| Author | Message | ||
     L_je |
I'll see if I might be able to talk my wife into it, as well. This way, we'd both get to do a track day. If she'd get to demo a Buell on the track, that'd just make it all the better. Being 5'4" she's afraid to take the Uly for a ride. I've already added plenty of "character" to each of the sidecases, and now kinda view them as $500 frame pucks, so it wouldn't be so bad if she tipped at a stop. We're getting her a second bike in the near future (that's 2 bikes for her, and 1 for me, for those of you keeping score). Right now the leading contender is the F650GS. My thought is the 650GS just won't have enough grunt to keep her happy. I've tried to get her to test ride an XB9Sx, but she says it's already bad enough that she has to look at my [ugly] Buell. ....maybe a track day on a Buell will set the hook? "Honey, 'Chadhargis' and 'Ft_bstrd' say this would be a great idea" ....yeah, can't wait for the reaction to this one! Barber is a magnificent track. I was planning on taking our daughter over there to the AMA races in April. So, maybe we'll just go a little earlier than planned? | ||
| Chadhargis |
Would love to have some Badwebbers at the track day. Would be nice to put a face with the name. | ||
| Etennuly |
I saw one on another thread that is going, and he said the same thing. When I figure out where it was I'll get back with his name. | ||
| Sweatmark |
L_je If you can, have your wife test ride the F650GS at local BMW dealer... I recently rode one a couple days as loaner while getting my Beemer serviced, and wasn't impressed by the motor. Yeah, they've proven pretty tough, but the bike's grunt and build quality didn't seem worth the bucks when compared with a good deal on an R1150GS, for example. Depends on the intended riding purpose, I guess. | ||
| L_je |
"This is not your captain speaking. This thread is being temporarily hijacked, and the following discussion will have only the loosest connection to track days..." My wife test rode an F650GS, and it was her favorite...until yesterday. ATL Triumph/Ducati/MV had a demo day on Saturday... She liked the 620 Multistrada, until she rode the 1100 Multistrada. Now, she's leaving pictures around the house of the MTS 1100. Like I said, my wife is afflicted with knuckles-up-syndrome, and I didn't think the 650GS would have enough power to keep her happy for long. I just wished she had fallen in love with a 1k VStrom, instead of a Ducati. So, now, her sights are set on the MTS 1100, or a used MTS 1000. But, the Multistrada IS the practical Ducati, right, right, right? ...I'll start a dedicated thread on this one, because soliciting advise from people you have never met is, well, um, about a dumb as buying a Ducati... | ||
| Chadhargis |
The Multistrada is an AWESOME machine. Probably my favorite Ducati (that I can actually get comfortable on). It handles great, sounds great, and has plenty of comfort. The maintenance frequency steers some away from Ducati, but the 2 valve engines aren't bad, especially if you put in some MBP collets that will extend the valve adjustment intervals. If my local dealer would have given me the deal I wanted, I'd be riding a Multistrada S right now....but hey...I love my Ulysses, and I bought it for $4000 less than they wanted for the Multi S (which was an '05 model). Yikes! | ||
| L_je |
To avoid hijacking this thread, I've posted some of the details of my plight over in AdvRider. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21 1649 Though I've tried, I cannot get my wife interested in a Buell. Speaking as her pit crew, I really, really wish she'd find Buells more attractive. Oh, and back on topic...she was so distracted by the MTS 1100, that she never really got back to me about the track day at Barber. | ||
| Sweatmark |
OK back on topic: Multistrada at track day  | ||
| Chadhargis |
Project "XB12X-R" is getting closer to completion. I installed my Wilbers shock last night. BOY! What a difference. I was running the stock shock at nearly full preload and still squashed it to about half it's travel. Not so with the Wilbers. I sat on the bike, and it squatted maybe an inch, which is about 25mm (24.4 actually), so the preload with nothing dialed in on the adjuster is PERFECT! I love custom shocks!! I haven't ridden the bike yet, but from past experience with changing to a custom shock, I know it will be great. I'll hopefully be installing the fork springs and changing the fork oil tonight or tomorrow. Here's what Klaus at Wilbers had to say about the fork springs: "The OEM spring rate is 7.0 Kg, Wilbers is 7.0 / 10.0 Kg The OEM spring is 488 mm long with a 219 mm long spacer. The Wilbers spring is 500 mm long and the OEM spacer is to be used, so, if you do not change any pre-load setting, you will have 12 mm (1/2" ) more preload. Yes, measure the springs (there are tolerances of up to 1/8") and deduct the difference from your pre-load to go back to your base line setting. The oil is SAE 10, same as OEM Wilbers recommends an air space of 150 mm, OEM is 130 mm. More air space = more progression and softer. For your weight and ride style you can leave it at the factory 130 mm." Is Klaus calling me fat??  I'll be taking the "R" wheels to a friends house for balancing this weekend and then I'll get them mounted up. The fun begins after that. Gotta do my shake down rides and work on setting the compression and rebound damping. Those settings are mostly "feel". 16 days till Barber!! Woooo Hoooo!! (Message edited by chadhargis on March 15, 2007) | ||
| L_je |
No real point in my wife demo-ing a Buell at the Barber track day... I'm putting down a deposit on a slightly used '06 1000 S Mutlistrada in the morning. If my wife were to comment that "gee, this Buell rides a lot like a Multistrada", well, I'm afraid that would send me into cardiac arrest. I'm not really sure she needs and "S" bike, but in comparison to the Uly's suspension, most other, no, every other, bike that I've ridden comes up short. [I have not ridden an "S" Strada, nor have I ridden a KTM] At 10,500 miles, I think I need to turn up the dampening a notch on my Uly's suspension, or perhaps tighten up the steering. [sigh] With all of the time I spend NOT doing maintenance on my Uly, I guess I can devote some time to the upkeep on the Duc [sigh] Observation: the "S" Strada has a carbon fiber front fender. I'm assuming this is to reduce unsprung weight. What a [not]cheap way to save, what 3 ounces? Hey Ducati, why don't you lose one of those rotors up front? Oh wait, Buell's already done that. Uhhhggg. I don't mean to offend anyone, well, yes I do, but carbon fiber is for things that measure their velocity in Mach, not mph. Wait, I do recall really liking my carbon fiber ice axes. But, in this application, the CF is load bearing, and not just a farkle. | ||
| Chadhargis |
My project is ALMOST complete. Got one fork spring installed last night, but someone at the factory saw fit to RED loctite one of the fender screws, so that cost me too much time to finish the forks. #2 will get done tonight and I'll do a shakedown run this weekend. I've got to ride the bike to the shop to get the BAS recall done, so I just might take the back roads there. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Chad- we need PICS! | ||
| Chadhargis |
Pics are forthcoming. I should have the wheels balanced and on the bike by the end of the weekend. Gotta wash the dirty pig too. Rode on some wet roads last weekend and it's covered with nasty grayish gritty crud. | ||
| Chadhargis |
Hooooo Waaaaah!! Tested the suspension today...Oh Holy crap...what a difference! Gotta do some fiddling with the high speed compression on the shock, but everything else felt great! Ran into Warbaby at the shop. Both of us were getting BAS recalls done. Got a free BBQ lunch and listened to a band play. Big St. Patty's day party at Bumpus Harley. Didn't get around to getting the new wheels installed. That will be tomorrows task. Then the transformation will be complete. A BIG "Thank You" to Steve Knapp for the tips on the fork spring install the loan of some tools. Made the job MUCH easier. I'll take some pictures soon. | ||
| Chadhargis |
It's ready! I give you the Buell Ulysses XB12X-R:  | ||
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| Chadhargis |
Hopefully I'll get some pictures from the track day in a couple of weeks. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Look at all that luscious blackness! How much taller is the front suspension? Looks great! | ||
| Spike |
Chad- Awesome project! I've got over 25k on my Firebolt and I love it, but I'd love to have something that's long-range friendly without giving up the handling. I've been curious to see how a Uly would respond if you ditched the dirt gear in favor of more sporting components, which is exactly what you've done. Be sure to keep us posted with your experience with the Uly on the track. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Did you decide not to go with the R Pegs? | ||
| Chadhargis |
Fatty, the bike isn't any taller, but folks with big asses like ours won't squash it any more. When I sit on the bike, it sags maybe an inch. That's with NO preload in the shock. It's a beautiful thing...the bike squats much less when driving out of a corner. The progressive springs help with the brake dive. Spike, I'll do a full report on my track day. It's going to be mostly Buell folks there, so I'm sure I'll see some more things I might want to do to the Ulysses. So far, here's what I've done: 1) Renthal medium rise bars 2) Wilbers shock w/ rebound, high & low speed compression damping, remote preload, and ride height adjustment. 3) Wilbers fork springs w/ 130mm airspace 4) Bel-Ray 10wt fork oil 5) Buell XB12-R wheels 6) Pirelli Diablo tires 7) Braking USA front wave rotor 8) Braking USA rear wave rotor 9) Buell 2007 airbox 10) Buell Race ECU 11) Buell Race air filter 12) Buell Race muffler 13) Buell Pro spark plugs I've done a few more comfort mods, but the above list is about it for performance. | ||
| Chris_in_tn |
Chad, have you noticed any improved braking performance with the wave rotors? They look good if nothing else. | ||
| Jmhinkle |
Nice job Chad. Looks good. The "torque inside" sticker is a must have for me. I work at Intel and have had several "inside" stickers. A Turbo car and Turbo Diesel truck got "boost inside" stickers. My KLR had a "doohickey inside" sticker. I'm gonna have to pick me up a "torque inside" for the Uly now. I'm really digging the Wilbers Suspension. You mind if I ask how much it cost for the whole suspension setup? | ||
| Chadhargis |
The shock and the springs were $1356 to my door. You can come out cheaper if you don't get all the bells and whistles on the shock. I opted for the high/low speed compression, remote preload, and ride height adjuster. I posted up a possible group buy here, but got my hand slapped because Wilbers wasn't a sponsor of the site. Understandable. If 10 folks would have gone in and bought shocks, we'd have gotten a nice discount. When I had my FJR1300, we did it over on the FJR board. It was wonderful. Not only did we get a nice discount, but we got the collective knowledge of various people documenting and giving tips on the installs. |
