| Author | Message | ||
     Saltydog |
After nearly 3 years and 30K with my Uly, covering almost every state in central and western USA I think I can have a opinion on this bike. I came from a KLR 650 to a Uly and some days I really miss my KLR, the chain drive, weight, and mostly the wheels. I think supermotos are retarded, like the car you see driving on the spare "donut" wheel for a week straight. After my last trip spending two weeks riding in the western states I really wish I had the option of different rims and tires. I would love to have a 19" front and 17" rear spoked rim. Oh how this would make the Uly a true adventure machine...why cant they even make a special "adventure" titled model just for people like me? I have had all the usual flaws with my bike, the belt, bearings, fan, ect., but could overlook all that if I had some knobies and off road capability. Ever see a stock Jeep Wrangler with all season street tires, that is how I feel. Anyhow, not a angry rant, just wishing outloud to badweb.... | ||
| Hughlysses |
SD- there's been at least one photo of an XB with wire wheels posted here, so wire wheels are definitely a possibility, and obviously a 17" wire rear wouldn't be a problem. It's been suggested there just might be enough room for a 19" front wheel if you installed 08/09 triple clamps with your 06/07 fork tubes. Worst case you could modify the front of the muffler for more clearance. Figuring out how to mount the ZTL rotor or how to replace it with a conventional disk in front would be something of a challenge, but I'm sure it could be done. So, if you REALLY want a truly off-road worthy Uly, have at it!  | ||
| Saltydog |
I'm not in love with the ZTL brake rotor setup of this bike..its ok but would give it up to have the wheel/tire combo I wish for. I think with the chin spoiler removed and some cut/weld of muffler front lower corner the 19" would have more than enough room. The bad part is, I am not a engineer/fabricator and I don't want to pay the cost of a new honda xr650 for a set of wheels. If these could be dreamed up and made for under $1,000 for the pair I would buy them in a second. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
I hear this from the BMW & KTM riders all the time... That bike isnt a 'real' adventure bike because it doesnt have a 21 inch wheel.... I have as yet to find a local guy with a big BMW or KTM that will out run where I run, or where I fail to keep up when they lead on their home trails. It might no just be the tire  I am going to try and get the CityX in the RawHyde course this winter. Pics to come | ||
| Red_chili |
Salty, I solve the issue by also owning an XR650R that is fully dualsported. Truth be told, it doesn't see even a fraction of the use the Uly does, but at least it is a true (dirt oriented) dualsport. The Uly does fine on the odd unpaved route. Looking forward to doing Cinnamon Pass. Probably have to be next year.  | ||
| Saltydog |
City Slicker, I'm sure your very capable on your Buell off road, but I would like to have more off road cabablity and tire choices while retaining long distance touring capability. Its not about being able to do a certain pass or keep up with bmw's , its about being able to go where I want and not limited by the sport bike wheels and tires the buell comes with. Red Chili,I am not in a financial situation to afford and insure 2 bikes, I need one bike that can do it all. I really believe the uly could be this bike if it had the wheels I want for it. I find it strange that buell with go through all the trouble to make a special police bike but will not give us a "adventure" model? I am starting to think Erik Buell is very narrow minded when it comes to bikes leaving the pavement. Good luck on Cinnamon Pass, just FYI that front wheel will wash out very quickly...take a spare clutch lever with you. | ||
| Red_chili |
Always do. Shifter & brake lever too (pricey son of a gun). I don't have problems with the front wheel really until I get into really loose stuff (mud, sand, deep loose gravel/dirt). But then it is a 1200 and I did have close to the same problems with my 1150 GS. I would not call Erik narrow minded. Focused, yes, although the Uly is the modern equivalent of the UJM. Erik rides a YZF BTW, if memory serves. He knows dirt. (Message edited by Red_Chili on August 28, 2008) | ||
| Hughlysses |
I guess the jury is still out on what the market is looking for in "adventure" bikes. The KTM is very dirt focused, the GS is mostly dirt focused, the V-Strom somewhere in the middle, the Uly is a little more pavement focused, and the Multi-strada and Versys are pretty much pure pavement. The Triumph Tiger went from being at least as dirt oriented as the GS to being at least as pavement oriented as the Uly. I'm sure Triumph made this change because of what they saw in the market. AFAIK nobody's offering dirt/pavement options for their dirt bikes. You decide what mix you need and buy or build the bike to suit. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Zuki DRZ 400 built in either full dirt option or super moto . Theres a ton of them running around the woods out here. | ||
| Strokizator |
I think making the Uly more dirt oriented would separate it a little more from the XT. Right now, they are too similar. It'd be nice to have wheel/tire options so each of us could get the bike we want. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Zuki DRZ 400 built in either full dirt option or super moto . Theres a ton of them running around the woods out here. Brian- good point. I meant to say "nobody's offering dirt/pavement options for their adventure bikes." I'm not saying they shouldn't, just that Buell is not by any means alone in picking a focus for the bike and sticking with it. Maybe the release of the XT indicates that eventually they will make the X model more dirt focused. | ||
| Rahbert |
If I put 19 or 21 inch wheels on my Uly I'd have to wear platform shoes to ride it! | ||
| Cityxslicker |
I hate to admit it, but if you asked the guys that are riding and owning the ULY, there is only a small segment of the population that is riding them off pavement, much less anything hairy or ADV worthy. Of the 35 of these that I have sold (since 2005) I know of only 4 locally that are getting any dirt. Everybody else is using them for a commuter or a big sport bike. I think with the XT Buell is admitting that most riders are on pavement, and most riders are not 6 foot tall ! I would have liked to have seen a dedicated dirt bike in the 400-450cc class with sub 300 lbs. We cant always get what we want, but if you try sometimes.... looks like you are building your own for your own adventure. | ||
| Rahbert |
Mine gets ridden as a daily commuter, 80 miles per day out of which 14 are dirt/gravel/mud (Western WA = always wet). I got the Uly just so I could keep my BMW touring bike out of the slop. So far I have had only once slow speed go-down due to trying to stop on a dime in gravel. When winter comes I'll be giving the Snow Claws a try. | ||
| Benriding |
I got the Uly just recently and use it to commute too but also like riding the back roads and will do some gravel road riding up in northern WI and Upper Mich. When I want to go off road I'll ride my dual sported KTM300. That said I too wish for the bigger front/rear wheel combo as many back dirt roads are deep sand (which swallows the front wheel.) Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders has a ride, one route for thumpers one for the big bikes, we put on in Forest Co. WI (Sign up now ride is end of sept)and the Uly riders have a fit in the sandy roads after they are all churned up. It's only a few spots that are bad but a good rider with bigger wheels can just lean back and get on it to float the front over. Uly riders I have seen are paddling. I havn't ridden it yet on the Uly but with the smaller wheels I am nervous to pin it and go, as if I go down it will be hard and at speed. Guess I'll have to see what happens. |
