| Author | Message | ||
     Badbuell08 |
Any input on what to look for and what to ask about and make sure is done would be great help. I currently own a 2008 firebolt but i need something the wife is alittle more comfortable on. Thanks for your help Jeff | ||
| Rays |
For a start, go to the top of the page of the index page too this section and look at the 'New Ulysses Owner Information' link and there is a truckload of info. The '06's are loved by some of us and hated by others. My own '06 is now just north of 60,000 miles and still running well. I have always over-serviced it in terms of oil-change intervals and have been very unfashionable and just stuck with HD 20W50 and Formula+ in the trans/primary. Crash damage on a Buell can be an expensive repair - being an existing Buell owner I won't go into what to look for in that area. If I had an '06 land in my lap and it was low-miles, tidy and relatively unmolested I would immediately do these steps: Purchase the Buell service manual. This is very comprehensive and will pay for itself many times over. I would pull the clutch cover and look for water / condensation - if the owner has not been careful here you could have a short life from the clutch bearing. Remove the wheels and check the wheel bearings (note the front axle is LH thread). On the rears I would pop the seals on each bearing and check for water ingress. The orange seals are the originals and the black seals are a revised spec. Of course a second-hand bike could have any brand fitted so this colour thing is 'maybe'. Rear wheel bearing failure is very common so have a good read on this topic. Make sure the wheels are fitted using the correct torque figures - the aluminium wheel spacers are easily damaged by careless wheel fitting. If anybody tells you otherwise, they are not very Buell savvy. Remove the airbox and base and carefully check the position of the wiring, cables and sparkplug leads. Some of these were assembled with the throttle cables and wiring chewing into the spark plug leads - early intervention pays off. My spark plug leads are the originals and still in good nick with 60,000 miles of service. While you are there make sure the O2 sensor lead and the cylinder head temperature sensor lead are routed so they aren't being chewed away. Check the tightness of the '77 connector female sockets. These have caused angst for many folk and you may want to replace this connection with one of the many creative alternatives. I regularly clean this and also run a voltage indicator and just haven't got around to replacing it. Check the bike has had the sidestand and Bank Angle sensor recalls completed. Check the seat / ECM interference - the circuit board internal to the ECM can be damaged by continued pressure from the seat. There are several creative methods you can use to protect the expensive (and vital) ECM. Check the frame to subframe ground connections as well as the grounding points on the subframe - you will send a legion of gremlins packing with this simple fix. I reckon I could assemble a huge list on this topic and I'm sure the collective will add to this (I have dinner on the table and I'm hungry). The one thing I will say is that despite what you might think reading the various woes about running issues, the '06's can run without coughing and farting in standard trim. I have been completely blessed with an '06 that has had 2 TPS resets and is absolutely bog stock. It will chug along at 2500rpm if required and just doesn't give me a hard time. Many others have driven their owners to desperate means so you would want to be able to take a prospective purchase for a good test ride in my opinion. I would buy another '06 (or '07) in a heartbeat if the right one came along. (Message edited by Rays on June 04, 2010) | ||
| Cyclonedon |
excellent write up Rays! I have to agree with what you said. I also have a 2006 XB12X and it has been a rock solid performing motorcycle. I would certainly purchase another one. | ||
| Badbuell08 |
well i guess i should have informed everyone that it is at a dealer and i have only saw pictures of it. It only has 7700 miles on it and looks very clean but that doesnt say much for how it runs and what has been done and not done. Thanks for the info it will help me out alot and i will be sure to look for those things or have there mechanic look for them before i sign the dotted line lol. Any body elses info would help as well so dont be afraid to put what ya know down here. Thanks again Jeff | ||
| Pso |
Great write up Rays. A few things on my 06 Uly that also might be worth looking at or negotiating for purchase. Cluth wire form holder next to the exhaust header was upgraded. Plastic boot over the wires on left side coming out of headlight to frame, upgraded also. At such low mileage worth checking the #77 plug and if you are in there you might also want to check I believe the #69 plug (three black wires from stator to voltage regualtor), mine melted like the #77 plug. Minor irritants but easily to do a preventive maint on and should be done before it is needed, take my word for that one. Also some folks had an issue with the wiring in the fuel pump, I checked mine and there was no chaffing, but I did the simple fix anyway. It was an easy P.M. except for draining the gas. If the dealer is desperate to sell the bike try to talk them into tossing in a 2010 wheel with the three bearings It is a substantial upgrade over the origianl orange bearings. I have one in my garage awaiting for the tire on my original rear wheel to wear down. If they go along with the wheel swap suggest that they put the latest belt version on seing as they are going to have the wheel off and ask to keep the original, which is stretched, as a spare. I believe we are presently on the third verson of the belt and it seems like each iteration is better than the prior one.I think it is the most comfortable bike I have ever owned and also lots of fun, and easy to work on. Also you can read about lots of minor issues with the 06's but there are also lots and lots of folks with lots of miles that have had zero problems with the bike. Lots of folks prefere the 06's and 07's over the newer models. As a side note my wife finds the Uly more comfortable as a passanger than she did my 01 GoldWing. (Message edited by pso on June 04, 2010) | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
I see you live just south of Chadron, NE. Dillon Brothers HD/Buell of Omaha isn't that close but they have a bunch of 06 and an 07 ULYs available. Just saw them yesterday. Whatever they are asking, they always seem to take $1000 less and will throw in the service manual and comfort kit as they did with my son's 07 ULY. You just have to ask. If you call them, ask for Dan the Buell salesman. http://www.dillonharley.com/am/listings/ You can quickly find the Buells by using the FIND feature of your browser. | ||
| Froggy |
If you don't damage the frame, then typically repairs will be cheaper than your insurance deductible. I hit a stopped car while doing 50mph, and have fixed my bike (not quite good as new, I cheeped out) for about $500. | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
I have an '06 I bought new. Best bike I have owned hands down. (probably my 7th bike, second Buell, 1 77 Kawasaki Z-1000 and the rest were various Harley's). | ||
| Matchanu |
I'm the third owner of an 06 I bought in November. Just oil changes, runs like a top. Drive belt is a bit loosy goosy, (tensioner spins pretty easily with one finger) so I'll have to change that before too long. I drilled some holes in the air box cover, makes a boat load of difference when you lay into the throttle. I've had no issues with mine, nor did the preivious owners. | ||
| Badbuell08 |
thanks guys for all your help. I called and it will be bought next tuesday ill try to post picks of it when i get it home. I will make sure to go through the bike with the mechanic when i get there. Thanks again Jeff |
