A steep fork angle and short wheelbase give the XB12XT quick steering and make it exciting to throw around on a mountain road when riding solo. A commitment by Buell to keep the center-of-gravity low and unsprung weight to a minimum affords the aggressive rider an effective platform for quick direction changes.

When riding two-up though, slower speeds must be maintained to preserve a feeling of control in tight corners. The added weight of a passenger makes the front end feel especially light. The progressive application of low-end torque from the Thunderstorm engine is helpful in this circumstance because it eliminates the need for constant gear changes and gives the passenger a smooth ride. The V-twin cruiser heritage of the engine surfaces to the benefit of the rider and passenger. (Click image to enlarge)

At low speed, as when approaching a stoplight, with a passenger the bike wants to wander and requires a great deal of input through the handlebars to control it. Certainly some of this can be removed by tuning the fully adjustable Showa suspension, but the two-up capability of the XB12XT is better demonstrated on the highway or at speed on long sweeping turns.

On the highway, the XB12XT is comfortable and powerful enough to haul two people with luggage at a high cruising speed. The pillion is comfortable and high enough to afford the passenger a good view forward. Passenger pegs are intelligently placed at the bottom end of the perimeter frame to give ample leverage for the passenger to remain in place when stopping. Passenger handholds are provided in the form of bars that wrap around the sides of the pillion back to the Triple Tail. At speed, the handholds work well, but the low-speed characteristics of the bike make it advisable to hold on to the driver to reduce wobble.

The Buell Ulysses XB12XT is engineered to blend the disparate characteristics of touring and sport and does so to the advantage of the solo rider. It doesn’t work quite as well for two-up riding, but the bike provides enough amenities to make pair riding for the right couple desirable. Through the application of a few intelligent changes from the original Ulysses, Buell has produced a bike that will suit a rider who tends toward the more adventurous side of sport touring.

www.buell.com

Riding Style – Him:
Helmet – Dainese Airstream Course
Jacket – Dainese Superfly
Gloves – Ducati Runner
Pants – Dainese Mekong
Boots – Sidi On-Road Gore-Tex

Riding Style – Her:
Helmet – Scorpion EXO-1000
Jacket – Firstgear Karma
Gloves – Firstgear Mojave 2.0
Pants – Firstgear Kwik-Dry Sport Tour Overpants
Boots – Red Wing 1671 Womens 5-inch