@james_chatman Do you remember what the common issues were with the Buell Ulysses? Example, the Buell Cyclones had the front engine mount that breaks & should have been recalled. Also needs a way to get more airflow to the rear cylinder to help cool it. The starter likes to go bad from being too close to the exhaust pipe. I added a heat shield when I replaced the starter. My voltage regulator also went bad. My 85 Yamaha Xj700 Maxim was 2+ times more reliable than my Buell but I liked riding the Buell more.
Sorry Im super busy. To keep it concise look out for the electrical harness, regulator, things attached to motor shaking apart and valve cover/pcv grommet leaking. Engine rotates down from frame into service position. Do not attempt to upgrade exhaust. Thats all off the top of my head. Take Care
A great choice Tony. Erik Buell hit it out of the park with this bike. IMO. 103 ponies and 84 ft. lbs. of twist. A great Swiss Army knife of bikes. Enjoy.
Welcome to the club! I bought my Uly last summer and rode it to Sturgis and back. Crushed miles with nothing but smiles there and back. Rain. Mud. Open highway 800 mile days. Such a fun bike!
I got one too. I was never a Harley guy but was a top shelf open class sports bike guy the quickest fastest bike you could find. Then some friends offered to rent me a Harley to go riding with them but the place was completely out and all they had left was this buell. I thought I like that better than a Harley anyway let me give it a try. I was expecting a slow agricultural sluggard but the first time I got went on the on-ramp and opened it up OMG I couldn't believe it. What a fun bike. Handel's great, rides great, comfortable, nice suspension, can go flying off curves and over speed bumps, and the most amazing thing once you're at freeway speeds, no vibration. It vibrates less than any 4-cylinder bike I've had. One day I was on the freeway going about 70 and I thought it's still amazingly smooth and quiet but something sounded just slightly different. I looked down and realize the RPM was a little high, so I shifted, and then I shifted again. I was in 3rd gear going 70 mph and I didn't even know it Oh, and the wheelies, incredible, especially if it has the stock Muffler with the power valve still operational
I got an 05 ninja 250 for $600, first bike I've even been on. It wasn't running, carb was gummed up gas tank was rusty. Cleaned the tank and rebuilt the carb and it runs like a sewing machine. You can't pull me off of the thing, I've been ripping around town in it every day I can, put 400 miles on it just in the past 3 weeks.
Had a pair of 05 and 06 ninja 500cc bikes.. insane for the money, neither was more than 900 or 1000 dollars all in with new Michelins.. I'd pass guys on 1000cc or bigger bikes, they just can't corner like a lighter bike on good rubber. Stay in the right revs and they're hard to contend with in true twisty roads..
Hey Tony. Like minded soul here I'm 5'10" as well. Also a die hard Mopar guy with the bike habit as well. Never got the Harley thing. One difference between us. That being said. 1st generation Suzuki Vstrom. Let me list my bonafides. Many B, E , A bodies. Too many to list Japanese bikes. Currently own 1970 Chrysler 300 2 door. 1969 Charger. 2 Kawasaki H1s a 69 and 71. 2 1981 Yamaha XV 920 Rs. Not the Virago. 1982 Yamaha Seca 650. 1981 Yamaha XZ550 Vision. 1983 Yamaha Venture Royale. 1974 Kawasaki F7 175. Recently sold a completely tricked out Suzuki DR650. Have had 2 1st Gen 1000 Vstroms. Of all the bikes I have owned my Vstroms were by far my favorite traveling bikes. Hard to find a first gen without a ton of miles. Have not ridden a second gen but have heard much good feedback. Have health problems that have basically taken the bikes away from me. Never have commented to you before, don't feel worthy. But please at least give one of these Suzukis a shot. Comfy riding position. 90 degree v twin power and torque. Maybe a bit top heavy but not much. Usually affordable. Love the channel. If your going to be at the Nationals in Ohio I have a first issue Mopar Action I would love a signature on. Keep it up for all of us out here.
Bought a Buell M2 Cyclone new in 2000. Ride it home and tore down engine and added cams and other goodies. Bike was a wheelie machine, so much fun at a younger age.
Nice score. Never heard of that particular model, but I like the old stuff---- my daily rides are 2 ironheads, 2 Shovels, a 67 Triumph, and a 75 Honda CB550.
Mr Buell is my dad's neighbor... I been dreaming of Buell for a long time... HD has no place in my heart expected for what the boys builded great business.
After riding a cut down and modded 98 Triumph Tiger for over a year I'm kinda sold on cool adventure bikes. Not the stuff the manufacturers are cranking out now but things like the Buell. Nice choice Uncle Tony. PS I was riding in Florida which is Harley central especially baggers. Always had people hanging out their car windows giving me the thumbs up.
I have one. I am 6 foot and almost too short for it. Many have only 5 digits for miles. I don't think the electronics will age well on new Harleys. I am going for some 70/30 tires on it. Riding the EBR 1190 was what sold me on Buells. The chain tensioner sound is wicked.
Tony, I want to compliment you on you're description and detailed assessment of this bike! It was both comprehensive and expressive from a riders perspective. Less than 25 minutes and I feel I know this bike well enough to buy one sight unseen. You are genuine and sincere and truly an enthusiast. Respect.👍👍
Some things make more sense years after they're made. This thing, my vfr1200 and a few others come to mind. Buell tried really hard to bring the sportster motor up to snuff and it shows. Definitely leave it alone and ride it.
I have a 2008 XB12XT, black Signature Edition. From the factory, the idle is low and the throttle is very off/on. The jerky throttle response, steep rake, and limited steering travel made the bike a handful during slow speed maneuvers. The bike also ran hot at low speeds, and sometimes , the instruments would shut down. I bought a replacement ECM from Intelligent Design Solutions. The bike now idles faster, the throttle is smooth, and I haven't had any more heat or instrument issues.
That Buell is sneaky fast UT… a wheelie machine, I ran that exact bike for years. Well thought out machines. That right side “air scoop” was an accessory, designed to move air under the seat to keep the engine heat from roasting your sack. The kit came with the right side scoop, a deflector under the seat to move air away from the seat, and that little black heat shield on the header/ mid pipe.
Glad you can still get on that thing. I had to sell my Suzuki DR650 several years ago because I needed a step ladder to get on and off of it. Plus it also had tube type tires, and riding in the AZ desert, flat tires are going to happen. I had dozens of them over the years. I realized that I could no longer fix a flat tire with tube type tires by myself, out in the middle of nowhere. I am still able to ride my Sportster 1200 Low with a 25.5 inch seat and tubeless tires just fine. It has mid controls. I need my knees at a 90 degree angle, or very close. Its seat is almost 10 inches lower than a DR650, or that Buell Ulysses. Good luck finding parts for that bike. I rode most of the TAT about 20 years ago, on a Kawasaki KLR650, with 3 other guys. I wound up crashing hard and destroying my left shoulder. The TAT is not an easy ride by any means. I don't fit on a Super Cub. I have a Honda Rebel 250 with forward controls to ride around locally. It has a much lower seat than a Super Cub. When it comes to motorcycles these days, a low seat is by far the most important consideration, and tubeless tires if I am going to ride it very far from home. I do like that sound. It's a MACHINE. "Modern" motorcycles are no longer machines, not even modern Harley Davidsons. They are smooth, quiet, flat black, computers on wheels.
Own a 99 C and an 01 S. The S imo is the coolest sportster ever built. XR is right there to. If you are not familiar with the S check it out. Very rare bike to begin with but try and find one that has not been chopperized. Mine is the hot rod it was meant to be. Love your work!
Love it and your excitement is contagious. I have a Sportster with a Buell 1203 Thunderstorm engine from an S3. Like you said, it feels like the hand of God pushing you when you roll the throttle. I've owned probably 50 bikes and it is different from all of the others. I usually laugh out loud and grin the whole time riding it.
Rode Norton Commandos for a couple decades starting in 1970, picked up a Buell S-1 Lightning in '95, roughly the same weight as the Nortons, same engine characteristics, 50% more displacement and over 50% more power. Was great for ripping through the Colorado front range...Great machine.
Awesome Tony seeing you so excited like a child on red cordial. Showing your passion for bikes ....another great video P.S please do another video on your time in top fuel 👍
My 2009 Ulysses XB12XP, (cop bike version) has been the best bike I've ever owned or ridden. 💓100 %. It's great at daily commuting, very good road course, (thanks to the 17" tires) comfortable on long distance rides, and surprisingly capable for off-roading. It's a mutt, but it has some excellent DNA. However, the 17" tires allow it to be shod with a MULTITUDE of tire choices. I usually use street-sport bike tires. The first bike I've ever owned that I didn't have to turn around because the condition of the road changed. 60mph on gravel? Absolutely. I'd say it's the spiritual ancestor to Scramblers. Make sure that the fan works! It'll sound like a hair dryer when running... Best mod I did to it was swapping out the XB12 primary to a XB9. The motor works so much better when you let it rev a little more, plus it becomes more capable off road and yet, it only loses about 9 mph on the top end, (151 mph). Do a search on Ulysses foot pegs and you may come up with something you like better than stock. Of course, there are Buell forums available for tips and knowledge. Congrats Tony!
Just got off my 22 Himalayan 5 minutes before watching this video. You’re right, people will not let these go for what they’re worth used, but if you find a deal, they are absolutely awesome. Old world mixed with a little new, did a camping trip last summer from Boston to Seneca Rocks West Virginia, the most fun you can have with 25 horsepower. And yes, it can actually handle the highway, even loaded with gear.
Ha ha ha. I was drawn to your channel because of your slant six videos. I love the slant six and I have a Buell XB9SX and a Sym Symba. Here I see you again! Clearly you're a kindred spirit.
I ride an 09 XB12XP. Its the Ulysses they made for police departments. Im running a Jardine exhaust and a race ECM. Its fantastic. The XB motor has very few parts, inside or out, that come froma HD. You can buy the cam and heads from screaming eagle but the cases are not the same as the Sportster so lots of the internals don't swap. You'll have a blast with your new bike.
Speaking of knobbies on the road reminds me of way back in 1980 , I had a bike shop fit a brand new wide knobby on the rear of my Yamaha TT500 , immediately after it was put on, I was on my way home through town at rush hour, I came to an intersection, had a green light, and was waiting for a gap in the oncoming cars so that I could make a right turn , a gap came up and I proceeded to make that turn , I wasn't accelerating hard at all , but all of a sudden the rear tire let go , and me and the bike were completely laid down pretty much horizontal on the ground , I was ready to have to pick it up and push it out of the way , but amazingly it somehow grabbed some traction and stood back up , I couldn't believe it , but then it laid down again the same as the first time , and back up it came once more , and stayed up , it must have looked crazy to all the onlookers, and I noticed a woman in a car waving her fist and yelling something at me , like I did all that on purpose. Anyway I went straight back to the bike shop and told them about it , and they said "Oh yeah you've got to be careful with a brand new tire, because they have soap on them that allows them to separate from the mould" . That was the bit of information that would have been appreciated beforehand. 🤔
I impulse bought one of the hawk dlx efi 250 motorcycles as my first motorcycle a couple of years ago. I'm still riding it today! It's not fancy, and it's definitely not fast. But I don't worry about it when the bike sits in a parking lot. Works great out in the sticks or on a trail, and I like that it's fuel injected. Uncle Tony, you make me want to buy a Buell Ulysses! Thanks for the new bike run down. Have a good one.
Hi Tony: As usual a great show and listening to "old school knowledge". After this episode all i could compare it to was my good friend Hank who in 1965 restored a 1965 Shelby GT 350 (totaled with the cardboard plates still intact). He drove it back/forth to work ever day (SUNOCO 260) . Not the most practical but the MOST FUN!!!!!
I think even people that bought those new bottom on impulse. Think that's the case for most motorcycles. Not putting it down. I've had some of the worst motorcycles. Of all kinds and I can tell you for a fact that all made me smile at One time
Cool Score. Buell headquarters is about 40 minutes from my house, I've always thought they were kinda cool. I'm leaning towards a DR650, because I gotta dirt bike. And like your Buell, there are no intrusive electronics, just throttle cables and carburetors.
I've always had an eye for the 2007-2009 XB12R . They really havent held diddly squat value, and can be bought for dirt bike prices (which is good for us buyers)
It's a Desert sand "Dakar" Race bike. The knobby tires are usefull for that.😮 650 TRAIL BIKES are already strong enough for dirt biking in the open roads. Knobby tires are made for trails but I can imagine a 100hp 1200cc semi-trail bike how it handles in mud or sand at 50 mph and you barely touch the feeder, when It's spread dirt and rocks 100 feet behind. You did the right thing with the street tires if your going to cruise it down the roads.
I still think you should get yourself a proper british motorcycle like a classic triumph, norton, or bsa. A lot of know nothings will say they're unreliable, but that is far from the truth if you know how to turn a wrench and can wrap your head around the positive ground electrics. British bikes truly have the most soul. :)
Change the fork springs and rear mono shock spring to progressive rate lowering ones, set up the suspension for your weight and then take the seat to someone to shave it down and fit a gel pad…..I’m 5’10” with exactly the same bike colour and all and now the height is doable, I wear construction boots with a chunky sole and I’m not far off being able to flat foot on it! I’m on my second Ulysses and loving it! Cheers 🍻🇦🇺
I dont give a damn what it LOOKS LIKE.,....I wanna know HOW DOES IT RUN!>??!?!?! Nice score Tony.....Barvo!!! ...and the sound is just right.....old farm tractor??? sure, why NOT?!?!?
Uncle Tony getting in touch with his feminine side with impulse buying. What did you buy? 100 horsepower motorcycle. Whew, had me worried for a second. Great video as always. Best in the business. Thanks.
I had one new. Rode from Houston to Portland. Comfy! 120mph on tarmac across cattle guards ect. Confident! The only downside was the turning radius. Rarely needed, but then I rode on shelf roads a lot.
I have a x1 millennium edition. Do yourself a favor, buy a bluetooth ecmspy adapter. It's plug and play. Install it permanently with some zip ties. Then whenever it eventually throws the check engine light for something minor, you can use your phone to see what is going on. There are also a number of other data points you can watch in real time.
Hi Tony, The story of Buell motorcycle production in Wisconsin, has a sad ending. Erik Buell built some real cutting edge bikes. Before Harley-Davidson, cut ties with him. He was building his bikes right here in my, Home state, in Elkhorn, WI. It was just a few miles from my Ant & Uncle's place. I rode down to their place and stayed there, while I partook in the Harley-Davidson 100th anniversary celebration in Milwaukee. Mr. Buell's assembly facility was brand new at the time and he had an open house and tours during the celebration. I did a tour while I was there and Mr. Buell was there and I actually talked to him about his engine arrangement for his bikes with Harley. Super nice, down to earth guy. I had read about him and his factory in one of the many, now defunct cycle magazines I used to get back in the day. That's another sad story. All of the cycle magazines that have disappeared. Any hoo, I'm getting off topic. Back to Buells. I test drove one of their M2 Cyclones that my Harley Dealership, in Duluth, MN, had as a demo. Marty is part owner of the dealership. Told me to go ahead and take it up the North shore of Lake Superior, to Two Harbors. That's about a 40 mile round trip. He told me that I was responsible for any speeding tickets though. The beauty of this trip is that there is a scenic route. Old highway 61 right next to the lake and also one on the 4-lane expressway. So I rode the scenic route there and the expressway back to Duluth. What a fantastic machine. It handled fantastic and would fly! My favorite part about it was the sound. You would never guess by the sound that it was powered by a Harley 1200 V-twin powerplant I had 5 five evolution sportsters over the years, an 883, 1st bike, and 4 1200's. Plus my last bike was an FXD Super Glide, it was a great bike. But I liked my 1200 Sportsters better, My 1995 1200 was my favorite. IMHO though, the Harley 1200 evolution engines were the best power plants that Harley has made. I had twin cams on my Sportsters long before the "Big Twin" guys got them. Well I guess that I got a little long winded but I like to tell "MY" stories. Love your videos Tony! Especially your ramblings when you break out the rocking chair. I'm sure that you already know this but you have a "gift". That gift is kind of becoming a lost art. That being the gift of storytelling. You are very good at it! Keep it up. Take care and God Bless, James (Bud) Schaefer Wildland Firefighter, Heavy equipment operator, of 30+ years retired now, blessed and truly living the dream! 😊
I just bought a used Sportster after nearly 40 years of BMW classic K bikes. It's like going back to the stone age, but I'm beginning to like it. If you have a Harley, be sure you don't have any intake manifold air leaks and if it has a VOES switch that it's not bad. Then you can jet it to perfection if you have a carb, and it will run and sound amazing. I have zero pops on deceleration now. The trick I used was to take an artist paint brush, a real small one and paint on a couple of thin coats of Flex Seal around the intake manifold joints. It's not real pretty, but it works. The EVO is a great motor, but come on Harley, can't you make a quieter rocker box? Seriously? All that noise? Really? I used the rocker lockers and got most of the noise down, but it's still there and I don't remember the old shovel head doing all of that. Somebody must have a fix for noisy rocker boxes on the EVO. I just haven't found it yet.
Also one of the most underrated used bikes and for what they sell for is a bargain. And they handle great. Top notch suspension, go by the manual and set it up to your weight.
Hope it gives you a lot of joy! My motorcycle history is up,up, up, down and likely down in engine size. Dr600, DR800, GSX-R1100R and yzf 600r. Now I want something really small that I can drive like a teenager again. DR400 or RD125 LC is my next dreambikes.
OK, old guy here with plenty of off road miles on Hodaka's, Honda's, Bultaco's and Ossa's. All with plates so they got road time too ... 😁 As soon as I saw your thread I investigated the Ulysses. Seems it was sort of an adventure bike aimed at 10% off road. Pretty steep fork and short wheel base. So I think you are right to look at slightly shorter rear shock to lower seat height and add a bit of rake to the fork. Choose tires carefully. Some combo's will spit you on the ground quite easily. I dunno if I'd go with R compound, but something grippy and a bit softer for sure 😅
Now we are talking!!! I have a xb9sx. Great bikes for people as us. Im in the process of building an exhaust independent for each colynder in order to it sounds like a real harley
I test rode one the first year they were introduced. Moderately warm day. Rode 15 minutes maybe. Almost burned my balls to a crisp. I hope the one you have has had that problem rectified. Have fun riding!
I test rode a Ulysses when they came out. Great ride, loved the handling, would have bought one, but - the front brake of a road racer and the back brake of a Vespa - very poorly set up for a nominal off-pavement machine.
Uncle Tony is kind of hooked on the Ulysses!😂 The buells are nice motorcycles to go on long rides. I went to the Nord Cape and back through Finland on my 2004 XB 12s and it was awesome!
My first real job was at a Harley Davidson muffler plant in CA. We also made the Buell exhaust systems there. Remember multiple Buell bikes there in the special part of the shop. This was thd mid 90's. Pretty cool shit.
Best bike ever Tony. You will love it. I need to swing by with my 08 and show you some of the changes Eric made. Run 93 octane. I know a lot of those back roads here that you want to ride!
Congratulations, nice bike, you seem happy, like a dog with two peters 😆 I'm more of a Triumph guy, would love to rip a speed triple. Thanks, digging the vids
My 2008 XB12XT is the most fun I have ever had on a street bike. They are kind of unique ugly ducklings but I think that adds to the appeal of them, they are super easy to spot in a crowd of cookie cutter bikes. It is a shame that they did not have a longer production run, I think they simply did not get marketed properly, or they are a victim of being a bit ahead of their time.
Buells are AWESOME!!!!!!! I have has a S3T, and two XB 9s. You really don't know how good those Sportster motors can be til you pull 4 pounds off the flyeheels Like Erik B did.
I bought a new M2 back in the day. It was a nice bike when it was running well, but that wasn't very often. If you got one that has been sorted it should indeed be fun.
The fiance/wife had one and enjoyed it other than the mega annoying fan noise. Developed a problem with it just running crappy. The local HD dealer where she bought it (and an extended warranty) literally replaced injectors and everything above the pistons on both cylinders yet the problem remained. Problems occurred between HD and whoever they had to contact about the constant returning bike with problems. Which concerned me because they had just dumped Buell but did claim to still support the store bought warranty. After the 4th time it was brought back and at the request of the future bride I took over the reins and walked into the dealer to champion her cause. I was expecting to find beaded tattooed grizzled greasy HD mechanics and was shocked to find fuzz faced recent MMI graduates. I tried to qualify my expert opinion with my lifelong experience with working on bikes and my career in electronics. The issue was ECM once it became hot. The eye rolls start. You might have thought I had taken a dump in the Eagle One Chrome Aisle. So they did another replace injectors adjust valves vs job and reset everything that could affect the timing, took it on a 1 mile test ride (although both she and I explained it craps out after an hour) and told her to come pick it up. Yes it crapped out again once thoroughly heated. I proved to myself once again that it was the ECM by using a product that's a freeze spray and repeated it twice more before she brought it back for the lucky 7th time. By now the riding season was close to being over and the bike was at the dealer, all told close to 3 months that season. So I avoided the service manager and went to the owner of the dealership. Calmly and politely I presented my credentials, the ongoing problem and my diagnostic evidence and conclusion. He called me back and said he had talked to whoever he had to talk to and claimed the problem now was with the company the (all ready paid in full 5 year extended) warranty was with and their hesitancy to cough up the $$ for an ECM. Fortunately the dealer is less than a 1/4 mile from home so I strolled across Rt20 unannounced and cried Foul and a F----Time Out. I brought up the $$$ involved in replacing everything from the engine cases up yet alone the wages paid for their countless hours of tinkering vs a
This video had me checking FB marketplace for used Buells. Then i remembered what it was like to own my 2001 X1 Lightning, so i changed my search to looking for a Honda or Yamaha
You literally bought my old bike! 😆 Trust me, you're gonna love it to pieces.
Uncle MOpar talks too much.
@@anteneupitraI watch most YT videos at 1.5x or 2x speed.
@james_chatman Do you remember what the common issues were with the Buell Ulysses? Example, the Buell Cyclones had the front engine mount that breaks & should have been recalled. Also needs a way to get more airflow to the rear cylinder to help cool it. The starter likes to go bad from being too close to the exhaust pipe. I added a heat shield when I replaced the starter. My voltage regulator also went bad. My 85 Yamaha Xj700 Maxim was 2+ times more reliable than my Buell but I liked riding the Buell more.
@@michaelbrinks8089
even at 10x i wouoldnt watvhh the video about dogs and mopars.
Sorry Im super busy. To keep it concise look out for the electrical harness, regulator, things attached to motor shaking apart and valve cover/pcv grommet leaking. Engine rotates down from frame into service position. Do not attempt to upgrade exhaust. Thats all off the top of my head. Take Care
A great choice Tony. Erik Buell hit it out of the park with this bike. IMO. 103 ponies and 84 ft. lbs. of twist. A great Swiss Army knife of bikes. Enjoy.
Wait till you try an EBR 1190SX 😊
Welcome to the club! I bought my Uly last summer and rode it to Sturgis and back. Crushed miles with nothing but smiles there and back. Rain. Mud. Open highway 800 mile days. Such a fun bike!
I bought a Ulysses brand new in 2006. Most fun bike I've ever owned.
I got one too. I was never a Harley guy but was a top shelf open class sports bike guy the quickest fastest bike you could find. Then some friends offered to rent me a Harley to go riding with them but the place was completely out and all they had left was this buell. I thought I like that better than a Harley anyway let me give it a try. I was expecting a slow agricultural sluggard but the first time I got went on the on-ramp and opened it up OMG I couldn't believe it. What a fun bike. Handel's great, rides great, comfortable, nice suspension, can go flying off curves and over speed bumps, and the most amazing thing once you're at freeway speeds, no vibration. It vibrates less than any 4-cylinder bike I've had.
One day I was on the freeway going about 70 and I thought it's still amazingly smooth and quiet but something sounded just slightly different. I looked down and realize the RPM was a little high, so I shifted, and then I shifted again. I was in 3rd gear going 70 mph and I didn't even know it
Oh, and the wheelies, incredible, especially if it has the stock Muffler with the power valve still operational
I own one Tony! Yours looks like is an XB12XT with the bags. You’ll love it. Incredible engineering.
It's a X with the high mount front fender
I got an 05 ninja 250 for $600, first bike I've even been on. It wasn't running, carb was gummed up gas tank was rusty. Cleaned the tank and rebuilt the carb and it runs like a sewing machine. You can't pull me off of the thing, I've been ripping around town in it every day I can, put 400 miles on it just in the past 3 weeks.
Broh here un argentina that bike cost at least 10k
@@manucabal2989 Yeah ozzy prices are the same.
Good fun ay , enjoy .
Had a pair of 05 and 06 ninja 500cc bikes.. insane for the money, neither was more than 900 or 1000 dollars all in with new Michelins.. I'd pass guys on 1000cc or bigger bikes, they just can't corner like a lighter bike on good rubber. Stay in the right revs and they're hard to contend with in true twisty roads..
amateur! wait a few more months you'd be doing that in 2 days
Hey Tony. Like minded soul here I'm 5'10" as well. Also a die hard Mopar guy with the bike habit as well. Never got the Harley thing. One difference between us. That being said. 1st generation Suzuki Vstrom. Let me list my bonafides. Many B, E , A bodies. Too many to list Japanese bikes. Currently own 1970 Chrysler 300 2 door. 1969 Charger. 2 Kawasaki H1s a 69 and 71. 2 1981 Yamaha XV 920 Rs. Not the Virago. 1982 Yamaha Seca 650. 1981 Yamaha XZ550 Vision. 1983 Yamaha Venture Royale. 1974 Kawasaki F7 175. Recently sold a completely tricked out Suzuki DR650. Have had 2 1st Gen 1000 Vstroms. Of all the bikes I have owned my Vstroms were by far my favorite traveling bikes. Hard to find a first gen without a ton of miles. Have not ridden a second gen but have heard much good feedback. Have health problems that have basically taken the bikes away from me. Never have commented to you before, don't feel worthy. But please at least give one of these Suzukis a shot. Comfy riding position. 90 degree v twin power and torque. Maybe a bit top heavy but not much. Usually affordable. Love the channel. If your going to be at the Nationals in Ohio I have a first issue Mopar Action I would love a signature on. Keep it up for all of us out here.
BUELL are bad ass...you done did it now....
Bought a Buell M2 Cyclone new in 2000. Ride it home and tore down engine and added cams and other goodies. Bike was a wheelie machine, so much fun at a younger age.
Nice score. Never heard of that particular model, but I like the old stuff---- my daily rides are 2 ironheads, 2 Shovels, a 67 Triumph, and a 75 Honda CB550.
I don't like Harleys but that bike is cool factor in my opinion. Ride safe Tony
Mr Buell is my dad's neighbor... I been dreaming of Buell for a long time... HD has no place in my heart expected for what the boys builded great business.
Tony was played for a fool.
@@gmonynegro595how 🤔
What a score! I look forward to hearing more about this. The children are nearly grown so a new bike is in the cards. Thanks for sharing.
After riding a cut down and modded 98 Triumph Tiger for over a year I'm kinda sold on cool adventure bikes. Not the stuff the manufacturers are cranking out now but things like the Buell. Nice choice Uncle Tony.
PS
I was riding in Florida which is Harley central especially baggers. Always had people hanging out their car windows giving me the thumbs up.
I have one. I am 6 foot and almost too short for it. Many have only 5 digits for miles. I don't think the electronics will age well on new Harleys. I am going for some 70/30 tires on it. Riding the EBR 1190 was what sold me on Buells. The chain tensioner sound is wicked.
Tony, I want to compliment you on you're description and detailed assessment of this bike! It was both comprehensive and expressive from a riders perspective. Less than 25 minutes and I feel I know this bike well enough to buy one sight unseen. You are genuine and sincere and truly an enthusiast. Respect.👍👍
For a Hardley, it's not bad. It's cool that you keep riding and have a passion for it.
Some things make more sense years after they're made. This thing, my vfr1200 and a few others come to mind. Buell tried really hard to bring the sportster motor up to snuff and it shows. Definitely leave it alone and ride it.
just bought my first bike, a versys 1000 love it. confortable, great power and good all around
Those things are rare here (UK). Don't think I've ever seen one for sale. Sounds great - enjoy
Three years ago bought xb12xt the same impulse way. Still happy 😊
I have a 2008 XB12XT, black Signature Edition. From the factory, the idle is low and the throttle is very off/on. The jerky throttle response, steep rake, and limited steering travel made the bike a handful during slow speed maneuvers. The bike also ran hot at low speeds, and sometimes , the instruments would shut down. I bought a replacement ECM from Intelligent Design Solutions. The bike now idles faster, the throttle is smooth, and I haven't had any more heat or instrument issues.
Philosophical Tony, Nice!
Wow uncle impulse! That's quite a find! 😂
That Buell is sneaky fast UT… a wheelie machine, I ran that exact bike for years. Well thought out machines. That right side “air scoop” was an accessory, designed to move air under the seat to keep the engine heat from roasting your sack. The kit came with the right side scoop, a deflector under the seat to move air away from the seat, and that little black heat shield on the header/ mid pipe.
Mine still roasted my right thigh...
You will love the Buell. I got an 04 XB12R. They are fun bikes!!
Well done Tony....you see the benefit of many designs, car and motorcycle.
Eric Buell was a cult hero to many motorcycle enthusiasts.
Tuner, exhaust and good tires and it will stand on its rear tire all the time. Great choice! One of, if not the favorite in my stable.
Better late than never to the party!
The Buell is a special kind of motorcycle and if you ever rode one for some time you never going to forget it!
Glad you can still get on that thing. I had to sell my Suzuki DR650 several years ago because I needed a step ladder to get on and off of it. Plus it also had tube type tires, and riding in the AZ desert, flat tires are going to happen. I had dozens of them over the years. I realized that I could no longer fix a flat tire with tube type tires by myself, out in the middle of nowhere. I am still able to ride my Sportster 1200 Low with a 25.5 inch seat and tubeless tires just fine. It has mid controls. I need my knees at a 90 degree angle, or very close. Its seat is almost 10 inches lower than a DR650, or that Buell Ulysses. Good luck finding parts for that bike. I rode most of the TAT about 20 years ago, on a Kawasaki KLR650, with 3 other guys. I wound up crashing hard and destroying my left shoulder. The TAT is not an easy ride by any means. I don't fit on a Super Cub. I have a Honda Rebel 250 with forward controls to ride around locally. It has a much lower seat than a Super Cub. When it comes to motorcycles these days, a low seat is by far the most important consideration, and tubeless tires if I am going to ride it very far from home. I do like that sound. It's a MACHINE. "Modern" motorcycles are no longer machines, not even modern Harley Davidsons. They are smooth, quiet, flat black, computers on wheels.
Good price for that much bike. I wouldn't expect anything less from Tony...
Own a 99 C and an 01 S. The S imo is the coolest sportster ever built. XR is right there to. If you are not familiar with the S check it out. Very rare bike to begin with but try and find one that has not been chopperized. Mine is the hot rod it was meant to be. Love your work!
Love it and your excitement is contagious. I have a Sportster with a Buell 1203 Thunderstorm engine from an S3. Like you said, it feels like the hand of God pushing you when you roll the throttle. I've owned probably 50 bikes and it is different from all of the others. I usually laugh out loud and grin the whole time riding it.
Rode Norton Commandos for a couple decades starting in 1970, picked up a Buell S-1 Lightning in '95, roughly the same weight as the Nortons, same engine characteristics, 50% more displacement and over 50% more power. Was great for ripping through the Colorado front range...Great machine.
Awesome Tony seeing you so excited like a child on red cordial.
Showing your passion for bikes ....another great video
P.S please do another video on your time in top fuel 👍
My 2009 Ulysses XB12XP, (cop bike version) has been the best bike I've ever owned or ridden. 💓100 %.
It's great at daily commuting, very good road course, (thanks to the 17" tires) comfortable on long distance rides, and surprisingly capable for off-roading. It's a mutt, but it has some excellent DNA.
However, the 17" tires allow it to be shod with a MULTITUDE of tire choices. I usually use street-sport bike tires. The first bike I've ever owned that I didn't have to turn around because the condition of the road changed. 60mph on gravel? Absolutely. I'd say it's the spiritual ancestor to Scramblers.
Make sure that the fan works! It'll sound like a hair dryer when running...
Best mod I did to it was swapping out the XB12 primary to a XB9. The motor works so much better when you let it rev a little more, plus it becomes more capable off road and yet, it only loses about 9 mph on the top end, (151 mph).
Do a search on Ulysses foot pegs and you may come up with something you like better than stock. Of course, there are Buell forums available for tips and knowledge.
Congrats Tony!
Just got off my 22 Himalayan 5 minutes before watching this video. You’re right, people will not let these go for what they’re worth used, but if you find a deal, they are absolutely awesome. Old world mixed with a little new, did a camping trip last summer from Boston to Seneca Rocks West Virginia, the most fun you can have with 25 horsepower. And yes, it can actually handle the highway, even loaded with gear.
Ha ha ha. I was drawn to your channel because of your slant six videos. I love the slant six and I have a Buell XB9SX and a Sym Symba. Here I see you again! Clearly you're a kindred spirit.
Shoutout to all the Brandon's in the world!
I ride an 09 XB12XP. Its the Ulysses they made for police departments. Im running a Jardine exhaust and a race ECM. Its fantastic. The XB motor has very few parts, inside or out, that come froma HD. You can buy the cam and heads from screaming eagle but the cases are not the same as the Sportster so lots of the internals don't swap. You'll have a blast with your new bike.
HOWdy U-T-G, ...
Thanks for the BUELL Content
COOP
...
Speaking of knobbies on the road reminds me of way back in 1980 , I had a bike shop fit a brand new wide knobby on the rear of my Yamaha TT500 , immediately after it was put on, I was on my way home through town at rush hour, I came to an intersection, had a green light, and was waiting for a gap in the oncoming cars so that I could make a right turn , a gap came up and I proceeded to make that turn , I wasn't accelerating hard at all , but all of a sudden the rear tire let go , and me and the bike were completely laid down pretty much horizontal on the ground , I was ready to have to pick it up and push it out of the way , but amazingly it somehow grabbed some traction and stood back up , I couldn't believe it , but then it laid down again the same as the first time , and back up it came once more , and stayed up , it must have looked crazy to all the onlookers, and I noticed a woman in a car waving her fist and yelling something at me , like I did all that on purpose. Anyway I went straight back to the bike shop and told them about it , and they said "Oh yeah you've got to be careful with a brand new tire, because they have soap on them that allows them to separate from the mould" . That was the bit of information that would have been appreciated beforehand. 🤔
That's crazy I'd like to have seen that
@@MVPisME383 It would have looked bizarre.
TT500 was a killer bike.
I impulse bought one of the hawk dlx efi 250 motorcycles as my first motorcycle a couple of years ago. I'm still riding it today! It's not fancy, and it's definitely not fast. But I don't worry about it when the bike sits in a parking lot. Works great out in the sticks or on a trail, and I like that it's fuel injected. Uncle Tony, you make me want to buy a Buell Ulysses! Thanks for the new bike run down. Have a good one.
Years I was thinking of buying a Hawk but instead pick up an 09 KLX250 great bike till it ate a valve at 6K.
Hi Tony: As usual a great show and listening to "old school knowledge". After this episode all i could compare it to was my good friend Hank who in 1965 restored a 1965 Shelby GT 350 (totaled with the cardboard plates still intact). He drove it back/forth to work ever day (SUNOCO 260) . Not the most practical but the MOST FUN!!!!!
I think even people that bought those new bottom on impulse. Think that's the case for most motorcycles. Not putting it down. I've had some of the worst motorcycles. Of all kinds and I can tell you for a fact that all made me smile at One time
I had an xb9sx back around 2010- so much fun riding that thing, enjoy the ulysses!!
Cool Score. Buell headquarters is about 40 minutes from my house, I've always thought they were kinda cool. I'm leaning towards a DR650, because I gotta dirt bike.
And like your Buell, there are no intrusive electronics, just throttle cables and carburetors.
Yup, agreed & that's why HD has really stepped in a pile of it this time....
Cool bike Tony
That start up made me sad about trading my Sportster 1200 2 weeks ago
Good for you buddy glad you love it
Wheelie machine. Also light. You done good.
I've always had an eye for the 2007-2009 XB12R . They really havent held diddly squat value, and can be bought for dirt bike prices (which is good for us buyers)
Just from watching it sit their idling, it doesn’t shake around anywhere near as much is my S1 lightning.
Old Buells are like nothing else. They scratch an itch you don't even know existed, until you know.
It's a Desert sand "Dakar" Race bike. The knobby tires are usefull for that.😮 650 TRAIL BIKES are already strong enough for dirt biking in the open roads. Knobby tires are made for trails but I can imagine a 100hp 1200cc semi-trail bike how it handles in mud or sand at 50 mph and you barely touch the feeder, when It's spread dirt and rocks 100 feet behind. You did the right thing with the street tires if your going to cruise it down the roads.
I still think you should get yourself a proper british motorcycle like a classic triumph, norton, or bsa. A lot of know nothings will say they're unreliable, but that is far from the truth if you know how to turn a wrench and can wrap your head around the positive ground electrics. British bikes truly have the most soul. :)
Change the fork springs and rear mono shock spring to progressive rate lowering ones, set up the suspension for your weight and then take the seat to someone to shave it down and fit a gel pad…..I’m 5’10” with exactly the same bike colour and all and now the height is doable, I wear construction boots with a chunky sole and I’m not far off being able to flat foot on it! I’m on my second Ulysses and loving it! Cheers 🍻🇦🇺
I’ve always thought these bikes were bad ass. Love the noise they make a refined v twin
🤘🏼good luck wit it BrotherMan ⛽️
I dont give a damn what it LOOKS LIKE.,....I wanna know HOW DOES IT RUN!>??!?!?!
Nice score Tony.....Barvo!!!
...and the sound is just right.....old farm tractor??? sure, why NOT?!?!?
The reason the rear brake require so much effort is to resist lockup on the dirt. This engine requires premium fuel Tony.
I must check those out . I have had a few bikes . I like the adv type bikes because I have long legs .
I have that same bike but in all black love it handles decent is quick to 100 a little tall but very utilitarian and fun to wheelie 😅👍
I think you like your new bike...
Still have my 2006 bought new. Still love it. Still looks like new and still cooler looking than any new bike on the market.
Uncle Tony getting in touch with his feminine side with impulse buying. What did you buy? 100 horsepower motorcycle. Whew, had me worried for a second. Great video as always. Best in the business. Thanks.
I had one new.
Rode from Houston to Portland.
Comfy!
120mph on tarmac across cattle guards ect. Confident!
The only downside was the turning radius. Rarely needed, but then I rode on shelf roads a lot.
I've always wanted a Buell XB12Scg. The clear tank just did something for me, along with hearing noises you don't expect from a sport bike.
Still riding my XB12X Ulysses. Good bike once sorted. Prior ownership is important. It will do anything. Prices are in the toilet now.
I have a x1 millennium edition. Do yourself a favor, buy a bluetooth ecmspy adapter. It's plug and play. Install it permanently with some zip ties. Then whenever it eventually throws the check engine light for something minor, you can use your phone to see what is going on. There are also a number of other data points you can watch in real time.
Absolutely true. Its unveliabebly easy and practical
Hi Tony,
The story of Buell motorcycle production in Wisconsin, has a sad ending.
Erik Buell built some real cutting edge bikes.
Before Harley-Davidson, cut ties with him.
He was building his bikes right here in my, Home state, in Elkhorn, WI.
It was just a few miles from my Ant & Uncle's place.
I rode down to their place and stayed there, while I partook in the Harley-Davidson 100th anniversary celebration in Milwaukee.
Mr. Buell's assembly facility was brand new at the time and he had an open house and tours during the celebration.
I did a tour while I was there and Mr. Buell was there and I actually talked to him about his engine arrangement for his bikes with Harley.
Super nice, down to earth guy.
I had read about him and his factory in one of the many, now defunct cycle magazines I used to get back in the day.
That's another sad story.
All of the cycle magazines that have disappeared.
Any hoo, I'm getting off topic.
Back to Buells.
I test drove one of their M2 Cyclones that my Harley Dealership, in Duluth, MN, had as a demo.
Marty is part owner of the dealership. Told me to go ahead and take it up the North shore of Lake Superior, to Two Harbors.
That's about a 40 mile round trip.
He told me that I was responsible for any speeding tickets though.
The beauty of this trip is that there is a scenic route. Old highway 61 right next to the lake and also one on the 4-lane expressway.
So I rode the scenic route there and the expressway back to Duluth.
What a fantastic machine. It handled fantastic and would fly!
My favorite part about it was the sound.
You would never guess by the sound that it was powered by a Harley 1200 V-twin powerplant
I had 5 five evolution sportsters over the years, an 883, 1st bike, and 4 1200's.
Plus my last bike was an FXD Super Glide, it was a great bike.
But I liked my 1200 Sportsters better, My 1995 1200 was my favorite.
IMHO though, the Harley 1200 evolution engines were the best power plants that Harley has made.
I had twin cams on my Sportsters long before the "Big Twin" guys got them.
Well I guess that I got a little long winded but I like to tell "MY" stories.
Love your videos Tony!
Especially your ramblings when you break out the rocking chair.
I'm sure that you already know this but you have a "gift".
That gift is kind of becoming a lost art.
That being the gift of storytelling.
You are very good at it!
Keep it up.
Take care and
God Bless,
James (Bud) Schaefer
Wildland Firefighter, Heavy equipment operator,
of 30+ years retired now, blessed and truly living the dream! 😊
I got a pan america the bike is pretty bad ass.
Eric Buell used to have a garage at the end of the ally from me in the early eighties
I just bought a used Sportster after nearly 40 years of BMW classic K bikes. It's like going back to the stone age, but I'm beginning to like it. If you have a Harley, be sure you don't have any intake manifold air leaks and if it has a VOES switch that it's not bad. Then you can jet it to perfection if you have a carb, and it will run and sound amazing. I have zero pops on deceleration now. The trick I used was to take an artist paint brush, a real small one and paint on a couple of thin coats of Flex Seal around the intake manifold joints. It's not real pretty, but it works.
The EVO is a great motor, but come on Harley, can't you make a quieter rocker box? Seriously? All that noise? Really? I used the rocker lockers and got most of the noise down, but it's still there and I don't remember the old shovel head doing all of that. Somebody must have a fix for noisy rocker boxes on the EVO. I just haven't found it yet.
Fantastic bike I just sold mine after owning for 16 years.Most Fun bike I ever owned ,just watch out for unintentional wheelies. And the 77 connector.
Also one of the most underrated used bikes and for what they sell for is a bargain. And they handle great. Top notch suspension, go by the manual and set it up to your weight.
And it looks like you have the tall seat.
Hope it gives you a lot of joy!
My motorcycle history is up,up, up, down and likely down in engine size. Dr600, DR800, GSX-R1100R and yzf 600r. Now I want something really small that I can drive like a teenager again. DR400 or RD125 LC is my next dreambikes.
OK, old guy here with plenty of off road miles on Hodaka's, Honda's, Bultaco's and Ossa's. All with plates so they got road time too ... 😁
As soon as I saw your thread I investigated the Ulysses. Seems it was sort of an adventure bike aimed at 10% off road. Pretty steep fork and short wheel base. So I think you are right to look at slightly shorter rear shock to lower seat height and add a bit of rake to the fork.
Choose tires carefully. Some combo's will spit you on the ground quite easily. I dunno if I'd go with R compound, but something grippy and a bit softer for sure 😅
Peter Egan (of Cycle World and Road & Track fame) wrote much about his beloved Buell Ulysses.
Now we are talking!!! I have a xb9sx. Great bikes for people as us. Im in the process of building an exhaust independent for each colynder in order to it sounds like a real harley
Great Bike, I have had many in the shop.
I test rode one the first year they were introduced. Moderately warm day. Rode 15 minutes maybe. Almost burned my balls to a crisp. I hope the one you have has had that problem rectified. Have fun riding!
I test rode a Ulysses when they came out. Great ride, loved the handling, would have bought one, but - the front brake of a road racer and the back brake of a Vespa - very poorly set up for a nominal off-pavement machine.
Uncle Tony is kind of hooked on the Ulysses!😂
The buells are nice motorcycles to go on long rides.
I went to the Nord Cape and back through Finland on my 2004 XB 12s and it was awesome!
Bought a clapped out 883 and a 1200 buell long ago what a combo that was. Always made others look in shock on stop light to stop light.
Lmfao!!!
This is the content I visit this channel for.
My first real job was at a Harley Davidson muffler plant in CA. We also made the Buell exhaust systems there. Remember multiple Buell bikes there in the special part of the shop. This was thd mid 90's. Pretty cool shit.
Best bike ever Tony. You will love it.
I need to swing by with my 08 and show you some of the changes Eric made.
Run 93 octane.
I know a lot of those back roads here that you want to ride!
Congratulations, nice bike, you seem happy, like a dog with two peters 😆 I'm more of a Triumph guy, would love to rip a speed triple. Thanks, digging the vids
My 2008 XB12XT is the most fun I have ever had on a street bike. They are kind of unique ugly ducklings but I think that adds to the appeal of them, they are super easy to spot in a crowd of cookie cutter bikes. It is a shame that they did not have a longer production run, I think they simply did not get marketed properly, or they are a victim of being a bit ahead of their time.
Still want one of these after all these years. Good buy!
Find information smile and it's fun.. I'm just a motorcycle guy I used to be a truck guy but.. bikes are easy to work on
🇺🇸
The land Options..
Just in time for summer!
Buells are AWESOME!!!!!!! I have has a S3T, and two XB 9s. You really don't know how good those Sportster motors can be til you pull 4 pounds off the flyeheels Like Erik B did.
You have done good
I bought a new M2 back in the day. It was a nice bike when it was running well, but that wasn't very often. If you got one that has been sorted it should indeed be fun.
The fiance/wife had one and enjoyed it other than the mega annoying fan noise. Developed a problem with it just running crappy. The local HD dealer where she bought it (and an extended warranty) literally replaced injectors and everything above the pistons on both cylinders yet the problem remained. Problems occurred between HD and whoever they had to contact about the constant returning bike with problems. Which concerned me because they had just dumped Buell but did claim to still support the store bought warranty. After the 4th time it was brought back and at the request of the future bride I took over the reins and walked into the dealer to champion her cause. I was expecting to find beaded tattooed grizzled greasy HD mechanics and was shocked to find fuzz faced recent MMI graduates. I tried to qualify my expert opinion with my lifelong experience with working on bikes and my career in electronics. The issue was ECM once it became hot. The eye rolls start. You might have thought I had taken a dump in the Eagle One Chrome Aisle. So they did another replace injectors adjust valves vs job and reset everything that could affect the timing, took it on a 1 mile test ride (although both she and I explained it craps out after an hour) and told her to come pick it up. Yes it crapped out again once thoroughly heated. I proved to myself once again that it was the ECM by using a product that's a freeze spray and repeated it twice more before she brought it back for the lucky 7th time. By now the riding season was close to being over and the bike was at the dealer, all told close to 3 months that season. So I avoided the service manager and went to the owner of the dealership. Calmly and politely I presented my credentials, the ongoing problem and my diagnostic evidence and conclusion. He called me back and said he had talked to whoever he had to talk to and claimed the problem now was with the company the (all ready paid in full 5 year extended) warranty was with and their hesitancy to cough up the $$ for an ECM. Fortunately the dealer is less than a 1/4 mile from home so I strolled across Rt20 unannounced and cried Foul and a F----Time Out. I brought up the $$$ involved in replacing everything from the engine cases up yet alone the wages paid for their countless hours of tinkering vs a
I always wanted one of these. At 6'4 and long legs I think I fit just perfect
Love the new toy!!👍
This video had me checking FB marketplace for used Buells. Then i remembered what it was like to own my 2001 X1 Lightning, so i changed my search to looking for a Honda or Yamaha