worm~hole
Needs a life
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posted May 06, 2006 11:54 AM
 Edited By: worm~hole on 6 May 2006 12:56
buell xb12x ulysess
...hmmm....not sure where to post this...its a roadbike that can be intentionally (key word here  ) ridden off-road....not quite dual-sport....tires appear more on road than off...they say it handles better than some dedicated sportbikes (rider dependant, of course)...has the ergos of a big dualie (maybe even a 'standard'?)...looks like a dualie...handles like a sportbike...quirky lookin' to some, perfect for others...
...the more I read about this bike, the more it makes sense if you just like to ride on almost all surfaces but primarily on-road and ride ALOT...
...AND...
1) no drive belt adjustment...ever...
2) no valve adjustment...ever...
3) fully adjustable suspension
4) decent gas mileage/mileage range
5) comfy ergos for most riders over 5'9"
6) really decent cargo capacity for all of yor road trips...
...so...ride more....adjust/maintain less...makes sense to me...
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“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
  
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crip2nite
Zone Head
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posted May 06, 2006 02:00 PM
Ummm...don't even think for a second that they are low maintenance! Lotsa little problems with these babys. Pain in the freakin' ass to get a knowledgable mechanic to diagnose the many little "oopsies" ya get with them, let alone getting parts for them! I finally got rid of mine...slow little shits compare even to my 600rr...let alone my ZX10R!
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'08 ZX-10R ~ GREEN ~
Long Island, NY
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ridgeracer
Pro
Posts: 1309
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posted May 06, 2006 02:51 PM
How did you like the front brake?
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zx12adam
Member
Posts: 878
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posted May 06, 2006 05:17 PM
The front brakes? Must not have liked it very much, one of the rotors DONE FELL OFF!!!
(just kidding)
Really though, I hear the motors are turds, what else would you expect from 1957 tractor drivetrain? Maybe Harley will stop being stupid dumbasses when they put their watercooled, overheadcam, Porche developed engine in the semi-sportbike chassis instead of yet another overweight poser... I ment cruiser.
I still wouldn't buy one, not until they turn all Buell R&D over to a top race team or start hiring Honda/Kawa/Suzi/Yami techs. Or both.
Fuck'em.
Bitches.
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CBR1000RR
Best Literbike: Performance Bikes, Superbike, BIKE, MCN, Road Racing World, and Motorcycle USA
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crip2nite
Zone Head
Posts: 820
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posted May 07, 2006 05:29 AM
Front brake is really nothing special...actually if your going at a high rate of speed and hafta brake suddenly, you will get a little "pull" to the right! And don't get me started on the "rust-bucket" prob  Get caught in one freakin' rainstorm and wave bye bye to the nice black exhaust and all the bolts around! Almost everything that is metal on that thing rusts real quick...and that's even after trying to wipe off the water right away. Invest in a nice couple of cans of barbecue paint for the exhaust. ...and God help you if you come across any type of obstruction in the street....you can wave goodbye to the can as it's waaaay to low!
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'08 ZX-10R ~ GREEN ~
Long Island, NY
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crip2nite
Zone Head
Posts: 820
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posted May 07, 2006 09:42 AM
...although...my wife liked riding it once in a while...
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'08 ZX-10R ~ GREEN ~
Long Island, NY
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worm~hole
Needs a life
Miles to go before I sleep....
Posts: 10623
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posted May 07, 2006 02:00 PM
Edited By: worm~hole on 7 May 2006 15:04
...crip...what year was your Lightning?...when did all of your Buell experience start and end?...did you hit anything with that muffler and what kind of damage did it sustain?....what kind of "oopsies" did you encounter?...other than the fuel in frame, oil in swingarm, and 'different' front brake (all pretty straight-foward, easy-to-understand stuff), why would it be any different or more difficult for any HD mechanic to work on than the bike since it is esentially another 'smaller' HD?
...these are the kind of experinces and issues I like to keep in check to help me with the purchase or non-purchase of any bike...it seems that the Buells are no different that nay other marque out there: people either love 'em or hate 'em...
...the ones who love 'em ride the bike within its intended design, engine and all (ie. not ride it like an in-line four or triple, not expect it to perform like an in-line four or triple)
...the one's who hate 'em ride the bike outside its intended design (ie. expect a 'bigger' small cc'd torquey twin to perform 'better' than an even smaller cc'd 'peaky' in-line four)
....but what is an individual rider's definition of performance?....lotsa of subjective opinion on that particular question....me?...I'm not a Buell employee, but I know how I ride....slower than really really fast...torque on the street at 'street speeds' rules in my book, but I do enjoy the occassional corner carving once in awhile and don't like to scare myself silly with power-slidin' darkies because, well, I don't know how to handle those dynamics ('though I'd like to learn  )...
...seems Eric Buell may have built a bike for me then, but I am interested in its reliablity and other end-user and pertinent matters after the sale....don't wanna plunk down $11Gs for nothin', y'know?...hell, my trusty KLR650 is an archaic tractor, but it has never given me any problems and will do almost anything the Ulysses does (and look just as ugly doin' it, too! ) only not as fast ....
...and being a tinkerer (as most of us are), I'm sure that there are ways to mitigate the mechanical and asthetic issues you had with the bike...just gonna cost a little more, something we all seem to do no matter which bike(s) we own, yes?
____________
“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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tinhead
Expert Class
Posts: 203
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posted May 07, 2006 02:04 PM
quote:
......seems Eric Buell may have built a bike for me then,
You can't buy a Buell until you learn theat his name is Erik, NOT Eric. 
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worm~hole
Needs a life
Miles to go before I sleep....
Posts: 10623
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posted May 07, 2006 02:07 PM
quote:
quote:
......seems Eric Buell may have built a bike for me then,
You can't buy a Buell until you learn theat his name is Erik, NOT Eric.
...ooopsie!...I farted ...and I've just learned that you can't spell the word "that", either
____________
“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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crip2nite
Zone Head
Posts: 820
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posted May 07, 2006 02:18 PM
A Certified Buell mechanic is the only mechanic that should work on a Buell...the only thing that's "Harley" on the bike is the engine and even that needs a TPS reset every so often which requires certain software and know how! What pissed me off the most about the damn bike is I was knowingly sold the bike by the dealership that knew they were going to drop Buell in 2 weeks after my purchase. Which means they can't even so much as order a screw for the Buell let alone service it...there went my 2 year service warranty at that particular dealership! Within months, most of the H-D dealerships were dropping buell like a hot potatoe so if I had any warranty issues, it meant taking a ferry all the way to Connnecticut or traveling about 3 hours to Jersey to fix her up. Many folks I know were having serious clutch issues at or a little after 10k and exhaust cans actually coming loose and falling off the bike! The little "oopsies" were minor things likes mirrors coming loose and not being able to tighten them, belts braking just because a tiny little pebble got lodged in it or the teeth braking off because of sand and pebbles. Sooo many tiny things rusting away or coming loose etc... My horn stopped working the 2nd day I had it and had to have the mirrors replaced twice. Rearsets breaking for no particular reason. and the worst.....they break down more than any other bike I've read about....go to a buell board and read the negatives before they delete them! Many a Bueller gets stranded somewhere or another. A die-harde Bueller will tell you differently because he doesn't wanna believe he purchased a lemon so they'll defend the problems with ridiculous reasons and in the end....it's your fault that the Buell fucked up. Perfect example will be at : badweatherbikers.com check out the problem threads quick...for they're known to lambast the thread starter and delete the topic within days... Purchase this bike at your own risk...Personally...I feel if you wanna go that route....get yourself a Ducati
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'08 ZX-10R ~ GREEN ~
Long Island, NY
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crip2nite
Zone Head
Posts: 820
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posted May 07, 2006 02:21 PM
Oh...BTW my XB12S was an '04
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'08 ZX-10R ~ GREEN ~
Long Island, NY
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crip2nite
Zone Head
Posts: 820
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posted May 07, 2006 02:26 PM
Now....if you wanna hear more truthful tales about Buell...get yourself over to Sacborg.com It's funny hearing both the positive and negatives on the bike. Negatives outweigh the positives 2 to 1!
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'08 ZX-10R ~ GREEN ~
Long Island, NY
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worm~hole
Needs a life
Miles to go before I sleep....
Posts: 10623
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posted May 07, 2006 10:57 PM
..thanks 
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“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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aliveagain
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posted May 08, 2006 01:29 AM
I was under the impression that buell had their own motor in it now.Sucks because a 98" stroker would be the cats ass in there.Sporster parts no go anymore.I've also seen a turbo on one that looked fun.
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KRAM
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posted May 13, 2006 01:33 PM
I might buy a Buell.
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worm~hole
Needs a life
Miles to go before I sleep....
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posted May 16, 2006 10:38 PM
Edited By: worm~hole on 17 May 2006 01:39
Take me to Ulysses!
Well, then...I went on a 20-min test ride on a black '06 Uly earlier today. Temperature was in the high 80's with some blustery winds. I rode the bike up a windy curvy, tar-snake infested road and easily hits speeds of 70~75mph.
I LIKE THIS BIKE! I WANT THIS BIKE! I WILL HAVE A BIKE LIKE THIS BY FALL.
The tech set up the suspension per owner's manual for my weight. Damn! this bike is tall! The best I could do at a stop while straddling the saddle was both balls of my feet in my SIDI OnRoad Sympatex on the tarmac. I will definitely opt for the low saddle or a Corbin.
I liked the torque of this engine and the ease of which it brought me up to speed...not quite ZX-12R quick, but plenty quick enough for me and very entertaining. There's enough engine vibration to keep me involved and connected to what the bike is doing power-wise. Dare I say that I was riding what a motorcycle should feel like and not some sanitized speed blender set on liquify?....CONNECTED FUN!
I wish had had the time to take the slop out of the trottle grip and play with the front suspension a bit more.
I'm glad that I had the opportunity to take it out for a spin. It is what I expected and more. Now the scheming for the purchase begins!
____________
“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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Miklos
Expert Class
Posts: 246
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posted May 17, 2006 06:16 AM
Cool! I was reading what they had to say about it on ADVrider and it seems almost all are very happy with the bike. They make no bones about it, it ain't a dirt bike, or even a dual sport, but a bike that can handle rough pavement and gravel roads with ease.
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The problem with other countries is they are all ran by foreigners.
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worm~hole
Needs a life
Miles to go before I sleep....
Posts: 10623
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posted May 17, 2006 07:49 AM
quote:
Cool! I was reading what they had to say about it on ADVrider and it seems almost all are very happy with the bike. They make no bones about it, it ain't a dirt bike, or even a dual sport, but a bike that can handle rough pavement and gravel roads with ease.
...and that's key when the pavement gets rough or non-existant, though I'd still be very careful on grael with its somewhat limited steering sweep vs its intentions...a little fixable with the dremel, I suppose...hmmmm....I smell new Buell even before I smell ZX-14!:doh
____________
“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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crip2nite
Zone Head
Posts: 820
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posted May 17, 2006 02:13 PM
Ok...don't say I didn't warn ya...Here's the latest thing that's happening: "What would usually happen is the front mount would break, letting the front of the muffler vibrate loose from the header. The front of the muffler then digs in and pole vaults the bike."
Taken off another Buell site
Some guy is in the hospital now because of another issue with the Buells...The mufflers break off from the front and...sometimes....BANG...ZOOM...Bye Bye
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'08 ZX-10R ~ GREEN ~
Long Island, NY
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crip2nite
Zone Head
Posts: 820
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posted May 17, 2006 02:28 PM
Here it is:
Ur digging urself a hole Wormy
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'08 ZX-10R ~ GREEN ~
Long Island, NY
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worm~hole
Needs a life
Miles to go before I sleep....
Posts: 10623
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posted May 17, 2006 03:47 PM
Edited By: worm~hole on 17 May 2006 17:05
...I read the thread...the Uly is from the XB series, yes?...so what's the difference between the X1 and the XB series?...completely different chassis/engine mounts, yes?....
...I'm all for objective observations to help me make my choices, but suggesting that the Uly is all-around bad just because a Buell X1 had an exhaust mounting problem is analogous to saying that the Chevy Duramax/Allison combo is bad because Chevy marketed a very bad diesel option once upon a time...and its been proven that the Duramax/Allison combo is a very good combo indeed and that the older diesels sucked ass (subjective opinion based on objective observation)...
...until I hear and see that an XB-series bike had/has the same exhaust mounting/pole vaulting problem that the X1 series bike did, I'll keep an open mind ...but keep'em coming 'cuz I gotta see this thing all the way around, y'know?
____________
“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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zx12adam
Member
Posts: 878
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posted May 17, 2006 05:02 PM
Actually I could be wrong but I think the XB series have the same problem with rusting completely out, mounts and all.
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CBR1000RR
Best Literbike: Performance Bikes, Superbike, BIKE, MCN, Road Racing World, and Motorcycle USA
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worm~hole
Needs a life
Miles to go before I sleep....
Posts: 10623
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posted May 17, 2006 05:42 PM
...engine mounts rusting or exhaust mounts rusting?....or the whole bike rusting?
____________
“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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zx12adam
Member
Posts: 878
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posted May 17, 2006 07:46 PM
Exhaust system, mounts and all...
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CBR1000RR
Best Literbike: Performance Bikes, Superbike, BIKE, MCN, Road Racing World, and Motorcycle USA
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crip2nite
Zone Head
Posts: 820
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posted May 17, 2006 11:57 PM
I gotta find a pic of my exhaust on my XB12S after only 6 months....I had to go out and buy barbecue paint and re-paint the whole thing to to the massive amount of rust on the underside and front of the can...after a year, I could see the brackets starting to rust and again...all the bolts were completely rusted...sold the damn thing before I got a chance to replace them all...
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'08 ZX-10R ~ GREEN ~
Long Island, NY
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