Making the move from Harley to Ducati - what to expect?

[kopfjäger]

Question: If you had to choose between the 821 and the 1200, which would you choose and why?

Neither. They're both ugly.

[Skybarney]

Re Fuel Gauges:  I spent a week touring on a 2012 Multistrada.  The countdown to out of fuel feature is really nice.  Of course it changed miles I would make it, almost as constantly as I changed throttle position.....

A light is a bonus.  Spent a lot of my time reaching down counting mileage and turning the petcock to reserve......

[5D3CanonGirl]

My former Hayabusa had a fuel gauge which was nice, but since switching to a Monster 1200S, I've gotten use to just resetting the trip counter with each tank of gas.  It's very easy to do on the monster.  So that, combined with the instant mpg reading & count down once the fuel light comes on works quite well for me.  As for a gear indicater, I thought of buying one, but have become familiar enough with my bike that I can just look at rpm vs speed and know what gear I'm in.  In fact, I'm starting to get to the point I can tell by feel.  I just love the traction control and ABS brakes though.  :-)

[the_Journeyman]

I've had both, I had a Bandit with one, it was 5 bars across the bottom of the little digital display.  Basically, when you saw it go from two to only one bar, hit reserve, look for station.

With my M750, no gauge, but basically if I'm at riding instead of commuting, I start looking for a station at 150 miles on the trip, fuel light usually comes on shortly after the 150 mark.  Commuting for a whole tank, I start looking for fuel around 125 miles.

JM

[Bill in OKC]

My old Kawasaki and Suzuki do not have either.  You turn the petcock to 'prime' to fill the float bowls and then to 'on' to ride it.  You're only warning is when the bike runs out of gas and then if you catch it in time you reach down and turn the petcock to 'reserve' and start looking for a gas station, hopefully within 30 miles.  It works - but I've made the mistake of forgetting to set it back to 'on' after refilling and then you're SOL when it runs out the next time.

[the_Journeyman]

but I've made the mistake of forgetting to set it back to 'on' after refilling and then you're SOL when it runs out the next time.

Been there, done that. Sucks.  Thank goodness I was riding in familiar area and I knew if I pushed the bike to the top of the hill I was going up, I would be able to coast to a gas station that was a couple miles away.

JM

[seevtsaab]

Well we certainly have the fuel gauge / lack thereof covered.
Obviously those posting here have had some amount of joy during their Ducati ownership.

One thing OP mentioned was riding position, and yes it's different, but if you're average sized
or particularly determined, you'll get used to the riding position after several hundred miles, it's
not that extreme. OP you were observant to note this. While it might feel less comfortable, there's
a lot of control available as has been mentioned. Comfort will come (your ass will give up first).
I haven't ridden (driven?) a Harley / Cruiser, but my the Monster
is so much easier to turn that my  first bike from years ago (KZ 440 LTD with the buckhorn bars).
The Monster is a much more involved experience - good luck.

[muskrat]

so for a just shy of hijacking thread being derailed - a bit, what did you decide or are leaning towards?  If you can jump on a good used Multi Strada DO IT.  That's my next bike but the Electra Glide stays with me forever and ever.

[Kev M]

so for a just shy of hijacking thread being derailed - a bit, what did you decide or are leaning towards?  If you can jump on a good used Multi Strada DO IT.  That's my next bike but the Electra Glide stays with me forever and ever.

YES, what will it be - Burger, Pizza, or Wurst?

[SDRider]

so for a just shy of hijacking thread being derailed - a bit, what did you decide or are leaning towards?  If you can jump on a good used Multi Strada DO IT.  That's my next bike but the Electra Glide stays with me forever and ever.

  I said after I first rode the Multistrada 1200 S that if I could have any 2 bikes on the planet that the Multistrada would be one of them.

[DM426]

One thing OP mentioned was riding position, and yes it's different, but if you're average sized or particularly determined, you'll get used to the riding position after several hundred miles, it's not that extreme. OP you were observant to note this. While it might feel less comfortable, there's a lot of control available as has been mentioned.

I still haven't made a final decision on which bike to get yet. It's between the R Nine T, the Monster, and the GS Adventure. But on the subject of riding sport-oriented bikes, I found this helpful video which shows some important details.

[Kev M]

Cute but dumb as a rock... she should probably go back to porn. 

[muskrat]

Did you ride a Multi yet? 

That video was very useful. 

[HotIce]

That video was very useful. 

Indeed. She helped with my posture a lot! 
Though, she missed to talk about the ass position on the seat. Next episode? 

[Skybarney]

As any good racer knows part of every lesson on riding well should include a lesson on getting off as well..........   


off to the ban myself thread.................