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Buell 1125RR American Superbike Unveiled

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

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Buell motorcycles has released a racing spec version of its 1125R superbike, dubbed the 1125RR. Built specifically for competition in the AMA’s American Superbike class, the 1125RR MSRP is $39,995 – a full 28K more than its stock sibling.

The Buell 1125RR will be available solely to AMA racers competing in the American Superbike series.

The new 1125RR was actually announced by AMA Pro Road Racing first, reporting this morning that the new Buell was eligible for the upcoming American Superbike races at Mid-Ohio. Now the boys from East Troy, Wisconsin have filled in some of the details with a press release of their own.

The biggest changes to the 1125RR are inside its Rotax-built Helicon Twin. The 1125cc engine, sporting an unchanged 103mm bore x 67.5mm stroke, makes use of “a larger airbox and intake manifold, revised valves and camshafts, a higher compression ratio.”

Weight is shaved via new titanium exhaust system and 6-spoke magnesium wheels, which replace aluminum stock units. The cast aluminum swingarm is machined with an axle adjustment system and a chain drive replaces the stock 1125R’s belt system (though the current 1125R is already being campaigned with such a chain drive).

The new 1125RR also sources a modified rotor for its novel ZTL (Zero Torsional Load) front brake. The suspension remains fully adjustable Showa units, front and rear.

The intention of Buell founder and current Chairman, Eric Buell, is clear: “The 1125RR is designed to give privateer racers a turn-key machine to compete in the American Superbike class in AMA Pro Racing. We want to build on our program that has proven so successful for privateers in the Daytona SportBike class.”

Not that the $40K pricetag would encourage many sales, but regular riders will not be getting their mitts on the 1125RR. Only a small amount will be built with Buell PR saying: “Buell will produce a limited number of 1125RR motorcycles for sale only to licensed professional road racers who will compete in the AMA Pro Racing American Superbike class.” Racers will place their orders through the Buell Race Department.

Given the prior controversy regarding the Buell 1125R’s inclusion into the Daytona SportBike class, the creation of a purpose-built American Superbike racer by the American firm comes at a time when riders and fans alike are growing more and more disenchanted with the DMG-controlled series. (For more information of the DMG situation, read Motorcycle USA’s editorial DMG: Delusional Motorsports Group?)

Privateer Taylor Knapp will campaign an 1125RR for his own Taylor Knapp Racing team this weekend at Mid-Ohio.

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Comments

Case - appalling and terrible July 21, 2009 08:35 AM
This is ridiculous. Changing the rules so the home team can stay competitive is complete garbage. NASCAR does this all the time - they can let anyone win any race because they can just ignore cheating in post-race inspection. /b What's ironic about all this is back when NASCAR started and the cars were actually based on production models you could buy a car off at the showroom, tune it, drive it to the track and race it, drive it home. Guys did it all the time, and manufacturers made cars that were faster/performed better to do better at the track. That's what is so awesome about AMA racing rules REQUIRING A BIKE BE SOLD FOR STREET USE: You can buy a bike that is similar to the bikes the pros are using, take it to the track and see what you're made of. There is already a series with custom-built bikes, and it's called MotoGP, which is just like F1: cool to watch, but it has nothing in common with the machines I have access to. Stretching the rules like this gets away from the street-legal ethos that makes the series such a draw. DMG is really bumbling on this.

FearlessNSeattle - Honda takes the gloves off July 18, 2009 11:54 AM
Reaction to the Buell 1125RR American Honda's Senior Vice President Ray Blank "It is very difficult for me to comment on the AMA/DMG acceptance of the Buell in question[B] as ashamedly it is evident we had an erroneous interpretation of both the rules and the homologation process," Blank said late Friday. "I am excited now for the opportunity to consider "homologation specials" [/B]and we will diligently consider the manufacture of a similarly spec'ed Honda racer for the Superbike field as soon as it is economically feasible." [URL="http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Jul/090717rb0907.htm"]Read More as the gloves come off [/URL]

benroe - whats going on? July 17, 2009 09:52 AM
I thought all of the bikes in the series had to be sold as a street legal piece and they had to make a certain number of units to meet the rules. Is that not the case here? c'mon DMG, don't screw this up too. I have a carburated car with a cage, can I enter that in the superbike series next year?

MTGR - Buell July 17, 2009 06:59 AM
DMG has botched things so bad I can't even be sure which class this is meant for, Daytona Superbike? Real Superbike? Either way, every other manufacturer out there has to play by the rules so Buell should too. I like Buell, but people defending them based on their being "American" or "helping privateers" is just silly. With the size of their American operations and race teams, each one of the big 4 employs more Americans than Buell does. What’s more, each of them has done far more for far longer to help privateer teams, including providing bikes and kits that do meet ALL the rules and are probably far more affordable than this thing. Besides, when your entire engine and suspension and, until recently, rims and frame, are made somewhere other than America can you even claim it is an American bike anymore?

American Superbike - American Motorcycle July 16, 2009 08:58 PM
Austrian Engine - Japanese Suspension...if Buell is so damn innovative why don't they innovate a bike that can compete with their Japanese/Italian/Bavarian/etc counterparts without special rules...if they get a race spec then everyone else should as well...

mashew monshero - YES !!! July 16, 2009 08:23 PM
DEAR AMA, next year I would like to join the supersport series, I have a KAWASAKI ZX-14 that is street legal. Mirrors and everything, where do I fill out an application, Thanks.

Enough - is enough.... July 16, 2009 02:26 PM
I can certainly understand the desire to have an American manufacturer in AMA, but all this bending of rules is egregious. A 1125cc up again 600cc? What does Buell gain by winning this race/series? They get to showcase that their technology has advanced to the point that their bikes are competitive against bikes with 50% less engine capacity? Wow! I welcome Buell in the 'American Superbike' class IF they follow the new homologation rules - rules that were specifically designed to make the manufacturers race bikes that are closer to stock. If they can race a special spec of their bike only for 'licensed professional road racers', why can't Suzuki/Honda/Kawasaki?

kpaul - Welcome motorcycle racers your NASCAR speced motorcycle is ready for you. July 16, 2009 01:04 PM
What Buell has done has produced a motorcycle that can't be driven on the street and is legal in only one race series. Like a NASCAR race car. Sounds like this is where AMA racing is going. You can't buy an NASCAR race car at your local Ford, Chevy, Dodge or Toyota dealer. Now other manufacturers follow suit and soon the race bike looks like nothing like the production bike. Kind of a poor man's MotoGP.

KT - 1125RR July 16, 2009 10:49 AM
A $40K superbike with Showa suspension, das some bull..... Sounds like a money grab. "Hey lets do some engine mods to a stock buell and see if we can get a few suckers to pay $40k for it".

Josh - This is AMERICAN SUPERBIKE! July 16, 2009 10:37 AM
What advantage could a 146hp twin have against a similarly modified GSXR-1000? Also, Buell's aren't even winning Daytona Super bike anymore! Here is how I see it: Everyone complained about Buell not racing in the right class. Buell, being a racer and all around good guy, decides to provide support for racers to ride in the higher horsepower class. You may notice that the Buell is being raced in American superbike class and is struggling miserably. Also, doesn't anyone remember the XBRR? AMA allowed that when it wasn't owned by DMG. Why? Because it was an attempt by Buell to support cheap racing. That is what Buell wanted do to since before he started his company, but he got a little sidetracked with street bikes. Now that he has a bike that can legally race in a major class, he finally has the chance to do what he wants... support privateer racing. It won't make a difference... the 1125 wasn't built to race in ANY class and can't be competitive against 1000 I4's and 1198 Ducatis. Maybe if the series stays like this for a few years Buell will make a more powerful version (or even a less powerful one for those of you still believing it is dominating Daytona sportbike).

wow - what's the point... July 16, 2009 10:34 AM
of having different classes if Buell gets to have the essentially the same 1125cc bike in both the Sportbike and Superbike classes? Do Ducati/Suzuki/Honda/etc... get to run their 1000cc+ bikes in Sportbike as well? Might as well throw 125/250cc bikes in the mix as well...

kpaul - Prediciton for 2010 July 16, 2009 10:00 AM
Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha withdraw from Daytona Sportbike class.

kpaul - AMA allows Buell to cheat again July 16, 2009 09:56 AM
"This from page ten (20 in the rulebook) of 59 in the AMA Pro Racing 2009 rules, under the heading of Homologation: American Superbike motorcycles must be street certified in the US and available through US retail dealers. Then, Buell PR on the Buell 1125RR: "Buell Motorcycle Company today introduced the 1125RR, a race-use only motorcycle intended for competition in the AMA Pro Racing American Superbike class."

Tim B - Nothing Special July 16, 2009 09:33 AM
This bike is nothing special! It's a stock 1125R with bolt on accessories. Buell can't sell it as street legal because once you mess with the engine internals the EPA gets grumpy. But in reality, this is not a factory built race bike. It's a modified street bike. Personally, I don't think it's worth the $40,000 that Buell is asking.

worldrider - ??? MODS July 16, 2009 12:48 AM
Guys the mods or specs. on this bike are probably not at fault. And really at this point, probably shouldn't be argued with. It should meet the rules (performance-wise) much like the Ducati 1098R does. The issue here is that this bike is does not have a street legal base. They even said in the press release, the bike is only to be sold to people that hold a AMA Pro level racing license. Accordingly to homologation rules that's not legal. That is basically the same principle of the factories building bikes that ONLY RACERS or RACE TEAMS can buy...just like in MotoGP. Purpose built, those aren't street bikes, they were never meant to be. Pablo, Buell's are cool I don't think people that call other Buell haters understand what their implying. It's but not enough of a machine to match against an R1, or a GSXR1000. They are cool 'fun' bikes, but as they sit, even in race trim it's hard to see them as superbikes. Not because their american, have you ever heard of Motoczycz? Not because they have crazy patents on different technologies...innovation is how we go forward. It has nothing to do with V-Twins. Ducati's dominate and have dominated, and the KTM RC8 and RC8R aren't that bad either. Come to think about, the RC51 is a perfect example of a bike built to meet it's competition AND WIN. IN MY MIND, it's just a case of those bikes not being on a par (performance-wise) with the bikes they're racing. And the people behind them along with the people running the series, are making it seems as though they are shoving this bike or ideal down our throats....

Jesper - Pete July 15, 2009 08:39 PM
“I'm sure Mladin doesn't go down to the local Suzuki dealer to buy a bike off of the floor”. Mladin DID get his 2008 gsxr1000 from a dealer warehouse and used it for the first several races of this season until the 2009s were available. Then the 2008 bike was sold for chump change to who ever wanted it. So to answer your question, yeah Mladin got his bike off a dealer floor and it was even non-current and won every race that he raced with it.

Pete - sweet bike July 15, 2009 07:36 PM
I love the 1125RR. Basically it looks like Buell took a stock 1125R and did all of the superbike mods for you. I'm pretty sure everything they did to it meets the rules for "superbike" in the rulebook. Why not?? They could've sold you a stock 1125R and then sold you all the upgrades, but they are just setting it up for you. I'm sure Mladin doesn't go down to the local Suzuki dealer to buy a bike off of the floor. How does his bike get so built up with superbike mods?

idiot buell hater - pablo is a moron July 15, 2009 07:15 PM
Pablo, you are acting as if the RR is simply the end result of someone building an R to superbike spec, and is just saving someone time and money. It's NOT. It's a cheater bike. from the AMA rulebook: Airbox must remain as originally produced by the manufacturer on the homologated motorcycle. the RR spec from the article: "makes use of a larger airbox and intake manifold" I can go on and on.

worldrider - wow...I mean really...? July 15, 2009 05:22 PM
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this is....beyond ridiculous. I can't believe the crazy story of american roadracing in 2009 is going farther down this road of instability. Especially with all that has happened leading up to this point.

A quick reply to Josh's comment; This bikes introduction and it's reason for being built blatantly goes against the rules. And Kawasaki would not be allowed to do this type of work to a bike. In any class. No one would be. This isn't about selling HRC or specialty parts, this is about a factory BUILDING A RACE BIKE and racing it against bikes that were all built to meet a common set of standards. Construction standards that are beneath that of the bike in question. Check out what the guys at superbikeplanet.com said about this whole issue. You've got to see it alittle differently then.

Actually here is the link: http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Jul/090715e.htm

oh wait here is another:
http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Jul/090715d.htm

I personaly don't think the bike will do anything to the other bikes competing, but I may be wrong. It's really the principle of it all ATOP the spotty history/performance of this young new DMG/AMA. The way this is playing out, is actually quite insulting to us the fans and to the sport. It's amazing that it has come to this. The incident at Laguna was unbelievable, and I love Mat Mladin for being who he is and for saying what he does. But with this situation, the rules are on paper. The rules that they (DMG/AMA) wrote, and that they've held everyone to. Those rules are suddenly non-applicable.... HAHAHA!! It's comical, and apparently these types of things are just going to continue happeneing. That in itself is....beyond ridiculous.

I guess we do need to be 'Re-trained'......all the years we've spent following Motorcycle Road Racing (GLOBALLY) weren't enough, or should I say 'non-applicable'

C'Mon guys....really....

Pablo - Idiots... July 15, 2009 04:50 PM
Do all you Buell haters really think that you can go out and buy a Yamaha, Honda or Suzuki suberbike straight from the dealer just like the one that is raced in the suberbike class? The production bikes are just platforms for the racebikes. Just like the 1125R (production bike) is the platform for the 1125RR racebike. Do you guys really see a difference here?

GunMD - Troy, you're in need of some reading, too July 15, 2009 03:37 PM
Troy, perhaps you also need to brush up on the rules. The issue isn't special allowances for twins (KTM, Ducati, etc. have those same provisions) it's the fact that this is NOT a production, street certified motorcycle that you or I can buy off the showroom floor. The rules clearly state the bike must be "street certified" and available for purchase by anyone. Per the DMG AMA Pro Racing application form, "AMA Pro American Superbike motorcycles must be street certified for use in the United States and be available at the time of competition from U.S. retail dealers. There must be sufficient quantity available such that any person wanting to buy one for racing purposes can do so in a timely fashion. ... Importation must be completed by June 1st of the current season."

Tim - Buell--Please explain July 15, 2009 03:24 PM
The rule book clearly states ----American Superbike motorcycles must be street certified in the US and available through US retail dealers. This Buell is not street ceritifed--Why is it allowed to race??????

MTGR - Cheating July 15, 2009 02:51 PM
The people saying Buell is following the rules might be right, but unfortunately those rules are skewed way in their favor. The Buell already has huge acceleration advantages, even over the other twins, just look how badly it pulled everything down the straights at Laguna. And now they are set to run a purpose-built machine almost as modded as the Ducatis that have to complete against liter size 4s (not 600s) and many think those rules are too skewed to twins! I like Buell, but that is simply ridiculous.

lAme MA - cheating July 15, 2009 02:29 PM
i heard the upcoming 1125RRR is allowed to complete one less lap for every race it enters.

Troy - Misinformation July 15, 2009 01:37 PM
Concerning the rules, the 1125RR is playing by the same rules as the other twins in the class. They have very clearly defined engine modifications that are allowed for both the V-twins and the IL4s racing in the class. The bike is derived from a production unit, just as the IL4s are. You can believe with all certainty that you cannot walk into any Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki or Honda dealership and buy the bike that is raced in AMA Superbike. The Ducati 1098R is probably the closest that anyone can possibly get to AMA Superbike threads out of the showroom floor. Buell is doing nothing more than building a race machine that the privateer can purchase directly from the Race Dept. Just as Enrion, Jordan or Rockstar Makita has done. This is being blown into a big deal because it percieved that Buell is given unfair advantages. The whine at the beginning of the season has been that they shouldn't be allowed to race in DSB. Now that they are not winning every race, that has quieted down. I'm thoroughly convinced that there will never be widespread acceptance of Buell in any class other than a twins class. God forbid that they blow the competition away this weekend. I only hope that the general public read the rule book a little more before you spout off about how Buell is cheating.

Joe R - Joke #364 July 15, 2009 01:03 PM
DMG is going to detroy this sport. I read a few weeks back where one of the DMG guys said that the "viewer just needs to be retrained". So I take that to mean that we have to learn to accept what they call racing. I wish that someone who actually likes motorcycle racing was in charge. I am all for Buell being in the racing, infact I am glad that they are trying to join in. I own a Buell and it's a fun bike. BUT, they need to play by the same rules or get out of the game. I have been a Harley and Buell owner and supporter but their racing efforts totally turn me off to them as companies. DMG please go away. Buell please stay but play by the same exact rules as everyone else and quit asking for special treatment.

Josh - Makes sense to me... July 15, 2009 12:44 PM
I mean the Buell is down 30-40 horses on the other American superbikes... If say kawasaki was doing this with their Daytona Sportbike ZX-6R no one would complain and it would be perfectly legal. Frankly, Honda's HRC has been selling the parts off thier Formula Xtreme bikes for a while now and nobody complained then. Also, even though it is factory I don't think it has a chance against anything Rockstar Makita Yoshimura Yo-momma Suzuki has to offer.

DMG sucks - Direct Money Gathering July 15, 2009 12:18 PM
Soo... the Japanese bikes have to go back to basically Superstock rules for 2009, but Buell can build a full factory race bike and openly state they aren't going to bother to mass produce it. So now we have street bikes vs. factory-built racer. Roger Edmondson came into this series claiming to save us, the lemming fans, from just such abominations. As if there needed to be a thousandth reason to prove DMG shouldn't be allowed near this sport again, here we have it. It's pandering so blatant I don't even know how they're going to attempt to cover this up.

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