It was with great anticipation that I awaited my Buell Ulysses test-bike to be fuelled and handed over for me to put it through its paces.  I wanted to see why people would by a bike like this in a market dominated by KTM and BMW.

The Ulysses is an "adventure sportsbike" which to me, sounds like fancy-talk for a tourer.  This is further emphasized by the fact that you get panniers and topbox as standard items unlike some other manufacturers that sell them separately to make an extra buck. The seat space is really huge.  Even with a topbox at the back you have space for almost three people on the bike, which means ample room for a pillion rider on long trips.  Heated grips ensure your hands keep warm on those cold winter mornings, whilst a decent sized screen keeps the bugs out of your face.  Your dashboard has a built-in 12v socket, which could be used for powering your GPS or charging your phone in an emergency.  Instrumentation consists of an analogue revounter and speedometer, digital odometer and a range of warning lights.  

Once you start her up, you’ll notice a slight vibration when idling in a stationary position.  This goes away the moment you pull away and the revs starts climbing.  At the heart of the Ulysses is a 1203cc air/oil/fan-cooled, four-stroke, 45 degree V-twin, which delivers 74.6kW at 6600rpm and 110Nm at 6000rpm.  I cannot fault the engine at all.  It does what you expect it to do.  More than enough power at low revs and more than enough torque for long uphills.  The clutch operation is nice and smooth, which is what you would want on a touring bike.  The gear selector is stiff, but this is a good thing.  It makes for very precise gear changes, no accidental changes when your foot slips riding off-road or for some other reason.  

The bike handles well for a motorcycle of its size.  The steering isn’t too heavy and thanks to the wide handlebars, the bike is easily manoeuvred.  My test bike had the standard issue Pirelli Diablo Strada road tyres which gripped the tarmac very well.  The brakes aren’t too bad, they just lack a bit of feel.  This could be easily remedied by a decent set of breakpads.  Seat height can be adjusted by a height-adjustable rear shock.

Although this isn’t a thoroughbred off-road machine, with the right set of tyres I believe the Ulysses would be unstoppable and would negotiate any gravel road with ease.  My only concern is the 16.7 litre fuel capacity.  It would be nice if the bike could carry some more fuel for those long trips.  In my opinion this is a decent touring machine capable of taking you wherever you want to go.  The reason why someone would purchase a motorcycle like the Ulysses is because they want a machine that makes them feel like an individual.  They want a bike that is sturdy, reliable, fun to ride and capable of doing the job it was built for, and that is to take you places you haven’t been before.  If you’re feeling adventurous, look no further than the Buell Ulysses XB12XT.