| Author | Message | ||
     Dr_greg |
It grieves me to post this, but... With 70,000 miles on my two '06's, I am really disappointed at the whole recent H-D  /Buell thing. First heard about it from a KTM 950 rider on the way home from a moto-camping trip. I know, I know; we'll have parts enough to keep these things going for a decade. But I felt betrayed. I've scoffed at H-D all my life; outside of the Uly they never made anything I cared about. I guess they paid me back. So I've started looking around... Gonna start out with the 12GS next week. Right now $2K off, and I'll see what my local dealer will do. Heard lotsa good and bad about the GS, and I've gotta admit my own test ride of a couple years back was pretty disappointing. And Mrs. Greg  will kill me if I take us back into debt...I won't consider a purchase until I get an extended test ride (I have this 70-mile loop with everything in it). After that the KTM twin, I guess... BTW, checking my maintenance log, during that 70,000 miles (split over two '06 Ulys) I've done a heckuva LOT of maintenance. So much for "low maintenance." Topped off by the spark plug thread repair which degenerated into a complete top end.  All in all, I've had just about every thing on that bike apart, except for splitting the cases. My '92 Ducati 900SS required about the same amount of wrenching (valves included). To his credit, though, Ulysses has never stranded me. I've always said I hate to part with a vehicle about which I know almost everything. That is true about the Uly, and is something I will definitely keep in mind...however one can always acquire new knowledge; in fact that's supposed to keep one young, right? And at 62 YO I need "young"!  My 16-year old son and his three older brothers (two back at home) also do a good job. I appreciate what the Uly is good at, but it is not the only bike out there. Although I've rigorously defended the Thunderstorm mill, the prospect of a detuned-1125 Uly is hard to deny. My '00 Aprilia Mille has the best powertrain I've ever ridden: torquey but 10K redline, seamless FI, "just enough" vibration, "snick-snick" tranny, and a great exhaust note. What a bike that combo would make... Although this is a very subjective thing, I've never particularly cared for the appearance of the Uly (Mrs. Greg begs to differ; she likes it a lot). I do like the look of the GS; it appeals much more to my mechanical engineering sense. Whether I'll "enjoy" wrenching on it...  So I'll letcha know what happens. If I go over to the Dark Side, there'll be one '06 Uly for sale, plus another '06 I'll part out (with an engine with Time-Serted heads, and some deer hairs still in the crevices). Some of you know how many trips I've taken on the '06 Uly(s), and how I've raved about them; the photos of my top end problems, etc. Even stayed with a few of you while traveling. All that will be hard to release.  We'll see. --Doc | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
If the bike's price doesn't put you in debt then assuredly the maintenance and parts fees will get and keep you there. Have the Beemer dealer throw in a shopping cart and a moth eaten blanket so you can fit in down near the homeless shelter. | ||
| Conchop |
I'm about ready to sell my Uly, too. A new GS or Vic CC. HD has me mad as hell. | ||
| F_skinner |
maintenance and parts fees will get and keep you there. Plus 1 Seems like a good idea to keep a bike you can work on. If everyone dumped their Buell, that will reinforce HDs position. This is not the first time you talked about this. Good luck with whatever you get Greg, The Uly is not the last bike I will own but after a measly 12,000 miles since purchase in Jan 09 I think I will keep riding it a while. It does everything well... | ||
| Djz |
Go for it Dr Greg i am with you on your thinking on harley they suck big time ..I also love the looks of the gs i alway figured it as the top gun if you can afford .I went on test ride yesterday on Ducati street fighter nice bike wondering if i can put high handle bar a higher seat and windshield .It is fast but not to fast it is very lite on handling and the brake are great .(I love my 06 uly but my tire are due and new one in garage waiting) ..so when i got back the uly it felt some like i just crawled on fred flintstone bike after about 20 minute uly felt good again .So there is life after buell ..my next test ride is bmw gs 1200 i am caught some most of my riding buddies have 1000 gsxr that i go with in the summer i have alway kept up on the uly and pushed the slow one or passed .I am 60 so not to bad for old fart it is really tuff to decide were to go but like you i have defend the buell with my friends and i feel harley dumped on me and on buell riders they do not care if we lose money and for us so i need a new bike to be happy | ||
| Nopork |
I have both the Uly and a R1200GS. I enjoy them both and as far as maintenance on the GS it is not that big of deal. One thing to budget for though in owning a BMW is the GS911 diagnostic tool from Ted's Beemer Shop. (Does most everything the $20,000 dealer BMW computer does for around $400.) Can even data log while moving down the highway. ala ECM Spy, but you cannot fetch, over write or change the ECM settings, but can diagnose everything else in the ECU. I live 280 miles from the nearest BMW dealer and thus do most of my own maintenance. Valve settings stay pretty much in spec after around 6,000 miles, throttle bodies need syncing but I use carb sticks. Final drive oil changes, engine and transmission oil changes and that is about it for maint. I use the Beemer on the big road trips as I have larger aluminum bags on it. The Uly is used mostly for local, Mn. area trips. I still feel the Uly handles better than the Beemer, but most BMW people think I am crazy, but I do! | ||
| Skifastbadly |
I have a friend with a GS which I've ridden frequently. I don't like it. I find the telelever front end just plain weird. It feels like there's another layer of abstraction between me and the road. And on dirt, I find it positively scary. With the Uly, I get instant visceral feedback. However, I agree with most of the rest of your post. I'd be inclined, were I to change, to look at the KTM 990 Adventure R. | ||
| Hughlysses |
He just doesn't want to replace the fan on his Uly...  | ||
| Johnboy777 |
BMW’s are pricey, their parts are pricey, and their dealers are pricey – all that is true. But their bikes are well engineered, for the most part, and their dealers like the bikes they sell and service (that’s a refreshing concept). Parts are readily available (almost forever) and the after-market loves these bikes, as well. As far as reliability – all bikes are high maintenance IMHO… (different bike – different inherent problems). But best of all – they still make BMW’s . | ||
| Etennuly |
So why did you stay with the Buells thus far? Was it HD, or BadWeB? For me, BadWeB stays.....Buell stays. Besides, I have never ridden a bike I like better! (and I have looked a bit) | ||
| Dentguy |
Dr_greg, Good luck with the test rides. I like both the GS and KTM. Let us know how they go. | ||
| Rcf2 |
After the first feeling of frustration with HD decision I start to think they turn out my bike in a legend, a myth. I bought the Uly based in several things a like on it, one of them was the exclusivity which suddenly increase a lot. You have a mint one? Be proud of the fantastic machine you have. Anyone can get a new GS but to get good Buell now is for few people. A good group who knows what a good bike is made of. | ||
| Djz |
this maybe getting better FACTORY SUPPORT - EXTENDED! Ducati just made your next motorcycle purchase decision easier by introducing "Full Factory Support," a zero-cost maintenance program. This summer ride with Ducati Factory Support, including no maintenance costs and the industry's most comprehensive warranty—24 months/unlimited mileage. i like this it seem all are having hard time with bikes sales so it going to get better for us | ||
| Rcf2 |
BTW Dr.Greg, a new Uly is the best deal available. Too much bike for little money. | ||
| Jphish |
Dr Greg, john here. I recall us chatting about that briefly when you were in Olympia. I was hoping that you could program a robot to at least do the Uly fork oil changes...but NO - you waste your time on unimportant things like engineering structural integrity, safer cars etc. Anyway - my riding partner (who you will meet next spring on our way through NM) is on his 4th GS. Had 80, 1100, 1150GSA & currently 1200. While he's well aware of the BMW shortcomings, in his personal experience, he's had no failure that left him stranded. Does all his own maint except Warr work.(he even likes my Uly) You're a pretty adept wrencher - so I don't think the BMW is going to be problematic. We've traded bikes on occasion, his 1200 is a nice machine - but just doesn't fit me like my fast black 08 Uly. Get what ya like. You'll still be a pioneer Uly owner & in good standing with BWB. Appreciate the support, help & friendship over the years. j | ||
| Jpl9sx |
Having owned both smaller Buells and BMW bikes my choice for a new bike was either a 1200GS or Uly. I also ride with a lot of BMW riders so I am familiar with their pros and cons. After demo and test rides on both I purchased a new Uly in August. I think the 1200GS is a great bike but I liked the ride and comfort of the Uly better. The real decision factor for me was price: nearly a 5K difference. Granted the Beemer had ABS and some other features not available on the Uly. If I was to go the GS route I would look for a 2 or 3 year old model with low miles. There are many out there. | ||
| Slamber777 |
"I felt betrayed. I've scoffed at H-D all my life; outside of the Uly they never made anything I cared about. I guess they paid me back" My thoughts in a nutshell. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Doc, You of all ULY riders should know that taking your frustration out on your Buell matters not one iota to Harley Davidson Corp. It's a guarantee that if you dump your Buell you will regret that decision for the rest of your days. First off, you have a very unique motorcycle that has given you many, many miles of loyal service. If you hold on to your ULY you will not regret it. You may have a bike that could give a million miles of service with the proper care. Years down the road your ULY will be a sought after collectors' bike. As I know it, you've got 2 ULYs with one of them a parts bike. Keep them both. I mean, if you sell them, you'll get very little and the minute they are gone you'll start regretting your wrong headed decision. If you want to get the BMW, then get it, but hold onto the Buells. You'll soon tire of the Beemer and be glad that your trustworthy ULY is still in the stable. | ||
| Will547_us |
Dr_greg, I agree completely with your feelings about H-D and I worked for a local dealership for the better part of 10 years. When we were selling at $3000 over MSRP and you had to be on a waiting list I sold about 500 bikes for them in a 2 year period and my district manager told my boss he should fire me for riding my then FZR1000. Excuse ME!! Harley didn't have Buell then and nothing else I wanted to ride. I'm selling BMW's now and although my Uly is the most fun bike I've owned in over 40 years of riding I have no problem selling GS's over Ulys because of the dependability of service through H-D. Not to mention parts and accessory availability. YMMV but even working for the dealership I never trusted them and saw some of the simplest jobs turned into abortions. If you ride a Uly or a GS the way it was designed to be ridden and not just commuting you have to or should be able to rely on the level of service you might expect 500 miles or more down the road. Frankly I don't think that was ever a reality with Buell. With the demise of Buell the GS is now the most versatile motorcycle on the road. If the rumors of a displacement/HP boost in 2010 come to fruition it will even be better especially if they put it on a bit of a BMW HP diet. Let us know how the test rides go! Safe riding, Will | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Straight from a guy peddling BMWs. What would you expect him to say. | ||
| Cheddarheads4erik |
See you back here after your 1st or 2nd Final Drive/linked ABS/FI failure! Good luck! | ||
| Werewulf |
i have a bmw r1200r, its a great bike.. i like the gs too, but not everyone does.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaB40TLQE8M | ||
| Galloper |
I've got my eye on the 2012 1250GS Hybrid.  | ||
| Iugradmark |
Dr Greg, I am probably in the same boat as you and will look to BMW in the near future. I switched from BMW to Buell hoping to find a bike that was reliable, simpler, and that would have access to the large HD network (one of my beefs about BMW is the lack of dealers). It was my mistake to not research and understand that Buell would not become part of the dealer network and that HD would not really embrace the brand as part of its own. The hoped for network of dealers, parts, and skilled mechanics was never realized. Now that HD has discontinued the bike, the ongoing R&D, network of aftermarket suppliers, and continuous improvement has also stopped. While my bike is in no immediate term of failing, owning a bike without ongoing support and development is not for me. I expect some loyal owners will find ways to keep their bikes going for decades but I do not have time to do much wrenching any more so that model just isn't for me. I'd love to see you continue posting your quest for a replacement ride as I suspect many on this board are on a similar quest. | ||
| Werewulf |
ive owned several bmws also and the lack of dealer support in my area is critical.. i must go as far a daytona for warranty work.. i would like to believe that my uly will become a classic, but it will be as valuable as a tuber in the near future... i kept buying harleys, because i do a lot of distance riding and i knew a dealer wasnt far away if i broke down... now, im kind of bummed by the whole experience.. | ||
| Buewulf |
If thoughts of an 1125 Uly get your heart beating, I would suggest you sample KTM 990 Adventure. Hell of a motor. There is a chain to lube unfortunately, but at least it is the most reliable final drive out there. Do some research to see if the recent bikes still have issues with the water pump. You pretty much had to treat the water pump on the 950 motors as a maintenance item to avoid the imminent failure away from home. | ||
| Cheddarheads4erik |
"Do some research to see if the recent bikes still have issues with the water pump. You pretty much had to treat the water pump on the 950 motors as a maintenance item to avoid the imminent failure..." -Buewulf You might want to do some of that research yourself before making such statements of disinformation. The water pump seal replacement is done with a Viton seal, done once if you even have to do that. I have done it, as I own one. Does the amount of disinformation which goes along with BMW ownership ever get pre-purchasing folks to wonder; Why? | ||
| Smac |
My buddy (who was in the market) and I took demo rides on the 12GS & 12GSA this summer...we swapped bikes for a good comparison. They were definitely different than my Uly, but IMO, not in a good way. He ended up buying a left over 2007 KTM990 (HUGE discount). The early EFI KTM's are known for having issues and he's battling with that now, but other than that, he loves the bike. If you're planning on riding off-road a lot, the KTM should perform better at a cheaper price. If you're planning on doing more sport touring, the standard GS might be a better purchase. -Sean | ||
| Hmartin |
Dr_greg, we don't know each other apart from various posts on this board, and I've really enjoyed your writeups on your Tour de Texas, your robot conference and, yes, your fairly recent and unfortunate teardown. Perhaps it's only natural for us to hope you'd stick around for a good while longer. I feel betrayed, too, but here's the question: Who owns your Uly(s)? Does HD own them, or do you? If you're wanting to spite HD, I don't understand how selling your Uly that you paid for would do that. What HD really stole was our resale value, and I don't know how to get that back from HD. I thought about this for a while, too. The same day of the announcement - the very same day - I started comparing the FJR and the Connie 14 to see how a tall guy like me would fit on either one. But, by the next day or so, I snapped out of it. I own my Uly - I do, not HD, and getting rid of it now would only hurt me, not HD (actually, it would hurt my kids since I'd be raiding their college fund to do it). Every one of us understands the 2-year itch. There are so many great bikes out there, I wish there was such a thing as an affordable 1-month lease so I could get within striking distance of experiencing all the different motorcycles I'm interested in riding. Sometimes a want is more justifiable when attached to some need, especially when it comes to going back into debt. If you want the BMW and you have the means, I'd get it, but I wouldn't trade in your Uly just because of what HD did. The bike's yours, not theirs. | ||
| Buewulf |
Cheddarheads4erik, My neighbor had replaced three seals and two shafts on his 950 in 34K miles (last seal as preventative). He says that KTM even lists the seal as a maintenance item to be replaced regularly, now. I was quizzing him because I was interested in buying the bike from him, and he said this was an issue with many of the Adventures. The issue also came up when I searched it on forums looking for even more info on the KTMs (though I didn't delve too deeply since I bought the Buell two days later). It wasn't an issue that would have prevented me from buying the bike, I just like to know. Many of the issues that plague people here are not issues on my Uly, but I appreciate them sharing problems no matter how small or rare "just in case". I am not trying to spread misinformation, just share what I learned during my search. I trusted my source (neighbor is enthusiastic about KTMs and is a good wrench, too). There is apparently a cure that you are familiar with. Thanks for correcting me. BTW, how do you like your KTM compared to the Uly with respect to long-distance riding? I have ridden my neighbor's 950 and test ridden a 990 (which I like a lot), but I'm curious about long-distance highway work. |
