Buell Motorcycles lifted the covers of their new 1190 Baja DR (Dune Racer) prototype at the 2022 Daytona Bike Week, a bike boasting 175hp and the moniker “world’s fastest production dirt bike”.  

The Buell brand has a chequered recent history. The motorcycle manufacturer founded by Erik Buell was known for innovative if slightly quirky bikes stretching way back into the 1980s. Harley Davidson bought the majority stake in Buell during the late ‘90s but the financial crisis in the noughties basically forced HD shut the brand down, retaining the name but quitting Buell bike production.

Various incarnations of the original Buell bikes came and went, first with Erik back again with some of his former colleagues making pure racing bikes under the Erik Buell Racing banner. That company went bust, was bought out but an assets company and became EBR who kinda muddled along and did try to go racing in AMA series.

Last year however they did snatch back the brand from Harley finally and have since set about producing bike very much in the same original vein, i.e. slightly bonkers but fascinating pieces of engineering on two wheels.

Most recently that has included a 182bhp, 101lb-ft engine 1190cc V-Twin “SuperTouring” street bike and this Buell 1190 Baja DR, the American brand’s first take on the off-road world, aside from a nuts hillclimb race bike (which you can buy!).

The badass Baja DR uses a detuned version of that nuts engine to boast being “the world’s fastest production dirt bike” with 175hp and 101lb-ft of torque “giving riders the freedom to go anywhere in the world, faster” – with these numbers is hard to doubt it.

The Baja DR is said also to be based on the Buell 1190 HCR hillclimber – the variable length extended swingarm makes it noticeable – which is, yep you guessed it, a pretty mad machine itself and being raced to success in the AMA Hillclimb series by Logan Cipala.

“Durable, fast and can go anywhere”

The engine bolts to a trellis steel tube frame with long travel WP front and rear suspension and a pretty lengthy wheelbase, adjustable from 66” to 70”, befitting of a Baja bike and not unlike the old BMW HP2 bikes.

Buell are accepting orders on the Baja, priced at $19,995 (£15,200) with production planned to start in 2023.

​​Buell 1190 HCR hillclimber specs (the Baja 1190 DR will be based on this model):

Engine Type: ET-V2: 72° V-Twin, Liquid Cooled, Four-stroke                       

Bore x Stroke: 4.17 in. x 2.66in. (106 x 67.5 mm)                

Displacement: 72.6 cu in. (1190cc)

Compression Ratio: 13.4 : 1

Fuel Delivery: Electronic Fuel injection with 2 port injectors & 2 showerhead injectors

Exhaust: Race                  

Peak Torque: 101.6 ft-lbs. @ 8200 rpm (137.8 Nm @ 8200 rpm)            

Peak Horsepower: 185 hp at 10,600 rpm

Drivetrain

Primary Drive: Gear Drive 36/65                

Final Drive: 520 Z-ring chain, 16/41                     

Clutch: Hydraulic actuation, vacuum operated slipper                           

Dimensions

Overall Length: 100in. (2540mm)         

Overall Width: 17in.  (431mm)                

Overall Height: 48in. (1219mm)          

Seat Height: 38in.  (965mm)                   

Ground Clearance: 12in.  (304mm)    

Weight (Wet, no fuel): 355lbs. (161kg)

Chassis

Frame: Steel tube frame                             

Swingarm: Extended              

Front Suspension: WP, inverted front forks         

Rear Suspension: WP, single shock with linkage

 

More Information: www.buellmotorcycle.com