| Author | Message | ||
     Xbimmer |
Greetings everyone, been a mostly BMW rider for the last 30 years but I've always admired Buells and jumped to buy my new Ulysses two weeks ago. The bike appeared to be perfect for me, able to handle the really crappy badly-paved backroads I like to ride without going to one of the Euro big twin adventure bikes. The Uly has proven to be just what I wanted, short and relatively light, with lots of power and great handling, great-looking also IMHO and hey it's a Buell! So now I'm completely bummed... the sidecases I ordered (even before I bought the bike, that's how sure I was gonna get one!) which took three weeks to arrive, DON'T FIT! The left side mounting bracket slipped on in about five minutes, but I've been trying for three days now with the right side and it's no-go. The guys at Simi Valley HD/Buell have been great, offering to even lend me a rightside bracket while they ordered me another (assuming it was incorrectly welded or bent) so today I went over to install their loaner but it doesn't fit either! I monkeyed with my original set back at home for a couple hours, thinking there might be some play in the subframe and/or tailpiece or footpeg bracket, no dice. Anybody with any ideas? Help! Thanks/ Dean | ||
| Diablobrian |
The "Big Bad and Dirty" forum might be of more assistance since it is the Uly oriented forum. | ||
| Az_rider |
I had a lot of trouble with the right side rack too. At first the holes did not line up- they were off by about 1/2 inch. Try this- Insert the first two bolts under the fender and tighten by hand until they just start to get snug. Then have a helper lift UP on the the rear of the rack while you insert the third bolt in to the footpeg bracket. I had to lift pretty hard (don't knock the bike over), but my wife was able to start the last bolt. | ||
| Xbimmer |
Thanks for the tips. Diablobrian being a newbie here somehow I missed that forum...  Az rider I feel a little better knowing someone else had trouble with the right side. Now I wonder why the right side? Since both right side brackets I tried ended up with the same result you have to wonder which of two things. Either Hepco-Becker has produced a run of bad rightside brackets inconsistent with the Uly's dimensions or there's something inconsistent about our Uly's rightside specs. My bike is a 10/05, how about yours? My bracket is about 1/4" off at the lower mount, forward of the intended threaded hole. I'll try it again tomorrow but I don't think lifting will help me. I'm really beginning to suspect at this time a bad run of footpeg brackets, since my dealer told me they had no problem mounting the cases on their demo bike. | ||
| Az_rider |
My bike is a 02/06. I have heard of other people having difficulty with the right side. One person on a forum actually enlarged the hole in the bracket to get the bolt started. I am beginning to think they are designed that way on purpose to 'stress' the frame. Once all bolts are tightened, the frame is rock solid! My bracket was also forward of the intended hole, and when I lifted on the rear of the frame I could see the front pivot so the holes began to line up. The last 1/8" was a b****. Anyway, good luck! Ride safe! | ||
| Biker_bob |
Mine was probably 3/8 " off on the right. I am no wrench, bolt ons and oil changes are as far as I go. I checked my service manual, took the bracket that holds the pegs loose, fit the bag bracket on it and was able to out the peg bracket back on because of the leverage I could use. It actually went on quite easy that way. give it a shot. | ||
| Buelldyno_guy |
There are several post on this subject in the Big Bad and Dirty Forum. However the key is to loosen the rear peg supports and then hang all the new brackets, but do not tighten any hardware. After everything is in place remove the bolts for each piece apply the locktite and then tighten them up in groups. I have done several now and only had problems with the first one until I used the old A/C Mechanic trick to Not Tighten Anything Until Everything is Started. ... Hope this helps. ... Terry | ||
| Xbimmer |
Now this is what I like about enthusiast's forums! Thanks for the input, I did loosen the footpeg bracket looking for some adjustment but I will try removal. I just don't want to force anything. Stressed installations can sometimes wake you up in the middle of nowhere with a sidecase hanging because of a sheared bolt. Had it happen once, bootlace fix, not comfortable. Thanks all for the input! | ||
| Buelldyno_guy |
It seems to pull everything in pretty tight, but I don't think anything is over stressed. In the A/C world working with close fits and needing to reinstall thirty or so 10-32 screws it became the only way. This stuff is produced by quality vendors from around the world and I think it all fits together as it should, but tight fits always make for assembly issues. ... Good Luck Terry |
