| Author | Message | ||
     Mto |
Having only a bit of experience as a kid, 2500 miles on the DRZ, and a family, I made a deposit on the Ulysses. Had'nt even seen it except on the net at the dealership. Then I started obsessing. Too much power? ...sensitive steering? ...wheely monster? ...touchy brakes? ...head shake?!!! Could I handle it? Maybe I should look at the alternatives. I spent hours on the net reading everything on the Uly and the competition. None of the dealers I went to were keen on test drives and the weather was not good. I sat on and liked the following in order of preference: 1200GS, KTM 950 and the Vstrom 1000. I thought the Multistrada would contend but after seeing it did'nt bother sitting on it as it was too small. After all the research my infatuation with and fear of the Uly grew. 655 miles and I am here to report that it is a terrific ride. Well balanced with a smooth power band and inspiring braking. Very manageable even with my limited experience. So far no headshake or weaving, and no spontaneous wheelies. It is tall but with a 34" inseam I am confident even at slow speeds. I set it up according to the book and haven't played with it yet. The Dunlops seem to me to be outstanding on all surfaces(no wet roads yet). Going 50 on an inside 35 per mile curve I traveled into the center of the lane where a bit of sand was present. No problem. Gravel roads aren't even scary. A supple suspension handles rough spots in the corners well. The turning radius is limited but not a big deal. I may add some lights but otherwise plan to stay stock. The gauge package could use a clock and a better fuel moniter. I really enjoy this bike. It is sensitive to input in a good way and certainly is more capable than I am. Especially in the turns it challenges one to become a better rider. It wants to go fast and will. This forum has provided many insights and went along way toward my decision to go ahead and buy. The dealership experience has been ok. My rep Jim bought his Uly within a week of mine so he has been equally enthused. I paid full list and have'nt dealt with the service department so I am reserving comment for a later post. | ||
| Paul56 |
Mto- you have a clock. Just keep pressing the "M"ode button to scroll through odometer, trip 1, trip 2, low fuel odo and clock. Press and hold M & "R"eset buttons together until clock flashes. M sets hours, R sets minutes, press and hold both again to start the clock. | ||
| Clayman |
aahh another proud parent of of a lovely new uly. welcome and congrats on the new bike. youll love it. | ||
| Lowflyer |
Mto, Here's to hoping you have an experience equal to or better than mine. At 3k miles now, I have had none of the reported issues. #650 is smooth, fast and very predictable. The suspension on mine does not dive excessively and the brakes are simply awe inspiring. The engine braking works fine and 1st gear is just where it should be. The air hits me from the shoulders up and is clean as a whistle. My only complaint was with the sound. I had some buddies modify the can. That gave it a low, throaty tone that has had little effect on performance, but sounds much better than stock. I ride mine hard every day and have never been happier with any vehicle purchase. I also paid full list and I would gladly do it again (unless Daves made me a better offer).  Oh, and my dealer is a price-gouging wh0re so I buy all of my parts from Daves. | ||
| Wasions |
So talk me into it. I've been looking forward to getting a Uly for several months now, after a devastating crash (broken back/ribs) last April on, of all things, a 650 Burgman scooter. - But - The last few days have me rethinking my decision. When I went to test ride the Uly last August, I hit some gravel at the off-camber entrance to the dealership, tossed my DR350, and picked up 12 stitches and more than a few scars. I still haven't ridden the Uly. I have, however, ridden a Buell. It was an XB9R Firebolt, about two years ago. As I recall, it was something of a chilling experience. Very uncomfortable, and not just because of my size (a skinny 5'11"). It was so short (wheelbase) and torquey (?) that it almost felt unmanageable. I brought it back after only about three miles. At around the same time I rode a Triumph Tiger for two 20-plus mile tests (alone, and with a pillion) and was fabulously impressed. I'm sure I could have gotten comfortable with the Buell, but I started comfortable on the Trumpet. Of concern is that, after cruising this site for a few months, it seems that a relatively high number of new owners have dropped their Ulys, many of them while stopped. Both the Tiger and the Uly are fairly tall bikes, but the Tiger's wheelbase is a full 6.5 inches longer. That alone would give it more stability, even when stopped. Riding position, weight, horsepower, and torque are similar on both bikes. Now, I like the (admittedly dated) looks of the Tiger, but I love the looks of the Uly. I'm also all about dispensing with drive chains, but then one belt has already been broken on a Uly. Chains are more universally available. My wife rode on the back of the Tiger without complaint (something of a miracle, there), but she also seemed to like the Uly's seat. I've been riding motorcycles since 1969, but with last year's experiences, I'm thinking tractable might be a better choice for me than visceral. I know there are former (and maybe current) Tiger owners here. How do the rides compare? Should I still be considering a 13-year old bike over a new model? Steve Gear up! | ||
| Stevenknapp |
Paul, dopey question, how does the low fuel odo work? | ||
| Brat |
"devastating crash (broken back/ribs) last April on a 650 Burgman scooter..... I hit some gravel at the off-camber entrance to the dealership, tossed my DR350, and picked up 12 stitches and more than a few scars." Mate, on what you've said, I don't want to be rude but the Uly may be a bit too much bike for you! | ||
| Thunderbox |
Fuel Odo will automatically start counting once the fuel light comes on. I think it works great. Nothing for you to do but see the light and see how far you have gone with the light on. Don't try to go much further than 30 miles or 50 kms. Slowing down will extend the range significantly. | ||
| Thunderbox |
Hey Wasions don't be put off too quickly. Have you ever taken a Motorcycle safety Course. They have never hurt anyone and there is a lot to learn there. Maybe thats what the doctor ordered. The Uly is a fine machine and except the height being a bit much it is no worse and no better than any other motorcycle. they all fall over. It's a matter of when, not if. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Steve, I wouldn't worry about the belt just because one guy had it fail on him. I'd be more concerned with your unlucky crash record. The ULY from my experience is a bike that wants to fly and personally I am glad that I also have my 97' Electraglide to slow me up because the law of averages sneaks up on a guy. Everytime I get on the ULY I'm breaking the speed limit. Whereas, on the Electraglide I just chug along. I've always taken pride in my ability to turn the Harley in very low speed circles without putting my foot down but find the ULY a bit harder to maneuver at these parking lot speeds. On the ULY, part of the problem is that you sit so high up and your body moves the cg up. You might want to stick with a more sedate bike than the ULY. Maybe Buell is working on making the ULY a bit more low speed friendly for the future. Don't get me wrong, I really love riding the thing but it is not for everybody. Better to be safe than sorry. | ||
| Wasions |
Thanks EG. Sort of what I've been thinking. Brat/Thunder: Yes, I've taken a safety course, albeit several years ago. I'd like to refresh, but the hours I work are something of a hindrance to that. (NO weekends/holidays off.) I also realize that my recent riding record sounds pretty bad, but in some 37 years of riding (road/dirt/trials/desert) these two anomalies are by far the worst accidents I've had. I've ridden, and can well handle, the ferocious beasts out there, but perhaps at this time in my life I just want a nice, tame, relaxing ride (And at the same time I'm thinking - NOT!). I guess this is something I'll have to work out for myself (duh). I think I really NEED to test ride that Uly. Thanks, all. Steve Gear up! | ||
| Mb182 |
I too liked the tiger but... Check the Tiger boards and you will find that a number of people have dropped their's as well. The tiger always seemed top heavy with that 6+gallons of gas that high up. Some dealers don't put much gas in the tank and that can mask the feeling. Height wise they are about the same - still need to make sure you can reach the ground when stopping. Also the Triumph 6K valve maintenance is $$$$ and getting the tank/plastic off is a pain. I went with the Uly from Daves. MB | ||
| Keyser_soze |
Steve, You may want to look into the Suzuki 650 Vee-Strom to ease back into it. Lots of stellar reviews. Search on advrider.com for lots of good information. It may be just what your looking for. KS | ||
| Lowflyer |
Dropping the Uly is not as bad as it sounds. The bike protects itself very well and the minor parts that may be damaged (levers, pegs, blinkers, etc..) are inexpensive and easy to replace. Mine has fallen over a few times and the only sign of it is a small scuff on the right hand guard. That scuff came from it being bumped by a garbage truck. | ||
| Bloochdog |
Hey Wasions, I could not wait to take my new Uly out of the box and pit it against some worthy adversaries....Low and behold i didn't have to search long. I set my sights on an unsuspecting jeep making an illegal lane change. well i forgot the law of tonnage and i ended up on my friend's favorite for me....all will be well for you i hope and see you on the road some time... any time in the shenandoah valley.. the uly clan has a crash pad ... cheers | ||
| Wasions |
Keyser_soze, the day I dropped my scooter, I had just gotten back on it after riding a friend's 1000 V-Strom for over 100 of our, at that time, 160 miles. I've also ridden a 650 V-S several times. They're fine bikes, but rather homely, and not very exciting (he said, after already admitting he owned a big scooter  ). Valve maintenance was one of the things I was curious about. The dealer said it was a relatively simple shim/bucket procedure which was done every 10K or so (as one might expect a dealer to say). Maintenance, or the seeming lack of, is also one of the things that I like about the Uly. Does anyone here know how long said valve adjustment takes? Have I just hijacked this thread? Sorry MTO. Steve Gear up! (Message edited by wasions on January 28, 2006) | ||
| Keyser_soze |
I agree that they are a little homely. All I have to say then is come drink some of the cool aid, buy the XB12X, take an MSF advanced course and avoid crashing. You may want to look into the low seat as well. If you are asking about the Suzuki valve jobs I think it runs around $250.00 typically. The Ulysses has NO valve adjustment (uses hydraulic adjusters) That was one of the big selling points for me. I won't miss doing the valves every 6K. (What I can't figure out is why my RT had screw adjusts on the valves,is a fairly high tech motor, and has 6k valve check adjustments. The Buell puts out roughly the same power and requires no adjustment from the old tech motor. My GSXR 1K puts out double the HP of my former RT, uses bucket over shims, and doesn't require a valve check/adjust for 16k miles) I'd like to hear what your thoughts are on the Burgman. I look at them and think what a great run about but then I remember that joke about scooters and fat chicks.  | ||
| Wasions |
The Burgman 650 scooter will beat 90% of all cruiser's out there in a straight line, and will hang through the curves with all but the best riders on any bike. The centerstand makes some nasty noises, but gives way quite a bit and won't dig into the road. Some folks have actually ground holes in the sides of the fairing. The tires are wide-profile, tubeless, and sticky, and my rear lasted 12,500 miles before I replaced it. It got around 48 mpg stock, which went to 50 with the addition of a Clearview XXL windshield, which I laid back toward me roughly 4~5 inches at the top. With the Clearview, the only air in the 'envelope' was some up the back of my neck. Very stable on the freeway, it's like a poor-man's GW. The first valve adjustment comes at 16K (mine went to scooter heaven at not quite 13K), but most guys find that at that mileage it isn't out of adjustment anyway. My only complaints were the too-cushy and too-short (butt-stop couldn't be move back far enough) seat, and the extremely optimistic (10%) speedometer. Several people have bought them as 'second' bikes, and ended up selling the 'primaries', as they were just collecting dust. When we went to Hawaii in October of '04, a fellow Burg owner loaned us his 400 for a couple of days to tour Oahu on. It was ideal for the occasion. One tank of gas got us 190 miles - two up. He has since purchased a 650, to which he's added a sidecar. Very cool. The bike is an over-achiever and my wife wants it replaced in kind - but, you know, I've already had one.  Steve Gear up! | ||
| Windaddiction |
side note on the broken belt.... steve I'm crazy young and tend to wheelie / excel hard and ride through anything.. not your typical conditions lol! | ||
| Crusty |
Steve, I also started riding in 1969, have had a wide assortment of bikes over the years(but no scooters), and I love my Uly. I'm 5'8" tall with a 30" inseam, and initially had trouble with the stock seat height; but I've installed the low seat and now the bike feels much better when stopped. The bike makes great low end power; I'm still breaking it in, but the Demo I rode last September made good power all the way to redline. It has a "personality" that's addictive. I also like a "maintenance free" bike, and it looks like the only regular maintenance required will be oil changes and an occasional primary chain adjustment. I'd say take a Test ride, preferably on a Uly with a low seat. I'll be riding my Uly to Daytona for Bike Week from Massachusetts, and I'll be able to give my evaluation of it as a Tourer when I get back; but I think it's going to shine. | ||
| Lowflyer |
Maintenance was a big factor in my purchase decision. I don't have a lot of free time so, I want to spend it riding instead of wrenching. I also don't want to spend my motorcycling $$$ on expensive maintenance intervals. My choices were narrowed down to the BMW or the Uly. I would never consider a Triumph because of the lack of a reliable dealer network here in the states. I would buy a Triumph if I were in the UK, however. They are awesome bikes. I LOVE the Scrambler! http://www.triumph.co.uk/media/Scrambler_3_800x600.jpg | ||
| Dave |
Mto: Congrats on the new Uly. I came off a '01 955i Tiger for my Uly. The Tiger is an adequate bike but the Ulysses really shines. The Ulysses is superior in almost all aspects to the Tiger. BTW - getting the tank off the Tiger is really no big deal.... The quick connect fuel lines can be damaged if you're not careful. Valve adjustment...no huge event but I'm glad the Buells require MUCH less maintenance. I'll take a belt over a chain any day. I've dropped bikes before (Tiger and my '99 S3) shit happens. DAve | ||
| Stevenknapp |
What about the fork oil change Buell suggests at 10k? That's the only thing on the schedule that struck me as somewhat maintence intensive. | ||
| Keyser_soze |
Steve, I'll have to take a look at the Uly forks but typically its as simple as pulling a drain screw at the bottom of each fork leg and taking the tops off (preload adjusters I think). Drain and refill to the specified level. Much easier than getting the shock out of your tele-lever front end. | ||
| Stevenknapp |
The Uly service manual specifies pulling them from the clamps, turning them upside down, tearing them down. No mention of a drain screw. The shock on the Telelever was super-simple. Two bolts and it drops right out. The hard part was getting it rebuilt. The stockers weren't. So when it was worn you needed an aftermarket upgrade ($$$). Much easier than getting the shock out of your tele-lever front end. "My" teleleaver front end? I own no BMW. Technically no bike at all, unless Daves would be kind enough to let me lay claim to my future Uly before he gets my check.  (Message edited by stevenknapp on January 29, 2006) | ||
| Chadhargis |
The really cool thing is that you can jack the bike up using the muffler. I made an adapter from plans I found here and I bought a Craftsman jack. I can get the bike 16" in the air and it's very secure. Should be easy to drop the forks for service. | ||
| Stevenknapp |
[i] I made an adapter from plans I found here [/i] Any tips of what to search for? I'm not finding it. | ||
| Keyser_soze |
Steve, It would appear that the manual is correct ( I still haven't checked the fork legs, but I cracked open the manual as well). At least it is every 10K and it is pretty easy to jack the bike up. I was using the Beemer as a point of reference. BTW- I didn't know you hadn't picked up you XB12X yet. I am going through riding withdrawl since the snow hit. How long did you have that GS before selling it? That was a good looking bike. The template for the motorcycle lift is here. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142838/159410.html (Message edited by keyser_soze on January 29, 2006) | ||
| Stevenknapp |
I had the GS since last May. I liked it. The Jesse bags were sweet too. But I'm looking forward to the Uly. No XB12X. Winter is driving me nutz too. Once the weather breaks I'm SO at DaveS' shop picking up my bike. Excellent! Thanks for the template info! (Message edited by stevenknapp on January 29, 2006) |
