Buell XB12X Ulysses |
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File under Buell New Products
Author: Mike Werner
Location: Normandy, France
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Time to start pouring through the press packs received at the Paris Motorcycle Show, the Mondial du Deux Roues.
I'll start with the last motorcycle I saw {link}, the Buell XB12X Ulysses.
Normally I avoid doing anything serious on Harley-Davidson or Buell, since many other sites already cover these American made motorcycles and there are some many motorcycles out there, and so little time, but when I passed the Harley/Buell stand, the XB12X caught my eye.
Being an avid and passionate dual-purpose motorcycle rider, this Buell motorcycle looked a bit like a BMW GS, but a closer look showed that it's way different.
The Buell XB12X Ulysses is billed as an Adventure Sportsbike, and it looks "the look".
Fitted with Dunlop D616 17" tires, the motorcycle looks like it can easily ride on and off-road.
Engine
The engine is the Buell Thunderstorm 1203 cc V-twin, producing 100 hp for its dry weight of 193 kg. The torque generated is 81 ft. lbs./110 Nm.
The fuel tank holds 16.7 liters, not enough to carry you around the world, but enough to get you to the next petrol station.
The XB12X has a 1370 mm wheelbase (50 mm more than the standard XB models, but smaller than the BMW R1200GS's 1520 mm), meant to provide more control and comfort. When comparing the Buell to a BMW 1200GS, the Buell is 1 mm higher than the BMW with it's 840 mm. So height-challenged people can abstain...
The Buell is further equipped with two 12-Volt accessory power outlets (one on the dash, another under the seat), so you can plug in your GPS, radios and whatever else you have running on electricity.
The Buell catalog also offers an optional GPS.
One of the things I found most interesting and well designed, is the cargo platform that sits behind the rider. You can store all sorts of luggage on it, but when you have a passenger, you unfold the platform to the rear, and the platform becomes a backrest for the pillion.
This is a contraption that I find well designed and very useful. In most cases when you go on an adventure ride you have a lot of stuff to carry (tents, fuel, tools, etc). Loading them in a topcase can be dangerous if the weight goes up. It's always better to move weight to the center.
With this platform, you can load heavy stuff right behind you. If on the other hand you have a passenger, you can easily provide the passenger very quickly with a backrest.
Very nifty !!
The Buell XB12X Ulysses will be sold in France for € 12,295 (compared to € 12,720 for the BMW R1200GS).
NOTE: If you want to know more about the Buell XB12X from an owners point of view, check out this link (Advrider.com - a thread from signing the dotted line to riding the motorcycle... everything you always wanted to know).
I think time permitting, I'm going to give this motorcycle a try. Just need to find one somewhere, and a dealer crazy enough to lend me one....
Click here to access the Buell website.
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