| Author | Message | ||
     Fltwistygirl |
If you have replaced your Uly with a similar ride or added a different sport-touring/pack mule/adventure bike to your fleet, I'd love to hear from you about the pros and cons of your addition. Some of the bikes we have talked about as eventual potential Uly replacements include the Honda ST1300, Kawi Concours, Honda Goldwing (for comfort), Triumph Tiger (the big one), Yamaha Super Tenere and a Ural hack. We have no immediate plans to replace our Ulys, but are finding ourselves in a spot where it would be really great to be able to make the trek between Northern Colorado and the twin cities on two wheels (or maybe even three...a Ural?) instead of trailering or doing it in a cage. What we'd be looking for is something with: -reliability -all day comfort (including pillion comfort) -decent mpgs -good storage capacity -fun factor So, if you have added another bike to your fleet to fill the needs your Uly once met for you, please chime in. Thanks a bunch. B. | ||
| Redtail |
B. I added a 2011 Triumph Tiger 1050 to my stable. I did not want to use up the Uly on my work commute and needed an excuse to get a new bike. Price was rite so I pulled the trigger. Still under 1,000 miles on the Tiger no time for the first service on it yet. reliability- Mine to new to tell so far good. Have a friend w/8,000 on his dropped it hard and the thing is rode every day runs great. Comfort-just like the Uly I need to add a set of risers. Seat is good. mpgs-to new to tell now it is around 40 mpg. storage-Stock bags suck too small but they work. Fun- It Is fun to ride and runs like it is on rails. The lights are not too bright at night you need some aux lights for sure. From all that I have talked to about thier Tiger there were no complaints they all run great and folks love em. Good Luck.. Ray. (Message edited by Redtail on June 13, 2013) | ||
| Mhevezi |
Honestly, if I ever wear my Uly out, I'd have to take a good look at the Moto Guzzi Stelvio. It's a good looking bike, especially in the bright orange/copper color, has an 8-gallon tank, and shaft drive. I have heard nothing but good things about them. For now though- the Uly fits the bill, perfectly! | ||
| Portero72 |
B-Diddle; I picked up a leftover 2010 KTM SM-T last xmas, with the intention of replacing the Uly, which now has 56k miles. They wound up being so different I kept them both. I took a trip from Austin to Tucson in May on the KTM and was pleasantly surprised at its tourability(it really is an animal). In only 5k miles, the KTM has proven reliable thus far. I will wait to pass judgement on that until after 20k. It could be made to tour as well as the Uly with the addition of hard luggage. It is much more high strung than the Buell, so it will never feel as relaxed on the highway. It is still a smooth engine at speed, though. Mileage has varied from 30 in the city to 53 in the high desert of NM, and it carries 5 gallons. Passenger comfort? Well, that depends on the passenger. I am sure the Uly wins that contest, but many of my more petite pillions have been quite content on the KTM. ALL my passengers have been impressed with the Uly. Hope this helps. | ||
| Mnrider |
 I added this KLR to take some of the beatings away from the ULY but I don't think it's what your looking for. I know we're still mad at HD but maybe an Ultra Glide would work for you. | ||
| Bluebiker |
Sidecars are fun and different. I have an HD Ultraclassic with sidecar. The Urals are ok, simple, you have to be a little mechanically inclined. They are not really a bike you can ride 70mph for hours on the highway though. They're more a backroads tourer. If you are interested in a sidecar bike, go to sidecar.com and read some of the comments on there. They also have a classified section with some used rigs. | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
I still have my Uly though it's going up for sale soon. I have a '12 Kawasaki Versys 650 as my touring mount now. Likes: Very grunty for a 650. It's also very smooth. Fuel injection mapping is sublime. It'll do 80MPH all day (but that's not what I got it for) It should be bulletproof based on my experience of many years of owning Kawi products. Handles really well. Fuel consumption on par with Uly. Lighter than Uly. Dislikes: Bags are not as big as Uly, and there is no factory top case option that works with the sidebags. You get one or the other. Suspension is not as refined as the Uly. Although it has tons of usable torque it is still not a 1200. Terrible stock seat (replaced with Corbin). Indifferent: Getting used to chain maintenance. Brakes may need a little upgrading (braided lines and better pads maybe). It's a little fugly. I am very happy with it overall, though I wouldn't get one if you plan to ride two-up. | ||
| Dmcutter |
I was looking hard at the Versys last year when I was bike shopping, but having previously owned a Uly and numerous liter sport bikes, I was leery of the 650 cc motor. After riding a BMW F700GS and being completely underwhelmed by its engine, I decided to steer clear of the Kawi. Big torque down low is very addictive. | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
I agree about the low torque. I took a leap of faith with no test ride on the Versys. I needed it for a week long trip - which I had planned to do on my 1125R- when the 1125 started acting up. I got it delivered on thursday and hit the road on Saturday. The Versys motor was tuned for grunt and a great mid-range rush. It's definitely no Uly in the motor department, but is definitely not underwhelming. YMMV | ||
| Fltwistygirl |
Thanks, all for your input. "Honestly, if I ever wear my Uly out, I'd have to take a good look at the Moto Guzzi Stelvio." I would consider a Moto-Guzzi. Different is good and as long as reliability is no issue, I'd consider it. "From all that I have talked to about thier Tiger there were no complaints they all run great and folks love em." We looked at Tigers before we pulled the trigger on the XT but the dealer did not want to budge much on price. It came down to right bike at the right price at the right time. We had a Thruxton until a couple years ago....wrong bike for our needs at the time...but we still miss having a trumpet in the fleet. "Passenger comfort? Well, that depends on the passenger." Yeah, that is going to be the sticking point, methinks. Our 13 y.o. son is now 6'3" and pushing 200 lbs. We may end up throwing in the towel on the idea of him taking long trips with us by bike until he has his own endorsement. The good thing is we are a mere *long* days drive from MN now and can get creative getting a bike up their for me to use to zip between the range and the metro area where I teach in the summer. We are slowly concluding that the 400 mile days with him on the back of the bike are behind us  . "I added this KLR to take some of the beatings away from the ULY but I don't think it's what your looking for." In an ideal world with unlimited financial resources, I would have a KLR that I would leave in MN at my brothers place. His job would be to run it when I was at home in CO and I'd use it to schlep to the lake on the sand and gravel roads in the hinterlands. Not really an all-day mile muncher but fun nonetheless. "I know we're still mad at HD but maybe an Ultra Glide would work for you." I'd consider it if it would meet our needs. "I have an HD Ultraclassic with sidecar. The Urals are ok, simple, you have to be a little mechanically inclined. They are not really a bike you can ride 70mph for hours on the highway though. They're more a backroads tourer." My co-coach in MN has an Ultraclassic hack. It is a beast, and beats the snot out of my upper body when I fly the sidecar for demoes, but would have enough power to get both of us and our stuff around. If we got a Ural, my main concern would be the lack of power, but we could mostly plan our routes on backroads with one night on the road each way. The necessary wrenching doesn't scare me too much, we're on our third and fourth Buells. One benefit of a Ural is being able to take it off road and in occasional snow. "If you are interested in a sidecar bike, go to sidecar.com and read some of the comments on there. They also have a classified section with some used rigs." Thanks for sharing that. I'll check it out and may pass it along to my hack-obsessed students. "I am very happy with it overall, though I wouldn't get one if you plan to ride two-up." I've demoed the Versys on two different occasions. It seemed like a capable steed for one person riding. My boss had a wee-strom all set up for touring. That would have probably worked before my son's last growth spurt. If anyone has a super-ten, would love to hear from you! Keep the comments coming, folks! Thx. B. | ||
| Dmcutter |
I am somewhat obsessed with the new Ducati Hyperstrada-scaled down sizewise and costwise from the Multi. I joined their forum and there is one guy who did 2500 miles 2 up over Memorial Day and his wife had no problems on the back. It makes 110 HP, 65 lb-ft of torque, so it's not as grunty as the Uly but a lot more powerful than the Versys at about the same weight, 450 wet. The saddle bags are smaller than ours but the Multi top box works on it. The big complaint I've seen is that the fork has no adjustments and it is very stiffly sprung and compression damping is not tuned right. It supposedly gets stellar mileage. Pricey at $13K and change, but certainly lots less than a Multi or any of the other open class adventure bikes. | ||
| Firemanjim |
Redtail, let me know when you are ready and I can send you a great map for your Tiger. Have a 2008 that I have put about 50,000 miles on. Love it!Spent hours tweaking on dyno to learn the software. Opened airbox biggest help, free software to tune and check running as well.Check out Tune Ecu. | ||
| Mideon |
I picked up a 2009 Kawasaki KLR650 | ||
| Ratman |
In the last 5-6 years Ive owned the following bikes 94 Ducati Elefant,05.5 KTM 950 Adventure, 97 and 01 Tigers,01 and 95 GS 100/1150,06 Buell Uly. At 6'3" 240 lbs and a bit long legged here's my input for what its worth. The Ducati was an absolute kick in the ass. the down side is no parts and a terrible electrical system. it could be improved which I did, but considering their availability we'll scratch them off the list of rides. I find the BMW GS'es the boring ones of the bunch,but strangely enough you didn't wanna get off it any time soon. The stock seats are hell, they surged,pinged and beat my shins to hell as I never got used to 2 jugs hanging out in front of my feet. I did experience the failed trans on the 95, the failed rear main which was taking out the clutch at 42K on the 02 and a few other naggin ailments. The F/D thing always was haunting me in the back of my mind if on a trip. KTM/ Undisputed king of the dirt and fun factor. The down side was so many failure prone little details such the fuel pump,water pump, surging, the mass amounts of body work to unearth the motor, fork seals. Eventually it felt as I couldn't trust it far away from civilization as Id become buzzard bait stranded in the middle of nowhere. The Triumphs were great bikes, I rode the 97 everywhere and loved it. The 01 just was well. Biggest gripe is aftermarket and dealer support/parts. Smooth, big fuel capacity,comfy,different and just an all around great bike. The Uly is tied for #1 fun factor with the KTM. Like the others support is iffy when a break down on the road occurs but otherwise the seem to be pretty bullet proof. In the end they all had their short comings, tall, heavy for the dirt but capable of anything you have the skills or nads to chase. | ||
| Buellerxt |
Good post, Ratman. Makes me feel better! Ain't none of em' bullet proof or breakdown free, and just about all of them have parts and scarcity of dealers issues, except Harley. When I toured on a Harley I always said you only need three things to tour long distance on a bike. A good cell phone, good credit card, and good towing service. The Uly adds the need for a shipping home option but you get a heck of a bike in return!  I need to look into those shipping home options and get back on the road. | ||
| General_ulysses |
Mideon/Mnrider how do you like your KLR? I was torn between the KLR and the Uly when I decided to pull the trigger on a Uly because of the higher fun factor (i.e. more POWER). But I still like the clear benefits of the KLR (of which there are many), although I have never ridden one. (Message edited by general_ulysses on June 15, 2013) | ||
| Mideon |
Well the Uly is my primary and have had little to know problems with other then being hit by a drunk driver on it and a voltage regulator going out. It's def more comfortable for longer trips. The KLR however is a great lightweight solid bike and I picked mine up at the local Harley/Buell dealer for $3k. The think about the KLR's I love is that there are so many add-ons you can get for them. I put a set of Shinkos on my KLR and it's a nice smooth ride that has been pretty much maintenance free | ||
| Uly_man |
I understand the quest for the "all round" bike. It is a balance of many things and it is never going to be perfect for all. And dam boring anyway. Who the hell would want a "McD" bike. The same meal in a slightly other color box. Man what a nightmare. It is just my opinion but at the moment, for the price, it is hard to beat a Uly as long as you know the bike. I have done big miles on a bike many times but 400 miles a day on a naked bike, like the Uly, with a pillion would seem like hard work to me. I am not saying it can not be done but the likes of the Glide and others (ST, Gold wing, etc) of its ilk were made for this sort of duty and more suited to the "big country" type miles. If it was me, for that sort of road work, I would be looking at the new BMWs. Saying that though you would need to consider all that goes with those bikes. | ||
| Dmcutter |
What is it Peter Egan said many years back...everyone needs 4 or 5 different bikes? A sport bike, a touring bike, a dirt bike, a cruiser and something else maybe. The Uly fills several of those roles admirably but I would still love to have a small, 400ish lb sport bike that I could flat foot... a CBR600 or a Daytona 675 or even a GSXR750. I think between the two I could satisfy almost all my riding needs without a lot of duplication. | ||
| Madduck |
My nephew really wanted a Uly so I sold him my 06. My current bike is a Honda NC700X, which is an amazing ride. | ||
| Mideon |
My partner and I will ride 2-up for hours and we are both 6'5". The Uly hands in there good and comfortable and handles good even at the higher speed. The KLR is a good ride but not as smooth especially on our wonderful pothole covered roads | ||
| Tootal |
Well if a Gold Wing is on the list and also gas mileage you need to scratch one of them! Honestly, since you're not talking about replacing the Uly's but adding another bike I would suggest a used Harley Road Glide. The peak of Harley, IMHO, is the 2002 models since they still use the old Timken bearings on the crank and the crank is still a forged unit as the newer ones are cast. The 88 inch motor needs an Andrews 21G cam along with gear drive to replace the worn out chain drive arrangement. That's it, go ride in comfort and still get 45 mpg at 70 mph. Will it keep up with the Uly in the twisties? Probably not but it does handle better than any other of the FL's. Mine has been very dependable with 96,000 miles and counting. | ||
| Hdxbones |
+1 for the Roadglide! Harley's best mile eater. The 2002's certainly had the strongest engine components. 2007 Brought 96" displacement, 6 speed gearbox and closed loop fuel injection. 2009 was the redesigned frame - it's worth paying a bit more for the newer bike to get the new frame, the difference is amazing. 2011 Was the return of the Ultra and a 103" engine. I've had 3 Roadglide's, my 2011 has been the best yet. A set of cams, a good exhaust, and a good tune puts 100/100 on the ground at the rear wheel. 42Mpg all day long with the cruise set at 75. Handles the tight stuff ridiculously well for a 900lb bike (but it isnt a uly!), none better on slabs and big 2 lanes. The perfect touring bike.... | ||
| Tootal |
I warmed the engine a little more a few years ago by boring it to a 95" motor and porting the heads. Once reassembled I broke the rings in and then a friend of mine took it and I took the Uly and we rode back roads all day at around 60 mph. When we stopped for gas the Uly got 50 and the big fat Road Glide got 48! We passed a farm truck during the ride and my buddy said he didn't even down shift and was keeping up with the Uly. Love a torque monster!  | ||
| Crusty |
I went from an XT to a Moto Guzzi Norge. The Guzzi now has 47,000 trouble free miles on it. It's comfortable for all day rides (In 2010, I rode it from Massachusetts to Oregon and back), has decent sized bags and is about as reliable as an anvil. In some ways, it's very similar to a Buell, but in other ways, it's very different. I like it. | ||
| Uly_kiwi |
2013 KTM 1190R Adventure  | ||
| Conchop |
I bought a used Goldwing. I'd love to have another ADV bike but my wife wanted to start riding again, and since she has been diagnosed with MS, comfort was important. She fits just fine. However, I have issues with a cramped cockpit. How ironic. Thanks to a 52 panhead rocket chopper I helped build and kick back, in the 80's, my right knee comes unscrewed on this GW after an hour or so of riding. Momma is just fine! SO - I've been looking at trading for a BMW GS1200 - we've owned about 9 BMW cars and I figured it would be a good and comfy ride for the both of us. Went to Bobs in Athens OH for a quick peek and Momma popped a gasket. She said she couldn't and wouldn't climb on one of those "things". Ugliest bike she's ever seen. This has me thinking about a Vic Vision. However, I just did screw down a set of Kuyakin cruise pegs on the GW and this might help. I posted earlier, the GW is somewhat kin to driving a stretched limo. Smooth and comfy, but out of its element on Appalachian roads. However, put that bad boy on the 4 lane and its absolutely zinging to the State line. Incredible. Some of my observations are as follows - The engine is a thermo nuclear reactor - smooth and torquey ... The transmission is a clatter banging disappointment - takes a lot of practice to get smooth and progressive shifting .... Braking is good, but perhaps I'd be happier with a different brand of pads - linked braking is interesting ... AUDIO is off the hook - AM-FM-MP3 - 6 disc CD player - nice .... Cruise control - WOW - same sensation I had when I discovered the Uly's heated grips - all bikes should have it - the GW is programmed to set cruise up to 100 MPH ... Suspension - SUCKS - I cannot believe it is that bad. I did the nickel trick to deactivate the anti dive mechanism - it went from riding like a farm tractor to like a 73 Plymouth Fury. Dreadful on anything but smooth interstate. For about $2600 more, I can take it and have a TRAXXION suspension system installed - from what I read, its a whole new bike once that's done. All told, I can see why Honda has sold a zillion GW's - they're reliable as the door hinge screws - smooth as a baby's butt - and if you're going coast to coast, logic dictates that you go with something that's a proven commodity. But its going to cost me a lot of money to get this one to where I'm satisfied. They sell everything but a port a potty for GW's. Mountain living and rough roads are challenging to what they call the 'Goldwing Experience". I want to buy a 2nd ADV style bike for my daily rider - park the GW until Momma wants to go for a spin. We have had some real magic on this bike. Sometimes we'll just pile on it and ride a hundred miles for dinner, then take a longer way back. I'll like it better once I figure out my right knee and this bozo suspension system. But Momma is happy - so I reckon we're all happy. PS - contact me if you'd like to buy a GW | ||
| Yamafreak |
This looks like fun  | ||
| Motorbike |
She said she couldn't and wouldn't climb on one of those "things". Ugliest bike she's ever seen. This has me thinking about a Vic Vision. Do you mean you are thinking about buying a Vision or are you thinking how ugly they are? (Oops, I meant UGLY.) Funny how opinions differ on the looks of a bike. Personally, I think the Vision is WAY uglier than the BMW's. But then again, I like the looks of the Ulysses bikes, so what do I know? Now it just occurred to me, Ugly without the "g" spells Uly.  | ||
| Charlie_zulu |
Now it just occurred to me, Ugly without the "g" spells Uly.  | ||
| Charlie_zulu |
I think either the Stelvio or the Versey would be the closest in similarity to the Uly in todays 2013 lineup.. Versey more so.. I ride 2 KTM's (both 950;s) and they are more maintenance intensive for sure but man what a hoot to ride in the dirt.. | ||
| Conchop |
I'd still like to see Indian come out with a Scout configured as an ADV bike ... |
