Performance & MPG News: buell engine

After 30 years, Erik Buell's drive to develop motorcycles on his own terms remains as strong as ever. That drive led him to found Erik Buell Racing (EBR) in 2009, a company devoted to building innovative superbikes that prove jaw-dropping performance is not exclusive to Japanese or Italian companies. Buell's pioneering attitude and commitment to American ingenuity mirror the values of AMSOIL INC. Fittingly, the two companies entered a partnership in 2011, making AMSOIL a sponsor of the EBR team's efforts in the AMA Pro SuperBike Series. This year the team will also compete in World Superbike, the first time an all-American brand will compete on this world-class level.

"We are doing the very best for our customers when we ship with AMSOIL in the bikes and with a strong recommendation that they continue to use AMSOIL products." - Erik Buell

But the partnership goes further than sponsorships. AMSOIL personnel work hand-in-hand with EBR engineers to develop lubrication programs that maximize the tremendous potential of EBR motorcycles. Every bike that leaves EBR's East Troy, Wis. shop, including the new EBR 1190RX, contains AMSOIL synthetic lubricants as the factory-fill and the primary service-fill recommendation.

With peak motorcycle season starting soon and the racing season in swing, AMSOIL Magazine caught up with Buell.

AMSOIL Magazine: It's been five years since you founded EBR. What are you most proud of?

Buell: The people. We started as a tiny company, and it has been so inspiring to see how the young staff at EBR has stepped up to the task of building world-class motorcycles. And it's just as wonderful to have great suppliers and partners like AMSOIL who, without hesitation, put it all on the line to support EBR.

AMSOIL Magazine: What do you still want to accomplish?

Buell: Oh, there is so much more to do. We are busy with all sorts of new products, both for the EBR brand and also for customers of our engineering-consulting business. I just want more of the world to see and enjoy the many exciting two-wheeled products that can come from the minds at EBR.

AMSOIL Magazine: One of those exciting new products is the 1190RX, named by Ultimate Motorcycling as its most anticipated motorcycle of 2014. How does it continue your tradition of innovation?

Buell: There are a lot of unique technical innovations in the bike. Our biggest goals are always related not to any one invention or concept, but putting together a package of ideas where the sum is more than any one part. There are many chassis innovations, like the unique brake [the "inside out" system Buell pioneered that places the rotor outside the caliper for increased suspension effectiveness], magnesium subframe, split radiators, fuel in frame, etc., but the sum total is a lightweight, superb-handling motorcycle.

AMSOIL Magazine: How else does the bike break new ground?

Buell: In another area, since this has been our first time building our own engine, it was important to us to make a real statement of innovation. There is a package of technology in the powertrain aimed at making it a very "green" superbike. The results are a highhorsepower engine that also has a wide and flat powerband, with huge torque, yet is very smooth and easy to ride at part throttle, gets 51 mpg on the EPA drive cycle, emits only 25 percent of permitted HC+NOx exhaust emissions and, incredibly, only 6 percent of CO emissions. These are spectacular numbers.

AMSOIL Magazine: This bike delivers 185 hp and nearly 102 ft. lbs. of torque while weighing just 419 lbs. What do those numbers translate into on the road?

Buell: For us, again, it is a whole package. So big power, big torque and light weight make for speed, but we wanted the 1190RX to also be very easy to ride every day. So we made sure it had a very predictable power delivery, excellent ergonomics, stable handling, great dashboard, powerful brakes and lightweight wheels for the smoothest ride on bumpy roads. It is so fun to ride, no matter where you are riding.

AMSOIL Magazine: Why did you choose AMSOIL synthetic lubricants as the factory-fill lubricant for your bikes, including the 1190RX?

Buell: We have had such good results with AMSOIL, both in the quality of the products and in technical expertise. Because of that, we feel most comfortable that we are doing the very best for our customers when we ship with AMSOIL in the bikes and with a strong recommendation that they continue to use AMSOIL products.

AMSOIL Magazine: On the track, Larry Pegram, formerly of Team AMSOIL, joins Geoff May, Aaron Yates and Cory West this season. What influenced your decision to expand the team?

Buell: The factory EBR Hero/AMSOIL-backed team was headed overseas to run the World Superbike (WSBK) Series, which left a gap in the AMA [SuperBike Series]. Larry had been talking with me for a couple years, and called to say he wanted to switch to our EBR 1190 for 2014. It was a perfect opportunity. Larry is a great rider, and quite a personality as well (an Ohio farm boy with a cool TV show on Velocity called Superbike Family), and he has a very professional crew. His lead sponsor, Foremost Insurance, fits well as another partner – a hardworking, all-American, Midwestern company out of Michigan. AMSOIL has worked with Larry before, and he was happy to be back working with their technical group.

AMSOIL Magazine: Why did you choose this year to broaden the scope of the team and compete overseas?

Buell: The team in WSBK runs an exhausting series, with races ranging from Australia to Europe to Russia to South Africa to Malaysia and even to the U.S. EBR and our sponsors, AMSOIL and Hero, are global companies, and since we finally had the 1190RX ready, with production sufficient for WSBK homologation, we decided it was time to move to that next level to maximize worldwide exposure. (Editor's note: AMA and WSBK homologation rules require a minimum quantity of produced units to guard against specialized bikes built only for racing.)

AMSOIL Magazine: What are your thoughts on EBR introducing the first all-American bike to WSBK?

Buell: We are really happy to have EBR competing in this premier international road-race series. There have been a number of American riders who have raced in World Superbike, but until now, never an American motorcycle.