| Author | Message | ||
     Buewulf |
Hello out there to everyone! I just picked up a 2006 Ulysses with 4100 miles. It is my first Buell. I was looking to get a new "adventure" bike, and frankly Buell wasn't originally on my menu. The look of the XB Lightning bikes and even the X1 before them have always made me weak in the knees, but I have always dismissed them because of the museum-piece engine and tranny.  $4250 for a super clean, low-mileage Uly seemed like a hell of a deal, so I put my prejudices aside a plucked it up. Everything is stock as far as I can tell, and I've had her for about three weeks now. I wish I could have had more seat time, but the weather here in the Houston, TX area has been nasty. Here are my impressions from a first-time Buell owner! 1) Motor - During the first week of ownership, I hated the motor. I was constantly hitting the rev limiter without even pushing the engine. After a while, I got used to it, rode a gear lower than I thought was necessary and now think it is great. Still needs an extra 1500 rpms or so of powerband to be perfect, but it is a hoot just like it is. 2) Tranny - I think it could use a sixth gear. High-speed highway work is running a pretty high RPM considering the bikes rev limit. That said, the motor certainly doesn't feel stressed or frantic at that speed. Also, I expected the gearbox to be horrible after reading all the magazine reviews (and my experience with a rented Sportster 1200). The shifter does have a long throw, but upshifts are very smooth and precise - clutchless shifts are cake. Honda-like? No, but certainly not John Deere (or even BMW) clunky, either. 3) Suspension - Better than any bike I've owned, except the front fork dives like hell. I'll have to check the aftermarket for some progressive springs which I am sure will fix that right up. 4) Brakes - The ZTL works fine. Braking is as good as any other bike I've ridden equipped with a decent braking system. 5) Fueling - Unlike some other opinions and articles I've read on the XB12's, mine seems to run quite well. No detectable surging or popping other than a little jerkiness at parking lot speeds. Perhaps the previous owner had the injection remapped? Or perhaps I am missing out on making it even better. 6) Clutch - Engagement is smooth, positive and easily modulated. I've read much about how unbearably heavy the pull is. While it is heavier than most other bikes I've ridden, I have no problem with it, sissies.  7) Heat - The engine puts out a lot of heat, but the fan only kicks on for a minute or two when I shut the bike off. It has yet to come on while I'm riding. I haven't taken a long road trip yet, (and the brutally hot summer is passed) but so far I don't have an issue with the heat. 8) The factory seat is very comfortable, but it is tall. I can't even put the tips of my boots down at the same time (5'8, 30-inch inseam). Being short, I am accustomed to only having one foot down, anyway, but I only have one tip-toe down on this one. Getting one flat foot down requires leaning over pretty far. Not that big of a deal for me, but may be for others. 9) What's with the rustomatic exhaust? Finally, I'll add that the Uly is more than the sum of its parts, dyno charts and motojournalist critique. Something about the bike just plain works for me. I love it. Plus you can't beat the valve adjustment and chain lube intervals! | ||
| Hughlysses |
Jeremy- Welcome to Badweb and congrats on the Uly. Man! I think you have the record for best deal on a Uly purchase now. You know, it seems like there's a lot of riders out there who won't even consider owning a Buell because of the perception that the engine is an "antique". I think a whole lot of them, like you, would be amazed at how versatile of an engine this is once you give it a good try. You will also soon find you don't need a higher gear for highway speeds. In fact, a significant number of Uly riders have installed an XB9 primary chain and crank sprocket that results in even higher RPM without problems. If you do much slow speed or off road riding, the XB9 swap may be for you. Do you know if you've got the standard 06 "tall" seat? If so, there are two shorter versions available from Buell: the 06 "low" seat and the standard 07-up seat. The rusty muffler comes standard. Some people have removed theirs and had it Jet Hot ceramic coated with good results, others just touch it up occasionally. I did a thorough re-paint of mine this summer with high-temp header paint after sanding off all the surface rust and treating any remaining rust with rust converter. So far, it's holding up well. Be sure and see the new owner's threads here: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/442053.html?1238017122 Hugh | ||
| Jim_williams |
Congrats on the bike. I'm a new Uly/Buell owner, and, I love this bike. Everytime I ride it I'm happier than the time before! Good luck with it! Oh, and, I want your seat (if it's all black)! If you decide it's too tall, or, want to work out a swap, let me know! http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/501660.html?1254796081 | ||
| Idaho_buelly |
Congrats on a great bike!..They are awesome...Ride Safe..  | ||
| Etennuly |
You will need the comfort kit from Buell for the seat heat next spring. The '07 standard seat might be a better fit for your altitude, at least a place to start. The transmission and engine get smoother with age 42,650 miles so far(kinda like whiskey) getting better every year. I come from a dirtbike background so I like the long soft suspension, Buell has updated springs that fix the dive, stock on '07's about $70.00, and a few pints of Type E HD fork oil. Rusty muffler? Can't see it from where I sit! Very few articles are accurate about the Uly. It cannot be described by numbers(unless your name is Abe). It is more like a WWII fighter bomber than an F16. What is more fun, flying by the seat of the pants, or by computer guided graphic interfacing? Riding this adventure bike is about fun, not necessarily point to point precision rocketry. The best quote I have ever heard in a mag about the Uly is "You can lean this thing until your elbows drag". Sorry I cannot remember who the quote is from but it was in early '06. The engine is so under appreciated by those who have not ridden one for a good number of miles. Seat of the pants.....I no longer look at the tach. If you do, it revvs so fast in first and second you will always hit the limiter. You have to actually anticipate the shift point to hit it. Kind of like watching the tree while drag racing, if you see the green light when you launch you are late. You want a fun ride on it, find some twisties, keep it spooled up to 4000+ rpms, and bring it into the corners smooth then power out hard. The result is what we call 'permagrin'.  Congrats on the purchase, welcome to BadWeb! | ||
| Jim_williams |
Couldn't agree more, Etennuly. I demo'd two uly's over a couple years, and, never really understood what the hype was about. Owners of the bike raved about it, and, frankly, I just didn't get it, but, those were short demo rides. I was in a position to get a new bike. I knew I was selling my GS, and, wanted something more interesting. More fun to ride. More engaging. Yet, something I could still tour on. I read the reviews from folks that own them. Scoured badweb. After that second demo ride, I still didn't really get it. Yeah, it was fun, but, what's the big deal? I decided to go out on a limb, and, bought one. Not only that, but, chose to purchase it 1000 google map miles, 1500 real  miles away. Flew down, and, rode it home. It now has 2200 miles on it, and, this is the most fun I've ever had on 2 wheels! You really have to live with the Uly to understand what it does, where the power is, how to ride it to take advantage of that power. When I ride this bike I feel like what the pioneers must have felt like. You know, those first guys that strapped a motor to a bicycle. It was raw. Exciting. Invigorating. Dangerous. Something made them get back on that bike. The Uly is like that. Forget about what the spec sheets say. This is a bike to ride and have fun on. What a hoot. Love my XP! | ||
| Missin44 |
3) Suspension - Better than any bike I've owned, except the front fork dives like hell. Break out the owners manual and set up the correct dampening for your body weight. Mine did the exact same as yours, after 15 min. problem gone. | ||
| Tootal |
Congrats on the new toy! I also have an 06 and as said above, there are several upgrades you can do if you find the need to. 07 fork springs 08 triple trees comfort kit XB9 primary (if you're going off road) Heated hand grips 07 air box cover (or creative work with a hole saw) As you read more of the Badweb you will find all kinds of things to improve your machine. Have fun with it, I think you made a good choice. | ||
| Buewulf |
--- Oh, and, I want your seat (if it's all black)! If you decide it's too tall, or, want to work out a swap, let me know! Jim - The seat is all black, but I will probably be keeping it. I find it to be very comfortable, so I am reluctant to get rid of it. It's worth the stretch to the tarmac. I am not even sure which seat it is. (I understand there were three in '06.) I do hope to try the low seat at some point in the next couple of weeks from a friend if the stars align and we can meet up. If I like it, I'll let you know, Jim! | ||
| Buewulf |
Thanks for the warm welcome and suggestions everyone. This sure seems like a great forum. The deal I was offered on the bike was great, so I bought it then and there without much research or knowledge about the Uly or Buells in general. I am glad to have found such an active and resourceful owner's group. And you are all absolutely right. Each time I ride the Uly, I like it all that much more. People (like me) really are missing out on a great bike. I've never been a Buell basher like some people - I love all motorcycles - but I probably never would have purchased one had I not run across this steal. Even a demo ride wouldn't have convinced me of the Uly's merits as I actually needed a few days to first "understand" the bike. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't hesitate to march into a dealership and fork over the coin for a brand new one. It is a fantastic machine. Thanks for the welcome, gang. I am glad to be part of the family. | ||
| Rightpecial |
Congrats on a steal. Wow, I hope they don't all sink that low anytime soon. Anyway, you are right about a lot of things. Going off of specs the XB bikes don't really stand out and unfortunately that is how a lot of us shop. On the road though I don't think I have ever ridden a better all around motorcycle than the Uly and it is too bad that Buell can't find a way to express this to the general public. | ||
| Buewulf |
--- Wow, I hope they don't all sink that low anytime soon. Don't worry too much about your resale. I picked this up from a wholesaler who strictly specializes in cruisers, mainly used Harleys. The Uly belonged to a VP at a credit union with whom he did a lot of business. The VP traded the Uly for one of the Harleys, and now the guy was having trouble selling it. I bought it just $200 hundreds bucks over his cost, if he is to be believed. He seemed straight-up to me. I just hope it wasn't too good of a deal if you know what I mean. I suppose if it were going to explode, it would have already. It runs great, and today I just changed what looked like pretty new oil to me. Guess I'll have to wait and see though! | ||
| Ratbuell |
As noted above - and I'm about to do this myself, on my '06 - a change to '07 fork springs (they went progressive rate) should control the brake dive. In the meantime, I've been running my front spring preload 1 or 2 weight ranges heavy (according to the owners manual) to combat brake dive. A slight tweak here or there to comp/rebound settings and it's been good for 10k miles...but since the forks are coming apart for the service anyway...springs are cheap. I'm gonna try 'em. There was only one OEM seat in '06 - the tall one. If you look at it in profile, it's flat from passenger area forward to the airbox. The accessory "low" seat has a scoop out for the rider. The '07 and up factory seat is in between, height-wise...and also has a scoop out for the driver. The comfort kit is awesome. There are threads here ad nauseum about it, what it includes, how to put it on, and what it accomplishes. And you have that 1500 rpm...it's just at the *bottom* of the rev band  Lug that b**ch. It won't mind. Too bad about the black...but orange bodywork isn't that expensive Welcome to the family! | ||
| Buewulf |
---And you have that 1500 rpm...it's just at the *bottom* of the rev band You are right. It will lug. The motor feels strong from as low as 2500rpms, but it really doesn't wake up until about 4000. It makes great thrust from there to the mid-6000's, but that is a pretty narrow powerband, in my opinion. I had expected the "kick in the gut" power would have lit up around 3000rpms with that long of a stroke. The kickass zone in the two most beloved bikes from my past had a spread of around 4000rpms. | ||
| Froggy |
Once you get the hang of the motor the powerband will not be an issue. I have the same problem when riding on inline 4 bikes, I have a hard time getting over 6000rpm. The engine is very frugal if you keep the RPMs down, you could net 60mpg with no effort at all. | ||
| Buewulf |
---The engine is very frugal if you keep the RPMs down, you could net 60mpg with no effort at all. Wow! I don't think I've ever gotten 60mpg on anything. I'll be interested to see what kind of mileage I get with my normal riding style. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Buewulf, 60 mpg. That's only because Froggy is a 60 pound dwarf. | ||
| Bcmike |
LOL!!! Thanks for my first belly laugh of the day! My 09 XT gets 5 liters/ 100 KM... whatever the hell that means! } | ||
| Tootal |
My 09 XT gets 5 liters/ 100 KM... whatever the hell that means! } That would be 47 MPG. Riding home from Georgia I filled up in Dalton and rode 75 mph through the mountains and filled up again north of Nashville. 52 mpg!! Once out of the mountains it dropped to 47 and change. Gotta love elevation! | ||
| Froggy |
180lb dwarf  Tootal, you should of been able to get better than that. On the high elevations of the Blue Ridge Parkway I was getting about 53mpg on a loaded up 1125CR. I took the same route home last year and got 75mpg on my Uly. | ||
| Ulynut |
Buewulf- Congratulations on the bike. Sounds like you're making friends with it already. Being in Houston, how did you found my favorite road all the way up here in Connecticut? (rt 20-I read it in your profile) | ||
| Tootal |
Froggy, it's a matter of speed, I was doing 75 mph, the Parkway has a speed limit of 45 and most of us run 50 to 55 mph which would definitely increase our mileage. I haven't data logged my bike yet so I'm sure I could dial it in better. Still gotta learn how to do it though. And then there's the part about you being a 60 pound dwarf!  | ||
| Buewulf |
Ulynut, I am new to Houston. Moved here from Colorado. Moved there from Connecticut (Torrington). 20 is one hell of a nice ride! (Message edited by Buewulf on October 13, 2009) | ||
| Okc99 |
Beuwulf, Tell us if there is any kind of better riding in Houston than the NE or CO? You always have Big Bend | ||
| Will547_us |
Jeremy, Welcome to Buells and Houston. What side of town are you in? If you're ever around Hobby stop by Gulf Coast BMW I'm always happy to meet another Buell rider and talk any kind of motorcycles. Cheers, Will | ||
| Blake |
Welcome to BadWeB and to Texas Uly riding. Blake Kilgore, TX | ||
| Buewulf |
Okc99, I am not familiar enough with the Houston area yet to know where the good riding is, but two friends I've met say one really needs to head out towards the "Hill Country" (which is apparently the San Antonio / Austin vicinity) to find some good riding. It is hard to imagine I'll find riding here as good as one finds in Colorado, but it doesn't matter so much as long as I am riding somewhere. I hear Big Bend is awesome, but it is a long way from Houston (as far as Colorado!) I'll plan on making the trip to see it though hopefully this winter! Will, I am on the north side (closing on a house in Porter just off of 59 end of this month). I have actually been to Gulf Coast BMW! Before I moved here, I was down for business and thought about buying a new bike to ride back to Colorado. Went and test rode an F800S. Nice bike, but it didn't quite do it for me. Thanks for the invite. I'll pop in an see you at some point. Blake, Thanks for the welcome. Actually passed though Kilgore when I bought the Uly (got it in Dallas. I turned off of 20 in Kilgore and took the long way back through Nacogdoches and other small towns along the way. |
