Buell M2 1200 Cyclone 2000 — Specifications

Erik Buell never sought to please everyone. His M2 Cyclone, born in the 2000s, is the most immediate proof of this: an engine borrowed from Harley-Davidson, revised and corrected by engineers who clearly decided to challenge conventional wisdom. The result? A 45-degree V-twin of 1199 cm3 delivering 86 horsepower at 6000 rpm and, above all, a torque of 103 Nm from 5400 rpm. These figures do not appear out of nowhere: they represent a serious preparation effort on a Milwaukee base that others would have left at its original 55 or 60 horsepower.

The silhouette is striking, and that’s a polite understatement. The oversized airbox that protrudes from each side gives the machine the look of a bodybuilder cruiser on steroids. It’s not beautiful in the classic sense of the term, but it is consistent with the brand's philosophy: aerodynamics and aesthetics are subordinate to mechanics. The steel tube frame, rigid and precise, serves as the backbone of a well-calibrated suspension, with 43 mm telescopic forks with 120 mm of travel at the front and a 125 mm mono-shock at the rear. For a dry weight of 193 kg, this is a balance worth paying attention to.

On the road, the engine's character quickly asserts itself. The torque arrives cleanly, without a hysterical engine speed, and propels the machine with an efficiency that surprises those expecting a nervous and dry roadster. Where the Cyclone divides opinion is with its 5-speed gearbox: the shifts lack the fluidity one would expect from contemporary Japanese competitors such as the Honda CB 1300 or the Suzuki Bandit 1200, which are smoother in their transitions. The belt drive, however, remains silent and requires almost no maintenance, a concrete advantage for daily use.

The braking deserves a special mention. There is only a single disc at the front, but it is coupled with a six-piston caliper with a sharp and well-dosed bite on dry pavement. On wet pavement, careful dosage is required. The machine responds exactly as asked, without filters or electronic aids, which places the Cyclone in the hands of experienced riders rather than novices. The overall road behavior is healthy on good surfaces, but the sensitivity to suspension settings is apparent as soon as the road deteriorates: on bumpy or degraded roads, the rigidity of the frame becomes a constraint rather than an asset.

At 9450 euros in the catalog, the M2 Cyclone is aimed at a knowledgeable audience, an enthusiast of American mechanics who does not want to sacrifice road holding on the altar of the custom philosophy. It’s not a motorcycle for beginners, nor for touring riders seeking comfort over long distances with its 15-liter tank, which necessitates regular stops. It’s a machine for an experienced rider, urban or on beautiful, clear roads, who will appreciate the functional eccentricity of a brand that has always played by its own rules. Buell disappeared in 2009, swallowed by Harley-Davidson’s accounting decisions. The Cyclone, however, remains as a testament to an era when someone was still trying to make American muscle with European chassis rigor.