Buell is on a mission. Featured after the release of their Roland Sands design super cruiser concept, the American company has just launched the latest version of the upcoming Buell SuperTouring 1190. And we have questions.
First launched a year ago, the SuperTouring was originally billed as a high-speed touring car. But since then, Buell has refined and evolved the concept, and it’s now billed as a ‘modular supercar’—or ‘adaptive motorcycle’.
In a word, that means all the parts that make the SuperTouring a touring car, designed to be turned on and off in minutes. According to Buell, the idea was to build a bike that could go from street legal to race-ready in less than an hour. That, while not entirely groundbreaking, is pretty clever nonetheless.
Riding a motorbike in the US is more of a recreation than a means of transportation. So, a bike that can do multiple things — like take the open road one weekend, and race the next, and be able to commute — is a nifty proposition.
On the surface, SuperTouring looks like a revival of the Buell XB12XT Ulysses. Really, that was inevitable, given the inherent design language of the brand and the touring background of both bikes. On closer inspection, however, it resembles a bulkier 1190SX.
It was designed in collaboration with J. Ruiter—an award-winning industrial designer with a knack for creating concept motorcycles on the left. You may have seen your pragmatic, blocky Undo Moto And stolen the concept.
The difference is easy to spot. The SuperTouring has a sturdier subframe that is sure to support luggage and passengers. It also has a more comfortable-looking double decker seat, and removable passenger pegs, luggage rack and hard basket.
At the front are a pair of LED headlights (a Buell classic), encased in a modular visor with different screen heights offered. The fake fuel tank caps and side panels largely appear to be from the 1190SX—and like on the SX, they’re all made from carbon fiber.
Buell hasn’t released too many details yet, but they did confirm that the SuperTouring’s chassis and engine are the same as those on the 1190SX and Hammerhead 1190. And that tells us a few things.
The 1,190 cc V-twin engine on the 1190SX produces 185 hp and 137.8 Nm of torque. And while the SuperTouring will likely have its own engine tune, we can expect numbers in the same ballpark. Comparing the SuperTouring with the 1190SX and the Hammerhead 1190, you’ll also find Buell’s signature swingarm, wheels, and disc brakes all the same.
We can also expect the SuperTouring’s fuel-in-frame chassis to hold the same amount of gas as its two stablemates; 17 liters [4.5 gallons]. That leaves it with slightly shorter legs than some competitors, like the Harley-Davidson Pan America (5.6 gal) and the Ducati Multistrada V4 (5.8 gal).
However, you cannot blame Buell for using an established foundation. They’re still a relatively small company—and it’s much less expensive to develop a new bike on an existing platform than to build everything from scratch. But SuperTouring will probably need a few more tweaks to really shine.
With the modular concept going on here, will Buell provide some kind of auxiliary fuel cell to help the SuperTouring go further? And are components like the footrest adjustable so the rider can optimize the bike for each riding situation? Only time will tell.
However, one thing is certain—Buell To be listen. The SuperTouring is slated to go into production only in 2025, but Buell is now showing it off at Daytona Bike Week because they want to know what people think of it. The company’s CEO, Bill Melvin, has stated that customer feedback is central to Buell’s development.
So if you have an opinion about SuperTouring, let them have it.
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