| Author | Message | ||
     Y2blade |
before you ask! no i dont buy the bike mags neither do i read MCN!!!! i prefer to get real owners/riders opinions on long term ownership experiances this will be a real change for me as ive ALWAYS had big sports bikes in the past but now my riding buddy has traded his MV F4 1000 for a BMW 1200GSA (due to him having back problems) i feel its time to follow suit as riding with him now is becoming a chore as im only using quarter throttle, so its time for a change we have looked at V-Strom 1000's and VERADERO's and BMW GS's but tbh the ULY is the only one that i feel i "want" to own plus its the best looking of the bunch too imho all feedback greatfully recieved as always. thankyou in advance Chris | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Glad you found us! Welcome. | ||
| Arcticktm |
Check out the Big Bad & Dirty forum for specifics on the Uly. It is packed with information overload on all the good and bad. Fortunately, the good overwhelms the bad for me by quite a lot. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Vstrom and BMW build great bikes. Very capable and fun, I have taken two GS's and one Vstrom in on trade on the ULY after a demo ride. I think that speaks volumes. NO KTM trade ins yet, but I am sure it is just a matter of time. | ||
| Y2blade |
should i repost this over there in the big bad and Dirty section?? cheers for the replys (Message edited by y2blade on July 19, 2007) | ||
| Ulywife |
Moved it at the same time you re-posted it! | ||
| Y2blade |
lol no problem..thank you  | ||
| Wesman |
as riding with him now is becoming a chore as im only using quarter throttle, so its time for a change I love my Uly....but sorry to report you'll still only be able to use 1/4 throttle when riding with the BMW.  } Hope that dosen't hold you back from havin fun!!! Take a test ride....I think you'll be surprised how fast this thing is in real world riding....yes the MV will still toast it on the track | ||
| Y2blade |
im really looking forward to my demo ride ,the dealer said i can have it for a whole day if i want any longterm ownership issues to consider? common faults? Buells are ALL new to me so ALL info is welcome/needed | ||
| Thelumox |
let us know what you think after the demo. mine went home with me. | ||
| Maximum |
I looked at other bikes before purchasing the Uly this past January. Doing the demo thing is key! After discussion the pro's and con's of each bike with my wife, she told me to get the Buell. Evidently I sounded much more passionate when talking about the Uly. With over 11,000 miles in the first 6 months, I can honestly say that it is even a better bike than I thought it would be (and my expectation was pretty high). A bike this awesome is worth every penny, a great wife that tells you to buy it is priceless!  | ||
| Jmhinkle |
I looked at other bikes before purchasing the Uly this past January. Ditto Doing the demo thing is key! Ditto After discussion the pro's and con's of each bike with my wife, she told me to get the Buell. Evidently I sounded much more passionate when talking about the Uly. Ditto With over 11,000 miles in the first 6 months, I can honestly say that it is even a better bike than I thought it would be (and my expectation was pretty high). 5200 miles and just turned a year. Better bike than I thought it would be, but my expectations were extremely low. (I'm not one of those buy American support America people because I've had no success with it ever!) The last 2 months have become a series of problems in my opinion that I think some write off as character of the bike, but I've grown tiresome of it. A bike this awesome is worth every penny, a great wife that tells you to buy it is priceless! The price of a Vstrom is still a far better value if you look at it bang for buck. The Uly is definitely more fun to ride, which is why the test ride really sells people. If you are one of the many lucky ones that don't have issues with it and like its little quirks then the whole Buell thing will work out for you. My wife asked me the other day why did I buy the bike to change so much on it and I said it was part of making it mine. I'm beginning to think it has more to do with not being as satisfied with it as I really wanted to be because I'm just not willing to put up with the quirks that some consider part of ownership. I truly feel the '06 bikes were an absolute experiment and not ready for production because of the different sporadic issues that some have experienced while others have not. | ||
| Bertotti |
Maximum and Jmhinkle I did the same only my wife asks me if I'm sure because all I dreamt of since it's inception was the GS. I new nothing of the service costs or problems associated withe the BMW but the Uly drew me away anyway, now that's saying something. Giving up a twelve year dream / obsession was very difficult. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
y2blade, I'm glad they are giving you a good long test ride. The dealer I bought mine from tossed me the keys and said "we close at 6:00". I ran a little over 80 miles of back roads. I would highly suggest that you have them crack out the manual and set the suspension to your weight with gear. Buell suspensions are more sensitive to settings than just about any bike you are used to. I guess it's the short wheelbase. The settings will be different than the "standard" sportbike settings you probably are used to on your Fireblade. Many a great ride have been ruined by bad suspension settings. I had some weird issues, but most here have not. All were taken care of under warranty, so they are non-issues to me. I think of motorcycles like boats. Sometimes it takes a few times out to work out all the bugs. I would be very surprised if you are not grinning from ear to ear and giggling like a drunken yeti inside your helmet. | ||
| Captain_nartman |
I Still Have HUGE a Grin On Me Dial After EVERY Ride, Even Down to the Shops fer some Milk or Beers.. That's After 18 Months of Ownership of me Ugly. Indeed, Ifya NOT Grinnin after said Test Ride, Buy Another Bike.,.. but I'll WAGER ya ARE a Grinner. You'll Enjoy Customisin it to Your taste as Well.  N x  | ||
| Hoon |
Some tastfull mods there Captain-nice and subtle. | ||
| Teeps |
I have an '06 Ulysses that is sneaking up on 8k miles. Knock on wood, the only disabling problem its had was the battery took a crap about this time last year. And, even that did not leave me stranded. Now the Ulysses does possess some idiosyncrasies such as: limited turning radius, high seat height, loud cooling fan (that operates other than how one might think it should.) it does not like to go slow <40 mph (in 3gear or higher, it's not a cruiser.) some don't like the weak rear brake (it's the way a rear brake should be IMO.) and, some have pinging issues, though not one report of engine failure due to pinging can be found here... (Message edited by teeps on July 20, 2007) | ||
| New12r |
I have only a couple hundred miles on my Uly and I must say it is a hoot to ride. This is my Third Buell and I dont see me getting rid of it anytime soon. | ||
| Skrobe |
The simplicity of air-cooling, never get stranded on or off road due to a coolant leak. A superb high-torque engine - less shifting. Maintenance free belt drive. Innovative engineering that actually works. Deceptively smooth running V-twin. What's not to like about this bike? The best part of riding the Ulysses for me is that my wife after a 15 year absence on the back seat is willing to ride with me again. It is more comfortable for her than our Concours. Besides, you meet the nicest people riding Buells! | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Captain_nartman, For God's sake man, you need to ride that bike. It's been parked so long a tree has taken root out of it.  | ||
| Arcticktm |
I have an '06 with around 6500 miles on it. No repair issues to date (knock on wood), and only been to a dealer for a proactive Bank Angle Sensor recall. I agree with what Teeps said, and would add that a lot of heat can be felt by some (me) on the right leg and sometimes through the seat. Mainly true on hot days (85F+) and if you get caught in traffic (slow or stopped). The bike does not appreciate speeds below 30mph. The handling is fantastic. The tighter, the better, and no worries about bad pavement (or none). A bit of fork dive might take a little getting used to at first, and the trans is not the smoothest, but not bad either. It likes a firm, quick shift. It vibrates a LOT at idle, but is smooth underway. You will figure all this out on the demo. The Vstrom is a better value, but does not have the personality and handling. The Buell has better value than the BMW (IMHO), especially if you buy the Buell used (the resale is not too good). My wife says the passenger accomodations are great, although it is very high. The suspension is fantastic, and VERY adjustable, and the manual actually tells you how to do it right! Dealer support is shaky in places, so make sure you are good with your dealer over there, or willing to learn for yourself. It is an easy bike to work on, which cannot be said for new BMW's. Enjoy. | ||
| Etennuly |
Over 18,000 miles in a year and two months, My bike has had about seven small issues that required dealer warranty repairs. Each item, once repaired stays repaired and the longer I have the bike the better it runs and shifts. I do my own service work and that doesn't void the two year unlimited mile warranty, like some others would. I recently completed a 1780 mile four day trip to homecoming and the bike was flawless. Fourteen months and still get permagrin every time I ride! | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Etennuly even discovered an additional use for the Uly. Long distance ambulance.  | ||
| Etennuly |
I prefer to think of it as a scrap hauler. That keeps the number of lights to farkling minimum. | ||
| Y2blade |
thanks for the write-ups,i think i will enjoy it ALOT looking good  (Message edited by y2blade on July 20, 2007) | ||
| Captain_nartman |
"Captain_nartman, For God's sake man, you need to ride that bike. It's been parked so long a tree has taken root out of it." Agreed!! Off fer a Ride/Romp Now. N x } | ||
| Crusty |
we have looked at V-Strom 1000's and VERADERO's and BMW GS's but tbh the ULY is the only one that i feel i "want" to own plus its the best looking of the bunch too imho The Uly is the most sensually rewarding bike to ride of the bunch. You know in your heart that you want one. Listen to that voice. You won't regret it. After 24,000 miles, mine still makes me grin like an idiot. | ||
| Panhead_dan |
I ride my '06 Uly to work every day.(55 miles one way). I just got back from a riding vacation where the bike was used as a bagger, then a sportbike and as a dirtbike. To say that it is versatile is an understatement. The bike seems to be in its element no matter what I ask of it. Burn Chevron Supreme most of the time and pinging goes away. | ||
| Captain_nartman |
Yep, I Run BP Ultimate 98 Octane ONLY... No Pingin ere. N x | ||
| Y2blade |
thanks all for the info | ||
| Loucksgl |
Just bought 2008 Uly. Have owned 32 major road bikes, most BMW. Tired of heavy iron. Light weight is where its at. New Uly has nice turn radius. I love the handling. It is a superb cornering machine with very positive inputs from the wheels to driver. Very driver friendly. Corners so easily it could be dangerous. Negatives are: have a lean type surge since new (1000 miles on it in three days.), gets very hot on right side frame fuel area, lots of heat on right leg, fuel capacity too low. Love the bike and is a keeper if they (dealer corrects the surging). Check eng light on all time now. Dealer has it. It is one of the most exciting machines I have ever owned. Fun, fun, fun. Versatile! | ||
| Captain_lou |
Have a chance to buy an 08 XT for $1000 less than an 09. Is there any difference between the two that would justify paying $1000 more for the 09? Both bikes are new. |
