UK vehicle statistics / Buell
How many Buell cars are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 650 licensed and 2,365 SORN Buell vehicles in the UK, across 9 published model groups.
Looking at a Buell?
Population figures describe a model group, not the car in front of you.
Check its registration free for the official tax, MOT and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.
Is the Buell fleet shrinking?
Adding up every published Buell model group: Licensed numbers peaked at 1,974 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 650 in 2026 Q1, down 67%. That is down 31% in the five years since 2021 Q1.
Before you buy
- Budget for a shrinking fleet — Licensed numbers are down 67% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 1,974. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
- Check the actual Buell — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.
Rarest Buell models
The published Buell model groups with the smallest surviving populations.
- Xb9s Lightning — 33 licensed, 102 SORN
- X1 Lightning — 36 licensed, 147 SORN
- Firebolt Xb9r — 45 licensed, 177 SORN
- 1125r — 39 licensed, 201 SORN
- Firebolt — 59 licensed, 232 SORN
Every Buell model
| Model | Licensed | SORN |
|---|---|---|
| Lightning | 208 | 578 |
| S1 Lightning | 75 | 336 |
| M2 Cyclone | 59 | 330 |
| Xb12x Ulysses | 96 | 262 |
| Firebolt | 59 | 232 |
| 1125r | 39 | 201 |
| Firebolt Xb9r | 45 | 177 |
| X1 Lightning | 36 | 147 |
| Xb9s Lightning | 33 | 102 |
How to read these numbers
Licensed means taxed and legal to use on the road at the end of the quarter. SORN means the keeper has declared it off the road — it still exists, but it is not in use. A model group's total is the best available proxy for how many survive, and a shrinking one means fewer donor cars, fewer specialists and slower parts supply.
Common questions
How many Buell cars are left in the UK?
650 Buell vehicles were licensed and 2,365 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, across 9 published model groups, according to DfT and DVLA statistics.
Which Buell is rarest?
Of the published Buell model groups, the Xb9s Lightning has the smallest surviving population at 33 licensed and 102 SORN.
Is the Buell fleet shrinking?
Licensed numbers peaked at 1,974 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 650 in 2026 Q1, down 67%. That is down 31% in the five years since 2021 Q1.
Does a Buell population figure describe the car I am looking at?
No. It describes the model group. Enter the registration for that car's own free MOT, tax and mileage record.
Source and limitations
Source: Department for Transport and DVLA, df_VEH0120_UK. Released 2026-07-15 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
DVLA make and model fields are administrative data and can contain omissions or inconsistencies. These statistics describe model groups, not an individual registration.
Confidential cells marked [c] represent between 1 and 4 vehicles and are treated as zero in aggregates, so totals can be slightly understated.