| Author | Message | ||
     Tipsymcstagger |
Last night, I returned from a 3800 mile, 10 day trip. My buddy, on a GS1200 with TKC's and myself on the Uly. We made our way from NYC up through Quebec, across New Brunswick, into Prince Edward Island, through Nova Scotia, up to Newfoundland and ultimately into Labrador where, unfortunately, my buddy and I parted ways. After Red Bay, Labrador, the road becomes gravel. The plan was to ride the gravel from Red Bay to Cartwright, take the ferry to Happy Valley - Goose Bay and then continue across the Trans Labrador Highway. All together, the road is between 500 to 600 miles of gravel. Some places it's packed. Some places it's freshly graded and about 3" deep of loose gravel. After several miles on the road to Cartwright, I decided the Uly was not the proper tool for the job. I admit, I had a lot of trepidation and I have limited dirt experience, but watching my buddy tear up that road with his TKC's made my 17" wheels and (now quite worn) Scorpion Syncs feel woefully inadequate. There was no way I was going to keep up and the faster I went, the more I thought about crashing. I constantly debated with myself trying to determine if the bike or the rider was the reason for my lack of confidence. I think it was a combination of the two. I'm sure there are some great riders out there who could tackle the Trans Labrador on the Uly and not think twice. I am not one of them. My mind was locked in overdrive and all I could think about was getting stranded out there. It was not a question of when I'd dump the bike, but how many times I'd dump the bike. Would something break in one of those falls that I couldn't repair? Along the way, about a dozen people looked at my 17" wheels and asked "you're going to do the Trans Labrador on those tires?" This obviously added to my growing concern and doubt. Having to shake my buddy's hand on the road to Cartwright and turn around made me feel like the biggest loser on the planet. I felt completely dejected and defeated. All I could say to myself as the miles passed on the way back to NYC was "that road is not going to get the best of me. I'm going to get the right tool and come back." I really enjoy the Uly and I'm not going to make any hasty decisions, but I keep thinking about the 990 Adventure. A few other thoughts; By the time I got back to Nova Scotia, my rear tire was shot. With 1000+ miles remaining and the threat of rain looming, I was desperate for new tires. Having limited cell phone coverage and almost no internet access, the only place I could find along the route was Toys For Big Boys in Moncton, New Brunswick. They didn't have a Scorpion Sync but, ironically, had a set of Distanzia's that were special ordered and never picked up. I'd been thinking about trying the Distanzia's, so this seemed like a good opportunity. It sucks having to buy tires on the road. I really feel I got raped, but had little choice. I was charged more than $550 for the two tires and mounting. It still hurts, but what could I do? Also, the fuel mileage SUCKED on this trip. I think a lot of this had to do with the Ethanol content of the fuel in Canada and partly the speeds we were riding, but a few days earlier in New Hampshire, the low fuel light came on at 156 miles. This was the farthest I'd ever gone before the light illuminated. Once in Canada, the light was illuminating on average at 120 miles...sometimes sooner! Since we were headed into the great unknown, this was really giving me cause for concern, not to mention bothering the heck out of my buddy as I constantly signaled for yet another fuel stop. In the end, I stole the idea from the bike I'd seen in Anchorage and strapped a 1.25 gallon can to my right side passenger peg. It was out of the way and afforded me some additional peace-of-mind. But the constant, frequent fuel stops were really getting on my nerves. There are not a lot of places for fuel up there. Anyway, I've barely been home for 10 hours and I still need to gather my thoughts (and shave) but I will go back and conquer that road. The only question is what bike will I be riding? Tipsy (Message edited by TipsyMcStagger on September 14, 2008) | ||
| Panhead_dan |
How much fuel was still in your tank when you filled it after the low fuel light came on? | ||
| Ratbuell |
I've found (despite a lot of folks' bitching about 'em) the 616s on my 06 UlyX are awesome in gravel, mud, and wet-leaves-on-dirt (singletrack - I know...but I had to try it). How did you like the Distanzias? They're on my short list of tires to try when I wear out the 616's. Sounds like an awesome voyage - I can't wait for a chance to try something like that  | ||
| Tipsymcstagger |
How much fuel was still in your tank when you filled it after the low fuel light came on? I had to do mental-math since all of the fuel in Canada is sold by the liter, but I typically had less than one gallon remaining. How did you like the Distanzias? So far so good with the Dsitanzia's but I've hardly given them a proper try-out. I basically slabbed it home from Moncton. I did hit a few twisties for the for the first 200 miles or so, but once I hit Bangor, ME, it was slab all the way. Moncton to NYC in 12 hours. Tipsy | ||
| Tootal |
Buy a used dirt bike and get some dirt bike experience. If you can find some sand to ride in even better. Learning to ride feet up in the sand without any traction is a great teacher. The Uly will go places you would never believe as long as it isn't mud. Mud sucks on a Uly obviously because of the tires. Deep gravel and any hard pack is doable, you just have to keep the speed up to stay on top of the loose stuff. Practice, Practice, Practice! | ||
| Xcephasx |
Well, from between the 2 threads, it seems that in the right hands, a uly can get through pretty much any "road." it's obviously not supposed to be a dirt bike, and using as such would be foolish. i admit, every time i've dropped my bike it's because i've been scared. when i can keep the rpm's up and hang on for the ride, (bike swinging 6-8' in either direction) it stays up. another thing i learned is, when going up a hill and you are losing traction, and can't get your feet down, just burn your back tire until you get traction or you dig yourself down 8" or so. the you can hop off the bike and muscle it back down and give it another go. much easier than lifting it up off the ground. there was only one time when i couldn't lift it up, and that was when both tires were pointing skyward. bike fell at a really horrible angle. | ||
| Lost_in_ohio |
I am seeing these threads and wonder. Do you have any dirt bike experience? Are you uncomfortable with the bike squirming around under you? So were your tires new when you left on this trip? If they weren't then I don't know what to tell you, I am gonna guess that you only went 1500 mile before you declared them shot. I wonder about your tires, along with everyone else. Their is no free lunch with them, off road tires don't wear well or have good traction on asphalt and on road tires suck off road. Again the right tool for the job. (Message edited by lost_in_ohio on September 14, 2008) | ||
| Khelton |
You can ride any bike anyplace if you are willing to endure it and be careful enough. That doesn't make it enjoyable. Trying to pick my way over loose slate over Imogene I found the gearing to be more if a problem then the tires. The Uly is geared so tall you have to pick a target path and blow over it rather than picking your way over a more favorable path. The fuel injection would not allow the bike to lug / work below 3,000 RPM and that has the bike going way too fast over tight route, loose rocks ( babyhead rocks.) I found myself spinning the tire up at a heck of a rate at slow forward speeds just so I could have enough power to continue. | ||
| Tipsymcstagger |
Buy a used dirt bike and get some dirt bike experience. I bought a 2003 DR-Z 400S two months ago. So far I've had three good dirt days and I'm loving it. I'm learning a lot! I'd LOVE to ride the DR-Z more frequently, but I live in NYC. I pay to park the Uly and my car so the DR-Z is a drifter. Right now it's in a buddy's garage in NJ. For the time being, I ride dirt whenever I can talk my buddy into pulling out the trailer, gassing up his 450 EX-C and heading out for the day. Do you have any dirt bike experience? The few days I've had on the DR-Z pretty much summarizes the extent of my dirt experience. I did take the Uly on the Berkshire Three State ride back in May. I thought I did pretty well but the second half of the day was solid rain (ie. mud) and the Uly was all over the place. There were four distinct times I was convinced I was going down but some how managed to recover. Are you uncomfortable with the bike squirming around under you? Not really uncomfortable with the DR-Z squirming, but I have to admit...a fully loaded Uly squirming around with another 500+ miles of squirming yet to come added to my trepidation. On a positive note, I can't say enough about the Touratech pegs. There's NO WAY I'd attempt 500+ miles of standing on the stock pegs. Simply no way. The "more aggressive" stock pegs on the '09 are a joke. They're simply not conducive to standing for extended periods. I do need to have the rear brake lever modified though to work better with the Touratech's. I can barely reach it. When on the DR-Z, I'm amazed at what the bike can do. I often look at the terrain ahead and recognize an obstacle quickly approaching...a rock, a root, a hole...and think "there's no way!" But I stick with the basic guidelines I've been given, keep my speed up and blast ahead. The DR-Z barely utters a complaint! It's really helping to boost my dirt confidence...but only while on the DR-Z. While on the Uly, I keep thinking, "this isn't the right tool" and my confidence is waning. The spill I took in the mud a few months back is having lingering repercussions on my Uly confidence. Not so on the DR-Z. So were your tires new when you left on this trip? If they weren't then I don't know what to tell you, I am gonna guess that you only went 1500 mile before you declared them shot. Let me be a little more specific. My intention when I left NYC was not to do the Trans Labrador. We left NYC for Cromag and since I don't have to fly again until the end of the month, and I had a willing partner, my buddy and I decided to head North and see where we'd end up. The farther we rode, the more my buddy kept mentioning the Trans Labrador. From the very beginning, I was skeptical about (1) the dirt worthiness of my tires and (2) the actual condition (tread remaining) of my tires...and I made these concerns known to my buddy...repeatedly. If my plan from the beginning had been to conquer the Trans Labrador, I would have made arrangements for new tires nearing Newfoundland. What happened was we kept riding north and ultimately were standing at the doorstep of the Trans Labrador highway. To me, the notion of not at least giving it a shot was sort of like driving cross-country to the Grand Canyon and not getting out of the car to take a look. We were there. The challenge was staring us in the face. I had to try. That said, I'm 99% certain I would have turned back even if I had a fresh set of Distanzia's at that moment. Like I said, I'd not blaming the Uly 100%. My skills (or lack thereof) are part of the mix. But the end of the Trans Labrador (when headed westbound) is hilly, twisty and slippery. I don't think brand new street tires (Syncs or Distanzia's) would make much of a difference. I'm my opinion, there is no comparison between a brand new set of Scorpion Syncs or Distanzia's vs. the TKC's my buddy was running on his GS1200. Also, the gearing was more of an issue on this ride than it had been in the past. I'm now thoroughly convinced that 4000 RPM is the "sweet" spot on the Uly. Get much below 3500 RPM regardless of the gear, and the engine begins to lug. We did some playing around in the dirt along the way and I had to slip first gear quite a bit. It's simply too tall. On the flip side, we did a lot of high-speed riding. My buddy would have been happy to do 90+ MPH on his GS1200. In my opinion, the Uly was sort of "screaming" when I pushed it beyond 85 MPH. As the RPM approached 4300 (necessary to get north of 85 MPH) I felt like the bike was protesting. Granted, I have the stock windshield and was struggling to hold on at those speeds but this was the first time the upper gearing was a concern for me. In the states, I don't often push must past 80 MPH for fear of losing my license. Tipsy | ||
| Tootal |
Thanks for clarifying a few things. I'm glad to hear your riding off road even if it's not convenient. If you and your buddy are trailering then try and find some sand to practice in. Might be pretty hard to do in that area. The tourist might not like you shooting rooster tails down the Jersey shore!! What you will learn on the dirt bike that will translate to the Uly is going to be instinct. Not having to think about what to do when traction is lost but only to react will be a great help. I totally agree with you and others about the lame amount of power below 3000 rpm. The cams are to blame, not the fuel injection. The intake valves are closing way to late giving you that 5000 rpm blast that usually pulls the front end off the ground. It's fun when riding the twisties but off road it's a real pain. Lower gearing would help but then your top end cruising would suffer. I have mentioned before that different cams and a six speed with a lower first gear would really widen the abilities of the Uly. I'm sure marketing forced the cam issue. They wanted to be able to advertise over 100 horsepower but in reality it's torque that makes the bike enjoyable to ride. IMHO | ||
| Buelldualsport |
The gearing issue might be solved if you were to change to the XB9 primary setup. Not certain about the specific parts, however at at American Sport Bike could be a resource. You thoughts and input are appreciated. We are planning to ride the ALCAN 5000 in 2010 along with several Ulys, and appreciate experiences. Ride Safe tom | ||
| Khelton |
The XB9 gearing may be the best motorcycle money ever spent. You don't notice the difference on the road, at least I don't because I stayed in 3rd or 5th on the road but it makes a big difference when the going needs to be slow... (Message edited by khelton on September 14, 2008) | ||
| Slowride |
Tipsy As the RPM approached 4300 (necessary to get north of 85 MPH) I felt like the bike was protesting. I have done several 3k mile plus trips on the Uly with both stock and touring screens on the bike. I typically run 85-90mph on open roads and the bike is very happy at those speeds. I also have taken the Uly to the some of the best roads in AR, MO, CO and GA to events like Marchbadness and ran it with the firebolts and modded XB's in the twisties regularly getting the bike way high in the rev range and dropping the knee in the corners. It never protested once, unlike several of the guys I rode with. It truly is the Swiss Army knife of motorcycle's. I guess my point.... don't worry about pushing the Uly. I have been at top end on my bike (138 indicated) with bags and palmer brackets and it was more stable at those speeds than any 9 or 12 I rode that didn't have a steering stabilizer. just my 2cents | ||
| Bienhoabob |
Smart move on your part for not tackling that 4-600 miles of gravel. If you/bike are not fully ready for that kind of a ride, you'd probably would of ended up crashing somewhere along the way. The ride to Goose Bay has been a "Sucker" bonus on many of the Iron Butt rallies. I know of only one person that attempted that bonus in last years rally. He attempted it on a Gold Wing. A couple of hundred miles in the gravel, he lost control and flipped. Broken wrist and some other stuff. Again, good move on your part. | ||
| Khelton |
..virtually every Trans-Labrador ride report includes a story about cartwheeling motorcycles, broken collar bones and multi-hour waits for medical attention. Don't feel bad about making smart decisions. | ||
| Gsilvernale |
Some people here claim to be able to ride the Uly off road in all kinds of conditions. They must have very good skills. The tires suck, its heavy, and it does not like to go slow. Its also very tall. You might be able to get there, but for me, the pain is not worth the journey. I grew up riding Honda XLs (250s, 500s, 600s). Those bikes were worlds better on gravel and single track. And a KDX200 would smoke those machines in ease of riding. I took non-riding friends out into single track with those bikes and they had a blast. The right bike for the condition makes all the difference. If I was going to do a gravel road for 500 miles, it would be on a dirt/enduro bike with good tires (read DR or XL)}. Of course, I am 25 years older, and 50 pounds heavier, and out of shape. Keep the Uly on the pavement (and occasional short stretches of gravel/dirt) and you will enjoy it. But unless your skills are very good, for 600 miles of gravel - get a little bike. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Typsy, I only use 10% ethanol gas here in the midwest and around town riding I get 42 mpg and will typically get closer to about 50 mpg on the highway. 06 ULY with 16,000 smiles. | ||
| M2nc |
The D616 are good tires for off road. From personal experience I know they are better in mud than the Syncs. In gravel and sand they would still weave around. In sand the front will push, but not on gravel. The problem with these tires is the high speed weave on pavement you get as they wear. Of course I found the DR-Z400 with knobbies had high speed weave that made the Uly with the D616 feel like it was on rails. As far as the Uly at low RPM, what are you trying to do? If you are trying to pick a line you do not need a lot of power. I use my Uly from 1800 rpm up. The first thing you have to get use to is the fact the engine is going to shake and that is okay. I know when I first got my M2 I too kept trying to keep the RPMs up over 3k rpm. Coming from I-4 engines that was what I was use to. Now with more the 50K miles of experience with the Buells, I am use to the bike at lower rpms and I do use that for low speed maneuvers. Like off roading you need to practice with the Uly at engine speeds below 2500rpm. You need to get use to using very light throttle and in time you get pretty good at it. No the bike will not loft the front tire but that is not what you are trying to do when you are picking your line off road. That said I agree that first gear is too tall for serious off roading. Gravel is scary, but the Uly will stay under you. The more you do it the more you get use to it. Mud is a different story but in deep mud a R1200GS with spikes will also wipe out. The one thing that I can say you did 100% correct is that you rode your ride. If you do not feel comfortable, stop and turn around. You may feel bad you missed the rest of the trip, but you are home safe and sound. Any ride you get home in one piece was a good ride. Either practice with the Uly or go after something more off road minded before you try again. It is important to find the right tool for the job, but if I was going to ride 6k miles with 1200 miles of gravel (there and back), I would want either the BMW or the Buell and not the KTM. Even though I think the KTM would be better off roading, it will not be as comfortable as either the rest of the way. | ||
| Tipsymcstagger |
If you and your buddy are trailering then try and find some sand to practice in. Might be pretty hard to do in that area. I'm told the Jersey Pine Barrens is a sand lovers dream. I'm hoping to get down there as soon as practicable. The gearing issue might be solved if you were to change to the XB9 primary setup. I'd given this some thought in the past but I'm concerned with the net effect on the top end. I would think that tooling along at 85 MPH with the XB9 gearing would push the cruise RPM closer to 4500? Any faster and you're really running the engine pretty hard...or at least so it would seem. Running an engine with a 7200 RPM redline at 4500 RPM means cruising at 62.5% of redline. I can't necessarily say this is a bad thing but it seems kind of high. I have been at top end on my bike (138 indicated) with bags and palmer brackets and it was more stable at those speeds than any 9 or 12 I rode that didn't have a steering stabilizer. 138 MPH! What RPM are you turning at that speed? I wasn't implying that the bike was protesting with regard to stability. It just seemed to be "screaming." That is to say that it sounded (and felt) as if cruising much above 4500 RPM was pushing the engine beyond its happy place. It could just be my perception. Maybe this engine can cruise all day long at 6000 RPM and be none the worse for wear. Perhaps too the noise from the Drummer had something to do with my perception. I love the sound of the Drummer but after this trip, I'm seriously considering returning to stock. I rode every mile with ear plugs but the noise from the Drummer was fatiguing after the first 1000 miles. I couldn't even get my MP3 player loud enough to comfortably listen over the muffler. I'm also thinking about upgrading from my current Garmin 2610 to either the 2720 or the 2820 so as to have XM and MP3 capability. The miles that I did ride with the MP3 were much more enjoyable than those without. I only use 10% ethanol gas here in the midwest and around town riding I get 42 mpg and will typically get closer to about 50 mpg on the highway. 06 ULY with 16,000 smiles. I can say with 100% certainty that my '08 (with 8900 smiles) has never approached 50 MPG. The absolute best I've seen has been 42 MPG. The worst was on this trip while in Canada...about 30-32 MPG. As far as the Uly at low RPM, what are you trying to do? If you are trying to pick a line you do not need a lot of power. I use my Uly from 1800 rpm up. The first thing you have to get use to is the fact the engine is going to shake and that is okay. I guess what I've been trying to do is keep from falling over and keep the engine from stalling and bucking. I know the engine can run below 3000 RPM but it doesn't do so very compliantly. Tipsy | ||
| Slowride |
Tipsy, 138 MPH! What RPM are you turning at that speed? LoL, it depends... Standard screen and tucked, bouncing off the limiter! With the touring screen and palmer brackets I have hit the limiter at 130mph indicated and only slightly tucked behind the screen. Either way, it was an extreme example of high rpm abuse on a motor that keeps getting better with miles. I ride with sever groups around DFW,TX and they range from cruisers to sportbikes and on most occasions we will blast the back roads in the tripple digits. The Uly will and has handled this all day long. I am pushing 30k on her and she has been fantastic. I will say it again.... the motor keeps getting better with age(miles). Anyway, on to your next issue... the drummer. I have a spec ops dual outlet pipe on my uly and yes it will fatigue you with no earplugs. So I use the Etymotic in ear speakers and run my mp3. http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er6i.aspx I still can hear emergency vehicles and with the bike off most conversations. On the topics of GPS and XM, I use both and have used a stand alone XM radio and I got engine noise in the line and decided I would just use the MP3 player. Question for you, I am about to buy a new gps for the bike only and I was looking at the 2610 per the Advrider thread on GPS's. Do you have any advice for me with this model. I want to primarily use it for the routing functions as I use .gpx files from an online routing site called (http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/) Anyway, I would love some real world feedback on the 2610. Thanks Micah (Message edited by slowride on September 14, 2008) | ||
| Tipsymcstagger |
Anyway, on to your next issue... the drummer. I have a spec ops dual outlet pipe on my uly and yes it will fatigue you with no earplugs. So I use the Etymotic in ear speakers and run my mp3. I have the same earphones Question for you, I am about to buy a new gps for the bike only and I was looking at the 2610 per the Advrider thread on GPS's. Do you have any advice for me with this model. I've been using the 2610 for about three years. It was a good deal when I bought it (refurbished) and it's an even better deal now. The only reason I'm looking to upgrade is to have the XM and MP3 integrated. One less thing to carry. I have nothing negative to say about the 2610. It's a powerful unit and it's easy to use. Tipsy | ||
| Buelldualsport |
GPS We have had the Zumo, and a 2720. The Zumo has a lot going for it, now especially with the prices coming down, however the 2720 fill the bill for a good routing GPS. In our opinion, the Zumo is a bit easier to use for non-routing (XM and MP3) tasks. XM on the Zumo is not Bluetooth capable, so plan on a wire if you go the Zumo route. Good Luck | ||
| M2nc |
I guess what I've been trying to do is keep from falling over and keep the engine from stalling and bucking. I know the engine can run below 3000 RPM but it doesn't do so very compliantly. Like the rider, the bike learns too. If you blip the throttle before you take off, it will buck. I use to do that too. The Buell does buck at lower rpm, but the more you use very light throttle the better the bike becomes over time because it does learn (pass use). It's not as good as my M2 with the carburetor, but I had to play with the jetting to get it as smooth as it is now. | ||
| Court |
Cool trip Tipsy! I use the Zumo with a wire on the Uly and love it. I got fitted for custom ear pieces and am eager to try them. I just keep riding this darn thing everyday and having more and more fun. Fall in the Northeast is gonna be a blast. Thanks for the report. | ||
| Adamd |
Good ride report, I did that road last year on my bald syncs  Glad you turned around at Cartwright. Goose Bay -> Baie Comeau would have destroyed you. I averaged 90km/h on the Cartwright highway and a lot less on on the goosebay -> baie comeau highway... sometimes running @ 30km/h... Tough road on stock tires.Probably a good idea to turn around.. Here's some pics of my trip if you're interested... http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/361259.html | ||
| Tipsymcstagger |
Good ride report, I did that road last year on my bald syncs : D Glad you turned around at Cartwright. Goose Bay -> Baie Comeau would have destroyed you. I averaged 90km/h on the Cartwright highway and a lot less on on the goosebay -> baie comeau highway... sometimes running @ 30km/h... Tough road on stock tires.Probably a good idea to turn around.. Thanks for the link Adam! I was wondering if anyone had yet conquered the TLH on a Uly. You must have quite a bit of dirt experience. I notice you mention that you were passing your buddy on his DR-Z. I have a DR-Z and have already begun to consider giving the highway another shot with the Suzuki. Obviously, as evidenced by your report and the videos of Yellow Wolf tearing up the Dragon on a Gold Wing, the rider is more of a factor than the machine. I wish I had your skills but I'm comfortable with my decision to turn back. Looking at some of you pictures makes even more comfortable with my decision Tipsy | ||
| Adamd |
Glad you're ok. People think it's just a dirt road... It's not easy. "notice you mention that you were passing your buddy on his DR-Z" Only on the Cartwright road, after that from Goose Bay to Bay comeau I couldn't touch him. That section was very bad in spots. I hit a wake of gravel thinking I could plow it no problem and almost lost it. Scary moment... I don't know if I would do it again on a ULY, something with a 19" tire at least..it would give better tire options. Go beat around on that DR for a year, make sure you ride with someone who's decent offroad, he'll (or she) will teach you by example. |
