Ducati Monster Forum

I haven't been doing any shopping yet.  I am just researching options that might fall within a price range and wanted to hear some opinions.  Would you choose to roll out of the shop on a new 1198, or leave on a new 848 w/ Termi's?  Both are pretty close in price.  

Given the choice, what would you choose?

OK, here is a little more info on my situation.  I really want a sportbike.  I would like it to be a Ducati.  I am 6ft and 200lbs.  My S2R will still be my commuter, so this will be more of a weekend, fun bike.  I don't think power will be an issue with either of these.  There won't be to many mods done after I purchase.  If I start that shit again with this bike, my wife will kill me.  In other words, if I am gonna get an exhaust, I am gonna have to get them with the bike.  The stock 1198 is close to the limit of my price range.

Loud pipes dude...  [laugh] [laugh] [laugh]

Seriously though. If I were going to buy a Duc it would really depend on what I wanted to do with it and how I was going to ride. I have a 675 right now so, if I walked into a Ducati store with that money I'd probably walk out with a Multi 1200. If I didn't have another bike I'd probably get an M1100s.

It's light, it's versatile, it's fun, etc.

The advice you get here can't be that great without an explanation of what your experience, expectations & intentions are.

YMMV

loud clutch > loud pipes. [evil]

If you've got the dough and don't have to ride too much in city traffic then get the 1198.

The 848 is better in traffic but unless you weigh 240 lbs. it needs a rear shock far more than it needs exhaust. That said I put an Ohlins on the back along with Termi slip ons so who am I to talk?

If power up the wazoo is important to you then get the 1198.

Wanna take bets on how many loud pipe jokes get posted?  I was gonna lay it out as, "Would you rather have it fast or have it loud?", but I wasn't sure that the board was ready for jokes this soon after all of the drama.  You have to leave a little time to mourn before poking fun.

I probably should have put more info.  My thoughts were to keep it vague and see what came of it.  I will go and add a little more background.  Long story short though.  I borrowed my friends CBR1000 for a day and now I am hooked.  I didn't care for the cabled clutch or the high pitched whine of his TwoBrothers (man was it loud ;D).  But I liked the body positioning and really liked the way it handled.  Not that I fight my Monster in the corners, but that bike was something else.  

Th Streetfighter is hot as hell...but the 848 is a VERY close second.

The other reason I'd go the M1100S is that the pipes are out of the damn way & not fouling your foot. SBKs aren't that much of an issue wrt the pipes but the streetfighter is. What a shame.

Wait, there was drama? ;)

if you like the feeling of a liter bike the 1198 is the one that is closer to the liter bike numbers that competes with the cbr 1000.  i think that is your answer.

Maybe you can find a good deal on a left over 1098, including the full exhaust [moto]

I tested an 848 and I wasn't impressed by the power. Well, from 7k revs it came alive, but I think a grown man would want more torque.

Wow, your take on the 848's power is kind of suprises me considering we both scoot around on S2R800's.  I was kind of assuming that both the Duc sportbikes would be barn burners.  But, I am still in the research, fund gathering, and wife pleasing stages of a new motorcycle.  The test rides will come soon.  Good point on the 1098.  That will definately be an option as I get further into it. 

a dark 1098 ;)

with the red frame

a dark 848 and with the 1000 dollars you save on the lower msrp you can buy the full exhuast, chip, and air filter, and the 14t gear.... which is what i should have done had i known that a cheaper dark version was going to soon be available

You have to flog an 848 to get the performance out of it. Admittedly the one I rode didn't have pipes, and I hear those completely transform the bike. I normally ride a 996 though, and even without the top end hp of the 848 and the large weight advantage the 848 has, the 996 just feels stronger. Much more low end grunt.

sounds like the two bikes are meant to be ridden differently. the 848 is more the high revving live on the gear shifter type of riding. better for those coming from japanese bikes. and the 1198 is more the tool around in 3 gear waiting to crack the throttle at low RPM for tons of torque. something a 2v monster riding would be used to

How much can you get a leftover CBR1000RR for?

7K. They are basically giving them away. You can get 2 of them for the price of the 848.

But I vote 1198 [evil] You can always save up for pipes. Not so much for a new engine. Besides, the monoblocks alone are worth it if you're ever on the track; they're like hitting a brick wall  ;D



Big +1. The power from the bigger bikes is so manageable. It's not jumpy, but always there when you want it.

I miss my 996  :'(

A dealer had one sitting at Thunderhill a few months ago during a trackday for $9999 out the door! Very good deal!  :o

Wow!  I'll take one for that.  Waaay over my head, but I'd try my best to adjust!

 

That's not bad either.

This is very true!  I rode this bike back to back with a stock 848 a few weeks ago on a very familiar twisty road.  The difference was night and day.  On the stock bike, you would get set for the corner, select your line and commit, only to have the rear end's stiffness push the front wide and cause you to have to readjust.  On Mac's bike it was almost like set and forget.  The bike just flowed through the turns like you wouldn't believe.  I was SERIOUSLY impressed with the difference, and the shock is a much more beneficial upgrade over the Termis. 

OK, this is probably gonna sound like a stupid question, but I talked Chris into riding my bike and letting me ride his 999 Sunday.  Any insight on which of the bikes a 05ish 999 with full exhaust would be a closer comarison to? 
I know that I need to just go test ride the actual bikes, but test rides seem to be uptight and formal with the sales rep riding with you and being on a bike with hardly any miles on it.  Long as I don't drop it, Chris really doesn't care how I ride his bike (which, after saying that, makes me a little concerned about him on my Monster).

Mac can answer this one, as he had a modded out '03 999 before getting the 848.  One thing I will say though is that the 999 had a much stronger sense of urgency when you got on the gas.  That bike just lunged forward and all that torque is more than a little addictive.  ;)

True that.  The 999 is much closer to the 1098/1198.  If someone is saying that the 848 makes more power than the early 999 then they are only talking about the last itty bit at max revs.  In the real riding world mid rpm range there is no comparison.  A 996/998/999/1098 will walk-run from an 848 given a bit of straight. Having all that power is wonderful but I don't think the power is child's play manageable. You have to pay a bit more attention. All that said the 848 is still a great bike in it's own right and I'm not sorry that I have one. Of course, where I live plays a big factor in that.

 yeah what he said ... i am very happy with my 848 even though its not black and when comparing the power with a liter bike i am not unhappy at all. my R1 that i had before was scary fast so much power and torque the front wheel almost always lifted under hard acceleration. on my 8 i stay on the lower rpm for city driving in traffic with no worries and when i want more power i just open the throttle up and let the rpm climb