Buell's dual sport.

[texas taco]

What do you guys think of Buells new Ulysses?

[Hltoppr]

Motor Cyclist magazine recently had a comparo between the Buell U, KTM 990 Adventure, and the BMW 1200 Adventure. It's worth a read.

It confirmed what I had thought. The Buell is really a street bike. On all but nice fire roads it'll be outclassed pretty fast by both the KTM and BMW....

Add that to the fact that you can find a barely used 1150 GS or KTM 950 for less than the Buell, unless the styling just "does it" for you, I think there are better all around big dual sports on the market.

-H-

[mountainpete]

My impression is only from sitting on it:

Very cramped riding position and overall too small. The riding position was just, well, totally wrong for me and I could only imagine how sore I would be after just a few miles. It would fit short torso riders best.

Pete

[Flounder]

I think it entirely missed the mark. I would maybe put it in the same class as a 1000cc VStrom or a 1000cc Veradero (which isn't in the US, I think) or even a Triumph Tiger. The KTM Adventure bikes and the two GS bikes from BMW really are nicer rigs.

[mountainpete]

Turns out there is a local demo day for this bike later this month... I'm going to see if I can get in on it schedule permitting.

Pete

[Flounder]

I imagine sale of Buells are so low because every time I go to a Harley/Buell dealer the Buells are stuck in a dark corner by themselves and the sales guys cringe any time you ask about them.

There's a Ulysees at one of our local HD dealers and they have no interest in trying to sell it. They just knock the price down and hope it walks out on its own.

[texas taco]

Thanks for the replies. The reason i started this thread is because earlier this week i talked to two very seasond overland riders(one is a motorcycle instructor). Both said the KTM has reliabilty issues.They used the same words" KTM You better buy LOCTITE." The instrctor said the BMW GS has drive line failures. He has ridden with guys with the BMW. He was thinking about buying the buell after retireing his Honda. I am just doing reserch. What do ya'll think???? I would like a bike thats big enough for my trusted copilot{wife} and me to ride together.

[Flounder]

Depends what you plan to do with this ride. I've had a few "Adventure bikes" although to me a bike is a bike, what you do with it is the adventure. I've logged a lot of miles in far off places and I wouldn't buy a Buell for any unusual riding to far off destinations and please, oh, please tell my you will never see dirt. That bike looks like a true fright off pavement.

For the record, I logged 5500 miles in one trip on my GS 650 BMW and it didn't have a moments trouble. I know a fella who rode a GS 1150 from Argentina to Alaska back to Argentina. Drive line troubles??? Not for him. I have heard KTMs have some quirks, but boy oh boy have they proven themselves to be capable of any outing.

Buell? Not for me. If you can find one, my favorite of my bikes was a Honda Africa Twin 750. What a great bike. I sure miss that one. Google it.

[jerdog53]

Motor Cyclist magazine recently had a comparo between the Buell U, KTM 990 Adventure, and the BMW 1200 Adventure. It's worth a read.

It confirmed what I had thought. The Buell is really a street bike. On all but nice fire roads it'll be outclassed pretty fast by both the KTM and BMW....

Add that to the fact that you can find a barely used 1150 GS or KTM 950 for less than the Buell, unless the styling just "does it" for you, I think there are better all around big dual sports on the market.

-H-


What month issue was that?

[Hltoppr]

Maybe February 2007? I'll check when I get home...

BMW Drive line failures...yeah, I've heard of folks having issues, but I personally haven't had any and don't think they're that common. I have put into my 60,000 mile service the rear drive gasket....and I just change the rear gear oil every 7500 miles or so...cheap insurance. The GSs can be thrown down cliffs and won't let you down....

The KTMs were known to have water pump issues, as well as some loose bolts in the charging system...The old joke was that KTM stands for Kan't Take Mexico....

Any bike is an adventure bike....heck, my last trip through Mexico one of my buddies was on a 1973 BMW R90S streetbike, and was the only one of us not to drop his bike off road!

If the Buell fits you well and you like it, then no problems. I think there are better bikes, even slightly used, for the $11K the Buell is going for; however. But then again, to each his own...get the bike you like!

-H-

[Icewalker]

I'd go along with everyone else - for the money there are far better bikes dual sports out there.

IMHO all of Buells' creations are bikes looking for an engine - too bad Eric Buell couldn't cut the umbilical between himself and HD. If he had access to decent engines and gearboxes my bet is that he could come up with a really good dually.

[ricardo]

The Buell Ullises is a pretty nice bike but far from a "ADVenture" machine, from the start the Steering lock (How much the fork can move to turn) is constrain by the shape of the frame (Awesome water form frame that holds the gas inside) also suffer from ground clearance issues, Rocks get on the Belts from time to time and they somehow "EXplote", again is more a SUV than a real "Truck"

In short is a great statement bike, really pretty and actually very well crafted (specially for a Harley) but is more a "Poser movil" than anything else..

If you are Serius about long term riding, with no acomodations or luxury the old R80GS and R100GS are famous for the extreme reliability and easy to fix.

Also on the cheap the Kawazaki KLR (650 single) is dificult to out-stage, is basic, hell is very basic, nothing really works perfectlly, but it get you around and they are almost Un-killable.

Another choice a little more street oriented but also capable of dirt and long highway milliage (far better than the "Ully" that is for sure) is the Suzuki V-strom series, they make then on a 1000CC version and the one I like the most the 650cc, they are base on the SV650 street bike V-twin engine (Twins is were is at in terms of Torque) and you can find a miilion aftermarket parts to make them Go, plus they are very dependable and not to expensive to operate..

In my eyes the Fairnings are a little to "Plastiqy" and chessy but they work really well in terms of wind protection..


In my case I have own a KTM950 ADVenture and Yes they do have issues, specially the first year, but Oh my God she will leave anything else in the dust (well maybe exept the $20,000 dollar BMW HP2) in terms of Dirt performance (for a big bike that is) and also ride very well on pavement.

I also have two KTM 640 ADVentures, I like them even better than the 950 and they are mostlly trouble free, with a exelent service record and a few wins at the dakar too (No big deal actually since about 90% of the bikes racing the dakar this days are KTm singles)

but My very favorite of all time is my R11GS that I have almost a 350,000 milles of absolute trashing (See the tread I start the other day oin this same forum), so far the engine is the same, yes I have replace seven clutches, 4 trannys, many, many brake pads but she has never let me down and alway brings me home, not to mension the riding caracteristics are amazing and well make you look like a "Rockstar" even if you are a mediocre rider, on the contrary the KTM950 will eat you alive if you make one mistake...

one big leason that I'm sure you know already, don't believe everything you read on the Net I'm being around Motorcycle forums for a few years and the typical person that complains the most is the one that rides the least...

Here are my Picture Galleries (http://patineto.smugmug.com/Motorcycles) if you feel like taking a tour on motorcycle heaven, at least a somehow "Dirty" kind of Heaven

[Flounder]

I was the brief owner of a 1000 V-Strom. Nice enough. I'd freak if I had to do any dirt on that beast. Really, that bike is a pavement ride. I tickled the idea of making it a little more off road worthy, but in the end I realized it will never be worth a poop off the tarmac.

Shortest term I owned any bike was that V-Strom. 8 months and she was gone.

[ricardo]

I was the brief owner of a 1000 V-Strom. Nice enough. I'd freak if I had to do any dirt on that beast. Really, that bike is a pavement ride.

Just another case of...

Is not the Arrow, is the Indian
http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/1120796-L.jpg

http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/1120797-L.jpg

http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/1120798-L.jpg

http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/1120799-L.jpg

http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/1120800-L.jpg

http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/1120801-L.jpg

And me on a "Dirt-bike" i made base on a R11S bmw.
http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/1251961-L.jpg

[ricardo]

The BMW has another great advantage "they never really FALL" since the cylinder head stop the bike half way.

for example...

No kick stand...

being the Dummy that I'm, i got the bike stuck because i over pun the rear wheel trying to climb this super steep hill..
http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/1120751-M.jpg

I decide it was easier to dump the bike on here side (Yes on porpuse) and then use the cylinder head to spin the bike 180 degres down the hill.
http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/1120752-M.jpg

Who ever tell you this thing are Heavy
http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/1120753-M.jpg

And i little "Movie" on the same topic.
http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/1001536-M.gif

[Hltoppr]

Ricardo....

It's always good to see someone who is a tad more nuts than I am....:violent-smiley-031:

Great pics!

-H-

[Flounder]

That looks like my idea of hell. I might have attempted most of that with my Africa Twin, but that V-Strom really did feel outta place on the dirt. For starters, if it ever fell over, it shattered like a pinata minus the candy.

Props to that fella.

...and I take offense to that statement, "is not the arrow, is the indian."

My mother was arrow. :)

[805gregg]

I've dropped my DL1000 many times, only thing that breaks is turn signal and tip of levers. I followed a 1150 GSA and 950 KTM all over baja off road for 2 days they couldn't leave me, the KTM rider said " I couldn't beleive it everytime I looked in my mirror you were right there". It's the rider not the bike.

[ricardo]

Ricardo....

It's always good to see someone who is a tad more nuts than I am....:violent-smiley-031:

Great pics!

-H-

H welcome to the club of the space cadets and nut cases

[ricardo]

That looks like my idea of hell. I might have attempted most of that with my Africa Twin, but that V-Strom really did feel outta place on the dirt. For starters, if it ever fell over, it shattered like a pinata minus the candy.

Props to that fella.


the are Right, the V-stroms (little one and big one) feature to many inherent handcaps

the Plastics I don't care, that is just Money and cosmetics, the big issue is the lack of ground clearance that can perforate the engine cases and leave you stranded and the stupid location of the oil cooler that get pack in mud in seconds , overheating the bike and creating excesive stress
http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/16399-M-1.jpg


...and I take offense to that statement, "is not the arrow, is the indian."

My mother was arrow. :)

Sorry my friend, but as you can see "It can be Done"

Ps: Jean Luc the rider of the S-strom is not only very skillful but also absolutlly crazy

[ricardo]

I've dropped my DL1000 many times, only thing that breaks is turn signal and tip of levers. I followed a 1150 GSA and 950 KTM all over baja off road for 2 days they couldn't leave me, the KTM rider said " I couldn't beleive it everytime I looked in my mirror you were right there". It's the rider not the bike.

well Greg or you are a Hell of a Rider or the Guy on the 950 has no idea how to ride a bike like the 950 in the dirt...

I have ridden at least 450,000 miles on GS's (three of them {bike rack bike is 340,000miles alone} many of them in the dirt) even race them in a few occasions for example the Elsinore 100 Mille race agains little tinny two strokes (The Kick the S^^T out of Ricky).
http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/1298023-M.jpg


And i also own a KTm 950 for a few years and I rode it mostlly on dirt events.

http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/4488841-L-1.jpg

so I can tell you the Ktm is a FAr Better bike in the Dirt (On the Street the Strom engine is fantastic, but I still keep my GS's if I can only have one bike) than any of this other megaEnduros, In fact the Ulysses will not even finish many of the rides that we do, the Belt will collect small rocks and fail or the engine will hit rock bottom and start to leak.

Here are some photos of that the KTM 950 can do on the Hyperskilfull hands of a master rider like Jimmy lewis (POdium dakar finisher amongs a few other tittles)

http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/51489400-M.jpg

http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/51489414-M.jpg

http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/51489410-M.jpg

http://patineto.smugmug.com/photos/51489416-M.jpg

[jerdog53]

This is what I have read all over the net: If you are more dirt orientated get the KTM big twin if you’re more street orientated get the BMW. The BMW is better on the street and more comfortable for long periods in the saddle, but the KTM is way more fun to ride period!

[Bruce Behnfeldt]

This is what I have read all over the net: If you are more dirt orientated get the KTM big twin if you’re more street orientated get the BMW.....

i read the same thing......












....alot.

http://hexhead.smugmug.com/photos/111357920-L.jpg

[Wanderlusty]

I found this extensive review of the Ulysses.

http://www.pashnit.com/bikes/BuellUlysses.htm

I would have to count myself as intrigued, but I also will state that I am not at this point very interested in riding on dirt beyond gravel roads.

I would consider the V-Strom before the Buell, based largely on price. But for mostly paved roads, it reads as if the Buell would be a fun ride.

Anyway, good, in-depth write-up for those interested...

[f_skinner]

My impression (from riding one on a 6K mile trip) is the bike is great. I would say more street than dirt but absolutly fantastic on a fire road. It was always fun to leave the sport bikes in the dust on a twisty road on a fully loaded Uly... The only thing I changed was the stock seat and got a special made one from Baldwin Motorcycle Saddles in KS.

It made all the difference. Or you can take the opinion of someone that just sat on one.

Get the bike that fits your needs.

[blatant]

except they haven't made a new one in a few years, the buell is done. Some dealer still have new old stock, like around here....but the buell U is no more...


This is an old *** thread.

[f_skinner]

Yeah, thay have not made one since the 2010 model year...