. Those bikes, however, are usually highly collectible bikes with unique pedigrees which make them high priced museum pieces, not a bike to ride like I will.
More updates to come!
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