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Hell Freezes Over
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Buell 1125R
Basem Wasef
12/01/2007
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Photography by Riles & Nelson
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Buell engineers refer to the feedback they sought to elicit
from the gearbox with the onomatopoeic "snick snick," and the rider’s left foot
is, indeed, treated to a low effort, positive-feeling shift lever. Clutch-free
shifts are easy and addictive, but tap the lever too lightly and you might
encounter a false neutral between high gears. The 1125R’s clutch action is easy.
Aggressive downshifts are well mitigated by slipper clutch mechanism, which
absorbs the difference in wheel speed and engine rpm without drawing attention
to itself.
In the interest of reducing the 1125’s unsprung weight, a
perimeter-mounted front brake system with 8-piston, 375mm rotors, and the same
calipers as Buell’s XBRR race bike., are utilized. Though the system lacks the
feel of radially mounted brakes, the 1125R is capable of tremendously powerful
stops during laps at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Conversely, exiting tight bends
such as turn 11—which unfolds into the tantalizingly fast straightaway—reveals
the breadth of the twin’s powerband, as it easily spools up and catapults the
screaming bike down the straight.
The bike’s flickability is put to the test at Laguna’s famous
corkscrew, and while it takes a bit of initial effort to lean the bike over, the
1125R remains stable and planted during cornering. The front end exhibits a
touch of wiggle under hard acceleration and surface irregularities, but the
shake is not dramatic enough to warrant a steering damper—an opinion, not
surprisingly, that Erik Buell adamantly agrees with.
Photograph by Kevin Wing.
On public roads, the 1125R feels all the more overqualified,
and its comfortable ergonomics induce no feelings of strain or discomfort after
a full day of aggressive riding. Our only complaints regarding the
pre-production unit we tested consist of a few items Buell assures will be
resolved before the bike makes it to market—jerky throttle response at low rpm,
the heavy transfer of engine heat to the rider in warm weather, and the fine
tuning of the front suspension.
And so the Buell 1125R makes itself equally apropos on the
track or the road, cutting a distinctive silhouette as the sole superbike
offered by an American manufacturer. It is certainly an unusual motorcycle, one
that disregards the unwritten design rules whispered by virtually every other
brand. And, like the Ford Model T, another groundbreaking product in American
history, you can get the 1125R in any color you want—as long as it’s black.
www.buell.com
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