Returning rider seeks advice!

[roosed]

HOWDY!

I’m your typical mid 40s, married w/ children, guy who’s been away from riding 18-19 years. Last summer a friend bought a new ’05 Lightning XB12 and absolutely loved it!!!

I’ve been looking at lots of bikes to return on and just moved to the Memphis area this spring where the riding season is much longer than my old Midwestern home. There is a local dealer with both a new ’06 and a new ’07 Uly and I like’m both a lot! Being 6’1” with a 30” inseam the ’07 sets a little better stopped but the ’06 sets okay for me and gives a little more leg room perched. Obviously the ’06 $ is better and I don’t believe there were any huge upgrades between ’06 & ’07 other than the seating position, were there?

I had thought about getting back into riding a season or so on an XB9 then moving my wife onto that for herself and graduating up unto the Uly but the CityX seemed too scrunched in the knees for me.

My previous years riding ended on a late 80s V-Twin cruiser but the Buell really seems to fit the bill as I desire a weekend tourer that I can battle Memphis morning traffic on daily. My only real concern about the Buell is range. I’ve heard everywhere from high 20s to high 40s for mileage. I realize throttle control, terrain, and rider build / weight all play into the overall average but 100% variation seems ridiculous. My pal never rode more than a couple hours at a time on his Lightning so he couldn’t really guesstimate touring mileage and the Lightning might be quite different that the Uly for range.

If y’all could give me a little feedback it’d be greatly appreciated.

THANKS!
[smirk]

[LeFox]

hey roosed...

between the '06 & '07, there's no that much of a difference.
if you chose the '06, make sure they change the windshield fastening system, cause that was the 'big' problem. on the '06, it went flying...

in any case, you'll have lots of fun on the bike!

milage, with the oem setup should be around 124 miles before hitting reserve, which should get you about 18 miles further. although i would not stretch it that far.
(see the light, go to the nearest station.)

[His_and_Her_Buells]

Welcome roosed.

I couldn't imagine getting less than 40mpg in normal road going excursions, even with very spirited riding. I consistantly get 48-50 with very aggressive riding. However I have a Lightning Long not a Uly.

[LeFox]

I consistantly get 48-50 with very aggressive riding
and what kinda measurements are you using???

i can't keep track anymore [smirk]

[midlifecrisis]

I'm getting 48-55 MPG on my Firebolt 12R. The high represents traveling on back roads @ 60MPH while the low represents raisin' hell and highway blasts. I simply divide the odo with the fill up and my Firebolt has a smaller tank than the Uly, so I can't understand the low numbers I see. maybe raisin hell at 40 yrs old is different than at 20 yrs old. I'll try going through intersections on one wheel and doing smokie burnouts, maybe that'll get my mileage down lol :D

[His_and_Her_Buells]

and what kinda measurements are you using???

i can't keep track anymore

I reset on of my trip odos every time I fill up.
Just and FYI the farthest I've gone with the Fuel light on was 28 miles, but I think the Ss has a slightly larger reserve.

[LeFox]

yea, but why are my mile conversions incorrect?
with my setup i get about 180 highway km's. the conversions say that's 124miles and you guys are talking 48, 50 & 55 [confused]

[His_and_Her_Buells]

yea, but why are my mile conversions incorrect?
with my setup i get about 180 highway km's. the conversions say that's 124miles and you guys are talking 48, 50 & 55

That would be 48-55 Miles per gallon of gas, so in may case I usually get 150 mile on a tank when the fuel light comes on.

[LeFox]

oh...even further then my estimate :p

damn my buell is thirsty compared to you guys [smirk]

[His_and_Her_Buells]

damn my buell is thirsty compared to you guys

Probably that XB9 primary gearing.

[LeFox]

amongst other things :p

[roosed]

You guys are talking 40ish MPG...given the 5ish gallon tank why aren't anybody's distances anywhere near 200???

I'm soooooo confused!!!
:(

[His_and_Her_Buells]

I did hit 200 miles once, but I sweatin' it 'til I got to a gas station.

[LeFox]

You guys are talking 40ish MPG...given the 5ish gallon tank why aren't anybody's distances anywhere near 200???

I'm soooooo confused!!!
it is a 1200cc sporty bike...if you look around, others don't that much better [smirk]

[2Evil4U]

My Uly gets 48+ no matter how I ride it. (That's with an open airbox, Race ECM, Micron serpent and a heavy hand.) I've squeezed 55 out of it on a long highway trip a few times as well. With the 4.4 gallon Uly tank, the idiot light comes on within a few miles of 174 per tank.

[mrdozer2you]

I have a long and usually fill up around 120 miles, stopped once at exactly 100 miles before and put exactly 2.45 gallons in = 40.81 mpg. Am I missing something? I'm getting no where near 48-55mpg. Then again im only 27 and still have my balls [cool]

[LeFox]

I have a long and usually fill up around 120 miles, stopped once at exactly 100 miles before and put exactly 2.45 gallons in = 40.81 mpg. Am I missing something? I'm getting no where near 48-55mpg. Then again im only 27 and still have my balls
for me it's even less...i get 124 (tops) pure/steady highway miles.
other roads, i'm lucky if i get to 105 miles :p

but i'm willing to pay that price for the fun i get along the way :D

[Skidley]

I added a K&N Filter which may have a minor improvement impact but typically get 260-300 km (160-185 miles) per tank (around a 3.5 to 4 gallon fill-up), riding a a fair pace through twisty highways. About 45 to 50 mpg. The ratings of 51 mpg city and 64 highway might be acheivable if you are pretty easy on the throttle or crusing along at 55-60 mph.
;)

[2Evil4U]

Snicker...

Balls-wise, the last time I actually checked the mileage, I got 48.6 after a full tank of chasing the group of sport bikers I ride with down here. I don't think the revs ever got under 4k unless we were at an intersection.

[echo15]

My low fuel warning ALWAYS comes on at 178 miles...with .83 reserve 200 miles should not be an issue for me, though I've never had the nerve to go for it.
There really seems to be a huge difference in mileage; more than just riding styles could account for. Set-up? ECM? lunar cycles?

[echo15]

As for the seat difference between the '06 and '07...with the money you save on the '06, buy an '07 seat for 175.00. Worked for me.

[ironhead1977]

06 SS, got 54.6 mpg last fill up at 5163 miles on odometer

[midlifecrisis]

My bikes been down waiting for fork sliders for 5 weeks, so I can't wait to get her back and try to get the mileage down. Gotta find find my balls again I guess. Hope I keep my license :D

[mrdozer2you]

They're there, dig deep.....if all else fails look in your wife's purse :D Thats where mine usually are [up]

[His_and_Her_Buells]

My wife only takes mine when I goin' out with the guys:p. She realizes I need most of the time.