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This venture is just the latest of Erik Buell’s trailblazing visions. The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer and Bardi first met in the US about three years ago, when the latter was still a member of the WSBK Commission – more specifically, in charge of developing and approving regulations and scouting potential new entries – and the Race Direction. In between races in Miller Motorsports Park, a seemingly immanent connection was established. “I consider myself a romantic, and I like this side of racing much more than the organizational one,” admitted Bardi, who previously also worked in a similar capacity for Yamaha. “I like staying by the pit wall, and I often ride my own bike to races around Europe. When I met Erik, we established a good relationship right away. He had been thinking about competing in WSBK for quite a while, and I thought this was an opportunity I couldn’t miss, though sometimes I ask myself whether I’m crazy since I basically have been living the workshop for months now. Passion and commitment are the core of this project, starting from the top until the last person involved.” As both new and unique bike, the 1190RX cannot be developed by tapping into a previous knowledge pool. Rather, riders and engineers need to tread their own path, which is both a challenge and a competitive opportunity. “We have an enormous workload ahead of us but this bike is unique in its own. Many aspects still need to be ironed and smoothed out. For example, in Australia we had to race with a standard gearbox and steering because the price-capped versions provided by Ohlins didn’t fit with perimeter brakes. After hitting Europe again, we could start tweaking the details. I believe this bike has the potential to become something truly outstanding.” EBR’s goals, obviously, stretch beyond the boundaries of racetracks. Both EBR and its main sponsor and shareholder, Hero MotoCorp, know racing’s potential to serve as springboard to leap into new, untapped markets. “Obviously, competing in WSBK also allows EBR to further develop and publicize its products,” Bardi said. “In Australia, for example, the bike sold pretty well after the season opener.” Still, EBR is – as everyone else – racing to succeed. To this end, the uncertainty regarding future championship regulations represents both a threat and an opportunity. As an example, the team’s preparations were somewhat hindered by the need to manufacture enough 1190RXs to receive homologation. Those requirements, however, changed by April 2014 and allowed new entries such as Bimota to compete with a non-homologated bike. “The 1190RS couldn’t have competed because of the rules regarding homologation. Only about 150 bikes were produced in total, with a higher price tag. It was almost as a preproduction bike. Buell made about 130 units just to request homologation. I can only say we stuck to the rule book to the best of our capabilities. It’s up to FIM to evaluate those aspects, but certainly, a non-homologated bike has never raced before in this championship.” – Luca Semprini Race to succeed. Always aim for the top spot. Like when you ride, Daytona Helmets is a measure of quality. Stay protected when you race.
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EBR, Erik Buell Racing, WSBK, motorcycles,
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