BIKETEST - BUELL XB 12XT ULYSSES 1-3:Erik Buell really got it right with his latest Ulysses, discovers Tom Robert.
THERE'S AN old Japanese proverb that says the nail that sticks up, gets knocked down first - in which case, Erik Buell must have a heck of a headache.
The maverick racer and engineer has made a career out of weird and wonderful innovations, the weirdest of which was probably powering his eccentric sports bikes with Harley V-twin engines designed around the time that dinosaurs ruled the earth.
Based on a holy techno-trinity of centralised mass, a rigid chassis and low unsprung weight, Erik's revoutionary ideas included fuel in the frame and oil in the swing arm, both of which have since been copied by other manufacturers.
Some of it worked, with Firebolt XB9R picking up a Best of What's New gong from Popular Science in 2002 and Bike magazine voting the Firebolt XB12R the best cornering bike of all time in 2005. The trouble was that a lot didn't work, and most of the time when you rode Buells, you found that they vibrated too much, were too snatchy at low speed, were too small or, in the case of the previous incarnation of the Ulysses, so tall that there was only one person in the world it could have been designed for: me - and I'm 6ft 7ins.
As for my fellow road tester, Colin O'Carroll, at 5ft 9ins, he gave up on the Ulysses when he put his feet down at traffic lights, found no road beneath them, and simply fell over.
Now, Buell might have got away with all this when their machines were good value for money, but then they hiked the prices up and found themselves fighting for bikers' wallets with much more established marques. And losing.
Still, all bad things come to an end and earlier this year Erik finally got it right with the 1125R, a snorty, snarly, noisy beast of a sports bike for real men who shave with cold water and a Bowie knife every morning.
And now he's done it again, with the revamped Ulysses, a touring machine that sounds like a monster, but has a heart of gold.
If it was a person (or creature), it would be a Wookie.
Even sitting still, this is a bike that looks just right, especially in the touring XT version that I tested, with the curvy chunkiness of the bike complemented perfectly by a package of spacious but tidy luggage, taller screen, heated grips and adjustable suspension.
Climb aboard, and it gets even better, with the wide rider's seat tilting your spine forward into a position that was still comfortable after hours in the saddle.
It's the same story for the pillion, with a wide and comfy platform and a great backrest which, if you're riding solo, you can fold forward to act as a luggage rack close to the bike's centre of gravity.
Very clever indeed, especially as a bag strapped to it will act as a backrest for the rider, adding even more to the comfort factor.
Flick down the kill switch, which as on all Buells looks like a Monopoly hotel - why, Erik, oh why? - and this is where the fun begins, as the big V-twin barks into life like a pride of rudely-awakened lions.
Hours later, I would find myself seeking out the long way home, just for the sheer joy of that sound, either snoring down the motorway, growling along A-roads, roaring away from the lights or popping and coughing on the approach into roundabouts.
There's enough torque in the engine to provide low-down traction, although like any Buell I've ridden, the power delivery can be uneven at low revs, making smooth cornering in the lower gears something that needs a bit of practice, especially since the slightly softer touring suspension makes braking and cornering feel a little vague and remote at first.
But then, if you want something undemanding from the word go, you'll ride a Honda, and as Erik Buell himself said: "If you want to ride what everyone else rides . . . fine."
Buells have always been ridden by bikers who wanted to be different.
Now, with the 1125R and the Ulysses, they're going to be sought out by riders who want a real bike for their money, and don't have to sacrifice comfort and performance to stand out from the crowd.
Factfile Buell XB 12XT Ulysses 1-3
Engine:1203cc, four-stroke, 45 degree V-Twin putting out 100bhp@ 6,600rpm and 81 lb/ft @ 6,000rpm
Fuel:50mpg urban riding, 65mpg motorway
0-60mph:3.5 seconds (estimated)
Top speed:approx 135mph
Colours:barricade orange or midnight black
Price:€14,960. (£8,195 in Northern Ireland)
Test bike supplied by Provincewide Harley-Davidson, Antrim. See www.provincewide.com
Dublin dealers are Harley-Davidson, Red Cow Retail Centre, Ballymount. See: www.dublinharley-davidson.com