| Author | Message | ||
     Motorjon68 |
I know the bike has evolved since '06. Is there a 'best' year for the Uly. Seems you can get a used '06 for $6k and an '08 for $10k. Is the '08 that much better? I appreciate your input. | ||
| Etennuly |
I haven't been to the newer ones, but the '06 is great if you get to know it's quirks and problem resolutions. Understand that the problems don't need preemptive fixes, just study the problems their causes and fixes. They are pretty much all listed in the threads about what to look for on new Uly's. They are usually easy fixes that can be handled at a home garage with a bunch of good tutorials here on BadWeB. Basic mechanical skills and tools get most people through when a problem pops up. Remember though, a lot of the issues never happen to most bikes. This is such a great resource for help that even the most isolated incident will be listed, but that is the depth of the resource, not an omen that it will happen. They are great rides! Good luck and happy permagrin! | ||
| Mnrider |
Best year,mine 06  | ||
| Chadhargis |
I've got an '06 too. It's nearly 4 years old and still going strong. | ||
| Froggy |
The 09's are awesome. Totally different animal from the 06. | ||
| Hughlysses |
The 08 doesn't require TPS resets, has much more steering lock, has an improved oiling system, and has a higher engine redline. The FI seems to be a little more quirky- we've seen occasional problems reported with the Idle Air Valve and most don't seem to get as good gas mileage as the 06's and 07's got. Aside from the lower miles an 08 is likely to have, you have to decide if the improved features are worth the money. | ||
| Snojet |
Out of the 6 months that I've owned my 06 I have enjoyed it. Can't really rate it though, haven't even ridden another year Uly. I also do my own maintenance and utilize Ecmspy. I think that helps me like my bike too. I really dislike taking anything that I own to a service shop. I would guess with this large of a group you will get a wide spectrum of opinions. From looking at your profile, it appears you are looking for a bike. I can offer - ride as many bikes (different years) and good luck with your choice. | ||
| Motorjon68 |
I rode an '06 for about 20 mins. Loved it. I'm riding a KTM 950 ADV and a Triumph Scrambler. I don't know anyone else who has one. | ||
| Snojet |
Hopefully you can demo the Uly - 07, 08, and 09's at the different HD/Buell dealers. It might be hard though. Not a lot of selection at the dealers around my neck of the woods. Maybe your area has a better selection. Might be a problem with getting them to let you ride, unless you fake them into thinking you are really going to buy. | ||
| Jblausey |
I own an '06 and love it. I rode an '09 a thousand miles a couple weeks ago and if that was the first Uly I had ever been on I would not have purchased one. Now it may have been the way the guy had it set up suspension wise but the besides that the motor seemed sluggish and boring. I never had an issue keeping the front wheel down like on my '06. I felt like I was on an electraglide or something the way it sailed down the road with no pep in the motor. The fuel mileage wasn't as good either. The seat, and this may be petty, was not nearly as comfy as the '06 seat. So figuring that the suspension could be dialed in, the seat could be changed, the motor was the biggest thing I noticed. The '06 issues are real and I would suggest preemptive action. Mine is down for the second time in a month. At 17,000 miles I have had the front rotor replaced, the oil pump, and now the stator and voltage regulator. I think I'm just going to do the bearings at the next tire change and hope I don't get the fuel pump wire issue. That should about cover it. I have done the mods to solve the heat issue. Any more issues and I may be looking for something else. That said, I love my '06 Uly and think they broke the mold when she was born. Oh yeah, the steering lock is a silly thing to make a decision about. Unless you are going seriously off road that is. You only notice it while maneuvering it in the garage or other tight space. Riding the bike you will never notice it. just my .02 | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
I twice demo'd an 08' at Sturgis last summer and was really put off by the off idle lethargic performance compared to my 06'. Sure, I like the thought of no TPS resets and more steering angle but that 08'weak off idle is really lame and makes my 06 seem better. | ||
| Teeps |
I can't answer your question straight up. But, the other day I was thinking about my '06 Uly and how Buell has given me no tangible reason to buy a newer model. In other words, the '06 suits me just fine. | ||
| Rightpecial |
older= better mpg newer= no tps bs My question is this: Do the newer bikes get worse mileage because of stricter emission control within the ecm or because they're not as broken is as the older bikes? Maybe the fact that they rev higher? | ||
| Florida_lime |
My '07 with 32,000 miles is broken in fine, and rarely gets over 40 mpg in commuting. So I don't think it miles on the '06s giving them better mileage. And the higher rev limit on the '08+ is only a few hundred RPM, so I doubt that would be the answer either.  | ||
| Froggy |
Rider error from my own experience. I recently put about 1000 miles on an brand new not broken in 09, and was only marginally lower in MPG than my 06 thats well broken in. Some of the older 08's seem to have a bad map that drank gas, but the revised ones are better. | ||
| Buelltoys |
I've got to go with the 06. Got 59,500 as of this morning and nothing wrong with it!! Only normal maintenance. Would not trade for anything. Still got the grin!!!! | ||
| Someday |
What Froggy said. I have a '08 with 1400 miles and am getting about 46 mpg on average. It seems to be going up with time. Before I picked it up I asked the dealer to do the most recent ECM flash and have no "off idle" sluggishness. As a matter of fact it's quite snappy. I did the preemtive ground cleaning/internal lockwasher treatment to all ground wires and changed rear wheel bearings to the updated ones. So far so good! | ||
| Jlnance |
Is there a 'best' year for the Uly. Seems you can get a used '06 for $6k and an '08 for $10k. The 06 is a sweet bike, the 07 a little sweeter if you can get one for the same price. Big changes were made in the 08 model year. They are worth something. In my opinion they are not worth $4k, but if you're talking about the difference between a new 08 with a 2 year warranty, and a used 06, the 08 might come out on top. | ||
| Dr_greg |
Yeah, yeah, the '06! I've had two and they've both been great! --Doc | ||
| Armymedic |
My 06 now has 9500 miles on it and mileage has gone from 40mpg to close to 50mpg now. I've been using Lucas fuel injector stuff too lately. Don't know if that's it but I'm gonna keep using it! | ||
| Hooper |
I know what they say about buying the first year of a model, but I kind of dig having the first year of a bike like the Ulysses. The problems with my '06, after 12,000 miles and a deer crash, have been basically nil (aside from that deer crash). Some old reviews I've read say they're testing a 2005 Uly (a Pashnit.com bike review that said it had a 35-inch seat height, which I have trouble believing - that said, the review is the most comprehensive I've ever read), but the official press release says it was a new model for 2006. | ||
| Will547_us |
I'll add one for 2007, Barricade Orange of course. Still breaking mine in but I average 45 MPG commuting at extralegal speeds. No problems whatsoever. Love it!!! (Message edited by will547_us on July 02, 2009) | ||
| Hughlysses |
Based on Dr_greg and Hooper's comments, I'd stay away from the 06 models. They obviously are more prone to hitting deer...  | ||
| Froggy |
Dentguy also nailed a deer on a 06.... | ||
| Hughlysses |
Ahh, we have a trend! | ||
| Froggy |
Perhaps there is some kind of harmonic sound of the Dunlop D616 that causes the deer to come to the bike? My Pirelli equipped 06 never has deer issues, but then again the Micron could be a cause too  | ||
| Cyclonedon |
Perhaps there is some kind of harmonic sound of the Dunlop D616 that causes the deer to come to the bike? My Pirelli equipped 06 never has deer issues, but then again the Micron could be a cause too Froggy, I think it's the Micron! I have the race pipe on my 06 and it has Dunlop D616s and I don't seen any problems with any deer on the road either! At homecoming this year, someone from Missouri had a 1125R with a D&D pipe on it, that was the extremely loud! But since I use to live in Missouri, it makes sense to have a loud pipe because there are deer everywhere down there. | ||
| Cyclonedon |
back on the tread topic, I prefer the 2006 model over the others is because of the Buell, AMERICAN MOTORCYCLES, decal on the airbox cover. It makes me proud to display that I ride an American made motorcycle!!! My uly now has 25,500 trouble-free miles! Only changed the rear tire twice, the front once, two light bulbs, brake pads, and oil changes. I forgot to mention the spark plugs twice also. That's now bad for all the trouble free miles I've ridden. | ||
| Widowmaker2011 |
I'd pick the 2010 with the 1125 rotax motor.. oops. | ||
| Bigdaddy |
'06 hands down and it must be black. Drummer, never allow it in a dealership and it will continue to deliver. I've not had mine deer hunting, but it is a turkey slayer (dead turkey) and capable of maiming a full grown groundhog. |
