monster for a returning rider

[stopintime]

[Duchess]

OOoohhhh Stopintime, NOW you have my interest ...

AWESOME !!!  We wants them, my precious, we wants them !

Duchess

[Moronic]

Fun thread. Don't think I've ever seen someone come in here looking for bike advice and give so much relevant information.  

I thought I'd mention two things that can make a bigger difference than you might expect.

First, the 696 has a 160mm wide rear tyre, whereas the 796 and 1100 have 180s. All else being equal, that will make the 696 steer a little bit more accurately. Well, maybe quite a bit, especially when the road is a bit bumpy and the tyre a bit worn.

Second, I imagine the smaller engines will need a bit more throttle to maintain similar speeds. Given that modern motorbike engines are way over-powered for road use anyway, that is something to set against the "more grunt" aspect of the bigger motors, particularly the 1100.

The reality is, the 1100 will have more grunt across the rev-range at full throttle, but if you are riding it gently then you will rarely be using full throttle.  

Around town and even at legal speeds on the highway, I have found a smaller engine can feel more precisely responsive and more entertaining. Just something to think about for your test ride.

[Duchess]

Thanks, Moronic !

Thank you for the welcome - it is nice to find so many fun and crazy, yet strangely helpful people to hang out with -
( or do I mean fun and helpful, yet strangely crazy ? - let me  think about that for a while ... probably both :p )

Your comment echoes a phone discussion with a dealer down in KY, who in essence said "its more fun to drive a bike close to its limits ... the bigger the bike, the less satisfying it will be in normal conditions, because you will be nowhere near its limits, and in fact struggling to get it up into its performance band" ..

I agree with the dealer up to a point, which is that constantly driving at the limit of performance, just to keep up with normal road traffic, can be wearing and dangerous (my experience riding a 50cc yamaha for 180 miles on main roads on one memorable trip) - but clearly none of the Ducati's will be anywhere near their limits at legal road speeds...  I guess that is why y'all like the 14T option - it brings a bit more of that sweet spot into daily life.

I think that is a problem with much of the motorcycling press - they get a bike for the press launch, have maybe a couple of hours on it, over roads carefully picked by the manufacturer - possibly even a track or closed course. They thrash the bike, use all the road and all the revs, in a way you just don't do on a daily commute.  Their comments are all about the extreme use, and not the daily living.

Like a marriage - dating is fun, but the transition to living together and being responsible doesn't always work out (she says, having been divorced twice ...)

It won't be until next weekend that I get to see the bikes again, but this thread is biasing me to the small and cuddly end of the range, and away from the "more bike than I need ..."  big bad evo ...

But we will see. We will see.

Keep it coming - messages of welcome, chat, information, advice, shoes, ... :-)

Duchess

[Mhanis]

There is NOTHING more fun than torque.

The end.

 

[Slide Panda]

( or do I mean fun and helpful, yet strangely crazy ? - let me  think about that for a while ... probably both :p )

Probably 

[Curmudgeon]

Hello Duchess,

In the event you missed this post on gmerri's intro thread...

"So, my black model is still in route, but the dealer loaned me a used 11 red 796.  My oh my does this thing have plenty of torque for me.  I've got a ways to go to get my experience back, but felt like it went everywhere I looked with ease.  Did a few twisties while the roads were dry but when it got wet, lost that desire.  This model had the 14t sprocket as recommended.  I stayed pretty much in 2 and 3 and maybe got to 5th a couple of times, but really didn't need it."

Probably sounding like a broken record now...  Opinions are cheap and also subjective. As an experienced but returning rider, IMO you'd get bored with a 696 in a few thou. Not enough happens when you wick it up. That won't happen with a 796 and 14T unless you're seriously maniacal.  No doubt you COULD learn to manage an EVO, but you might spend a lot of your concentration on trying to keep it from doing something "rude".

Obviously you have to ride some bikes, but do a price/value comparison as well. I did. Most of the EVO goodies are found on the 796 at minimal upcharge vs a 696. Naturally, YOU decide...

[Le Pirate]

I agree with the dealer up to a point, which is that constantly driving at the limit of performance, just to keep up with normal road traffic, can be wearing and dangerous (my experience riding a 50cc yamaha for 180 miles on main roads on one memorable trip) - but clearly none of the Ducati's will be anywhere near their limits at legal road speeds...  I guess that is why y'all like the 14T option - it brings a bit more of that sweet spot into daily life.

FWIW,

You'll be no where near the limits of the 696 at road legal speeds. You can pull out and pass a line of cars @ 70, and never have to drop a gear. Sure, it isn't the beast that the Evo is, but it's still WAY more than enough on the road. But then again, I'm probably biased. I've ridden alot of different bikes, but I still love my 620.

@Pirate - I love the riding position on a MTS or Hyper ... just need to carry around a step stool as luggage, so I can climb on and off ... oh, and the electronic gizmo the fire service have to turn the upcoming traffic lights to green, so I never have to stop, 'cos my feet wouldn't be able to reach the ground... Or I could ride in awesome stiletto's ... whatcha think ?

agreed on reaching the ground from the multi. I actually step on the peg when I'm mounting one of those adv-touring bikes, cause I can't get my leg over them  Should of thought of that first I guess...

I'd avoid the stilettos....then you'll just have to be beating them off with sticks around here 


oh...and all the crazy lives in the No Moto Section. Enter at your own risk!

[Curmudgeon]

Duchess,

Took the 796 to lunch the long twisty way as it's 85 F here and partly cloudy, at least temporarily.  Sadly rain all weekend but in consolation there's an F1 race to watch!

For reference, with 14T, 80 MPH = 5,000 RPM in 6th. 80 in 5th ~ 5,400 RPM. The whole box is fairly close ratio IMO. Think 5,000 on the bike = 3.000 on your C4 and just as relaxed.

Definitely consider the Tech Spec pads for the faux tank. They really give good support when you get behind slow traffic and you dig your knees into them.

BTW, these bikes have a "heartbeat". No one mentioned that so far, but you'll see that on your rides. Have to go clean 50 miles of speed limit +30 bugs off the baby. 

[Raux]

696 14t will get you about 110mph, 15t about 120 mph.

way more than U.S. legal speeds

[twolanefun]

Wow, way late to this thread I was off having fun at Daytona, but I think I have a contribution. IMHO the stock exhaust on the M1100 EVO does not need to be fooled with it sounds fine and the stock EVO has plenty of power. And the paint kits @ ~$600 are a great option which you may not appreciate at first but someday you might wake up and say I want a change. Lastly the tail bag for the EVO is really nice and well thought out perefct for some overnight/weekend trips. - Gene

[Curmudgeon]

Raux,

She's more interested in the low end of an R100/7 with the mid-range, top end, weight and handling of a 796 (or EVO?!  )

Gene,

You're having too much fun!  Read her intro thread which has more detailed information. She's my size with a 30" inseam and arthritis in her left leg. That tail bag won't work. The tail is already 39". http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=55878.0

Agree with you about noise too. A Triumph buddy of mine with Togas on his Bonneville and Arrows on his Sprint came by last autumn to check out my 796. When he fired it up, he said..., "WOW, they come like that stock"? 

If I were made of $$$, I'd possibly spring for the homolgated Ti Termignoni kit. The bike would be even smoother if it were just a touch richer. Fatduc doesn't make anything for Siemens or DP ECU's but "ungeheuer" mentioned to me that Dynojet makes O2 manipulators to work with a Power Commander V. Will speak with Donnie and see what he thinks and whether he can get the PCV O2 manipulators separately. Might be a nice touch. 

PS. Thanks for the support on the two VA motorcycle bills! After 7/01/12 we can ride away from a stop light together without being arrested!!! 

[twolanefun]

Not sure why you say the tailbag does not work? The tailbag I am talking about is the DP tailbag that was specifically made for the new monster, bolts into the same location as the seat cowl, what am I misssing? - Gene

[Curmudgeon]

It sits on the "back seat" and rises from there. The cowl is 39" already! With the tail bag full, I watched an older gent try to get on his bike. NOT an option with MY hip to get "over" that bag. Just sticking a leg over the seat isn't workable for me either. Maybe for a young, limber guy?

[twolanefun]

Ah, got it. Had not thought about that, I have the same issue on my M900 with the Cortech bag but only when I have the rain suit bag on top of the Cortech. But then I'm still a youngster - Gene