Originally Posted by
Purves
As some of you may agree- Harley should've used Buell as a way to diversify their portfolio in order to reach a broader range of motorcycle enthusiasts. Instead they bastardized the brand (change this, build it this way instead, Erik) and only considered it as a stepping stone to a cruiser. I think if BMC was still around today, the brand could be a great way for HD to reach the Millennials... Think Scrambler Ducati, only Scrambler Buell.
Harley is good at retailing clothes… They could’ve offered a trendy Scrambler Buell line of skinny jeans, plad shirts and orange lensed Aviator sunglasses. They could sponsor Safe Zones on liberal arts college campuses. (yes, I am going over the top here).
A visionary company diversifies itself. Look at how 3M evolved over the years. It started off as a coal company and now they sell tape. Harley is not a visionary company. They were for the longest time a cash cow and are now starting to feel the pain of not evolving with the times.
HD Motorcycles come with a stigma that some people do not want to associate with. I would think the Buell line (not EBR) if properly utilized could be a success.
I’m rambling… now to the OP’s point:
I hate to say it but I don't think the EBR IP is worth pursuing for a lot of larger companies like PII... I think they have their own technology that they could pursue if they desired to enter into the superbike category. As for HD- they own the rights to the Buell name. I would "think" BMC is worth more than EBR. Would you say that more people are familiar with Buell American Motorcycles than Erik Buell Racing? What is more marketable? Just my thoughts- what do I know...
Now, a small boutique company likes Motus? Possibly. Would be cool to see it happen!