ERIK Buell Racing has stripped the bodywork off its 1190RX superbike to create the 1190SX – a 185bhp naked V-twin that’s arguably what the old Buell 1125CR should have been.
At the moment, detailed specs are thin on the ground, but given the machine’s similarity to the 1190RX it doesn’t take a huge leap to suggest it will match that bike’s 185hp at 10,600rpm and 101.6lbft of torque at 8,200rpm. Or, to put it another way, ‘plenty.’
In terms of weight, again it will be near as dammit the same as the RX’s 190kg (wet), although the loss of a bit of plastic could see the naked version slip under that mark.
Other key points like the signature fuel-in-frame design and single rim-mounted front disc with massive eight-pot caliper are there, of course, as is the sharp-edged styling that’s a massive step forward from the last generation of Buells under Harley’s ownership. If this is how the original Buell firm was going to develop, Harley might be wishing it hadn’t pulled the plug at the first sign of the financial crisis.
Price? Not yet revealed, but given the shared components with the 1190RX, it can’t be far from that bike’s £13,998. Pretty much par for the course for a low-volume machine, but it might take an element of bravery to opt for the Buell instead of something like KTM’s similarly-priced 1290 Super Duke R, the Aprilia Tuono V4R or the Ducati Streetfighter.
Next up from EBR will be another variation on the theme, the 1190AX adventure bike. Should be worth keeping an eye out for.
