Ducati Monster Forum

Hey guys/ladies I just recently joined the forums. I am having a difficult time deciding on what bike to approach....before I continue my riding background. I have had my endorsement for a year now and have been practicing on a 2008 yzf-R6 in the back roads of loxahatchee florida. I have not seen much street riding with intense traffic etc however, I have grown comfortable to the r6 in regards to the power, I am not saying this is the justification of what I am about to say. My problem is this, I live in Boca Raton florida traffic can get hectic however, the city itself is not heavily urbanized......kind of in the middle with majority of it being suburbs with denser population areas when you approach 95 or the turnpike. My mind for the past 6 months has been set on the 848 street fighter reason being is that i have been unable to find sufficient information to determine if the 796 is the right bike for my situation; if will be able to contend in this type of environment. This will be my official first bike. Also understand that Iam new to bikes, my background is mostly cars which I work on frequently. I have been looking at the specs of the 2 and noticed that the the difference in the torque in about 12 ft/lbs but the horsepower is significant, by about 35hp give or take. I honestly feel like the 848 would be something of a hit or miss with me because I'm worried that I will be worried about being able to handle the bike more than paying attention to my surroundings, on the other hand with the 796 I feel more comfortable with the power range, but am kind of on the the fence with it coming with just 87hp, going from the r6 with 106hp. Thanks you in advance for the guidance on this situation it is much appreciated.

Also average speed limits in the town range from 40 - 55 mph.

If you are more comfortable on the 796 you have your answer.  I firmly believe if you don't bond with your bike either change or don't ride. 

can't compare any monster to an r-6.
it's like comparing apples & oranges.
both good but completely different.

What kind of apples? I like Honeycrisp. [thumbsup]

The 796 is a dream to ride with plenty of torque for the intermediate rider. IMO. It's an eye catcher on the red frame. The right hand is plenty of pull and speed. Corners beyond expectations.

Buy what you want, I would. 796 with a Termi kit would satisfy you fine. SF 848 is a little heavier and less flickable, but I'd have it too. Look for a slightly used S4RS and get ready to live. Try em all out then decide.
FL has twisty roads?

As others have said, you'll probably end up buying the one that you like better.

Between the M796 and SF848, in your situation/town, I would go for the 796.

I'm in favor of the 796 because:

More comfortable riding position
More comfortable seat
40mm , i.e. 1.5in lower seat height
Lighter bike
Less hp but will only make a difference in the top end
Plenty of torque assuming you're not drag racing
2v air cooled engine sounds better than liquid cooled (in my opinion)
Service costs are cheaper for 2 valve air cooled Ducatis
Has ABS option - which could mean lower insurance premium
$2,700 lower MSRP

On the other hand, the SF848 has:

Fully adjustable forks and shock - important if you plan on doing track days on it
More HP/Torque  - important if you plan on doing track days on it
Bigger tank - which is usually welcome for long rides, although not necessarily longer tank range, depending on riding style
Traction control - could help in hairy situations if riding in the rain

You should test ride them both and let us know what you think.

 [drool]

I wouldn't even own a Ducati or any sporty type bike if I lived in Florida again.  It's too frustrating having a fast and flickable bike on those flat straight roads.  I'd get a nice upright scooter. Maybe an old Vespa.

The roads in florida are flat, by flat meaing the highest hill outside the the dump is a speed bump. Also (apologizes for the scrub like approach to terminology) but what are you guys implying by its flickability ? The streets here where i live are twisty...ish i live near FAU if anyone knows where or what that is lol.

Also, how well does the 796 do on highways, I do not use highways frequently but in case of that particular situation...

not a Burgmann 650?  LOL....J/K


like others have said...the R6 is not comparable to the Duc's you mention...the power hit is in a different league...the torque is where it seems you are looking for your answer based on the conditions you say you are riding in, and to me, the 2V has more than enough...up to you though...as this is purely an emotional decision more than you'll give it credit for instead of the intellectual one you are trying to make it out to be...

legally speaking...it does fine...if you are asking about triple digit riding....well...you are altogether in the wrong territory in terms of machinery IMHO

I just went through the same decision process to buy my first Ducati.

My experience is - they are all good, until you test drive them. Then you will either find one you fall in love with or give up the whole Ducati dream and buy a Triumph or Jap Bike instead.

I started researching the 696, traded myself up to the 796 on paper, test rode an 1100evo, hated it and ended up buying an S4R ...  after kissing a few frogs, I had found my prince (well, Duke, actually :D)

Line up some test rides and see what your heart and butt tell you ...

Duchess

I lived and road in West Palm Beach, FL.  ...very straight and flat.  Either bike would work.  The 796 has a more upright sitting position.  The 848 SF will lean you forward quite a bit more.  I think that's the big difference between the two bikes.  The power, in my opinion, doesn't matter as much as far as ridability.  

i will solve your issue right now ....

go to motocorse in fort lauderdale & test drive the white s4rs.....

it has 1200 miles & is the best monster ever made     

power is docile or apeshit....

u will thank me later.... someone will snag that bike soon.....

Flickable - easy or light feeling when transitioning from one direction to another at speed.

I'd think the 796 would be just fine. It's no touring bike - but can easily break any US speed limits without the use of all it's gears. Plenty of power for overtakes

Sad Panda!

Shocked you haven't told him to fit a 14T front sprocket too before he even picks it up. Might keep him from dropping it and "better" for the slow speeds. A set of Tech Spec pads are good too for supporting your back when you're stuck in slow traffic.

Highway? He'll have trouble keeping it under 80.  8) Gets blown around a little by trucks but not as bad as many other naked bikes. Only a 600 lb. bike with a sport fairing is relatively immune from the trucks..., or some heavy pigs.  ;)

Mmmm good point. Getting a 14 tooth front sprocket on it is one of the or the best bang for the buck mod one can do on a monster.  ;D

He kids - but on the smaller (talkin 620s and such) monster is really makes a difference. Really changed my 620. As you get a bigger engine the impact is diminished but it's still really common to shorten the final drive on these bikes.

The 796 cried for it too. Same gearing and a lot of other stuff as an EVO. Even with a 14T, 6th @ 80 MPH is only 5,000 RPM and 5th is 5,400. 100+ is OK for short bursts but I really don't need to do 130 on an unfaired bike.  ;) Most of the EVO guys are fitting a 14T too. Under 3,500 is really lugging the bike with stock mixtures. 13.5:1 would probably make it a lot smoother under 4.000. 796 is still making bigger "bangs" at 11:1-3:1 than the old bikes at ~ 10.5:1 - 9:1.