| Author |
Message |
    
Buellerxt
| | Posted on Saturday, September 03, 2011 - 07:17 pm: | 
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Best of luck, Rodclement. It is an awesome bike, not perfect, but a joy to ride! This site, as you have discovered, is great. Use it!!! Welcome aboard. |
Rdkingryder
| | Posted on Saturday, September 03, 2011 - 07:24 pm: |
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I think the '06's are the only ones with the kickstand recall as well. |
Rodclement
| | Posted on Saturday, September 03, 2011 - 07:59 pm: |
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Thanks guys! So how do we set up to ride with other people from the forum?? ANy meets, etc?
Rod |
Dcc46
| | Posted on Saturday, September 03, 2011 - 09:14 pm: |
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Yes, buy the bike |
Hooper
| | Posted on Saturday, September 03, 2011 - 11:50 pm: |
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He got it...one of us! One of us!
Ulys (especially 2006s) are sensitive to pessimism, so do the needed maintenance, take the needed counter-measures against the known issues, and treat it right.
I've learned more about motorcycles through this bike and this website - things still come up. Like tonight...
I was headed to the Umphrey's McGee concert in Washington, DC tonight...I always take a bike to shows because you can park right out front. I hit a restaurant beforehand...after dinner the Uly wouldn't start...not enough juice in the battery. It's done this before. What's annoying is that I rode it on a long errand today and it started well at every start. Annoying that I stopped for a 70-minute dinner and it couldn't start.
Anyway, my wife came down and I jumped the bike from the car. Dumb me didn't keep the gas on to keep the battery charging...it died as I was pulling on my jacket and helmet. It wouldn't re-jump. I stripped the Uly's luggage, battery, tool kit, owner's manual, etc. and rolled on four wheels home.
I missed the concert.
Anyway, the Uly is fantastic...but it still suffers from the usual "bike stuff", like a battery that needs a trickle charger, tires that lose air (seriously...keep the right amount of air in them), and cables that wear out. The Uly is my highest-mileage (17,800) bike in my 7+ years of riding, so I'm learning what happens to a 5-year old bike.
Enjoy...chime in with your experiences, trips, and observations. (but no new threads about tires or oil  ) |
Rodclement
| | Posted on Sunday, September 04, 2011 - 12:06 am: |
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Thanks again guys! Tomorrow morning I am doing some strip down and deeper inspection on the bike since i have the morning off!
Rod |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Sunday, September 04, 2011 - 11:23 am: |
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The fans are loud, but you can take comfort in what it is doing. When people ask me what that noise is after parking several bikes after a hard ride on a hot day, I tell them that is the sound of my oil not breaking down around my rear exhaust valve as a result of heat soak. Then I ask them what noise their bike is making.  |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Sunday, September 04, 2011 - 11:24 am: |
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Hooper, check your 77 connector. And if thats an original battery, its just time for a new one... 5 years out of a bike battery (any bike, any battery) is pretty good. Most are in bad shape by then. |
Mnrider
| | Posted on Sunday, September 04, 2011 - 12:21 pm: |
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Welcome Rod.
+1 on the 77 connector issue.
I soldered my wires when the bike was almost new.
Check the Storm Fronts section for stuff in your area. |
Rodclement
| | Posted on Sunday, September 04, 2011 - 01:38 pm: |
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Thanks guys!
Opened her up this morning, removed the hard bags and frame, inspected battery, electric, air filter, oil level and viscosity, brake pads, etc.
Rear wheel bearings seem good I spun the wheel, no catching or noises of any kind, and no vibration to the touch.
Also adjusted the rear shock but I think I made it to hard so I brought it back a little.
I have the comfort kit coming, along with new hand guards (one is cracked). The original owner also had the pipes wrapped in that "heat strip tape thingie" so I am still debating if I should leave it or pull it...
Rode to work today (40 miles each way) and other than the bike running hot on the legs, all still is fine! I am wondering if the "heat strip tape thingie" wrapped in the pipe is not actually keeping the pipes from exchanging heat and actually making them hotter...toughts?
Rod |
Hughlysses
| | Posted on Sunday, September 04, 2011 - 01:43 pm: |
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Also adjusted the rear shock but I think I made it too hard so I brought it back a little.
If you follow the suspension settings recommendations in the owner's manual (or shop manual if you have one), you'll be right on the money. |
Rodclement
| | Posted on Sunday, September 04, 2011 - 01:59 pm: |
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I did that but still felt hard to me, I am right in between two weight group ratings...
Rod |
Hooper
| | Posted on Sunday, September 04, 2011 - 11:08 pm: |
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Thanks Reep...I'm going to have to do that...I jinxed myself with my post.
I trickle-charged my battery last night, took it down to the bike this morning, fired her up, and roared out of town on I-66 West. By Manassas, Virginia, (28 or so miles), the dials died and the power ebbed to nothing. F!  Clearly, the stator/alternator was not good - not charging the battery.
I pulled over and caught a glimpse of my wife flying by in my car (isn't it weird to see someone else driving your own car?)...she was pulling over to get to the next exit. A call confirmed that. In the meantime, I tried restarting (no) and then just pulled the battery and waited.
No one stopped.
Until a dude on a sportbike pulled over and walked back to me. He was very cool, offered help, made small talk, and carried my helmet while I pushed the Uly up the road a bit to the shade of an overpass. Nice - no one else even gave a thumbs-up/down to me. That's sad.
Anyway, my wife and my dog arrived in my car, I loaded everything up, and we drove to an AutoZone. The dude there put the battery on the car charger, which melted it, so they gave me a new battery! We went back to the bike, fired it up, and drove to Whitt's H-D in Manassas (open on a Sunday?!?! YEAH!) where I dropped it off at service (closed until Tuesday). They used to be a Buell dealer, so I hope they'll have some knowledgeable people.
We shall see.
Anyway, kind of annoying, but it worked out.
Sorry...rambling hijack over... |
Rodclement
| | Posted on Sunday, September 04, 2011 - 11:21 pm: |
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 vent away!
Rod |
Pnw_uly
| | Posted on Monday, September 05, 2011 - 12:08 am: |
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Rod -
If heat continues after removing the pipe tape and adding the comfort kit, consider ceramic coating the headers - - I did it on my '08 XT, and it is a significant improvement over other heat abating solutions. . .
I went with the Jet Hot JH-2000 on headers and muffler, by far the best investment on this great bike. . .
Best of luck. |
Rodclement
| | Posted on Monday, September 05, 2011 - 01:24 am: |
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Thanks! There is a company close to my house that deals with it, I'll look into it if it doesn't improve.
Rod |
Ratbuell
| | Posted on Monday, September 05, 2011 - 09:47 am: |
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Hooper - if they don't give you warm fuzzies with their service, send me a PM... |
Towpro
| | Posted on Monday, September 05, 2011 - 10:48 pm: |
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I was just thinking. You have a comfort kit on order. I felt the hardest part of installing the comfort kit is the ECM screw.
You should read up on the threads about relocating your ECM. This will kill 2 birds with one stone |
Rodclement
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 07, 2011 - 05:14 pm: |
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Thanks for the idea! It shall be done!
Rod |
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