| Author | Message | ||
     Chrisrogers3 |
I have a tough decision to make.... My next bike. Many of you know me and know I have been around Buells for the last 7 years and have rode nothing but Buells in that time. Before Buells I spent all my time on import bikes (Suzuki's and Kawasaki's mainly). So my issue is that I am trying to decide between buying back my 2006 Ulysses that I sold to a fellow badwebber (hopalong) or to pick up a DL-650 or DL-1000. I only do about 10% offroad so either size would work. I know both bikes have their positives/negatives and I do realize that this board sometimes is a little biased (hell I am a little biased as well haha). So lets hear the arguments please..... I need some help with this decision. | ||
| Paul56 |
I wrestle with this same issue frequently- my 06 has 87k miles on it and I will have to decide whether to keep repairing what ails it as it ages or bite the bullet and get something else. So far it comes down to this; comparing the Uly point for point against any other bike makes it unbeatable in every category that is important to me. It is still all-day comfortable, handles great, has adequate power, gets excellent fuel mileage and is easy and inexpensive to maintain and has relatively few maintenance needs. For me there is still nothing on the market today that matches up. The only gripe I have is with fuel range, and this, like all of my points, is highly subjective. The new Stelvio has me interested now that it has an 8 gallon (!) tank, but I'm not going to be seriously looking to replace the Uly any time soon (I hope!). Just my 2 cents. YMMV. Cheers! | ||
| Hangetsu |
Neither one - 800 TIGER!! | ||
| Blake |
2010 Uly. | ||
| Whisperstealth |
What is your price range? Why buy back your old uly, instead of a newer one? What year(s) DL's are you looking at. They were upgraded in 2009 I think. I have never ridden a V-strom, but have sat on a few. It's nice, feels okay. Can't speak to how it rides... But the specs show it lacking in the power department compared to the uly. The DL 1000 is close, but the 650 is way behind. The DL 1000 would be the only one I'd consider, if I'm not doing much off roading. But I also have a KLR, which gets any real off road duty. Overall I would not even have to think twice about the three. I'd stick with the uly no contest. I have an XT and at every level it is the perfect bike for me. Unless money is a factor and you can pick up a DL1000 cheap, get back on a Uly! | ||
| Uly_man |
The history of a bike, Buells more so, is a big issue I think. If your going to have a Uly you may just as well have your old one if its any good. At least you know what your buying. I see little point in a later Uly X, for lots of reasons, but maybe a XT if your on the shorter side. The DL1000 is a fair bike by all accounts but never rode one myself. Ask yourself why you sold the Uly anyway or make a list of what you want. I like the Uly, mine is a 06, for the belt drive, quality suspension, engine and most of all the way it handles. None of which the DL can beat. A DL is no more an off road bike than a Uly is and apart from some BMWs 87k on a bike means it could be close to death anyway. I would be happy with 50k. I am not bias or precious with my bikes just practical. The Uly is just about the best all round bike ever made for tall people. A workhorse - you can load it up with loads of crap. A tourer - great comfort for pillions so I am told by the wife. A great commuter bike. Sports bike handling and 130mph is fast enough for me. Ulys do need more rider/owner input than the DL might but then again the Uly gives much more back. | ||
| Cycletlh |
My wife had the 650 V-Strom. Nice bike but not at all in the same class. (price new, performance, suspension, etc.) I tried a Yamaha FJR1300 last year. Nice bike but it is going up for sale as soon as the snow melts. So the Uly stays and even gets a few upgrades. For me the bike just fits. It makes me smile when I ride it and that is what it is all about! Good luck in your decision. | ||
| Crusty |
Just get the Uly. It's the bike you want. If you get a bike that's more "practical" you'll soon get to hate it and you'll be kicking yourself. I've seen it happen over and over. | ||
| Uly_man |
The Uly also has something else. Something that is hard to design into a bike, via a drawing board, and is probably more luck than judgment from Buell/HD. Thats character and/or soul. An item HD would have wanted to sell us if they could have got away with it. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I've ridden a DL-1000... Absolutely competent by every measure, and a great value for the buck. I hated it, but it is a great bike. If you don't hate it. So if you ride it, and you don't hate it, that is absolutely the bike to get hands down! Performance wise, the DL1000 I rode had about the same power and far worse handling then the XB9SX I owned at the time. My current Uly would (IMHO) beat it in any measurable category except perhaps time between motor rebuilds (water cooled versus air cooled). The Strom used to be cheaper as well, which was compelling, but I bought my Uly with 10k miles on it for $5k cash. I havent ridden a we-strom... but I've ridden a couple SV-650s. Wonderful nice and light feeling, but with a motor and suspension that feels like a budget version of the XB9. Probably because it is pretty much a budget driven version of the XB9.  But they aren't bad bikes, if they work with your riding style and personality, you will have made a great choice. But I personally ruled the DL-1000 out as a bike I would own 5 minutes into my first ride. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
That Stelvio is a nice looking bike. http://www.webbikeworld.com/Moto-Guzzi-motorcycles /stelvio/ Nothing wrong with that 2006, especially if you can get it cheap. The only ULY's I'd have are the 06', 07', and 10'. We've got the 06 and 07 years. | ||
| Chrisrogers3 |
Why buy back my old Uly..... I personally know every single issue that bike had over the last 20k miles because I did the majority of work to it. As far as Newer Uly vs. Older Uly: Yeah its nice to have a newer model in the stable, but the history of the bike is more important to me than the build year Pricerange: Cheap....Otherwise I would go with a Tiger The only reason I sold my Uly to begin with was because of financial hardships. I loved everything about the bike and have not found anything close to it, the downfall is of course its "obsolete" and well that aspect does greatly affect the decision for me. | ||
| Sayitaintso |
I have a Uly and my wife has a Wee. I wouldn't trade mine for hers. Its as simple as that. There isnt a damn thing wrong with her Wee and she's very happy/comfortable with it. She doesn't like my Uly b/c it intimidates her. Every time I make a quick start from a stop on my Uly and the front begins to lift it scares her. She wanted something sedate, reliable, and comfortable, and thats what she got. I've never been on a DL1000 so I cant comment on that option. | ||
| Conchop |
Used Tiger or GS - 8-9-10 uly - IMHO - best options for long term satisfaction. | ||
| Uly_man |
I did think on a DL1000, nice Suzi V-Twin engine, a Tiger 900 (not impressed and im a Brit) and the GS. The GS was 4 years old (Uly was 11 months), five times the mileage, twice the price and no warranty because of its age. It also did not handle as well and that was from a HD salesman who had had both. If you want serious off road bike then buy a GS. You pays your money I guess. One thing I do know is that you cant get the full info on a bike unless you do some miles on it. A fact born out from many bad road tests by some bike jurnos. You got to live with a bike for a while, set up and ride style etc, to know what its all about and that may mean a bit of a risk. The fit/feel of a bike and ride gear (clothing etc) is as long as a piece of string. People who know as much would not ask the question because it would be second nature to them. | ||
| Wesman |
Be sure to check, when I looked into a DL 1000 a few years back it was classed as a sport bike for insurance purposes. This was in NJ | ||
| Blasterd |
Which one speaks to you? Which one is calling your name? My riding buddy has a DL1000 and i ride it occasionally and of course I have a Uly. There are great things about both of them and either one makes a great bike- one thing that really shines on the DL is the fuel range, 200 miles beffore reserve. Another is tire option, better off road tires...however riding both I can say the DL is no better offroad than the Uly. The engine is smooth and it has strong power but less torque so pick your poison. the Uly handles better on the slab and is more comfortable, which was one of the things I was looking for, brakes and suspension is not very good on the DL but rear brakes are also subpar on the Uly. The lights are bright as (you know what) on the DL. I looked at them very hard but in the end the Uly kept speaking to me. Now when I tested the Versys......man I thougt it was a great bike..... | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Blasterd, If your ULY speaks to you then you'd better get help. | ||
| Chrisrogers3 |
I rode the versys and overall was impressed with the bike but two up riding is nearly impossible with that thing. As far as insurance.... Well Im not too convinced that a DL1000 would be worse than any Buell these days. | ||
| Blasterd |
Yeah that dirty bird is a real talker......  nice one Craig! | ||
| Panhead_dan |
Chrisrogers3, In response to your original post; Based on the info you gave, this decision should be easy. I'm left to assume that you currently have no bike to ride. Correct? Then you need help with a choice between a Strom or two and a Uly, right? You ever heard the sound a Vstrom makes? Dude, it whines. I love the sounds my Uly makes. The sound helps give it character that gets under my skin. Vstroms are pretty good bikes but they can't do that. As long as I live I will never forget the sweet sound of my 9 dancin the full tilt boogie. | ||
| Bdrag |
Chrisrogers3 I am fighting that same thing right now. I have BOTH! I have a 2004 DL 1000 that I have put almost 60 K on in the last 6 years. I say 6 years because ever since I have had the Uly I have neglected the Strom and my 2000 LC 1500 Cruiser. That said, The Strom is a VERY BULLIT PROOF ride. I would say that 45 K of the 60 K were at Speed. Speed being 80 to 120 mph. I have absolutly riden the heck out of the Strom in ALL weather and its a FANTASTIC wet handling bike with Duel Sport tires on it. 100 plus and stable as a rock in the rain! I have the HUGE Krauser bags on it. Tall CeeBaily shield and Leo Vince cans. Heated grips and so on. It has been a Fantastic bike for this 330 lb OLD DUDE. VERY LOW maintanence. LOW! Now tires and me are better friends on the Strom than the Uly so far as well. The Stroms Handle is damn good. I have draged off 2 sets of pegs and continue to replace the titanium draggers I installed for the light shows. HAHahaaaaa. I have dropped the fork tubes about 3/8 in the clamps, went from the factory 5 wt fork oil to 10 wt and the handling is just fantastic for my self at my weight with just a little knob preload here and there depending on luggage load. 5 settings, 5 when pods are loaded, 4 when pods are mostly empty, 3 when no pods are present and its plenty of adjustment for the riding at hand. I love the feel of the Uly, its more travel and better suspension. Its motor vibrates less, YES LESS than my strom does. The Strom is buzzy above 90 mph. The Uly is way more enjoyable as far as hyway comfort as far as vibrations and roll on without down shifting. My original plan was to pull my pods and bolt ons off the 04 Strom and drive another one under the parts, a used 09 was my thinking and it was gonna happen about now. But then the DEAL OF THE CENTURY came along, $6500 for the Uly NEW and out the window went my plans! AHHahaaaaaa. Since buying the Uly the Strom has been on one Colorado trip and a few wet rides, yes wet, we ride if its planned regaurdless of the weather. It has only seen maybe 3000 miles in the last 16 months. The Uly has 7500 on it now, We have NOT been riding much of late due to the fellow riders FAMILY events, scouts, football, basket ball, soccer. Errrrrrrr. I don't have these issues, I am old and don't have any kids! AHhahaaaaaaa. And of coarse the crappy cold weather here which is not the norm has slowed a few down. I tell ya what, I will sell ya my Strom at a decent price if your intrested. Email me if ya want. Call if ya want and I can talk your ear off about the Strom. I may still buy another one day. It is TRULY a very decent ALL AROUND RIDE! So is the Uly! The Strom is a better above 100 bike though. Very stable till ya push the indicated 135 mark, then it gets pretty dam front end light. HAhahaaaaa. BDRAG | ||
| Bdrag |
Reepicheep You say the Dl 1000 does not handle? I say put some hard miles on one and learn it as you should any ride you push hard and that opinion may or WILL change. A fellow rider, very good rider that I always try and compare my abilities with rides a new Connie. First year for the new style, anti lock brakes and so on. We were in Arkansas on a 123 heading to from Mt Jude to Hyw 7. Its a very twisty and hilly road the first 3 miles, then it opens up into some of the most wonderfull sweepers and its all new within the last 6 or 8 years. GREAT surface. about 13 to 15 miles long I guess. Anyway, there were 5 of us, Me on the Strom, Mike on his Connie, Billy on an FJR, Tedd on his Speed Triple and Jerry on his hopped up Spyder playing sweeper. After the first 3 miles we encountered a slow moving pick up so I pulled aside and asked if the others wanted to let the guy get up the road or just pass him in the next mile of twisties. We decided to just piss the guy off and pass him down the road. I took off with Mike in tow. We passed the pickup in a few turns and IT WAS ON! Mike never made a pass on me. I could only muster a few glances here and there in the mirrors because this was my chance to see what I had for Mike. I pushed that Strom harder than it has EVER beed pushed. I was drifting two wheeled into the turns and was carrying the front wheel out of the really tight ones. I tore up my old beat up pegs. The Krauser never drug but I don't know why they didn't. As we came up on the last few curves I was able to finally relax and took a glimps in the mirrors and NO MIKE! I slowed to a crawl, probably 80 or so and turned in my mount and saw him just hammering around the last turn and closing at breakneck speed. HAHahaaaaaaaa. We pulled over and waited for the rest of the group. They never showed after 5 minutes. We had a bad feeling about now. We hammeder back down the road at a fast but causious speed. We went on for ever before we came to THE CRASH SITE where Tedd departed the road due to a clump of grass and dirt. He was banged up but o.k., he had full gear on but the Speed Triple was 100% DONE. Totaled out when it took out a 4 foot corner arrow sign post. While we loaded the carnage up in a real nice drive by neighbors truck Mike and I talked about our last few miles before we turned back. He said, BUBBA, I couldn't catch ya. My head Swelled with Pride! AHhahaaaaa. I had to remove my helmet so my head could swell to its potential. HAhahaaaaaa. Tedd was o.k. so we could enjoy OUR ride for a moment. Mike said, he could almost catch me in the short straights but in the corners I had him hands down and would pull away. He said, his anti lock brakes were comming on trying to catch me. He dragged some lower faring and his pegs and pipes and never got any closed than about 20 bikes and that was in the begaining. He said with every set of turns left right left whatever he would loose ground, almost catch me in a straight and with my late braking and peg dragging he could not keep up in the turns. I will never have that advantage again. My skills in the past few years not riding as much and as often have degraded. SIGHhhhhhhhh. I still ride with Mike even though he lives in Colorado now. We ride 2 or 3 times a year in Colorado and in Arkansas. I quit while I was ahead. HAhahaaaaaaa. So don't say the Strom won't handle. It may take a few miles to get it but its there if you can find the right set up. Just like most bikes. Now the next story will Be how my old 2000 LC 1500 handles and surprises many a sport bike riders in the twisties up to 100! HAhahaaaaaaaa. Later ........ BDRAG | ||
| Reepicheep |
It handled "fine". Nothing inspiring, but it took a lot of planning to get it to go into turns right, and I didn't like the way it was neutral steering when leaned over. I want to keep pushing to keep turning, and it would just sit in the turn forever until I applied bar pressure to stand it up. And as I recall, the ground clearance for turns sucked. I thought it was a fine bike from an objective standpoint, especially at that price. I just didn't like it subjectively... and I am SO glad I waited for ulys to start showing up at $5k. FWIW, I didn't like the way the 06 uly handled either. The 07's and later are not as crisp as my 9sx was (what is?), but it still satisfies. | ||
| Idaho_buelly |
I had a new 07 DL 1000 rode it for 2yrs and 10,000 miles,really good bike,bought it because it was cheap at $8,500 OTD and at the time the Uly was 11,500..I sold it to by my 09 Uly X.I've had my Uly now just at 2yrs and I have twice the mileage on it!.My Uly for me is just so much more fun to ride..I will never go back..Good luck  | ||
| Armymedic |
I sold my Vstrom for a Uly and I would never look back. That bike had no soul and was flippin scary in crosswinds. My Uly rocks. | ||
| Dcc46 |
If you decide to go with the strom, get the 1k. i have a 650 and it is pretty lacking in the power department.I picked it up to ride while my Uly is in the shop.(6 months and counting) | ||
| Buellyxt |
Thought I would chime in after owning both a Wee-strom and Uly XT(current). The 650 engine is well-regarded and bulletproof, and my '07 was quite efficient as well. I ended up trading it for a Triumph Sprint ST because i wanted a bit more personality. The owner had a DL-1000 that he enjoyed for longer trips. Pretty top heavy, though, that bike. I found the Uly I wanted six months after trading the Strom, and now I think I'm happy. Such is the life of a fickle rider! No complaints about the Strom other than it was simply boring to ride compared to many other bikes. Capable and reliable, sure. But does it have the grin factor you want? It didn't for me. The Uly blows it away in that regard, and there's nothing else out there like. So simple and good. But, if I couldn't have a Uly I would consider a Tiger. That motor is the nuts. The Versys is now a good option, too. Wish I could have them all. (Message edited by buellyxt on February 23, 2011) | ||
| Yooper71 |
Having gone on several trips/rides with you I'm pretty sure you'd miss the fun factor of the Uly. Plus with the Uly you can keep your profile picture! Planning on riding the TMAT (Minnesota) in May/June time frame...get something to ride! | ||
| 7873jake |
So it looks like you've had a bunch of help here...what's next? |
