| Author | Message | ||
     Turf_moor |
This is my plan for my retirement, the second year of it, actually, so we're talking about 2015, a way off I know. I want to use the Ulysses, a 2006 model, with only 19,100 on it. By the time of the trip it will have about 23/24,00 miles on it and will have had the 10,000 miles service, I should add a very very thorough one by a fellow in Manchester, England, including, new wheel bearings, front and back, new headrace bearings, new swingarm bearings, a new drive belt (keeping the old one as a spare. It's in good condition. I check it regularly) and a new battery. It's on the original but surely it will be on the way out by Spring 2015. What spares do people think I should take. If there are problems they'll be electrical, won't they? | ||
| Hughlysses |
That sounds like an excellent retirement plan! Hopefully I can pull that off myself in a year or 2 (retirement AND a mega-road trip). You might consider updating to the 2010 rear wheel for a trip like that. If not, carry spare rear wheel bearings and tools to change them. I'd recommend a spare clutch cable as well. For electrical, a complete set of fuses, maybe a spare relay (all 4 relays are the same), electrical tape, and a small multi-meter for testing. | ||
| Turf_moor |
Thanks, the wheel bearings should be alright as they'll be new and I have the Free Spirits tensioner fitted. I forgot to add that the clutch cable will be new when I set off and the old one will be taken as a spare. This is some plan because it involves riding from sw Portugal where I live to Amsterdam in Holland and putting the bike in the hold of an Air Malaysia flight to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from where I'll ride up through Thailand (all over that country), Laos, Cambodia and back in to Thailand and right up north again and finally south through Malaysia to KL again. Then a flight back and back down through Europe to Lagos in Portugal. I do worry that 'll have problems. Not with the engine or transmission but something electrical. Do you think I should get a few swnsors replaced prior to setting off? Would you trust the Uly? | ||
| Steveford |
I'd still pack along a spare clutch cable, rear wheel bearings, bearing spacer, brake pads and a headlight bulb. Get the throttle butterfly shaft replaced because mine croaked right around the 25,000 mile mark. Make sure your ECM isn't getting squashed, too! Would I trust it? Sure. | ||
| Turf_moor |
Nice one, Steveford. ECM in good shape. Regularly check it. Throttle butterfly shaft. Great tip. Thanks. I'm going to take my old clutch cable. I understand throttle cables don't go. | ||
| Tootal |
The only thing I can think to add is changing the fork oil before you take off. Might add some fork skins or gaiters to keep your fork seals in good shape. | ||
| Turf_moor |
The fork oil will be changed at the service and I may get the fork seals changed. Fork gaiters a really good idea. Neoprene socks I think we call them in Britain. | ||
| Uly_man |
Well there is a question? If you do not know the bike "inside out" then you will need to and all its possible faults. You will need that info trust me. Examine EVERY wire on the bike and add extra protection to bare cables. Check the charging system is sound and hard wire out, or upgrade, the 77 connector. I would also add HID lamps, LED spot lamps and LOTS of daylight running lights. A charge/volt monitor. A Net book with cable, ECM-Spy and know how to use it. A battery charger and a mini set of jump cables. Plus all the normal spares needed. I would also fit extra crash protection like the one from R&G that fits to the top of the engine. The bike will "cook" in those parts of the world so I would also do the fan mod to keep it running even while on the move. Make sure that your oil cooler is getting as hot as it should IE As soon as the engine starts to get hot. It is a 6 line matrix and the new one is 8 line. It may be worth getting one to help cooling. The comfort, the full one, kit seems to help. If you have the 06 low seat it has a gel core which is a lot less comfy than the later low seat. Always, ALWAYS chain the bike to something. | ||
| Motorfish |
These are all great ideas. Be sure that you take care of the 2 problem frame grounding points, under the seat next to the fuse box, and behind the front fairing on the neck of the frame. Sand or file off the powder coating, and use an electrical anti-corrosion compound. I would also pull out the fuel pump, and check for abraded wires. That sounds like an awesome trip! | ||
| Turf_moor |
Uly man. Several wires have been rerouted so they go over the subframe and don't rub on the engine. The main loom is protected with a plastic tube. I'll upgrade the 77 connector. Why extra lights? I'm not going to risk night riding. It's way too dangerous in s.e. Asia. Batterry charger I'd thought off. Crash protection: I'll look into that. I live in Portugal and it gets over 40 degress Celsius (104F) regularly in summer and the bike runs fine. I have the high 2006 seat and I love it. The best motorcycle seat there is, in my view. Well, at least the best I've been on. And yes, I have an Almax chain, which cannot be bolt cropped manually. The police steal big motorcycles in Thailand! Motorfish. Two good points. The first has been done but I was going to ask about the fuel pump. Thanks to both of you. One final point: how are the oil pumps? | ||
| Motorfish |
The oil pump was upgraded in '07. It's a direct bolt on for an '06. I think it puts out more volume. | ||
| Hughlysses |
The 07 oil pump has higher scavenging capacity (the part of the pump that pumps the oil from the crankcase back to the swingarm). The part that supplies the engine with oil has the same capacity as earlier units. My guess is this keeps oil out of the sump better which should reduce oil consumption and windage losses (power loss from excess oil dragging on the flywheels). | ||
| Turf_moor |
Interesting. My Uly has very good oil consumption, I think. On tour in 2008 I recorded the rate. Over just short of 4,700 miles I used 625 ml. That's 750 miles per 100 ml or 3,750 miles per half litre. I ran the Uly in hard to seal the rings and changed the oil and filter at 47 miles as I'd read it was a burner. | ||
| Turf_moor |
An oil question: I run the Uly on 20W50 mineral oil. Would people recommend a synthetic oil for this trip? Does the unit run cooler on synthetic oil? | ||
| Hughlysses |
If you've run it on conventional up to now, I wouldn't change over before such a big trip. Synthetic will get past seals and gaskets more easily than conventional oil, especially on an engine with some miles on it. As you'll probably be changing the oil several times on such a long trip, I'd make a note of all the cross-over part numbers for oil filters to make it easy to find one that'll fit. See the XB Cross Reference Thread a few topics down for the numbers. | ||
| Turf_moor |
Or I could just take a few filters. I'd change the engine oil every 2,500 miles and the gearbox oil every 5,000. Thanks, Hugh. | ||
| Uly_man |
Turf_moor. If you have a 06 bike that cools ok then you will be fine. I would stick with the oil you have been using. Oil usage is about right. They are only "oil burners" if the bike has not been run in right. The upgraded oil gear drive is a good idea on a early bike but Mr M can advise you on that one. I do not think it cost very much to do. I would fit the extra "day light running" lights so you CAN be seen better in daylight. On the side of the bike, maybe flashing ones, at right angles so they can see you better. It may help not to get "T-Boned" at a junction. Just an idea. You seem to know what it is like riding there. Do not forget the puncture repair kit as you are going to need it. I like the "Gooey rope" type now. Cheap and works 100%. I would also carry one of those small air compressors as well. And a Stebel air horn as well. | ||
| Turf_moor |
Thanks, Uly man. Did you have an 07 and suffer the crank problem? 'Goey rope' puncture repair kit. What's that? Small compressor is a good idea. All junctions will be approached with trepidation. A stat for you to consider. Every twenty-four hours one hundred motorcyclists are KILLED in Thailand!! | ||
| Uly_man |
'Goey rope' puncture repair kit. What's that? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAR-VAN-TYRE-MOTORBIKE-P UNCTURE-REPAIR-KIT-WITH-10-STRINGS-sale-/161094287 822?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2581f7c1ce "All junctions will be approached with trepidation. A stat for you to consider. Every twenty-four hours one hundred motorcyclists are KILLED in Thailand!!" Best seen then if possible. | ||
| Turf_moor |
Thanks, Uly man. Cheap as chips. I'll be having one of them. I got those out of BIKE mag a few years ago. They did a big article on riding in Thailand. Obviously, most of the accidents are in Bangkok and when you consider whole families go on the same little bike, you can see how the stats stack up. Mind you, their riding defies belief. The 100 dead a day situation isn't helped as there is no investigation into an accident if the motorcyclist is dead. So car drivers have a tendency to reverse over the prostrate motorcyclist just to make sure!! | ||
| Buewulf |
"Best seen then if possible." I would definitely follow that advice, though I don't know that it will help much. You have got a while, so I would start doing braking and evasive maneuver drills for 15 minutes or so once a week. I don't doubt that you are an excellent rider, but please train / refresh your brain for panic situations - both high and low-speed. You'll probably experience a few of them. Although I have not ridden in SE Asia before, I have done my fair share of riding in the 3rd world. In many of the places I've been, the countryside is just as dangerous as the cities due to the lack of maintenance, livestock, lane width and a driving culture with no regard for personal safety (or that of others). Driving while intoxicated is also very common in many of the places I've been. Even though you are changing your bearings out, I would bring another set. They are small and don't take up much space. And with the amount of rain and silicates you can potentially encounter in that part of the world combined with the amount of miles you are riding, I'd say the chance of bearing failure is high enough that you should insure against it. In addition to other suggestions, bring a roll of rescue tape. Handy stuff. A tube of your favorite cold weld product can also save your bacon in a pinch. Sounds like an awesome trip! | ||
| Uly_man |
"I have done my fair share of riding in the 3rd world". Yes I know that one, LOL. In Egypt they do not use there lights at night because, I was told, they think the battery will go flat? I witnessed a VERY bad prang and THEN someone else ran into them. "might is right" in most of these places so just stay clear if you can. I hope you enjoy your trip and wish you a safe ride. | ||
| Turf_moor |
The thing about Malaysia, Thailand and Laos (the route next to the Mekong, is the roads are all sealed and in good condition. I'm not sure about Cambodia. It will be a fairly easy jaunt in that respect. Still worried about taking the Buell, though. Maybe an XT660R would make more sense. Lighter too. | ||
| Uly_man |
"Still worried about taking the Buell, though". I thought you might get here at some point so these are my honest thoughts on the subject. This bike can do the trip no problem. The problem is a "trust" issue IE Am I able to trust that it can. I have rode bikes in many parts of the world and would be happy to do it on Uly or at least my 10 bike. If it was me I would think on buying a carbed bike at source and dumping/selling it on after a big trip in that part of the world IE Fly in, buy bike, run it, sell it and fly out. Just a thought. | ||
| Turf_moor |
Or even rent one for a few months, perhaps but I don't think you can go over borders with a rented bike. Your suggestion is a good one, though. The thing is, I want to ride my Ulysses!!  | ||
| Buewulf |
"Still worried about taking the Buell, though". I'll get flayed for saying this here, but there is no way in hell I would take my Uly on that kind of trip. It is hands down the most unreliable transportation device I have ever owned. However, at least it can be said that the most common points of failure are pretty well known, and most of them are reasonably easy to fix. Some of them you can even "pre-fix". So you can prepare for much of the worst in advance. Besides, if YOUR Uly has given you years of dependable service, I don't think there is any reason to suspect that it has been waiting for this trip to test your resolve... ...Or has it been? Muh ha ha haaaa! | ||
| Turf_moor |
It's been no problem, whatsoever, other than a drive belt but we're only talking 19,100 miles. As documented above it's exceedingly well prepared but if something was to go, it would probably be electrical and I'd be  | ||
| Steveford |
Those neoprene fork covers work great and are a must for your trip. Slob the lower portion with grease to help keep things lubed up and rust free. http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOJ-Fork-Guards-Adjustable -Neoprene-Protection-Seal-/180567873554?pt=Motors_ ATV_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a0aaf1812&vxp=mtr All of the issues are known - bulb, maybe a belt, rear wheel bearings if you're unlucky and the bike is overloaded - mine has around 80,000 miles on it and I'd take the old load to Thailand without being too worried about being able to ride it home. I'd also bring the ECM cable and if need be somebody could always hook you up with ECMSpy. | ||
| Turf_moor |
All it takes is the right post and I'm all for the Uly again! Thanks, Steveford. 80,000 miles on yours. I'm impressed. But they should do it. Many electrical problems in that time, Steve? | ||
| Turf_moor |
I'll definitely be getting some of those neoprene covers. Thanks for the link. |
