All Tests – Want a shot of Buell? – Used BUELL

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You want a shot of Buell ?

All Tests - Want a shot of Buell? - Used BUELL

This is the latest from Buell and she wants to do it all! Equipped with the Thunderstorm 1200 cc, the new frame and the extended swingarm of the XB12Ss, the Ulysses is at the same time sporty, adventurous and traveler … Pretentious? Test.

When the Buell XB12X Ulysses was presented at the Paris Motor Show in 2005, Jean-Luc Mars, Boss of Harley France, set the bar very high: according to him, the new Buell should be "good at everything very well"(read). It did not take more to immediately arouse the interest of Moto-Net !

Scheduled for "all-terrain adventures", the new Buell XB12X Ulysses will nonetheless remain confined to paved roads like its competitors BMW R1200GS, Honda Varadero, Ducati Multistrada, Aprilia Caponord and other large road trails. And despite the incentives of Jean-Charles Geneste , manager of Buell in France – "we had a great time on the slopes of Malaga !"- Moto-Net preferred to test the machine on paved roads exclusively.

Nevertheless, the program of the XB12X remains busy since it is intended for all types of trips: short or long, winding or not, loaded or not, alone or in duo … A good for everything "very well" ? Test !

An athletic body

This Buell has the anatomy of a professional wrestler due to several details. For starters, its frame – which acts as a 16.7-liter fuel tank – draws its prominent shoulders, accentuated by its rubber guards..

On the other hand, the Ulysses is firmly camped on its suspensions. The already impressive inverted fork is equipped with protectors which increase the presence of the front axle. At the rear, the wide, matt-colored swingarm contributes to this raw and massive appearance. Right, where the belt is "without scheduled maintenance or replacement", the protections finish giving the trail its robust side.

But even when stationary, what impresses the most about this athlete is her rocking heart: the 1203 cc 45 ° V-Twin, with the evocative name of Thunderstorm – storm in English. Equipping the entire XB12 range, the mill is highlighted on the X model because it is singularly high perched. Developing 100 hp at 6,600 rpm and 110Nm at 6,000 rpm, its long stroke stands out from competing short-stroke engines.

Along with this display of robustness, the XB12X cultivates an adventurer look: in addition to the suspension and belt guards, the Ulysses also has grip guards, a headlight grille and front and rear fenders that will charm the most adventurous.

The finish of the plastics is good and only a trained eye will notice some solutions a little "cheap" such as the lack of protection of the wheel bearings that must be protected during major cleaning, or the crutch mounted too loose on its axis.

Faithful to the philosophy

The XB12X, despite a more complete program than "Streetfigther"from the Lightning or"Sportfighter"of the Firebolt, retains the three essential features of a Buell:"mass centralization, frame rigidity and maximum reduction in unsprung weight".

Regarding the first point, the Ulysses is however obliged to make a certain concession. If the pot is well centered under the machine, the whole motorcycle is raised to offer the rider a satisfactory clearance of 171 mm. Suddenly, it does not handle like a bicycle !

At first glance, the new frame which also equips the XB12Ss (long version of the XB12S, read) seems able to provide the X version with appreciable rigidity on the road. Similarly, the Ulysses receives the extended version of the swingarm, offering it a more moderate behavior, especially during sudden acceleration. !

Finally, with regard to the reduction of unsprung weights, the Ulysses inherits the Buell rims with particularly slender poles and the famous front perimeter brake. In addition to its clean aesthetic, this arrangement is supposed to reduce the weight of 3 kg compared to conventional configurations and allow the wheels to stay on the ground: "the bike is much more predictable when it stays glued to the road", explains Erik Buell himself.

With this set of characteristics – look and philosophy – the American wants to make the Ulysses "something that has never been done before, a "Sport Adventure Bike"".

On a perched Buell

And the adventure begins the moment you get on the beast: no matter the size of the pilot, what counts above all is to have long legs! With 841 mm of saddle height, the Ulysses is not for everyone…

If some bikers with large stilts can put both heels on the ground, most will have to practice some gymnastics and take advantage of the sidewalks to keep the Ulysses on a red light. Fortunately, the low saddle option (- 5 cm) will be offered free of charge at the dealership.

Aside from this impressive saddle height, the driving position is comfortable for a road trail. With a large, high-placed handlebars, the bust is kept straight, the legs naturally align along the frame and the feet are placed slightly back on wide toe clips. The saddle – a harsh but wide hair – also has a grippy coating that secures the hold of the Ulysses.

Note that in case of rain, a glove is enough to remove the film of water that beads on the saddle. However, the footrests can become slippery depending on the sole of the boots used….

The dashboard is complete but without frills: electronic counter with two partial, partial reserve, watch, warning light for fuel level, engine fault, oil pressure, headlight, turn signal and neutral.

These are the two dials that announce the color: orange zone at 6500 rpm and red at 7000, with a speedometer which displays 260 km / h … There is sport in the air! But not only, because the presence of a power outlet is there to remind us that we can equip the Ulysses with a GPS, charge your mobile or plug in any other accessory – your razor for example? -, which confirms his penchant for long courses.

This ability to cover long distances is also introduced by the addition of a nose screen and a clever "triple tail", a kind of seat backrest which offers three different positions: backrest, luggage rack or folded. The vertical position therefore offers the passenger a pleasant" back-rest "which is lacking on many road motorcycles! When it comes to storage, the space under the saddle makes it easy to store a long U and a rain suit. Another good point for the American.

From the outset…

Crutch retracted, key inserted on the left side of the fork crown – Harley descent! – and electric starter activated: the engine wakes up to a sound close to the American anthem. A few quick rotations of the handle result in quiet revolutions, which are enough to make all eyes converge around !

Once the first is engaged – click! – we can gradually release the clutch lever which has gained in approval compared to the first Buell. The Ulysses is wise but is not the smoothest below 2,500 rpm. The link "handle / rear wheel"so desired by Erik Buell is there, but is almost too sensitive.

The speeds are still a bit rough compared to current standards, but this is only noticeable in very calm driving. The first pulling relatively long, it avoids playing excessively with the box in town. The high perched position gives a pleasant feeling of flying over traffic and more easily anticipating traffic.

Traffic all the more dominated as the engine offers very frank acceleration which leaves cars, scooters – and the majority of motorcycles – glued to red lights! And although an inscription on the mirrors reminds us that the objects therein are "closer than they seem", with each gas stroke it is indeed a real" boulevard "which separates the XB12X from the rest of the traffic !

The single front disc is just as effective as the conventional double discs but the rear brake is singularly lacking in power. "This comes from Erik who doesn’t want too strong a rear brake !", explains to Moto-Net Jean-Charles Geneste.

Admittedly, the rear brake often remains unused – too biting, it can even be dangerous – but for once, Erik could have gone to the end of his step and completely removed it, which would have reduced the unsprung weight by as much. !

Motor … Action … Fan !

It is in the busy traffic of the capital that two big faults appear very quickly: the air-cooled engine does not support the crowded roads of big cities and lets you know it by means of its small fan located under the buttocks of the driver . Small certainly, but noisy! So much so that it almost covers the noise of the engine at low speed and thus spoils a significant part of the pleasure of driving in American…

Second black point of this bike: the steering. In order to keep a limited wheelbase, the fork sleeves are very close to the wide frame accommodating the large V-Twin. As a result, the turning radius is limited and surprises – even dangerously destabilizes – during the first U-turn. The following U-turns will therefore not be done without a certain inhibition…

If we add to this a relatively large weight (193 kg dry) but above all high perched and a very punchy engine from 3,000 rpm, the first half hour of handling can be agonizing for the little seasoned bikers and horrifying for lovers of sweets…

Manual

But after the period of adaptation to its saddle height and low steering, the Ulysses offers ultimately honorable services in urban areas. Direction the highway to get away from the city and relieve the engine which is boiling impatient and whose heat on the right side is appreciable … in winter !

If the deflector surmounted by the windshield gives the Ulysses a road touch, it is far too short to claim "clear the wind from your head when you take the freeway or the big curves", as the brochure suggested.

Stalled at 4000 rpm in fifth gear, the Ulysses winds at 140km / h on beautiful straight lines as well as bumpy curves, but leaves the driver’s bust too exposed to be qualified as "very good"traveler.

On departmental roads, the Ulysses must first be tamed and even requires a good dose of lucidity in the first series of turns. The engine catapults from one yaw to another and despite a longer wheelbase, the Buelle XB12X has a clear tendency to offload its front wheel when you accelerate sharply..

Conversely, when braking hard, if the rear wheel does not take off as quickly, you can feel the fork perfectly plunge. The powerful front brake requires good thighs, otherwise the ball joints will land painfully against the frame. Better to have strong forearms too! A man’s motorcycle, in short !

Banana to share

Sporty driving on a small winding road quickly turns into a taming session that will delight fans of big sensations! Difficult to improvise on this imposing beast which, if it is maneuverable and agile once the instructions have been assimilated, remains relatively physical to lead. Finally, the range of use between 2,500 and 5,500 rpm makes it possible to tax just about anything that rolls while remaining in second !

The rigidity of the frame allows you to drive calmly and the fully adjustable suspensions adapt perfectly to any surface. With each acceleration, change of angle or braking, the XB12X distills a significant dose of adrenaline and gives the "banana" to the most reserved of pilots – and passengers !

Because as a duo, the Ulysses is very appreciable: the footrests are placed low, the saddle is wide and the backrest allows the passenger to settle down comfortably. Level piloting, the compression of the high suspensions offers a gain in firmness and the duo can take full advantage of the great sensations delivered by the tireless engine.

It will be understood: if the Ulysses is doing a little tight in town and on the open road, it excels in small departmental roads! Its rigorous cycle part makes it possible to fully exploit its torquey and unique engine. Full of spirit, the Thunderstorm is ultimately manageable thanks to the precision of the throttle grip, but requires a respectful and calm approach.

Available in Orange Barricade or Midnight Black, the Ulysses can be fitted with top-case and lockable saddlebags.

The price remains: € 12,295, or € 546 more than an Aprilia Caponord, € 500 more than a Ducati Mulistrada 1000 DS, € 495 more than a Honda Varadero or € 65 more than a KTM Superduke . But the Buell brings in exchange a gain of 200 cc and an incomparable long-stroke engine. And for the same displacement, BMW is offering its R 1200 GS at € 13,150. You choose !

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