The Catskill Chronicle

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Hi friends, family and perfect strangers!

It has been requested by many wonderful and respected people that I keep a blog during my insane motorcycle trip to Alaska. While this is not usually my style, (more of a quiet – in the corner –  kind of guy) I’m  always up for something new!

So, with a little over a week till the scheduled departure this is the official first blog posting!

I hope this experiment is a success for everyone involved!

Anthony Luigi Santoro

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Buell Blast

The Buell Blast is a motorcycle made by the Buell Motorcycle Company since 2000. It is the smallest motorcycle currently made by any subsidiary of Harley-Davidson, the first single cylinder motorcycle made by any subsidiary of Harley-Davidson since the sale of Aermacchi‘s motorcycle division in 1978, and the first single cylinder motorcycle made by any subsidiary of Harley-Davidson in the United States since the 1966 Harley-Davidson Bobcat.

The Blast was conceived as an entry-level motorcycle to attract newcomers to motorcycling in general and to Harley-Davidson in particular. As such, the design goals were low cost, ease of operation, and ease of maintenance. Steps to achieve this goal include the use of an automatically tensioned belt final drive, self-adjusting hydraulic valve lifters, and a carburetor with an automatic choke. The plastic bodywork pieces of the Blast are made from Surlyn, a substance used to make the outside of golf balls, to protect the surfaces when the Blast is dropped.

The Blast is used in Harley-Davidson’s Rider’s Edge New Rider program, a similar course to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation‘s Basic “RiderCourse”.

In July 2009, Buell ran an ad campaign stating that the Buell Blast would no longer appear in their line-up. The ad featured a Buell Blast being destroyed in an automobile crusher. For 2010, a limited run of Blasts will be offered for sale upon request. They are available in Battle Blue, Midnight Black, and Sunfire Yellow, and are individually signed and numbered by Erik Buell. Suggested uses for these limited-edition Blasts as per the website include an ottoman, an end table, or art piece, as they are completely non-functional in their crushed state. – Wikipedia.

Sadly, a recent visit to the Buell Motorcycle Company’s website revealed that “On Thursday, October 15, 2009 Buell Motorcycle Company officials thanked the company’s customers, employees and dealers for an unforgettable ride, following the announcement by Harley-Davidson, Inc. that it will discontinue the Buell® product line as part of Harley-Davidson’s go-forward business strategy. The new long-term strategy aims to drive Company growth through a focus of efforts and resources on the Harley-Davidson® brand.”

Click here for more information on the Buell Motorcycle Company.