Hypermotard -- Streetfighter -- 848

[MadDuck]

I now have had a bunch of rides on Hypermotards and three rides on a Streetfighter to compare with the 848.

I have known all along that the 848 is a pretty specialty purpose bike and that has always been fine with me, in fact highly desirable. I love riding it and I love working on it. It is, without a doubt, the best bike I've ever owned. The only thing is that while I thought I was having great fun on it (and it works real good on Tantalus and other roads) I found a couple other bikes that are even more fun on Tantalus.

Those would be the Hypermotard and the Streetfighter.  The Hyper is huge fun up there and the Streetfighter is too but I haven't even gone fast with one up there. Some things you just know, even if you've only gone slow. The Hyper is a bit slow on the open road having been used to the power of the 848 and, of course, the Streetfighter will out yank the 848. The Hyper also has some slightly questionable handling on more open curves. It wobbles a bit and suspension damping adjustments don't seem to solve that. If I ended up getting a Hyper I know there would be a fair bit of front end work that would need to be done and even then there might not be a guarantee that the front end work would solve the wobble. This wobble will even show up on Norfolk where the bad road surface and the on/off braking upsets the chassis. This doesn't show up on Tantalus.

The Streetfighter is much more stable at the higher speeds and can still handle Tantalus just fine. It does have a different front end feel. Possibly due to more weight being on the front wheel and maybe a different rake angle.

One epiphany occurred yesterday afternoon when I got home with the Hyper and immediately jumped on the 848.  Whoa!!  I never realized how radically different the riding position and whole control was. I have just become so used to it that it seems normal. It took a while to adjust to it but then it was off to the races again.

All that said I'm liking the Streetfighter a whole lot.  I think even more than the 848.  [moto]

[DRKWNG]

I'm thinking you need a Super Duke, and a ham sandwich.   

[MadDuck]

I'm thinking you need a Super Duke, and a ham sandwich.   

The ham sandwich is all good, especially if it's on a dark or rye with mustard and onions and mayo and swiss and some good lettuce.

Now, that said, the Super Duke is right up there except for the limited support over here and that nasty throttle response and backfire. The Streetfighter makes more power and has better manners. Still nasty in it's own way.       Of course if Three Bros. still has some killer deals ......... but then there's the matter of what to do with some funky leather Ducati jackets, well, one jacket anyway. The winter jacket is still good.   

[DRKWNG]

Super Duke, PCIII, dyno tune and a ham (with mustard) sandwich.  That's all you need.   

[WillS]

okay, although i have not rode all the bikes in question on every road, i have my answer for this.

848- superbike for the real world, especially on oahu

F1098- superbike with different ergos, especially when the high bars are on

HYM 1100- Mid range street bike, with "supermoto" inspired styling and ergos

when i was looking at all three, because these were my top three choices, i found these descriptions helpful.

i love riding superbikes, so of course i wanted my own 848, but i wanted to commute on it, so hauula to airport is mostly the kam up the east side, usually horrible slow.  the 848 wasn't right bike for a 350 mile a week commuting my route, so that was out. but it would of been do-able and fun on certain days, and on free ride time. i like this bike better than the 1198 on the smile factor.

the streetfighter was always super sexy to me and i have been a big fan of true streetfighter bikes for a long time. this is a true fighter from the factory, not done by anyone, not even euro model japanese bikes. they detune the crap out of them and are fat turds compared to its superbike counterpart. the f1098 is not like that at all, it is a sex machine. true superbike power and cool ergos( i like the stock ergos), but it has a nature built for speed, it felt to me that  i would have been a hood ornament quite quickly on my commute.

the hyper was built for me. if you guys remember, i had a supermoto crf 450 street legal for a bit. it was so much fun, i would sometimes just ride it in the parking lot at work for fun with wheelies and stoppies. but on h3 or anything over 70 mph it was unnerving, not the handling, but the engine rev. the screaming 450 bothered me. i want a street bike to want more at 85, not be saying "hhhhhhoolllyyyyyyy sssssssssshhhhhhhiiiiiiiiittttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!".
and it said that alot. the hyper fills that gap, but now i can't wheely so easy in the lot, but i can everywhere else.
the ergos are sweat for traffic, and fit my style well.  oh and the motor is all midrange, super fun for the road.

any way got to go eat me up some dinner, so no time for grammar check.

oh crap, yeah suspension, ummmm lets see, well they are all different, we are all different, and we all ride differently. that beeing said the hypers would benefit from a dampener, but i think what you mostly feel is that wheel is alot further away from your mass than the superbike, that alone is squirmy. i personally like that is a big fast lean, look way over to the outside and see that front end sticking out there.

-will

[MadDuck]

^^^^^ All true of course. The Hyper may even be better up on Tantalus because the power delivery is so smooth and broad and it's lighter. It has, like Will says, a super mid-range.  Plus, Gene noted that the brakes were easier to work on the Hyper as there was no sudden grab and sudden release/surge like he feels on the SF. The Streetfighter would be all about throttle and brake, throttle & brake. Rear wheel dig/spin, front wheel going up in the air    Ho Ho, like I'd really ride it like that. In my dreams. The SF would be busier for sure.

I don't get the part about the "magnets".   

[WillS]

fine, forget the magnets.

[MadDuck]

No make like dat.     Inquiring minds wanted to know.......even if it's not PC.

[whackie]

i wanted to commute on it, so hauula to airport is mostly the kam up the east side, usually horrible slow.  

  turns in  quickly on that route.

guess riding a bike would make it more interesting, but ergos would definitely be important. 

[WillS]

right, it does, but i have a few fun shortcuts at the jam spots

[DRKWNG]

right, it does, but i have a few fun shortcuts at the jam spots

Yep, sidewalks.   

[hadesducati848]

i love riding superbikes, so of course i wanted my own 848, but i wanted to commute on it, so hauula to airport is mostly the kam up the east side, usually horrible slow.  the 848 wasn't right bike for a 350 mile a week commuting my route, so that was out. but it would of been do-able and fun on certain days, and on free ride time. i like this bike better than the 1198 on the smile factor.

for me its 390 miles a week not sure how i do it sometimes but ummmm other then the normal services is there anything that i should be checking or doing since i do put so many miles on the 848?

[WillS]

no, not really. keep air in the tires and chain serviced, that should do it.