The Buell Blast is a

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle Steering, steered by a Motorcycle handlebar, handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: Long-distance ...

that was made by the

Buell Motorcycle Company Buell Motorcycles is an American motorcycle manufacturer based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1983 by ex-Harley-Davidson engineer Erik Buell. Harley-Davidson acquired 49% of Buell in 1993, and Buell became a wholly ow ...

from 2000 to 2009. The Blast was conceived as an entry-level motorcycle to attract newcomers to

motorcycling Motorcycling is the act of riding a motorcycle. For some people, motorcycling may be the only affordable form of individual motorized transportation, and small- displacement motorcycles are the most common motor vehicle in the most populous c ...

in general and to Harley-Davidson in particular. As such, the design goals were low cost and ease of operation and maintenance. Steps to achieve these goals include the use of an automatically tensioned belt final drive, self-adjusting hydraulic valve lifters, and a carburetor with an automatic choke. The engine design was borrowed from Harley's Evolution Sportster engine with the rear cylinder eliminated. The plastic bodywork pieces of the Blast were made from

Surlyn An ionomer () ('' iono-'' + '' -mer'') is a polymer composed of repeat units of both electrically neutral repeating units and ionized units covalently bonded to the polymer backbone as pendant group moieties. Usually no more than 15 mole percent ...

, a substance used to make the outside of golf balls, to protect the surfaces when the Blast is dropped, and the color is molded-in. The Blast was used in Harley-Davidson's Rider's Edge New Rider program, a similar course to the

Motorcycle Safety Foundation The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) is an American national, not-for-profit organization, founded in 1973, and sponsored by the U.S. manufacturers and distributors of BMW, BRP, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Piaggio/Vespa, Suzuki, ...

's Basic "RiderCourse". In July 2009, prior to ceasing all motorcycle production, Buell ran an ad campaign stating that the Buell Blast would no longer appear in their line-up. The ad featured a Buell Blast being destroyed in an automobile crusher. For 2010, a limited run of crushed Blast cubes was offered for sale upon request. They were available in Battle Blue, Midnight Black, and Sunfire Yellow, and were individually signed and numbered by

Erik Buell Erik F. Buell (born April 2, 1950, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is the founder, former Chairman and Chief Technical Officer of the Buell Motorcycle Company, which eventually merged with Harley-Davidson Corp. Buell is a pioneer of modern race mot ...

References

Blast Blast or The Blast may refer to: *Explosion, a rapid increase in volume and release of energy in an extreme manner *Detonation, an exothermic front accelerating through a medium that eventually drives a shock front Film * ''Blast'' (1997 film), ...

Belt drive motorcycles Standard motorcycles Motorcycles introduced in 2000 {{Motorcycle-stub