| Author | Message | ||
     Suamico_sd |
I got my first Buell this year a 98 S3T and I like it a lot. I rode a Ulysses today and made me want a adv again. Do I chop up my S3 or sell it and buy a uly? Anyone else do this? | ||
| 46champ |
If you try and turn a tube frame bike into a Uly I think you will be disappointed. You might get close to a XB12XT with a S3 but you will never get a Satisfactory XB12X. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Different animals. Sell it and buy a Uly if that's what you want. You'll never be happy with the end result. | ||
| Jolly |
there are lots of folks that want an S3t for what it was built for, sport touring, especially if you have the bags and it's in nice shape. I would recommend selling it to someone that wants a S3t, then buy the bike you want. my guess is youll be money ahead and it will be exactly what you want. | ||
| Pontlee77 |
Maybe some one will part trade it for a Uly. | ||
| Suamico_sd |
That's my deliema, I don't think the uly is a great adv machine. While I really love the s3t as a sport (upright) tourer. I think long travel forks on a street bike kill the handling. My thoughts are a dirt bike works on dirt, a street bike for street. The issue is what happens when the road isn't paved or a cool short cut presents itself? I have ridden a huge BMW GS to places it hold never be ridden. So to rephrase the original question. Is the 1998 S3T colectable in any way that I would regret changing it better suit my needs? | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I think you are mistaken regarding the Uly handling with regard to long travel suspension:  | ||
| 01x1buell |
a agree with fat, i have ridin with ulys and guys who have triumph tigers, and they are right there behind(or in front ) of my x1 and 1125rs very good bikes i WOULD NOT mess with the s3t.Just my opinion | ||
| Suamico_sd |
Clairification, slow speed handling and dirt road wash outs. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Is the 1998 S3T colectable in any way that I would regret changing it better suit my needs? \black In a word...yes. You won't turn a tuber into a decent off-pavement ride without major surgery. My Ulysses is a perfect "hm, I wonder where *that* road goes" bike. It also handles very well on pavement. The long-travel suspension isn't "soft" like a dirt bike, it's very well-damped and is just....tall. Off pavement, it allows me to keep my fillings and I haven't had to push it out of the woods yet. I can't imagine taking my S2 or my S1W into some of the places I've had my Uly. Not just for collectability, but physically. The pull-shocks are too limited and vulnerable on a tuber for serious off-roading (not that the Uly is a 'dirt bike', I'm fully aware it's a street bike that doesn't mind getting dirty). It would simply take too much effort - and ruin a classic motorcycle - to make an S3T into even a half-decent ADV bike. But that's just my .02  } | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I've rolled my Uly with Barker on muddy gravel and sand at 60-80 MPH. The Uly will do everything but soupy mud well. It'll do mud, but not gracefully. | ||
| Bikerrides |
I agree that there are likely better options than to modify your S3T for adventure riding. With that said, I imagine modifying my S3T in ways that Buell purists might consider sacrilegious; primarily in the ways of styling. One if the reasons I am drawn to the tubers is the myriad of ways they can be truly customized. I really dig seeing them w/body work from a different model or outright custom bodywork, different wheels than stock, wider rear wheel/tire than stock, chrome and billet where ever possible, etc. Basically, its your bike. If you plan on selling it at some point, leave it alone or at least where it can easily be returned to stock. Otherwise, have at it and I'd like to see the end result! | ||
| Thejosh |
LOL, that long travel suspension does not kill the handling. Other than my X1, my Ulysses is one of the best handling bikes I've ever been on. | ||
| Suamico_sd |
Thanks ratbuell, that's what I wanted. Sorry if i insulted any of you uly owners. | ||
| Gixxer86g |
Ft bstrd, that is one awesome photo! | ||
| Psykick_machanik |
"chop what ya got" Im always blown away with peoples ingenuity when it comes with customizing their bikes. If you really want to do it, you will find a way. Your name's on the title so who cares if anyone else likes it. | ||
| Suamico_sd |
Thanks, has anyone fit larger bags or a rack to put a top case on a 3t? Bars with less sweep? | ||
| Greg_cifu |
Funny, I'm always blown away at the total pieces of crap people create out of perfectly fine motorcycles.  Most of the altered Buells I've seen make me shake my head and say, "WTF?" To each his own. | ||
| Suamico_sd |
So greg, you don't know of any racks to fit? | ||
| Hootowl |
Ventura. http://www.ventura-bike.com/fitments.aspx?modelid= 77 | ||
| M2statz |
Nobody has stated the obvious...why not both? | ||
| 89rs1200 |
Ventura system is great. I use the tall bar with bags, (Two zip together back to back). When not touring I put on the short 'sport' bar in place of the tall bar. Quick swap-out as the bar pulls off the mount. Note: The mount is slightly different for S3 vs S3T, or stock bags vs no stock bags. Can also get these at americansportbike.com in California. http://www.americansportbike.com/shoponline/ccp0-c atshow/s3seats.html | ||
| 89rs1200 |
I second the idea of NOT trying to covert a tuber for off-road. The rear shock is way to low and could be severely damaged.. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Ft bstrd, that is one awesome photo! Thanks, it's one of my favs. I'll whQre it out for just about any occasion.  | ||
| Zenbiker |
Jumps, lots of hard wheelies and off-road duty is not advised on a tuber. Not only (as mentioned) does the suspension not have the travel for it, but more importantly the bike was not designed for it. The shock mount on the lower front of the engine can tear free if abused in the above mentioned manner, which will destroy the bike. For it's intended purpose, it does a great job and is a pleasure to ride. I have had one in my garage since '98, with no regrets (even when I was not able to ride it for months on end). Ruining a bike like this to create a half assed 'cont-wap-tion' is not worth it, sell it and buy the right tool for the job. If you need a chisel, don't use a screw driver. | ||
| Suamico_sd |
That Ventura rack looks cool. Has anyone used one? | ||
| Kevmean |
I use the ventura racks on both my X1 and also my 1125CR .......very well made kit and simple job to swap from grabrail to either the sport rack or the rack with large hoop to slot the luggage bag on. | ||
| Fasted |
ventura +1...........get it | ||
| Hootowl |
I also have a Ventura. It works great. I have the bag rack as well as the sport rack. I leave the sport rack on unless I'm carrying the bag. As noted above, you can get an extra bag and zip them together back to back. That's some serious cargo room. | ||
| Jayvee |
I have triple-Ventura, the tall rack, sport rack and grab-handle, pretty useful. You could have a backseat bag, rack bag, tank-top bag, rear saddlebags, and tank saddlebags. And you can always carry your bedroll like this guy:  | ||
| Dwardo |
I will just put my rather irrelevant two cents in. Some years ago, I determined to build the ultimate Norton Commando. I wanted to make it a no-apologies motorcycle with modern reliability and nearly modern performance. I don't want to say how much money I spent on, although I know. I found out that what I wanted was an impossible thing, given what I was starting with. What I wound up with is a really, really nice riding Norton that is much better than original and still obsolete, and really expensive. I don't regret it but I could have spent a lot less money and time and been just as happy. So ... I'd say just buy the Uly. I have an M2 but I rode a Uly at a demo ride once and hands down it has the most comfortable ride of any motorcycle I have ever ridden, and that (definitely) includes my Road King, even with the Works shocks. I wondered if I would want to throw rocks at the M2 after riding it, but I didn't. I still like it. | ||
| Dave_02_1200 |
The S3 will never be a dirt bike but you could just install some D-616 tires on your S3 to make it easier to ride on gravel roads from time to time. I recently put a set of these Dunlop 616 tires on my Suzuki Bandit to make it more capable on wet and dirty roads and the results are excellent. They work well as sport touring tires but don't lose composure on less-than-perfect real-world roads. They were original equipment tires on Ullys and they work as intended. | ||
| Jolly |
I watched a buddy of mine build a bike into something it wasnt, he spent a ton of money in the end, and he was left with something that still wasnt quite there..and the bill would have bought what he wanted and he could have had both bikes..... wouldnt it be more fun to have a S3 AND a Uly? have you figured the conversion cost vs the purchase price of a good used Uly? |
