Buell Ulysses merges sport and adventure

by Bill Wood

Last weekend, Buell unveiled photos and specs for its new Ulysses, described as an "adventure sportbike." Over the past two days, journalists have gotten a chance to find out what that means in a press intro in the Rocky Mountains outside Denver.

So what's the new machine like? On paper, anyway, it's very similar to the bikes in the Firebolt and Lightning lines that Buell has introduced over the past three years. There's the same 1,203cc air-cooled, push-rod V-twin "Thunderstorm" engine derived from the Sportster line of parent company Harley-Davidson, the same massive aluminum frame that doubles as a fuel tank and the same, updated swingarm that serves as the oil reservoir. The muffler is still a big can under the engine and the 17-inch front wheel still has Buell's unique "inside-out" disc brake.

What's different? For starters, the suspension, with fully adjustable Showa components offering about 6 1/2 inches of travel at both ends, up from 5 on the Firebolt and Lightning lines. Then there's the 23.5-degree steering head angle, which would be sportbike tight in anybody else's line, but actually has 2 1/2 degrees more rake than the Firebolt and the original Lightning (but not the new Lightning Long--see below). Finally, there's the seat height, which at 33.1 inches laden (about 35 inches unladen), is considerably higher than anything else in the line.

Somehow, those changes transform the basic Buell formula from its sportbike/streetfighter roots into a competitor in the burgeoning adventure-touring category. And the amazing thing is that it works.

The Ulysses (when you build your own motorcycle you can name it anything you want, OK?) slots into the adventure-touring market between the BMW R1200GS, the Suzuki V-Strom and the Triumph Tiger on the touring end and the KTM 950 Adventure on the dirtbike end. In many respects, it's most like Ducati's Multistrada, except that the Italian company doesn't claim any dirt capability for its machine.

Erik Buell, company founder and chief technical officer, says the Ulysses ($11,495) is targeted at riders who will likely use their machines on pavement 90 percent of the time and on dirt roads about 10 percent of the time. But riding in the back country of the Rockies gave us a chance to test both halves of the equation.

On the road, the Ulysses benefits from the added inches to the wheelbase and seat height. Taller riders have felt cramped on the company's previous ultra-tight models, and the Ulysses feels positively roomy in comparison. The bars are wide and comfortably placed, while the footpegs no longer require a severe knee bend. The downside, of course, is that dirtbike-like seat height, but shorter riders will be able to get a lowered seat to help in that area.

The extra couple of inches also pay benefits in the handling department. With its 52-inch wheelbase, the Firebolt is lightning quick to turn, but it has some handling quirks that not everyone loves. The extra fork rake on the Ulysses seems to have eliminated the tendency of Buells to stand up under braking in a corner, while the wider handlebar still makes the new bike easy to flick into a turn. In fact, the road handling in twisties can almost be compared to Supermoto machines--cockroach quick and very controllable.

On straight stretches, there's a good level of comfort from the flat seat and upright riding position. And if you get serious about seeing what's a few states away, Buell will sell you a pair of hard saddlebags and a top trunk for $995 ($700 for the saddlebags only).

So what happens when you take the Ulysses off the pavement? Well, it's no dirtbike, but it'll get you through. On the downside is the wide, 120-series, 17-inch front wheel, which is fitted with Dunlop D616 tires developed specifically for this bike. The D616 sticks great on the pavement (Buell says the tires were developed from Dunlop's supersport D208 line), but the tire doesn't track through dirt the way a narrower, taller tire would, and the 17-inch wheel shows a greater tendency to drop into washboard bumps, rather than floating over them.

Also holding the bike back off-road is the sportbike-like turning radius, which inhibits the ability to make tight maneuvers. And that gorgeous frame/gas tank proved to b somewhat vulnerable to damage in a couple of off-road get-offs during journalist testing.

On the other hand, the Ulysses has some real advantages over the competition in dirt outings. The narrow V-twin engine and the compact dimensions make it much more manageable in low-traction situations, and the motor puts out the kind of low-end torque that lets you plug through or spin up the rear--your choice.

But the Ulysses, like other bikes in the class, can't be judged on its ability to handle any one set of conditions. These machines are supposed to be capable of doing it all, and that's where the Ulysses really shines.

Take one afternoon loop, consisting of a ride over 11,600-foot Guanella Pass, a trip to the top of 14,260-foot Mount Evans, and a long freeway return to Denver.

The Guanella Pass road is dirt, with construction crews working at several points along the way on a project that will eventually see the entire 24-mile stretch paved. The Ulysses handled the dirt sections at reasonable speed, and motored through construction zones that ranged from rocky and rough to soft and muddy.

Sure, a rider on a capable dirtbike could have crossed Guanella a gear or two higher and on the gas. But just a few miles from the north end of the Guanella road starts the 14-mile paved run up Mount Evans. With an endless series of switchbacks, topped by a narrow, winding shelf road leading to the summit, Mount Evans requires something entirely different from a motorcycle. And the Ulysses had what it took, carving through corners with ease and precision.

Again, a sportbike would have been even more capable under those circumstances, but its rider would have suffered on the freeway run back into town, complete with a couple of serious traffic jams in 90-degree heat. The Ulysses took it all in stride, with its compact dimensions and tall seat making it an ideal cut-and-thrust commuter machine. The only problem is the engine cooling fan, which vents hot air right where your thigh is when you have to put your foot down for extended periods.

Bikes that can do this much this well open up lots of possibilities, from riding to work to traversing the globe. With entries from BMW, Suzuki, Triumph, KTM, Ducati and such dark-horse candidates as Kawasaki's budget KLR650, a rider thinking of doing any of that now has plenty of choices. If "adventure sportbike" sounds like it fits your mix of riding, Buell's Ulysses could be just what you're looking for.