| Author | Message | ||
     Brad1445 |
If you signed on here to research and seen these headings? I love my Buell and have little trouble but get a bit down when all I see is its broke threads.  | ||
| Dudeman |
No news is good news! I usually post on forums when I have problems. So accordingly if most do the same, then most posts will exhibit problems that need solved. By no means does this constitute a statistic. My Uly has rocked. By the same token I expect some problems, especially since it's a brand new model. | ||
| Rays |
Answer - 'Yes'. If some swine stole my Uly tomorrow I would at the dealer on Monday ordering another one - fact. For those who are looking for comment from current Uly owners, mine is an early build (June 2005 - #85), so it should have all of the warts. Since November 2005 I have covered 14,750km (~9100miles) on it with most of its work having been daily work hack and week-end two-up duty. I have had some issues (none of which have stopped me from riding it) and most of them have been covered by myself or others on this forum. I also expected to see some issues with a brand new model and factored that into my plus / minus list when I bought it. I am not a one-eyed Buell advocate by any stretch (my Uly shares the garage with a 2000 Kawa Zx-12), and consider that my enthusiasm for this bike is pretty balanced. It is a brilliant all-rounder and very, very good two-up. It is very tall but I have become very used to the height (I am 5' 10" so not as tall as many Uly owners) with the stock seat. I wished I had measured the seat height when it was brand new because I would swear it has 'settled' some since I first bought it. It's not perfect but as it turns out, I don't expect it to be. | ||
| Chris_in_tn |
These forums are mostly for people who are having problems. You do occasionally have the guy singing the bikes praise, me included. It's like the old saying, you never hear about all air planes that landed safely today. If you search most other brands discussion boards, they are all very similar in that they are full of guys having problems with their bike. Granted some bikes have more problems than others. Some have better factory support than others. But that is basically what these boards are for. For what it's worth, if we believe we are not receiving good factory support, try owning and riding a Moto Guzzi for a few years. Whew!! That is a test of sanity and patients. I agree with RAYS, if mine was stolen or totaled today, I too would be at the dealer the next day to get my new one. This is my favorite of all time. | ||
| Crusty |
I've got over 7700 miles on mine, which is nowhere near what some of the people on this forum have got. I've read about all the problems, but I haven't had them. My bag latches work fine and haven't broken, my license plate light hasn't broken of fallen off, my kickstand hasn't loosened up, my drain plug hasn't stripped; hell, I still have the original D616 rear tire (though the tread's getting close to the wear bars). I did have one problem, though. The wire bracket that keeps the clutch cable away from the header pipe broke, and the plastic on the outside of my clutch cable melted and smelled like... melted plastic. It took a couple of hours to get it fixed at the dealership. Would I buy another Ulysses? In a freakin' minute! | ||
| Steveford |
Mine has around 5000 miles on it so far and I'd buy another in a heartbeat. A saddlebag latch broke when I forced it shut which was my fault. The front cylinder cut out in the rain so after packing the plug boot with dielectric grease, that's no longer a problem. Otherwise, NOTHING has gone wrong. Wonderful bike. | ||
| Javadog |
If you go to any car,truck or motorcycle enthusiast site, most of the posts are about problems of one kind or another. Any new vehicle needs some fine tuning to get all the bugs out. Plus, what might be an advantage for some will be a problem or liability for others, such as the seat height. Also, there are always design decisions that improve one aspect of driveability at the expense of another. Everything is a compromise. The Ulysses is still the best all terrain vehicle on two wheels for the money. Plus it has the loudest fan on earth and within ten years will cause a major earthquake on the west coast. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
I'll regret this but my fan just doesn't seem that loud to me. The regret will be because I've just jinxed my fan into failing soon. Ya know that karma works that way, at least for me. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
I really haven't had any problems as yet with my ULY other than the heat on my right leg. I ride with shorts around town in the summer and my right leg gets pretty toasty which could be better. | ||
| Teeps |
Yes, I would (did) buy a Ulysses. And would buy another, despite it's quirks. Other than the battery problem, dealer implies because bike was not ridden enough, I've not had any other problems. The low speed surging/bucking/jerking (call it what you will), I speculate, is a product of EPA emissions regulations. In other words this behavior was the "trade-off(?)" for not having a catalytic converter. And, if I can "fix" this drive-ability quirk, even at my own cost, I would be happy to do so... But not at the expense of making the bike louder. (No Race Kit for Me.) | ||
| Bent |
It was a sunny afternoon when I encountered my first Uly in Omaha NE, last October. It was love at first sight and she was just what I was looking for. A daily commuter with the ability go off pavement if I wished. By the way, I wish. I returned home and started the research process and came across BAD WEB. The members of the community have been very helpful, and the more I researched (good and bad) the more I was convinced that this was the bike for me. 6000 miles and no problems other than the a rattling horn. The height was the only thing that really concerned me. I'm only 5'8" was a little worried about stability at rest. I was worried about nothing. I haven't laid here down yet (I know it's coming) and I ride her like I stole her. Would I buy another Uly? Absolutely! | ||
| Fastfxrs |
"Uly Died on the Highway-Twice!" was the thread I started. Thank God for this forum-it is the reason my bike got fixed. 6200 miles now since the end of February and I'm loving this bike more every day. I'd buy another in a heartbeat. Tim | ||
| Chadhargis |
One thing I've learned in my years of reading internet forums. Sometimes people make mountians out of mole hills. Things that someone might have never noticed they will start looking for when they read a report on the net. This happened to me when I owned my BMW 1150RT. I read lots of posts regarding surging and when I went for a ride, sure enough...it was there. It drove me nuts. But I'd never paid much attention to it prior to reading about it on the net. Most of the issues people seem to be having with the Uly either are easily fixed, or they are a matter of opinion. For example, I don't have a problem with heat, or the fan, or the "slippery" footpegs. I don't have any issue with the height of the bike or the steering radius. You have to take most of the information here and file it away in your head so if you see symptoms of an issue, you know how to correct it. I don't worry about my sidestand, engine surging, pinging, etc....I just ride the thing and do the required maintenance. I'm still smiling. I love the bike!! | ||
| Ulywife |
You have to take most of the information here and file it away in your head so if you see symptoms of an issue, you know how to correct it. That sums it up in a nutshell! Nice thing is that you're not trying to figure something out by yourself or relying on a tech who doesn't ride the bike all the time. With other owners spending time riding, you all may notice the same or similar issues. BadWeb has a great wealth of knowledge and great people. And yes, we love our Uly and would buy another one tomorrow. | ||
| Panhead_dan |
I'm very happy that this forum exists and that folks use it. There is a wealth of knowledge here for all who need it. Maybe the machine is not perfect (close) but at least we have this forum as an aid. I love the bike and can't stay off it for one day. It is the most reliable and capable bike I have ever rode. I think they named it Ullyses because the name JEEP was already taken.  | ||
| Davo |
It is a good time for me to answer this question. I bought a Uly but I road my Ultra Classic to the VA. state HOG rally today which was about 2 hours away. I wanted to ride my Uly but I was afraid to park it there all day because of my concern that the side stand might fail. I didn't want someone to pull in on my left and put their bike in harms way while I was walking around checking out all the exhibits. Upon my arriving home, I could not wait to ride my Uly. The Ultra was so boring to ride after riding a Uly. As anyone who follows BadWeb knows I have had my share of Uly issues, but I have to confess. I think I would buy it again. Knowing what I know now I could deal with the pitfalls and thanks to BadWeb potential Uly buyers can to. I do think I would wait for the 2007s though. | ||
| 12x_infatuation |
Ive been doing a great deal of weighing up lately after lurking here since around last november. Its more a 'when' than an 'if' for me... My local dealers, North Coast V Twins (mid north coast, australia) are getting an orange one in about 3 weeks, though i was more partial to the black... I suppose the quandry im in is to take the plunge or wait for the 07? While the problems are a little disconcerting, this sort of thing seems to be expected in a 1st year of production model & havent dissuaded my infatuation at all. Thanks to all, ive missed my riding for too long now & am well & truly ready for a new adventure. | ||
| Davo |
I think you will love the bike! If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me/us at BadWeb! The Uly is a GREAT bike! the issues that we are dealing with are very minor. It is more an issue of uncertainty regarding factory technical support because of the unique attributes of the bike. | ||
| Xbimmer |
I'll be honest, if the Ss were available with cases I would have bought one of them, at first. I've always loved Buells, but until recently any new bike was out of the question, kids, mortgage, divorce, etc. A recent re-fi enabled me to get my Uly. People who know me as the diehard BMW rider were pretty perplexed with my decision. I wasn't, BMW doesn't make anything I wanted, at least as much as my Uly. Had they had the wisdom to bring in the F800, things might have been different for me. German marketing strategy has always confused me... Please don't consider this as bragging but when you re-fi a home in CA you can pretty much buy any motorcycle out there, cash. I could have bought a R1200GS, or a Big Twin, anything Japanese or English or most Italians. I even considered a complete refurb of my R100S, and getting a cherry '75 Honda 550 out of mothballs for my younger daughter to ride, although a Blast is more likely. But the Uly is it, period. And a bargain at the price IMHO. Sure I'm a new member here and voiced my concerns over a few issues, but that's why these forums are here! Audi forums help my daughter and me with our Audis (believe me, no Buell will ever have the potential for problems that an Audi does!), Ford forums help me with my van, Bimmer forums with my BMW, milsurp forums with my 'surps. The sidestand issue is the only major concern I have, and if it fails within the next 2 years well it's a warranty problem and nobody wants a scarred bike but the factory will just have to fix mine. I have also ordered a spare to see whether I can beef it up. What also keeps me optimistic is that those upcoming 2007's no doubt will have improvements which possibly will retrofit my '06. Buy another? No doubt! But first I'll have to wear out my '06! | ||
| Bloochdog |
I agree... iI have fallen in love with the uly as others have.... What a change from the road king i traded I would get another in a heartbeat as well... I just want to feel more support from the Home Office... I just rode 130 miles this morning in the pouring rain and loved it. Oh my I hope i didn't just void my warranty by letting that out of the bag... .. ride Virginia Y'all | ||
| Brad1445 |
Very nice to hear some good things. For the record I do have a Ulysses 8500k no failures at all. Its my 3rd XB Buell and I too would buy another I just took note of how the list of topics must look to someone researching a new purchase. I did 23.000k in 12 months on a Firebolt no troubles at all. Thanks for the good stories too. | ||
| Bloochdog |
well an easy way to fix all the bitchen here... | ||
| Stevem123 |
Well here's my .02! Mine is probably one of the first out of the crate in California. August 05. I also get a little down on all the bitchin and I've even bitched a little myself about the kickstand when mine sheared the bolts. I did fix it myself and haven't had any other real issues since. I'm sure they will fix the kickstand issues as well as the bag seal and latch issues pretty soon. With over 8K miles of hard riding I can honestly say this is the best bike I've ever ridden. I love it more every time I ride it. I'm a total hooligan because the bike makes riding so much fun. Even though I ride to work every day I haven't gotten bored with it yet and it's still bone stock! My other two bikes, a 99 Road Glide, and an 01 Buell S3T, are jealous as they sit in the garage!  I'd buy another one faster than you could blink an eye! BC Steve | ||
| Xbimmer |
Bloochdog you are truly a burr under the saddle!  | ||
| Bloochdog |
most of what i say here is tounge in cheek... but i must admit when one is a ygreat proponent of the bike .... to have dirty pool tactics visited upon one is just not cricket... had warranty blocked due to the tweaking of the saddle bag frame... oh btw the instructions included were faulty.. then to be told that i was to blame for the bag lock failures... oh yes was extorted into having to pay for the labor to fix them a second time... they just dont get it... i want the bike i love the bike but i dont feel the love of helping them launch a new bike.. i wonder when big brother will get it that i am on their side... just admit when you bone up something... we all would not be here with all sorts of issues if "you know who" didn't have such a high level of deniability... sorry if i have offended you big brother... love what you have done with your hair though... all still welcome at the cabin... cheers  this is all i have to say about this.. .. i truly dont want to be xbimmer... cheers to all... im a pretty fun guy once you get to know me... and it is just anoher machine.. | ||
| Eor |
I guess I'll be the exception here... The Ulysses was the most fun bike I've ridden. Unlike many, I was blessed with a very supportive and capable dealership. In the end, those pluses could not overcome my overall disappointment with the Uly as a long distance tourer or an off pavement bike. Allot of that disappointment is related to factors unique to my situation...short inseam, physical condition, rapidly approaching middle-aged introspection and caution, etc. In addition, I had numerous minor "issues" with the Ulysses...nothing that ever stranded me or was a real safety concern, but more than I've experienced with any other bike I've owned [including two other XB models]. I take very good care of my stuff and am rather obsessive/compulsive. I don't tolerate "nickel and dime" issues well. I was becoming concerned about more significant issues others have been reporting recently and I was tired of the 350 mile round trip for service I trusted. The equation just worked out to It's time to move on. Given the circumstances, it's not likely I'll purchase another Buell. | ||
| Al_lighton |
I own six Buells (S1, S2, S1W, S3, XB9S, XB12X). As much as I like my S1W, if I could only keep one of them, it would be the Uly. Of course, it, and the rest of them, is hardly stock. There are things that needed to be changed to make it right for me (mirrors, handguards, handlebar, front fender, tires, seat, exhaust, intake, etc). But it's a damn nice bike out of the crate. There has only been two problems with mine: the LP light and the exhaust servo fault. Other than that, it has been flawless. Which isn't to say I haven't had to work on it, but I work on it even when nothing is broken all the time. Height is probably what keeps the bike from being more popular than it is. I have a short 30" inseam. It has never been an issue. But heck, my XR400 has a 37.5" seat height, and I have to kick start that beast. The Uly height just isn't a big deal to me, YMMV |
