An international press introduction for the 2002 Buell XB-9R, scheduled to take place October 7-8 in Valencia, Spain, has been cancelled.

“It’s just a matter of logistics,” said Buell Communications Manager Paul James, speaking in a phone interview Thursday, September 13. The problem, according to James, stems from the FAA shutdown of air travel within the United States and Canada as a result of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C. “Not only can I not get people to Spain, I can’t get bikes there. We are still building the bikes, and we cannot get some of the little parts like oil coolers and wiring harnesses.”

James said that he was considering splitting the launch, holding one intro in Europe and another in North America. The North American press launch would most likely be held at a racetrack in California or Nevada to minimize travel for the majority of the American motorcycle press, according to James.