| Author | Message | ||
     Whoreatio |
I sold 3 bikes to scrape up enough to buy 2008 or 2009 XT, then read about thigh-roasting heat on the right side and maybe some issues with fuel injection. Is this BS? If not, are there cures? | ||
| Bosh |
If you'd ask me I'd say it's BS. You can feel some heat on your right thigh, but nothing more than a lot of other bikes out there. I don't really even think about it until I see one of these posts. If you live in Death Valley it may be a problem. | ||
| Rotorhead |
I don't feel that there is a heat issue. Every air cooled bike has the same "issue" call cooling. But for some comfort sake Odie at special ops has some heat blankets that really do work. http://www.specialops-online.com/11401.html I have the 2 piece set and it does make a difference. The wife noticed the difference on the back. | ||
| Irelage |
If you where over pants for protection then the heat isn't noticeable as much. If you wear jeans then you will find it uncomfortable above 90 degrees. What are you hearing about fuel injection problems? overall the niggly problems don't outway the fun and thrill of the ride. I test drove a 1200GS and KTM990 Adventure and love the Uly so much more. | ||
| Whoreatio |
Thanks for the input. The most negative review of the Uly was in Motorcycle Consumer News. I was at a friend's house this weekend and he subscribes. They were comparing a 1200GS, KTM adventure and a Uly. My friend said they were occaisionally somewhat biased. The heat would be a concern here in the desert of SE NM. | ||
| Panhead_dan |
Whoreatio, The fuel injection problems some buyers are having are easily fixed. The bike is tunable electronically. What I would do if I was in your shoes is to find a dealership that knows how to tune a Buell and buy my new bike from them. Use the warranty but don't put yourself in a position of being at the mercy of the local HD dealership. If you live near one of the sponsors of this site, please give em a shot. | ||
| Smpl5 |
Hmm ... here I thought I had gotten the salesperson to throw in this seat and frame heater for free! No wonder I couldn't figure out how to turn it off in the summer ... it is really nice in the cooler weather though (like this morning). | ||
| 818guy |
It's hot. For stop and go traffic you will notice it. Freeway speeds it's tolerable. Be warned is all I can say. | ||
| Froggy |
It also comes down to individual's ergonomics. Some people keep their legs closer to the engine than others. The only way I feel any heat from the right side is if I let my legs dangle rather than keep them on the foot pegs. Also wearing proper riding gear will help reduce it. | ||
| Wbrisett |
I'm in Central Texas, and heat here is an issue. I put on the Special Ops two piece heat blanket and it helps, but in stop and go traffic the heat problem is still very noticeable and very uncomfortable. However, any other type of riding and the heat isn't that much of an issue. The heat issue aside, I love this bike. It's light, nimble, and just plain fun to ride. Put all those things together and you get a bike that is hard to beat. Wayne | ||
| Treadmarks |
Proper fuel mapping will resolve, but is difficult on the 08. If the heat bothers you as much as it did me, the 3 best options are: Apply heat barrier material on your fuel rail/frame.  Coat your headers in ceramic silver or wrap your head pipes. Use Odies new heat blankets to redirect the heat away from your seat and ecm. Mah nads are glad I did all of these.  | ||
| Bartimus |
I have the heat issue on my '08 XB12XT. the right side FRAME gets hotter than hell when outside temps are above 90 degrees. I'm in Phoenix, and this is unacceptable. Also, I am having the fueling issue, and it IS NOT fixed yet, after going to 3 different Stealerships, 3 different times... I've got surging at ALL Rpm's, and the idle seems to do whatever it wants, sometimes it idles fine, other times its up around 2500. So much for the electronically controlled idle. The bike is truly fun to ride, but I find myself riding the S2 more and more simply because I'm in no mood to deal with the surging or heat issues... Good luck! Tread, Some of your ideas look sound, i think I'll have to try a few of those and see how well it works in the AZ desert. | ||
| Mark_weiss |
I went with black on the header, might have helped. Thermotec on the frame, might have helped. Odie's blankets, DEFINITELY helped, and weatherstripped the seat-frame-air duct interface on the right side, which helped too. Rode the bike all summer, in Phoenix traffic. HOT, but no burns & did not melt the soles off of my boots the way that my BMW does. My Uly's an '08. No fuel injection problems at all. Mark in Arizona | ||
| Bosh |
Wow. I wouldn't buy one of these POS bikes if my life depended on it. Ohhh wait….. I guess I already have one. You guys ARE talking about a Buell XB12X aren’t you? Doesn’t sound like the same bike I have. Mine’s an older 06 model. Runs perfect, I only feel heat in traffic when it very hot outside… then the fan kicks on and pulls the heat away from my leg. Hasn’t been an issue for me. I’ve ridden in 118 degree weather on the highway and never had a problem with roasted body parts. Certainly never burned anything. | ||
| Werewulf |
the 08 fuelling issue is bike specific... i had an 08 scg that ran like poop at low speeds...all the gurus did their best and it still ran like crap.. bad enough, that i got rid of it... i heard of others who had 08s that ran good, but found it hard to believe, as i wasnt the only owner that wasnt plagued by poor performance...the reflash was a joke and did no improvement... believe it or not, i bought an 06 firebolt that ran great... i kept it for a month and traded it on an 08 uly... i know, what was i thinking... the uly has a thousand miles on it in less than a week and runs great.... the scg was an early build date and the uly is an end of the year build date....my conclusion, is that not all 08s are created equal... | ||
| Reedo |
I have an '06 Uly. I test drove both the Uly and the BMW 1200 GS before deciding on the Uly. I did notice the "warmth" on my right knee, but this was very tolerable when I compare the $8k price difference. When I wear my First Gear riding pants, I hardly notice it. | ||
| Paul56 |
06 with 54k, had it since new. At freeway speeds or whenever the fan is on I never feel noticeably more heat on the right side than the left. If riding slower with the fan not on the right side is warmer than the left, but not objectionably so. I always have long pants and riding boots on. Heat radiates through the seat after a while and is noticeable on warmer days. I have a Butt Pad from Alaska Leather; it is effective at reducing seat heat and monkey butt. | ||
| Tnd2 |
Just got an 09XT, less than 400 miles on it so far. I've been riding Beemers for a while, and just moved from a 1200GS to the Uly, this thing is damn hot. My header wrap just came in, and I ordered the Odie 2 piece under seat blanket, so i'll let you know how that works out. It's less than 80 degrees here now, and last night it was mid 60's, the heat was enough that I would move my right knee out to grab some air on the interstate. Granted I was in jeans instead of gear, but at this rate perfs are going to suck. Great bike, no noticeable fueling problems, not as smooth as the demo I rode, it had 1200 miles on it, but im sure it will be like silk once I get a few more on it. | ||
| Tginnh |
Rotorhead - thanks for the link! | ||
| Werewulf |
you can always wrap your thigh with header wrap... | ||
| Tnd2 |
>>you can always wrap your thigh with header wrap... Easy, you'll give up the inside scoop to the new Buell riding gear line. Riding pants with a thermal barrier in the right thigh area! | ||
| Royintulsa |
I prefer to pin a couple of hot dogs on my inner thigh, they taste great with a Red Buell at the first rest stop. | ||
| Jphish |
Heat on the 08 Uly no worse than my ST-1300 on hot days - and it's liquid cooled. | ||
| Dnveloman |
Interesting to see so many perspectives... here is another one: I used to ride Honda's and loved them (still love them). However (with few exceptions) they lack soul- as do many other bikes. Riding my Buell is a total experience. You know you are joined together with a mechanical beast. You don't need a tach because the engine tells you. You don't need a heat gauge because the bike tells you. A Buell is a mechanical being with personality. When you ride one it will take corners like a scalpel. It will accelerate with ferocity. It will stop on a dime…. and it will give you feedback and answers to all the questions you forgot to ask it. With other bikes, I go for a ride. With Ulysses I go on a date. IMHO- Too many people try to change it into something is not-- if you go to far down that road, just get something else. | ||
| Stevem123 |
"With other bikes, I go for a ride. With Ulysses I go on a date." I love that statement!  BC Steve | ||
| Bosh |
"You know you are joined together with a mechanical beast." Exactly why I like mine!! Well said. | ||
| Bobmcc |
Whoreatio, '06 Uly, second riding season, 15K miles. I agree with other posts that found uncomfortable right thigh heat with fan off and temps above 90F, even with riding pants. This simple solution completely eliminated the summertime heat issue for me. The beast is awesome!   | ||
| Preybird1 |
I haven't had any heat problems, I got burned on my 01 kawasaki ninja 600 it was liquid cooled and the engine vented just in front of the shins. Man it was so hot you couldn't ride it in the daylight in summer. | ||
| Tginnh |
Bobmcc - is that the heat shield sold by special ops that rotorhead linked to? | ||
| Bobmcc |
Tginnh, (got your PM, too) No. The spec ops products are various blanket designs. This is my own creation and all it does is seal the gap between the seat and frame. Since the rear cylinder head is about 1 inch from the gap, the reduction in transmitted heat is huge. |
