Crusty, lead the way I'll stand in line for one with you. I love them ALL and not just Buell either. The Ulysses has made me smile the most and under the most varied circumstances (Track day - touring - dirt road wander - 1000 mile/24hr rally mode machine) not saying other brands can't just that my Buell has. For that I'm thankful but I will be very sad if the parts run out before a replacement Buell arrives.
Regarding the cubing of the Blast. My feeling is that Erik should of cubed the prototype of that POS and went back to the drawing board. It is a good handling little bike but always reminded me of a Yugo in terms of quality. My experience with them was having to use a couple of them as a MSF training bikes for a few years before we got rid of them. I respect that some of you guys think the sun rises and sets on them but I never was a fan. I always felt that a company's entry level bike should be an enticement to stick with the brand and how Erik could of thought that about the Blast is a mystery to me. The latest training bike that a manufacturer can be proud of is the fuel injected Suzuki TU-250. It looks and runs great and is a fantastic starter bike. And you don't have to spend anytime teaching the student how to mess with the choke or fuel valve.
One other thing about the Blast. We have two Omaha HD dealers and when the Blast first came out, they forced dealers to sell a minimum of two Blasts. The one dealer had those two Blasts sitting there forever and hated them since they looked so damned cheap sitting next to all their Harleys. They never ordered another Buell. Had that bike been something to be proud of then we may have had two HD/Buell dealers in Omaha. Probably Harley had a lot to do with how crappy that Blast was but whoever's fault it was it didn't help Buell out. Nobody in my MSF classes ever wanted to get a Blast after riding them in the class.
Phillip, I remember talking to you. Hadn't you rebuilt a tuber and rode it up to Offutt. Wasn't that an Experienced Rider Course I was co-teaching? For some reason I think we again talked at Sturgis????
EG - Have you seen the Blast prototype? It was much nicer than the production model we got. Think smaller M2 with one cylinder but still having a decent frame and suspension.
Although the Blasts that were crushed were going to be crushed anyway, they were made of junk parts not intent for resale anyway.
Just a random, totally unscientific observation, but since Thursday we have probably seen at least 300 sport-touring style bikes on the five mile stretch of road between our house and downtown Leesburg where Bikefest is going on as I post this. Our total travel time in this timeframe-maybe an hour.
Oh, and at one of my recent my classes, parked on one side, my co-workers Vulcan meanstreak 1600. The other, my XT. It attracts attention. "Wow, serious bike. Whose bike is this?" "Mine" . "Wow, nice bags. Bet you go grocery shopping on that thing. Looks like a ginormous dual sport, can you take it off road? Do you even own a car?" "Yes and yes, but funny story. More than once, we have had unsolicited people stop by the house asking about the two Hondas (cars) in the drive way. Said they drive by all the time, and it appears the cars never move. Are we interested in selling one or both?"
Yep for sure, ST's are going the way of the chopper .
Enjoy your Ulys, folks. We sure do.
(Message edited by fltwistygirl on April 10, 2011)
Phillip, I knew I had talked to you somewhere but was only guessing Sturgis since I've been there way too many times and always demo'd the Buell up until about 3 or 4 years ago when Buell quit bringing demo's to Sturgis much to my disappointment. I do remember being impressed with how good a job you did on that X1 and dually amazed that you had ridden it from Oklahoma. I'm also recalling talking to you in the Buell Manufacturing parking lot.
Froggy, Never saw the blast prototype. Got a photo or link to one? Be interested in seeing it.
Hugh, I'm not anti-Buell ... I own one, I ride it, and I like it. Part of the reason I bought it was because it was made right here in the good ol' U.S. of A., by Americans like me.
But if the guy whose name is on my motorcycle goes around acting like a (wanna be rock star cry-baby crush your own bike that was built by YOUR workers) fool – then yeah, I might comment on something like that.
But that’s just me.
John, I don't think you're necessarily anti-Buell; you're just awfully cynical about Mr. Buell and his efforts. Maybe if you'd ever met the guy you'd feel a little differently.
I don't understand why it would be an issue to make a ST. It's not a whole nother bike. Just changes on one they have. If Erik Buell Racing (I know it's not a "if" but a when) Goes into full production is it that much harder to make a ST? Think xbx and xbs almost the same bike. Just different ergos. I think the ST market will be the fastest growning market over the next few years. Not that I know jack. But if people are shying away from big dressers, and most people with money are to old and practical for a repli-racer what will they want?
"I think the ST market will be the fastest growning market over the next few years. Not that I know jack."
2008xb12scg-I don't know jack either. But we see way more connies, ST1300's, Beemer baggers, multistradas, tigers and yes, Ulys now than we did 2 years ago. Also, these types of bikes do not stay for sale for long when we get them into my school's dealership (sometimes they end up in our garage....it's kind of a workplace hazard).
Seems to be more of an interest in practical bikes than there used to be in 2007-2008. Guess that paradigm shift is bound to occur when gas prices climb and the economy, at least here in Central FL, is still in the dump.
If something like Conchop pic shows above, I would be on it like a fly to poo. Nice artwork. We just got rid of one of our cars, and she got MY car to run the rugrat around in. The bike is now my primary mode of transportation. If Erik drops a bomb like this in a market that I am fishing in, I'll be first in line. I shoulda got a Uly, cuz I just put risers and bars on my R.
Every time that 1125 Uly shows up on here I just think:all the pieces are there,with a small investment from BRP for a factory and tooling that bike could be rolling down the road.
Every time that 1125 Uly shows up on here I just think:all the pieces are there,with a small investment from BRP for a factory and tooling that bike could be rolling down the road.
Why would you want a 5 year old bike that would be legally constrained by HD? There are much better uses for the money that would be needed.
The 1190 uses a chassis that has the same design with no constraints from HD.So how much would it take to expand the line of bikes to a 120hp AX-AdventureCross with ABS?
Maybe Erik will provide a USA sport bike to dealers who sell such. Like what Harley should have done in the first place if it wanted to sell another line. Such an error. Buell would still be going and playing the right market. Maybe this time...
>>>There are much better uses for the money that would be needed.
Precisely.
Even though BRP owns a factory in Wisconsin that they are not using (the old Evinrude factory) they have their own problems at present that they need to focus on.
Most of that fictional bike are dated 1125R parts that would not be optimal individually or in concert.
The 1190RS uses so little from the 1125R that it's amazing. I'm not sure that folks truly appreciate what the small (but growing a great deal this week) staff at ERIK BUELL RACING has done . . . in dealing with something like 1,000 vendors (many of the HD vendors who did work on the 1125 had little or no interest) to get the new parts engineered, sourced and brought to life in a fashion that can be produced on a production line which is much different than doing a series run of "one off" bikes.
The imaginary bike also, as has been pointed out, holds the prospect of a myriad of imperial entanglements. Buell has purchased certain items from HD, that were necessary, but the 1125, Blast and XB series remain the property and responsibility of, Harley-Davidson.
The future is going to be really exciting . . and composed of elements and products designed to work as one and representing some new uses of technology.
It's an exciting time.
I look at folks' quest for something like the bike shown more in terms of it's "intent", what they are wanting, than clamoring for THAT specific bike.
I look at folks' quest for something like the bike shown more in terms of it's "intent", what they are wanting, than clamoring for THAT specific bike.
That would be an accurate assumption, at least from my point of view and personal position.
My fear is that sometime this summer, after a bad day at work and roasting my right leg on the way home, I'm going to say the heck with it and trade the Uly for a Multi. Not long after that some solid news about an adv/ST type bike from Erik Buell Racing will come out, and I'll be one unhappy camper that I didn't wait.
I wish they could have found someone other than a 14 year old kid from the local high school A/V squad to 'interview' EB.
Court alluded to an increase at Erik Buell Racing-ville. Is this in hopes of making Infineon with the 1190 or just a need to overcome homologation rules (and impatience) and get racing, period?
My fear is that sometime this summer, after a bad day at work and roasting my right leg on the way home, I'm going to say the heck with it and trade the Uly for a Multi.
The Multi is a great bike. But if you have the comfort kit installed, and are riding a Uly in something other than shorts or thin cotton pants, you won't roast anything.
If you want to ride in thin cotton, go watch that recently posted video of the low speed 9sx tuck in CA this week, and pause it at the part where they are admiring the mans left kneecap, and just use the burning sensation to practice your HTFU for future debrading.