Buell Motorcycle Co. strayed slightly from the path when it introduced the Buell 1125R sport bike in 2008. The 1125R is considered Buell’s top-of-the-line motorcycle for riders who want to speed down the freeway or around a race track. Buell broke rank with Harley-Davidson, its parent company, when it came to designing the new bike’s engine. Instead of using a traditional Harley motor, Buell turned to BRP-Rotax, an Austrian company that has been designing and making motorcycle engines since 1920. The result is a new, high-performance, water-cooled, V-Twin engine. Buell was looking for a sports bike that could compete with Italy’s Ducati and Aprilia motorcycle manufacturers; Aprilia is a BRP-Rotax customer. While Ducati and Aprilia are after the high-end market, Buell was targeting the American market.
Like the other Buells, the 1125R does not have a gas tank per se. Rather the motorcycle’s aluminum frame holds the gasoline. The 1125R is Buell’s most powerful motorcycle, with 146 hp at 9800 rpm. The Buell 1125R is smooth riding, with some vibration but not enough to be uncomfortably so. Riders who like information at their fingertips will not be disappointed in the instrument panel. It contains an analog tachometer, fuel and temperature warning gauges, a lap timer, a digital speedometer with LED display, and a four-digit security system with an ignition immobilizer. The 1125 also has a non-adjustable shift light, shift light, clock, and diagnostic information system that gives the number of miles that can be ridden before the next service. The 1125R carries a driver and passenger, but there is no grab rail or strap for the passenger. The motorcycle comes in black with blue trim.