Motorcycle specifications Buell1125 R 2010 An American woman on the move

buell Company turned 25 in 2008. An age when reason begins to coexist with experience, but above all, you're still young and you want big watts and a killer machine. Well, Buell is no different. A quarter of a century after its birth, the small brand presents its own definition of hypersport: the 1125 R. A high-performance bike that has little in common with the Japanese, apart from the big horses and the racing spirit. But Erik Buell has cocktailized it with his mechanical genius...

behind that aggressive, somewhat "bridled" face and those American footballer's shoulders, Erik's new opera is about to get moving. But what's on this score, and how was it conceived? First of all, the excellent chassis of the XB series has been reworked. The motor is used as a stiffening part, positioned further forward in the frame, and has nothing in common with the mechanicals used by Buell up to now. The new swingarm is anchored further forward in the crankcase and still contains the engine oil. The inverted fork has been particularly enlarged: 47 mm in diameter, new friction-reducing bushings on the dip tubes and titanium fork plugs. Together with the new IRC (Intuitive Response Chassis) frame, the 1125 R's chassis is the stiffest ever built by the American manufacturer.

the HELICON engine - 146 hp

25 years of Harley motorization (seriously typed all the same) and suddenly, zapping. Gone are the long-stroke, air-cooled twins transferred from the Sportster H-D - the new twin is a very modern, compact, closed 72° engine, equipped with fuel injection, crossovers and a new, more powerful engine.e injection, 103 x 67.5 mm super-square dimensions, liquid cooling, 4 valves per cylinder, 3 balance shafts, double ACT, dry sump lubrication, 61mm inverted twin throttle bodies... Perfect equipment for a latest-generation hypersport berlingot. And this displacement, 1125 cm3, wouldn't be the recent, spirited twin of the V-Rod, adapted for sport use by the genius Buell!?!!

Not at all. And this is quite a change for the manufacturer. For the first time, it's not an American H-D mill that's been inserted into a Buell frame. It's an Austrian engine, developed to very precise specifications by Erik's staff. It's a twin from ROTAX, the famous engine manufacturer that builds, among others, the Aprilia RSV 1000. A guarantee of reliability and power. And for those of you still in shock, here's something to make you feel better: the engine spits out 146 horsepower and over 11 mkg of torque. One question remains: why choose a foreign engine rather than a US one?
Around this big twin-cylinder, a number of elements further optimize the mechanics. The pressurized 12-liter airbox provides 5% extra performance. Radiators are positioned laterally, behind the fairing sides... or rather, in the huge vacuum cleaner scoops. Their position is calculated to optimize mass centering and the center of gravity. In fact, the layout of every component on the 1125 R has been designed with this in mind. This is particularly true of the exhaust system, which, as always, is positioned under the saddle; Buell claims that"the silencer is tuned to provide a linear power and torque curve, eliminating the cost, weight and complexity of an active exhaust system. A Helmholtz chamber in the muffler further reduces noise. ". In short, no EXUP, somewhat smoother behavior for greater efficiency, and gases half-smothered by anti-noise standards. So, if you put on a good adaptable pot, you should get a real kick out of it, just like your neighbor's truncheon when you start the engine. The police will eventually calm you down, except on racetracks (and then again, not all of them).

when it comes to brakes, Buell didn't have to look far to find something strong. Here we find the same system as on the XB-RR, with a 375 mm perimeter disc and 8-piston caliper. At the rear, the 240 mm disc is gripped by a double-piston caliper anchored directly to the swingarm, saving 680 g over a conventional system.
As for the transmission, the Rotax claw has been combined with an anti-dribble clutch and a 6-speed gearbox, and the HD-Buell difference with a belt weighing just 680 g (a belt kit weighs around 2 kg).
And for agility and sportiness, a column angle of just 21°, a wheelbase of 1,384 mm (9 mm longer than the 2007 CBR 600 RR), a claimed angle of 48° before the footpegs rub, and a dry weight of just 170 kgs.

sporty , yes, but also comfortable. That's what this 1125 R is all about, combining courteous values with authentic, sensational sportiness. It's not easy, but Buell does its job, with adjustable levers and footrests, aerodynamics that optimize performance and rider comfort, and even a pre-wired switching device for the optional installation of heated grips. On this bike, one surprise follows another, and no two are alike. Before your very eyes is a half-analog, half-digital instrument panel, with information galore - cool - and on the sides, you're stunned to see classic containers rather than separate jars for brake and clutch fluids.

once again, Buell wows us with its promise of great sensations and performance. More than that... With this new engine, a new family should be born around this 1125 R. And unlike the XB-RR, also very sporty, this bombshell should prove affordable. At 25, people dream of conquering the world, and Erik Buell is doing a pretty good job of it.

M.B
(manufacturer's photos)