I wish I had a crystal ball. Actually, I don’t. But I have seen a glimpse into the future and it looks pretty damn glorious. I’m talking about my hour-and-a-half long stint on the mighty Buell Super Cruiser prototype I got to ride during Daytona Bike Week. I was amazed at how much fun I could have riding a motorcycle on the street. I almost forgot, actually. I’m ashamed to admit that, but riding has become more of a by-product of necessity for me lately, but the Buell brought me back to my roots of why I started riding so many years ago. It’s fun. It’s also so much more.

I’ve been riding motorcycles for over 30 years so I’ve experienced my fair share of mileage on several different types of bikes (20 of those years as a hack journalist). From BMC Choppers to every Harley-Davidson, Victory, Indian, Big Dog (remember those guys?), American Ironhorse, Big Bear Choppers (remember the BBC GTX Bagger thingamajig?), the list goes on… Basically, I’ve had my butt on the seats of a lot of different motorcycles. Buell’s Super Cruiser prototype is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in my life. I did ride Nigel Patrick’s nitrous-powered V-Rod and that was pretty incredible too. But the Super Cruiser as a production vehicle is unmatched.

First of all, the entire package is tight. What I mean by that is that everything works together harmoniously: suspension, braking, acceleration, cornering. It’s just fluid and an overall complete experience.

Hammering on the throttle is instantaneous fun. Halting the bike is almost immediate as well. It’s just smooth overall and it’s hard to put it into words. But I think Buell’s new Super Cruiser will do wonders for the future of performance cruisers and the customers who are seeking something truly unique. Not only is it fast as shit with 185hp at the rear wheel, it’s the type of riding that I think the future of cruisers need to evolve to. In other words, low-end torque is fine and dandy, but high-range RPM bands might be the future of this genre.

When I rode Buell’s new prototype I was riding it wrong, according to Bill Melvin, CEO of Buell Motorcycle Co., and my riding buddy for my 90-minute rip. Bill instructed me to shift down to Second while doing 85 mph. I couldn’t understand what he was motioning me to do, because he was flashing what looked like a peace sign. But in all actuality he was telling me to shift into 2nd. “But we’re doing 85 mph, Bill,” I thought. I was hesitant but obliged his request anyway. Then it clicked. I was riding it wrong. You see I was in Fifth gear at 85 mph because that’s what I’ve been so used to doing for so many years with air-cooled V-twins. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I forgot how to ride a sport bike so to speak. But it came back. Maybe the “Cruiser” delineation of the model name messed with my head. But long story short, I don’t think I shifted to Fourth, Fifth and definitely not Sixth after Bill’s instructions. This bike does not need to be ridden in the lower RPM band at all. It certainly can be, but all the fun is between 7,000 and 11,000 RPM. And then Bill went on to quote the late, great Carroll Shelby… “There’s a point, 7,000 RPM, where everything fades. The machine becomes weightless, just disappears. All that’s left, a body moving through space and time.”

My overall take after riding the Super Cruiser prototype, which I’m told will essentially be what will go into production for the 2025 model year (still TBD on actual release date) but maybe, just maybe X-amount of models might trickle off the showroom floor as “race-only” products in 2024. Either way, we’re excited to see the overall impressions of customers after they first purchase their new Buell Super Cruisers because we can’t wait to share the joy, the excitement and the giddiness of feeling like a kid having his first dirt bike experience once again. This thing is for real and it’s coming for you. Until then…