FZ1 trade to Buell Ulysses?

[knepper123]

Hello everyone, I'm new on this forum. I currently own a 2002 Yamaha FZ1 with an Ivan's jet kit, Givi top case and windscreen, and heated hand grips. I have never ridden a Buell, but for some reason I am interested in having a Ulysses. In order to barely afford the Buell I'd have to sell my Yamaha and my 1980 Honda CM400A Hondamatic. Obviously, if I am not satisfied, it will be a horrible situation.

My main concern is the lack of power and possibly a 6th gear on the Buell. Anyone have a problem with that after coming off a powerful rice burner to the Uly?

I use the Yamaha to commute, so the top case is essential. Would it be possible to transfer the Givi case to the Buell?

Thanks for the help!

[rockmurf]

You should have a couple more concerns. Heat off the engine on the ule is incredible, quality of the ule vs. the yamaha. Not many bikes can match the quickness of the fz1 but the ule is no slouch. Defintely demo one. That is one bike that is easy to get a demo ride on. The givi box should fit with their adaptor plate. Contact givi for a definitive answer.. The ule will be fun but it is hot and loud. Good luck, ride safe Everett

[lowflyer]

Mine is neither hot nor loud.

I agree with the demo ride advice. Beware that if you ride it, you will likely be instantly addicted. It's not nearly as quick as the FZ1, but the low end grunt gives it a lot of real world bang without all the revving and noise. You will probably dig how easily it leans over and how you won't have to shift to accelerate out of corners. The seat is comfortable enough for long days.

I would say there is less than a 10% chance that you will hate it. This has to do with the transition from a highly refined silky smooth Japanese bike to a more visceral and raw HD sort of feel. I think this is what makes people either love it or hate it. It seems like there are few folks in between. I have over 12k on mine and when I am not riding it, I am thinking about riding it.

Definitely test ride.

[snowscum]

Mine does get pretty hot but its way to much fun to worry about. One of these days Im gona get it tuned so it wont run so hot. Like Lowflyer said, if Im not riding it Im thinking about riding her(Uly). Not sure if the FZ has more wind protection that might be something you might care about.
Its really my only beef with the bike. But you cant have this much fun and have a big ol fairing hanging from it.

Hopefully you can get a demo. My demo was on one with the race kit. Oh my what a sell.

My other choice was a FZ but its just to small of bike for my lanky ass.

[Garry]

Originally Posted by lowflyer

Mine is neither hot nor loud.

I agree with the demo ride advice. Beware that if you ride it, you will likely be instantly addicted. It's not nearly as quick as the FZ1, but the low end grunt gives it a lot of real world bang without all the revving and noise. You will probably dig how easily it leans over and how you won't have to shift to accelerate out of corners. The seat is comfortable enough for long days.

I would say there is less than a 10% chance that you will hate it. This has to do with the transition from a highly refined silky smooth Japanese bike to a more visceral and raw HD sort of feel. I think this is what makes people either love it or hate it. It seems like there are few folks in between. I have over 12k on mine and when I am not riding it, I am thinking about riding it.

Definitely test ride.

Yes, definately test ride it. I did, three times. Never got the SEG I hoped for. I *really* wanted to love it and just thought it was OK. Nothing really wrong with it, but we didn't *click*. I did get the SEG when demo'ing a Multistada "S", but they're a bit rich for my blood. I'm still enamoured with the Uly though and will likely give it yet another chance next spring.

I think going from an I4 to a V-twin will be a drastic change in engine character that may or may not trip your trigger on the demo ride. I suspect the Uly is a bike some people have to grow to love (with lots of quality seat time).

[zynthaxx]

Originally Posted by rockmurf

You should have a couple more concerns. Heat off the engine on the ule is incredible, quality of the ule vs. the yamaha. Not many bikes can match the quickness of the fz1 but the ule is no slouch. Defintely demo one. That is one bike that is easy to get a demo ride on. The givi box should fit with their adaptor plate. Contact givi for a definitive answer.. The ule will be fun but it is hot and loud. Good luck, ride safe Everett

A uly with the original pipe warms up your right-side foot at stand-still - but hey, a bike should be ridden, right?
Otherwise, just wear your gear, and everything is fine.

[thunder1200]

My best advice -- don't take a test ride unless you willing to part with your other bikes. :)

If you do -- take a few test rides at different dealerships if you can. Have the dealership set the suspension up for your weight. It's not difficult, just important. A few dealerships that sell Buell don't have a staff that knows the product so visit a couple.

[Red_Chili]

Originally Posted by thunder1200

My best advice -- don't take a test ride unless you willing to part with your other bikes. :)

If you do -- take a few test rides at different dealerships if you can. Have the dealership set the suspension up for your weight. It's not difficult, just important. A few dealerships that sell Buell don't have a staff that knows the product so visit a couple.

I have a theory: some Buell dealerships suck at setup. You covered the suspension, but I also wonder about some of the people who complain so loudly about vibration even at cruising speeds; especially curious since my Uly is butter smooth just off idle, while retaining a glorious throbbing at idle.

I think they screw up the primary chain adjustment and induce vibes. That, and don't zero the TPS. Could explain a great deal of the complaints.

[Red_Chili]

Originally Posted by rockmurf

You should have a couple more concerns. Heat off the engine on the ule is incredible, quality of the ule vs. the yamaha. ...

What's wrong with the quality of the Yamaha?

I mean, sure, they are stamped out like tinker toys, and they don't make a model that appeals to me, but gee, isn't that a little harsh?

My Uly's heat off the engine is quite credible. The frame is as compact as possible to produce a very tight, small, nimble package that does not feel like a 1200 (or many 600s!). It is also manageable with Special OPS blankets to redirect the hot air. My Beemers also toasted my feet for credible reasons; that did not stop me from liking them. The XR is also hot blooded and will roast you in rush hour, but is also manageable.

The Yamaha is a whole different way of approaching a motorcycle than a Uly; for that reason, if you really like the Yammie you may be at risk of a cultural adjustment that may or may not succeed. I like raw-boned motorcycles, always have, so the Uly especially appealed to me.

Ride it. Ride it again. Ride it a third time over as long a distance as you can arrange. Sit on the decision for a while. If you cannot get the Uly off your mind, spring for it. If you can, walk away.

[cbr2adv?]

I was riding an '04 CBR600 F4i, which was a great bike. I had basically decided that I wanted to move into an adventure bike, so that I could more easily do some dirt road / fire trail type of riding, and have a more comfortable riding position. Because most of my riding was still going to be pavement, power was still a primary concern as well, so that left me considering only the larger displacement bikes. Vstrom didn't meet my visual requirement, GS didn't meet my wallet requirements, KTM wasn't they type of bike I was looking for, and the Tigers were too few and far between to check out. So the Uly was up for consideration.

I went for a test ride. Rode the bike, and has a list of like and dislikes. The list of dislikes was longer than I would have liked, so I was put off from the bike for a little while. Waited a while, took a second test ride, and many of the dislikes were gone, or at least overshadowed by the "likes" list. Tried to make a deal, but it didn't work out. A few weeks later, took a third ride at a different dealership on a different bike that had about 500 miles on it. More of the dislikes were gone, and I made a deal and took the bike home. I've put about 1000 more miles on it since then, and am absolutely loving it. Can't wait to get on again.

For power, not quite as much as my 600 ricer, but considerably more torque. The comparatively low redline took some getting used to, and the torque makes up for a lower amount of overall power.

6th gear is not necessary. I hardly use 5th, and when I do it is only on the freeway. If anything, I would like to see a lower overall gearset to get 1st down a little. Someone has done this by changing their primary gearing, but the downside is, that this bike is already a wheelie machine. With a lower first gear, the front wheel would always be off the ground.

Occasionally I ride w/ a friend who has a new VFR. When we swap, I alway comment about how damn smooth the Honda's are. The Uly is not smooth in the way that a japanese bike is. What is unexplainable though, is that I want to get back on the Uly. The Uly gives me this kind of visceral feeling that I just don't get with the VFR or CBR.

Three things to consider - 1)Uly will have more wind issues above 70 mph, but the aftermarket has some remedies. 2) The Uly will vibrate at lower rpm. 3)The fan will run and will be loud. It will always run when you shut the bike off and you will have to explain it to people.

That said, I love the bike, and still am happy with my decision to purchase.

[FT BSTRD]

You have to make the mental adjustment that you are completely changing bike types.

I don't think you can directly compare an FZ1 to the Uly. They are different bikes. It's like comparing a 350Z to a Defender 90. Both are competent but are different "tools" for different jobs.

The FZ1s are smooth, powerful and refined, but refined can leave you detatched from the riding experience (like riding in a Lincoln Town Car, a couch on wheels).

The Uly is louder, coarser, and less refined. It will have less horsepower up top, but the torque down low more than makes up for it. If you regularly run at 120 MPH+ and are upset when someone blows past you, you will not like the Uly. It simply isn't that kind of "tool".

One of my buddies has a 2006 FZ1. He and I are fairly equal in riding abilities. In the straights, he can leave me. In the twisties, he has a hard time catching me. He has to work to row through his gearbox in the twisties. I lock it into third gear and run 30 to 80 MPH. He laughs in that "I never shift!" He says he can hear it wind up and down, but there is never a shift point. 3rd gear is magical in this feature and is the closest thing to an automatic transmission.

The Uly vibrates at idle. REALLY VIBRATES. If this bothers you, walk away. Once you get it above 2000-2500 RPM, it smoothes out.

There is more heat on the right side due to the header and rear cylinder configuration. If you wear proper gear, you won't notice. If you're a jeans and T-Shirt rider, you will.

It is a naked bike. Naked bikes expose the rider to wind. A lot of wind. The airflow is smooth and predictable. There is no buffeting just a constant flow of wind. If you want maximum wind protection, walk away. Aftermarket options reduce the direct wind impact at the cost of buffeting.

The quality is different. The FZ1 is Japanese bomb proof. The Japanese as a whole don't make many changes to tried and true technologies. Their electronics are usually flawless because they don't change them very often. They don't use new vendors. As an example, the radios in their cars change only about every 10 years, whereas US manufacturers may change electronics vendors every 2-5 years.

Buell is similar to other US manufacturers in that vendors are changed much more frequently. You will find some parts that have problems due to the fact that they are from new sources. If there are issues, they will emerge quickly, but you will have to deal with a potentially problem part early. Buell has a 2 year unlimited mileage warranty, so any potential problems you have will be covered under warranty at no cost to you. Some bikes have absolutely no problems, ever. Others, like mine, have a few problems that get worked out quickly (Bank Angle Sensor, Bad Fuel Pump, Bad Fan).

Once the "bugs" are worked out, the bikes are very reliable. Buells are also easy to work on, easy to tune, and have very cheap parts (relative to Yamahas).

I hope this helps.

[Dave Lindhorst]

I think you said it quite well for a FT BSTRD. I second everything you said. I have never really noticed the heat issue as I wear proper riding gear. For anyone who has riden an FJR the Uly heat problem is minor compared to that bike and to some degree the ST1300 is also a hot ride.

I know when I like a bike because I spend very little time looking at other new machines. Since the Uly I look very little at any of the new bikes. My satisfaction level is very high and you can't understate the demo ride to try any bike out. Go for a ride and get the cheque book out. One bitten, you will have to get the cure.

The Uly won't bite everyone but it has converted many more people to it, than away from it.

[Dave Stueve]

Knepper,
Could I interest you in a trip to Wisconsin?

[TotalMotard]

I had an FZ1, here's a link to my initial review: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...ht=confessions.

I'm at 18,000 miles on the Uly since March and loving it. Don't miss the FZ1 at all.

[scorch]

Originally Posted by knepper123

Hello everyone, I'm new on this forum. I currently own a 2002 Yamaha FZ1 with an Ivan's jet kit, Givi top case and windscreen, and heated hand grips. I have never ridden a Buell, but for some reason I am interested in having a Ulysses. In order to barely afford the Buell I'd have to sell my Yamaha and my 1980 Honda CM400A Hondamatic. Obviously, if I am not satisfied, it will be a horrible situation.

My main concern is the lack of power and possibly a 6th gear on the Buell. Anyone have a problem with that after coming off a powerful rice burner to the Uly?

I use the Yamaha to commute, so the top case is essential. Would it be possible to transfer the Givi case to the Buell?

Thanks for the help!

I think you would be dissapointed going from the fz1 to the uly. Its not the same bike. I found the uly to be real low on power, it felt like a very lazy engine. It vibriated quite a bit at idle, but it just smoothed out later as you moved. The attention to detail is bad in the uly, even the stitching they do on the seat looks cheap. The clock gauges look like they came from a toy. And there was so much heat burning my legs.

Best thing about the uly is no valve adjustments, and no chain. It has a raw type of motor that I like, but i dont like it enough to buy it


Get the type of bike that makes you happy, its the only reason for buying a motorcycle. Motorcycles aren't rational decisions.