Eric Buell had a passion for building race bikes and decided to make one powered by a Harley XR1000 engine (large version of the Harley flat track racer). In the middle of the project, Harley quit making the engine, so Eric ended up making this street version, his first street bike, with a Sportster 1200 engine. Buell continued to make sport bikes using Harley engines and his company was eventually bought by Harley.