buell ulleyses, anyone here got one

[wil2]

almost convinced i will buy one, would like to hear some constructive criticism though??

[Bonez]

Go and get the bugger!!!!!

[wil2]

looking for some niggles that people might have with them

[Bonez]

looking for some niggles that people might have with them
Some usefull coments here -
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107187

[wil2]

thanks, very useful.

[Bonez]

thanks, very useful.
You're welcome. Our very own Big Dave has participated in that thread and no dought will give some hints and tips when he gets onboard again.

[Scouse]

almost convinced i will buy one, would like to hear some constructive criticism though??would that be a Buelleyses then...?

[Big Dave]

almost convinced i will buy one, would like to hear some constructive criticism though??

DO IT!
Great bike - i have 8,000km on mine now. Love its guts.
I have just submitted my Test to Kiwi Rider Mag - where i am the art director - so don't want to spill too much here till it comes out.
If you ping me i'll email you the word doc.

Search for threads by me and you'll find I've already written a fair bit about it here too.

chz
dc

[wil2]

will do a search, and thanks for that. i must admit a couple of years ago i would not of even looked at one, funny how tastes change.

[idb]

will do a search, and thanks for that. i must admit a couple of years ago i would not of even looked at one, funny how tastes change.
Same.
I've thought that sportsbikes bikes were the ultimate expression of motorcycling for years but have only recently owned one (if you don't count the 750/4).
I'm starting to think my next bike might be a naked and those Buells look like a hoot.
For me though, the new Morini, as yet unobtainable in NZ, looks the bollocks.

But then Voxan unveiled their new sportsbike................now I dunno.....
But then there's the new Bimota Tesi....waaaah!

The trouble is, I've got a big garage and a small wallet.

[Bonez]

will do a search, and thanks for that. i must admit a couple of years ago i would not of even looked at one, funny how tastes change.
Yes they do. I've recently discovered the joy of owning a midsize single, something I'd never thought I'd even bother with. But it's a hoot to ride. Now seriously concidering a Hyosung 650. Good luck with your final decision.

Oh and welcome to KB btw.

[Big Dave]

will do a search, and thanks for that. i must admit a couple of years ago i would not of even looked at one, funny how tastes change.

Forgot to mention i have a number of photo reports and a draft article (that i have since completely re-written) - on my site:
www.davidcohen.co.nz

[wil2]

Yes they do. I've recently discovered the joy of owning a midsize single, something I'd never thought I'd even bother with. But it's a hoot to ride. Now seriously concidering a Hyosung 650. Good luck with your final decision.

Oh and welcome to KB btw.

i see a hyosung 650 yesterday for the first time, for sale in hamilton, very suzuki ish am i right?

funny how all those bikes you looked at a few years ago and thought "who buys them?" standing proudly by your gsxr which of course everyone wants?? dont they?? i find myself looking at bikes in a completely different way now and the sports bikes dont appeal as much as the once used to and i cant be bothered to read right ups on the new gsxr/cbr/zx etc etc its all weight and bhp which means bugger all on the road. i would rather own something i truely love to ride rather than something you cant really use and is just a pub talking point that in all honesty most owers are scared of. tell me i'm wrong!!

[Bonez]

i see a hyosung 650 yesterday for the first time, for sale in hamilton, very suzuki ish am i right?

funny how all those bikes you looked at a few years ago and thought "who buys them?" standing proudly by your gsxr which of course everyone wants?? dont they?? i find myself looking at bikes in a completely different way now and the sports bikes dont appeal as much as the once used to and i cant be bothered to read right ups on the new gsxr/cbr/zx etc etc its all weight and bhp which means bugger all on the road. i would rather own something i truely love to ride rather than something you cant really use and is just a pub talking point that in all honesty most owers are scared of. tell me i'm wrong!!

The configuration is similar to the SV and rumour has it some ex-suzuki designers developed it I think. There's an outfit in the states making customised street bikes with the Hyosung 650 engine. So it must be ok. Wont be long before a thou is released I feel.

Never really fancied m/cs with shirts or liquid cooling myself. Quite content with my '70/80s inline air cooled Jap 4s. Seems to be a turn around/trend back to naked motocycles. Mind you, there's something to suit everyone out there. It appears more newer riders giving it a shot from all age groups as well, which is good to see.

Interesting times.

[Zebedee]

Forgot to mention i have a number of photo reports ...Well that certainly looked like fun, thanks for the link Dave.

As far as the bike is concerned, it's certainly raised a few eyebrows in GS land and Advrider too ...

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49912

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50000&page=2&pp=16&highlight=buell

Discounting the few bah humbug posts on UKGSer, the major concern seems to be the whole ... Buellness of the design, but the links might offer a bit more food for thought.

[Quasievil]

I took one for a test ride a couple of weeks back, loved the concept, I fired it up and took off , all seemed cool and fun then I hit the open road, the bike is as settled as a tyre with smacks of oil on it, fucken horrible.
It was twitchy and the front was unsettled to say the least, I thought the tyre pressure was wrong I checked it and it was at 32 psi no problems I continued on my trest ride and that convinced me this was not a bike for a touring or a sport or a anything aspect. It was a shame but a gimmic is what it is, maybe ok for something just not sure what maybe a 1200 cc city comuter if ya need one. forget it and get something else with a stable front end, thats my view

[Bonez]

Has a NZ BOG Chapter been formed yet?

[Big Dave]

I took one for a test ride a couple of weeks back, loved the concept, I fired it up and took off , all seemed cool and fun then I hit the open road, the bike is as settled as a tyre with smacks of oil on it, fucken horrible.
It was twitchy and the front was unsettled to say the least, I thought the tyre pressure was wrong I checked it and it was at 32 psi no problems I continued on my trest ride and that convinced me this was not a bike for a touring or a sport or a anything aspect. It was a shame but a gimmic is what it is, maybe ok for something just not sure what maybe a 1200 cc city comuter if ya need one. forget it and get something else with a stable front end, thats my view

It took ages to tune the suspension.
You can get it pretty good - not perfect - I'm going to change up the fork oil shortly - only place if feels a bit skittish now is on the freeway when solo.
The way it corners makes up for it.

[Quasievil]

It took ages to tune the suspension.
You can get it pretty good - not perfect - I'm going to change up the fork oil shortly - only place if feels a bit skittish now is on the freeway when solo.
The way it corners makes up for it.

corner speed above say 120kmph is horrible, sure Im used to a high performance race type bike 636, quite a different animal but I was really dissapointed with the poor handling of the bike. I could watch the front tyre whilst riding and it was all over the place. I felt it was not particulary safe and could easily get out of control at any speed above 120 in a corner.
I was disappointed as the concept of the bike is great, awesome in fact, just the reality of Buells offering was less than satisfactory. I have ridden a GS1200 BMW completely capable in comparision and certainly more road worthy and the GS would be the Buell ulysess target would it not? I think they missed

[Quasievil]

It took ages to tune the suspension.
You can get it pretty good - not perfect - I'm going to change up the fork oil shortly - only place if feels a bit skittish now is on the freeway when solo.
The way it corners makes up for it.

Actually based on you knowing alot more about them I will rest and assume I was riding a dog, it was the road and Sport Demonstrator, maybe they fucked up the settings or something like that.

[Big Dave]

Actually based on you knowing alot more about them I will rest and assume I was riding a dog, it was the road and Sport Demonstrator, maybe they fucked up the settings or something like that.

Entirely possible - if they are wrong it is horrible.
I've had it out with experienced riders on 955i's with 30 more horses and more than held my own through the twisties on the back of how confident i am with the bikes handling.
The 'skittish on the freeway' was helped by taking the sail of a screen off it too.

Are USD forks 'cartridge forks' already - because some gold valve emulators is what it feels it could do with - and they are pretty cheap and fixed the front end on my trumpets.

[HenryDorsetCase]

tell me i'm wrong!!

You arent wrong. I have gone/am going through the same thing. My Lotto ticket didnt come through (What the hell's up with that?) on Saturday though so I am waiting for a bit.

Another bike I never thought I would seriously consider, but which now gives me warm fuzzies is a new Triumph Bonneville.

and 2/3rds the price of the Buell. $13k (for black on black) brand new plus ORC.

and its a Triumph.

[Big Dave]

Quasi - I have max rear preload and a bit extra damping on the front - i also pulled the forks back through flush with the top clamp - rather than the inch and a half that they are std.

On the back of your comments I took it for a burn out to Clevedon just now to check - see if I should have made more of it in my article. I've ridden the new triumph scrambler, my tbird and the XB12X this morning so have good comparisons.

The Buell is 'not as settled' as the Triumphs is a good description, but with proper setup it's OK. It's so tall, short wheelbased and steep raked that it's never going to feel dead on the road like my Trophy used to or a flat out sports bike. It's compensates with the other stuff it can do.

[rogson]

..........Are USD forks 'cartridge forks' already - because some gold valve emulators is what it feels it could do with - and they are pretty cheap and fixed the front end on my trumpets.

I think "emulators" are the spring loaded valves RaceTech and others offer to replace the crude orifice hole on low-tech damping rod type forks. I'm not aware of any USD forks that are damping rod type. RaceTech offer a different line of products for cartridge type forks (traditional and USD) that they call "gold valves".

[enigma51]

im quasi its a great commuter and the breaks are awesome but it looses grunt quickly and at a quicker pace (+/- 100 -> 140) it feels a bit "loose"

[Big Dave]

im quasi its a great commuter and the breaks are awesome but it looses grunt quickly and at a quicker pace (+/- 100 -> 140) it feels a bit "loose"

Yep - i bought it because of the way it goes between 100 and 120 - which is where I want to ride. it will do 200, but I dig the way it hammers around the 35kph posted corners at 100.

I don't give a rats about over 140kph performance any more. I don't do track days and I don't like walking.

Tyre pressures have to be spot on too.

[enigma51]

Yep - i bought it because of the way it goes between 100 and 120 - which is where I want to ride. it will do 200, but I dig the way it hammers around the 35kph posted corners at 100.

I don't give a rats about over 140kph performance any more. I don't do track days and I don't like walking.

Tyre pressures have to be spot on too.

If i get to a stage where i want a more comfartable ride (more upright) the buel would be on my short list

[wil2]

Yep - i bought it because of the way it goes between 100 and 120 - which is where I want to ride. it will do 200, but I dig the way it hammers around the 35kph posted corners at 100.

I don't give a rats about over 140kph performance any more. I don't do track days and I don't like walking.

Tyre pressures have to be spot on too.

i'm with you on the speed thing i really want the torque thing now on nice roads with regular 2 up riding. i have owned blades,gsxrs, and 2 hayabusas i have done the speeds and now i just want to enjoy motorcycling for what it is to me, a hobby. everyone rides differently so they will look for different things in a bike and therefore will criticise a bike if it doesnt do what they, as an individual want. i could easily say a gsxr 1000 is crap becouse the pillion seat is no good for touring.

[Big Dave]

i'm with you on the speed thing i really want the torque thing now on nice roads with regular 2 up riding..

Exactly where the bike excels. It is really happy with a passenger and co-pilot claims it to be the most comfortable bike she's been on.
She also likes the seat back thing for when i get in that 'wheelie mood'.

[Big Dave]

$13k (for black on black) brand new plus ORC.

and its a Triumph.


tough call indeed
or the scrambler is 15k and has similar off road capability to the buell.

but this is class too

[HenryDorsetCase]

Damn thats pretty.

$13000 plus new pipes and some tuning (WHY do they have the kink in them?) = same HP as a Thruxton, and it doesnt sound like a strangled fart anymore.

Since Ive just got the quotes in for the driveway, I may be looking for a second hand one in a month or so. :(

bloody home improvement.

[Big Dave]

(WHY do they have the kink in them?)

ground clearance.