Big Buell signals new directions

If you want to be head and shoulders above your mates, then one way is to ride a Buell Ulysses.

The futuristic-looking enduro machine - mechanically based on the 1200cc Lightning sportsbike - is among the few two-wheelers which will put you at eye-level with Range Rover drivers.

This tall XB12X Ulysses is perhaps best described as a cross-over bike. There are elements of sports bike, big trailee and a two-up tourer, as if designer Erik Buell had decided to turn his innovative Lightning design into a bike for all reasons.

It's powered by a 1,203cc version of parent company Harley Davidson's familiar air-cooled V-twin, pumping out 100bhp and 110Nm of torque, all achievable of low revs (it hits the limiter at just over 6,000rpm).

That makes it very tractable for off-road forays, for which it has impressive ground clearance and fully adjustable front and rear suspension.

It also allows the Ulysses to cruise easily at motorway speeds, with little strain on the engine or rider who only really needs to change gear to tackle around town traffic.

While it can't match the rocketship acceleration of the modern 1,000cc superbike, it does have a useful turn of speed, overtaking quickly and easily in almost any gear - its estimated 0 to 60mph time of around 3.5 seconds will make Ferrari owners green with envy.

The Ulysses is, by any standards, a tall bike: right on the upper limit for my 5ft 10ins, particularly when it comes to walking the bike back out of parking spaces, even though it's not a particularly heavy bike.

Once on the move, though, the Ulysses is transformed.

I was surprised that my weight appeared to compress the suspension only a fraction and feared the bike would be rock hard like the BMW Boxer Cup replica I rode a couple of years ago, with its track settings.

But no: the Buell amazed me with its comfortable, tourer-like ride which soaked up the bumps, combined with an ability to take corners almost as well as its redoubtable cousin, the Lightning.

It is, indeed, a very stable machine in spite of its height, whether you're creeping along in traffic or cranking it over at some pretty extreme angles through a fast, sweeping bend. So sorry, Buell, for doubting your suspension settings and thanks for the revolutionary design which has such an impact on the centre of gravity.

There's no conventional fuel tank on this machine, you see. Like the Lightning, the fuel is stored in the aluminium frame and the oil reservoir is inside the swing arm. It helps to make the Ulysses a perfectly balanced machine, which rapidly inspires confidence.

The bike's poise, together with the upright riding position, straight handlebars and the big, well-shaped - sumptuous, even - seat make the Ulysses a comfortable and relaxing proposition for long runs.

Pillion passengers are well-catered for too. There's even a trick luggage rack, which flips up and locks into place as a back restraint for extra security for your passenger.

That said, though, I would need something from the accessory shelf to replace the small standard screen which does little to lessen the wind pressure or head buffeting, putting a strain on the neck muscles, if I was contemplating a longish trip at motorway speeds.

The Buell's kevlar toothed belt final drive is designed to be low maintenance: it's also remarkably smooth considering all the power and torque it's handling, with no tendency to either slip or snatch.

The engine, though, is typically V-twin. Sitting at a junction with the bike ticking over, it seems that you can feel every stroke of the two big pistons, and the vibration only really smoothes itself out as you get towards the higher end of the rev range.

It sounds nice, though, with a deep, slow 'blatt blatt' from the exhaust which induced a wave of nostalgia for times gone by, before the scream of high revving, high performance Japanese machines.

While it is too big for motocross, the Ulysses does seem to be a natural (but considerably cheaper) competitor for the likes of the hugely popular BMW 1200 GS, the machine chosen by Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman for their round the world trip.

It's a quick A to B machine on any road, yet unlike low-slung, plastic-clad sportsbikes it can (with some quick suspension adjustments) be just at home on unsurfaced roads and tracks.

This is something of a new direction for the American motorcycle maker, and it will be interesting to see how it fares here against some of the established European and Far Eastern competition.

By John Madeley