https://www.visordown.com/features/top- ... -stuck-mud
Discuss...

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'98 M2 Razorback, it's a keeper.

Quite a fair appraisal of the various models discussed throughout the feature including his assassination of the Ulysses if taken from a journalist's viewpoint.

When H-D ran a training course for Buell salesmen pitting the Ulysses against it's direct competitors at Millbrook Proving Ground I was mightily impressed with it's off road prowess. My off road skills are zero but I felt more confident on the XB12X than the R1150GS or Triumph Tiger, it wasn't however quite up to the standard of the KTM 950 Adventure which we also rode.

The press didn't have the best experience with their demonstrators either. Many of them experienced issues which brought them to call it the Useless. I remember talking to the late Kevin Ash about his experiences. He was a strong supporter of Buell and wanted it to be a success. Sadly his long term demonstrator let him down on two occasions when en route to the airport to miss flights for overseas launches.

I've had two Ulys of my own plus various demonstrators. I've ridden more than 50,000 miles on them and love them but much of Phil West's criticism is accurate - wheel size and tyre choice don't really cut it for adventure use, belt drive isn't ideal where mud and rocks are likely to come into the equation and an exposed frame carrying the fuel could be quite vulnerable in a spill.

Anyway, when did we ever care what the press thinks?

Steve

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Back on the road again!

Well what can one say , “Adventure definition, an exciting or very unusual experience”
I have owned a few of the bikes listed, Honda XL 500 , Yamaha XT550 , Yamaha XTZ750 Super Tenere , Buell XB12X , all have brought pleasure .
At their time, they were the right bike for me , the ully continues to be that , and hopefully will continue for the rest of my days , it might not be the fastest , lightest , nimblest or technologically advanced but it can still get a move on when you want it too down the A and B country roads .
For the “Adventure off-road experience” in the past, I have used Suzuki RL250 Beamish , Kawasaki kx250 and kx500 with some pleasure and a little pain on the way .
It’s all about horses for courses.

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Buell Ulysses XB12X 06/08

Suppose it depends on your adventure..

if it's just riding around the urban streets trying to look like Ewan & Charlie ?

or going across Africa , or South America surviving drinking your own piss etc.

just seems they get pointlessly bigger & heavier , with loads of whooshie gadgets , do you need it...

when an old air cooled single trailey would be the logical choice ?
easy to fix or lift out of a swamp , or onto a fishing boat ?

dunno , but each to there own

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Feros Ferio