Still Ecstatic with My Buell Ulysses XB12X

thunder1200 · 11-29-2005, 07:21 PM

My Uly story...the condensed version.

I owned a really nice Roulette Green '01 Triumph Tiger 955i for about 3 years. A *good* motorcycle. I'll be upfront and tell ya I'm biased towards V-Twin power though. I don't really value the silky smoothness of a power plant and the snick snick of a transmission. I prefer a visceral experience when riding and not... ...a sewing machine.

My Tiger was my motorcycle of choice for all around riding. It was comfortable and had good power. It was fun in the twisties and nice on the super-slab. My Tiger did look *ANgry* with the sports wind shield on it and landed me on the (sometime coveted) front of http://www.killboy.com/

I liked my Tiger even if someone would refer to it as looking like a pregnant Guppy.

Rumors finally confirmed my wishes and the new Buell Ulysses was unveiled. I had speculated about such a bike from Buell for a few years and waited for them to step up to the plate. (I have a '95 Buell S2, and a '99 S3 plus I had a '98S1W...told ya I was a bit biased) I knew I'd become very dangerous when I started making spreadsheets analyzing every aspect of a potential deal. Lust for the new Buell was dangerously growing. Collecting pictures, thinking of Yellow or Black, consuming articles and reviews of the new Ulysses.

After constant weekly contact for about 2 months and discussing a potential deal for weeks, I was called and told a Ulysses was in about 90 miles at my nearest HD/Buell dealership. (Don't get me started on the Buell dealer network) I hadn't put any money down on it because I was keeping my emotional distance from the rationale and shrewd dealer side of me. Having to work the weekend, I was quickly deflated on the following Monday when the salesman told me it sold that first weekend there. A bit despondent, I mustered the energy to call the next day to find out when Ulysses #2 would arrive. Come to find out, the Uly didn't sell after all! The potential buyer had put money down but decided the bike was too much (tall) for him.

On Oct 7th I traded my '01 Tiger in on that black Buell Ulysses XB12X. Others have drawn attention (not intentionally) over problems but mine proves to be a terrific ride every day. A week later I installed the 3 piece Buell luggage. (Very nice!) My first trip after owning it a week was from Birmingham, AL to St Louis and then on to Chicago and back to AL. ~3600 miles on it now and I ride it near every day.

Ride what makes ya happy .... This Ulysses makes me happy.... hell Ecstatic

brat · 11-29-2005, 08:48 PM

Sorry Thunder, can't see your bike, some idiot's standing in front of it!

modrover · 11-29-2005, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brat

Sorry Thunder, can't see your bike, some idiot's standing in front of it!

Yeah man... let's see the bike!

thunder1200 · 11-30-2005, 05:57 AM

Sunnuvvabiiiii... Tha's the same idiot that works on all my bikes!

Fontana Dam, NC in October

SpeedStar · 11-30-2005, 08:05 AM

Thunder - I know how you feel. I have had mine for about a month now and 1500 miles later this thing is a blast.
I have fun on it everytime I ride it.

DLdeano · 11-30-2005, 10:07 AM

Damn you all...I ride a strom 650 and love it, but every time I read a Uly thread I get the hankering to lose my shirt on a trade in and buy a Uly.

As good as my strom is, plus the cost of a Uly, plus a divorce attorney (I am sure the wife would love a $12K bike added to the collection), it doesn't seem like a bargain for me...but a really neat bike nonetheless.

I love my strom, it is as good a bike as I could ever want, but I have always been atracted to the Buell line and wanted to buy American, but nothing was ever practical enough for daily use. The Uly changed all of that for me. However, can some one please tell me that the Uly sucks, and is not any fun to ride, so I can lose the urge, please??
Great looking scoot, thunder...now go away

Uncle Larry · 11-30-2005, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DLdeano

Damn you all...I ride a strom 650 and love it, but every time I read a Uly thread I get the hankering to lose my shirt on a trade in and buy a Uly.

As good as my strom is, plus the cost of a Uly, plus a divorce attorney (I am sure the wife would love a $12K bike added to the collection), it doesn't seem like a bargain for me...but a really neat bike nonetheless.

I love my strom, it is as good a bike as I could ever want, but I have always been atracted to the Buell line and wanted to buy American, but nothing was ever practical enough for daily use. The Uly changed all of that for me. However, can some one please tell me that the Uly sucks, and is not any fun to ride, so I can lose the urge, please??
Great looking scoot, thunder...now go away

Yeah... same here. I love my Wee-Strom but that Uly looks amazing and I would like to ride an American bike, too. Plus, belt drive is the future... I hate the fucking chain.

Kingsqueak · 11-30-2005, 12:19 PM

I'd like to see you contrast it vs the Tiger, another bike I like.

Ogre_fl · 11-30-2005, 01:36 PM

Thunder1200,

You would'nt have been traveling north on 65 Just south of Huntsville on Sunday October 23rd?

I was Jonesing over the Ully BIG TIME when I was on a trip up there and could not believe I actualy saw a black one with bags heading North.

Was that you???

jdpower · 11-30-2005, 02:31 PM

Hey, great pics of your Uly. It is a very sweet looking bike. I will have to try to get a test ride in Daytona the first week of March maybe. However, I do have a Dl1000 and a DL650 and don't really want to part with either one, so it would have to be more than special. Now if Harley would just pop for a free tattoo, I just might do it (NOT), hehe.

JDP

TwoBuells · 11-30-2005, 03:11 PM

This bike is just too much fun. I'm not looking forward to winter.........

TwoBuells · 11-30-2005, 03:19 PM

This was at the dealer the day I picked up the XB12X.....Blue XB9R was my trade-in.....I miss it but, the Uly is helping me get over it......

chadhargis · 11-30-2005, 05:53 PM

I haven't owned mine a week yet, but I can tell you that it's a highly entertaining bike to ride. Read the stats, and you might not be impressed. But ride it, and you discover that the sum of the parts is awesome.

The bike handles with razor sharp precision. The FI is great. Brakes work wonderfully. My only gripe is the paint shaker idle. Even the engine heat has gotten better after an oil change and the fan runs much less.

Can't wait to put some miles on it! :)

alimey4u2 · 11-30-2005, 06:03 PM

Has Buell got their "reliability" issues sorted ??
I too find them attractive (in a masculine kinda way........

)

TwoBuells · 11-30-2005, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alimey4u2

Has Buell got their "reliability" issues sorted ??
I too find them attractive (in a masculine kinda way........

)

I had my 2003 XB9R Firebolt that I traded on the Uly for three years 17,600 miles with zero problems.
I've owned 6 Buells in the last Ten years
The XB series Buells are the best and "reliability" issues are a thing of the past.

11-29-2005, 07:21 PM	#1
thunder1200 Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2005 Location: Birmingham, AL Oddometer: 361	Still Ecstatic with My Buell Ulysses XB12X My Uly story...the condensed version. I owned a really nice Roulette Green '01 Triumph Tiger 955i for about 3 years. A good motorcycle. I'll be upfront and tell ya I'm biased towards V-Twin power though. I don't really value the silky smoothness of a power plant and the snick snick of a transmission. I prefer a visceral experience when riding and not... ...a sewing machine. My Tiger was my motorcycle of choice for all around riding. It was comfortable and had good power. It was fun in the twisties and nice on the super-slab. My Tiger did look ANgry with the sports wind shield on it and landed me on the (sometime coveted) front of http://www.killboy.com/ I liked my Tiger even if someone would refer to it as looking like a pregnant Guppy. Rumors finally confirmed my wishes and the new Buell Ulysses was unveiled. I had speculated about such a bike from Buell for a few years and waited for them to step up to the plate. (I have a '95 Buell S2, and a '99 S3 plus I had a '98S1W...told ya I was a bit biased) I knew I'd become very dangerous when I started making spreadsheets analyzing every aspect of a potential deal. Lust for the new Buell was dangerously growing. Collecting pictures, thinking of Yellow or Black, consuming articles and reviews of the new Ulysses. After constant weekly contact for about 2 months and discussing a potential deal for weeks, I was called and told a Ulysses was in about 90 miles at my nearest HD/Buell dealership. (Don't get me started on the Buell dealer network) I hadn't put any money down on it because I was keeping my emotional distance from the rationale and shrewd dealer side of me. Having to work the weekend, I was quickly deflated on the following Monday when the salesman told me it sold that first weekend there. A bit despondent, I mustered the energy to call the next day to find out when Ulysses #2 would arrive. Come to find out, the Uly didn't sell after all! The potential buyer had put money down but decided the bike was too much (tall) for him. On Oct 7th I traded my '01 Tiger in on that black Buell Ulysses XB12X. Others have drawn attention (not intentionally) over problems but mine proves to be a terrific ride every day. A week later I installed the 3 piece Buell luggage. (Very nice!) My first trip after owning it a week was from Birmingham, AL to St Louis and then on to Chicago and back to AL. ~3600 miles on it now and I ride it near every day. Ride what makes ya happy .... This Ulysses makes me happy.... hell Ecstatic __________________ DAve '06 Buell Ulysses XB12X (It stole me from my '01 Tiger) http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107187 '99 Buell S3 Nuked-Demon Thunderbolt '95 Buell S2 Thunderbolt Last edited by thunder1200 : 11-29-2005 at 07:28 PM.

11-30-2005, 05:57 AM	#4
thunder1200 Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2005 Location: Birmingham, AL Oddometer: 361	Sunnuvvabiiiii... Tha's the same idiot that works on all my bikes! Fontana Dam, NC in October __________________ DAve '06 Buell Ulysses XB12X (It stole me from my '01 Tiger) http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107187 '99 Buell S3 Nuked-Demon Thunderbolt '95 Buell S2 Thunderbolt

11-30-2005, 10:07 AM	#6
DLdeano Ridin' all I can Joined: May 2005 Location: N. Georgia, USA Oddometer: 783	Damn you all...I ride a strom 650 and love it, but every time I read a Uly thread I get the hankering to lose my shirt on a trade in and buy a Uly. As good as my strom is, plus the cost of a Uly, plus a divorce attorney (I am sure the wife would love a $12K bike added to the collection), it doesn't seem like a bargain for me...but a really neat bike nonetheless. I love my strom, it is as good a bike as I could ever want, but I have always been atracted to the Buell line and wanted to buy American, but nothing was ever practical enough for daily use. The Uly changed all of that for me. However, can some one please tell me that the Uly sucks, and is not any fun to ride, so I can lose the urge, please?? Great looking scoot, thunder...now go away __________________

11-30-2005, 03:11 PM	#11
TwoBuells Adventurer Joined: Oct 2005 Oddometer: 45	3000 miles and still the best bike I've owned! This bike is just too much fun. I'm not looking forward to winter......... __________________ 2009 Buell XB12X Ulysses 2008 Buell 1125R 2007 Can-am Renegade 800 over 100,000 Buell miles Better to be a Racer for a moment, Than a Spectator for a lifetime.

11-30-2005, 03:19 PM	#12
TwoBuells Adventurer Joined: Oct 2005 Oddometer: 45	This was at the dealer the day I picked up the XB12X.....Blue XB9R was my trade-in.....I miss it but, the Uly is helping me get over it...... __________________ 2009 Buell XB12X Ulysses 2008 Buell 1125R 2007 Can-am Renegade 800 over 100,000 Buell miles Better to be a Racer for a moment, Than a Spectator for a lifetime.

11-29-2005, 08:48 PM	#2
brat Adventurer Joined: Sep 2005 Location: Australia Oddometer: 46	Ulysses Sorry Thunder, can't see your bike, some idiot's standing in front of it!

11-30-2005, 08:05 AM	#5
SpeedStar KTM 950SM and DL650 Joined: Jan 2005 Location: San Diego, Ca Oddometer: 334	Thunder - I know how you feel. I have had mine for about a month now and 1500 miles later this thing is a blast. I have fun on it everytime I ride it.

11-30-2005, 12:19 PM	#8
Kingsqueak Wannabe Joined: May 2005 Location: Monmouth County, NJ Oddometer: 713	I'd like to see you contrast it vs the Tiger, another bike I like.

11-30-2005, 01:36 PM	#9
Ogre_fl Studly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2004 Location: Cook Bayou, FL Oddometer: 725	Thunder1200, You would'nt have been traveling north on 65 Just south of Huntsville on Sunday October 23rd? I was Jonesing over the Ully BIG TIME when I was on a trip up there and could not believe I actualy saw a black one with bags heading North. Was that you???

11-30-2005, 02:31 PM	#10
jdpower Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Feb 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC USA Oddometer: 288	Hey, great pics of your Uly. It is a very sweet looking bike. I will have to try to get a test ride in Daytona the first week of March maybe. However, I do have a Dl1000 and a DL650 and don't really want to part with either one, so it would have to be more than special. Now if Harley would just pop for a free tattoo, I just might do it (NOT), hehe. JDP

11-30-2005, 05:53 PM	#13
chadhargis Too tall for sportbikes Joined: Dec 2001 Location: Nashville, TN Oddometer: 1,993	I haven't owned mine a week yet, but I can tell you that it's a highly entertaining bike to ride. Read the stats, and you might not be impressed. But ride it, and you discover that the sum of the parts is awesome. The bike handles with razor sharp precision. The FI is great. Brakes work wonderfully. My only gripe is the paint shaker idle. Even the engine heat has gotten better after an oil change and the fan runs much less. Can't wait to put some miles on it! :) __________________ MSF Certified RiderCoach Nashville, TN '09 Buell 1125CR '08 Kymco Agility 125

11-30-2005, 06:03 PM	#14
alimey4u2 Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2005 Oddometer: 288	Has Buell got their "reliability" issues sorted ?? I too find them attractive (in a masculine kinda way........ )

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