| Author | Message | ||
     Uselyssxb12x |
 Come on, more, more, MORE! Great job, keep it up. | ||
| Eor |
A Matter Of Good Timing The Loud And Obnoxious Fan Dave? Dave's Not Here, Man Getting Dirty...Sort Of 38.7 I put about 350 miles on the Ulysses this weekend, riding Saturday with my wife on her BMW and a couple of friends on their Honda cruiser.  The Saturday ride was about 150 miles and was conducted at a pretty slow pace. Fuel consumption was 49.1 mpg. and a I topped of with a couple of ounces of oil after the ride. I'm happy to report that the timing adjustment has made a noticeable difference in the engine performance at lower RPM's. I now feel as if I have something to work with between 2500 and 3000 RPM. The throttle response has improved. The engine still is a bit cold natured, though. When we headed out Saturday morning the temp was in the high 50's. The Uly popped a couple of times when I blipped the throttle shortly after starting it, and while rolling down our street at low speed with the RPM steady around 2000-2500, there was some minor surging....an FI artifact I recall noticing on the CityX when I think about it. I let my friend lead the ride so that he could set a pace he was comfortable with and I knew my wife would like. Except for the last few miles when I could no longer contain myself. Getting passed by the girl riding the Soft Tail was more than I could handle and I had to go play. At one of the stops, my friend [riding the Honda with straight pipes] commented, " That damn fan is louder than your engine." The stock exhaust on the Ulysses really does sound emasculated. I'm not looking for a "set off car alarms, frighten old ladies" kind of sound but it would be nice to hear the engine over the valve noise and the fan....which appears to run pretty much all the time, BTW. I think I see [or hear] a Drummer Exhaust in my future. It's a little known fact that Dave Stueve has been so successful selling Uly's at H-D of Appleton that he has purchased a winter home in Arkansas. He wasn't there.  On Sunday I headed off by myself, unfettered by the constraints imposed by companions riding reasonably... I made a familiar loop on Highways 123, 374, 74, 21, 16, and 23. This must have been National Pull Out In Front Of a Biker After You Have Convinced Him You Won't Day. I discovered that you can lock the Uly's front wheel with only two fingers worth of braking at 65 mph....got away with that one. Note to self: acquire additional good karma points and practice emergency braking, ASAP.  I gathered up enough courage to venture down an unpaved road I was unfamiliar with. Well...I had driven down it a few years ago and knew it to be well maintained, but the journey of a thousand [unpaved] miles begins with a single step...  The Uly did well, but any bike would have done well on this road....this was a confidence builder for me....and a good photo op. I got a few ticks on me and almost fell into the creek bed getting this shot. The Uly looks like an proper adventure bike here, anyway.  The most useful thing I learned today was EXACTLY how far the Ulysses can go after the low fuel light comes on and what its total range is. Oh...the drama. The low fuel light came on shortly after I had left my last stop. I thought about turning around and fueling up, but decided not to for four reasons: 1. I was leaned over hard when the low fuel light came on. I assumed it had come on prematurely because of that and had more fuel than the sensor "thought" I did. 2. I was under the assumption that the range of the Uly was 200 plus miles based on 4.4 gal at 50 mpg. 3. I really wanted to be [perhaps] the first person to see how just far a Ulysses could go on a tank of gas. 4. Most importantly, I didn't want to look like an idiot, returning to the station only minutes after having made a dramatic exit for the benefit of the assorted cruiser riders in attendance. Recall that I was still smarting from the girl on the Soft Tail incident from the previous day. I knew that Smiling Sue was home and if I could make it across Yarbrough Mountain, both my cell phone and ham radio would work and I could call for help. As the low fuel trip meter passed 30 miles, I recalled that someone on BadWeb once said something like, "When the low fuel odometer gets to thirty, I'm getting pretty hinky." For those of you unfamiliar with Buell instrumentation, when the low fuel indicator light illuminates, a separate trip meter begins recording the distance you have traveled since the indicator light came on. I've always thought that was pretty neat. So... I make it back to town and even find myself coasting down College Hill to the stoplight on Cherry Street. Only 3-4 miles to the station. Can I make it? I'm wondering how far I could push the bike if necessary...until I remembered....East Hill....oh crap. I gun it to get momentum up the hill and make it...wait at the light...turn right and head down Rogers...now only two miles to go. I'm going to make it! The station is just ahead on the left, down hill and past Woodard's Restaurant, the Best Western, and the real estate office. I enter the center turn lane as I pass Woodard's. The bike begins to cut out. I'm braking and looking for an opening in the traffic so I can turn into the station. The engine dies. I have an opening before I lose my momentum and turn into the station, coasting to the pump. I'm laughing hysterically as I put the sidestand down and get off the bike. I've always heard of people coasting into a gas station but have never actually done it. I run inside and borrow a pen a paper from Sally, the red headed clerk that always calls me "Darrrlin'" and record the mileage on the odometer before it is reset. 38.7 Remember that number. If you are riding a Buell Ulysses on which the low fuel trip meter reads 38.7 miles and your engine is still running, get thee to a hill and begin your coast into a gas station if possible. Your bug farts are expended and your walking time is nigh. The total range of the Uly was 198.3 miles. I added 4.3 gallons of fuel. According to the specs, the capacity of the XB12X is 4.4 gallons. I got 46 mpg this afternoon. I topped off the oil with about 5 ounces when I got home. I have now added a total of one quart of oil to the Uly since I've had it. The odometer currently reads 1403 miles. 38.7 Remember that number. I know I will. (Message edited by eor on September 19, 2005) (Message edited by eor on September 19, 2005) | ||
| Joyseeker |
Hi again Eor that rear looks it will go to 10k plus.... looking good and orange is the best colour.  js | ||
| 2hogs |
Brad, Very well done report with excellent pics. Good info to keep in mind when mine arrives. I can hardly stand the suspense as it should be here next week! Yea, 38.7 will be engraved somewhere so I don't forget.  Cheers | ||
| Cliffb |
Great report! Thanks for the time and work you've put into it. I want one! (Uly) | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Your bug farts are expended... i HATE it when that happens.  Ferris | ||
| Eor |
The Odyssey Resumes When Unemancipated Lawn Jockeys Attack Talihina + Mena = Talimena I Ghate Gnats Do Three Buells Make It A Rally? Tread Thread Due to some health and weather issues I haven't been able to ride any until the last few days. I took the neglected Geezer Glide out for a spin Thursday afternoon and remembered why I don't think I'm ready to part with it...it's just fun to slow down and enjoy the tunes sometimes. I got back on the Ulysses for a brief afternoon ride on Friday...somewhat of a "get re-acquainted" ride for me. You know, it handles differently from an Electra Glide. You can quote me on that. The PLAN was to leave about 8:00 Saturday morning. That was until I walked outside and realized it was 40 degrees.  I ate a western omelet instead. So I left town a little later than originally planned... everything normal...until I ran into these knife wielding guys. I think they were protecting the swans and the angels.  Even though I have spent most of my life a little more than two hours from the Talimena Scenic Drive, I had never been there until today. The 54 mile byway sarts [or ends...depending on your direction of travel] near Talihina, Oklahoma on OK Highway 1 and ends [begins] at Mena, Arkansas on Arkansas Highway 88. The Queen Wihlemina State Park, and its lodge and restaurant are on the AR side. The are numerous vistas along the route, offering some great scenery.     I stopped at Old Fort H-D [formerly Denney's] in Fort Smith on the way home and showed the Service Manager the Uly. He seemed to be the only one interested in it. Sometimes, when you pull up at a Harley dealership while riding a Buell, it is almost as if you are invisible. Harley riders appear to make an effort not to look at me or acknowledge the bike...strange. For every three or four of these on my helmet, there is one that got inside my helmet or down my back and bit me...same thing, at the beginning of every fall here.... they'll be dead soon.   This morning, as I was leaving breakfast and on the way home to get on the bike, I ran into not one, but THREE Buells at a local gas station. I jumped out of the truck and announced myself as a "Buell guy and a Uly owner." I was wearing a Buell tee shirt to empahsize the statement, too. One of the riders extended his hand and said... "Hi, Eor." He turned to his friend and said... "This is Eor from BadWeb...the guy who has been posting about his Ulysses." Turns out it was Loki and Skully. Loki represents the central Arkansas contingent of Buell owners . We compared notes...there may be as many as SIX of us in the state now! Skully's from Texas, I believe. I'm sorry I didn't catch the other rider's name. They were headed north up 123. I caught up with them when I returned to town and we visited for a while. The third Buell rider had left and Ian, on the Duc, had joined them. Skully took a photo of Loki and I that I hope to see here later. I couldn't resist the opportunity to photograph three Buells parked together in Clarksville, Arkansas.  I think I know how Skully came up with his username....  Well, here are the "stats" on the Ulysses so far this weekend... I've travelled approximately 400 miles. My fuel consumption ranged from 45 mpg to a 49 mpg, producing an average of 47 mpg. I've added 8 ounces of oil to keep it topped off. I called the dealership Thursday and was told the luggage had not arrived and that the ETA was six weeks...I'm assuming that is six weeks total and not an additional six weeks. Apparently the shipment from Hepco and Becker has been delayed due to the 4-6 week vacation Europeans take around August and September. I hope they enjoyed their vacations. The tires.... I had hoped that the rear was going to last until 3000 miles at least but it was the concensus at the Buell "rally" that it wouldn't make it. I'm now estimating that the center tread wear indicator will be flush with the tread by 2500 miles, giving me only 500-600 miles more. The front appears to have 1000 - 1500 left on it. The Dunlop 207's on an earlier Buell died early, but all brands seem to die early on my bikes, I assume because of the large amout of chip/seal roads we have in this area.   I guess I'd better call the dealer on Tuesday and get a new rear tire on order. Since mine is the only Ulysses they've received, and the Dunlop tires for the Ulysses are model-specific...I'm going to assume that they don't have one in stock... ya think? (Message edited by eor on October 09, 2005) | ||
| Blake |
Too cool! Sure wish I could have made the trip and met you too. | ||
| Blake |
The other Buell rider was "Karsten." He and Keith are both friends and live here in the Kilgore/Longview area. Karsten is the owner of the donor bike for the upcoming XB12 muffler dyno shootout. Great guys, great bikes, great roads. Thanks for your great reporting Eor. Very interesting and well-written stuff. Great pics too. | ||
| Eor |
Posted on Sunday, October 09, 2005 - 03:15 am: Insomnia? (Message edited by eor on October 11, 2005) | ||
| Prior |
Eor, Great tale so far, keep it coming! | ||
| Loki |
Depends on how long it takes someone to send copies to me... Good to finally catch up and put a face to thy name. | ||
| Skully |
Hey Brad, It was good to meet you and finally see a Ulysses up close. It was a great weekend with perfect weather, good roads, good riding companions, and no problems. Blake, it was not the same without you... Here is the photo you refer to above:  Here is one of THREE Buell Lightnings some where along Hwy 123:  It was over all too fast, all 1200 miles... Looking forward to this Spring, Keith | ||
| Blake |
I think I've just been shrewdly insulted... "...and no problems. Blake, it was not the same without you..." LOL. | ||
| Skully |
 | ||
| Eor |
Cool...thanks for posting the pics here. Too bad you can't tell I am really flying the Buell flag there....even wearing a Buell bandanna! Looks like another great weekend for riding here...uncharacteristically warm for this time of year. BTW...I got a PM from a Ulysses owner near Siloam Springs, AR. He has been following the thread over on ADVrider. Hopefully we can get together and have an Arkansas Ulysses "rally."  | ||
| Eor |
Germans Still On Holiday This Is A Four Stroke, Right? Breaking In Is Hard To Do Black Soot and Tire Required Take Your Seat, Please I haven't made my weekly call to the dealership yet, but I don't anticipate the results of tomorrow's inquiry regarding my luggage will be any different. In case you are keeping track, my luggage for the Ulysses will have been on order for eight weeks at the end of this week. And now the folks at Hepco Becker will be taking off again for Oktoberfest...wundebar. I have fielded some questions here regarding the Uly's oil consumption. Several have felt it was a bit excessive. I have been using the one quart per 1500 miles is acceptable rationalization and recalled that I did have to add several ounces to my other Harley/Buell V-twin engines, particularly during break in. I have been assuming that the oil consumption would decrease as the engine became broken in. I have to admit that I am becoming a little concerned. The Ulysses engine seems to be consuming oil at a rate of 1 ounce per 50 miles or so. Since purchasing the bike, I have added 52 ounces and currently have 2300 miles on the engine. That works out to a little over one quart per 1500 miles. This afternoon I took a short ride of about 80 miles or so. When I returned, I had to add 4 ounces of oil to return the level to where it was after adding 9 ounces following a 300 mile ride last weekend. I posted a query on www.badweatherbikers.com as to what kind of oil consumption other Uly owners were experiencing. Based on the responses I have been getting [although few at this point] it does appear that my oil consumption is much greater than others. I was reminded not to fill the oil to the top of the dipstick's "full" indicator [something I never do]. When I check the level and add oil, I make sure the oil is hot [following a ride], allow the engine to idle, shut it off and wait a couple of minutes, and check it. I add oil until the level is 1/2 to 2/3 the distance between the add and full marks on the dipstick. I start the engine, let it idle for a couple of minutes, and confirm the level. This seems to me to be a proper procedure, no? At the next service visit, I will mention this to the Buell service tech. Following a search on BadWeb, I came across a couple of things they might need to check...the PCV system and the compression and leakdown. I am tempted to check my plugs but I don't yet have a service manual and am reluctant to do much snooping around without it. When searching the BadWeb archives I came across a couple instances of excessive oil consumption in XB12 motors, both of which resolved after the bikes surpassed 3000 miles or so. Oil tends to be a very contentious issue among bikers, and a relatively new controversy has arisen regard break-in procedures. Some feel that the gentle break-in recommended by manufacturers leads to excessive oil consumption. Here is a link to the proponent of an alternate procedure which [supposedly] results in less oil consumption and a more powerful engine. http://mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm I don't know enough to have a position on this one way or another. I do know that I made a good faith effort to follow the break in limitations set forth in the Buell manual and my engine is using allot of oil at 2300 miles. [I'll admit that I could have adhered to the guidelines a little better, but I felt I was pretty darned conservative] Some are reporting they followed the alternate procedure and their engines are using very little, if any, oil between changes....all anecdotal evidence, so who knows? Intermission Time....cue the Let's All Go To the Lobby singing and dancing refreshments....  When cleaning the bike I have noticed something a bit unusual and wondered if it might somehow be related to my oil consumption issue. After a few hundred miles of riding, a sooty deposit forms on the swingarm's left side and on the end of the frame underneath the left foot peg. I have never seen this on either of my two previous XB model Buells. I initially assumed that this is the result of the different exhaust outlet location and orientation, but I began to wonder of this is normal. I have posted a query regarding this observation on BadWeb. As of this writing I have only had one response...and the sooty deposit was absent on that bike. I'll update here as I learn more about this. I'll call tomorrow and order a new rear tire. The Dunlop 616 is going to make it to 2500 miles and perhaps a bit beyond but it is time to get a replacement on the way. The tread wear indicator in the center of the tire is almost flush with the remaining tread. If I can find some endless left or right sweepers, I might stretch that tire life out to 3000 miles. Even here, you just have to go in a straight line sometimes. On the Ulysses Aftermarket Front, we have this addition from Corbin....  According to Corbin's information, their seat lowers the seat height of the Ulysses from 35" to 33.5" The above photo was taken from the www.americansportbike.com website. American Sportbike is owned and operated by a fellow Buell enthusiast. The Corbin website has a nice series of photos of the new seat on the Uly, but I couldn't steal them because they are in the Macromedia Flash format. Here's a link if you are interested... http://www.corbin.com/buell/ulysses/xb12xu.shtml Following this message from our sponsor, I'll be right back with today's fuel mileage report....  Still averaging 46 mpg. That is all. Click. (Message edited by eor on October 19, 2005) | ||
| Jim_sb |
Hello Eor, My 1st tank, 160 miles, took 3.9 gallons. 2nd tank, 180 miles, took 4.0 gallons. I too have been following the recommended break-in. One case of micro-ring welding (see the other thread) is enough to concern me. We'll see. I question whether my bike really holds 4.4 gallons. We'll see. I was 20 miles into the trip meter when I fueled up the other day (180 miles total, 4.0 gallons). The bike died on me going down a 5 mile stretch of super twisty switchbacks on the way to the gas station. Could have been too much descent angle, or too much lean or both. In any event 45mpg is all I'm getting and I haven't really let the bike run yet. Re the soot, I thought my S2 exhibited that trait a little. My Uly may be as well, I'll keep an eye on it. But I think if you held a white surface near any exhaust after start up (car, truck, whatever) I think you'll see the engine is running rich (because the engine is cold and the FI map instructs it to run that way) and that could be the source. Additionally certain rpm ranges / throttle settings may encourage the map to go extra rich and that may add to the soot. I'm just speculating, not sure it's a problem, but it bears observation. Still enjoying your reports. And my Uly. Jim in Santa Barbara | ||
| Eor |
The [Not Quite So] Great Pumpkin {Ulysses Visits The Parthenon [General Store] 25 Or 6 to 4 We saw some Weird •••• The goal of today's excursion was to photograph the Ulysses in Parthenon, AR. I had ridden by the Highway 327 intersection with Highway 74 in Jasper many times, noting to myself, You really should turn there sometime and see what is down that road. Sue decided that it was marginally warm enough to join me on her bike so I needed a afternoon itinerary that included some roads familiar to her and something a little different to keep me entertained. A trip to Parthenon was in order. We headed up 123, stopping at the Hankins Store to take a break. The store wasn't open...a shame, because while we were there, a dozen cars and six bikes pulled in, only to pull away after seeing the Closed October 22 and 23 sign. They haven't sold gas there in years, but I'm thinking a biker friendly sandwich shop with hot coffee, ice cream, and fountain drinks might work. I am constantly reminded that I am too young to be retired...usually by those older than me who aren't. Anyway.... we rode 123 to Mount Judea and 374 through Vendor back to Highway 7 and Jasper where we had lunch at the Ozark Cafe'. The Chili was good. The bathrooms are decorated with old newspaper clippings from the local paper. I chuckled when I saw a small add for a diet pill in which the "testamonial" read something like this: I'm so thankful to once again have a model's figure! I have lost 32 pounds and I am down to a SIZE 14!  There were several bikes there and a small group of sportbike riders from the Dallas area was fascinated with the Uly...almost as much as Sue was fascinated with the Green Triumph Sprint one of them was riding. The girl likes those Triumphs...or is it the guys who ride them? As we left the restaurant, we heard what sounded like a dog howling. Sue was worried someone had left their dog in a car. No...it was a thirty something guy with glasses and long curly hair, sitting Indian style on the courthouse lawn across the street. He was singing [sort of] along with a portable karaoke machine and guitar amp on a pull-behind cart. She tried to get me to take a photo of him, but I refused...partially because I assumed he was a "special needs" person and partially because it wouldn't mean much without an accompanying audio file demonstrating just how bad he really was. The guy bore a striking resemblance to the character in Napoleon Dynamite. It was yet another weird scene in the Hundred [Thousand] Acre Wood. The small community of Parthenon is approximately 6 miles south of Jasper on Highway 327 and lies in a valley near the Buffalo River. The cliffs in the distance are those along the Buffalo River.    We rode through Parthenon and climbed the mountain to Wayton. I knew the road turned to gravel for a couple of miles, so I thought it would be best turn turn back and snap a few photos. We'll try the gravel road when Sue is a little more comfortable off road. Back to downtown Parthenon, Arkansas....  At first I assumed this was an abandoned building but later learned that people are living there.   Sue noticed this sign on a fence post across the street from the old building...  Good advice, regardless of where you are. The Parthenon General Store is next to or behind the large building, depending on your point of view...  While we were there, no less than a dozen cars or trucks pulled in. The little parking lot was so busy we had a hard time trying to figure out where to park the bikes in order to stay out of the way. It was a nice little store, with the grocery items stacked neatly on wooden shelves. Chicago's 25 or 6 to 4 was playing on the radio. We had a coke and were invited to enjoy the picnic tables out front. We both would have liked to sit and people watch in this unlikely place but Sue told me she would turn into a pumpkin if I didn't get her home before dark. When we got home Sue kissed me and told me, "Thank you for taking me with you today. We saw some weird ••••. I had allot of fun." Life is good. (Message edited by eor on October 23, 2005) (Message edited by eor on October 23, 2005) (Message edited by eor on October 24, 2005) | ||
| Eor |
Autumn Has Arrived I took a short ride this afternoon while Sue was playing with her fat horse at the rodeo arena. The temperatures dropped considerably overnight and I had to throw on some extra clothing. I made a couple of runs on The Pig Trail, had my traditional post Pig Trail cigar at Turner Bend and headed home...just a typical afternoon ride. I usually see allot of bikes on the trail, but I guess the colder weather kept them at home today. You definitely had to wear more than your underwear and a do rag today. In one of the 10 MPH curves, I saw a rider clad in racing leathers and his green Kawasaki sportbike on the side of the road. There was a Franklin County Deputy parked behind him. I attempted to discretely pass...well, as discretely as a guy on an Orange Buell can. As I came back though, the biker was still there, but he cop had been replaced by a wrecker. I couldn't tell if he had wrecked or had broken down. I assumed he had been pulled over for speeding at first. I've heard that bikers sometimes exceed the speed limit Highway 23. There was a Hare Scramble taking place a Byrd's Outdoor Adventure Center on Highway 215. I wanted to stop and get some shots of the kids but thought I would do so after running the trail and taking a break. Of course it was over and they had all left when I rode back through. I have to learn to stop and take pictures immediately when I see something interesting. I've missed allot of good shots because I haven't. In lieu of interesting photos of the kids riding in the Hare Scramble, I got a few more of Highway 215...   The trees in the southern Ozarks are beginning to show colors in significant numbers this weekend. I don't know if this is a Sweet Gum or Red Maple but it sure caught my eye. The set up with the surrounding green foliage, the Mulberry River in the background, and the setting sun was too much to pass by. It reminded me of an impressionist painting...  | ||
| Henrik |
Excellent ride report and pictures Eor. Thanks for sharing. Henrik | ||
| Blake |
Really great stuff Eeyore! Thanks! | ||
| Eor |
When I dropped the bike off this morning, I visited with both the service manager and the Buell "specialist." They were inclined to agree that my oil consumption was excessive and they wanted to look into it. They asked and received my permission to put some miles on the bike [perhaps as many as 100] in the process of checking it out. I also mentioned the minor quirks/glitches I have observed with the FI and they said they would watch for those too when they rode it. I can't ask for much more than that. According to the parts guy, the luggage is to be shipped on Thursday and they hope to have it around the middle of next week. Since they needed more than one day to investigate the oil consumption, I decided to leave the bike with them until they get the luggage in. At the end of next week, the Uly will have a new rear tire, fresh oil, and luggage, at the least. As far as the oil issue goes, I may or may not have a problem, but I should know allot more about it in a couple of days. I didn't get to bring the bike home, but they had one of these laying around the sales office and let me take it.  | ||
| Blake |
I think that some Windex might just get that marker graffiti off in good fashion.  | ||
| Dave |
Hey that's great news Eor. Sounds like you have a dealership willing to step up to the plate and resolve. Nice little perk too! DAve | ||
| Uselyssxb12x |
Keep up the good work Eor. Sound like a good dealer you got there. Waiting for the findings on your Uly. | ||
| Twisty_dan |
I love the concept, but I'm concerned about a few things regarding the Ully. I was leaning towards retiring my '01 M2 from over 45k mi of travels and weekend twisties, and turn it into a track bike. This, hopefully, ends the aggressive (read stupidly aggressive!) riding with the "fast boys" in the canyons, and thus, brings up the need for the most comfortable sport/touring/adventure bike, I can find. Doesn't leave too many options, does it! The Ully, of course, is the best option, as I prefer a Harley/Buell twin. But, what's up with F.I. glitches, oil consumption, tire wear, and that obnoxious fan noise? The M2 averaged 45-50mpg pushing hard for hours, 50-55mpg in the mountains/foothills traveling, and approached high 50's riding very conserva- tively between long gas stops. I never added a whole qt. of oil (Syntec-3)before oil changes at approximately 2000mi. My seat is well known as one of the most adequate of sport style bikes, and perhaps similar in comfort to the Ully. Ok, I'll stop whining now, and honestly , I'm still looking forward to owning one and eliminating these minor problems, as we've all done in the past on our "tubesters". I must say I greatly appreciate the honest and informative feedback from Eor. Thank you very much! Dan Johnson | ||
| Dave |
Dan ... I'm approaching 2400 miles on mine and have not experienced this issues. I think others will speak up w/similar reviews DAve | ||
| Eor |
I would have to agree, based on the limited sampling of fellow Uly owners on this site and ADVrider, that the "issues" I have experienced are not widespread, nor are they "deal breakers." I have two other bikes in the garage...both of which have seen practically no road time since I got the Ulysses. Unless I'm headed off pavement into unfamiliar territory or taking a longer trip that requires storage space, the Uly is my bike of choice. And it will continue to be so, even if it is determined that the oil consumption and surging at certain RPMS is "within specs." As far as the tire wear, I would estimate that 40-50% of the 2800 miles has been on chip seal road surfaces. For those of you unfamiliar with chip seal...it is cheap way to "repair" a road surface in which small diameter gravel is rolled onto a thin application of asphalt. The resultant texture resembles very course grained sandpaper. It eats tires...all tires. I was surprised to learn that there are THREE Ulysses [es?] in Arkansas. I've been in contact with an owner near Siloam Springs and was told of another in Chester, Arkansas by the Buell tech. And we all live within a couple of hours of each other...amazing! (Message edited by eor on October 26, 2005) | ||
| Twisty_dan |
Hey Dave and Eor, thank you for your quick response to my gripings. I should just sit down, shut up, and go ride one! I actually have an invitation from the race director at Vallejo H.D. to ride his. Look'n forward to it! Thanks again, Dan |
