At first glance, the Ulysses appears to be built on the existing XB12 platform, and it is--to a point. The engine is the same air-cooled, fuel-injected, 1203cc pushrod V-twin, pumping out an identical 103 horsepower and 84 pound-feet of torque. But while the chassis looks the same, it's not.  the frame grew a bit longer and wider, and lost the hole through which the engine's air intake used to pass. As a result, fuel capacity is up from 3.8 to 4.4 gallons, and air now enters the airbox via a screened passageway surrounding the fuel filler cap.

To increase stability, rake was relaxed from 21 to 22 degrees, trail from 3.3 to 4.8 inches, and the swingarm was lengthened a tad, increasing wheelbase by 2 inches to 54; longer, yes, but still short by any standard. To cope with rough roads (paved or otherwise), suspension travel was increased to 6.51 inches up front and 6.38 in rear, and the heavier-duty cast wheels were shod with purpose-built Dunlop D616 tires featuring a supermotard tread pattern. Topping it all off, and reinforcing the bike's adventure-touring pretensions, is new plastic bodywork with an enduro-style headlight/numberplate, a long, flat seat and a motocross-style crossbraced handlebar.
While the 425-pound machine is obviously no motocrosser, it works surprisingly well on  graded dirt roads. 
Overall, though, Buell has done an amazing job of transforming a sportbike into an adventure-tourer  and one that shows no sign of being anything less than stone-ax reliable.