| Author | Message | ||
     Eric_cartman |
Hello Everyone, Well after 20,000mi my love-hate relationship with the buell has ended. Loved the bike in the twisties and the low end torque. Hated the fueling, vibration causing things to fall off and break, and the heat and fan noise. The buell will be missed, but Eric has a new girlfriend now. Happy adventuring everyone. | ||
| Bosh |
Looks like you plan on allot of freeway travel. The FJR will be in its element there. Enjoy. | ||
| Xbimmer |
See ya. | ||
| Jphish |
Yikes!! too many escapees from the asylum. First Nutsosane, now cartman. I feel their frustration. Oh well - takin' my 08' Uly on a 3 week vacation in July. Done all the PM and then some. 10K miles and just changed front & rear bearings to KBC, new belt, new Distanzias, irridium plugs, Magnecore wires, changed oil, filter, tranny lube, adjusted primary & clutch, cleaned up ground points & checked everything else that has been identified as potential problem area. Any one think of something I missed ?? Have spare belt, clutch cable & bearings in top case. Nothing left to do now but ride it - Hopefully she will not do anything to make me dream of a 04,05 or 06 Tiger. | ||
| Bartimus |
I feel your pain! My '08 Uly is being replaced with a Honda ST1300 this week. I too, can no longer cope with the Surging, burnt right leg, or the inept stealerships I am forced to take it to for warranty work. I still have my beloved S2's, but am hoping the Honda will take me and my sweetheart from coast to coast comfortably, and enjoyably. I looked at the FJR's, a very fine bike indeed, congrats Eric! | ||
| Osup |
Love my Uly. Enjoy your FJR. Great bikes for slogging. | ||
| Okc99 |
Bart, please keep posting so we few that are on the edge can get a sense of the "other side". I want to know if Honda or Yamaha can provide a better LONG TERM experience. | ||
| Crusty |
All motorcycles are good. If another Make/Model meets a person's needs better than a Uly, then they should buy it and be happy. I can understand the attraction an FJR or ST1300 has for some people, though neither of those bikes do it for me. I'm not into Multi-cylinders (I do find that sexy Moto Guzzi Norge to be really alluring, though). I can also understand the frustration with some of the dealerships; but I've found just as many bad Honda/Yamaha/BMW/etc. dealerships as Harley/Buell has. I've also found some really good H-D/Buell shops. As I said, all bikes are good. After the honeymoon ends, please come back and let us know what you like and don't like about your new rides. | ||
| Jphish |
Barimus - I have an 03 ST1300 - it's my 'spare' for when the Uly decides to act up. I've got 28K pretty trouble free miles on it...no wheelbearing problems. It's a heavy machine and it does get toasty in hot weather in spite of liquid cooling. The ST is a fine touring platform, smooth, fast, stable - but dirt roads not advised. The V4 outboard design is sensitive to lateral weight - so be careful on uneven ground and having front wheel 'squared up' when you come to a stop. (Don't ask) I still prefer the Uly for my camping / fishing / adventure trips. & will continue to work out the kinks. But the ST is a good ride - bar risers really help with the ergonomics & I'm only 5'8". Good luck on the transition. j | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
I'm waiting for the electric bike that can go at least 150 miles per 10 minute charge of the ultra-capacitor. Light weight, heat-problems-free smooth as silk, quiet, torque monster, and practically maintenance free. Hopefully Buell will be the one to provide it. | ||
| Chadhargis |
I sold an FJR1300 to buy my Ulysses. The FJR has a great engine. Huge torque. Smooth, powerful, and fun to twist the happy handle on. I sold it once I got to the point that I was dragging the mufflers in the corners and almost levering the rear tire off the ground. | ||
| Luftkoph |
Indeed Badtimus keep us posted I would esp. like to know about the heat and reported quirky handling above 85mph | ||
| Rsh |
Good for you, the FJR is on my must own list. Every year at the races I go to the Yamaha tent and sign up for a test ride or two or three. It is quite a motorcycle, the Buell feels almost agricultural in comparison. Congrats. | ||
| Dr_greg |
Man, am I the only one (no, I know I'm not) who has a "love-love" relationship w/their Uly? And an '06 at that! And two of the suckers...#1 sacrificed to a forest rat. Hope your next bike is good to you. After 50 years of riding nothing has met my needs like my good ol' '06 Uly...still the BEST year!  --Doc (in Seattle waitin' fer the North Cascades courtesy of JPhish) | ||
| Xbimmer |
Man, am I the only one (no, I know I'm not) who has a "love-love" relationship w/their Uly? And an '06 at that! No. ... the Buell feels almost agricultural in comparison. So THAT'S why I love riding my Uly. Must be an agricultural kinda guy. You could NOT trade to me even a brand new FJR or ST for my seasoned Ulysses. Taste is subjective, and even though I've had my share of issues in the past three years, I'll take "agricultural" over "needlessly complicated" any day. The only part of Buell ownership that riles me is the Harley Davidson crummy dealer disinterest factor. That said, enjoy the uber-fast sport touring tanks, I like simple. My $.02. | ||
| Longdog_cymru |
I can sympathize with owners selling their Ulys right now. I've had mine 18 months and I love it, I really, really love it, probably more than any bike I've had in the past 40 years of riding........ But........ The heat through the seat is finally getting to me. I ride all year round, I have all 3 versions of Uly seats and I've tried various methods to stop the heat soak into my ass including Alaskan Butt Pad and AirHawk, but in warm/hot weather, I SUFFER big time!!! I've got a trip through France coming at the end of July and now I'm dreading it!!! An hour or so into a ride om a hot day, my ass cries ENOUGH!!! I almost sold my Uly earlier this year, but at the last minute, I pulled out and lost my deposit on a Tiger 1050 because I love my Uly, but now I am seriously considering my options. If I could afford a second bike for my trip, I'd buy it rather than sit on the radiator that passes for a seat!!!! I'm finally facing reality that I may have to let her go.......  | ||
| Tginnh |
Crusty put it best: "All motorcycles are good. If another Make/Model meets a person's needs better than a Uly, then they should buy it and be happy." I'd own a stable of bikes if I had the space, $$$ and time. We all want to be just like Jay. | ||
| Rays |
+1 on the Crusty sentiments. I hope the FJR serves you well. I put many years into big Japanese multis and had some fantastic riding experiences - some better than others. I've got a Kawa ZX12 that shares the shed with the Uly and it very rarely gets a run these days. I have grown to love the agricultural Uly experience and don't even notice the heat and fan noise. The only time the vibration bothers me is when I have a hangover - at idle it makes my eyeballs hurt.  Good luck with the FJR - let us know how it works out. | ||
| Firstbatch |
Longdog, you have to give the fan duct mod a try and divert the fan heat from under the seat to blowing out the rear. It has worked great for me to greatly reduce seat heat. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/352214.html | ||
| Prowler |
Longdog, try Odie's heat blanket. I've got the short one that screws down under the ECM and diverts most all the rear cylinder heat out the rear shock opening (it was a butt saver!) There's a picture of it on his web site ($25 well spent) I've done many 300 mile freeway rides in hot weather with no complaints as of yet. | ||
| Pso |
I have had a few bikes since I first rode in '59, and I like the Uly the best. I am fearful that with the arthrites in my left thumb that I will end up under the knife or will need to get something like the FJR that has a paddle shifter. Perhaps in a few years Buell will have some sort of shifter like that for me. Point being, sometimes compromises must be made due to "old father time". My fiance soon to be spousal unit, just sold her Lightning Scg due to medical reasons, so she had to get a DL650 Wee Strom to replace it and now she is happy again and wants to go on a three or four day MC trip next weekend. Unfortunatly we could not afford the xb12xt. | ||
| Tginnh |
Longdog - check out my setup on this thread: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/470269.html?1245293612 I think it's the winning combo. However, I have not been able to give it a good test as we have been socked in with rain up here in NE for a freakin month now! I feel your pain. I couldn't imagine the Uly in an extreme environment like NV, AZ or FL or where ever it is really friggin hot. Good luck. | ||
| Rockmurf |
I have an 06 fjr and it has 50k trouble free miles. Great bike, low maintenance, reasonably priced, low insurance, runs on regular gas, 46 mpg. Goes like hell, handles well, comfortable. Great bike. | ||
| Florida_lime |
I couldn't imagine the Uly in an extreme environment like NV, AZ or FL or where ever it is really friggin hot. I can !  Unfortunately that explains my Uly being at the dealer still trying to find a reason for the skip-spark running.  | ||
| Wbrisett |
I've got a trip through France coming at the end of July and now I'm dreading it!!! An hour or so into a ride om a hot day, my ass cries ENOUGH!!! Maybe it's all the time I spent in military Hummers, but the heat through the seat hasn't bothered me much (although I do have the Odie heat blanket) and don't anybody talk to me about heat! We've had 10 days of record setting temperatures (7 of which have been well over 100 Deg F). Both I and the Uly have been doing well... as well as can be expected in that dreaded heat. Wayne | ||
| Glen |
perhaps being from the south, some peoples bodys are able to handle the heat better? i rode on a 90F degree day last week and thought i was gonna throw up in my helmet at every red light. but im a michigander, my favorite riding weather is mid to upper 40's. | ||
| Okc99 |
I rode thru Texas in July. You're going so fast that the engine heat doesn't affect you on the highway. It was just the heat period. | ||
| Blake |
Am totally digging my new Uly. No heat issues whatsoever. Been riding in near 100 F Texas Summertime glory. Totally dig being able to shortcut straight up the steep overpass embankment. | ||
| Danger_dave |
So far I have spent $5.95 customising my Uly. I bought a can of spray paint for the windscreen. That's it. No heat issues, no wind blast issues, no turning circles issues...stuff has broken, but I abuse the poor thing. Just no issues. Entirely satisfied with it stock. Good luck with the FJR. If that is your sort of motorcycle - it's a very good one. | ||
| Tginnh |
"No heat issues whatsoever. Been riding in near 100 F Texas Summertime glory." You must have the water cooled model. |
