Fun Question, New EVO vs older 1100S?

[aveldina]

So I'm planning to move up from a 696 onto an 1100 in the year or so. I like my 696 but am wanting the adjustable suspension among other things. I was looking around to see what stock is like and noticed one of the dealerships in the general area has a low kms 2010 1100S which has me wondering if I should go for a brand new 1100 Evo, or look at picking up a 2010 or 2009 1100S.

So I'm looking for opinions! It would be fun to have a dry clutch, but the little changes on the Evo leave me wondering if it's worth buying new for the changes?

[RC Fan]

I am wondering the same thing, but I am a bit leery of the dry clutch.  Have you been able to test-ride the Evo?  Do you mind sharing how much the used 1100s is going for?  My local dealer has two leftover 2009 1100s.  They are marked down to $11000 CAD.

[aveldina]

It's at the Calgary dealership, http://www.calgaryducati.com/new_vehicle_detail.asp?sid=0546261X7K21K2011J11I19I00JAMQ6045R0&veh=190124&pov=2050667 It's got Termi's and a color kit among other things so they have a pretty high price on it.

I had a friend's 09 M1100 out recently for probably close to an hour, and I rode the Evo at the demo when it was in town - I definitely liked the Evo better than my 696 but it wasn't a long enough demo ride to really be able to compare it to the 09 M1100. Personally I like the sound of the dry clutch and the 09 1100 I rode was tuned so nicely with a power commander that it's a tough comparison. I know very little about the dry clutches when it comes to maintenance though.

[RC Fan]

The Evo is $13495 CAN I think.  I don't know if my dealership (Atlantic Motoplex, Dieppe, NB) will come down a bit or not.

Seems like they want a lot for the slightly used S in Calgary.

How did you find the dry clutch on the 1100 vs the wet clutch on your 696?  I've read and heard that the dry clutch requires more finesse.

[ungeheuer]

So I'm planning to move up from a 696 onto an 1100 in the year or so. I like my 696 but am wanting the adjustable suspension among other things. I was looking around to see what stock is like and noticed one of the dealerships in the general area has a low kms 2010 1100S which has me wondering if I should go for a brand new 1100 Evo, or look at picking up a 2010 or 2009 1100S.

So I'm looking for opinions! It would be fun to have a dry clutch, but the little changes on the Evo leave me wondering if it's worth buying new for the changes?

M1100s or M1100EVO?  They'd both be nice. 

Dry clutch or wet clutch is purely preference... I like the clatter of the dry clutch.  I moved from M696 to M1100s, getting used to the dry clutch is IMO a non-issue.....  But you may have already answered your own question:  M1100s Ohlins is better adjustable suspension that the Marzoccis fitted to EVO. 

In the end you cant lose, you'll be delighted with either 1100  .

[SDRider]

I've ridden both and I own an 1100 EVO.  I loved the EVO on paper but living with on a day to day basis has been proving a bit less than enjoyable.  It is very stiffly sprung so bumpy roads really upset the chassis and rider.  Mine has also stalled on me a half a dozen times in the last 800 miles I've put on it, and I did take it in for the 600 mile service last weekend...stalled twice since then.  I'm only just now getting used to the clutch and gearing...it is geared too tall IMO.  They only thing I didn't like about the 1100 S was the amount of heat coming off the left side just under the seat when idling stopped.  I much prefer the routing of the EVO's exhaust aesthetically, and, while the EVO pops a lot on decel, it sounds much better than the previous generation 1100 IMO and I've never felt that I needed to jump off it for fear of being burned.  For commuting it sucks.  For canyon carving it is great...as long as the roads are smooth.

I think some better levers, a sprocket change and exhaust is really going to make this bike a keeper.  Sucks that I have to spend so much on an already expensive bike to get it running right though.

Granted, I haven't spent anywhere near this amount of time on the previous generation 1100 S, I only took it out for a demo ride...maybe 20 miles at best, so for all I know it may suffer from similar problems.

[RC Fan]

SDRider, what was your previous bike?   All the issues you have mentioned are present in the 696.  I was hoping the rough road issue would go away with the adjustable suspension the Evo possesses.

[ungeheuer]

I'm only just now getting used to the clutch and gearing...it is geared too tall IMO.

They're all geared too tall IMO.  I'm much happier running 15/43.

They only thing I didn't like about the 1100 S was the amount of heat coming off the left side just under the seat when idling stopped.

This is a good point, one which I'd forgotten about since I long ago ditched the stock exhaust.  But its true, even though the exhaust routing is the same on M1100s as M696, the amount of under seat heat generated by M1100s is noticeably unpleasant. 

[Outlaw1100]

I can't speak for the EVO, but to me the overriding factor is the Ohlins suspension.  Once I heard that the EVO would not have Ohlins, I couldn't care less about anything else new that Ducati added to the EVO (ABS, DTC, etc)...I knew that the EVO would never replace my 1100S.  What a stupid, stupid decision that was on Ducati's part.

I've spent most of my riding life on sportbikes (CBRs and R6s mostly), and with the Ohlins, my 1100S is right on par with my older bike from a suspension standpoint, even though the Monster itself is much less sporty.

And, on top of that, since they did away with the Ohlins, there will come a time when many look at the '09 and '10 1100S's as the most sought-after Monsters ever.  So, get one while you can!

(Can you tell I'm biased)

Mike

[thought]

the way i see it... evo over s simply because you can always add the suspension later, but you cant add the new headers/electronics.

i would say that unless you're really serious about the track, the evo will take care of everything you need it to for the street once you set up the suspension correctly.

and i didnt like the headers at first from pictures, but they look good in person and have the nice effect of not killing your inner thigh with heat... on my 796 on a hot day it's pretty bad.  and i love how they open up that space under the seat.  you almost get the boomtube look without it being horribly loud.

i figure in a couple of years i'll go over to a evo or a sf once they release the new one.

[aveldina]

So from the replies, it seems like it's more or less personal preference. I actually prefer the older style exhaust, but that could just be because I'm used to mine. The heat given off my 696 doesn't bother me, but my main riding pants have heat shielding in exactly the right places. Extremely high temperatures are relatively rare here anyway. I really wondered why they dropped the Ohlins on the Evo, does anyone know why? To bring the price down? While the ABC & DTC would be nice, they're not deal breakers to me. RCFan, I didn't notice a huge difference in the clutch between my 696 and the 1100, I was paying more attention to the extra power (& having too much fun).

The tough thing for me is that I've been riding a CBR and 1100 recently, and it's just made me notice the short comings of the 696 more. Probably should have stayed away from that CBR in hindsight, I am sucker for the supersport style. =\

[Raux]

think about it this way.

you can buy the Evo and find the suspension off a used S and have both

[aveldina]

Hehe, oh the things I could do if only funding was endless...

[scooterd145]

I bought a "new" 09 1100s in December, I have 5800 miles on her so far. Amazing bike! Let me say this first, the "S" suspension is not just an advantage on the track. I keep seeing this from people and am guessing they either are the ones with 1200 miles on them in 2 years or do not ride in the twisties? I don't know, all I can say is that compared to my 07 S2R the suspension is Night and Day BETTER! I had mine setup with the help of a local suspension guy and it is downright SWEET. I set the SAG myself and after noticing a particular issue (packing down on downhill switchbacks) he checked my settings and then adjusted just a bit based on my tire wear and it is AMAZING. I rarely notice the heat, but I wear riding pants or leathers so this may be why? My two complaints, Rear tire wear, 2800 miles and 2400 miles on the first 2 rears!! and the fuel range is like 125 miles, but really after 100 or so miles I am ready for a break any way. To me the clutch is not an issue at all (although I work from home so do not do any kind of commute). I have added adjustable levers and the "comfort" seat among other cosmetics, be prepared to change the exhaust out right away, as the stockers are way too mellow (HMF is what I went with). I looked real hard at the EVO but for me having DTC/ABS was not something I really had to have...

[Jaelum]

Well, the ABS and traction control were tertiary factors in my decision to get my new EVO, but the ABS absolutely saved my ass last weekend. 

I was coming off a main road on a two-laned exit ramp.  Chick in a huge SUV pulls out of a parking lot on the right and my initial assumption was that she was just pulling into the right lane.  Nope.  She come all the way across, and I have a 4 foot high cement wall on my left.  I hit both breaks with all I had and they both clicked like crazy, but the bike stopped super-fast with no drama less than 5 feet from the back of the SUV.

I normally plan and watch for stupid tricks like this, but I was about 50 yards from my destination after a 4 hour mountain ride, so I was tired, hot, and distracted. 

No doubt in my mind that without the ABS I would have hit something.  I doubt at this point I'll ever own another motorcycle without it.