Monstrously Fat Front Tire Drives Sport Bike's Design

There's a reason (perhaps many?) it's never been done before.

Buell has used the frame rails for a gas tank for years. My Ulysses works very nicely with its weight centralization. It's a shame H-D foolishly killed the line. Nothing else in a Harley dealership for me to buy anymore. I was thinking of an 1125 but never mind. I'll go buy a Duck.

Buy a Duck and let it sound like a wrench is loose in the engine every time you sit at idle?

Buy a CBR, no noisy dry clutch plates banging around smooth all round riding machine, alot like your Buel. If you go for a 2000 or so model, you can get a sport/touring model (FX/FY in England). It has a one piece seat and handle bars a bit higher for comfort on long rides.

I do think I would ride this wild looking machine, not as my first bike though. If the tires had a bit more curve in the profile you could get more lean out of them, I still think it would turn in way too slow to be any real fun in the curves.

Drew

CBR's are nice but I gave up in-line fours back in 1983 when I bought an Interceptor to replace my heavily leaned-upon 1970 CB750. The dry clutch noise wouldn't bother me because I wear ear plugs when I ride anyways to keep the wind noise in check. The Buell sounds like there are few wrenches banging around in the crankcase too.

I'm a fan of 90 degree V engines because the perfect primary balance and the V-twins help keep the bike narrow. The Buell with its H-D based engine shakes like crazy at idle but Buell designed a nice system that smooths that out very nicely once you get the engine revs up a bit ( >2000 RPM). As I have aged, I also have been drawn to the exhaust note of the big twins versus the shrill noise that in-line fours tend to make.

I do like the tone of a v twin, I did enjoy a ride to the BMF Tail Ender on a '05 VFR 800 (first year of v-tech) that was quick and fun, but a bit tall and wouldn't turn in as smooth and nice as my CBR 600.

When I get more money than sense I will pick up a used Buel, will have to test ride a few to find the one I like best.

It isn't the loudness of the Ducati that bothers me it is that rattle at idle, sounds like something is wrong and I just want to shut it off. I think in 07 or 08 they did some major changes that improved living with a Duck, but can't remember if they swapped for a wet clutch.

Drew

Yeah, the Buells are (were) expensive but what I realized later on is that Erik outfitted the bikes with top shelf components so there is no need to go running out and upgrade the legs on these bikes. They already come with all the hop-up parts I used to change out on bikes (fully adjustable rear shock, fork upgrades, stainless steel brake lines, tires, wheels, seat etc.) And he put some nice scoot into that Harley engine. This is one Harley engine that does NOT like to be lugged around. It begs to be revved (but you have to get used to seeing the tach at about half the RPM of a typical Japanese bike a bit of culture shock for me) The dry-sump reservoir in the swing arm is pretty trick as well as the gas in the frame rails.

It's not a super light bike but the handling is awesome. I love the way it corners. I still haven't dragged a footpeg yet but I've scrubbed the tires all the way out to the edges. The '06 Ulysses stands pretty tall so if you are sub-six, forget the Ulysses. I understand later Ulysses were lowered a bit to make them friendlier to those short of inseam. With the trunk and saddlebags the Ulysses is a great sport tourer.

I hope Buell brings his bikes back into the market somehow.

it has been done.. maybe not in a street bike. but...

Do you know how the 2WD works?

I saw the same bike on Pawn Stars on the History Channel. The original tires had hollow rims that you could put fuel into so you could go farther. With them full of fuel or air, you could walk across small streams carrying it floating beside you.

Can't remember how the front drive works. They fixed the one on the show and rode it away in the end.

Drew

I believe power was transmitted to the front through a flexible shaft.

Thanks

looks like a chain drive too.

Yea, that's the one. If you look at the other side of the rims, you will see the cap where the wheels can be filled with fuel. No worry about sloshing causing off balance, it doesn't go fast enough to matter!

Drew

Chris/Drew; I noticed the sprocket on the other one, so was wondering if that a hydraulic or electric 'helper' motor? or some kind of gearbox to get power around the yoke?

Don't think I'd like fuel in the hubs - water maybe of more practical advantage in 'exploring' mode.

I like the discs better than spokes for bush stuff. I've thought about putting discs 'mid spokes' on the Ag bikes. Usually more-so after one or other brake has been applied "stick-thu-spokes-o-maticly' at some particularly inconvenient moment. The back is not so bad, but the front locking up, going down hill in a forest, made for a longish dose of that helpless feeling.

agree on both counts.

I also like those airless type of wheels even better. a great application is off-road vehicles, as they typically don't see the rpm's that road vehicles do.

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Chris

Ummmm - might get the Ben Hur effect for free

Produced in New Hampshire if I remember correctly. Originally produced back in the 70's when I was a wee lad. They may still be around.

Great! Wynona Judd likes to ride motorcycles.

_{/ Does this front tire make me look fat?}

_{// Ummm, it's not the tire...}

I had an old panhead FLH with the same size tire on both ends. While I would not attempt to drag the pegs, I did find I was able to change lanes with a 3" difference between the new pavement on one side and the old pavement on the other, without a problem. I suspect the gyroscopic effect might have had something to do with it. One thing I did notice was the unsprung weight factor.