Intim;
i went to big bike show out in ohio. (cycle world sponsor, 17 or 19 manufacturers, 600 bikes there)
was checking out the city9x, when a factory rep came up.....
i asked him where the motor was made he said milwaukee, i asked him if it was really wauwatosa, wisconsin.
his eyes lit up, and he said yes.
i related to him that i took the tour in september('0

.
he said he was from engineering, which was out back from the harley plant you see from the street.
he said he gets to ride all the bikes, i told him i wanted his job....he laughed.
apparently someone has to die[God Bless Them] or get hooked on crack and miss alot of work to make a vacancy at a Harley/Buell manufacturing facility.
from what i understand, there may be a new opportunity to view another of Harley's operations coming in the future.....Tomahawk, Wisconsin, where they make the fiberglas components for their M/C's.
this doesn't correspond with anyhting you posted, other than your story of harley owners recognizing your buell.
here you go, guys who work for Harley-Davidson, are down to earth cool guys.