Top man Eric Buell has dubbed the Firebolt XB9R the "sport fighter", because he says his new baby bridges the gap between streetfighter and sportsbike.
Priced at a competitive £7345 on the road, the new for 2002 Firebolt is powered by a 95bhp, 984cc fuel injected V-twin Harley engine. Wrap that motor in a chassis that owes more to 250GP than Road King, and you've got a pretty potent package.
The Firebolt features a host of production firsts, including rim-mounted brakes, with oil carried in the swingarm and fuel in the frame. But it still has the same characteristic massive torque, low centre of gravity and aggressive look of all Buell sportsbikes.
Eric Buell says that he designed the Firebolt to be the best backlane scratcher ever. With a wheelbase of only 1320mm - shorter than even the Yamaha R1 - it ought to be good. Steering rake is 21 degrees and trail is 84mm, which is pretty radical. But the Firebolt remains stable however hard you throw it into bends.
There may only be a single disc up front, but it's a big one - a full 375mm disc with six-pot caliper that delivers massive stopping power and plenty of feedback. The rim-mounted brake allows Buell to use a lightweight wheel for quicker steering. Even the Dunlop D207 tyre has been specially developed for the Buell, and weighs in at 2kg less than standard tyres.
Suspension is quality kit courtesy of fully adjustable Showa units front and rear.
The Firebolt XB9R may be the newest entry into the Buell line-up but it still keeps to the founding father's philosophy of naked styling, clean design, righteous sound and the Trilogy of Tech - maximising frame rigidity, lowering unsprung weight and centralising the bike's mass.
The new Firebolt powertrain produces the best torque-to-weight ratio of any middleweight motorcycle. The engine may feature staggered headers, "high flow" heads and a big airbox, plus NASCAR-developed valve spring technology, but it is still based on the old Harley pushrod motor.
Don't expect a V-Rod lump in the next generation Firebolt - Buell claim the latest DOHC water-cooled unit is simply too heavy for a sportsbike. Or a Sport Fighter.
