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Buell Forum » Tale Section (Share your tales of adventure here.) » Archive through October 17, 2006 » My Life With Ulysses: An Eeyore's Tale « Previous Next »

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Archive through January 14, 2006Eor30 01-14-06  09:38 am
Archive through December 15, 2005M2nc30 12-15-05  09:18 pm
Archive through November 24, 2005Csg_inc30 11-24-05  04:16 pm
Archive through November 14, 2005Eor30 11-14-05  08:09 pm
Archive through November 07, 2005Brotherbuell30 11-07-05  05:56 pm
Archive through October 27, 2005Twisty_dan30 10-27-05  09:32 am
Archive through September 16, 2005Reepicheep30 09-16-05  09:00 am
         

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Eor
Posted on Monday, January 16, 2006 - 07:31 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Ulysses Gets A Day Off
It's For You....


Since getting the Ulysses, my BMW F650 Dakar hasn't been ridden much. I had hoped that the Uly would be a replacement for it, but it hasn't quite worked out that way. If I know I'm going off pavement on a unfamiliar road, I prefer the Dakar. I find its 21 inch front wheel, shorter first gear, slightly lower seat height and weight, taller handlebars, and increased range [250 miles +/-] confidence inspiring. Frankly, the Ulysses still spooks me when I get off pavement. Maybe if I will just fall over on it in gravel and get it over with, I'll be better.

The Dakar gives up 30-40 HP to the Ulysses but gives me ABS and heated grips in return. If I keep the engine wound up, I can run the roads at about the same speed that I do on the Uly. The water cooled Rotax engine on the Dakar is surprisingly smooth.

I pulled the Dakar out yesterday and let the Ulysses have the day off. It was about 65 degrees, mostly cloudy, and somewhat windy...another unusual January day here. I made a 200 mile loop on the Dakar and was surprised to see only two other bikes the entire afternoon. I began to compare the Dakar and the Ulysses and my ownership experience with each.

I've put about 2400 miles on the Dakar. I have yet to add a single ounce of oil to it. The tires on the Dakar appear to be nearing the halfway point in their life span. The Dakar exhibits no handling oddities that I have noticed. Other than the 600 mile first service, I have had no reason to take it to the dealer. Aftermarket accessories are widely available. If they gave the Dakar 10-15 more HP, a sixth gear, better front brake, and improved suspension...all while losing a few pounds, it would be pretty close to perfect, IMO. I'm lucky in that I have a small, but very nice BMW dealership in my area [Bentonville BMW].

To date, the Dakar has presented none of the minor annoyances of the Ulysses. I have to admit it is refreshing. I suppose if I were to apply the same scrutiny to the Dakar I have the Ulysses, the picture might be a bit different however.

With all that being said, I don't believe I'd want to travel across country on the Dakar as I would the Ulysses. It's just not powered nor geared adequately for long highway stretches at higher speeds. I can't keep track of how many times I have tried to shift into the non-existent 6th gear. If I need some acceleration at 70 mph, there's not much to work with on the Dakar, especially if it is loaded down [with me ]. The Ulysses is more comfortable with far superior suspension and better braking. Tires can be replaced with better ones and OEM heated grips appear to be on the horizon...as well as ABS, I would imagine. The Buell dealership I've been using is some distance from me but I've been very pleased with them so far [Cycle Connection H-D/Buell in Joplin].

The grin factor on the Ulysses [even with the minor annoyances seemingly unique to mine] is greater than anything I've ridden. The Uly remains the bike I'm most likely to pull out of the garage on any given day. But it looks like you won't be seeing the Dakar [ nor the Uly] in the flea market any time soon.

I had a voice mail message from the Buell tech this morning. He said he wanted to check in with me to see how things were going with the bike. I played phone tag with him and left him a message in return. I appreciated the call and look forward to visiting with him when the bike goes in for the 5K service/ inspection. The weather appears to be returning to a more typical pattern here, so the riding opportunities will probably be fewer in the coming days.

I switched brands of fuel and went from 91 octane to 92 octane at the last fill up, but haven't run enough through the bike yet to say whether the occasional pinging has been effected by the change. I'll have to look around to see if any of the local stations here have 93 octane.

(Message edited by eor on January 16, 2006)
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Eor
Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2006 - 09:50 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

"You're The Only Bike We've Seen Here Today"
When In Doubt...Blame The Dealership
Planned Parenthood Relieved Dunlop Doesn't Make Rubbers


It was a bit cool, but the sun was out so I went for an afternoon ride. I didn't notice any pinging. Since it was very sporadic and slight, perhaps changing brands of fuel and using 93 octane was enough to eliminate it. I'll keep listening for it...and using the higher octane fuel.

I didn't see any bikes on the Pig Trail and the clerk at Turner Bend said I was the first biker they had seen all day. With an aversion to temperatures less than 50 F while riding, I never thought of myself as being on the "cutting edge."

I do have some sort of battery, charging, or connector issue as I noticed today that the clock had reset itself once again and the bike was a little hesitant to start the first time...as if it barely had enough juice to crank. I think it has been ridden enough to keep the battery up. I suppose the battery is bad, not getting charged adequately or something is draining it.

This minor electrical issue seems to have started after I got the bike back from its extended stay at the dealership. When in doubt, blame the dealership.

With 2-3 good days of riding I'll be close enough to 5K to call and schedule a service appointment. Those Dunlops have got to go. At 5000 miles, I'll be on my THIRD rear tire and I'm going to be stretching it a bit to get that far. Dunlop should be congratulated for developing a tire that has to be replaced with each oil change...must have taken allot of R&D to determine the compound that would produce that specific wear life.
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Eor
Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 08:23 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Ping No Mo?
Swan Lake Mosh Pit
Waitin' On A Diet Moon Pie
Alert The Media!... Less Throttle = Less Fuel Consumption


The last couple of times I have ridden through Boxley Valley I have seen two swans hanging out in a slough at the south end. I was thirsty for a Diet RC, knew they had them in the cooler at the Ponca Store, and it was a beautiful afternoon. As you can see I had no choice but to go for a ride.

I thought it might increase my life expectancy some if I slowed down a tad...I was also curious to see how running the engine at 4500 and below effected the gas mileage as I have noticed the average seemed to be decreasing lately. I suspected it was due to keeping the engine spun up more than was really necessary...well, who's to say what IS necessary anyway, right?

I think I have the last of the lower octane fuel cycled through the Uly and and am now running 93 octane. Since I backed off the throttle a little for today's ride, I won't know for sure if the switch has eliminated the ping for a while, but I haven't heard any pinging the last couple of times I've been out on the bike. It appears that the Uly [at least mine] needs the highest octane fuel available.

Since I had not ridden it for a few days, I expected the clock to have reset but it had not. When I hit the start button, I could tell there wasn't an abundance of juice for the starter, but it fired up quickly.

My goal for the day was to keep the engine speed at a max of 4000-4500 RPM and see what happened to my fuel consumption. 4th or 5th gear at 4000 RPM +/- is quite the sweet spot for me, given where and how I ride. The bike ran really well again today...I kept making a mental note of how smooth it was running and how much fun I was having. I put about 120 miles on the bike and was wanting more when I got back to town but was running out of time.

I spent thirty minutes or so photographing the swans in Boxley Valley...



I don't know much about swans but assume their frequent head bobbing is a form of communication. I thought I would try to coax them closer to the bike by mimicking their head bobs. So I sat on the ground, still wearing my white helmet, and began to bob my head whenever one of them would. Before long, the swans and I looked as if we were in the mosh pit of a Celine Dion concert. But it worked....



They were probably about to attack me...wouldn't that make an interesting story? Yes, Ranger Rick...I was attacked by two swans while trying to non-verbally communicate my desire that they swim closer to my Ulysses....you see, there's this web site where I'm Eeyore.....

I asked the clerk at the Ponca Store if anyone had named them yet. She said I could, but I wasn't able to think of anything clever at the time. All that came to mind was a quotation from a Gestalt Psychology text..."Why do all seagulls look as if their name is Emma?" Okay...so they aren't seagulls...but that is what I thought of. Yes, 12 years of an undergraduate liberal arts education provides you with an endless repository of useless and irrelevant quotes.

Meanwhile...back at the Cedar Crest Lodge in beautiful downtown Ponca, the Ulysses was posing in the sunshine...


So what did I learn during this afternoon's ride?

The Ulysses is the most fun bike I've ever ridden.

A Buell GPS and taller windscreen for the Uly are now available but Diet Moon Pies are not.

My Buell needs 93 octane fuel purchased somewhere other than the Wal Mart Supercenter station.

Swans will respond to a bobbing white motorcycle helmet...whether in a romantic or hostile nature is yet to be determined.

When you back off the throttle a bit, you get better gas mileage [back up to 46 MPG, in fact].

Did I mention how much fun the Ulysses is to ride?
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Gowindward
Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 10:56 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Brad, Check the static timing. Really! The toughest part is taking a drill to your bike and drilling out those darn rivets on the timing cover.

Here's a good link for a method

http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/32777/127986.html

Loren
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Eor
Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 11:24 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Thanks, but I'll leave that type of work to the dealership. They should be very comfortable with the procedure, as they have already adjusted my static timing three times.

The bike seems to be running better than it ever has, though. Maybe the break-in is about over.
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Eor
Posted on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 08:49 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Hello...Old Friend
Fire On The Mountain


The weather hasn't been too great here lately and everyone in the house has been sick with some sort of a bug so I haven't had an opportunity to ride for a while.

I postponed some end-of-the-month paperwork chores this afternoon to take advantage of some VERY nice weather...nice as in 75 degrees.





I was pleasantly surprised to find that the clock had not reset and that the bike started with no difficulty after having sat for 3 weeks or so without being ridden or started. During that period, we had several nights in which the temps were in the teens. The garage isn't heated so I expected the worst.

The Uly fired right up and the tires didn't even need air, so it was good to go.

Nothing of any great import today...just a 100 + mile trip through very familiar territory in an attempt to finish off the rear tire and get to 5K miles so I can schedule the service. Another afternoon like today's, and I'll be there.

There were quite a few bikes out today and it was obvious many of the riders hadn't been on a bike in a while....if ever. I had to dodge a couple of lumbering cruisers who strayed across the yellow line coming down Yarbrough Mountain on Highway 103. There was still a bit of sand on the road from the recent snowfall and the [mostly treadless] 616 rear slipped a couple of times.

I did hear slight pinging a couple of times when rolling on the throttle at speed. When I heard it, I noted I was going about 60 mph in 4th gear about 3500-4000 RPM. Thats on the edge of requiring a downshift, I'm thinking, but the engine certainly wasn't lugging. I'll ask, but I don't think it should be pinging any under those circumstances if I'm running 93 octane fuel. I got 46 mpg this afternoon, BTW.

Otherwise, it was a wonderful ride. I quickly got back into "my groove" even though its been a while. I'm always surprised at how quickly I can do that on the Ulysses, given its odd geometry.

Coming home, I ran across a wildfire on the Mulberry River. And being me...I had to pose the Uly for a couple of pictures...



Took my fam'ly away from our Carolina home
Had dreams about the west and started to roam
Six long months on a dust covered trail
They say heaven's at the end
But so far it's been hell

And there's fire on the mountain
Lightening in the air
Gold in them hills and it's waiting for me there

We were digging and sifting from five to five
Selling ev'rything we found just to stay alive
Gold flowed free like the whiskey in the bars
Sinning was the big thin Lord
And satan was the star

And there's fire on the mountain
Lightening in the air
Gold in them hills and it's waiting for me there

Dance hall girls were the evening treat
Empty cartridges and blood lined the gutters of the street
Men were shot down for the sake of fun
Or just to hear the noise of their 44 guns

And there's fire on the mountain
Lightening in the air
Gold in them hills and it's waiting for me there

Now my widow, she weeps by my grave
Tears flow free for her man she couldn't save
Shot down in cold blood by a gun that carried fame
All for a useless and no good worthless claim

And there's fire on the mountain
Lightening in the air
Gold in them hills and it's waiting for me there
*



Long distance runner, what you standin' there for?
Get up, get out, get out of the door
Your playin' cold music on the barroom floor
Drowned in your laughter and dead to the core.
There's a dragon with matches that's loose on the town
Takes a whole pail of water just to cool him down.

Fire! fire on the mountain!

Almost ablaze still you don't feel the heat
It takes all you got just to stay on the beat.
You say it's a livin', we all gotta eat
But you're here alone, there's no one to compete.
If mercy's a bus'ness, I wish it for you
More than just ashes when your dreams come true.

Fire! fire on the mountain!

Long distance runner, what you holdin' out for?
Caught in slow motion in a dash for the door.
The flame from your stage has now spread to the floor
You gave all you had. why you wanna give more?
The more that you give, the more it will take
To the thin line beyond which you really can't fake.

Fire! fire on the mountain!
**



I did attempt to report it, but neither my portable ham radio nor my cell phone could get a signal from there....very typical of where I ride. A woman passing by told me she would go home and call it in and I tried to explain to the half-witted resident of a nearby house what was going on. His only concern seemed to be if it was on "gubmnit lend."

* Fire On The Mountain, The Marshall Tucker Band
** Fire On The Mountain, The Grateful Dead
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Eor
Posted on Friday, March 03, 2006 - 04:22 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Introspection Alert!

This post is a bit different. It's more about me than the bike...things I learned about myself while riding the Ulysses on a "off" day and presented with several dangerous situations of my own making. It's a bit self-indulgent but it is part of my Ulysses "ownership experience" and may explain the emergence of a slightly different perspective on the way I ride and how I record that experience.

I was able to get in a little over 200 miles yesterday. It was a strange ride, with events that prompted some thoughts about my riding, my bike, and human psychology [particularly mine].

It seems everything the highway department does makes the roads more hazardous for bikers. In the summer they brush hog the shoulders and throw debris onto the roadway or lay down that cursed chip/seal. It is loose for several weeks until traffic has compacted it, decent for a couple of weeks, and then begins to break loose. That is why my tires are being eaten at such an accelerated pace, I believe.

In the relatively few instances when we have snow or ice, they spread sand on the surface to assist in traction, usually on bridges, steep grades, and sharp curves. However, they do not return when the weather has cleared up to sweep it off. We are still in need of rainfall significant enough to wash that sand from the highways.

I knew this going into yesterday's ride and my intention was to ride more cautiously than usual, given the poor condition of my rear tire and the terrain in which I was riding. Even slowed significantly from my usual pace, the rear broke loose numerous times during the ride. It was rather unnerving.

I got onto what I thought to be a clear stretch of road, only to find gravel strewn across both lanes in a sharp down hill right curve. The was no clear path through the gravel and I straightened the bike up a bit to lower the chances of breaking loose and low siding. Of course in doing so, I wandered across the yellow line, thankful there was no oncoming traffic to complicate things. I get very angry with myself when I cross that yellow line.

A few miles later I quickly caught up with a guy riding an SV650. Following my earlier experiences, I thought it best to maintain a 4-5 second distance and just cruise along behind him. When I get held up, I often remind myself that it is probably for the best and I just need to chill for a while. Even though I wasn't pushing him, the guy on the SV650 must have started feeling pressured by my presence and began to pick up the pace. I didn't notice it...I just kept watching him and tried to maintain distance. Being on a road very familiar to me made this all seem so easy....

Several Ulysses owners have noted the I was going allot faster than I thought I was phenomenon. Someone suggested it has to do with your head being more forward relative to the front wheel and higher than on other bikes...and the engine's tendency to run smoother as it turns faster.

We met a group of sport bikes. Instead of setting up for the left curve just ahead, I waved at them and was more curious how the guy on SV was going to run it than I was about my own position and speed. Before I knew what was going on, I was very late in a decreasing radius curve and quickly running out of pavement. I pushed the Uly down hard, hoping to doG there was no sand in the corner.

Even after this I was not fully aware of the speeds at which we were traveling. I attributed my screw up more to not paying attention than to going too fast. It was only after I overcooked a second curve a little later that I finally started gettting a clue that I might be going faster than I thought I was.

We were approaching a blind left at the top of a steep hill. I knew they would have sanded it heavily during the last snow and backed off. I've gotten into trouble on this curve in the past during optimal conditions and was worried about the guy in front of me.

He hit a patch of sand as he entered the curve. I saw his rear tire break free, and he got on the brakes. I thought I was going to have to watch him eat the guard rail. To complicate matters, a state policeman and a wrecker were parked on the shoulder at the curve's exit. The wrecker had a trike on it that had apparently hit the sand and gone into the guardrail. We had just met the ambulance. After this, the guy on the SV slowed down again for several miles. I know he had to be shaken.I was.

It was at this point I finally got my head out of my arse and began to consider the possibility that this guy on the SV and I were not good for each other. We were heading down the hairpins to the Buffalo River at Ponca at a brisk pace when he did the unthinkable...

We rolled up on a one ton flatbed loaded with logs, creeping along at 10-15 mph. I have to assume he wasn't looking ahead and didn't notice the 3-4 vehicles in front of the log truck...particularly the US Park Ranger who promptly "lit him up" when he passed. Besides being illegal, passing any vehicle in those circumstances was an incredible and unnecessary risk.

I rolled by, thankful the Ranger didn't flag me over, attributing some sort of guilt by association. I was also thankful the SV rider went the opposite direction after receiving his ticket and didn't join me at the store for a coke.

So why am I relating this series of events? Because they led me to seriously question the manner in which I have been riding and the bike on which I have been doing it. I was riding stupid. I wasn't paying attention to what I was supposed to. The other rider and I were feeding off of each other and I was very late in recognizing that. I was complacent. I was riding on a tire that was in poor condition and on roads with an unusual amount of debris.
No this isn't the bike's fault, but I have to admit to spending several hours wondering if I am more likely to push beyond my abilities because of the bike I have been riding. You can do that on a mountain bike, obviously, but the Ulysses begs to be ridden hard, with it's torquey engine, unusual geometry, and the perception it creates of traveling slower than you really are.

I began to wonder if my participation in this thread might be negatively influencing the way I ride. What difference does it make if I take the bike in a couple hundred miles early for the service because the tire needs replacing sooner? The tires on the BMW and the Harley are in good shape. Did my desire to have something to report here override my good sense and contribute to my poor judgment the whole afternoon?

And what is the sound of one hand clapping?

My intent was to call the dealership first thing this morning and schedule an appointment for the Uly....but I didn't. I have to admit I began crunching some trade-in numbers and looking at specs on "less sporty" bikes with an eye on making some room in the garage.

Oddly, the path to clearing my head of such doubts was to fire up the FXDX and take it for a spin this afternoon. I intentionally covered some of the same territory I had ridden yesterday to see how it handled the sand patches. I guess because of its weight, suspension, and ME 880 tires, the FXDX feels more solidly planted on the highway than any bike I have ridden.
The heavy Harley with a good rear tire didn't fare much better on the patches of sand than the Uly did. I rode about a hundred miles and didn't do anything dumb....ie, no drama.

I believe I mentally fell off the horse yesterday and was fortunate not to have experienced anything worse that some shaken nerves and a loss of confidence. I got back on today and regained my composure. I consider myself fortunate to have learned a valuable lesson without being injured...or even receiving a ticket [unlike the guy on the SV].

I have to remind myself that even though I'm in my mid forties and have had many life "experiences," I have less than three years on bikes. I'm not immune to the impulses that make people do stupid things while riding. I actually was deluded into thinking I was. What happens with or to the bike will happen regardless of what page this thread rests on. At some point in the not-too-distant future, it will be time to end this tale...not because the Ulysses will be gone, but because it will be time for me just to go for a ride.

And yes...I'm calling the dealership for that appointment tomorrow.

(Message edited by eor on March 03, 2006)

(Message edited by eor on March 03, 2006)
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Reepicheep
Posted on Friday, March 03, 2006 - 06:47 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I've had the same thoughts Eor, and had a very similar experience (a little worse then yours even).

The other side of the coin is that having a bike with 40% fewer options in terms of what it is capable of doing to avoid an accident, or being a rider incapable of using 50% of your motorcycles ability, does not make you safer when a situation you could not have predicted is thrust upon you by another driver or other outside influence.

The "safe middle ground" is having a bike that is capable of very good performance in all catagories, and a rider that can use these capabilities naturally and intuitively, but a rider who as a general rule rides maintaining as high a margin as possible.

The "testosterone factor" is predicatable, and I just factor it into my ride. Winter roads and no heavy rain since the last salting? Slow down 20% for corners. Visibility bad for fog? Subtract another 20%. Sportbike in front of you possibly provoking you to ride like an idiot? Take another 15% off. It's just another outside influence I try to manage.
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Gowindward
Posted on Friday, March 03, 2006 - 10:28 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Brad, Thanks for sharing!
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Nutsosane
Posted on Friday, March 03, 2006 - 03:22 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Thanks for all the updates. It sure is nice to read there are others with the same patterns. NUTS }
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Blake
Posted on Friday, March 03, 2006 - 03:38 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

That is great stuff Brad.

I'm still in much the same situation and I spent a week in a hospital just seven years ago due to pushing the envelope too far. It's in my nature to do so, no matter if alone or among friends or strangers. I am smart enough to not become an aviation pilot.

I do think I am ready to downgrade from track prepped street bike to regular old street bike.

One thing that really helped me was to get involved in riding on a race track. I have much less desire to push hard on public roads since taking to the track. There just is no comparison to how hard one can corner on race rubber on a track compared to street rubber on a public road. Once you get to that point, riding hard and pushing the envelope on the street seems so very silly.

I guess what I am saying is... come on down for the next race day track school at OHR or maybe head over to Hallet, OK. I bet you might even get a fellow local Bueller and world famous BadWeBr, Brian (Loki) Nill, to join you.

See schedule at http://www.cmraracing.com/schedule.asp.

Taking to the track really has been one of the best things I've ever done to improve my riding skills, safety, and enjoyment of the sport.

I bet you'd find much the same.

Great stuff you've contributed here. I REALLY enjoy your writing.

Cheers and happy trails! : )

Blake
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Eor
Posted on Friday, March 03, 2006 - 04:40 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

The Dealership "To Do" List
Impressions at 5K


Now that the therapy session is over....

Here's what the rear D616 looks like after 2400 miles...



I guess I could ring a couple hundred more miles from it if I was very cautious and the road conditions were good but it's just not worth the risk to me. After the last ride, being more cautious shouldn't be a problem, but I have to count on the roads here staying in rough shape until we get a good rain...and I don't think I'd want to get caught in the rain with that rear tire right now.

I called the dealership and scheduled an appointment for next Friday. I requested that the Buell specialist John be the one to work on my bike. Given the warm weather we've had lately, I'm not surprised I have to wait a few days to get it in. I'm glad I called today because the Spring rush will be hitting the service dept soon and they typically get backed up 2-3 weeks.

Above and beyond the Buell 5K Service Regimen, this is what I'm having done...

* Switching to synthetic lubricants

The conventional wisdom [perhaps urban legend] among Buell owners is that the engine will run cooler if using synthetic. Those that have done so report that the cooling fan seems to run less.

*Switching to Pirelli Scorpion Syncs

Unless my headshake on decel turns out to be tire related, my only complaint on the D616's has been poor tread life. The above shown tire is my second rear with 5130 miles on the odometer. I ran Syncs on a Buell CityX and they seemed to last a bit longer than the Dunlop 207's I had on another Buell.

An anonymous poster on www.badweatherbikers.com recently posted that switching to the Syncs will eliminate the handling oddities that some have experienced with the D616's on the Uly. The owner of that forum only grants "anonymous" status to a few posters who demonstrate a need to remain so because of their positions...perhaps with Buell itself. When someone with that status posts something over there, it usually gets our attention.

* Small list of things I'd like checked

I have had no more instances of the clock resetting or difficulty in starting, but I'll mention this to the tech. Perhaps while he has the bike "opened up" he can double check the connectors for me.

I want to discuss the occasional pinging at roll on with him. This may prompt him to check the static timing once again. Otherwise, the bike seems to be running very well.

Lately, I have noticed a couple of things that may turn out to be related...

With heavier applications of the front brake at highway speeds, I'm detecting some "roughness." It's not a shimmy or a head shake [which to me implies horizontal movement] , but feels more like it has a vertical component...I attempted to describe it as feeling like I am braking on a washboard surface.

I have also recently noticed a small "clunk" being transmitted through the left grip during transitions such as coming off the throttle, suggesting to me that something in the front end may have too much play.

I'm think the best thing will be to have the tech ride the bike and ask that he re-create the circumstances without telling him too much about what I've been feeling. Both of these are very subtle impressions and may be nothing, but I suspect the steering head bearing may be involved.

-----------------------------------

The 5K mark seems to be a good place to review my impressions of the bike so far. Those who have been following this thread for a while won't see allot of new things mentioned here.

To date, my only substantial complaints about the bike are the handlebars and the OEM tires. Others have commented that the bars are too short for off pavement, stand-on-the footpegs riding. My arms are a little short, amplifying this situation. If I'm not careful, my right wrist gets pretty stressed as a result of it being cocked back while on the throttle. I tried moving the bars back, but that didn't do much for me. Taller bars would get my wrist at a less stressful angle. In my particular case a little more pullback would be helpful, but this is unique to my situation.

Several have complained about a swimming motion at higher speeds on the Uly and other handling oddities thought to be related to the tires. I just don't ride enough at the speeds they are talking about to have experienced or noticed it. My complaint is with the tread life. I would like a tire that can last closer to 5000 miles than to 2000 miles.

I've been pretty happy with the wind protection provided by the stock screen so far, but I haven't made any long high speed runs on the Interstate, either.

In the minor annoyance category we have a few contenders, lead by the oil consumption. Regardless of my now following the by-the-book method for checking and adding oil, it still seems that my particular engine is somewhat oil thirsty. I can count on needing to add about 4-6 ounces every 200-300 miles in order to raise the oil level from or just below the ADD mark to half-way between the ADD and OVERFILLED marks on the dipstick. By comparison, I purchased an 2000 FXDX with 6K miles on it last year. There is visible seepage from the rocker box gaskets, but I have yet to add oil in 800 miles of riding. By all accounts, mine is an isolated case regarding this matter.

Speaking of isolated cases...the headshake on decel phenomenon has been all but forgotten, but I haven't been riding with the bags on lately. When I start traveling this Spring, it may become noticeable once again. Mentioning just now is the first time I have thought about it.

I'm a little perplexed as to why the static timing on my bike has required adjustment on three occasions and I suspect that the slight pinging I noticed lately is an indication that it may require yet another adjustment.

Having owned a couple of XB9 model Buells, I have to say that the 984cc mill in those models seems [to me] to be the better engine. The 1203cc engine doesn't appear to have as wide of a powerband and the FI system doesn't seem to be quite as well sorted out. The difference in HP and torque between the two really isn't that great, but could become a factor if riding two up and loaded with gear. Based on my experience and my needs, I'd rather have the smaller engine in the Uly. Perhaps next year they will introduce a slightly shorter version of the Uly with the 984 engine in it. If people could get past the "smaller displacement" stigma I think it would be a hell of a bike.

First gear on the Ulysses is too tall. Slow speed riding is more work on the Uly than it should be, whether in town traffic or putting along a gravel road. With that much torque available, I think you should be able to crawl along with virtually no throttle or clutch input.

Perhaps related to my short inseam and preference for the comfort offered by the stock seat, I find the kickstand to be a tad long. I try to avoid situations where I have to place the kickstand down with that side of the bike on a slight uphill grade, but a couple of times it has been necessary. In those situations, it seems as if the bike could very easily fall over to the right while I'm mounting it. This is another niggle probably unique to me.

Buell needs to re-route the clutch cable so it doesn't obstruct the instrument cluster.

I don't know how they would accomplish it given the fuel-in-the-frame scenario, but I am somewhat disappointed that the real world range of the Ulysses is just under 200 miles. The inflated EPA estimates Buell uses in their literature is misleading as I have encountered very few owners who have gotten over 50 mpg with any regularity. I think a touring bike should have a range of 250 +/- miles. While that is just an arbitrary figure out of my head, it seems reasonable.

Things I'd like to see....

All the H-D products have self canceling turn signals. I'd like them on the Uly. I'd also like the ability to flash whichever of the headlamps isn't illuminated. In other words, when riding with the high beam on, I would like the low beam lamp to also be illuminated when depressing the passing lamp switch. That little extra flash during the day time could be a lifesaver and would be easier accomplished than switching to low beam and then flashing to get someone' attention. I'm sure there is a sound reason why they didn't do this, though.

I'm still pleased with the Ulysses and enjoy it greatly. While it seems to be the most finicky bike I have ever owned regarding suspension set-up, timing, oil consumption, tires, etc., the experience of riding it when everything is "dialed in" correctly is the most rewarding of any bike I've ridden. As discussed above, I need to be a little more observant of how I'm riding as the Ulysses begs to be ridden harder than my skill level and conditions around here warrant, but that is personal issue... not a bike problem.

So far, very few issues I have experienced with the bike have risen above the level of "annoyances." Regardless of a weak battery and/or poor connection it has never failed to start. I carry a quart of oil and a funnel with me. I start looking for a fuel stop at 150 miles. I keep both hands on the handlebars. The adaptations required of me to enjoy this bike have been minimal.

My dealer is good and Buell has been very supportive of my concerns so far. Honestly though, if my dealership and one Buell tech in particular was not as competent and responsive, I might have become frustrated and bailed.

So stay tuned....

With new tires, a freshly serviced bike, and improving weather conditions, the likelihood of a longer trip is increasing. I think I've got the behavior of the Ulysses as a daily / weekend day trip rider pretty well documented. It's time to stretch it out some....
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Eor
Posted on Friday, March 03, 2006 - 04:56 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

This image was supposed to be included in the "Self analysis" posting...I thought it was too humorous, given the context, not to drop it in.



I appreciate the comments and agree that a track day and/or MSF ERC is called for. I met an instructor from Hallet recently...I believe his name is Roger? Seemed like a nice guy....
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Rkc00
Posted on Friday, March 03, 2006 - 06:07 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Eor,
I have also recently noticed a small "clunk" being transmitted through the left grip during transitions such as coming off the throttle, suggesting to me that something in the front end may have too much play.


This was happening on mine. After I adjusted the Primary chain it went away. Don't ask me why.

I have had no more instances of the clock resetting or difficulty in starting, but I'll mention this to the tech. Perhaps while he has the bike "opened up" he can double check the connectors for me.


This would happen to my XB9S. I never did find out why. It did go away after I put in a new battery. I do not know if that fixed the problem because I traded it in on the Uly. I have had it happen on my Uly once.

Mike
Long Island, NY
06 XB12X Black of course
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Blake
Posted on Friday, March 03, 2006 - 08:12 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

The inflated EPA estimates Buell uses in their literature is misleading...
When compared to actual real world riding, yes. When compared to the published estimates of other bikes, no. Those figures are meant to be used as a gage by which to compare different vehicles, not as a predictor of actual mileage. Just wanted to clarify that Buell isn't intending to be misleading. : )

Great stuff. Agree with Mike's primary chain comment above.

If all you are having to do to bring oil level up to an acceptable level is add 4 to 6 ounces (5% to 7.5% of total capacity), I'd say let it go another fuel stop or two, especially once you get a good brand of synthetic in there. You have plenty of capacity and plenty of oil cooling going on.

Nothing wrong with the rpm levels you are running at all, but on a liesurely ride I'll shift into 5th gear at 60 mph even 55 mph on my Cyclone. I detected much smoother low rev performance on the Uly that I was fortunate enough to take for a quick test ride recently. It astounded me how smoothly it ran at even 1500 rpm.

Hope they get the pinging figured out.

If your ring seal is poor or valve guid deal is poor and is causing the excess oil useage, you could be getting a buildup of carbon deposits in the combustion chamber. That can instigate pinging. Seems awfully unlikely though. A careful borescope inspection would tell for sure. Spark plugs should also indicate something if that were the case.

Burn rubber, not oil! : )
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Blake
Posted on Friday, March 03, 2006 - 08:16 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Again, great stuff!

Folks who have been there speak very highly of the Hallet race track and facilities. Oak Hill is about the opposite as far as facilities go. : )
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Rkc00
Posted on Saturday, March 04, 2006 - 08:33 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I am also getting the pinging on hard acceleration when the engine is hot. I will be testing this out in Daytona. I a sure we will be sitting in traffic a little. Also I have never got more than 40 MPG around town. I did get 48 MPG once on the highway. Asked my dealer to check the timing to see if this was the problem and they refused to do it under the warranty. They said there was no need to do it.

Mike
Long Island, NY
06 XB12X Black of course
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M2nc
Posted on Saturday, March 04, 2006 - 10:39 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

EOR - We are in step with the reflections above. I have never quite gotten over loosing traction on the front tire in sub-freezing temperatures last November and have altered my riding style just a bit. Actually, I just returned to my original riding style. I have never been one to push a bike 100% through a curve, but will go say 80%. As my experience and confidence climbed I started to increase my cornering speeds. One day on the Nighthawk, I was chasing Dave (AydenXB9) through a curve, and got back one the throttle sooner to counter the less torque of the Nighthawk. I was wearing a Joe Rocket Jacket, but just Blue Jeans on my legs. I had to dive the bike harder to keep my line and felt the road on my leg. It wore a small hole in the jeans. I was pretty impressed, but it was too much.

I have yet felt comfortable pushing the Ulysses hard in the curves but have managed faster corner speeds with it than the M2. Yesterday I final put on all three hard bags in preparation for the 600 mile ride to Daytona. I jumped on a four-lane section between Kinston and New Bern and tried the bike out with the bags at a sustain 100mph. I was impressed how well the little screen was able to keep the wind off. I sat up and rode. The bike did wander around though. I still think it is the tires.

After speed testing the bags, I pulled off and took the back roads home. Being alone, I set my pace and had a ball. Never pushed it more than 80%. I was pleased how well I could set up in the curves, running up to 80mph in the straights, then braking smoothly into the tight curves and powering out of it. That is perfect for me.

I have in the past tried to keep up to the point of pushing beyond my comfort zone, but last November showed me what a spill feels like. Though the bike was pretty much okay, and I walked away with only a sprained ankle and big toe, I can still feel them today, reminding me to stay in my comfort zone.

The last time Dave and I rode, he noted that I had backed off in my riding. He was right. In the past, I wanted him to see me right behind him, but that is just pushing him and we were both changing our ride styles because of it. So now I back off, letting him take his line and I will take mine. I was still able to keep up, but just let him ride his ride and I rode mine. I think that is the key. Just because you are with other bikes, does not mean you have to change your riding style.

Like Blake, I want to turn the M2 into my track-mountain bike. I have decided to keep it and fix it up. I like the Ulysses like it is, so the M2 will be my project bike. The loud alter-ego of the Buell experience, with its Tuber classic good looks and its bad attitude. The Uly will be my Sport-Tourer. Set up for the long haul and the off pavement experiences. A good fit.

Ride safe, and well within your capabilities.
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Road_thing
Posted on Saturday, March 04, 2006 - 06:36 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)



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Az_m2
Posted on Sunday, March 05, 2006 - 10:37 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

EOR, I agree with most of your comments, but would add the following:

Fan noise / running time. I just can't believe that it's designed to kick on and run so much while gently cruising in 40 degree temps. I'm going to have it checked at my dealer, but I'm not too hopeful about them finding a problem as nuanced as fan run time.

I much prefer to cancel my turn signals manually. The "self-cancelling" signals on my Sportster don't always cancel and I find myself always double checking them. When I hit the cancel button myself, I know the signal is cancelled. I wonder if some of the accidents caused by folks pulling out in front of riders are due to riders signals being left on.

I average about 40mpg on my Uly and would like to see more range.

Everytime I fill up, I get vibration in the bars at around 4k rpm. It goes away after about 10 miles or so.

I'm switching to Scorpions Syncs my next tire change and I'm hopeful they help eliminate some of the handling "quirkiness".

I'd like stiffer, progressive springs in the front to eliminate some of the front end dive.

With the exception of the fan running, all else are just minor exceptions to the excellent experience I've had with the bike. It's perfect for what I was looking for. Good smooth power, good braking, comfortable, versatile, and big enough to load up for a 2 week trip.

Thanks for sharing your experience, I've enjoyed reading your posts.
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Al_lighton
Posted on Monday, March 06, 2006 - 09:31 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Eor wrote: "With heavier applications of the front brake at highway speeds, I'm detecting some "roughness." It's not a shimmy or a head shake [which to me implies horizontal movement] , but feels more like it has a vertical component...I attempted to describe it as feeling like I am braking on a washboard surface. "

I suggest you try Lyndall pads. If I'm reading you right, what you are experiencing is the effects of the uneven deposition layer that the stock sintered pads leave on the rotor. They cause uneven brake grab, which results in oscillation in the front end dive under braking. The Lyndalls will make all that go away, and will give excellent stopping power with a more progressive feel.

I'm running Metzler Z4s on my Uly now. Hardly known as gumballs, but they are definitely more confidence inspiring street tires, and they are definitely more stable at speed on the highway. And yesterday, I took them offroad down a steep mountain dirt road, and they did fine at the speeds I was going. I wouldn't have been going any faster on the 616's.

Note that I'm running very different handlebars than stock. I went lower, not up, as I wanted more body lean and more front weight bias. The Uly is a better handling machine when it has more front weight bias, the front end dives less and it turns in nicer. When I'm doing twisties, I scooch forward on the seat as far as I can. The bars I have a also a little narrower, and I think that is part of why it doesn't "swim" on the highway as much as it used to. Some of that swimming is turbulence induced bar inputs, and the wider bars exacerbate the issue.

Al
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Eor
Posted on Saturday, March 11, 2006 - 12:36 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

An Ensemble Cast
Sync opated
What My Tires And Van Halen Share In Common
My Muell Needs A New Harness
Contributing [Heavily] To The MOCO's Bottom Line
Oh Well....


It's been a long day with a 5.5 hour round trip to the dealership and several hours there waiting on the bike. Idle time spent in a motorcycle dealership usually seems to cost me money...sometimes allot. The salesman kept tempting me with a test ride on a low mileage 2004 Road Glide. The fixed fairing is rather odd looking, but the guys who ride them claim they offer the most effective wind protection and are the best handling H-D touring bikes. I resisted the temptation and read Code's Twist Of The Wrist II instead. I think it raised a few eyebrows among the chaps and bandanna crowd hanging out in the service waiting area.

It was quite an interesting mix of people: a well dressed, clean shaven accountant type questioning the service adviser about the cost of scheduled service visits and making notes on a legal pad... a very large guy wearing 1%'er club patches flirting with the motorclothes girl....an older guy who got bent out of shape when another rider there "touched his motorsickle"...a Chicago transplant griping about how long it took stoplights in MO to turn green after the others had turned red, and yours truly. H-D dealerships provide human theater at its best.

In addition to the prescribed 5K service/inspection regimen the Ulysses now has Scorpion Syncs on its feet and Syn 3 coursing through its veins. They didn't give me any hassle over mounting non-OEM tires as some Buell owners have reported, but did require me to acknowledge that they were installing non-OEM components on the bike.

The tech's impressions of the Uly's handling following his test ride were quite favorable and he predicted I would be pleased with them. I was too tired when I got home and the bike unloaded to take it for a spin, but the weather this weekend should allow for some scrubbing in of the new tires. Afterward, I'm going to put the bags on and see if the head shake on deceleration phenomenon still presents itself.

The indicated mileage on the bike with the new tires is....



I mentioned the recently observed slight shuddering on moderate braking, "clunk" felt though the left grip when closing the throttle, sporadic pinging at throttle roll-ons, and instances of the clock resetting. He inspected the brakes and the rotor and reported them to be "within specs" but said he cleaned the pads while he had the wheel off. It was his opinion that the "clunk" was normal drive line lash and He wasn't concerned about the engine knocking as long as it remained sporadic. He did remind me to purchase my higher octane fuel at a station that has allot of business...something I try to do. I believe he checked and perhaps adjusted the static timing, though.

The occasional instances of clock resetting were diagnosed as being caused by a short or broken wire in the instrument cluster wiring harness, but he was not able to get it to reproduce with enough regularity to narrow it to a specific wire. He observed the speedo and tach spontaneously "sweep" as they do in the boot-up sequence and was able to induce it a couple of times by vigorously turning the bars back and forth.

Perhaps related to this, he noted that my throttle cable appears to be binding somewhat and on occasion is a little slow to close. I have not noticed this while riding, but was advised to keep this in mind and use caution until it is resolved. It is believed the problem lies with the throttle cable/wire harness guide at the front of the frame on the left side.



He has discussed this with Buell tech support and believes they may be redesigning this component as a result of some similar instances of clock resetting and instrument "glitches."

While attending technical school next week at the mothership, he plans on discussing the fix for this with Buell people there. He anticipates they will authorize a warranty replacement of the wiring harness as well.

He told me that even though the rivets on the timing cover plate were tight, the plate itself was a little loose as a result of the rivet holes being enlarged...I assume as a result of the timing having been checked/adjusted on several occasions. A warranty replacement will be placed on order as well as a Buell air box decal. This "bubbling" on the decal has either just occurred or has somehow slipped my detection....hard to believe as anal as I am.



As a result, I will need to bring the bike back in a couple of weeks when the above mentioned parts have arrived. The timing cover plate and the air bubble on the decal certainly aren't worth a special trip, but the throttle cable/wiring harness issue does concern me a bit.

My bill today was substantial at slightly over $600, but I anticipated it would be with the tires being purchased through the dealership and the labor in mounting them and the 5K inspection, billed at 4.50 hours. Fortunately, I had a sizable store credit on some returned Harley parts.

I do love this bike and feel very fortunate to have such a conscientious service tech taking care of me. If it were not for him, I might have already traded or sold the Ulysses by now. That being said, I don't believe I'm over reacting or being unreasonable in being aggravated with the collection of minor annoyances this bike has presented me, particularly when compared with other bikes I've owned. I had hoped after today's service, the bike would be good to go on a more substantial trip. I have to admit to being a little reluctant to do so until the wiring harness/throttle cable issue is resolved, even though neither has caused me any problems while riding so far.

I think my distance from the dealership amplifies this aggravation... depending on the traffic, it can take me as long as three hours to drive or ride there.

I anticipate that my attitude will improve greatly when I have an opportunity to ride the bike and play on the new tires this weekend.

Stay tuned.....

(Message edited by eor on March 11, 2006)

(Message edited by eor on March 11, 2006)
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Eor
Posted on Saturday, March 11, 2006 - 09:17 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

A Pleasant Surprise
Scrubbin' Away The Blues
This Looks Like Where I Need To Be


As I headed out for the Syncopated Maiden Voyage this afternoon I recalled that I had not filled up the bike following my last ride before service. I turned around and went back to the station where I discovered after activating the pump that the tech had filled my tank and reset my trip odometer. I failed to mention that they also washed the bike before releasing it to me...makes me feel better about the big service bill yesterday....a little, anyway.

I was correct in my prediction that riding the bike would help me get things back into perspective. Instead of worrying about the wiring harness and the throttle cable, re-learning how to ride the Ulysses with the Scorpion Syncs became my focus.

I wasn't sure at what pressure to run the Syncs and couldn't recall the recommended pressure when I had them on the Buell CityX [OEM tires]. The Pirelli website wasn't much help. The service tech had inflated them to 32F/34R which seemed low since the D616's were 36F/38R. I did a search on BadWeb and came across 34F and 36R for the CityX and that split the difference, so it seemed like as good choice as any. I hope to hear input from others as to what pressures they are running.

The difference between the D616's and the Sync's didn't present itself until after I had put 50-60 miles on them and started to ride a little more aggressively. It was one of those afternoons when I couldn't buy a good line through a curve...I was undershooting, overshooting, wandering around...you name it, I was doing it. It seemed I was never where I wanted to be. I began to wonder if I needed to go over my suspension settings to see if something had been changed. Maybe I was just having one of those "off" days riders have from time to time?

Although I had planned to take only a short 80 mile ride, it was very warm and I was curious to see if I could sort out what was going on. I kept going and eventually made my usual 200 mile loop around the area. After I had put about 100 miles on the bike, I took a break and pondered what was going on....

The Syncs are much more responsive...it takes less effort to initiate a course change and it happens more quickly than with the D616's. Some have suggested this is the result of their rounder profile and that seems plausible to me. I had to reduce both my input level and its duration to keep the bike headed where I wanted it to go. Once I became adjusted to this new reality, things began to fall into place for me and the remainder of the ride was much more enjoyable.

It did appear to me that the overall ride quality with the Syncs was a little better but I don't know how much of that, if any, can be attributed to the slightly lower air pressures I was running. The time I spent of gravel was so minimal, I am reluctant even to mention it, but I did ride downhill on a gravel packed/mud mix and didn't crash so I guess they are going to be all right.

Oddly, I came away from this afternoon's ride with a more favorable impression of the Dunlops. They seem more forgiving of my less-than-precise input and are more confidence inspiring. Not riding at the higher speeds other Ulysses owners do, I've never experienced the "swimming" sensation some have reported, so I haven't had any complaints against them handling wise. If tomorrow's weather allows it, I will be attaching the luggage to see if there is any difference in the decel head shake thing.

With the exception of one instance of slight knocking when pulling a hill in 4th gear, the bike ran flawlessly today. I didn't notice any of the other "oddities" I had mentioned to the service tech. Whether his actions eliminated them or I have already filed them away as things to be ignored, I don't know. I averaged 46 mpg and did not need to add any oil following the ride so there appears to have been no dramatic changes in those parameters. If the fan ran less today as a result of using synthetic oil, I didn't notice it, but the shifter "throw" seemed easier, for whatever reason.

When I first pulled into the parking lot at my final break this afternoon a group of "helmet-less wonders" on cruisers gave me the evil eye so I rolled over to the other side of the store where a couple of BMW GS's were parked. When I shut the bike off, I smiled at them and said, " This looks like where I need to be." They both laughed and I had the pleasure of sharing my knowledge of, and experiences with the Ulysses with them. They both seemed interested in the bike. Neither was familiar with Adventure Rider so I invited them to drop in.

Perhaps most importantly for my mental health, I had fun convincing them I actually knew something about the Ulysses...whether I actually do is another matter.

...this is where I need to be.
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Eor
Posted on Sunday, March 12, 2006 - 06:56 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

In Sync
A Mystery Solved?
Deliverance, Ozarks Style


I put another 100 miles on the Ulysses this afternoon and am becoming quite comfortable with the Scorpion Syncs. Apparently it was a matter of getting adjusted to their different handling characteristics. I'm quite pleased with them at this point. We'll have to see how long they last.





The most interesting development of todays's ride was my inability to induce a head shake on deceleration with all bags attached to the bike. I attempted it several times, coasting uphill, downhill, on level pavement and in different gears. The only thing I detected was a barely perceptible increase in windscreen vibration as the bike decelerated through 45-40 mph. There was no wobble in the handlebars.

I was so confident I dropped my hands to my sides a couple of times...something I would have never dared to do before, even after the Buell engineer and test rider tweaked my suspension and torqued the steering head bearing over spec.

The last time I rode the bike with the bags attached I was on the Dunlop tires and experienced the head shake. Today I was on the Scorpion Syncs and did not experience the head shake. There could be more complex or unknown factors involved here, but it sure seems to me the tires have made the difference.

I'm really curious to see if 2007 Ulysses OEM tires are different....

With the head shake issue possibly resolved and increased confidence in the new tires I had a FANTASTIC ride this afternoon. It was overcast but warm and humid with temps on the low 80's.



We've had enough rain the last few days to bring some life to the long suffering Mulberry River and bring out the canoeists. This guy was carrying the cooler but he somehow saved it. I think he was ...motivated.



Other than the engine pinging I still hear on some throttle roll ons, I have no complaints about the way the bike is running or handling right now.

I put in some Interstate time this afternoon during rather windy conditions and the bike felt stable at 80-85 mph...as fast as I would ever go. I mentioned it early on in this thread but haven't pursued since no aftermarket options were available at that time, but I think I'm going to need a little more wind protection if I'm going to do any substantial freeway riding. The blast is hitting me in the upper chest and throat and that would get old pretty quickly, I'm afraid.

I get a little annoyed at times over the little issues I've run into, but this bike is still [without any doubt] the most enjoyable one I have owned or ridden.

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Blake
Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 04:18 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

It's a real pleasure reading your commentary. Thanks for sharing, really. : )
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Debueller
Posted on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - 12:12 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Eor,
Great review on the Sync's. Keep us posted on your final opinion of them. I'm really torn on weather to go with 616's again or the Sync's.
I really like the 616's but I'm a little dissapointed with the mileage. (5500mi rear, 7800mi front)
Thanks.
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Eor
Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 06:57 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Transformation Complete
Back In The [New] Saddle Again
I Met Myself Today


This is how the Uly started out in August of last year.....



After trading seats with Slippery Pete, the Uly's transformation from black to orange is finally complete [as is the repainting of the house]....




And the Ulysses is now sporting an ADVrider sticker.....



The view in the Uly's right mirror and the fresh buggage on the windscreen are your clues that I am back to prowling the back roads of Northwest Arkansas. A couple of pastures need brush hogging, so I went for a ride...makes perfect sense to me.

It was a beautiful day and no one tried to kill me. Even the beaver I spotted was kind enough to clear the roadway completely before I buzzed by, minimizing the drama of that encounter.

By far the most exiting event of the afternoon's ride was meeting ANOTHER ORANGE ULYSSES on the northern end of the Pig Trail! It's a wonder we didn't target fixate and head-on into each other...boy would that have made for an odd Face Plant report, wouldn't it?

I would have liked to have met the other rider, but there really wasn't a good place to pull over and I don't think what was happening fully registered with either one of us until we were virtually side by side.

And yes.... for the record, we did WAVE at each other.
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Eor
Posted on Friday, June 09, 2006 - 03:09 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

The End Of The Tale

I rode the Ulysses to Beebe, Arkansas yesterday as a member of The Patriot Guard Riders. Approximately 300 bikers showed up to demonstrate our support for the family of Spc. Bobby West and to shield them from members of the Westboro Baptist Church who were protesting.

If interested, my report of the day is here....

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=143714

I was one of very few non-cruiser riders in attendance and was certainly the only rider on a Buell.




The conclusions I reached while riding home from the funeral had nothing to do with "being the odd man out." Far from it. I have always enjoyed "being different" and Buell ownership dovetailed rather nicely into that characteristic.

One of the reasons I purchased the Ulysses was to do some "spirited" touring. To me that meant comfortably riding a few hundred miles to an area with great motorcycle roads, playing there, and then riding home...all over the course of a day or two. As much as I prefer two lane back roads for motorcycling, travel to many destinations I'm interested in demands several hours of freeway time.

With the exception of the bars being a little too far forward and/or short for my stature [something that could be addressed] the Ulysses is one of the most comfortable bikes I've ridden...until I get to typical Interstate speeds.

There is no buffeting, which I have no toleration for at all. But there is constant pressure, the effects of which don't seem noticeable until after I have been riding for 45 minutes to an hour. Somewhere in that time frame, I realize that my neck and shoulders are becoming fatigued and I'm getting a tension headache. The herniated disc in my neck needs a rest.

I'm not interested in experimenting with numerous windshields in an attempt to "fine tune" the wind blast and/or buffeting...been there and done that on another naked bike.... I think that's part of why they refer to them as "naked" after all.

We stood in the sun for hours yesterday. I was sunburned, dehydrated, and weary. The ride home was only 120 miles and I really wasn't looking forward to it. The majority of the route home was on I40 and I was too tired to take a more enjoyable alternate route. I made it home all right but felt like I had ridden 400 miles.

I had planned to take a trip to Big Bend National Park on the Ulysses this Spring but abandoned it after realizing I wasn't certain I wanted to ride it that far. I wouldn't have hesitated to take the Electra Glide I used to have.

Earlier in the day I had to cope with the Uly's tall first gear. The funeral procession's route was only 2-3 miles but there were so many bikes it took 15-20 minutes to travel to the cemetery...all at very slow speeds and in first gear. My wrist and forearm were spasming from the strain of working the clutch so much. I have small hands, which contribute to this problem. Additionally, the heat on the right leg issue that is easy to overlook under typical riding situations started to become critical.

Granted, I don't t often find myself in a funeral procession or a parade while on a motorcycle. But I am likely to encounter heavy traffic in a city or popular tourist destination. Or if venturing off pavement, I'm probably going to need to creep along in first gear for a while.

Another intended purpose for the Ulysses was off pavement riding. I still have not spent much time off pavement with the Ulysses, but what time I have really wasn't that enjoyable. It's capable, but has never felt very stable to me on gravel. I have never overcome my fear of venturing down an unknown road and having to turn the Uly around in a tight spot and on an uneven surface. Here again, the limitations of my stature figure prominently. The seat height of the Ulysses does not concern me under typical riding conditions, meaning paved highways and predictable surfaces.
I've never been able to acquire the sense of off pavement spontaneity my BMW Dakar affords me.

So from MY perspective [and please note the emphasis on MY] the Ulysses fails both as a touring bike and as an occasional off pavement bike. While not as much fun, the Geezer Glide was a better choice for touring and the BMW Dakar is a better choice for exploring off pavement.

Unfortunately, the Ulysses excels where I least need it to... in encouraging me to take more risks on the back road mountain curves where I so love to play.

When I start getting carried away on the Harley, I get feedback from the foot pegs that prompts me to calm down a bit. But I am either not getting any such feedback from the Ulysses or am too dumb to recognize it. I fear that the only notice it's going to give me is low siding into a embankment or face planting into an oncoming log truck. This is primarily a rider skill / discipline issue. I've been able to manage it pretty well so far, but I'm beginning to wonder how much has been due to blind luck.

Upon leaving the driveway on the Ulysses I often wonder if this is going to be the ride on which I make a catastrophic judgment call or run out of luck? We all know these things can happen on any bike, and on any given day but it seems to have assumed somewhat of an inevitability with the Ulysses. My wife feels it, too. She doesn't say anything, but I can sense her stress level increases notably when I tell her I'll be on the Buell.

As to the minor "issues" I have had with the bike.... two of the three that concerned me the most appear to have been resolved. The Ulysses no longer appears to be consuming an unusually large amount of oil. This has been the case since switching to Synthetic. I don't know if the oil is a factor, or if the engine finally started breaking in fully around 5K miles. Several months ago, the Buell tech whose opinions I have grown to respect told me 5K would probably be my magic number.

The head shake on deceleration through 40-45 mph with the bags attached issue appears to have been resolved by switching to Pirelli Scorpion Sync tires.

I thought the remaining issue had resolved itself but has recently returned...and I believe because I have been riding the bike more. The clock has been spontaneously resetting again. Yesterday when taking a break on the way home, not only did the clock reset, but the two trip meters as well. Having to reset the clock was a nuisance...losing my trip mileage could become a significant inconvenience.

The Buell tech diagnosed this as being caused by a broken wire. In our last communication I understood he was attempting to get Buell to authorize a replacement of the wire harness, but also thought that a design change providing a more permanent fix might be forthcoming.

I have been VERY fortunate to have had a pro-Buell dealership and a very gifted service tech in my region. Buell itself was very responsive to my situation regarding the unusual head shake issue, flying people in from the factory to personally examine my bike.

I've owned three Buells and have kept the Ulysses longer than any of them. But as with its predecessors, I have reached a point at which I believe it is time to move on. I suspect several of you have seen this move coming for a while, given my recent misgivings about the manner in which I was riding the bike.

The Ulysses is, without a doubt, the most fun bike I have ever owned or ridden. In spite of the minor glitches and issues I have had, it has been reliable, never having failed to start when depressing the starter button, accelerate when opening the throttle, or stop when applying the brakes. It never left me stranded or failed to produce a big smile at some point during every ride. It was the topic that started many pleasant conversations during my travels and gave me an opportunity to create and maintain this thread for as long as I have. I think the information here has been of some use to others and has provided some entertainment.

So where do I go from here?

Tomorrow I will call my dealership and see how much trade in allowance they will offer toward a Harley touring bike. I suspect they will be eager to have a used Ulysses on hand for a demo model. Plan B is to have them repair the wire harness issue so that I can sell it to an individual. I haven't set a price yet, but the above postings have given me a reference point.

Rarely will people have an opportunity to purchase a used bike whose history is so readily available. At this point I don't know if that will work against me or for me, though.

If someone here is interested, PM me.

I'm planning on keeping the Dakar. I think it is a great all around bike and it has been woefully neglected the last few months. I've always been comfortable off pavement on it and while it can provide some entertainment in the curves, I think it is far less likely to get me into trouble.

Thanks for putting up with my quirks, self indulgent introspection, and the melodrama. I think I'm a much wiser motorcyclist than I was at the beginning of this thing last year. If nothing else, I have been able to come to grips with the realization that I am destined to be....



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Jackbequick
Posted on Friday, June 09, 2006 - 08:21 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Brad,

Thanks for you very enlightening and useful running dialogue on the Uly. You have made a singular contribution to introducing that model to the non-owners here and providing feedback on it.

I recently made a similar decision to move on from my M2 and for reasons that are similar to yours. To sum it up, I have outgrown sports bikes.

I'm going to miss and will always fondly remember the M2. I'll probably own that engine again but it will be in a package that is more appropriate for me.

And we'll never be in the way except to a few squids! Enjoy the ride!

Jack
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Jim_sb
Posted on Friday, June 09, 2006 - 05:18 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Hello Eor,

Only you can decide what is the right bike for you.

I feel like the Ulysses has very little in common with the HD touring bikes; they are very different by design.

As for riding with trepidation in the corners, I highly recommend you ride The Pace, whether you're on a Harley, Buell or whatever. It is a technique that frowns on braking and focuses on good entry speeds and cornering technique. The key of course is managing your straight-away speeds and downshift technique to arrive at the corner entrance at the right speed and in the proper gear. Over time it will make you a better rider and improve your cornering skills. A side benefit is the added margin of safety - you set up for corners using the assumption you don't have any brakes - but if you decide you're going in too hot the brakes are always there and a gentle tug gets you right back down to the entry speed you want. You can safely use all available tread on your rear tire on the street as long as you do it wisely. If you aren't doing the Slow, Look, Lean, Roll technique you're making it harder than it should be. But you also need to ride good lines and practice late entry as well. The most common mistakes I see people make on the street are 1) bad line, 2) turning in too early, and 3) not looking far enough through the corner. The bike will go where you are looking.

I hope to have a touring HD one day, but right now I enjoy cornering far too much to live with the lean angle limitations the touring HD's have.

I have enjoyed your contributions, good luck with your new bike whatever it may be.

Jim in Santa Barbara
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Eor
Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 10:13 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

The Last Ride

August 20, 2005



June 10, 2006



Its the last ride
Our little game is over
Its the last ride
Its time to take you home
And we cant cry cause we seen it coming
No use running, take it slower

Its a dangerous drive
Im afraid to arrive
But I strive to survive
More a fool than alive
I thought I knew just everything
I had it made and I could coast
But I turned away love when I needed it most

Its the last ride
My little game is over
Its the last ride
Its time to take me home
And I cant cry cause I seen it coming
No use running, take it slower

And the road rolls around
And turns through the town
The depression drips down
And glazes the ground
Horizons east and skylines west
The moon, the sun, and all the rest
The loving son, the faithful wife
The burnt out wreck of a poor mans life
The father, son, and holy ghost
They all turned away love when they needed it most

Its the last ride
Their little game is over
Its the last ride
Its time to take them home
And they cant cry cause they seen it coming
No use running, take it slower *

*Todd Rundgren, The Last Ride
.........................

Before I "close the books" on this sometimes frustrating, yet wonderful experience I have shared I would like to thank those of you who took the time to post or PM me with words of encouragement or appreciation along the way, particularly in the last 24 hours. The comments I received from someone currently serving in Iraq were particularly moving.

When I began this, I didn't know if anyone would give a damn but I was often surprised when other riders I met on the road told me they had found their way here while searching for info about the Buell Ulysses. I was told today at Cycle Connection HD/Buell in Joplin that a dozen or so people had called or come by inquiring about Buells as a result of my comments here. The folks there are good people and certainly deserve a shot at your business if you are so inclined.

I considered a final romp in the mountains on the Uly but thought it fitting that my final ride should be with the Patriot Guard in support of a fallen soldier. This was perhaps one of the most moving experiences of my life and the Ulysses will forever be integral to my memory of it.



Besides, given my luck I probably would have trashed it...or worse....changed my mind and decided to keep it after all this melodrama.

It is no accident that I have used "Definitely Maybe" as my signature line on occasion. My poor, dear wife...how she copes with me, I'll never know.

So Sue [WarriorPrincess] and I hauled the Uly to Joplin this morning. I was offered what I felt to be a generous trade in allowance toward a 2006 H/D Electra Glide Classic.



I owned one of these for a while last year and found it to be the most comfortable bike I have ridden. I nicknamed it "The Geezer Glide." I enjoyed cruising around listening to my favorite tunes on the MP3 player. In stock configuration it is underpowered but I was satisfied with the slight boost in HP and Torque following the basic Stage I upgrade...K&N filter, touring mufflers, and ECM reflash. It had a very mellow rumble that was unlikely to offend anyone but maintained that classic V-twin sound. It handled surprisingly well for such a big bike, but had definite limitations and gave plenty of warning if pushing it too hard...the sounds of footboards scraping are quite unique and discernible, even during a Tommy Bolin guitar solo.

I sold it to a friend, convinced I was too young to be riding such a bike and needed something sportier....hence the Ulysses.

In the end the Ulysses didn't turn out to be the off pavement nor long distance touring bike I hoped it would be, in large measure due to my own physical characteristics and limitations. If I had a 2-3 inch longer inseam, and no herniated disc in my neck, the tall seat height, limited steering lock, and relative lack of wind protection would likely not be significant factors. That being said, I think addressing these issues could broaden the Ulysses' appeal to potential owners.

Somewhere along the way I got spooked by something but I can't put my finger on one specific event. It was probably a combination of some strange things that happened to me on one particular ride, reading about a couple of members here getting seriously hurt despite their experience, and a couple of locals getting killed on bikes. I began to get concerned, not as much about my ability to ride as the ever-decreasing "cushion" available to me if something unexpected should happen.

My mother is essentially bedridden with MS and lays there fretting that something is going to happen to me while riding. I believe the majority of people who care about me understand the joy I have gotten out of riding and the risks that I [and all of us] are willing to assume in order to pursue that joy. My mother doesn't understand that and never will. I have this recurring nightmare where my wife has to wake her up to tell her something terrible has happened to me. I worry more about how she would handle that than what might happen to me. I recall something that was posted by a survivor of Shannon Nunley, a very popular member here who was killed in an accident....

"RIDE ON, RIDE SAFE, AND REMEMBER WHAT EVER ROAD YOU TRAVEL YOU CARRY THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE THAT LOVE YOU."

Whenever you put a helmet on and ride out of the driveway there are no guarantees that you will be coming home...and that will never change. Things happen that are beyond our control. The Buell Ulysses begs to be ridden hard in the curves and doing so is fun and addictive. I feel I need to wick it down for a while...relax, and enjoy the scenery. It's not the bike's fault... that's entirely an issue in my head, but it is part of my reasoning for trading it in.

The Uly's quirks while never constituting a significant reliability, performance, or safety concern did have a cumulative effect on me and did figure into my reasoning a little. On the way home from the dealership I had mixed emotions...somewhat like you might have after getting a monkey off your back, albeit a very small one who helped you get laid, scratched those itchy spots you can never reach, always had a lighter or bottle opener, or correct change when you needed it.

Well...it's been fun. If you are interested in a Buell Ulysses find a dealership that allows demo rides and try it for yourself. Without a doubt, it has to be one of the most fun bikes currently available. I have great respect for Erik Buell's vision and the folks who are working hard at East Troy and elsewhere to turn that vision into something we can enjoy. Someone asked if they could purchase my autographed windscreen and I declined. I'm proud to have it and will continue to display it. And I'm also proud to have been a part of this process and even though I no longer own a Buell I still feel like a part of the family, even if three times removed.

I've been so busy keeping this thread updated I have been neglecting my other ongoing thread in the Ride Reports section... Wandering About In The Hundred [Thousand] Acre Wood. If you are interested, you can find it here....

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55163

Once again.... thank you, everyone and goodnight from the Hundred Acre Wood.

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Henrik
Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 11:30 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Hi Brad. Thanks for taking the time to take us along on your travels. It's been great following along. Hope your next bike will bring you joy.

Ride safe, lean hard and keep two fingers on the brake ...
and stop by to say hello once in awhile.

Henrik
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Jlnance
Posted on Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 09:43 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Brad - How many bikes have you owned? I get the feeling it's a lot.
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Eor
Posted on Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 12:26 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I lost count....

I admit I'm a bike ho!

Seriously, I didn't take up riding until I was in my 40's and therefore didn't have the benefit of years of riding different styles of bikes to determine what I liked.

I've been playing catch-up the last few years, uncertain what route to go. I like sporty, but don't like to go too fast. I want to go off road, but not to far. I want comfort, but don't want to be lulled to sleep. Then my wife started through the same process! It took four bikes for her to find her niche with the BMW F650.

It's taken me 10 to hopefully figure out mine....a Harley Dresser and the BMW Dakar.

It's interesting how we both ended up with slightly different versions of the small BMW adventure bike...it's just a nice all-arounder, IMO.
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