Took a '15 690 Duke out for a short test blat today.
I've been on very few big singles lately, last one was a KLR650 that left me very lukewarm.
The bulk of this feedback is in comparison to my '98 M750 with FCR39's and well-sorted suspension, which I rode to and from.
Bike had about 100 miles on it, so still a bit tight.
Apparently stock other than an Akrapovic can, powerparts seat, and translucent airbox cover..
Brakes good.
Suspension...so-so.
No knobs or screws to twiddle, so there it is.
Felt light and nimble, but wasn't allowed on any sort of twisty road.
Ergos good for around town.
A bit too upright for highway duty, and with no fairing the windblast was annoying.
Lower bars would 90% sort that out.
Mildly buzzy on the highway.
I'd likely fit a rear sprocket 2 or 3 teeth smaller.
Engine was a bit ratchety below 3k steady cruise on city streets, fine above.
And was fine accelerating through 3k.
Perhaps that could be sorted with mapping or somesuch tuning.
Engine a bit soft on the bottom, but charged hard on the top.
Prior to ride, asked salesman if it was RBW, he said no..... subsequent research says indeed RBW.
Which likely explains the 'soft on the bottom', and further lowers my opinion of RBW.
Not the worst RBW I've sampled (M821 and Hyp821 - fookin' awful), nor the best (Pani899 and MTS12).
Not a big deal, I imagine I'd recalibrate fairly quickly.
Many of the above items I didn't like are the same as from my test ride of a Scrambler.
Both bikes built to a price point, granted.
But man, I've got a hard time reconciling the price point knocking on the door of 5 figures.
Git offa mah lawn.
My original intention was to test ride a '16 690 Enduro, but those aren't out yet.
Salesman said they probably wouldn't get one for test rides, as they had deposits for all the ones they were likely to get.
If I understood correctly, it seemed like he suggested that a deposit would increase the chance of a test-ride.
