| Author | Message | ||||||||||||||||
     Eor |
I noticed the wobble/headshake on deceleration the first time I rode the Ulysses after having the bags installed. It was quite by accident that I did so, having an unusually light grip on the handlebars at the time. Releasing the grip completely allowed the headshake to become rather dramatic. I have only ridden it with all bags in place. During the troubleshooting process, the Buell tech rode the bike with only the top bag, only the side bags, and with no bags. He reported that the nature and intensity of the headshake changed somewhat under those different conditions, but it never completely disappeared. Torquing the steering head bearing beyond specs and replacing the front tire appears to have dampened the headshake some, but it is still there. My strategy is to keep both hands firmly on the handlebars and enjoy the bike. (Message edited by eor on December 15, 2005) | ||||||||||||||||
| Blake |
Wuss.  I thought you Arkansas boys were more adventurous than that. | ||||||||||||||||
| Az_m2 |
Court's post: >>>>I think we're going to have to live with it. That is an inaccurate statement. leads me to believe that Buell is not done with this. Maybe they'll find something, maybe not. Still a great bike, and the wobble is, to me, just a slight annoyance. | ||||||||||||||||
| Az_m2 |
Oh, and I still haven't run the coming down from a wheelie, with no hands on the bars, at 45mph test. I suspect there may be a wobble under these circumstances too. | ||||||||||||||||
| Jlnance |
My biggest complaint about the Corbin so far is the increased amount of vibration that is being transferred through the seat compared to the stock seat. I have the stock seat. I noticed today that I could leave my gloves on the seat while I let the bike warm up. Thats impressive vibration dampning. No way I could do that on the Blast or the Cyclone. | ||||||||||||||||
| Eor |
The Dead, Abandoned, Lost, and the Honored The Good, Bad, and the Ugly With the Christmas shopping done, my back in nominal condition, the sun shining, and the temperature above 60 degrees, I thought I would re-acquaint myself with the Ulysses. I was able to wedge about 150 miles of riding between lunch with Sue and sunset...a familiar route, but with a few twists. I thought this was a little odd....  I ride by the old Hagarville Store frequently but have never been able to stop and take a photo as the neighbor's dogs chase me off. Apparently, they have moved away, giving me an opportunity...   "Peabody" is one of the best known dogs in Northwest Arkansas. If the owner does not find him, it won't be for a lack of trying as she has posted these all over the region. Supposedly, he has been spotted several times and appears to be on somewhat of an adventure himself...stopping briefly at numerous homes, making friends, eating, and moving on. He has been missing for 3 months or so....  Truly a seminal intersection for motorcycle riders in Arkansas...  This is a very nice tribute to I.C. and Cornelia Sutton of Lurton.  Hill-billy Graffiti...  A friend of mine took this the other day, and prompted several to sarcastically refer to me as "Bad Santa." If it were not seasonally specific, I fear that I might have been stuck with a new nickname.  Merry Christmas from Eeyore, Eor, Bad Santa, or Brad...whoever I am today. | ||||||||||||||||
| Eor |
I Found My Tail...And It Hurts! I've put about 200 miles on the Corbin seat and am approaching a few conclusions... I like the contour of the seat and the position it places me in. I like the little extra amount of foot I can get down...it's not much but it helps. I like the way it looks. I don't like the increased amount of vibration that is being transmitted through the seat. And perhaps related to the previous impression...it is just too hard. I know that it will take more than 200 miles to break-in, but I don't know that I am interested in toughing it out long enough to see if it softens up significantly. After 75-80 miles of riding today, I found myself standing up to relieve pressure on my tail bone. With the stock seat, I would have just be squirming around some around at that point. I think I'll put the stock seat back on for my next ride and make some further comparisons before I decide to put the Corbin in the flea market, but I think that is where it is headed eventually. The Buell low seat looks promising, but some of the owners that have tried it seem to end up back with the stock seat for everyday riding. Buell seems to have done a good job with the seat...it's just a bit too tall for some of us. I was so excited when I returned and checked the oil level...it was down to the ADD mark and I was justified in adding a few ounces. It was very satisfying.  I expected the fuel mileage would decrease a little with the bags on but when I calculated it this afternoon, I had only gotten 39 mpg. This is substantially less than the 46-47 mpg average I had been getting, but I haven't bothered to check it for a while. I don't know if this is a trend or an isolated occurrence. I'll follow it a little more closely for a while. I was riding a little harder than usual today [first real ride in a while] ...perhaps that is the reason? | ||||||||||||||||
| Rkc00 |
When you decide if you are selling the seat let me know. Mike Long Island, NY XB12X Black/KickAsh | ||||||||||||||||
| Eor |
Temps were in the low 60's here this afternoon, so I spent a few hours on the Uly with the stock seat. The improved seating position and the slightly better footing the Corbin provides just can't offset the overall comfort advantage the stock seat offers. If someone is interested in the Corbin, I'll have it listed in the flea market shortly. I did check the fuel mileage at the end of the ride and got 44 mpg with the bags attached, but empty. The bike is running well and I'm really enjoying it again. | ||||||||||||||||
| Eor |
How Low Can Buell Go? Been busy with family / holiday stuff the past couple of weeks. I received the Buell low seat from Dave Stueve last week and had an opportunity to install it this afternoon. It's not quite plug and play, but it is simple enough. You first have to remove the forward ECM mounting screw and replace it with a longer one and a plastic block, which I suppose supports the seat and prevents it from putting pressure on the ECM or the shock assembly....   And the end result...  Here's the result as it pertains to footing....  The stock seat....  And the Corbin seat....  It appears that my footing with the Buell low seat is about the same as with the Corbin, but neither seems to provide a dramatic improvement from the stock seat. However, that slight improvement with the Corbin made allot of difference in my confidence level while making slow speed maneuvers in the real world. Whether the Buell low seat is more comfortable than the Corbin remains to be seen. At first opportunity, I'll put some mileage on the seat and report in. My first impression is that it looks good, fits correctly, and feels a little softer than the Corbin. Happy New Year! (Message edited by eor on January 01, 2006) (Message edited by eor on January 01, 2006) | ||||||||||||||||
| M2nc |
I just rode my Uly with the low seat. Man, it is a real benefit at slower speeds. I was looking at the M2 with Corbin versus the Uly with the low seat and there was little difference. I rode about 150 miles and found that the seat was comfortable. I do not think my butt was as comfortable as the standard but it wasn't bad. The seams on the standard seat though wear on my inner-thighs, so overall the low was more comfortable to me. I also posted on another thread that I test both the M2 and Uly for Head Shake. The M2 actually was worse than the Uly. On Friday I ran the M2 to 65mph and took my hands off the handlebar. As the speed dropped to between 40-50mph the bike started to wiggle. I noticed that the wiggle of the bike was related to engine speed. As the bike slowed pass wear I would normally shift out of fifth, the bike started to wiggle. As the bike slowed below 40mph it quit and stayed smooth to below 20mph. The wiggle was ever so slight and in my opinion, not a problem. Today I final got to ride the Uly. Six weeks was waaay to long. Even so on some long straightaways I decided to test for head shake. I tested three different times. My starting speeds were between 65mph and 75mph. I left go of the handle bars and let the bike slow down. It was rock solid, not even a hint of a wiggle. I still have the frame for the bags on the bike, but did not have the bags on the bike. I checked air pressure of the tires and the front was 35psi cold and the rear was at 38psi. I will try it again with the bags on one day. The left bag is the give away of my ice skating event so I do not know when I'm going to put it on. The bike looked good today and was so sweet to ride. The M2 is fun, but the Uly is awesome. I'll let you know when I test again with the bags on. | ||||||||||||||||
| Eor |
Someone over on the ADVrider.com thread that mirrors this one asked if a full face helmet will fit inside a side bag. I thought it would, but didn't know for sure. For those of you that are wondering....   It will. | ||||||||||||||||
| Eor |
In The Groove And The Winner Is... It was one of those perfect motorcycling afternoons with sunny skies and temperatures in the high 60's...a great opportunity to test out the new Buell low seat for the Ulysses....  With no clouds in sight, the sky was a shade of blue I had not seen in a while. The humidity was low and there was very little, if any wind. The bike seemed to run smoother than usual, the downshifts were all done at the perfect speed, and the lines through the curves were among the best I've picked. In some 60 miles of riding through the mountains I only encountered one other motorcycle and perhaps six vehicles.   Even the homely looking luggage frame assumed an surprising aesthetic quality...  Well...maybe not... Things were going so well, I began to feel a bit uneasy, thinking to myself...Isn't this what happens to people just before everything goes to ••••? However, this is the most distressing thing I experienced all afternoon....  I got about 90 miles on the new seat this afternoon and I'm very pleased with it. While a trip of 200-300 miles would obviously be a much better test, I am pretty optimistic after 90 miles...and you know optimism does not come easily to Eeyore's. What little the Buell low seat gives up in comfort to the stock seat is more than offset by the improved footing. While wearing my normal riding boots, I can almost get both feet flat and can certainly get the left foot planted solidly at stops without having to shift my weight or lean the bike. I started wondering if some mild off pavement riding might be back on the agenda as a result? Recognizing that opinions on seats are highly subjective, here's a review of my impressions... The stock seat is one of the most comfortable motorcycle seats I have been on, and does and exceptional job of absorbing the engine vibration. Were it not for my short inseam and need/desire for better footing, I wouldn't make the change. The Corbin seat looks sharp, provides a good seating position relative to the bars, and gave me improved footing, but was just too hard and transmitted allot of vibration from the engine. Perhaps after a couple thousand miles, it might soften up, but I wasn't interested in keeping it that long to find out. To fit properly, mine would have required some trimming with a Dremel tool. Given the improved footing it provides, while being only slightly less comfortable, and transmitting slightly more vibration than the stock seat, the Buell low seat seems ....juuust right, he sighed. After she'd eaten the three bears' breakfasts she decided she was feeling a little tired. So, she walked into the living room where she saw three chairs. Goldilocks sat in the first chair to rest her feet. "This chair is too big!" she exclaimed. So she sat in the second chair. "This chair is too big, too!" she whined. So she tried the last and smallest chair. "Ahhh, this chair is just right," she sighed.  | ||||||||||||||||
| M2nc |
Eor, I agree with you about the low seat. On New Year's Day, I put a little over 150 miles on my Uly with the low seat. My butt felt the difference but it was not bad at all. I liked the "In the Bike" feel and my inner thighs were fine all day. I have one problem with the seams of the standard seat. Since I have one of the shortest inseams for a Uly owner I found that the seams of the standard seat rubbed against my inner thighs and after a few hundred miles made them sore. The low seat makes that disappear making the low seat for me more comfortable overall. The footing boost was also really nice. | ||||||||||||||||
| Eor |
Orange Clockworks CQ CQ CQ de AA5CH A Bun Warmer [More Than] One Ping Only Half-Life of Element D616 Experientially Determined That Which Cannot Be Spoken Of The Big Picture The last three times I have ridden the Ulysses, I have noticed that the clock was off....as in several hours. After resetting it the first time and noticing a couple of days later that it was incorrect again, I assumed I had not followed the correct procedure didn't notice the clock as I usually leave the display on the trip odometer. However, I have now reset it twice, only to discover that it is incorrect each time I have gone out to start it. I reset it again today [approximately 6 hours ago] and it is currently indicating the correct time. I assume it is some kind of loose connection/low voltage situation, but other than the difficulty I had starting the bike the first time after getting it home from the dealership, I haven't noticed any other electrical issues. Speaking of electronics.... I picked this handy little device up yesterday at Radio Shack...  By installing banana plugs on each one, I can power several different devices and only have to carry one power adapter. It's a tight fit so you might have to tilt the handlebars back a bit to allow enough clearance for the binding posts and the banana plugs. The reason I did that was primarily so I could do this....  One of my other hobbies is Amateur[Ham]Radio and I occasionally take my low power transceiver with me and play with it during a stop. I built the radio from a kit, BTW. Using the bike's battery to power it allows me to leave other batteries at home. The wire antenna, the morse code key, twine to hang the antenna, and the power cable all fit neatly in a camera bag which goes in the top case.  It takes about 10 minutes for me to set it all up and get on the air. I did so today from the Redding Campground near Cass, AR. It was a weird day here, cloudy, but with temperatures in the 70's and humidity in the 20's. That doesn't happen very often in Arkansas. I got bitten several times by gnats that we shouldn't be seeing for another 3-4 months...very strange weather indeed. I didn't make any contacts this afternoon [sometimes you don't] but had allot of fun playing with the radio and enjoying the weather.  I put about 120 miles on the bike today and I still like the low seat. I had to ride off pavement a couple of miles to get to the campground and I felt better able to handle the bike there because of the improved footing. The bikes feels a little light up front to me when on gravel. The surface was well packed and the gravel was pretty small; however, the Uly's front wheel seemed to be over-reacting a bit to me. Even on level ground, I felt the need to shift my weight forward a bit to settle the front wheel down. My primary off pavement bike is a BMW F650GS Dakar with a 21 inch front wheel. Perhaps what I experienced was just the handling difference between the wheels? Perhaps my suspension needs a bit of tweaking? Since the Buell engineer and Shawn Higbee set my suspension, I haven't been inclined to make any adjustments, particularly given how well it has been handling. I didn't have any trouble...it just didn't seem as stable on the gravel as I thought it should be. I did notice that heat from the engine is being transmitted through the low seat, where it was never noticeable while on the stock seat. On a day like today, it wasn't an issue...and may not be even on a summer day...we'll have to see. The engine has been running quite well since the bike spent time at the dealership, the only exception being a pinging I noticed a couple of times today when accelerating fairly hard in second gear. IIRC, I think I noticed some pinging on occasion a while back and wrote it off as the dealership using regular octane fuel instead of the premium I always use. The bike will be due for its 5000 service before long and I will add the pinging to the list of things to check at that time. I wonder if the unusually low humidity we experienced here today was a factor? I also recall that the dealership has reset the static timing on my bike three times. Unfortunately, I'm afraid the rear tire may need to be replaced at the 5K service. This is what the rear looks like after approximately 1200 miles....  I measured tread depths next to the center wear indicator at 4/32" to 5/32". Looks like the tire life of 2500-3000 miles I got on the first rear wasn't a fluke. Hey, remember the oil thing? .... [I know you are saying to yourself...Oh Gawd...here he goes again] The Reader's Digest version is this... I've been following the procedure by the book regarding checking the oil level, adding only when appropriate to do so, and adding the correct amount when called for. That being said...given the manner and conditions in which I am riding, at 4100 miles, my bike's oil consumption is near the top end of what I understand to be acceptable for that model engine. End of Topic unless there is a dramatic change in either direction. Fuel mileage today was measured at 43 mpg...this riding at a fairly spirited pace on rural two lanes through the Ozarks. Okay...so here we are, having survived the great oil consumption wars, the luggage induced headshake on deceleration conundrum, the physical infirmities of encroaching middle age-dom and its accompanying depression, Goldilocks and The Three Chairs, and a clock operating in an alternate temporal dimension...I am very happy with this bike. Since I mention all of these "niggles" I think folks may get the wrong impression about my relationship with the Ulysses. The bottom line is this.... I enjoy riding the Uly more than any bike I've owned. Given the opportunity to do so and favorable circumstances, I would not hesitate to load up the bags and embark upon a cross country journey on it tomorrow morning. My only concerns would be getting the oil changed within the next 800 miles and a new rear tire in about 1000-1500 miles...concerns common to any bike owner. Other than the additional fuel expense I incurred hauling the bike to and from a dealership that is 200 miles away [my choice] to investigate what turned out to be minor or non-issues, my expenses on the bike have been limited to normal wear and maintenance items. The only regret I have regarding the Ulysses is breaking it in too gently as I believe the manner in which I did so contributed to my bike using a bit more oil than most. If something were to happen to mine, I would seek to replace it with another Ulysses ASAP and I would return to the same dealership to do so. That pretty much sums it up so far. (Message edited by eor on January 09, 2006) | ||||||||||||||||
| Jlnance |
AA5CH de KB4FXD I used to call the Carolina Slow Net in the early 90s, but stopped when my daughter was born in 94. I don't think I've been on the air since then. BUT I'm thinking of changing that. Sometime within the next year, I want to ride my bike across the country. I make occasional business trips to CA, so I have an excuse. I think the trip would be more fun if I took some sort of VHF FM tranciever, preferably one with a headset I could use while on the bike. The thing is, I haven't used any VHF radios since the mid 80s, so my knowledge of radios (and even which band to get on) is lacking. Anyone have suggestions? | ||||||||||||||||
| Jlnance |
The bikes feels a little light up front to me when on gravel. I rode mine on Gravel yesterday. It was a loose thin layer of large (not quite golf ball size) gravel on a dirt road. I did not like the sensation. The bars moved around a lot. I've ridden on packed gravel before, and that was a much different sensation. The front end moved around significantly less. | ||||||||||||||||
| Bigdaddy |
Hey Jim, Amerizon Wireless has some rugged weatherproof units. Not real sure how much you're looking for. Can you copy code? Can you copy code while riding  You may get some better information from Jackbequick -- them old Navy ditty bops are freaks about this stuff. G2 | ||||||||||||||||
| Jlnance |
Can you copy code? Can you copy code while riding? I could, at one time, copy code. I passed the 20 wpm test in '84. Its been 11 years since I've coppied any, so I'm sure it would take a few days to get back in practice. I have never been good enough to copy it in my head. And I'm not a good enough rider to even think about doing it on a bike.  It was funny. I got my license in high school. There were 3 of us who sent our applications in in the same envelope. KB4FXC,D,&E. I've never changed my callsign because I didn't want to break the chain. I practiced code every night so I could pass the 13 wpm test and use phone. When I went to take the test, I took the 20 wpm for grins, and much to my amazement passed it. Then, after I start using phone, I discover I really like CW better. | ||||||||||||||||
| Eor |
Unfortunately, amateur radio is a hobby in decline since the technically inclined that used to be drawn to it are now playing with cell phones, iPods, satellite radios, computers, cell phones, etc. The things that excited many of our generation like tuning in a distant radio station late at night seem silly now when you can text message friends in Sweden from your car while listening to satellite Radio. The hobby has become a haven of sorts for old guys with health problems and baby boomers trying to recapture their youth...somewhat like motorcycling, it would appear.  Even though it is about to be completely eliminated as a requirement, I've gravitated back to morse code... its definitely old school and the operators are more courteous and so far...much more interesting to visit with. Anyway.... I checked the clock on the Ulysses this morning and it indicated the correct time. After letting it sit overnight, the battery voltage was 13.03 volts, suggesting a charged battery. From doing some research here, it appears that my clock may have been resetting itself when i started the bike, perhaps because of a low battery. I think it needs to be ridden more. | ||||||||||||||||
| Reepicheep |
Mine (XB9SX) would reset due to a loosely attached battery terminal, or a misrouted wiring harness (went over the battery terminal and had a near microscopic cut in the insulation). Try pulling your battery terminals, clean well, and torque back down to spec. Make sure wiring harness to ECM is not rubbing against anything sharp (I slapped some split loom armor on mine). | ||||||||||||||||
| Jlnance |
The things that excited many of our generation like tuning in a distant radio station One of the more memorable moments of my youth was the night FXC & myself decided to try and use a Russian satelite. It was up on 2M and down on 10. I had written a BASIC program to calculate the times the satelite was in range. We used his HT, and keyed the antenna on and off. I managed a CW contact through that thing. It seemed extrodinarily impressive at the time. | ||||||||||||||||
| Eor |
A Fickle Ass Ping Me Sometimes One evening after having ridden the Uly with the low seat for over a hundred miles, I noticed my lower back was bothering me more than it has been. I rode it some more and noticed that the seat's contour seems to arch my back a bit. It's not noticeable until after I have ridden about an hour or so. The next day I put the stock seat back on and rode about an hour and a half without taking a break. During the ride, later that night, and during the next day I had no lower back pain. I don't think the low seat is going to work out with the specific condition of MY back....as always, YMMV. It looks like I'l be headed back to the flea market with another seat....call it the Eeyore Ulysses Seat Subsidy Program. I've heard slight pinging a few more times, usually during roll ons from the bottom end of the a gear's speed range. I'm using 91 octane and the ambient air temps were in the high 50's - low 60's. I don't know if it is related or not, but when I pulled the bike in the garage the other night after a ride I noticed the front header was glowing after only idling for a minute or so. I've seen headers glow before, but usually it has been after a bike has sat idling for a few minutes. Perhaps I am only noticing this now because the days so short and I am arriving home in the dark after my afternoon rides? Otherwise the engine seems to be running quite well the last few times I've had the bike out. It appears that the clock has not reset itself anymore. I did check the battery voltage [13.03 volts], tightened the terminal connections, and made a quick inspection of the wiring harnesses and connections. Nothing seemed loose and I didn't see anything obviously wrong. Looks like nice weather is on tap for this weekend. I need to finish off this rear tire and get the bike up to 5K for its next service before the Spring rush hits the dealership. I'm switching to synthetic oil at the 5K service and seriously considering a switch to the Pirelli Scorpion Sync tires. Several have mentioned doing so, but I'm not aware of anyone who has actually run them on a Ulysses yet. I'd like to see tire life beyond 2500-3000 miles, if possible. | ||||||||||||||||
| Blake |
The front header was "glowing"? What is rpm when you notice slight pinging? fYI: Some data of interest?...  for Heated Iron and Steel
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| Eor |
Gee.... thanks for the info.... in my previous life I had access to a high dollar infrared thermometer...now I just guess...about 900-1000 degrees F on the front header. Maybe I'll snap a photo of it next time...should make for an interesting subject. The other day when I heard the pinging I was in second gear, doing a pretty hard roll on trying to catch up with an interesting group of riders that was passing through town. The day before yesterday, I am going to guess that I was in 4th gear powering out of a curve at about 50-60 mph, at 3500-4000 RPM when I heard it pinging. (Message edited by eor on January 13, 2006) | ||||||||||||||||
| Dustyjacket |
You know, with gas pumps these days using a single common hose, your first gallon or more is whatever the last guy bought. You may choose 91 or 93 octane, but if you only buy 1 or 2 gallons, who knows what you end up with. Your pinging may be a combination of a couple of bad-luck fillups where the previous person filled with 87 octane. When I fill up with my wife riding her Blast, I punch up 91 octane and fill her tank first. Then I get the "good stuff". | ||||||||||||||||
| Eor |
93 Octane is available at another station nearby. I may fill up there a couple of times and see if I still notice some occasional pinging. I've read some discussions regarding the mixing of fuel grades through a common pump. Someone in the business stated that because of the valve mechanism in modern pumps, far less than you imagine remains "in the tube" after someone stops pumping. | ||||||||||||||||
| Reepicheep |
My Cyclone header would glow anytime I worried about it. The only time I looked at it was when I was worried about it, and sure enough, if I looked close enough, it would be glowing. It probably glowed when I didn't worry as well, but of course, I never looked at it then Kinda like my 9sx now. It only makes funny noises when I listen for them. | ||||||||||||||||
| Rkc00 |
Eor, The Corbin seat is working out great for me. I have had a Corbin on all the bikes I have owned and I can not find a better seat. Mike Long Island, NY 06 XB12X | ||||||||||||||||
| Eor |
That's great to hear Mike. I was filing emails into my archives last night, saw yours, and wondered how you were liking the seat. I guess I'll stick with the stock seat as it is the best for my back. BTW...I've got an orange low seat for sale in the classified section if anyone is interested. |
