| Author | Message | ||
     Ka5ysy |
Ok Guys n Gals, I am down to a toss-up between the 1200GS or GSA and the Buell Ulysses. Both are fine bikes but I have to get only one...darn! So, As the law school question goes; GS (or GS/a) or Uly; If so why, if not, why not. | ||
| Brat |
If you have to ask then you should get the GS! | ||
| Tel |
Probably the wrong forum to ask this question. Everyone on this site either owns a Buell or two or wants one. I considered both, rode both and chose the Uly. Now waiting for delivery. | ||
| Eor |
I've got a Uly but would love to have one of the soon-to-be available R1200GS Adventures too. Not much help, am I? | ||
| Court |
I'd go the Uly simply for the support, both online and from the factory. Spend some time, look closely at both (they are both excellent bikes) and arrange a proper demo ride. The Uly is well chronicled on this site as well as the Adventure Riding site. If you have any problem lining up a demo ride, just drop me a note. | ||
| Soloyosh |
What Brat said... | ||
| Royintulsa |
I looked at both, plus the Ducati Multistrada. It all came down to comfort and the roads I will spend 99% of my time on. Both of the bikes you are looking at are great bikes. The Uly fit me so much better it was not even a close decision. | ||
| Fubar |
I went thru the same thing. Personally, the boxer engine just bugs me. The twisty-torque thing and something about the resonance just turns me off. Perhaps I'm just a v-twin guy, but I found the Uly more comfortable in every way. *And*, you get benefit of this terrific board. Go Uly. fubar | ||
| Lowflyer |
I went through the same decision. I chose the Uly because of the support network, the simplicity of its design, relative ease of maintenance, cost of ownership, pricing on parts, lack of costly maintenance intervals, fewer things to go wrong, way more fun to ride, looks meaner/less appliance-like to me, the guys that ride them are generally more like me, and the Uly is just damn fun to ride, fun to look at, fun to sit on and make motor noises, fun to listen to, fun to watch someone else ride, and it's fun talking to people who just rode a Uly. I also like the sound and feel of the motor plus the endless tweaking you can do to it to make it sound different or add power. Compared to riding a GS, I like the way it handles. The Uly feels more purposeful in a turn than the GS, but the GS felt more commanding and generally more stable. The GS feels to me like it would rather not be bothered with lots of curves, but that it will go forever in any direction you point it. So if you do a lot of slab, a lot of variable terrain, or are planning a trip around the world, I believe the GS is the superior bike. If you like riding for the sake of riding, and generally take off without any particular route or destination in mind, then I think the Uly would be for you. One other way I looked at it was deciding whether I wanted a rich, snooty friend for a day, or a down to earth lifelong buddy. I think I went with the buddy. Note to anyone who wants to argue: Please understand that the above are my opinions based upon several years of occasionally test riding the GS and a few months and 3600 miles of owning a Uly. I am no expert and have not stated any of this as fact. I don't give a shit how your impression of either bike differs from mine. So go ahead and get in the long winding line of folks that can kiss my lily white arse if you feel so inclined.  | ||
| Stevenknapp |
6k on a 12GS, sold it after ~8mo and now have 50mi on my Uly. The GSA is a big heavy pig. I think it looks cool, but I question why anyone really needs it unless they are serious adventure tourers. It's like driving a H1 to work every day. It looks cool, but... The GS is a more complex bike than the Buell. It's just a quirky as the Buell, don't let anyone fool ya. There are more aftermarket bits for the GS. Service is more $$$ if you don't do it yourself. And BMW works against DIY or even independent shops. Dealer support varies by region, so you'll need to feel that out by you. Many are left with no BMW dealers, or bad BMW dealers. The same can be said for some regions for Buell. BMW corp has a "it ez not de bike, de bike is perfect" approach which will drive you nuts if anything goes wrong. My '02 RT surged like a pig. It was awful, and the support from BMW was horrid. BMW owners are a good bunch for the most part, and you will get good support from them. The Uly is more fun IMHO. More conventional. A bit more raw. Buell dealers and factory reps read these forums. They ACT upon what they read. The Buell service manual is top notch, where the BMW one is awful. You can even get ECU diagnostic tools for the Buell, where the BMW one is dealer only. I made the switch for the simplicity, support, and fun. It's a tough choice, both are great bikes IMHO. | ||
| Adrian_8 |
Not that money matters but...figure up what a ULY cost out the door with a set of bags(3) against a GS OTD with three bags, engine guards and head guards ( they need them)plus taxes, add in the valve adjustments you will need from BMW. I bought the ULY, my buddies have R1200GS's, I ride them all the time..if they were the same amount I would still buy the ULY. | ||
| Co2bruce |
I own both bikes. What kind of ridding will you be doing. The BMW is is a very refined motorcycle, with abs, linked brakes, non conventional suspension. When you ride it you know your on a high quality machine. The Uly is more "motorcycle-like". Its a more in your face low tech experience. Unlike what you may have read here, the BMW is a very reliable machine. I have put 18000 miles on mine in 12 months... no service problems at all. (It's the #1 choice for serious adventure riders, and has been for years) I would not hesitate to jump on my GS and ride it anywhere in the US. All that being said the Uly is just more fun to ride. It feel light, quick, and feels razor sharp. On twisty roads, give me the Uly, for long distance highway riding the BMW is a better choice. I given this advise before...... buy the bike that really speaks to you (no matter what the cost). If you buy something else you'll be trading it in within a year and buying the bike you wanted in the first place. | ||
| Snub13 |
I, like Lowflyer, am no expert. After several years (I don't typically impulse buy) and many bike shows/ dealer visits/ rides of the GS, V-Strom, Ducati, Capo Nord, KTM, etc, etc I purchased a Uly without ever twisting the throttle! Sure it was a leap of faith but I feel (after a few months and 1300 miles) I made the right choice. All of the bike mags raved about it, I've always liked Eriks' ideas and it just felt right when I sat on it. Add to this the ease of maintenance and the price and it was a sure bet. Only after the purchase did I find out about the Badweb, icing on the cake! Please refer to Lowflyers' disclaimer if you have any questions. | ||
| John88030 |
Just the opposite of Snub13 I have read quite a bit here before buying the Uly. I have ridden Harleys for years and contrary to what has been said by many found them very reliable. I hope the Uly will be too. So far 90 miles, I have some soreness to get over when getting used to a new riding position, and I believe there is probably a little more power hiding in the forbidden zone above 2500 RPM. I have some limited with the local BMW dealer and the BMW crowd that hangs around there. The are probably a good bunch if you ride what they ride, however they have no problems telling you that you are riding the wrong machine. Not my type of group. John | ||
| Bindy |
Hi Ya ka5ysy, Well here is a gals opinion. Having been involved with bikes for years thru involvement with the Road Racing world,{and seeing just about every make, shape and size available} you just cannot beat a Buell for on road cornering. Anyone can go fast in a straight line, but a bike that handles corners is something else. I have said it before and I'll say it again, Erik has built a bike that you can just have heaps and heaps of fun with corners. The Buell is the smoothest handling bike, and there is nothing like passing a Jap bike who is out of control, around corners under breaks. We have a XB12S that has done nothing but put smiles on our faces, so when Uly came out Opto and I did not even go for a test ride. One look and I said wrap it up, we are taking it home. Two Buells.... Two very happy Riders! | ||
| Stevenknapp |
Unlike what you may have read here, the BMW is a very reliable machine. I don't think anyone here said they weren't reliable. But having said that no bike is perfect. I did say that both have quirks. I given this advise before...... buy the bike that really speaks to you (no matter what the cost). If you buy something else you'll be trading it in within a year and buying the bike you wanted in the first place. Agreed. Ride both, look at both, buy the one that makes ya smile.  however they have no problems telling you that you are riding the wrong machine. Not my type of group. John, Not my type either. There are some people like that, and they ride all makes of bikes. But unless you want a club to join, buy the bike that works for you, regardless of who else rides em. | ||
| Jim_sb |
The thing that is disconcerting is that some folks blast the Buell brand because of a little this or that. Tiny stuff that in the grand scheme of ownership doesn't mean too much. Let's face it, the BMW F650's have had some significant teething pains. We know of guys who have had serious problems with BMW shaft drives. Are they good bikes? YES. The "J" bikes have their problems too. Want a new FJR1300 blast furnace? Yamaha claims "no problemo" to those who've already bought one. But conveniently the new model supposedly has a "fix". Geez guys, it's equipment. Nothing is perfect. The measure of a company is how well they stand behind the imperfections and whether they do anything about it. One of my closest friends bought a new GS a few weeks after I bought a new Uly. Who cares? All I know is we're both enjoying our bikes, both having fun and he spent a lot more money than I did!  Ride the bikes you're interested in, read about them but buy what you want. Price matters! It's your hard earned $$$. You must decide if the GS is worth the extra bucks. IMHO it isn't. In my good friends wisdom, it is. Ride on. Jim in Santa Barbara | ||
| Lorazepam |
I moved from a BMW sport touring bike to the Ulysses. I had no problems with the bike over 23 months and 31000 miles. It would have had more if I could commute by motorcycle. I was afraid of the servo assist brakes that came on the bike, and I hope buell never goes to a complex system such as that. I have only gotten to ride the Uly a small amount, but I am very pleased with the bike so far. I think as the Ulysses becomes more popular, and more folks give their wish lists, I feel this will be the bike to beat when refined a bit more. The number one thing about the Ulysses was seeing it in person at the cycle world show, and how great the sales guy was. I havent had a bike call to me like the Uly did, and I dont think I will miss my R1150RS at all. (Message edited by lorazepam on March 08, 2006) | ||
| Court |
I have a BMW F650 and they do indeed have "teething pains". One concern is that they've had'em for years and pretty much ignore them. There are some things I like about the BMW, primarily the luggage. The Ulysses screwed that argument up big time. The drill, in our family, was that my SCU would ride the lowered F650 and we'd go places together. Problem is Ms. Minimal, quite obviously, ride the bike with all that HUGE (top quality too) luggage on it. In addition, the are few things that handle scarier than a lowered BMW F650. So by the time summer arrives, we'll likely be doing our little day trips (she's had the F650 for 5 years and put less than 1,000 miles on it) with a BLAST for her and me on a Uly carrying the crud. Did I win or loose in this deal? The Ulysses is a gifted and well thought out motorcycle. The BMW is no slouch. The salient difference is that my BMW, like many folks who've test ridden a Uly, will be sold to get the Uly. | ||
| Wasions |
Split the difference - buy a Tiger. - Hey! - Ouch! - You could hurt a guy throwing stuff like that! - Hey! Steve Gear up! | ||
| Ka5ysy |
current consideration list: Advantages(?) Uly runs about $4,000 cheaper, has much cheaper parts, KISS rule design allowing non-dealership service, available software for bike, belt drive, seems to flick better and is a neat bike. 1200GS; great looks, good range, ABS, power brakes, shaft drive, longer wheelbase, greater steering lock, available TKC-80 offroad tires and is a neat bike. Disadvantages(?): Uly: V-twin, not all HD dealers support Buell, short wheelbase, limited steering lock that is probably not a big deal, fuel in the frame limiting range somewhat. GS: Can Bus electrical system, closed dealer access to diagnostic software, final drive issues, ABS issues, more expensive repair parts, valve adjustments required. About $4000 more expensive than Uly before you add bags etc. I will not be doing a long way around trip that I am aware of, so both bikes have essentially no consideration as to parts and service availability. If either one blows up AAA will come fetch me someplace I can get fixed. What else to the list of pro's and con's for each bike??? Demo rides: Both the HD guys and the BMW guys are willing and able to allow as much demo time as I desire. Both say that I will choose theirs after a heads up ride but who believes motor vehicle salesmen at the end of the month! This is gonna be a tough decision !! | ||
| Dragon_slayer |
It was not hard for me at all. I have not yet rode a BMW pancake twin that I cared for! I like their single and fours. The BMW twins feel boring and their drivetrain crude. I would rather ride a Buell, Guzzi, or H-D. It sounds to me that you have not yet rode either bike. When it comes to cars or bikes, if you do not enjoy operating them, then you should save the money and ride the bus. Pick the one you enjoy riding and you will find the rest is just small details! | ||
| Cygnus_x1 |
"and the Uly is just damn fun to ride, fun to look at, fun to sit on and make motor noises, fun to listen to, fun to watch someone else ride, and it's fun talking to people who just rode a Uly." Well said Low! Next years marketing description! Sometimes I find myself going somewhere, with nowhere in mind. | ||
| Jim_sb |
Dear Undecided, It might help you to know that even though I paid MSRP++, my Uly OTD w/ full bags was more than 6k less than my buddies new GS (although I think he got a GPS, I already had one). Of course he then was admitted to CANBUS hell. And his GS spent quite a bit of time at the shop while they tried to figure out how to get all the electrons to line up and ride the canBUS properly. Plus it had several other little annoying bad habits that he had to have addressed. And the Uly? I decided to buy the Low seat when it came out (the jury is still out on that), I've got this teeny bit of pinging that occasionally occurs when you whack the throttle open around 3k rpm, I had a lock break on one of the hard bags which Buell promptly replaced and I've got the teeny little engine-vibe-induced deceleration wobble which really doesn't bother me one bit. At this point my bike hasn't been back (I did the first oil change myself but will take it in for the TPS and whatnot shortly) to the shop - his has been there a bunch - so I'm ahead. Personally I think it would be a tough decision if they cost the SAME. But they don't. The Buell is far less costly. With the money I saved I can keep my DRZ400S for real adventures in the dirt. Plus I think the Uly is easier to work on (ya' gotta love that Buell valve adjustment schedule!). No, I haven't ridden the GS yet. But I'm sure my buddy and I will swap steeds for a day. I've ridden his RT1150 several times and quite frankly it doesn't do anything for me, but the GS may be different. The places one might take a GS with knobbies are places I'd rather take my DRZ anyway. I plan to use my Uly on all kinds of roads, paved and unpaved, fire roads, etc. I've done some rough gravel roads, deep (over the pegs) water crossings, etc. and the Uly has been unflappable. It sure does eat up potholed roads too. Of course you realize there is no wrong answer. Just get what you like and enjoy it. Jim in Santa Barbara | ||
| Peter |
I can only give an opinion on the GS range. I had a 650 Dakar, two 1100's and an 1150 Adventure. Someone stole the Adventure, and I honestly didn't miss it when it was gone. If they'd taken my first 1100, I would have freaked. I don't know why, but I like the 1100's better. They make their power smoother (unequal length headers), and I feel they handle better (longer swingarm due to a 5 speed instead of a 6). If I couldn't decide, and I was an American, I'd be buying the ULY though, just to help my neighbour feed his kids | ||
| Stevenknapp |
fuel in the frame limiting range somewhat. Is that true? 4.5 vs 5.2gal? The GS was ~150-180 per tank with some reserve left over. And that was with removing the rubber gizmo in the filler neck so I could squeeze another 1/2gal in there. 40-50MPG, it really fell off at super highway speeds. I thought the Buell was pretty much the same. Slightly higher MPG, slightly smaller tank. Power brakes is a feature? Um, OK. Sure. Don't forget the yearly service they require and their very strange feel. The 12GS is better than the earlier setups, but I wish they offered some non-servo ABS option.  | ||
| Ka5ysy |
Leanings: Based on a lot of considerations, I think that a good solution to this is as follows: Ulysses for most road fun and light offroad. For heavy duty offroad, a real dirt bike 450cc something or other. Total cost still is slightly less than a GS! | ||
| Ka5ysy |
I was just over on ADV Riders GSpot and looking at the thread "R12GS Software Update - What it Does" Looking at the BS that BMW is giving these guys just about guarantees I will not consider a bike where the dealers refuse to do a software update because "there are a limited number of upgrades on each computer". What a pile of BS ! Ok... Is Orange or Black faster ???  | ||
| Stevem123 |
They say once you go black you never go back!  | ||
| Jim_sb |
You done broke da' code! Jim in SB |
