The smell of wood smoke in the crisp, clean air was the perfect fragrance to compliment the azure blue canopy above. Interrupted only by the snow sprinkled mountains in the distance, and the occasional wispy, white cloud, vibrant green pine trees framed the peaceful scene appearing as if they were radiating the suns warmth and color. On the sides of the road, the snow piled up was the stuff you want to see in post cards, not shovel off your driveway. And, strolling in the idyllic mountain town of Idyllwild, in the San Bernardino National Forest in California, I felt the sense of discovery and adventure visiting a new part of the world brings. A sense of discovery that just doesn’t seem possible unless it comes after an extended period of time in the saddle of a motorcycle.

Of course, all this ethereal stuff is nice. Don’t get me wrong. I’m as flowery as the next when it comes to spinning a lead, but the real reason everything in the world looked so fine was pure, unfettered adrenaline. Coursing through my blood stream as my heart worked overtime and my breathing fought to return to normal, it was the Volvo driver’s fault. Enjoying a spirited ride on the sinuous asphalt snake that curls its way up to Idyllwild with my group, suddenly passed by the sporty saloon burning rubber in the turns seemed somehow linked to the new 2008 Buell XB12XT’s throttle. Immediately opening wider and longer, the guy in the cage was soon getting more than he bargained for as the first Buell passed him. Watching him use both lanes and making some decidedly sketchy moves to try and keep up with the bike ahead, I elected to stay behind and reveled in the Buell’s rock solid handling and precision cornering. Requiring little more than a breath on the wide bars to initiate the turn, once in the corner the bike felt as it were following a rail line it stays so committed to its chosen line. Also affording me the ability to change my lines at will mid-corner, the level of comfort I felt just kept growing. Propelled forward at a rate of knots that was easily enough to pass our four-wheeled friend by the newest rendition of the Thunderstone engine had I wanted, it was one of the most exhilarating rides I have taken in a long time.

Reflecting back at lunch, I think it was the ride experience I had needed to start properly communicating with the Buell. Having spent four days touring Canada on the previous incarnation of this model, I have to say Buell’s are somewhat of an acquired taste. With a ride experience more akin to something like a Moto Guzzi or and older BMW Boxer twin, it takes a while to adjust to the quirky nature of the beast when normally fed on a solid diet of modern Japanese and European motorcycles. This meant the first few miles in the saddle of the new XB12XT were not as blissful as the ones spent chasing the Volvo up the mountain road to Idyllwild, or indeed the remainder of the day. Initially struggling with the vibration and shaking the big, air-cooled V-twin emits, it was also weird to find a five-speed gearbox these days. The power delivery at slow speeds is still on my nit-pick list, although with the latest generation DDFI 3 fuel injection system, it is significantly improved over the previous model. It just still takes some thought where modern motorcycles these days don’t. Pulling away from a stop requires some clutch and throttle work to make it perfectly smooth, and trolling around at low speeds with small throttle openings is less than perfect too.

As the miles on the odometer began to rack up, and the high-speed blast to lunch chased away my complaints, I really started to enjoy the many positive attributes the Buell XB12XT exhibits. The lower seat from last year now sits 30.7 inches from the floor and makes low speed maneuvers a lot easier. With the nice wide handlebars, turning is a breeze, but watch out during the first few turns, as the steering lock is still somewhat limited in a sport bike sort of way. Not as off-putting as the first time you make a U turn on Aprilia’s Tuono, but it lacks the range of the Triumph Tiger or BMW’s GS and needs more mental re-programming to ensure you avoid and embarrassing tip over.

Sat aside the XB12XT, the ride position is comfortable with plenty of room for your legs once you have your feet up on the pegs. I was a tad surprised at the amount of upper body lean needed to reach the bars, but it’s certainly not a problem. Switchgear is pretty generic looking by today’s standards, and the bike comes equipped with a very simple, functional set of analogue gauges for monitoring road and engine speed. The handlebars are stylish enough though and come with a very nice commemorative 25th Anniversary graphic celebrating Eric Buell’s quarter century of motorcycle building. There is a digital odometer in the bottom of the speedo and this can be set to trip or mileage functions at the press of a button. With easy to read white numbers on the gauges, it takes little more than a glance to monitor your progress during riding. With the big engine being deceptively fast on the highway, this is a good thing, as 70mph comes up with barely 3,500 rpm registering.

Firing to life with an animated jump, and settling into the most active idle of any bike I have ridden in a long time, the Thunderstorm air-oil cooled 45 degree V-twin is a wondrous beast. With a single overhead cam operating two-valves per cylinder, there aren’t a lot of elaborate hard parts above the massive 88.9mm piston. Running a 10.0:1 compression ratio, the two pistons run in 96.82mm strokes to give the XB an engine capacity of 1203cc. Allowing the bike to throw down over 103 horsepower at 6,800rpm and a healthy 84ft. lbs of torque at 6,000 rpm, the XB12XT is plenty powerful enough to fully exploit its stellar handling properties, and probably embarrass more that its share of squids on sport bikes when the road gets twisty.

Initially thinking I just needed to let the engine pull a higher gear at lower rpm, I found that the Buell is actually happier when the revs are approaching peak horsepower. With a red line of 7,100 rpm, up this year from 6,900, running the engine near these figures is so smooth you can’t believe it’s a big twin. With HD employee and Buell racer Paul James on hand, we discussed this fact after our ride and he told me this is why the Buell’s are so easy to race. This is the zone we got into on our way to lunch where the XB just hit its sweet spot, and it is one fun place to be.

Unless you have been living in a cave lately or watching too much Oprah, I am sure most of you have seen the signature Buell aluminum frame that doubles as the fuel tank and holds 4.4 gallons of gas. As the same unit found on all Buell models, it is responsible for the bikes high-speed stability and sporting nature. Holding a 43mm inverted Showa fork up front, it holds a single shock from the same company in the rear. These are both multi-adjustable in all the usual ways, and if they are anything like the Buell sport bikes I tested a number of years ago, they are highly adjustable. Where most modern bikes are adjustable over a very narrow range to stop the user making a big mistake, the Buell series has more latitude. With most of us coming in different weights, sizes, and very different touring needs, this is a big positive, as it is lot easier to dial the Ulysses to your particular riding style or needs.

Wheels on the XT are some of the trickest looking in the motorcycle world. Featuring a 6-spoke cast aluminum up front, with Buell’s unique ZTL type brake featuring a single, six-piston caliper, it is also the only production motorcycle series to have a single 375mm stainless rotor that is bolted to the outside of the rim. Putting the system to the test a few times, it works very well, and the softly sprung touring front fork is more the limiting factor in stopping distances than the brake. The rear brake is a more conventional single-piston caliper grabbing a 240mm disc, and can take a good solid stomp before you hear shrieking Pirelli Diablo. The rear wheel is a six-spoke job like the front and looks equally trick, as well as being equally light. Drive to this rear wheel is by a Goodyear Hibrex Aramid-reinforced belt and requires no lubrication or adjustment. And, on the subject of trick, the swing arm doubles for the oil reservoir for those who aren’t already Buell savvy.

The list of innovations doesn’t stop here, as one look at the exhaust system, or one look for the exhaust system, tells you it isn’t conventional. Tucked away under the engine for mass centralization, it has a tri-pass resonance chamber with an InterActive valve according to the press blurb. It does keep the big twin quiet and allows the rear of the bike to have a very clean look, as the pipe exits under the engine as well.

As a designated touring machine, the XB12XT comes equipped with a set of very stylish saddlebags and top box, as well as a host of other well-thought out touring items: Heated handle bar grips, additional storage under the seat, and Buell’s multi-functional passenger backrest. Coming stock with a useful windshield, the XT also has two 10 amp/12-volt accessory power outlets and an integrated helmet lock. These power outlets are located on the dash and under the seat, so you and your passenger have separate places to plug in the heated gear when the temperature drops.

Coming to dealer showrooms priced at $12,995, and being offered in a choice of Racing Red or Thrust Blue, with super shiny black wheels, the Buell XB12XT is ready to hit the open road. A machine for the dedicated traveler who wants to feel the throb of an air-cooled V-twin, the bike also comes with a suspension and handling package to keep it in the front of the pack when you want to let your wild side out. Unique to a fault, I found it to be an improvement over the last generation. Still possessing a few quirks I’m not so sure about, there is no doubting the adventurous spirit in every Buell though, and the new XB12XT is one hundred percent Buell in this respect.