VIDEO: Buell goes for Fastest Bike on Ice title
Buell 1125R on ice - Click above to watch the video after the break
When Buell launched its new liquid-cooled 1125R sportbike in 2008, the brand that Erik built sent a message to the rest of the motorcycling world that it wasn't playing games any more. By all accounts, the 1125's Rotax-built Helicon V-twin engine is every bit the equal to other modern powerplants from Buell's competitors, and it's more than capable of pushing the machine into extra-legal velocities.
To drive that point home, Buell sent stunt rider Craig Jones (no, not that Craig Jones) to Lake Dellen in Sweden to see how fast he could get his 1125R to go. Wait, what... a top-speed run on a water? It seems that the lake in question ices over for a brief period in the dead of winter, which allowed the team to set up a huge expanse of wide-open space to have some wide-open throttle fun.
Jones' 1125R was specially prepared for the stunt with studded tires and a shot of nitrous. After it was all said and done, the Buell managed to hit 148.7 miles per hour (238 km/h). This achievement very well may be some sort of record, though, oddly enough, nobody seems to keep track of this particular statistic. We wonder why. Click past the break to watch the video. Thanks for the tip, John!
[Source: Buell via YouTube]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
wilbonnet 10:45AM (5/07/2009)
worst. idea. ever.
I do love Buell though
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Redline 10:57AM (5/07/2009)
Why on ice? I don't get it?
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Christopher 11:07AM (5/07/2009)
They did it on ice to set a record where nobody else was crazy enough to touch before.
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RicoChet 11:15AM (5/07/2009)
I've test rode Buells every year at our local harley dealership and they are by far the crappiest sports bike ever made, period. I have a V-Twin cruiser that can go faster then this piece of crap Buell. The ergonomics, the sound, everything about Buell suck, and I'm not just biased, I've been riding for almost 20 years and I'm sure anyone who has ridden other V-twin sports bikes will agree with me.
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IOMTT 11:20AM (5/07/2009)
I really like Buell bikes having owned a Cyclone. When I get back into the market for a sportbike, an 1125 will be on the list. I will probably stick to non icy surfaces though.
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IOMTT 11:31AM (5/07/2009)
Last I checked, the 1125 is putting out near 150HP. It has also been competitive in the new AMA Daytona Sportbike class. I have also owned Ducatis ( 748 and Monster ) and a Suzuki TL1000 which are all V twin sport oriented motorcycles. The Buell Cyclone I owned was not a disappointment at all. I have also ridden a few XB9 and XB12s. This new 1125 is quite a leap forward as the engine is no longer Harley based, but was designed specifically for this bike with Rotax. I doubt your cruiser can hang with an 1125. Go look up some tests on the 1125 and get back to me.
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cdwrx 12:59PM (5/07/2009)
Buell in AMA is a joke. The 1125 is competing against the 600s and unless it's on a partial superspeedway track, it still can't hang. Try to match it up with an 1198 and see what a slow, ugly, overpriced disappointment that Buell is. They couldn't even hang in FX when they were using a loophole in the rules to recast their entire engines.
nuggetsmcduggets 12:02PM (5/07/2009)
Next up for Buell, the speed record for an eyes-closed, no hands run on marbles.
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13enS 2:22PM (5/07/2009)
Don't forget while wheeling!
ee33507 12:42PM (5/07/2009)
Looks like there is a mini site for it as well. www.buell.com/extreme
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13enS 12:55PM (5/07/2009)
Add this to "On Any Sunday III"
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jeff 1:32PM (5/07/2009)
" It seems that the lake in question ices over for a brief period in the dead of winter..."
If they have tractors on the ice to clear the snow, the ice over period can't be that brief.
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Daaoak 3:49PM (5/07/2009)
At the first annual Ice Speed Weekend in Funäsdalen Sweden a Hayabusa went 247 km/h...
Here's a link to the film...
http://www.automotorsport.se/tv/?m=17678
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