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Parent company Harley-Davidson’s resources were stretched thin, so Austrian engine-builder Rotax was tapped to create a purpose-built mill for the new flagship. A water-cooled, liter-plus engine was specified for world-class performance, and Buell set out to frame it with a chassis that could cope with its considerable output. The resulting 1,125cc V-twin produces 146 hp (with an additional 5+ horses when ram-air is in effect), and its displacement was deemed significant enough to inspire the name of Buell’s new sportbike: 1125R. (Click images to enlarge)

The 1125R’s competition consists of slickly sculpted superbikes from around the world, but its appearance caters more to functionality than absolute aesthetics. Up front, a wide, squat fairing precedes two large radiator shrouds that curve inward, greedily scooping intake air for the V-twin. Moving rearward, the bike’s tall frame dominates its profile and lends the 1125R a resemblance to Buell’s past, tapering inward as it grazes the partially visible powerplant. The hump of the false gas tank forms an obligatory shape, while the task of bearing fuel is carried out by the aforementioned frame. In the name of mass centralization, an underslung exhaust adds a bit of verticality to the bike’s stance. A rather unremarkable rearend features a cowl which, when removed, hides a small, removable passenger seat.

Further conversation with Erik Buell reveals that his engineering background is infused with an appreciation for eye-pleasing shapes. Though eager to cite the benefits of a fairing that creates positive airflow and reduces turbulent Von Kármán vortices, he also expresses as much enthusiasm about the 1125R’s similarity to the female form. The bike is not quite a lusty, Italianate celebration of all things sensuous, but it does reveal that Buell’s industrialism can be peppered with discreet joie de vivre.

Wrap your legs around the 1125R, and its dimensions come across as a bit bulky, despite its slimming black hue. However, rock it from side to side or roll it backwards and forwards, and its lightness becomes apparent; this is, after all, a bike whose wet weight minus fuel is claimed to be one pound less than a Ducati 1098. Ergonomics are less unrelenting than the Duc, with a slightly more relaxed, upright posture. The gateway to motion is a pneumatically operated slipper clutch, which utilizes less moving parts than traditional designs and reduces lever effort by sourcing vacuum pressure from the engine’s intake manifolds. Releasing it from a standstill avails the V-twin’s insistent low-end torque, easing the bike forward without hesitation. (Click image to enlarge)

First gear is tall enough to warrant some clutch slippage to facilitate takeoff, but then the rider is a mere throttle twist away from a steady, predictable increase in power. The path from zero to redline traverses 10,500 rpm, and at roughly halfway to maximum revs, vibrations emerge at the handlebars. Those sensations intensify and spread to the footpegs as the tachometer approaches red, and while the shaking is not quite as dramatic as past Buells, the bike exhibits enough buzziness to jolt you awake like a heavily spiked, two-wheeled caffeine substitute. Power delivery is generally tractable and accompanied by a satisfyingly raucous exhaust note, and a slight surge of thrust at around 8,000 rpm rewards high rev addicts with an added kick of acceleration.