| Author | Message | ||
     Stellaglide |
Went back yesterday and took a second test ride. The first was an 09XT, yesterday was an 09XP. Changed my seating position with back more arched rather than the slouch position on the HD and found it to be much more comfortable than the first ride. At only 5'7" I didn't find the taller height to be any problem. The only real ergonomic issue was when I hit the brakes hard felt like I would slide into the airbox if I didn't hold myself back. Bike was a hoot to ride no doubt and I enjoyed it much more than the first time. The Buell sales guy asked me what I liked most and least and I mentioned the handlebar position/location. Not a knock on the bike, just my physical limitations. I mentioned that if bought I would need to put bar risers on it and he strongly discouraged that and implied that if it was not comfortable as ridden than I should consider something else. His point (and I don't have enough knowledge to accept or dispute) was the bike has so much low end grunt that if not leaning over the front end with weight on the bars I would be pulling wheelies all the time. Sounds like judicious use of the throttle could prevent unwanted wheelies but what do I know. It was fun and something I am still considering. | ||
| Itileman |
I'm 5'9" and have the Precision Engineering 1" risers. No problems, more comfort, especially in the shoulders. Made the bike a whole lot better for me to ride. Find a new sales guy, that's BS. I would even consider the 2" Rox risers, but I don't want the hassle of new cables or re-aligning the existing ones | ||
| Ulynut |
I don't see any problem with adding risers. Ulys love to wheelie, but it's not THAT hard to control it. If it was, I'd wreck mine every day. | ||
| Jphish |
Hmmm - well appreciate the saleman's cautionary note and interest in your safety but...many of us have added risers. 1-2" - depending on desired position. I went with 1" and found it sufficient for my 5'8" frame - really made it a much more comfortable arm / wrist position for the long haul. And the front wheel ? ...the throttle can be applied judiciously enough to keep it in full / constant contact with the ground, but it will launch into sputnic mode if provoked. j | ||
| Conchop |
Damn sales rep needs to learn his product. If you want a Uly, warts and all, it is just like most any other bike. It needs aftermarket "stuff" that brings the bike to you. We are all different sizes and there are a good few products that individualize the "precious". It is a blank canvas. Do your art. | ||
| Itileman |
I believe Harley has a chrome lead block that you can bolt to the front forks to hold the front wheel down. It also works to activate the sensors at red lights.  | ||
| Lens |
The ROX 2-inch risers helped me a lot! So much more comfy and very little hassle with cables with the install. Find a new salesdroid. | ||
| Metalstorm |
Sounds like judicious use of the throttle could prevent unwanted wheelies but what do I know. You know more than the salesman  Throttle is supposed to be used as a rheostat, not an on/off switch. | ||
| Kimberley |
As previously stated, your sales person is a knob. But ask him to hook you up with the HD chrome lead block and watch his eyes spin. Buy it...you won't regret it! I'm doing the risers as well.....just not sure which size to go with as of yet. | ||
| Svh |
As you get used to the front brake on the Uly you will stop sliding forward as much. Your legs will squeeze the frame without you even realizing it. You won't regret it... order today! | ||
| Stellaglide |
Thanks for the reassurance. If $$ weren't an issue I would have bought the bike regardless of what the sales guy was saying. Still thinking on this one. | ||
| Will547_us |
"he strongly discouraged that and implied that if it was not comfortable as ridden than I should consider something else." Go back a 3rd time and test a Fatboy or something and tell him you need to change the bars. See if you're not run over by the Chrome Specialist. Ask him if H-D's "Fitment" program applies to Buells. As someone else said find another salesman! Cheers, Will | ||
| Ratbuell |
I never thought I was missing anything fit-wise on my Uly. Mine's an 06, tall seat, to fit my lanky 6'4", 34" inseam, 36" arm frame. I put 1" spacer-risers on the bars just to try them out. WOW. What a difference, and they are stayin' put. Remember - fractions of an inch, on a motorcycle, feel like yards. It doesn't take much adjustment to get things right. The trick is to find the bike that speaks to you, and is about 90% what you want. Even 80%. The other 10-20% is what makes it *yours*. I will say, though, that I prefer the tall seat to the lower (current) seat. The tall seat seems flatter to me, and does less of the boys-into-the-airbox slide. I remember a track day on an X with the lower seat, and how I had to keep scootching back. Tall seat doesn't do that to me...but again, 34" inseam lets me take advantage of that. | ||
| Stellaglide |
Yep, the boys in the airbox slide was my biggest complaint. The first time I test rode (an XT), I was just about to pull the trigger on an 06 for $5K (a great deal) and figured I better ride one of these things first before commiting to buy a bike I never rode. So I took the XT for a quick 15 minute spin and didn't like the seating position. I posted my impressions and everyone said basically "dude, what's wrong with you, these things are soooo comfortable" so I went back (this time feeling a little guilty because I knew no matter how much I liked the bike I was not going to buy that bike (XP) since it is not want I want and priced more than the XT. Anyway after a much longer and much more spirited ride (up to 95 mph on Interstate, a few tight corners here in the flatlands, a few 1st gear 4K rpm roll-on wheel stands, and a few hard braking quick stops) I really like the bike and discovered how it should be ridden (back straight or arched a little as opposed to the slouched cruiser position of my Street Glide). The only thing I could't eliminate was the "boys in the airbox slide" but as someone else mentioned squeezing the frame with my thighs like on a horse would probably have helped and would likely become second nature in short order. Without a question, risers would be added if I get a Uly regardless of what the sales guy says. What I found interesting and quite honestly refreshing was without asking he gave a quick run down of the pluses and minuses of the bikes in the same class as the Uly. He really praised the BMW GS1200 (my buddy who was with me at the time has a GSA and the sales guy was not aware of that fact) and said the fit and finish of the BMW was superior to the ULY as was the off-road suspension but he stated the Uly was much more fun to ride and easier and less expansive to maintain. I concur with his assessment but BMW is not what I want....too sterile. Thanks again for all the suggestions. (Message edited by stellaglide on September 01, 2009) |
