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Buellerxt
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 12, 2010 - 01:32 am: | 
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I think Erik said it well, "Not that the GS isn't quite good, but so was(is) the Uly".
The GS is a great bike, no doubt, as is the Ulysses. There is room for all of them and I'm glad they are all out there. I, of course, wish Uly's were still being built but no amount of wishing will make that happen. Thankfully we all have ours and we have the support of this Forum and a bunch of enthusiastic vendors! Life is good!
(Message edited by buellerxt on May 12, 2010) |
Mattmcc00
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 12, 2010 - 12:24 pm: |
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Just to clarify a few things.
To be able to perform as well as the Uly in many of the excersices we did the GS would need a smaller wheelbase. This would nessesitate a complete bike redisign (remember the steering lock turns, dead-end, sharp turns going up and down etc..)
1) The red GS went down as soon as we got on the bikes, follwed by me 
2) Size was given as a refernec point, (as opposed to beeing a 5'5" 150lbs who cannot flat foot his ride.
3) Counting them there were 7 GS, 2 americans (bruce & bob), the red GS that kept going down, Mark, John, and Ray. Mark dropped his bike on two occasions that I know of, once during the lock steering, and once again during the dead-end excercise, and I beleive he dropped it twice during the steering lock but I didn't see it. Also keep in mind that Mark was the best rider among us. He had the most experience having driven across labrador, and to inuvik, etc...
4)Way to point out the obvious  I think everyone understood what I meant, the aluminum header guard thing.
5) At the start of the class Mark, John, and Ray were cracking jokes, nothing nasty of cource, just playfull all in good fun type of thing.
And please keep in mind that this post came from the perception point that for the last 4 years we have been indoctrinated into beleiving that the Uly was near worthless off-road in anything other than the simplest of light gravel roads, and that for any "real" adventure riding you needed to "upgrade" to a GS or KTM.
Discovering that we have been lied to for all this time is monumental for us.
And in fact, having gone though this cource my opinion has changed and I now firmly beleive that where off-road ability is concerned, a GS is not at all an upgrade but in fact a downgrade when compared to a 2008 Uly. Cannot comment on the KTM.
That beeing said the GS is certainly a great all around bike and as with all bikes (just like the Uly) has certain things that it does better than others and certain things that it is not quite as good in. Off-road handleing & agility, for example, just isn't the GS forte when compared to a Uly.  .
Anyhow, we own 'em, we love 'em, and that's that.
And if you love your GS as much as we all love our Ulys you won't care about what anyones eles thinks or says.
RIDE ON!! |
Terrible1one3
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 12, 2010 - 02:42 pm: |
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Good read! I'm over trying to take my Buell off road. Too many years on a dirtbike, I wouldn't try to take a 300+ pound bike offroad, but if I had to I'm glad to have the Uly! |
Dr_greg
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 12, 2010 - 06:19 pm: |
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Good report and confirmation. I've had good luck with my Uly hanging with GS's off pavement. At ADV Westfest '07---in the words of my ol' buddy Gale---"...Doc stood up and rode that General (his term for a Uly) like a 250 2-stroke..." Not quite, Gale, but thanks.
However, the Uly is not quite as "maneuverable" for some of us smaller-sized folks (i.e. 5-9, 140). Lord knows what wrestling a GS off-pavement would be like for me.
Again, thanks for your (surprising to some) report.
--Doc |
Babired
| | Posted on Thursday, May 13, 2010 - 08:46 am: |
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Matt
can you give
contact information on the school you took PLEASE cost information too!
I took the Ride Like a Pro class last month and we were doing full lock turns on the pavement on the ULY and it performed better than the other bikes too. Full lock on the steering used to freak me out because of the old tuber riding days  Come on and give us how to sign up for the class I want to ride thru swamps too! K |
Mattmcc00
| | Posted on Thursday, May 13, 2010 - 10:25 am: |
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Sure no problem,
However it'll be a long ride from MD.
I took this class from Moto International BMW, Husqvarna & Harley Davidson in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Here is thier website: http://www.motointermtl.com/index-en.html
Here is the off-road class webpage:
http://www.motointer.com/mi/en-CA/index.aspx?CatID =71&Page=3
BTW these are also the guys who organise the GS challenge:
http://www.gschallenge.ca/Accueil/tabid/36/languag e/en-CA/Default.aspx
The class was from 0700 to 1700 with a 1 hour lunch and cost $355 CAD. |
Mattmcc00
| | Posted on Thursday, May 13, 2010 - 10:30 am: |
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Found a link to some pictures oif the classes:
http://www.motointernationale.com/BMW/en-CA/ListeP hotos.aspx?AlbumID=201&PageID=1 |
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