Buell Motorcycle Plans International Expansion

Buell Motorcycle—famous for its individually built high-performance machines—returned to business in 2021. And business must be good, because the brand is now planning expansion to markets outside the U.S.

The company’s flagship Hammerhead and other models (all powered by the proprietary Buell 1190cc engine) have attracted a great deal of attention and pre-orders. Even foreign distributors and riders have voiced interest, so Buell now intends to give them what they want.

“We’ve seen a strong demand for Buell’s high-performance motorcycles across the globe. We’re listening, and we’re ready to expand with global distribution,” said Buell Motorcycle CEO Bill Melvin in a statement.

First, Buell bikes will be heading to Canada. The company’s initial aim was to start offering the bikes already in summer 2024, but we haven’t yet seen a confirmation of when the bikes will be available.

Further down the line, Buell also plans to arrive in the EU, U.K., and other markets.

To make the international expansion happen faster, Buell has opened lines of communication to let foreign distributors and dealers get in touch with the company. 

Buell Motorcycle was founded in 1983 by ex-Harley-Davidson engineer Erik Buell. His previous employee purchased a minor stake in Buell in 1993 and then fully bought the business in 2003.

In 2009, however, Harley-Davidson shuttered Buell to focus solely on its own brand. The same year, Erik Buell Racing was set up to produce race-only versions of the company’s previous bikes.

Finally, in 2021, Erik Buell Racing purchased the Buell Marque and returned to business. The company’s currently producing the Hammerhead 1190 super bike, and is also working on bringing its anticipated Super Cruiser prototype bike to riders.