More pics here:

http://www.hellkustom.com/2017/09/buell-xb12x-2007-by-studio-motor.html

CUSTOM XB12X 06 BUELL

My FXBRS 20 aint too shabby either

Buell XB12x Ulysses what a beast

PROMENADES A MOTO YAM 600 XT BUELL XB12X a 3 ans aujourd'hui !

Ithaca: A Buell Ulysses street tracker from Milan

Ithaca: A Buell Ulysses street tracker from Milan

Erik Buell sure has designed some interesting motorcycles during his career, and the Buell Ulysses XB12X is right up there. The quirky adventure tourer has all the Buell hallmarks: a fuel-in-frame chassis, perimeter disc brakes and a stonking Harley-designed motor. And it makes for a pretty interesting custom donor, too. This Ulysses has been transformed into a menacing street tracker by brothers…

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SBS Pastiglie Freno Posteriore Buell XB12X Ulysses 06/10 614LS 1200cc Sport Sinter • SBS • 26,35 € • 614LS-8063 • https://www.sixrace.it/it/pastiglie-freni/8063-sbs-pastiglie-freno-posteriore-per-buell-xb12x-ulysses-06-10-614ls-sport-sinter.html

Buell Ulysses XB12X adventurer It was introduced in 2006. Just added longer thick Showa shocks and different hardware on existing Buell Lighting, tried to ride on popular trend of sports adventurers. Its motor is based on 1200 Harley Davidson Sportster as many of Buells at the time. Like any other Harley/ Buell, it was over priced for what it was. Priced higher than better quality Triumph Tiger. It had more complicated ( compared to Harley) gadgets, likes of fuel injection, cooling fan for rear cylinder, hydraulic valve lifters- no valve adjustment, but head lights were so dimmed that an European bike magazine said they thought it had 6 volt battery. They also complained about smaller tank and looks-good-but-under powered- braking system The review of this bike varies quite bit. You can tell it is either by Harley /Buell /Murika fan or normal motorcycle enthusiasts who are used to riding well made European or Japanese motorcycles. But average review of this model hovers about 3 stars out of 5. Almost all of them say it is not an adventurer; they would never take the bike to real off road. A well known motorcycle journalist, Peter Egan own one. I am not sure if he still does but he seemed to like the bike. As far as I know he had it over several years.

2006-2010 Buell XB FRONT WHEEL RIM XB12 Ulysses XB12X 2009 2010 XB9X XB12 R/S https://ift.tt/2WhaK1a

More pics here:

http://www.hellkustom.com/2017/09/buell-xb12x-2007-by-studio-motor.html

Jardine GP-1 Slip-on Exhaust Steel Aluminum Brushed Black Buell XB12X 2007-2009 BUY IT NOW – Jardine GP-1 Slip-on Exhaust Steel Aluminum Brushed Black Buell XB12X 2007-2009

A bit about me and the bike(s)

Ok. So... here's the deal. About spring of 2007 (or so) while my classmates and I were anticipating our Senior year of college and dreaming about how we would spend all the money we were going to make (ahem), we got on the topic of what vehicle(s) we were going to purchase. A bunch of guys wanted old vintage muscle cars, some guys wanted big trucks, some wanted newer sports cars, a few of us wanted motorcycles.

Many hours over multiple days were spend finding pictures of our respectively "perfect" vehicles. Emails were sent with stats and links and more discussions were had about the merits of the varying styles, makes, models, performance, and coloring. During my searching I was asked about Harley-Davidson. Now I wasn't really much of a Harley guy. I am not a fan of the "big dresser" motorcycles out there and at the time I felt the Sportsters were just about as interesting with the way they were styled. But none-the-less I was goaded into at least checking out the HD website.

I wasn't really that impressed.

At first.

Until I noticed a link on the nav bar that said Buell...

I started poking around on that part of the site and was shocked to find (no sh*t) a selection of American made actual sports bikes.

(Ok, ok, ok... we can debate the finer points of "American Made" vs "American Assembled" and all the "What percentage of that thing is really 'American'?" and "Most things are made in China no matter what the tag say!" and on and on... But I'm not going to debate it here. Designed and Assembled, is American Made enough for this story.)

They actually had a look that seemed to be interesting (to me). And not a Super Sport, full tuck, 150 MPH everywhere you go, look, but a sporty but comfortable, nimble, look.

Well... As our Senior year started and we all got reeaaalllly busy with school work. Our pipe dreams faded and, by the time we graduated and entered the work force, no one was talking about getting one of those vehicles that we had drooled over.

It wouldn't be until two years later that I would be reminded by one of my cousins about that gradution gift I was going to buy for myself. I kind of laughed it off, however, the seed was re-sewn.

I would toss around the idea of getting a motorcycle with some of my friends and they would say something to the effect of, "Oh! You're getting a Harley". To which I replied, "Nope. I want something a little more sporty, but not a rocket."

Well, at some point, my memory caught up to me and I remembered those bikes that I saw on the Harley website (all those years ago). So in 2010, I searched for that Buell that sparked my interest. I thought, "Maybe the newer models are even cooler than what I remember".

Then one day I was talking with a friends husband (who was much more into motorcycles than I had been) and he mentioned that Harley was dropping the Buell line.

(queue record scratching to a stop)

I was kinda crushed.

For a few reasons.

Mainly though, I thought it was a shame that the American sport bike was going away. (Once again, and there is no accounting for taste here, but I still thought that those beefy Harleys being the only representation of American motorcycles seemed sad, and a little like "Really America, we don't want fun and sleek? Do we only want a car on two wheels?" Seriously some Harleys weigh more than my first car [a Geo Metro].)

I decided not to purchase a Buell for fear of having to maintain a mechanical device on my own. In hind site, I should have realized that seven years of guaranteed service/parts should be plenty for me to get my head wrapped around all that I would need to do to maintain a bike, but that's 20/20, and I didn't.

Looking around the Harley website at the Buells I noticed they really didn't look much different from a few years earlyser, but they still looked good!

(sigh)

Onward.

I did eventually decide on a motorcycle and it was (cough) a XL1200N Harley-Davidson Nightster. (>.<)

With all the smack I was talking earlier, how could I have purchased a Harley.

Weeeeeelllll... My first bike was a sexy bike. (As seen below.)

I was tagging along with my friend while he looked on one of those "car on two wheel models". I kind of fell in love with it on the showroom floor. But whatever. I loved it and it gave me many good miles.

I did end up selling it just after I purchased my next bike. I think I only regret getting rid of a perfectly working motorcycle. And that looking back at picture it was a dead sexy looking bike.

Fast forward to the spring of 2019. I was poking around looking at motorcycles (as you do) and I found this.

A 2004 XB12S Buell Lightning. Mmmmmm tasty! It was litterally the same style I was planning on purchasing so many years earlier. It came up for the right price on (a popular website whom I will not mention here) and I couldn't resist.

Now, you see, I felt comfortable working on things (in a limited capacity). Years had gone by with me owning a motorcycle and I had done some middling upgrades on the Nightster, so I felt confident I could tackle things as they came up with the Buell.

After taking it for a test drive and not finding anything standing out that would put me off. I made it mine!

Oof-Ba-Boof is this thing great. It isn't the fastest. It isn't the most powerful. I'm not going to quote a bunch of specs (that is what the internet is for :) but sufficed to say it is everything I wanted in a motorcycle the first time I saw one. Zippy, nimbly, and looks amazing.

"Ok but how did you end up with a XB12X Ulysses then?" you ask.

There had been plans to drive up to Alaska (starting just after I bought the Lightning), camping all the way, on motorcycles with a couple of friends. It was planned for the summer of 2021. Obviously there was a little bit of a damper put on that trip (for the future generations that may, for some reason, be viewing this just look up 2020 Covid, and you will see what I mean). I had been looking for a bike to make that trip. You know to start a small collection of motorcycles. One for each occasion. But since it didn't look like we were going to be able to make the trip I put the purchase of a "touring" bike on hold.

But... Finding that I had time to kill, getting a bike ready to be the best camping bike it can be, seemed like a fun project. So I changed my search to something a little less shiney and ready and more into a project.

Since I was looking why not get a Buell ;) I had found the XB12X, not far from where I live. It was a smoking good price (which means) it was in rough shape when I picked it up. The clutch was all but burned up. The headlighs didn't work. The previous owner (not besmirching the guy) had tried to do some custom wiring and kinda messed some things up. It needed new fork seals. A bunch of the bolts were stripped and or cross-threaded (you know... basically a Harley). But it had promise. The engine was working great and ... The frame wasn't bent.....

I did say project.

Anyhoo. That really brings us here. The plan is to get this thing not just going, but upgraded to be a rocking, camping ready, sexy looking, up for anything kind of motorcycle.

BUELL

The story

It all started when engineer and racing driver Erik Buell, who had worked for four years in traditional Harley-Davidson, decided to leave the company in 1983 to realize a great dream: to build a racing motorcycle that could duel with imported bikes , especially Japanese and Italian. He then founded the Buell Motorcycle Company in East Troy, Wisconsin. The first motorcycle produced by the company, the BUELL RW 750, with two-stroke four-cylinder and 750cc engine, was specially developed to compete in the AMA (American Motorcycle Association) Formula 1 class. It was a motorcycle with exceptional cornering performance, a feature that has become one of the brand's strengths to this day. - - However, with the extinction of this category and the regulation of the Superbike Championship for 1986, he started to develop a new model, the RR 1000, which used a Harley XR 1000 engine. He produced 50 units until the engines were finished ; then went on to use the Harley 1200, producing an additional 65 bikes. Following the RR 1200 came the two-seater RS ​​1200 in 1989 and the RSS 1200 in 1992. At this point BUELL bikes attracted fans' attention to performance and speed. - - Started a successful partnership with Harley-Davidson in 1993 when the company bought 49% of its shares; being incorporated definitively in 1998. In this period BUELL can benefit from all technology and knowledge of the centennial brand. The vocation to innovate of all BUELL models was built around a philosophy: the Trilogy of Technology. The precept consists of three rules for the manufacture of the bikes: frame stiffness, mass centralization and low weight. In other words, the rigid chassis reduces the flexibility of the motorcycle and increases its stability, especially on uneven floors. Another point is to limit the weight of all components not supported by springs as far as possible. This allows the tires to maintain constant contact with the floor. The lower non-suspended mass also results in greater agility, ensures traction all the time, which translates into performance, stability and safety. - - BUELL is also known for developing innovative solutions such as the Zero Torsion Load (ZTL) brake, a system in which the brake disc is fixed to the outside of the front wheel in the rim rather than the central hub as in existing bikes in the market. This process prevents twisting from twisting the disc and thus provides safer braking. The result is a three-kilogram reduction on the front of the motorcycle. Aimed at the young public aged between 25 and 35 years, the brand arrived in Brazil at the hands of the Izzo Group. The company chose the location where the first exclusive dealership (Buell Concept Store) was installed in the country in October 2005: Oscar Freire Street. It is not only in motorized two-wheelers that BUELL spreads its name. The automaker is also engaged in the accessories sector and recently brought to Brazil a new line of helmets. In November 2006, BUELL built the 100,000th motorcycle since its foundation. On October 30, 2009, BUELL, which was characterized by innovative solutions, such as the tank integrated into the frame and large perimeter brake discs, ended its activities. Not even the high quality of its products saved the brand. This is because its owner, Harley-Davidson, is experiencing a delicate moment with a huge drop in sales. The dealership network will be maintained at a first moment, as will the manufacture of spare parts. It remains to be seen whether the closure is final, as Harley-Davidson continues to own the brand. - - The machines All BUELL motorcycles have mass centering (low center of gravity, even with exhaust directed to the underside of the motorcycle); fuel tank integrated into the chassis and oil tank integrated into the rear balance (that is, gasoline is stored and circulates inside the frame of the motorcycle and oil in the cavities of the rear suspension); front brake with 6 piston caliper (in addition to the brake disc being inverted and accompanying the wheel rim); and Showa front suspension type Upside Down. Its line is composed by models like: ● BUELL 1125 R: Launched in 2008 to commemorate the company's 25th anniversary, it has come up to break some standards: unprecedented engine made by the Austrian Rotax, with liquid cooling, replacing the already traditional Harley-Davidson propellers that were equipping the whole line BUELL over the years. The super-sport bike is the most powerful bike ever developed by the company.

● BUELL City Cross: a motorcycle that stands out for the reduced wheelbase, which is only 132 centimeters, equipped with 984 cc engine, which yields 92 cc of power. The look translates the name of the bike, which through the riding position privileges the driveability and comfort. There is no croup. ● BUELL Lightning XB12S: Compact motorcycle equipped with 1,200cc electronic injection Thunderstorm engine, which combines brute force with minimalist design providing excellent drivability, especially in corners. On this motorcycle, what strikes the same is the rectangular section frame that "hugs" the fake tank and engine. In addition to the tank cover, elaborated on some models with translucent material. The bike features vivid colors that convey air of joviality (Translucent Orange, Black or Translucent Red). The unusual look of this BUELL is completed by the dual headlamp (one for low light and one for high light) and six-spoke alloy wheels. The exhaust under the engine is another highlight, not only aesthetic, but also helps in mass concentration. ● BUELL Lightning XB9XSX: motorcycle with two-cylinder V-engine, 984cm³ displacement, weighing only 177kg dry and with a wheelbase of 1,320mm, is an extremely agile and fun driver to ride. This characteristic yielded to the model the title of streetfighter, or urban warrior, since it is able to dribble the traffic and to give good starts. - - ● BUELL Lightning Super XB12STT: The kilometer-long extension of the name, an endless mix of denominations, letters and numbers, is to designate that the newest member of the Lightning family incorporates sporting characteristics into a street bike. A fusion of styles, between the off-road, the supermotard and the street fighter (urban warrior). Off the road, Super TT inherited the crossbar bar, which is a reinforcing bar, in addition to the wrist guards. On the sides, sports characteristics, with adoption of finish numbers port, as in competition bikes. Even visual adopted in the mini-fairing on the lighthouse. The tall, flat 798mm high bench allows for off-road driving, but also makes it easier to ride supermotard or street fighter on the asphalt. ● BUELL Ulysses XB12X: motorcycle that stands out from the rest of the BUELL line for the muscular big trail look, with a dash of supermotard - 17 "rim wheels and more sporty profile tires. Sturdy, it impresses with its aesthetics, especially the set formed by the wide frame and scale, which "embrace" the mechanical and cycling parts. The bike also has a long suspension, wide seat, hand guards, exhaust under the engine and a functional triple tail, which serves as backrest for the rump or luggage rack. Despite its visual characteristics, this sport adventure was not made for large displacements on earth. ● BUELL Ulysses XB12XT: big adventure motorcycle, classified as Adventure, to face great trips more focused on tourism and asphalt. This model gained aerodynamic refinement, with the adoption of a larger and detachable windscreen, in addition to heated handles, to rotate at night, or in winter, with two temperature settings. In order to carry all the necessary luggage in the trips, a kit (standard equipment) was developed, consisting of side pockets and a central bauleto, which also serves as support for the passenger's back. The bauleto and bags are rigid, removable, keyed and waterproof. The bike also features 12V power outlets for connecting external devices such as GPS navigation system, cell phone charger or other necessities.

Motorcycle Front+Rear Headlift Dual Lift Stand For Buell Ulysses XB12X RS RR 1000 1200 http://ift.tt/2phPeKS

Backtrack Tuesdays: Buell Ulysses vs Ducati Multistrada Published in: Bikes A Harley-powered dual sport bike? The Buell Ulysses may stretch the definition of adventure touring designed, as Milwaukee says, for "90 percent road, 10 percent off­road" use. But nonetheless, it is the first Buell effort to court at least a portion of the backroad riders who include some dirt in their travel diet. First, a caveat: The Ulysses owner's manual specifies that the motorcycle is not legal for off-road use where a spark arrestor is required. Dirt roads, even fairly gnarled ones, are no problem on the Ulysses, but single-track trail work would prove a large chore even for a strong and talented rider. Once lost to the seductive sirens of gravity and fate, the brave Ulysses would quickly be beyond salvation. When 500-some pounds head downhill, only the quickest response will do. You would, as Barney Fife used to say, have to nip it in the buuud. So the solution to that potential hazard is simple enough; don't make impossible demands of the bike or rider. (And don't get caught if you're out of bounds.) A sport-tourer, by my definition, has to provide limited service in the dirt. If not, it's too much tour and not enough sport. For example, a bike like the Ducati ST4 or BMW R1150R would not be happy for long on a jeep trail. For me, sport-touring is represented by bikes like the Ulysses, Multistrada, BMW HP2 and the KTM Adventure 950R. I reckon what it comes down to is the feeling that there's a good deal more adventure to be had off-road than on. The Ulysses is billed as an "adventure sportbike," which is fair enough; a street scrambler in other words. Labels and buzzwords, like everything else, change. But this is hardly your average, street-legal desert sled in modern trim. The XB12X is a bundle of techno-expertise from around the world, with only the venerable Harley V-twin as the home-grown component. The frame, which doubles as the fuel tank, is from Verlicchi of Italy, fabricator of numerous Ducati chassis. Likewise the swingarm, which doubles as the oil tank, and the Showa suspension originate in Japan; wheels come from China; and add an Australian exhaust system and luggage from Germany. This multi-nationalism has obvious benefits in terms of both performance and reliability. Erik Buell designs his bikes to meet specific and precise requirements, then hires the best specialists to build the pieces. Not that the Buell was without annoyances; first among them was the loud cooling fan, which runs constantly below highway speeds on a warm day. The lack of steering lock ranked number two, which requires some back-and-forth to turn around in a narrow space, or you can lean it over, put yer foot down, and spin half a donut. The third item was the clever alloy backrest that folds onto the passenger seat when not in use; nice design, but it was a bear to unlatch to change the position. And the funky ignition switch placement on the left side of the headlight shell. And ... No, really... overall the Ulysses is a remarkably good (first) effort and an encouraging sign of things to come from the Harley skunkworks in East Troy. Just for grins, we put the Ulysses up against the Ducati Multistrada S, for which Bologna claims no off-road capabilities. Still, both machines are fundamentally street scramblers, and both offer luggage options to cover the sport touring category. So the obvious questions were under what conditions would the Buell have more to offer, and vice-versa and back again. So to find out, we set off to ride Highway One from Morro Bay to Half Moon Bay, CA and that would provide a fix on the sport­touring profiles. Then, on the return trip we would cut inland to Alice's Restaurant, fly south on Skyline Drive, and somehow find ourselves misplaced on a longer/rougher-­than-expected dirt road in the mountains above Watsonville. That would establish the dualie-adventure credentials. About 700 miles round-trip. Tell you what, by the time we got to JJ's Homemade Burgers in San Juan Capistrano, we was hungry. As it turned out, both co-rider, Dennis Pegelow, and I ended up spending the most saddle time on the bike we each preferred. For him it was the Buell, and vice-versa, but it didn't begin that way. Before the ride, with about 100 miles on each bike, I favored the Ulysses for its easy power, moderately comfortable seat, all-­round composure, and luggage capacity. Plus, at a slow-to-moderate pace in the dirt, it took less physical effort than the Multistrada. This, I thought, is my idea of a sport-touring bike. The Ducati, on the other hand, was shaky below 4,000 rpm, buzzy for another thou, and had one of the worst seats ever to sail forth from Italy, a land known for brutal seats. It had a bunch of extraneous bodywork styled to cover the mechanical bits, trendy mirrors with built-in turn signals, and did I mention the seat? And this was the new-improved, better-than-­the-original seat! What the Multistrada did have was a dandy power-to-weight ratio, delicious mid-range grunt, nimble steering, Ohlins suspension, and that certain Italian sauce. And that's what got me in the end, so to speak. See, I'm a dirt rider at heart. When it comes to sporting dualies, if the paved-to-unpaved equation is close to 50-50, I'm willing to sacrifice some highway comfort for added agility in the dirt. According to the specs, the Multistrada is only 15 pounds lighter than the Buell, but underway it feels more like 50. This owes largely to the Ducati's lower center of gravity. The American machine steers heavier but by no means heavily when underway, unless you are crawling around at low speed such as trails or tight traffic. The Ulysses just pays a penality for its higher roll center. (Remember, the engine has been elevated to accommodate the underslung muffler, so the Harley twin's crankshaft sits a good half-foot higher than the Ducati's.) Still, the Buell can carve with alacrity in sweepers and the steady rush of torque transfers wonderfully to the tarmac. Exit speeds are exhilarating, wheelies are on-demand. But the Buell definitely demands a more robust push to set its appointed arc, and once dialed in it rails in convincing fashion. Two factors contribute nicely to this stability; suspension and tires. We changed the Ulysses' fork and shock settings by the manual, but by the time it would work well on both pavement and dirt, we had notched in about 400 pounds (rider and gear) worth of pre-load, compression, and rebound damping. The Ducati, conversely, had to be softened up significantly to work off-road. The Buell's specially-built Dunlops worked uncommonly well on varietal surfaces and the Ducati's Pirelli Scorpions are also good all-round rubbers. But it is power delivery and suspension compliance that point up the real differences between these bikes. Both engines make about 80 horsepower at the rear wheel, but it's the torque figures that tell the tale. The Ducati is pulling about 58 foot-pounders at 6,000 rpm, while the Harley pumps up 65 to 70 between 3,000 and 5,000 revs. So, while the Buell is comfortable at 20-30 mph on a cobbled dirt road, the Multistrada is buckboarding along below its natural powerband. On the other hand, when the speeds rise and the Ducati's engine and suspension reach their happy zone, the Ulysses becomes a pitching, heaving handful. Thus it was no surprise that Dennis came to prefer the Buell. So as a versatile multi-purpose platform for adventurous touring, the Buell takes the honors here. It will take the rider farther, in greater comfort and carrying more gear, than the Ducati. The Multistrada surely prevails as a street scratcher, especially on the twisty tarmac, but its comfort zone is more narrowly designed. Makes one wonder what a Sportster-based street scrambler would do, doesn't it? Originally published October 2006. http://ift.tt/2lDu3QP