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Froggy
| | Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 02:37 pm: | 
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Well today I decided to take the Ulything to work, as I have been riding nothing but the Blast since getting it last weekend. All I can say is what a night and day difference. First I have to climb onto the Uly, vs. the Blast I just walk from behind it and then just sit down. My Uly still has Lightning bars on it, so I am all hunched over compared to the Blast. Then backing it up, it takes effort to move the thing and keep it balanced, vs. the Blast I can just pick it up and put it in my backpack if I so desired. Then low speed maneuvering, the Blast walks all over my bike and has a much tighter turning radius. Then handling at speed, today I overshot a turn because the bike refused to dive in like the Blast. It takes much more effort and feels less stable, and a little twitchy.
Although, right after that I just twisted the throttle and the front end came straight up, so I decided to forget about all of those handling issues and focus on what really matters. The Blast absolutely refuses to come up, but I did get it to pop up during a hard upshit into 2nd. I guess I will watch some more videos online and tweak the suspension a bit more. After riding the Blast, it felt like I was driving a school bus. |
Mideon
| | Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 02:49 pm: |
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My first Buell was a Blast and I did the Rider's Edge course on the Blast training bikes. I could def take a lot sharper corner on the Blast but I'm telling you, going any distance even a 100+ mile ride my butt was numb on my Blast and my Uly can go the distance comfortably. Not to mention I don't have to worry so much about running our of fuel! |
Rwven
| | Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 02:50 pm: |
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Hmm, I have yet to have a problem getting my Uly to dive into a corner, quite the opposite in fact as I often end up a bit deeper into turns than I really wanted be. |
Mideon
| | Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 02:58 pm: |
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I'm always paranoid of all the crap I carry in my bags will shift when/if I go too deep |
Froggy
| | Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 02:59 pm: |
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Oh yea the fuel tank is another thing that bugged the hell out of me, I am used to going about 250 miles a tank on the Uly, so I got a nice surprise the other day crossing a bridge. |
Mideon
| | Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 04:44 pm: |
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Get the Vance & Hines Carb Jet Kit and Exhaust and you will add about 10mpg |
Ronmold
| | Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 05:05 pm: |
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Froggy, I hope you meant "upshift"! |
Bosh
| | Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 05:08 pm: |
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250 miles a tank on the Uly
 WTF! Are you kidding?? I've never seen 200! |
Froggy
| | Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 05:29 pm: |
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Ron, somehow MSword spellcheck didn't pick it up! Well concidering I broke the shift linkage several times in the last few weeks, I think the term applies. 
Bosh, even if I am getting only 60mpg, 4 gallons of gas is 240 miles, so I still got a little bit extra range before I start worrying. I have been riding it a bit more aggressively lately and riding with the others, so my average fuel economy as of late has dropped to only 57.4mpg 
Too soon to get an accurate read on my Blast
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Eryngium
| | Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 07:01 pm: |
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Apart from the tighter turning radius, I prefer the handling on my Uly. It feels much more stable. My Blast feels too twitchy - almost unpredictable. Leaning into turns feels smoother on Uleen. When I occasionally ride the Blast to keep her running until I get her sold, I always feel better going back to Uleen. Oh yeah, backing up is much easier on the Blast |
Joesbuell
| | Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 07:15 pm: |
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Sounds like the problem Nicky Haydens having with the Ducati!   |
Glen
| | Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 10:47 pm: |
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my DRZ400 will outride my Uly everywere but the straitaways, aint no draggin knees on the zook, if you got room for a knee, yer not leaning far enough lol.
and 70mpg to boot.
thumpers rule!!!!
(Message edited by glen on June 25, 2009) |
Rightpecial
| | Posted on Friday, June 26, 2009 - 12:14 am: |
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My Cyclone would dive in a little easier, was easier to back up, and easier to mount. Although the Uly is better at literally everything else. A lot of it is just from the ridiculously high seat, but with that comes comfort, a commanding view of the road ahead, and the ability to ride on crap roads without breaking a sweat. Wouldn't change it even if someone else was paying for the mods. |
Court
| | Posted on Friday, June 26, 2009 - 06:33 am: |
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>>>my DRZ400 will outride my Uly
So will mine. I've also found a Porsche handles better than a Ford F-150.
It's an amazing world . . . by the way . . a KTM Duke seems to fall right in the middle. |
Sanchez
| | Posted on Friday, June 26, 2009 - 01:33 pm: |
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> Then handling at speed, today I overshot a turn because the bike refused to dive in like the Blast.
You might need to reduce compression damping in the front end or increase preload and/or compression damping in the rear. When the back of the bike squats down relative to the front, it reduces rake angle and slows down turn in.
I had trouble with turn in on my Ulysses and had difficulty holding the line mid corner. The bike wanted to run wide. Now I have preload maxed and some extra compression. I can tighten the line mid corner now if I need to, and I can get on the gas sooner without running out.
I had the same problem for the opposite reason on my track bike. The front end was way too stiff. Backing off the front compression damping fixed the problem. |
Sanchez
| | Posted on Friday, June 26, 2009 - 01:37 pm: |
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> even if I am getting only 60mpg
Wow, what kind of riding gets you 60 mpg?? The only time I've ever seen that kind of mileage was riding a steady 55 mph with no stops on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I get high 40's around town if I'm nice and low 40's if I'm not. |
Hangontight
| | Posted on Friday, June 26, 2009 - 02:41 pm: |
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Sanchez,
I'm right there with you. My low fuel light typically comes on between 140-155 miles. Every tank has been in the 40's. There's no way i'll ever get close to 60mpg. oh well, after 150mi I'm ready to stop anyway. |
Froggy
| | Posted on Friday, June 26, 2009 - 03:27 pm: |
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Sanchez, I got 75mpg on the Blue Ridge.
I will give the suspension a tweak, thanks. |
Glen
| | Posted on Friday, June 26, 2009 - 06:11 pm: |
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<I've also found a Porsche handles better than a Ford F-150.
not in dirt it wont. 
did i mention i own a f-150? |
Sanchez
| | Posted on Friday, June 26, 2009 - 06:44 pm: |
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> Sanchez, I got 75mpg on the Blue Ridge.
What are the differences between your bike and mine? Yours is an 06 Lightning Long, right? Have you changed anything that might increase fuel economy? You have a Micron exhaust, right? Anything else? |
Froggy
| | Posted on Friday, June 26, 2009 - 07:03 pm: |
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That was back when my bike was pretty much a Lightning Long. Mods were Micron, American Sport Bike map, open airbox. That trip was before I started practicing hypermileing. Since that trip I have swapped on the Uly tail and front fairing. But basically its the same as yours. |
New12r
| | Posted on Saturday, June 27, 2009 - 05:26 pm: |
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Froggy, the blast will wheelie, trust me... |
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