Safe travels Ulysses.

**UPDATE**
It looks like deal might fall through.  Until I get cash in hand from somebody, I'm still putting my butt on the Buell every morning.
************

Today, with mixed emotion, I sold the Ulysses.  The buyer is a local MSF/ABATE Instructor and buying it for his son.  What a cool Dad!

The funds from the sale will go to finish a major home remodel in preparation for our coming first born!

Once the project is complete, I'll be bike shopping again. After owning something with so much torque and soul, I look at bikes differently now.  I have no desire for a sewing machine bike, I want grunt and character. Looking at something smaller, like a supermoto or small dual sport.  I've even been eyeing BMW airheads, mainly the R65.  I want something like the Uly but smaller and lighter.  I think my demands will be hard to meet.

Any suggestions?

Brake Light Strobe Module: LSC-100A from SuperBrightLEDs.com

The Ulysses has a nice and bright LED tail/brake light.  However, that doesn't seem to stop people from ignoring the blast of red light into their smartphone numbed eyes.  After a recent close call with a lady in a BMW land yacht on my way to work, I decided that I needed to make my brake light more noticeable.

After some quick web browsing, I found a few different solutions ranging in price from $4.95 to $39.99.  Being on the cheap, I mean frugal, I went with the $4.95 option from SuperBrightLEDs.  The LSC-100A flashes 4 times within 0.4 seconds, followed by 4 more flashes within 2.6 seconds followed by constant light until the brake pedal/lever is released.

There are other modules that flash different patterns but this seemed to be best for what I was looking for.  The module itself is small, about the size of 2 x AA batteries.  

Following the factory lighting wiring diagram, I tracked down the R/Y wire (the Orange wire feeds the tail light).  When I split the harness, I found the two R/Y wires (wait two? yes, two), cut them and soldered the module in place.  The red wire on the side with the ground is connected to the power feed, the single red wire goes to the brake light.  I crimped a ring connector to the ground and connected it to the negative battery terminal.  With the R/Y wires soldered together, it was time to test before wrapping it up.  With a successful test, I covered the wires in heat shrink tubing and then wrapped the harness in adhesive free wrap.  

Total installation time, about 20 minutes.  

(Stock pictures of the LSC-100A are property of SuperBrightLEDs.com)

Wolfman Rainier Tankbag Mounts for a Buell Ulysses

With a trip to Cumberland Gap, TN coming up, I needed a tank bag for the Ulysses but since it's a tough "tank" to fit, I borrowed Wheels' Wolfman Rainier to see if I like it.  Since there is no mounting kit for the Ulysses and Wheels had modified his, I had to make my own custom straps.

Using the front air box cover screws as mounting points, I used 1" nylon webbing and large eyelets to make mounting straps.  For the rear, I used the front two fan mounting bolts and ran the webbing under my "heat blanket" as anchors.  The bag seems to be pretty secure and I doubt it's going anywhere but as always, a few test rides are in order.

These straps are open ended so, in the future I can add male buckles to fit the stock Wolfman mounts.  I love the pockets in the Rainier but I'm leaning heavily towards the Large Expedition model.

Coming up after the trip, I'll have a ride report and some gear reviews (featuring SENA SMH5 headsets, my Aerostich AD1 pants, DEI Titanium Header Wrap and a whole kit of women's specific gear from ShrewsieQ).

what's cookin'?

While researching the Ulysses, I heard stories of the seat getting hot and right legs being roasted.  During my test ride, I didn't notice it all.  I was wearing my AGV Telluride pants (McMark and I both have them) with a pair of jeans squeezed under them.  I could have been so distracted by the newness of the experience that the heat didn't register.  Also, I didn't get stuck in any slow speed situations.  However, during my spirited ride in southern Indiana, my arse and surrounding areas got uncomfortably warm, while my right thigh felt like it was up against our woodstove.  Not fun.  So, I started to look into how other Ulysses owners dealt with this issue.

There are few heat solutions out there ranging from the Spec Ops heat blanket, products from DEI and home brew solutions using aluminum tape and some sort of heat barrier.  This project is the later.

Using an old Kevlar vest I had laying around the garage, what doesn't everyone have old body armor in their shop?  I cut out the panels and removed all the stitching so I could use individual layers of kevlar.

Using the weird plastic sheeting that was sandwiched with the Kevlar, I made a very rough template.  I wanted it to cover the gap between the frame, seat and airbox on the right hand side.  This is were a good amount of heat escapes and cooks your thigh.

While I was tinkering with the heat blanket, I also used two layers of Kevlar and some tape to cover the top of the RHS air deflector.  This is rumored to help pull air away from the RHS of the rear cylinder and keep it off your leg.  

Trying to do everything I can to keep my personal areas at a reasonable temperature, I added a few layers of the tape to the bottom of the seat pan. 

Some of the other heat blankets go all the to the back of the underseat area.  I didn't want to cover my ECM, battery and fuse box with the blanket and cook them to a slow death, so I stopped just after the fan shroud.  With my template ready, I drug out the sewing machine and got to work.  Using 4 layers of Kevlar and some Kevlar thread I purchased from Fly Masters, got to work cranking out my homebrew version of a heat blanket.  The sewing machine did well, almost better than it has on other fabrics.

After a quick test fit, I wrapped it in the aluminum tape.  I had planned to only wrap the side facing the engine but I wasn't paying attention and started on the wrong side.  Oops.  

It's not pretty but it was basically free!  Seems to close off all the gaps but I did have to fold the RHS tab that goes down by the rear cylinder.  It was too close and I don't want my heat barrier to turn into a heat sink. 

I'll put some miles on and report back.   Hopefully this will solve my burning issue or else my next project will be liquid cooled pants.  

shudder to stop

Buells with ZTL brakes are notorious for brake pulsing and my bike is not immune.  Most people assume it's a warped rotor, others believe it's pad build up.  Another thought is the flexible mount system on the rotor mounts becomes bound up or off center.  Unlike normal brakes, where the caliper is spring mounted, the ZTL system uses a solid mounted caliper and a spring mounted rotor.

Jacking up the bike to remove the wheel is a bit nerve racking.  The exhaust has two jack points, one front and one rear.  The weight shifts to the opposite wheel and the side stand.

Removing the front wheel, is complicated by the perimeter rotor design.  It's not difficult, it would just be easier with a third arm.  Once the wheel is off, all you need is a T40 socket and you can pull the rotor.  Under the rotor lives the flexible mount system.  I soaked the hardware in good ol' PB Blaster while I prepped the rotor for resurfacing.  

Unfortunately, I didn't take any pics of the sanding process.  I used my el cheapo electric sander and some 200 grit paper.  Using the vice to hold the rotor, a few light passes with the sander then a few by hand and I moved on to rinsing with brake parts cleaner.  

Reassembly was difficult until I realized I was being stupid.  (That tends to happen.)  Once the wheel and rotor were back together, you could definitely see (maybe not from the pics) there was a change in appearance.  

Putting the wheel back, was just like the removal, complicated by the rotor.  After some struggles, I got the wheel back in place.  The axle is a left hand threaded, so be aware!  With the wheel back on, I could feel once spot of drag and I'm curious if it's due to reusing the old hardware.  

Tomorrow, McMark and I will finally get to ride together, even though it's just a short one.  I'll update this post with a report on the brakes.  

**update**

McMark and I did some laid back riding today, focusing on getting experience riding in the rain.  The front brake on the Buell is much better but not perfect.  Time to order the replacement hardware kit.  I don't believe the rotor is warped, it was just build up.

I need to hook the bike up to ECMSpy to see if I'm still getting a trouble code for the active muffler control.  I'm having some low speed popping and stumbles, including one stall.  I need to clean the throttle body and plates, while I'm in there, I might as well clean the IAT and see if it helps.

**update**

one smaller issue down.... one big one to go.

In the process of trying to track down the issue on the Ulysses, I've fixed a few other that popped up. As much as I liked the idea of a throttle lock, it was causing some serious drag on the right hand grip.  That plus some poorly routed cables caused the throttle to not snap back as intended.   That's been taken care of.

While doing TPS resets using ECMSpy and a cable, I noticed the TPS voltage would randomly change, as would the opening percentage.  That can't be good!  At first I thought the sensor might be failing and at 67k miles, not surprising.  Before I threw down the dough to Southside Harley Davidson for a TPS, I decided to be smart and check connections. I have a sneaking suspicion that the TPS sensor probably works better when it doesn't wobble on the throttle body!

The mounting bolts are little.  9/32 of an inch little.  With it being almost 6pm on a Sunday, Wheels and I head towards Lowes in search of some micro wrenches.  Kobalt didn't make any so it was time to race to Sears in hopes of a Craftsman solution.  I found a bag of ignition wrenches that are perfect!  With the TPS tightened, we did another reset and I went out for a test ride.

The idle was smooth and all was well until the bike hit closed loop mode, then it went to hell again.  Tonight, we'll be replacing the oxygen sensor to see if that helps.  If that doesn't work, then I'm going to go ahead and  track down an CPS.

**UPDATE**
The culprit ended up being a failing TPS.

It was replaced with one from AutoZone.  Duralast #TPS213, fits early XB12X only.

taking a few steps back.

Spent part of Thanksgiving night and the first half of Sunday in the garage digging around on the Buell. On Thursday, I swapped in the loaner ECM and reset the TPS, the bike fired up and I took it for a test ride. About 2 miles away from home, the fuel light came on so I decided not to go too far. After exiting the freeway on to surface streets, I thought I felt that same slight surge or hesitation. Almost like some invisible force is pushing back against the bike. Thinking it was all in my head, left over paranoia from the break down, I kept riding and decided to fill up the frame.

With a fresh 3.something gallons of 93 octane sloshing around betwixt my legs, I headed towards home. The slight surge/hesitation/stumble I felt before was back, now growing stronger with every minute that passed. It became an almost "bucking" sensation from the bike that was not reflected in the tach. Like it was missing or not firing on both cylinders. The CEL (check engine light) did not come on, nor did the bike throw a code via ECMSpy. Keep in mind, this is with the loaner ECM. So, now it has acted up with both ECMs after the TPS reset.

After I stumble the bike home(that's another good description of how it feels, a stumble) I decided that I must have done something wrong. So, on Sunday, I set out to reset the TPS and AFV again. It was much warmer and the bike acted up much faster than on Thursday night. Plus, after all the test running, the Uly peed precious high octane gasoline all over the floor. Clogged fuel vent? Could that be it?

Perhaps a more basic issue? A sensor feeding the wrong data back to the ECM? TPS? CPS? PBS, wait, what? What about a fuel issue? Both injectors test fired properly. It seems to act up once it's up to running temp. What about a plug wire?

On lunch today, I'm headed towards South-side Harley Davidson to pick up plug wires. I would rather support American Sport Bike but I want to rule this out now (and not pay for shipping).



Here's a video of the Uly running (poorly):

**UPDATE: The issue was caused by a failing TPS Sensor!**

cleaning up my engine's diet

The breathers on the Thunderstorm engine feed back into the air box. According to Buell experts far and wide, this does not help the low end stumbles the Ulysses suffers from. Another emissions control setup that hampers our fun. Just like the extremely lean mixture on the Yamaha SECA. Well, just like the Yamaha, there is a bypass for this. About $20 in parts, or cheaper if you just let your bike spooge all over the ground. I took a couple of t adapters, an air compressor filter from Harbor Freight and a crankcase breather filter and made this:

This will keep my engine from ingesting all the blow by, water vapor, oil gunk and whatnot that was feeding back into my air box will now get trapped in the little plastic bowl.

It's not the prettiest set up but it should work fine. I can either unscrew the bowl or press the bleeder on the bottom. I cut some rubber sheeting and wrapped it around the frame bar to keep the filters from scratching it up. I need to find a new filter, the chrome is only temporary. Just because it has a Harley Davidson (*spit*) based engine, doesn't mean it has to suffer from chrome accessories.

Tonight, we'll be fixing my mess with the air box screw. Once that is done, I can get that cleaned up and reassembled. My ECM/TPS diagnostic cable should be here today and the loaner ECM arrived on Saturday. Hopefully, I will get an answer as to what in the hell is going on.

Still plenty of good riding days left and I'd like to be out there enjoying them.

magic boxes and the kindness of strangers

I finally got the torx bolt out. It didn't turn out like I wanted but it was what I expected.

The heat and chisel method didn't work. It finally came down to drilling it out, which of course, I got off center and buggered up the threads. This tends to happen when you leave a moron alone in the garage with power tools and an expensive motorcycle. (Yes, that moron is me.) So now, I have to either tap it for a larger bolt or use a bolt/nut combo. Not sure which way to go.

Since I have the air box off, might as well do the breather re-route and keep my engine from ingesting all that gunk. To catch-can or not to catch-can, that is the question.

I'll post some pics of the progress, once I make some. My loaner ECM is on it's way from the BadWeb member. Need to get the bike together and ready to test, I don't want to keep his ECM longer than I have to. Plus, I have an ECM/Diagnostic cable on it's way. I'd love to get the Bluetooth model but it's for Android only and I know if I drop $90 on it, my work will switch us to Apple phones.

So the plan of attack is get the air box back on, reset the TPS and AFV. If that doesn't help, time to swap ECMs. Also, while I have the chin fairing off, time to clean up and check all the connections that the guys in East Troy shoe-horned in there.

I was not the right tool for the job.

The Buell is my first serious encounter with Torx bits, the allen wrench's pointy cousin. I had some minor run ins back in my Jeep days but nothing this intense. So, after I brought the Uly home, I bought what I thought was a complete set of Torx head sockets.

Turns out, I was very wrong. A T25 is not a T27, which is rarely included in Torx sets because someone has a very sick sense of humor. So, during all this tear down to find the cause of the poor idle and stalling, I decided to check the intake seals. To do this, I need to pull the bottom air box plate, which is held on by... you guessed it, T27 bolts. Well, that T25 sure is close and if you didn't know any better (or in my case, were just being a moron), you'd think it was right.

It's not.

It only took a few slips to round out that torx hole. To add insult to injury Buell uses a thread locker that was meant for those giant rock quarry trucks, not 1/4 diameter bolts. I'm not the first Buell owner to suffer this fate and I doubt I'll be the last. So, there's no room for a Dremel to slot the bolt head. I can't hit it with the torch because it's a plastic plate and the frame is kinda full of 93 octane gas. I tried heating up a T27 with the torch and using it heat the bolt, no luck. I tried using a soldering iron to heat up the bolt, no luck. I tried pounding a T30 then an allen head sockt in there, no luck. I almost made a blood oath to murder the man who decided to leave out the T27 bit. But, that little amount of wiggle on the T25 should have told me that wasn't the right fit.

Now, I'm using my lunch break to buy a cold chisel, a reverse drill bit (just in case) and a sacrificial T27 bit for round 3 tonight. I'd love to just weld a nut on there but something about welding on top of 4 gallons of gas doesn't sit well with me.

At least a quirky motorcycle gives me something to write about!

living with a crazy and fun but high maintenance motorbike

I went out for a ride down into the curvy section of Indiana last Saturday with Funky and Wheels. The Buell ran great, my confidence and skills need to grow to match it. I think a track day would do me well. So, the Buell eats up the curves like mad, it almost glides from turn to turn (as long as I do my part and stay smooth). I'm fairly sure there are either suction cups or magnets in the wheels, that's how well it stays planted. I did have to tinker with the front fork to cut out some fork dive. Currently, it's set for a guy about 50lbs heavier than myself according to what the book says, so it's probably time to change the fork oil.

After some spirited riding, we stopped at Rino's place to admire his renovated garage. Once we were rested and hydrated, it was time to follow Rino the Rocket through the twisty roads of southern Indiana. Admittedly, I wasn't "riding my own ride" on Saturday and found myself being a bit liberal with the throttle at times. This caused a close call on my part. Wheels, almost got a Ulysses enema due to a very sudden right hand turn onto a side street by Rino. Oops. Everyone stayed on two wheels and there was no contact, so it's a learning opportunity.

Wheels and I split off from Rino and Funky, hopped onto 46 and rocketed towards I65. After a pit stop at Scrubway to fill our bellies with crap food, we headed north towards home. The sun was setting and I would finally get a real chance to see how the Ulysses headlight works. Turns out, it's pretty damn good. We burned dinos all the way into downtown Indy and battled much traffic. Occasionally, I felt a stumble or hesitation, perhaps a surge from the 1203 Thunderstorm. "Eh, it's just your brain playing tricks, or maybe time to do the TPS reset.", I thought and carried on avoiding texters, pot-holes and street zombies.

Then, it happened, another stumble. There it is again. The idle drops below 1k and climbs back up to normal. At the next stop light, it gets worse. Now, I have to tickle the throttle to keep it from stalling. Oh shit, here comes the price for our day of fun. We hope on to Fall Creek, and now, I'm keeping the pig alive, just barely.

I turn into my 'hood and BAM, she dies. I thumb the starter and she howls back to life and runs all the way to my garage and stays alive long enough to pull inside, then kaput. After a few days rest and much Googling, I swap the plugs out and fire her up. She awakens with a throaty roar, like a motorcycle version of Tom Waits. I don't bother w/the airbox cover but I gear up and take off. She's running a bit rough but I think it's just from all the air dumping in. Then, it happens again. The stumble, then the idle craps out...time to turn back. I don't want to push the beast home.

So now she waits until I can do the TPS/AFV reset but the consensus on BadWeb is that my ECM has gone t*ts up. Thankfully, a BW member is going to ship me his to try out. Now that's freaking awesome. That way, I don't have to drop $300 on an EBR model and learn it's something else.

You'd think I'd be full of violence and murder since my new bike is in the garage all torn apart but I'm not. She's so damn fun to ride it is worth the wrenching and I knew Buell's are finicky when I bought it.

**Update:  The issued turned out to be a failing TPS Sensor!**

altitude adjustment

Took the Ulysses out to meet some of the TA Moto guys for breakfast at the Historic Steer In Diner on Saturday. The ride was chilly but the heated grips did well on low along with the hand guards.

The seat height on the Buell has me on the balls of my feet while standing vs the SECA which I could flat foot while sitting. So, it's taking some getting used to. Admittedly, I had two close calls where I almost dropped the Uly. One during a slow speed u-turn and the other in stopped traffic because I stalled the bike. Ugh. At least I saved it both times. Time to break myself of the two-foot down habit.

I mentioned a few posts ago, that the dealership filled my bike with 87 octane before I took it home. The manual calls for 91. So, on my ride home the bike didn't run as well. However, I added 2oz of octane booster and then filled up the tank with 93 octane. This helped the low speed stumble. I still plan on doing a TPS reset just to be safe.

The Ulysses, well most of the XB bikes are prone to pulsing front brakes. Some are warped rotors, some are deposits from the brake pads and others are from the mounting hardware getting bound up. The perimeter rotors are kind of spring loaded, so they move instead of the caliper. My bike has a some pulsing and it's tough to tell the cause. I'll take some 220 grit paper to the rotor first, test ride, then check the rest if needed.

Did I mention my bike has built in butt and leg warmers? I bet your's doesn't. Turns out, a big 1203cc air-cooled V-Twin will keep your legs pretty toasty. The previous owner added the comfort kit, which funnels air to the back cylinder and directs heat way from your legs. There is also a heat blanket that goes under the seat to help in the warmer months but my bike doesn't have that.

Before the big snow gets here, I need to do a fluid change and valve job, oh wait, no need, they're hydraulic. =]

Sorry for the lack of pictures. I'll get some up soon.

shakin' things up!

It's the weirdest thing.


This was in my garage when I woke up this morning.

Sometimes you're set on one path and life steers you towards another.

I was set on a KLR when my riding buddy Rino sent me a craigslist ad for the Uly. For $3k w/full hardbags and the comfort kit, I couldn't pass it up, even if it has 67k miles.
Runs great, rides smooth, shakes like mad at idle and has ridiculous amounts of torque. It will run better after an oil change and I flush out the shitty 87 octane the dealership filled it with before I left.

What's weird is 1 year, 4 months and 10 days ago, I made this post: http://7plus8.blogspot.com/2011/06/dreaming-of-future.html