| Author | Message | ||
     Eor |
It didn't take me long to grab the checkbook after a demo ride on the Ulysses this morning. I knew I was screwed when I sat on it and realized the seat height was manageable [barely] with the stock seat and my stock 30" inseam. I was able to get the left foot firmly planted with the right foot solidly on the footpeg..all with out much of a lean or stretch on my part. I was able to get the front halves of both feet down. I will need to pre-plan my stops a bit more and will have to dismount to move it around in some tight spots, but it is doable. A demo ride confirmed what others have said... comfortable seating position...my legs had more room than on other XB models [knee bend not as severe]. The seat is good. It felt a little hard to me but a firm seat is actually more long haul friendly in many cases. I got the impression it would mold to me a bit after some miles. The reduced clutch pull and new gearing is smooth...I mean REALLY smooth. Buell bashers no longer have any basis on which to short its transmission relative to other brands. It is as good or better than the Suzuki V-Strom we used to own...and I thought that was the smoothest shifting bikes I've ridden. The best testament...when I got back the sales guy asked me about it...and I couldn't remember shifting any during the ride. The suspension was at the factory settings, which is close to, but a little under my weight. I had the preload at the lowest setting. I felt softer than the CityX, but was pretty predictable in the curves, even without tweaking the settings. In fact I scared myself... when I looked down and realized how fast I was taking unfamiliar curves and remembered that the tires I was on only had a few miles on them.... gulp. No hits, misses, or errors though...I think these tires are good to go. I liked they way it handled...if you've ever ridden a KLR650 or a BMW F650 you will recognize and appreciate the leverage you have but the unlike those bikes, the suspension is quality and can back up those deep leans and hold the line. Brakes the same as the other XB's...the rear on this one seemed a bit soft compared to the other XB's I've owned or ridden. I've never ridden an XB12 model, so this was my first experience with the larger engine. I like it. The power comes on soft and increases in a more linear fashion than I recall on the CityX. On a couple of occasions I looked down and was shocked to see how fast I was going.It didn't seem like the engine was working hard enough to be going that fast.... granted I had just done 180 miles on an Electra Glide...that may have colored my perception a bit. I think I felt a little more vibration through the footpegs than on my CityX...not enough more to be an issue, though. But it seemed like the mirrors weren't vibrating quite as much...there were fewer cars in the rear view mirror, I think. Engine braking... I had read there was less of it. I can confirm this. I might have to use the brakes some now and my rear tire might last a little longer. There was a discussion regarding a possible heavier flywheel...I don't know...there is less engine braking capabilty on this one than other XB9's I've ridden. Black isn't my favorite color, but the dealer isn't going to get a yellow one until November. Given the interest the Uly was generating and my belief that anyone who likes Buells will want one [badly] after a demo ride I ran for the checkbook. The guys at the dealership were bummed because I put the deposit down before any of them had gotten a chance to ride it. I think I also broke some other guy's heart...he had ridden it and had sent the wife by to look at it... you know what that means. Perhaps someone will want to swap colors with me. If not...and I like the yellow enough, surely those two pieces can be purchased reasonably as can most Buell stuff. If I don't change my mind before next week, I'll be picking it up Monday or Tuesday. They gave me a pen so if I back out [not likely] I will have a $500 pen.    | ||
| Prof_stack |
Eor, congratulations! I test rode a Ulysses with full-on baggage Thursday and am seriously thinking of selling both my Electra-Glide and XB9S as this bike really does both pretty well. Enjoy! | ||
| 2hogs |
Eor, Congrats! I think of the black as the steath Ulysses version :-) Thanks for the information. The seat height was a concern for me. I have ~ 31" reach in my riding boots. Maybe the stock seat will work for me too. Prof_stack, Sell the Electra-Glide? Wow the Ulysses must be sweet. I have an 03 Road Glide that I just can't imagine selling. I love the stereo, electronic cruise, and 3 hard bags for those long 'see the country' trips. The days are dragging by ever since I put my deposit on a black one due in the beginning of Sept. Cheers | ||
| Prof_stack |
2hogs, my E-Glide is the FLHS, the precursor to the Road King. No stereo (except for v-twin music  ), no electronic cruise ('cept for the thumbscrew under the right grip), and hard bags on the sides. But my driver's backrest IS a godsend for long trips. A 110+ mile ride today was very relaxing, and the evo-hog got 57 mpg! So maybe you're right, this old classic needs to stay in my barn. Here's how Ulysses looks fully laden:  | ||
| 2hogs |
Prof_stack, Nice pic! Those 3 cases probably give you more storage capacity than a compact car :-). I'm wondering if a T-bag could slip over that triple tail rack (in vertical position) and sit on the passenger seat for SUV class storage!! 57mpg! Yea that in itself is a reason to hang on to the Glide. Best ever on the Road Glide was 52mpg (w/ stage 1 95" kit). I only average mid-40s on the 2005 Night Train as I tend to be more liberal with the throttle. I'm thinking the Train will have to go once the Ulysses arrives, guess time will tell. Cheers | ||
| Buellysses |
Nice pic. For some reason, I was laboring under the idea that since I put money down on one at 9am on the first day you could put money down on one, that I would be among the first to be riding one home. Now it seems that the deposit bikes are the first bike to come out AFTER the all the dealers got thier initial allotment of Ulysses. So I've got money out of pocket and waiting for a month, and someone walks off the street and takes home the first bike to arrive at the dealership because it doesn't have a name on it? Could someone tell me why I went to all the trouble of ordering one?? Aside from getting the cool signed windscreen? | ||
| Two_buells |
Eor where do you live. I'm getting a Orange XB12X and want a black one. want to trade body work? I live in Pa. | ||
| 2hogs |
Buellysses, I didn't order one, just checked with the local dealer and they had the color (black) I want coming in beginning of Sept, so I laid down a deposit. Another dealer knew they'd have a Ulysses coming in this month but didn't know the color. They said they'd call when it came in (if nobody puts a deposit on it) and if it's black I'll wander over and get it, then just get my deposit back from dealer # 1. So color was my only reason. Not sure on the initial shipment thing though :-( Cheers | ||
| Az_m2 |
I wondered exactly what the deposit got folks. Andrew, was there much communication with the dealership about what you were getting for your deposit? There is a black 12X at a local dealer that I'm sure I could have rode off with this morning. I think I've seen posts from folks that have a deposit down at the same dealership. | ||
| Wyckedflesh |
AZ_M2 if your talking about the Black Uly up at Arrowhead, I was told it was already spoken for last night while there for the bike show. | ||
| Eor |
Two Buells... I'm in Arkansas. I might be interested in trading with someone, but I want to see what the yellow looks like in the flesh first. In some pics it looks good to me...others it doesn't. I like the black seat, though. Don't forget that the yellow model has the two tone seat that you will probably want to trade. | ||
| Crazyretard |
I didn't ask the dealer by me anything specific about deposits but he did say that I could put down a deposit and order one but the one he was getting in was going to be his 'demo'. Later in the conversation he did mention that someone could come in and buy the 'demo'. | ||
| Cdallen |
I too put down a deposit but it was simply to hold, for me, the first bike my dealer gets. It wasn't ordered specifically for me. Come on September!! | ||
| Daves |
I have two black ones in Appleton ready to go! I also have a demo in black. I would sell that one too. When you put down a deposit that holds a certain bike that the dealer is getting. That's how I do it anyway. When that bike comes in, it is yours. | ||
| Buellysses |
It's hard to say exactly what is the status of the bike on which I put a deposit, whether custom order or first in line for the bike that shows up. when I was on the phone putting down the deposit, I was asked, since I was putting the money down, and the order was actually being placed over the phone at the dealer meeting in colorado, which color I preferred. Cool, I thought, I'll take black. The first Uly they get is the orange one. <shrug> I'll just be patient. Maybe it'll be early. | ||
| Blake |
I can't make up my mind which color I prefer. Normally I'm a black bike kinda guy, but that orage is nice and cheary. Maybe one set of each colored plastic and the extra seat? Maybe get one of the seats in low and one regular. I may head over to the dealer tomorrow to see one of these beasts in person. Thanks for the review Eor!  Just one problem... "I felt softer than the CityX" TMI!  | ||
| Jon |
Let's all get black. Then we can glare at people at Cannery Row next year at Laguna.  | ||
| Eor |
My wife was waiting for me to take her to dinner when I posted...I forgot to mention a couple of things... Up to 70 mph or so, the feel of the wind was very much like the XB9S's...turbulence free and really not noticeable. Around 70, it started becoming a slight factor to me. The wind blast on the Uly pushes you back a bit more, opposed to the CityX that seems to push you more up than back. This isn't surprising, given the different angle of the windscreen and what feels to be a slightly more upright seating position on the Uly. I didn't push it much more than 75 mph as I rarely ride faster than that, but at 80-90 mph or more the wind blast might become an issue. I imagine there will be allot of experimenting with windscreens and the manner in which it is attached to the Uly will make it easy to swap out and experiement. I'm sure was glad to see that the cheese grater / pasta strainer didn't make its way onto the Uly...that was never one of favorite Buell design features. Even though my inseam is realtively short...I enjoy riding tall bikes...I just don't like stopping or making slow speed maneuvers on them. The Uly is the tallest one I've ridden...reminds me of the commanding view you get when you stand in the bed of a pickup truck and lean over the cab as you are going down the road. I guess Buell riders were dogs in a previous life since we seem to enjoying having our heads out front in the wind. Buell or an aftermarket source really should make some color options for the Uly. With only two plastic pieces that are easy to replace, it would be so easy to semi-customize your Uly with different color schemes...like one of the translucent colors... waaay cool IMO. Unfortunately, you can't swap all the colored pieces with S models because the windscreen is different. I narrowly averted an unfortunate incident when I test rode the Uly. The sales guy pushed it out into the parking lot and started it. I had to put my gear on and suggested that he turn it off so it didn't "walk away." He said he wanted it warmed up for me....okay. I thought I would use the "left foot on the footpeg" mounting method for taller bikes. Fortunately I have also developed a habit of grasping and applying the front brake whenever I mount a bike, whether it is running or not. Can you guess what happened? I'm REALLY glad I developed that "apply brake while mounting" habit.  | ||
| Daves |
Did you kick it into gear? | ||
| Eor |
uh...yep.  | ||
| Daves |
Do I win a prize? | ||
| Bcordb3 |
Prof - the Uly looks so right with the bags. Looks like a tour of the sound is in order. A nice ride to Port Townsend and Port Angeles. | ||
| Az_m2 |
"AZ_M2 if your talking about the Black Uly up at Arrowhead, I was told it was already spoken for last night while there for the bike show." Yep, that's the one. That was my first time at Arrowhead. The sales folks actually came over and chatted with me as soon as I started checking out the Buells. "Jesse" wasn't quite up on Buells, but he had a good attitude. I suggested to him a couple of times to get on the internet, because there was a lot of info he could learn. I was hoping the bike would really grab me when I saw it in person, but it didn't. For some reason to me the fork angle looks different in person than in the pictures I've seen, much more straight up/down than at an angle. It doesn't look as pronounced in pictures, but it sure jumped out at me in person. I would take off some of the plastic too. I'm sure the belt guards would go. The bike still looked good overall, just didn't hit me emotionally like I was hoping it would. tho . . . I couldn't take my eyes off the orange lightning long sitting next to it  I was on the tips of my toes when I sat on it (I have a 30" inseam). Height is the same as my KLR, but the seat is wider. The low seat would take care of that. still considering getting one, but haven't made up my mind. | ||
| Spencnor |
I'm a newbie to this site and to Buells. I'm in the market for a bike like the Uly since it seems similar to a V-strom, Multistrada and the GS1200. I went and looked at a Uly yesterday and it's a nice looking bike and seems well put together, but the high seat height was of major concern to me. I have a 30" inseam and has been mentioned by others I too was on tippy toes. IMHO being on tippy toes is not comfortable and confidence inspiring in stop and go traffic and when performing low speed maneuvers. Unfortunately the Uly's high seat height may be a deal killer for me. I haven't tried the low seat version yet as the dealer only had the one Uly on display. Does anyone here know if the Uly's suspension can be adjusted easily to lower the seat height? I'm thinking for the majority of my riding I won't be needing the additional ground clearance and if the suspension can be adjusted easily I can jack it back up for those off road trips. | ||
| Csg_inc |
So Arrowhead's is gone, did chandler sell theirs yet? Hacienda got a baricade orange one that was sold last thursday. | ||
| Dbird29 |
There was an orange one at Grand Juntion, Co Buell dealer last Saturday. | ||
| Az_m2 |
Michael, if the seat height is the only issue for you, don't make your decision until you try one with a low seat. I expect that it's going to make a big difference, not only is it lower, but narrower too. My KLR is the same seat height and feels about the same as the 12X, and has never been an issue for me. | ||
| Imonabuss |
Spenc, The low seat seems to make a big difference, and the suspension preload for the back can be adjusted just by turning a knob along the bottom of the left side of the seat. Try one this way; I was told it made a very noticeable difference for dealers who sat on both seats at the dealer show. | ||
| Vfrbart |
I don't think the preload should be used to lower seat height. Its for setting sag for rider weight. | ||
| Eor |
I believe that softening a bike's preload to accommodate a shorter rider is a typical practice and I haven't seen any evidence that doing so has a significant effect on a bike's handling. Interesting thing about the Uly's preload adjustment... The remote adjustment knob is on the left side of the bike. On all the bikes I have owned or ridden it has been on the right side. The salesman mentioned that you could adjust the preload while underway. Of course I would want to confirm that this wouldn't damage anything before doing so, but that is an interesting development. (Message edited by eor on August 21, 2005) |
