Position Filled

DATELINE APRIL 2006: A test ride on a tall, torquey, mass-centralised Buell turned the missing dirt-road gaps on the map into an invitation to buy one.

First published inKiwi Rider

MODEL

Buell
XB12X Ulysses

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY

David and Janet Cohen
Geoff Osborne

The Advert in the wanted column would have read something like: ‘Tall guy, recreational sports/touring rider, seeks to meet interesting looking motorcycle for mainly road and city action. However, some ability to handle dirt roads and touring would be an advantage — and must be comfortable carrying a passenger.’

Those gaps on the map showing roads we haven’t ridden yet, because of the stretches of dirt, were beginning to annoy us.

In-so-far-as we’ve covered pretty much all of the sealed parts on the National road system, the ones that are designated by a red shield, on our road bikes or on test bikes, but we want to see ALL of NZ. Unfortunately there wasn’t a dual-sport bike on the market that really pushed our buttons, until ...

A tall person’s bike

First ride. Such fun

I was returning a test bike from the Kiwi Rider stables to Auckland Motorcycles and Power Sports when, ‘My goodness! A tall person’s bike!’ Were my first words when I sat on the new Buell XB12X.

I liked its angular X look and concept from the start. In these days of diminishing saddle heights and bikes getting smaller and shorter in the chase for lighter weight and improved handling, it was refreshing to sit on a tall, high-performance motorcycle.

At which stage Patrick (affable sales guy and pal) said, "It needs running in before our open day, take it and put 1000 km on it please."   (Edit: And of course he knew the probable outcome.)

And yep, I said ‘high-performance’ motorcycle. Although rated at only 103 ponies, the Harley-Davidson V-twin’s superb torque and the speed the chassis and suspension can comfortably carry into corners makes it a quick-enough joy through the twisties and demanding sealed sections.

In the long list of dream motorcycles I’ve been fortunate enough to throw a leg over in my time at KR — this is the best cornering bike I’ve ridden. It’s surprising that more manufacturers have not adopted Buell’s principle of ‘mass centralisation’. It really works.

The best cornering bike I’ve ridden.

Mass centralisation

Glorious in the twisty bits.

To keep as many of the heavy components as close to the middle, and as low down as possible in the bike, several innovations have been employed.

What most motorcycles present as the top of the fuel tank is nothing more than a plastic cover over the air filter. The fuel is stored inside the substantial box section frame, with a traditional filler cap up top.

 The dry sump engine stores its oil in the rear swing arm assembly and the heavy muffler is slung underneath the engine — amidships.

Combined with the steep rake, short wheelbase and extremely rigid frame, it corners absolutely amazingly, wonderfully, brilliantly.

The confidence it instils! 

Buell talks about the ‘bike being part of YOU’ and as hokey as it sounds, the concept really clicked with me as I had the AMPS Demo bike hard-out on my favourite twisty stretch from Waihi to Whangamata.

I’ve never been through there quicker or enjoyed it as much ... dare I say, like the bike was part of me.

Thunderstorm torque

Rolls away distance too..

It’s all pushed along by the new Harley-Davidson ‘Thunderstorm’ engine. Strong low-down,  it develops enough ‘grunt’ to more than compensate for being tapped out at 7,000rpm. Its torque is a thing of beauty.

As soon as it hits cruising speed, the shakes that the air/oil/fan cooled, four stroke, 1203cc 45º V-twin produces at idle mostly disappear (never entirely).

It transforms into a sweet sounding, honey of an engine.

It means there’s no need to row it through the gearbox to corner rapidly. The even power spread and linear torque curve mean gear changes are minimal. Plug in 3rd gear and just carve up!

It’s not that changes are a chore — gears engage with a definite, reassuring click, with no signs of a false neutral or that Harley trait of difficulty selecting true neutral when stationary.

City, country or dirt

Twist and stunt.

The belt final drive is well shielded, has virtually no free play and 'requires no adjustment or servicing for the life of the motorcycle' (H–D).

Its smooth and direct and provides great feel and feedback. (Edit - I did break one in the KR driveway some time later.)

It’s really fun to launch from standstill. A bounce and a twist sends the front wheel as easily skyward as does grabbing a handful of the triple piston radial front brake to produce an impressive (for me) stoppie.

In the effort to keep unsprung weight as low as possible, an inverted rotor radial brake set up is used, significantly lighter than a dual disc system but with similar stopping power.

Because the torsional forces are distributed directly to the wheel rim and tyre — rather than transmitted via the hub and spokes — there is less flex under braking and subsequently you can stay on the picks deeper into a corner. It also has better heat dispersal properties.

City, country or dirt — it’s just HUGE fun to ride.

Exploring

The photographer made me do it!

Then we added ‘exploring’ to the mix. That’s been much of the attraction of this ‘all roads’ machine. Pick a road, turn off and not care where the seal section ends.

It’s not what the ride-up-mountainsides-fraternity call a 'proper Adventure bike’, but that’s not what we’re about.

It's 193kgs, has the muffler where a bash plate usually sits, and the large warning panel inside the owner’s manual advises that the machine is ‘FOR PAVED AND NON-PAVED ROADS ONLY’ - means you probably don’t want to hit the southern traverse with it.

But, the fantastic ‘adventures’ we’ve had on the dirt roads around the upper North Island have proved its dirt manners are quite satisfactory.

In its element.

It won’t make the pace with a bunch of dedicated dirt bikes on the gravely bits — but it’s not 'too' far off it - because of how fast it is banging past the apex and on exit. It can get squirrelly in the real loose stuff, but it does OK for having heavily cut road tyres –  and when you get back onto those super sports bike roads that usually occur on either side of the dirt sections ... hmmmmmmm baby!

The dual-purpose Dunlop 616 tyres handle unmade roads and hard packed beach sand well enough, considering how well they performed on the tarmac.
They do wander a bit at freeway speeds. (I'll replace them with some Pirellis shortly.)

A Heart to Heart.

On the weekend.

Did I mention we were having fun? It was time for a serious heart to heart.

"We have GOT to get one of these," the Co-pilot said before we got to the lights at the top of our street, the very first time we rode on AMPS demo unit.

250 metres. The full 'Will Smith'.

‘OK.’ I said.

Heart to heart over. 

I returned the demo and ordered a black one. I picked up our first brand-new motorcycle in quite some time a few weeks later.

‘Big, roomy and comfortable and I love the way it goes — I’m having fun again.’ She said, and rates it the ‘most comfortable bike she’s been on’.

Me, I can’t keep off it.

So look out Ripple Lake, Cape Reinga and the top of the Coromandel — for starters. Here we come.

Recommended retail price is $19,995 plus ORC and there is a range of luggage options available.

It only took one test ride and it was like that old advertising campaign, where old mate Victor liked the razor so much, that he bought the company.

Those ads in the motorcycle-wanted classifieds can stop running.

Position filled.

Co-pilot's choice.

In touring rig

Akk Roads Open.