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Author Message   Electraglider_1997 Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 09:50 am:        How many of you guys actually own a Ulysses? On a scale of 1 to 5 please answer the following questions. 1 being least satisfied and 5 being the most satisfied. 1) Quality 2) Fun factor 3) Handling 4) Maintenance 5) Expectations of the bike. 6) Regrets on buying ( 1 regret to 5 No regrets) 7) Is limited steering lock a problem? 8) Is seat height a problem? 9) Is front tire contacting parts it shouldn't a safety problem I should worry about? 10) Would you buy the bike again knowing what you now know about the bike? My Ulysses is to arrive around the end of November and I just want to make sure that I'm doing the right thing. I have a Harley bagger so I'm quite used to the shake at idle. I've owned bikes since I was 14 and I'm going to be 50 in January. Hondas, Yamahas, a even a Hodaka for those of you that can remember them. The reason I've decided to buy the Buell is because of demo rides and I want something that is fast and isn't quite so heavy. I also like all the engineering touches on the Buell. Anyway, I'd appreciate it if you guys can give me an honest assessment on your experience with your Ulysses. Thanks.   Bienhoabob Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 10:34 am:        1-6 all 5's 7) slight problem, getting used to it. 8) height is a problem,31"inseam. had local seat maker lower and install pro pad. Now fit is excellent. 9) nothing noticeable 10) definitely, hugh fun factor. 56 years old, owned Harley baggers for last 15 years. Only problem is an image problem, The Uly is not the "norm" in the Harley crowd. Feels strange riding in a pack. May have to break down and get a cruiser also. That's more of a mental problem than an actual problem.   Dave Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 10:51 am:        Agreed 1-6 all 5+ without a doubt 7) slight but not anything that should steer someone away from the Uly 8) not a *problem* ... more of the Uly character ...I won't be changing the seat (I'm 5' 10.5" 9) Is this legit/reality or just speculation. I'm not seeing it @ 2500+ miles 10) HELL YES without doubt!! I've recently owned/own '98S1W, '01 Tiger, '95 S2, '99 S3 and the Uly is the best handling, comfortable, bike to date. Bags are world class and have lots of space. I've had a couple very minor issues with mine. The seat rubbing the rear rocker cover is reality. Not a show stopper though just *character*. Get the Uly...you will not regret it. DAve   Cliffb Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 10:57 am:        I’ve only had mine for 2 days so I won’t be able to answer all your questions but I will give you my impressions so far. I bought my Uly without ever riding one, based on the reviews I was reading here and elsewhere. I’ve had two M2s and love them. I figured I could not go wrong with an Uly. 1) Quality – 5 Seems very well made 2) Fun factor – 3 Hard to have too much fun at 2500 rpm. I expect that score to improve 3) Handling – 4 Still getting to know the bike but pretty good so far. Make sure you check suspension settings. 4) Maintenance – No opinion yet. Probably not as easy as my M2. 5) Expectations – 4 So far so good 6) Regrets -4 Too soon for regrets 7) Steering lock – Not a problem for me. The steering lock seems better than my M2s and I don’t expect this bike to spend much time in dirt. 8) Seat height – Will take some getting used to. I’m 6-1 and can barely flat foot on this thing. Harder to push around while sitting on it. 9) Front tire rubbing – No problems noted 10) Yep! So far I’m well satisfied with the bike. My biggest issue was a bad buying experience with the dealer and a bike that was poorly set up. You will enjoy the Uly. Hopefully you have a good dealer.   De50man Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 11:02 am:        1-6 all 5's as well 7. I feel that there could be less steering lock, but I don't think it hinders the bikes ability in the least. I have only had to meet the steering lock in low speed U-turns on roads and low speed parking maneuvers. 8. I am 5'10", 32" inseam. The hight is not a problem, especially with the suspension properly setup. I do however plan on getting a corbin seat in the future. 9. I have had NO problems with anything at all. 1700+ miles so far. No signs of rubbing. 10. WITHOUT A DOUBT!!! I've only been riding for a little over a year. And I just picked up the Ulysses after many test rides with many different bikes. Before I left for Basic Training I had *almost* put a down payment on a Hayabusa. The *DAY* I got out of Basic, at our PX I picked up a Cycle World with, ours truly, the Ulysses front and center. About a month later, after test rides and a lot of reading I had an Orange Ulysses sitting in my garage. I love this bike... In fact, I'm going for a ride in a few minutes!   Dragon_slayer Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 11:05 am:        First off, we all have different opinions and expectations about everything in life. So the big question is what are yours? Bear in mind that all bikes are mechanical devises made and serviced by humans. THERE ARE NO PERFECT BIKES! Maybe perfect for you. That said I think you will find that 99.9% of Uly owners LOVE their bike and would rate all of your questions at 5! The following are just my opinions and experiences with this bike: Steering lock has not been a problem for me. Just plan your turn arounds. Limited lock maybe a blessing with this bike's height. I am 6'1" and believe me this bike is tall. I have gotten comfortable with it and like the room it gives me. Just takes awhile. I guess since I started the front tire discussion I should tell you what I think. I do not feel unsafe on this bike because of the tire mark. In fact the only time I think about it is at the different forums. Just like to know what's up with this. It's the mechanic in me! Would I buy this bike again? My hope is the next one would be the SPORT TOURING version of this bike! (Erik Buell: great start with this one, but lose the dirt bike/Supermoto thinking on the next one. Uly and CityX is enough. Lets move on.) If it helps you, I will be 53 by year's end and have rode a lot of bikes. I love my Uly and if someone told me to give it up, the big fat middle finger is what I would be giving. IMHO.   Two_buells Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 11:09 am:        1) Quality 5 2) Fun factor 5 3) Handling 5 4) Maintenance 5 5) Expectations of the bike. 5 6) Regrets on buying 5 (sorry I had to trade my XB9R) 7) Is limited steering lock a problem? no 8) Is seat height a problem? no but backing up is, 32" inseam 9) Is front tire contacting parts it shouldn't a safety problem I should worry about? no, no 10) Would you buy the bike again knowing what you now know about the bike? yes, I want to buy a second one and set it up with low bars, higher pegs, lower seat and a Firebolt fairing   Brotherbuell Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 11:17 am:        1-6 all 5's 7 No 8 Somewhat but manageable. Will buy the low seat when available 9 No 10 Absolutely!!!   Lowflyer Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 11:19 am:        1-6 all 5s 7. No 8. No 9. No 10. No doubt about it. Ergos: 35 years old; 5'10"; 210 lbs Owned an old Kaw KZ550 before Numerous dirt/trail bikes since kid-hood Not afraid to ride it in the dirt, mud, whatever My dad had a matching pair of Hodaka 125s and an Ossa 250 when I was growing up.   Dmcutter Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 12:11 pm:        1-6, all 5. In fact, the handling far exceeds my expectations. I've posted this before-handles easier than my ZX-10. 7. Rarely, but not a deal breaker. 8. Only backing up, but I have a Corbin seat on order. 9. No 10. Absolutely. 46 years old, 5'9", 175 lb. Been riding sport bikes since 1983, but this is the most fun bike I've owned.   2_spuds Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 01:51 pm:        I couldn't be happier with this bike,I would rate it a 5 on all of your ouestions.I am 57 and have been riding since I was 10 and have had more bikes than I can remember. I still have a 94 roadking with an s&s 113ci.,baker 6 speed and also an 03 sportster sport. The uly is by far the most fun I've ever had on two wheels.I'am 6'2 and 210# and the bike feels like it was custom made for me.I do have a gouge on the chin fairing about 1/4" deep that looks like a tire rub but it could be from a rock or something,I just can't see the forks flexing that much. I was lucky that mine came with the bags and top box which seem larger than the one's on the road king.I also reversed my horn like was suggested on this board and it took care of the rattle.The uly is a great bike,I don't think you will be dissapointed,I love mine.   Rkc00 Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 03:15 pm:        1-6 all 5's (I actually thinks I ride this bike better in the turns than I did my XB9S that I traded in. It probably is that I fit on it allot better. 7 No 8 Only when backing up. 9 No not yet. 10 Absolutely!!! As soon as I get my bags and tour pack my 05 Road Glide will be for sale. I am not sure if that is a mistake but you can always find another Harley. Mike Long Island,NY 06 XB12X Black 05 FLTRI Black Cherry Pearl 03 XB9S (gone but not forgotten) 00 FLHRCI (gone but not forgotten)   Electraglider_1997 Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 03:52 pm:        Thanks for the feedback. I just got back from a 100 mile ride. I had to see a black xb12x down at the Lincoln, NE dealer. One of the salesman had already bought the bike but he had it parked out front so I gave it a long once over. The salesman/owner talked with me for awhile about his bike. He really likes it of course. By the way, I can hardly wait for my black Uly to get here. (Message edited by electraglider_1997 on October 29, 2005)   Branebanger Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 07:11 pm:        1) Quality 5 2) Fun factor 10 3) Handling 4 4) Maintenance 10 5) Expectations of the bike. 10 6) Regrets on buying ( 1 regret to 5 No regrets) 10 7) Is limited steering lock a problem? 10 8) Is seat height a problem? 4 9) Is front tire contacting parts it shouldn't a safety problem I should worry about? HUH? 10 10) Would you buy the bike again knowing what you now know about the bike? absolutely infact, i'm already putting cash away for whatever follows this model. I don't know what it is, but I know I want one   Eor Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 07:53 pm:        How many of you guys actually own a Ulysses? On a scale of 1 to 5 please answer the following questions. 1 being least satisfied and 5 being the most satisfied. 1) Quality (4) I don't think a timing adjustment should be necessary at the first service for it to run properly. 2) Fun factor (4) Riding it is just not quite the visceral Buell experience that the other XB models provide. 3) Handling (5) No complaints that come to mind. 4) Maintenance (?) Haven't done any other than setting up suspension and adjusting the idle...that was easy enough. 5) Expectations of the bike. (4) I was hoping that it would be a little more off road oriented, but very pleased Buell finally had a bike comfortable enough to be an all day rider. 6) Regrets on buying ( 1 regret to 5 No regrets) (5) No regrets. In spite of some real or perceived minor glitches, I'm having a wonderful time getting to know it. I look forward to putting serious miles on it in the future. 7) Is limited steering lock a problem? What's the scale here? With 5 being the biggest problem, I'd give it a 3+. Yes, it is...one of its few basic design shortcomings as I see it...not a deal breaker, but an annoyance I wish they could design out. 8) Is seat height a problem? Assuming same scale...solid 4. This is hurting the bike. It's the first thing the majority of people mention when they first see it. Yes. 30" inseam here...another annoyance but it didn't keep me from buying it, nor riding it at every opportunity. I do get spooked on it though...live in constant fear of dropping it. 9) Is front tire contacting parts it shouldn't a safety problem I should worry about? It sure seems dangerous to me, but I don't know if it actually is or not. 10) Would you buy the bike again knowing what you now know about the bike? 5 = Yes There is just nothing elsw in this category that inspires me I am so confident in my ability to tour comfortably on the Uly I have sold my Electra Glide and am getting a 35th Anniversary Dyna as a posing/ride with the cruiser crowd mount However, I am not confident enough in my ability to go off pavement on the Uly to sell the BMW Dakar. (Message edited by eor on October 29, 2005)   Aeholton Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 09:07 pm:        1) Quality 5 2) Fun factor 5 3) Handling 5 4) Maintenance 5 5) Expectations of the bike. 5 6) Regrets on buying ( 1 regret to 5 No regrets) 5 7) Is limited steering lock a problem? No. 8) Is seat height a problem? Quickly got used to it. 9) Is front tire contacting parts it shouldn't a safety problem I should worry about? Haven't had it contact the chin fairing. It also does contact the ground that often. Man...this bike is easy to wheelie! 10) Would you buy the bike again knowing what you now know about the bike? In a heart beat. Best purchase I ever made.   Brad1445 Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 10:22 pm:        1-6 all 5's 7 No 8 No 9 No 10 Absolutely!!!   2hogs Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 10:24 pm:        1. Quality 5 No issues @ 1500 miles 2. Fun 10+ Taking it places I won't take FLTRI 3. Handling 5++ The balance is great, straightens curves. 4. Maintenance 5 Do most myself w/ svc& parts manuals 5. Expectations 4 Thought take off would be quicker, maybe I just haven't cracked the throttle enough. 6. Regrets 5=None! Riding it more than the FLTRI 7. Limited steer lock? 3.5 just backing out of garage (requires a 3 point turn) 8. Seat height? 4 Used to it, slide over and flat foot 1 foot if light is long. 9. Tire Contact? Nope, first thing I did was adj suspension for my weight. 10. Buy Again? Yep, may get an XB12Ss first though, as I'll not do big performance mods to XB12X as I want it to last -- 12Ss maybe a 88ci kit :-) The XB12X does the things I want well, the prime factors for purchase were: handling, weight, ease of maintenance, reliability, and multi-roles it can perform. It hasn't disappointed on any of these yet.   Royintulsa Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 11:20 pm:        I had only one criteria for my Uly. It was comfort. For the mileage I put on a bike, about 20K a year, it has to be comfortable. Most of those miles are on long weekend trips. Usually a combination of Interstate and two lane State highways. I tried the Ducati ST2 - wrist problems made it too uncomfortable for long trips. Then tried a BMW K1200RS - a little easier on the wrist, but that inline 4 roasted my leg even at highway speeds. The Uly has solved all my problems. Plus, it is much more fun that I thought it would be. Now - if I can just find a couple of buyers for the Duc and the Beemer I would really be a happy camper.   Jim_sb Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 11:47 pm:        Only you can decide if the Uly is the right bike for your needs and desires. Just because we Uly owners like them (I've yet to run into a Uly owner who doesn't like their Uly) doesn't mean you will. I don't buy new bikes randomly or on impulse. I've maintained for years though, that if the MoCo did this or that or the other I'd dust off my checkbook and buy a new bike. In the meantime I enjoyed my S2 (now sold) and my DRZ400S (still do). For me, the Ulysses was totally unexpected. But it addresses ALL the things I look for in a motorcycle, regardless of who makes it. Those issues are comfort, ergonomics, character, utility, quality hard luggage, maintainability, some wind protection, flickability, stability, braking, handling, suspension, electrical power, torque, etc. And it does more. I can't think of a better bike made by anyone at any price for ME. For my desires. It doesn't exist. Put another way, let's say someone would give you a bike to ride for free for 10 years. You weren't allowed to sell the bike, but you had to pay to insure it, maintain it, etc. At the end of 10 years you had to give it back. This IS the bike I would pick. That's why I went out and bought one. I plan to have some great adventures with this bike. It could be used for a cruise around town, a spirited jaunt down a twisty canyon with my buds, a weekend long riding trip, a forest service road cruiser or even a Saddlesore 1000. Versatile? You betcha. Fun? Bunches. Capable? Absolutely. If you can find a better bike, buy it. Jim in Santa Barbara   2hogs Posted on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 07:32 am:        Roy and Jim, Good points. Comfort was also in my criteria. For me, the XB12X is almost as comfortable as the FLTRI. I got mine earlier, because the person that had a deposit on it tried it and didn't like it. My deposit was on a later bike, so when they asked if I wanted this one, I jumped on it! I'm setting mine up for everything from daily commuting to week long camping trips. Cheers   Milar Posted on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 08:49 am:        1) Quality -5-My BMW friends are impressed 2) Fun factor -5 3) Handling -5 sportbike quality. 4) Maintenance -5 cheap to maintain. 5) Expectations of the bike. -5 exceeded my expectations. 6) Regrets on buying -5 none- all of my friends want one after riding mine. 7) Is limited steering lock a problem? No 8) Is seat height a problem? Yes--I've learned to adjust. 9) Is front tire contacting parts it shouldn't a safety problem I should worry about? no 10) Would you buy the bike again knowing what you now know about the bike? Yes, absolutely. M   M2nc Posted on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 09:22 am:        1 = 4 I am having the same problems that have been posted here. The bottom of the seat is rubbing the rear cylinder rocker cover and the horn vibrates against the back of the flyscreen. Both things that I am going to fix easily. 2-6 = 5 7 - Yes, It is something you have to get use to. I did a three point turn around on a path I was on Friday, so even in close quarters you can get turned around but you have to get use to it. After 1200 miles it doesn't bother me as much. 8 - At first it scared me. I have a 29" inseam. I have played with the suspension settings and soften the pre-load and increase compression and rebound damping and the bike rides beautifully, and I can reach on both sides. I like it so much that I do not know if I want to give up the comfort of the leg position for a lower seat. 9 - None 10 - Definitely. This is the best bike I've ever ridden for an all around, do it all bike.   Brat Posted on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 05:27 pm:        1) Quality 5 2) Fun factor 5 3) Handling 4 4) Maintenance 4 5) Expectations of the bike. 5 6) Regrets on buying 5 7) Is limited steering lock a problem? 2 8) Is seat height a problem? 2 9) Is front tire contacting parts it shouldn't a safety problem I should worry about? 5 10) Would you buy the bike again knowing what you now know about the bike? 5, I'd buy 2 Should the bike have a tractor gear for slight off road excursions YES!   Phil_r Posted on Monday, October 31, 2005 - 09:32 am:        1)~6) all 5's 7) Is limited steering lock a problem? 7) Riding = 5 / Pushing = 3 8) Is seat height a problem? 8) 99% = 5 / 1% = 3 (getting leg over seat when duffle is on passenger seat and I'm wearing "cold weather" gear) 9) Is front tire contacting parts it shouldn't a safety problem I should worry about? 9) 5 10) Would you buy the bike again knowing what you now know about the bike? 10) 5 (FUN, handling, FUN, ease of maintenance, FUN... )   Electraglider_1997 Posted on Monday, October 31, 2005 - 11:57 am:        The response to my impromptu poll has been more than I expected. You've eased my fears. Good things come to those who wait and I'm sure that old saw is going to be right on the money in my case of waiting for the black ULY.   Blake Posted on Monday, October 31, 2005 - 07:23 pm:        Electraglider_1997 Uly Poll Results! Quality 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 5 Fun Factor 5 5 3 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 Handling 5 5 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 Maintenance 5 5 - 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 Meets Expectations 5 5 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 5 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 Regret Buying 5 5 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 Steering Lock Prob? S S N S N N N N S N N N S N N S N N N Y S S Seat Height Prob? Y N S N N S S N S N S N S N N N N N Y N S N Tire Rubbing Prob? N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N Buy Again? Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Where Y=Yes, N=No, S=Somewhat   1313 Posted on Tuesday, November 01, 2005 - 10:28 pm:        For all the people that proclaim the steering lock of a Ulysses to be a 'problem', has anybody that has a XB12Ss mentioned it? Both bikes share the same (main)frame and if the forks are the same diameter their steering locks should be the same, right? Is there something I am missing because I am too short to ride such a tall bike or are the steering stops different on a Uly? 1313   Mikej Posted on Wednesday, November 02, 2005 - 08:47 am:        It's the environment it's being used in, not the bike itself per se. On pavement I can find a way to live with a bike's steering geometry. On fire/logging roads or trails or some narrowing backroads it is not as easy to live with certain limitations. It doesn't need Trials bike or trail bike steering, but could probably use a bit more than it currently has. Has Ferris/Jerry typed of this yet in his reports? I usually look at the pics when they're posted but don't always get back to read the later-added text he puts in. How about Eor, has he mentioned it yet in his travel reports either?   Waorgany Posted on Wednesday, November 02, 2005 - 09:28 am:        I don't have a Uly yet!!! But the more I read what other's say the sooner I want mine...I will order one before I depart from Iraq so it will be waiting for me when I return...Thanks for the posts   Eor Posted on Wednesday, November 02, 2005 - 09:28 am:        The steering lock, in conjunction with the seat height, contributes to my reluctance to travel off pavement with the Uly. It is almost a given that you will have to make a three point[at least]turn on an uneven, gravel surface. My foot contact with the surface is marginal, even on pavement. It's just too risky for me, particularly since I ride alone most of the time. On the street, it is merely an annoyance. I'll see if the Corbin seat gives me a little more confidence. With a 32-34" inseam, I doubt the steering lock issue would be of much significance to me.   Chadhargis Posted on Wednesday, November 02, 2005 - 10:46 am:        When I test rode the Uly, I purposely did tight U-turns in the parking lot of the dealer as well as on a back road to see how big of an issue the steering lock is. I NEVER found the steering lock. Turned the bike in 20' easily without hitting the lock. Now, granted this wasn't off road, but my Ducati has a much more limited steering lock than the Uly. Guess I'm used to it. My 36" inseam keeps me from worrying about dropping it. If I even went down a fire road and needed to do a u-turn, I'd just hold the front brake, plant my foot, and gas it to whip it around. No problem.   Lowflyer Posted on Wednesday, November 02, 2005 - 11:26 am:        <<I'd just hold the front brake, plant my foot, and gas it to whip it around. No problem.>> Someone finally said it. That is exactly how I have done it on my Uly and it works quite well. Although if the front loses traction it can get a bit cumbersome. I almost dumped mine in the mud doing that.   Chadhargis Posted on Wednesday, November 02, 2005 - 12:16 pm:        The Uly is such a light bike compared to my FJR. I don't think it would be much to pick up if it fell over. One of the things you sort of have to accept about off road riding is falling. When I had my KLR, there was a lot of stuff I wouldn't have done on it if I had been fearful of dropping it. Conversly, I never dropped it.   Jim_sb Posted on Wednesday, November 02, 2005 - 12:49 pm:        Hi guys, I've been taking some very tight "goat trail" type roads with the Ulysses. In spots they can be 1 lane wide. Also with some very tight and steep switchbacks. The Uly steering lock is not a problem in that environment. Single track trails with steep switchbacks would be a problem, but that's not that place you should take a Uly, or a GS for that matter. I think the issue of steering lock is exaggerated. Regards, Jim in Santa Barbara   Thesmaz Posted on Sunday, November 06, 2005 - 05:01 am:        Waorgany "I don't have a Uly yet!!! But the more I read what other's say the sooner I want mine...I will order one before I depart from Iraq so it will be waiting for me when I return...Thanks for the posts" Say "Hi" to Rick Cook (HD/Buell salesman) for me; I ordered a FXLR from him back in the early 90's at Lakenheath.   M2nc Posted on Sunday, November 06, 2005 - 09:03 am:        Quality = 4.90 Fun Factor = 4.86 Handling = 4.86 Maintenance = 4.95 Meets expectation = 4.86 Regret Buying = 4.95 Steering Lock a Problem? 59% said No 36% said Somewhat 5% said Yes Seat Height a Problem? 59% said No 32% said Somewhat 9% said Yes Tire Rubbing Problem? 100% said No Buy Again? 100% said Yes

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