| Author | Message | ||
     Fotoguzzi |
It would be very good for someone as you described. The only thing bad would be that in the future, they would have a tough time because there is likely not going to be anything to compare it to. RIGHT ON! | ||
| Dualsportdad |
FTD that a heck of a list there. I have most of it done already. I do need to make a heat sheild for under the seat. I also need to address the 77 connector and I stall a volt meter. I like how its explained to the new rider that he'll never find another bike like this again, that is where I'm at now. This bike is sweet and its hard to come buy. Mine is in super good shape. Normally I would just sell the bike bjy the next one I wanted and if I didn't like the new one I'd go buy another Uly. Its not going to happen or at least I fear it won't. If not I wouldn't have ever made this thread. | ||
| Buewulf |
Rezial, I don't think it is a good bike for a first-time rider. The bike is tall AND heavy, 1st gear is a bit too tall, the throttle isn't particularly smooth in the lower rpms, the front brake is pretty aggressive and the bike is fairly powerful: strong enough to break a rear wheel loose when leaned over in tight corner or lift the front wheel when you might not expect it. Everyone has their own perspective on beginner bikes, and mine is that the Uly certainly doesn't fit that mold. I would never recommend one to a first-time rider I cared about. | ||
| Dualsportdad |
A xb9sx would be a much better starter bike. I often find my front wheel in the site when I don't want it to be. | ||
| Teeps |
Buewulf Posted on Friday, June 20, 2014 - Everyone has their own perspective on beginner bikes, and mine is that the Uly certainly doesn't fit that mold. I would never recommend one to a first-time rider I cared about. Well said; I concur... My advice to Rezial. Look into getting a used bike, with less power and a lower seat height, than Ulysses. Perhaps a Buell Blast? There's no shame in riding a smaller bike. Take the beginner MSF course, then practice in a parking lot, until the basic operation of the controls are stored in muscle memory. (Message edited by teeps on June 20, 2014) | ||
| Reepicheep |
If your legs aren't pretty long, the Uly would be an awful first bike. +1 on the XB9 as a first bike for somebody mature enough to not die immediately on it. For commuting, lets not kid ourselves. No large displacement sport motorcycle is going to be a particularly good call. You save on gas, yes, but you pay it back in rubber, and the weight and size constraints bikes are subject too will always lead to less durable designs than cars. The relative volume of manufacturing and sales will also mean that costs can't be as low. And there will be days with dangerous or impractical weather, so you will need a car anyway in most places. A scooter or smaller displacement / cheaper bike could work. Tires are less sticky, wear longer, and much cheaper. The engines make less power and can be fairly durable and cheap to maintain and replace. | ||
| Mark_weiss |
I commute on an '08. A bit over 60k miles at this point. Oil and filter every 3k or so. I've replaced the wheel bearings and belt at 25k and 50k. Other service (spark plugs, air filter, fork oil, etc) have been done at the recommended intervals. I did have a stator failure fairly early on. I charged the battery nightly and continued to ride the bike for a week or so until I could get around to replace the parts. I'm in the Phoenix area, so riding any bike is very hot in the summer. The Ulysses is especially hot on the right, but still tolerable, even with the comfort kit installed. | ||
| Reepicheep |
If you do know you will be piling the miles on, pay the extra and get an 08 or newer with the bigger crank and better oil pump. In terms of bang for the buck, the pre 08 bikes are still a lot of fun though. They won't be as durable, though plenty have been taken comfortably to 100k miles, which is good for any bike. | ||
| Dualsportdad |
That's kinda what I'm thinking. I have a project car that I need to sell. I was thinking sell the uly now, before I stay taking it off road. Use that money towards the fz then when I sell my project car but a 2010 uly. | ||
| Uly_man |
"a 2010 uly". You will find a proper duel O2 sensor one VERY hard to find now. | ||
| Dualsportdad |
Actually there is one for sale by me for less than in asking for my bike and it had half the miles... Lol. No idea why it hadn't sold yet. | ||
| Uly_man |
If that is the case then buy it NOW. | ||
| Dualsportdad |
If I had the cash I would. | ||
| Dualsportdad |
http://orlando.craigslist.org/mcy/4487931964.html | ||
| Britchri10 |
I commute 15 miles each way as often as school run duties allow. I do the run to work and back in all weathers on an '09 XB12XP. I currently have c30k miles on it and it is close to stock. Never lost a belt or wheel bearings but I did put a new belt on c1k miles ago & install a 2010 3 bearing wheel as preventative measures. I have no real problem w/the Florida heat, although I do not enjoy stop/go traffic too much. YMMV Chris C | ||
| Jesse_lackman |
Search all craigslist "2010 Buell" - that's how I found mine; http://www.adhuntr.com/2012/05/all.html?cx=partner -pub-9413604915893153%3Ao8xsd8d7h7s&cof=FORID%3A11 &ie=UTF-8&newwindow=1&q=2010+buell&as_qdr=a&sa=Sea rch#2946 | ||
| Fltwistygirl |
For rezial- I absolutely agree with teeps suggestion of the msf brc and the blast. Less expensive to buy and more User friendly than an xb9sx. U will probably get every cent out of it when it is time to sell and upgrade. Also I agree with reepi on the lower cost of maintenance with a smaller displacement bike for commuting. Because our buells use performance tires and our k 75 uses more of a standard and much cheaper and longer lasting tires cost of ownership is less overall than the buells. | ||
| Rezial |
Lol, well too late. I couldn't resist the deal on the '06 Uly. Only had 9,500 miles on it and came with quite a few of the choice extras for that year including all the cases, taller smoked windscreen, the newer saddle from the XT's, and both the adjustable brake and clutch levers. I've really researched these since my original post and I feel like if I can master this bike's eccentricities I'll be able to ride a lot of others confidently as well. Mine is in great shape and comfortable for me to sit on and while I could stand to be slightly taller I do get almost totally flat footed on both sides with the bike upright. Previous owner was actually significantly shorter than me and had no problems, or at least none that he admitted to. I looked at this thread originally because I will be using mine as a daily commuter for some time to come. My route is short and comfortable on nice roads with light traffic and I don't live in the extremely hot climates some of you contend with, so fingers crossed I'll get off a bit easier. I already signed up for my BRC and am waiting to test out the Uly until after that's finished. Mostly just going outside daily and giving it some attention. Thanks for the good tips though. I'll be coming back here to check up regularly. (Message edited by Rezial on July 02, 2014) | ||
| Rayycc1 |
yeah...well to late now but i definitely would have not suggested this as a first bike. I have been riding nearly forty years....and this is the hardest bike i have ever tried to get used to. In fact....i bought mine in march....have put 4k miles on it since...and am still not used to it. Be careful....this bike has more than enough power to put an experienced rider on his but....let alone a beginner. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Rezial, Many of these guys think the ULY is not a good first time bike. I disagree. Many bikes that are sold, mostly cruisers, are dangerous because they don't handle for shiite. The ULY handles like a dream. Take your time getting proficient on your ULY and don't worry about keeping up with anyone because in time they will be trying to keep up with you. The 06 ULY may be the first year but that is what I have and it is every bit as good or better than the 08 and newer. I wouldn't trade mine for an 08 and that is the truth. The 06 motor has proven itself very reliable. If you don't already have the 2010 rear wheel upgrade then get it. Get the service manual if you didn't get it with the bike. It will pay for itself over and over. Do your own work and you will find that fixing the problems now and then is quite satisfying. If the service manual confuses you on a particular fix then seek help here on BadWeb. There is very little that hasn't already been tackled many times over. In the BRC pay particular attention to mastering the U-turns, perimeter turns, offset weaves and S-turns. It's all done easily with clutch, throttle, rear brake, counterweighting, and head turns to see where you are going. Some instructors are way better than others and hopefully you get a good one. Anyway, if you are good with the clutch then most likely you are golden. The hard braking exercises are worth continued practicing once you graduate your course, as this will save your bacon some day. Good riding to you. | ||
| Rezial |
Hey there! Really appreciate that feedback. I fully plan to go slow with it and really get to know the Uly well. I've been testing the balance and sitting position a lot on the slight incline at my place. It's good practice to get used to the weight. Despite the roughly 450lb weight this bike has very good balance. I don't have the experience to compare it to others but the center of gravity is obviously nice and low. The tips on the BCR class are especially helpful! | ||
| Teeps |
Congrats on the new (to you) Ulysses. | ||
| Buewulf |
Congrats and good luck with the bike! | ||
| Fltwistygirl |
Congrats on the new bike. Everyone learns at their own pace so maybe you will be just fine adapting to the uly. I know it would have been way too much for me as a first ride. Once you complete the brc and get a couple thousand miles under your belt you may consider taking a brc2 which has some of the same exercises as the brc but you use your own bike. Students tell me all the time how helpful that curriculum is. | ||
| Gp81 |
+10 on the brc and brc2 classes.... My only suggestion is to take the riders edge version at a HD dealership. Instead of all thrown at you at once it's a Friday evening thru Sunday course, and the ones that I have seen use the blast for testing. It's a little more expensive but 100% msf certified and well worth every one of those extra pennies. | ||
| Fltwistygirl |
Gp81 Some of the hd training programs have transitioned to the new 500 cc training bikes. If he can get into a class that still uses a blast it would definitely be an easier transition as the buell controls are similar. | ||
| Turf_moor |
Rayyccl, post on July 2, how come you are not used to the Uly after 4K miles? It's a doddle to ride once the suspension is set up for your weight. If it is out it handles worse than anything I've been on. Is yours set up right? | ||
| Uly_man |
"Rezial, Many of these guys think the ULY is not a good first time bike. I disagree. Many bikes that are sold, mostly cruisers, are dangerous because they don't handle for shiite. The ULY handles like a dream". I agree with EG. Rezial. I would not worry any as you sound like you are sensible know what you are doing. Bikes can, if not a perfect analogy, be like guns? You, or other, can easily die from a .22 or a .50cal shot as easy as on a 50 or 1200cc bike if you misuse either. Pulling the "trigger" (throttle) is what kills and the need for proper training and respect for both disciplines is what is needed. In some regards riding a bike is like playing "Russian Roulette" with a Revolver IE You are going to "luck out" at some point as that is a fact with bikes. On the other hand doing it with an "Automatic pistol" is just being plain stupid and ASKING for trouble. NOT a good idea is it? | ||
| Gp81 |
The uly is my first "street" bike and treated with the proper respect can totally be a great first bike. As I grew up on dirt bikes I felt the riding position and suspension travel to be a perfect transition to pavement plus I prefer to buy american as this economy won't fix itself. But to each his own this is just my opinion ans what works for me..... I found the uly to be so nice I had to buy it twice!!! And +1 to uly man on the comparison above... | ||
| Tootal |
If one has dirt bike experience then the Uly is a no brainer. It feels more like a dirt bike than a sport bike so I agree. For riding in heavy traffic I highly recommend the XB9 primary swap. Makes slow speeds a lot easier to deal with and a lot easier on the clutch! About to turn 40,000 on my 06. My mileage gets shared with the geezer glide so not as much as some folks but it's been a great machine. I have made a lot of the changes that others have talked about. It's pretty easy to work on and thanks to Badweb there's a lot of information on doing everything! |
