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Buell Forum » Big, Bad & Dirty (Buell XB12X Ulysses Adventure Board) » BB&D Archives » Archive through June 11, 2007 » My First 1000 Miles on the Uly « Previous Next »

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Firstbatch
Posted on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - 06:36 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Picked-up my '06 up in Michigan last month with 1K on the dial and the first service completed and just turned 2k yesterday.

As a background just came off a '04 K1200GT and before that a Street Glide. Been ridin' various bikes for 25 some odd years and was just looking for something fun and light. The 'uber crusiser is a jet turbine on wheels and makes you feel like a pilot but puts you in the ticket zone all to often. And the K is some kinda heavy, especially at slow speed. Anyways, enter the Uly and wow what a change from the heavy weights. Took quite few miles to adjust to the different style of riding and inputs but, I think last evening on an after work ride through the country rodes outside Richmond everything just started to click and the bike just seemed to float under me and the connection to the machine was made. Real sweet!

Rode the first couple of hundred without any mods and everything worked fine, no pinging and pretty smooth at low speed. Brakes seemed a little grabby and the fork dive was a bit much, but I was coming off a Telelever and awesome servo brakes so I expected it to be different. Actually locked up the front with a couple of chirps at 25-30 mph when a cage stopped short in front of me and that got my attention as it had been years since I experienced that sphincter tightening feeling....but the Uly handled it fine and never missed a beat. I'm sure it looked like I was on a pogo stick but some lesser bikes may have tucked the front a bit more. Kudos to the steering geometry when I reflect back on that event.

So, I bled the brakes and got the feel in the lever where I wanted and I just re-learned how the braking input needs to happen on the Uly vs my other rides. All good.

Took my girl on a two up ride just after we had done a long ride on the big K and whatya know....she said the Uly was much more comfortable and just plain more fun. That to me was a huge compliment for the Uly 2-up as the uber K is one long wheelbased smooth sucker......the K found a new home.

On to the mods and after pouring through the boards it seemed the Uly just needed a few things to make it that much better but I sure did not want to mess up what I had but we all know you just can't leave these things stock. Headlamp was very weak so went the easy way and rewired the lamps so both would run at the same time....big help, cheap and will suffice until I can add the PIAA 1100X, had them on the K and they are the best! Mirrors were were really bad as well and I followed suite with the Tuno mirrors, and must say they are some of the best mirrors I have used on two wheels. Next I just had to hear the V-twin lump sing and I couldn't resit the lure of Kevin and the Original Drummer. That pipe let the neighbors know the K -bike was gone! Really sweet bass rumble, reminds me of the old Ducs on the race track kinda sound. Thunder Bikes.

Bike ran good with the just pipe change, at first the reflection of the sound off the pavement back up under the full face helmet was a bothersome but thats not an issue now, I wear plugs anyways and the sound is sweet.
Really wanted to see if the RSS scoop would keep the fan from running all the time, and my fan did run all-the-time, and I sent the e-mail to the Netherlands and orederd up the Crins special. Nice piece, heavily debated on this forum for function, but the form factor is sweet and IMHO makes the Uly or any XB look finished. On the function part there is no doubt for me that the fan now just runs at shut down and my right leg is not as hot. We will see how it works in the summer months.

I decided to do my adds one at time and ride a bit in between kinda as a control issue to see what changed. Fun bike to work on and so simple. After seeing the mod on here to add the Stebel Compact Horn I had to have it......have never been a horn guy but the control switch for the horn on the Uly is so well positioned that it is actually something I could use in a moments notice and the stocker was just the worst. Beep-beep. Can't say enough how much I like the Stebel and the fit on the Uly is perfect. That sucker is the best has been really handy to have in the few miles I have used it. Ultra loud attention getter. Moved on to the Drummer catch can and then the K&N with the '07 air box. Bike still ran great and the butt dyno noticed a crisper throttle response, more drive out of the corner and still very good drive-ability. Good mods for sure!

Rode south down to Davo's place on Sunday and installed the Race ECM and a TPS reset and that topped off the engine mods just fine and she really runs well. Thanks for all your help Dave, I know you wanta get your Uly back

Looks like a great summer of Uly riding and just like everyone on this forum says this bike just makes you smile, tugs at you to want to go ride it all the time and is simply one fantastic motorcyle. Have not had a chance to get her on a fire road in the first 1K but that will come and I can tell it will be very competent in a light duty off roading.

The first 1k has in the past been a very defining mark with motors I have owned and this Uly has made an incredibly positive impression. Can't wait to get her into West Virginia this summer and own some corners.
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Maximum
Posted on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - 11:44 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I hear ya Firstbatch! This is a fun bike to ride and to mod. My kids argue about who gets to ride with me, they love it too!
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Wananuly
Posted on Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - 10:38 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Hey Firstbatch - do you have ordering info on the RSS i.e. Netherlands Crins special?

Thanks!
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Firstbatch
Posted on Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - 04:37 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Yep, you can get his email address in this thread..http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/219755.html

Great guy and great product!
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