Ducati Monster Forum

Hey y'all:

I've decided to get a sportbike as a stable mate for my S2R 1000 (which I intend to never sell...)  I've pretty much narrowed it down to either an 848 or a D 675.  Would like to get any thoughts/opinions from those of you who have ridden these bikes.

Read a bunch of great reviews about the D 675, and had pretty much decided that's what I would get (had a Triumph Thruxton before and really liked it as a first bike.)  But then I test rode a Daytona, and it felt...weird.  It was plenty fast, and handled well (though I wasn't crazy about the seating position, which puts you kind of up and over the front.)  But there was no THUMP.  Couldn't feel the engine hardly at all.  It was kind of disconcerting, being so used to the vibration and feel on my Monster.  Really threw me off, felt oddly detached from the bike. 

So that's my big question on the Triumph - if I put on aftermarket pipes, would I get something close to the feeling of a Duc?  Or is this something (the lack of engine "feel") that you have to just get used to on anything other than a twin?  Obviously many people don't have a problem with this, they love the Triumph and rave about its sound and grunty midrange.  And the lack of vibration on the inline 4s certainly doesn't seem to affect anyone who rides and/or races them.  But it's kind of a bummer for me.  Am i doomed to just be a twin guy, or can the Triumph triple be made to feel closer to what I like? 

By contrast, the 848, when I test rode it, felt very similar to my Monster, although the rev range is a bit higher.  But ergonomically it felt very right for me (as comfortable as my Monster, which has rearsets and below the triple clip-ons.)  In fact, the 848 felt scarily familiar (scary cuz I wanted it so bad...), like a favorite pair of jeans I just found buried in the closet.  The handling was intuitive for me, and the power delivery felt very smooth but it still had that thump I like.  In short, I dug it (and it looks the business.)  But the price point is pretty high compared to the Triumph, which performance-wise seems to be its equal. 

Any insights on the above would be greatly appreciated...

Topangster

 

I think you're feeling the difference in engines period.  Not sure you're going to find much that has that "thump" among sport bikes.  Most of the bikes with >2 cylinders should have that smooth feeling to them.  Just the nature of the engine.

i have not ridden the 848 and i dont have enough experience on the 675 to say anything since it was ust around the block a few times.

but sitting on both, i like the 848 better, the 675 is smooth like buttahhhh though, monoblocks????? weighs less than 848, more power what? they say the 675 is THE sport bike to have when we are tlaking about vs 600cc I4. Seating position leaves much to be desired but everybody is different.

If i had to pick, id pick the one with the chepaest insruance.  :P honestly, id go 848 just because i think it looks nicer.

never going to get the feel from the triple engine. 675 is crazy fun but i'm all about the 848 (used to work at a triumph/ducati/aprilia dealer) The 675 will just get louder with pipes. I wouldn't worry about it though, from reading that you've already made up your mind.

nothing will have the torque you are looking for like the 848, triple will come close but will be different. Everything i've read said ergo's on the 675 are extreme.

I've had a fair amount of seat time on both bikes (more so on the Daytona), but am a bit drunk so I will try to come back to this later.  One thing that I can't keep from commenting on though: you guys talk about the 848 having a big hit of torque?  Really?  Have you ridden a 996/998/999/1098/1198?  The 848 is a great bike, but feels kind of weak in regards to torque and needs to spin higher to really get the blood flowing.  All things being said and done, I would drop my dime on a 675 again before I bought an 848.

I went through the same debate a few years ago, I ended up chosing the 848.  They are both great bikes that most riders shouldn't realy be able to "outgrow".  The 848 has great torque when compaired to midle wight 600cc bikes, 70 ft lbs is a stump puller compaired to 45 ft lbs common of the japanese I-4's.  It does not start to pull until around 5K though, so will feel soft down low compaired to you 1K 2 valve monster.  It sounds like you have allready made up your mind, I do not think you could go wrong with either bike.

I'd get the 675 because it is cheaper...and the only reason I'd want another SBK is for a track bike.

Power is similar. My old 848 pulled a 675 on the straight at Miller...but not by a lot. I had slip-ons and the race ecu, whereas the 675 was stock. The 848 may have had more torque, but the 675 was no slouch out of the corners.

I do think the 848 is a much nicer looking, and nicer sounding motorcycle though.

I noticed a lot of guys who are tracking/racing 848s are saying that it needs work to handle well, which surprised me.  I keep hearing the springs & damping are weird, the triples have too much offset, etc.  Do they need more work than the average stock bike? 

I did ride a stock 675 on the track for a day, and I thought it fit me perfectly.  My favorite 600(ish) bike for sure.  The brakes felt a little soft to me, but it handled great and had more torque, if not quite as much top end, as an inline-four.

Rear shock on the 848's is set up for someone ~200 lb, maybe heavier.
Perhaps the '10 models are different in that, dunno.

Why is no one racing the 675 in daytona supersport? The Duc 848 is going pretty good with Fong and Rapp.

Triumph doesn't pay contingency?

Edit to add: actually, I did a quick check and can't confirm that Ducati supports anybody besides Pegram.  Maybe they just like the 848 better.

I went through a bit of this over the last couple of years. Darkwing & I ride in the same group and have swapped rides a few times. He had the 675 and I've got the 848 so that should tell you right there that a certain bias exists. I had a 999 for a couple of years and then ended up with a Gixxer 750 for half of a year before I got the 848.

I really don't know that there is all that much mid range torque that people shout about on the 675. More than the 600 I4's maybe but I have zero time on those bikes so I couldn't tell you.  The 675 does start going at about 7k rpm and really gets with it at 10k. It makes pretty good noises too and the overall build quality is nicer than most of the 600's. The seating position is just a tiny bit more aggressive than the 848. The steering geometry makes the bike turn in really quickly and although the suspension isn't top shelf you can still work with it enough to make it very passable.

I ended missing the boom-boom of the Duc so I got the 848. Yes, you have to wind it up a bit to make it go compared to the big Ducs but it's not exactly a slouch either. That said, I have to be honest and say that I do miss the grunt of the 999 sometimes. The 848 is far happier in traffic than the 999 ever could be and even with the stock suspension it handles better than the 999 too.  The best thing I did for the 848 was put an Ohlins rear shock on it that was sprung for my weight. Total magic.  The other best thing I did was put Ohlins R&T front forks on it. I realize that those mods might be more than most would be willing to do but the change is nothing less than dramatic in a good way.

If you like the engine noise, don't mind having to wind the snot out of the engine and are on a bit of a budget the 675 is good stuff.  I'd probably buy one over another Suzuki if it came down to it, not that the Zuk is a bad bike.

If you like a bit more torque and that v-twin sound then the 848 might be the way to go as long as you can handle the suspension.

I love both bikes. I think the 675 is one of the best lookingbikes out there, but its no 848. To beshones and this will sound weird the 675 is to good. The 848 has it little Ducati quirks that we all love, and the things that make Ducat a Ducati.  To me the 675 is the 1/2 way point between a Yam, Kaw, Hon, or Suz and Ducati. its sort of for that guy who dont want to look like everyone else, and who dont want to pay 1000's to service a Ducati...so all in all the 675 is the smart $...but its no Ducati!!! [wine]

I should add that I am also considering a 999.  Haven't ridden one yet (almost got a guy to let me ride his at the Rock Store on Sunday - missed it by that much!)  I have heard that the 999s definitely have more torque than the 848, but the handling isn't quite as lithe.  Guess I'd have to ride them back to back really feel the difference (so I'm gonna do my best to arrange that...)  I happen to like the looks of the 999, and you can pick them up remarkably cheap these days, even the S models.  So that's another option.

The 1098s and 1198s just seem like far more bike than I could possibly need on the street.  I mostly ride in the canyons (with the occasional freeway slog to meetings in L.A.), so acceleration 0 to 80, torque and handling are of more importance to me than top end speed.  I ride with a few guys who have 1098s, and I have no trouble at all keeping up with them on my Monster in the canyons, they only pull away on the long straights.  But I don't feel much need to go 160+ on the street.  Perhaps if I was tracking on a regular basis I'd feel differently...

FYI we've got a pristine 2007 red 675 Daytona for sale.

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=33825.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=33825.0)


 [thumbsup]

Thanks Dave, she sure is purty.

I'm going to have to ride a Daytona with aftermarket pipes to see if it makes any difference on my "engine feel" issue.  I kinda think it won't, based on the responses I've gotten here, but wanna give it a shot anyway.  Sure are gorgeous bikes, but I may be doomed to getting an 848 or 999 for that twin thump I like so much... ;D

Why you selling, btw?

Being doomed to buy an 848 or 999 isn't all THAT bad you know!!!

It's my sweethearts 675 that she bought it to replace her 749 (which always ran too hot for her), but has never found the same love for it as she had for her 749. That's it!