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MT-09 Ride Review

27/6/2016

I rode a 2014 MT09 with 15K KMs on it and an Akrapovic exhaust. It is on sale for 8K. The brand new Brutale RR costs 21K though you can get a decent 2013/14 one for 12.

The MT09 and the Brutale are similar in so many ways. Lightweight, powerful, triple-cylinder performance naked is the basic formula. And from there they depart. While the MT09 remains true to that basic ethos, the MV builds it out with dollops of electronics, tuning and struts out of Italy wrapped in the most stunning packaging. The MT09 is a good looking motorcycle in its own right though and with a bit of work can be made to look quite purposeful. As you get on it, the seat is low and if I flat foot both my feet, I can actually stand up and lift my bum off the seat an inch. This is really weird and something I haven't experienced since riding 100cc shitboxes back in India. I don’t like this. I bounce up and down on the stationary bike and the suspension feels very soft. Pushing the forks makes the bike rock like a playground rocking horse. Not a good start!

Thumbing the motor starts to bring the smile back to my face. It sounds crisp with the classic Triple cylinder cyclic rattle. It sounds like an inline 4 and then suddenly every split second there’s an extra beat that you’re not expecting and is the signature of the triple. The riding position is fantastic once you’re moving, with high bars and roomy ergos you quickly forget how low the seat is. Twist the throttle and the thing just GOES! The acceleration really took me by surprise as with the soft suspension and easy ergonomics, I wasn’t expecting sportsbike take offs! The front gets light immediately and the whole package makes sense. It’s ridiculously easy to ride, turns effortlessly and stays planted. The brakes are very good, excellent bite though I only braked down from 100KMPH so not sure how they bring you back from 200. The dive under brakes is terrible but I will come to suspension in a bit. I gunned it more and more to see if the top end was as good as the bottom and mid-range and it is. Upto 10K RPM I think it revs and it pulls cleanly throughout. One does not need any more acceleration than this thing provides.

That’s what I’d be doing. Everywhere!

The 2 glitches that most reviews talk about are the snatchy fuelling and the suspension.
The snatchy fuelling, I can happily confirm, does not exist. Well, at least it didn’t on the bike I tested. It may have been sorted. The throttle response was perfect in A mode (the most aggressive), much easier to control than the Brutale. I wouldn’t change modes on this thing at any time except maybe when its raining. A is perfect.

The suspension has been called out, in almost every review, as a weakness. And while I take journos opinions with a grain of salt, this time I concur. It is just squishy, soft and wallowy. Dives under braking like a seagull chasing a discarded chip. As a result it is very comfortable but most unsettling charging corners hard. The whole ship is pogoing around you. The suspension is adjustable I’m told but I think you will need to spend some good coin to get it sorted.
But herein lies the brilliance of the MT09. It is so cheap, you can afford to buy a brand new one, throw 2 grand at the suspension and it will still be cheaper than used bikes from the competition. Yamaha have hit the ball out of the park on the value for money stakes with this thing. It has unbelievable performance for what it costs.
The best thing about the MT09 is that despite its cheap entry price and substantial performance, it’s perfectly neutral and so easy to ride that one feels comfortable at any lean angle and any speed, almost immediately.
After my test ride, I looked up some MT09s on internet forums and I reckon with a bit work, the bike can be turned into a real weapon and a looker.

Overall I was amazed that the performance of the 21K Brutale RR and the 12K MT09 was very similar and with a 14K MT09 (with upgraded suspension), it would be dead even. You would really WANT that MV to spend 21K on a brand new one.

I then rode a Ducati Streetfighter 848 >>

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Test Riding 2016

26/6/2016

“I’m thinking about getting a new bike” I said to my wife a couple of weeks ago. Usually her reaction is a roll of her eyes or a kick in the nuts, depending on whether the kids have been at childcare or at home that day. This time she stopped tinkering with her phone, looked at me and said “Yeah, it’s been a while since you bought one. Which one are you thinking of getting?”. I stared at her for a few seconds to make sure she wasn’t doing one of those things that women do when they say something but it means the opposite. Like “Its fine, do whatever you want”. She wasn’t.
You know you’ve fucking nailed the buildup to buying a new bike when your wife not only agrees that you need a new bike but is actually interested in what bikes you might be considering. The last time this happened was in 2004, when I was buying my first post-marriage motorcycle. “We” (not me and Casey) bought a VFR then and she recommended the blue colour. “We” haven’t bought a motorcycle since though “I” have bought many.

Anyway, that same evening the CBR was on Gumtree and the day after that, it was BrotherPete’s. And the day after that, I was test riding!

I’m going back to a big bore naked. The CBR has been a great little bike but I’ve missed the torque and hooliganism potential of a crazy naked. As some of you might already be aware, I love the hunt for a new bike. I’m not one of those people who just looks at a bike, knows that’s for them and they live happily ever after. Naah. Too easy! I like to drag this process out. It’s like foreplay, it’s the best bit. A bit of teasing, a bit of probing, oohs and aahs and then when you’re ready, you dive in head first, so to speak. Buying the bike straight away would be like premature ejaculation!

This is my system for getting a new bike. I start with a budget (13K in this case) and look at every possible 2 wheeled contraption I can attain in that price range. Many sleepless nights and workless days of internet research later, I have narrowed it down to a genre and 5-6 bikes.

I love test riding. Whats not to like?! That is always the true test of a bike’s suitability for what I’m looking for. And I’m looking for different things at different times. And I don't always know what i'm looking for. But slowly, it becomes clearer the more bikes I research and ride. But this time was different. I already knew I wanted a Tuono V4R. I’ve lusted after this bike since I first saw it. And now I have the money to buy a decent 2nd hand one. It’s a no-brainer. Find best value V4R, buy it. Have massive party with the latest addition to your family, uncle Bob.

But..aha… Oh yeah But! Life, full of twisties eh?

You test ride a few bikes anyway because your innate indianness must find justification for your decision. And you’re a bike whore.

Wham MT09! WhamBam Brutale 800RR!

I’ve never ridden a proper modern performance nakedbike. Not a Tuono v4, not a Streetfighter, not a Brutale 1090RR. I've ridden a 2011 Z1000 and a 2011 Speed Triple R but let me tell you right now, the world has moved. In a fantastic direction. The MT09 and the Brutale 800 are incredible bikes. In similar and different ways.

I rode 4 different bikes in one manic day of dealer hopping and test riding. I spent about half an hour in an urban environment on semi dry roads with some corners and a little freeway travel thrown in. Here are my thoughts.

2015 Brutale 800RR

Look at it. Fuck.

MV has re-invented itself with the triple range. While there may be questions about their reliability, there is no question about their boldness. Wild, whacky and attention grabbing machines. True to the MV spirit. The Dragster, Rivale and Brutale are all essentially the same bike with minor differences. And it’s a great bike.
The Brutale 800 looks tiny and that impression is perpetuated when you sit on it. The seat is small, the tank is small and you basically look down the forks if you lean forward too much. The weight seems comparable to my 4 year old daughter's pushbike. Factoring in the training wheels on her bike would tip the scales in the Brutale's favour. Starting it up an angry, raspy unmistakably Triple cylinder engine grabs your attention. The kind of note that you want to listen to for a while. The all-digital dash has much information and many options. I zone out as the salesman toggles the modes, engine braking, throttle sensitivity, ABS and Traction Control settings. I will pay attention if I buy it. Right now I’m desperate to unleash this thing. It has me intrigued.
MotoTecnica in Artarmon are the only MV Agusta dealer now in Sydney, having taken over the dealership from Trooper Lu’s a couple of years ago. The shop is well laid out with lots of Bike porn hanging around

Like this Lewis Hamilton special Dragster thing that you could ride to the Mardi Gras if you were homosexual or tricurious.

It seems like a Chinese operation at MotoTecnica with both the sales guy and the chief mechanic being chinese. They were friendly, helpful and courteous. The mechanic sent me off with a “You must push this bike. If you don’t push an MV Agusta, you’re missing the point”. I wondered if he meant that in a “It will stop and then you have to push it back” kinda way but then figured he probably meant you need to ride this baby hard for it to come into its own. He wasted his breath. There is no other way to ride this thing. As soon as you take off, it’s like the bike chuckles to itself and rubs its hands with glee. “heh, new meat, lets see what this guy’s about”. And then it grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go till you roll on that throttle. 3 wheelies in the first 5 minutes. All of them unintentional. Wheelies from stop lights. Wheelies out of corners and wheelies over speed bumps. Fark. Me.

This is the revised 2016 model whaich has 2 world firsts
1. It has less power and more weight than the previous model
2. It has a hole under the seat. Presumably to air out your balls as you unwind after a hot and sweaty run

I rode the 2015RR and it is INSANE. The throttle is so light, I reckon you could make it rev by blowing hard on it or even looking intently in its direction for long enough. This may be perceived as jerky by some people but I found it to just be exciting. There’s only noticeable snatch on long decelerations or steady throttle under 3K RPM. But who the fuck rides like that?! You twist 5 degrees on the throttle and get instant throttle totally disproportionate to the effort. And you twist some more, and the thrust just keeps on coming. There’s no flat spots or hesitation, just propulsion, from 3K to 16K. There’s no red line, just an abrupt rev limiter. Peak HP is around 14K so probably best to grab another gear around then. You’ll be well over the speed limit by then and the authorities would probably be scrambling helicopters to reel you in. But you will not be giving a fuck about any of that. You will be laughing in your helmet and shaking your head at how anyone could be depressed in a world that produces motorcycles like this.

In case I haven’t been clear, I loved it. The engine sounds and goes great. Brakes are eye popping. Wheelies are mandatory. Suspension is firm. The whole impression of the motorcycle is one of taut and muscular agility. I’d love to push it more in some proper twisties. And that’s exactly what I’m planning to do tomorrow. Take the non RR version (which I can actually afford) for a spin through some twisties on the south coast. I test rode it for a laugh, not expecting it to seriously impress me. But that’s exactly what this firecracker of a bike has done. It’s made it to the next level. With flying colours. Lots of flying colours.

I looked at this one later in the day at a private seller but the bastard didn't let me ride it. I think he was racist.

I rode the MT-09 next >>

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Ducati Streetfighter 848 Review

26/6/2016

The streetfighter is unmistakable in its styling. It’s mean, aggressive and truly does justice to it’s name, unlike many other pretenders trying to associate themselves with the “streetfighter” tag. The original streetfighter 1098 rode like it looked, a snarling beast of a bike with uncompromising riding position, engine response and handling. I would not consider that bike for the same reason I wouldn’t consider the Tuono, it’s suited to higher speed riding and will be too much of a compromise for everyday urban use. But the 848 intrigued me. The same aggressive looks, in a softer, more user-friendly package. I decided to ride it.

The riding position is very different to the Monster 1200 I so enjoyed. The seat is higher, less than half the thickness and even less than half the comfort. It’s slanted forward and the reach to the low and fairly narrow bars puts you in a fairly sporty stance. It’s a very good riding position for sporty riding though and I enjoyed it. The tank is so thin at the base that it couldn’t be wider than my ball sack. Now, admittedly I have huge balls but never in the history of my motorcycle career have my balls gone around the tank, one on either side. I could buy it for that feeling alone.

The beating engine has a more pronounced sound than the Monster and certainly more pronounced pulsing through the frame and seat. Very pleasant. and mildly erotic.

Taking off I suddenly feel like I’m sitting on top of the front wheel and am turning the bars from vertically under me instead of in front. It’s a bit strange but you quickly get used to it. The bike hates being in traffic. The throttle off idle is snatchy and it hunts if held flat under 4K RPM. There’s not much sensation of torque under 4K, which is unusual for a twin but it wakes up significantly beyond that. The show wraps up quickly after about 9K RPM so the powerband is fairly short and you’ll need to work the gearbox on this bike to extract optimal performance, like a supersports.

The handling is sweet though. The racy riding position and excellent forks give fantastic feel for the front end, the best out of all the bikes I’ve tested. It’s a really front-endy bike. This is consistent with its very aggressive front end look where the whole bike is slanted forward. The bike turns really easily and because you feel like you’re holding onto the fork tubes directly, it can feel a bit alarming as the front tyre bites, pivots and bounces during the turn. I suspect you just get used to this and it will feel completely natural. For someone who rides a streetfighter regularly, all other bikes must seem to suffer a serious lack of front end feel! Change of direction is almost unsettlingly quick but putting a few corners together on the streetfighter is very enjoyable as you lean into corners effortlessly and power out of them strongly if you get the gear selection right. One surprising shortcoming is the ground clearance. I managed to grind my boot on the floor twice during just normal riding on not especially tight corners. I suspect I would regularly scrape the pegs on a tight road like MacPass or Mount Kiera. I haven’t scraped hard parts on a bike for so long that this appears a serious shortcoming to me though may not be as bad as it sounds once you get used to it.

Brakes, ah, yes the brakes are excellent. Some kind of Brembo. Strong bite and easy to modulate. They are thankfully not too strong as because of the riding position, an overly sensitive brake lever would see many an unwary pilot go flying over the bars.

The suspension is firm but not uncomfortable. The front, especially is extremely communicative, providing an exciting and confidence inspiring ride.

What else? Clocks – full digital monochrome, tiny and a bit hard to read. At least they don’t get in the way of the view ahead, which is excellent. It has traction control. Didn’t play around with it at all. Probably works well. Ducati performance electronics are usually well regarded.
The under seat toolkit consists of a single allen key. This signifies either Ducati’s amazing confidence in it’s product or an intimate knowledge of its customers. I suspect it’s the latter.

The Streetfighter is a direct competitor to the Brutale 800 and MT09 and stands its ground well against both of them. Handling and suspension wise, it is better than both. Not as agile but more stable, surefooted and confidence inspiring. Its engine is peculiar with a narrow operating range and some will love it while others won’t. It will be harder work in traffic than either of the triples but on par with them in the twisties. Styling wise, it is super cool, on par with the MV.

The V-twin is very well matched with the triples and the one you pick out of these 3 will say more about you than it would about the bike.

The MV for Flashy McHoon, the MT for Hoony McScrooge and the Ducati for Snobby McTwin. Which one are you?

I then rode some Big Bore Nakeds >>

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Brutale 1090 vs Tuono V4R vs Monster 1200S

26/6/2016

The big boys! All of these bad boys have a true swagger about them. Like they know they’re at the pinnacle of the pyramid. Not the good looking, lean, 6 pack flashing athletes like the Mid weight nakeds. These machines are the guys lifting the whole weight rack at the gym, screaming in agony, veins popping, t-shirts ripping staring menacingly around the gym for challengers. I avoid making eye contact with such types at the gym and I tried my best to avoid making contact with them in this test riding caper. But fuck. They’re irresistible. You just can’t help but stare. And touch. Not the boys ya homo. The bikes.

The Brutale first. I've been intrigued by the Brutale legend for a long time. People talk in hushed tones of a wild and uncontrollable beast that only the bravest and wiliest hunters could tame. It looks amazing on paper (and in photos!) but you hardly see any on the street. Once in a while it shows up in a big bore naked bike comparison test. All the journos throw big and complicated words around when they talk about it but none chooses it as their favourite. I've just never understood what makes this bike extremely special but never desirable. I felt I was ready to find out for myself.

Purdy

The 1090 was parked right next to the 800RR and the first thing I notice is the visual uplift in bulk over the diminutive 800. If Mike Tyson was a motorcycle, he would be a Brutale 1090. Barrel torso, huge hunched shoulders, a bull's neck supporting a smooth, round head(light). The word “Stocky” comes to mind. Sitting on it confirms this initial impression. It’s not super heavy but definitely bulky. Its only short compared to most big bore nakeds though and it’s an easy and comfortable position in the cockpit. This thing just rips but. Straight off idle. No building up the revs like a normal inline 4. Don’t know what kind of steroids the MV doctors have pumped into this thing but it’s just animalistic insane. Nearly high sided heading out of the driveway. I’m used to revving the shit out of the CBR to get it going though!

It just gets faster and faster and the tach needle keeps climbing till suddenly you’re entering a suburban roundabout doing 100KM an hour. You jam on the anchors which bite hard and the whole fucking thing compresses into the frame and you think you’re going over the bars. You push on the left bar to get it turned and it drops effortlessly and picks a precise line and you think wow! Then as you get on the gas to exit the roundabout, the front wheel hits a little bump while leaned over, the handlebars shake, the beast in the engine howls and you have gone from Shit to Wow to Shit 3 times in the first minute aboard. Soooo much power, short wheelbase, sharp brakes, firm suspension and 220KG of weight (that’s how much it feels like when you’re charging into a tight corner. I have no idea what the spec sheet says about the weight). The whole show is extremely exciting, bordering on nerve wracking. There’s a line between excitement and fear. I was over on the fear side for more time in that 30 minute ride than I have been on the CBR in a year. I haven’t felt like this since the first time I rode a SuperDuke 990 many years ago. I am a lot better rider now and SuperDukes scare me no more. But Brutale 1090s do! I would have to be a lot better rider to extract the kind of performance out of the Brutale that it has. To ride a bike to its potential while having fun, that’s what it’s all about isn’t it? Not just scaring yourself silly!

I now understand why Magazines don’t put this bike at the top of their lists. Because they know that if the average reader goes and buys this thing, they will kill themselves. The magazines don’t want that kind of mass murder on their hands.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

To the Tuono then. I must preface this review with context. I have lusted after the Tuono V4R and had wet dreams of riding the thing through some twisties, the V4 on song, for years. If I was into weird sexual stuff, I would be seeking out orifices in the frame to satisfy myself.

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that this test riding caper started with the Tuono V4R so far in front of the contenders that I never even imagined I would buy anything else. It was an academic, record-keeping exercise. It has turned out to be anything but that will be summarised later. My thoughts on the Tuono.

DAT V4 SOUND!

When the sales guy wheeled the matt black Tuono into the workshop to put some fuel in, I waited outside and looked around. And then he started it. I couldn’t see it, just hear it. I LOLed. Instantly and literally. “You’re buying this thing Harry. Cut the crap and tell him to take your money. You don’t even need to ride it.” But I did ride it.

It feels very sporty compared to the other naked bikes in this test. The seat is high, hard and sloped forward. The tank is long and you need to reach for the bars. It’s not uncomfortable, just purposeful. Sitting in the cockpit, you’re under no illusion that you’re going for a tootle around town. But it easily tootles around town. I was surprised. The take-off is hassle free and super smooth, like a typical 4 cylinder. It’s perfectly happy to sit under 4K in first or second gear without needing to slip the clutch very much. It’s not twitchy at low revs like the Brutale, which is constantly straining at the leash. And you rev, and it goes. And you back off and it slows. No hiccups, the throttle does everything exactly like you ask it to. Very Honda’esque! There’s not overbearing torque below 5K and it feels very civilized. But over that it just puts down and takes off. Not in a wheeleeing kind of way but more of a drag racer. Just pure acceleration. Too fast I think. Speedo says 9K RPM in second gear. There another 5K to go. Fuck. Where will I use this much power? The first seeds of doubt are sown.

There’s a bit of travel in the brakes before they engage but when they do, it comes on strong and sharp. The suspension is wonderfully composed and the whole impression is one of refinement and ease. This is somewhat at odds with the raucous, intoxicating sound emanating constantly from the engine and exhaust. It turns easily and feels incredibly planted when over. It just does everything so well without ever breaking a sweat.
I don’t know what happened though. I was expecting the bike to just grab and impress me immediately and it didn’t quite do that. I think that’s not because of anything the bike doesn’t do well. But because it nails its design brief! Ha. The Aprilia engineers probably have their hands in their heads reading this.
This is a 1000cc sportsbike. Make no mistake. When I started this test I wanted a Tuono V4R but certainly didn’t want a 1000CC sportsbike. What the fuck was I thinking? Didn’t think this through did you Harry? Like the Dog caper. I have believed for a long time (since my R1) that a 1000CC sportsbike is just overkill for most road riding conditions and compromised too much for everyday use. That’s why bikes like the MT09 and the Brutale 800 are so attractive to me. Power off the bottom, in real world conditions and front wheel lofting fun, everywhere. A lot more involving at slower speeds.

Everytime I stopped at the lights, I would listen to the intoxicating sound from the V4. Almost couldn’t be bothered taking off when they turned green! And I’m thinking “Yep, definitely buying this thing!” But everytime I twisted the throttle, I was reminded of my daily commute. 20-80 KMPH through traffic. This is 80% of my riding nowadays, with maybe 1 big day ride a month and a couple of big rides a year, like Tumbarumba. It is what it is. The Tuono would be absolutely epic on the longer runs but so underutilised on a daily basis that it would frustrate me to tears. I’m not one of those people that can stay happy on the look and sound of a bike alone. I need to feel like I’m riding the bike to somewhere near its potential. On the Tuono, I have fuck all chance to do that for 90% of my riding situations. I think my ambition might've outweighed my reality in this case.

You can see where this is going. This is why you I test ride bikes. Wish we could test ride dogs.

To be honest, once I realized the Aprilia was way too much bike for what I want to do, I didn’t really “test” ride it anymore. Sure, I rode it around for another 20 minutes, but in a state of shock more than eager probing. My mind went into overdrive trying to come to terms with the fact that even though I could now buy my dream motorcycle, that purchase made no sense. I had started the day on an incredible high, with the Brutale 800RR. I ended it heartbroken, not knowing where I was heading with this caper anymore.

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Monster 1200S

Fuck. Out of nowhere.

This bike was nowhere near my shortlist. I’ve heard about this bike, like you hear about new bikes being launched and then flick the magazine to the next page. It’s not particularly good looking or specced or popular. No-one really raves about them. It never makes the headlines in any of the shootouts, which are dominated by the Tuono, S1000R and the SuperDuke 1290. There’s a little paragraph somewhere about this new Monster. No-one cares.

They are wrong.

This is the best road bike I have ever ridden. So under-rated.

I went to Steel City Motorcycles in Wollongong to test ride the Brutale 800. Bang across from them is Frasers. I didn’t know this and was pleasantly surprised because I was planning on pinching a ride on an 848 Streetfighter. That bike I was very interested in because based on internet reviews, it was nailing my search criteria. But Fraser’s Wollongong informed me that the Streetfighter line has been discontinued and they weren’t making them anymore and they didn’t have any used ones to sell either. I didn’t know that actually and very surprised because I thought the Streetfighter was a great looking bike and especially the 848, with its more accessible power and better handling than its bigger brother, was selling heaps. Anyway, the salesman asked me if I had considered a Monster the 1200. They had an S version on special for 16,999. That was definitely over my budget but I said, hey what the hell, the sun is shining and I’m in Wollongong, surrounded by glorious twisty roads. Why not!

After the first roundabout, this bike had my full attention.

It looks OK, never struck me as particularly handsome but is a similar stocky build like the Brutale but with lots of exposed mechanical stuff. Those beautiful, weird and purposeful exhaust headers being the most striking feature. Sitting on it feels really good. Excellent ergonomics, the seat is incredibly plush. Best riding position of a naked bike I’ve ridden. The rider’s view is fantastic, just clear scenery. No screen, no clutter, very compact and elegant TFT dash. It feels about the same weight as the Brutale when you pick it off the stand but as you get going you quickly realize that’s where the similarity between these 2 bikes end. The V-Twin engine is the same as the Multistrada and the Diavel and is the perfect roadbike engine. I am convinced. Big dollops of V-Twin goodness but with perfect fuelling and immediate thrust. The thrust really is amazing, right from 2K. The throttle is ride by wire but has great feeling and connection to the rear tyre, unlike the MV, which really seems very artificial compared to this.

This is the first bike I've ridden where the Ride Modes are extremely effective and actually make sense. The modes also set your ABS and TC settings and you can set the 3 modes to whatever you want. The S model has 145HP and in Sport you get all of them and it is a wild rush. In Normal, you get all horses but with less immediate throttle response. Urban has 100HP and I had no reason to use it but might be handy when its pouring down or while riding behind your mates on older Ducatis leaking oil. I left it in sport on my ride.

But enough about electronics, this bike is not great because of electronics. Its wonderfully balanced. The S model comes with top of the line Ohlins suspension and brembo brakes straight off the Panigale. The weight of the bike is wonderfully balanced with neither forward nor rearward bias. It is so easy to ride it at walking pace that it does not feel like a 200KG bike at any speed. It turns nicely, not as quick as a Brutale 800 but you will be able to take almost as tight lines on the Monster as on the Brutale despite the 20KG weight difference, because the thing is so well balanced in its geometry and composed by its suspension. I smashed through the same Mounta Kiera twisties that I’d romped on the Brutale 15 minutes ago and I'm sure I was quicker and most certainly smoother on this. And DAT V-TWIN. Thrumming away. In sport mode the Monster truly is monstrous, wanting to pick its front wheel at every surface imperfection. I wasn’t even trying to wheelie, just exiting corners hard.

Yes, that will be me. up MacPass

Now this is Brutale 800 territory. 25 and 35K corners. Bumpy and narrow goat track stuff. The Brutale with its light weight and quick turning should be owning this road. Nah. The Monster was all over it. In fact a funny thing happened. After I gave the Brutale 800 back at Steel City Motorcycles and walked over to Ducati, I saw another guy was lining up for a test ride on the Brutale. By sheer co-incidence I caught up to him at Mount Kiera and saw that he struggling with the tight corners. I blew past him. After the twisty section I stopped and waited for him to have a chat. He was a nice chap and shook his head at the Brutale. Didn’t jell with it at all. Too flighty he said. He mentioned that he regularly rides this road on his Husky Nuda and nails it. My ears perked up at this as the Nuda was on my list of bikes to ride and we had a chat about it. He loved the thing and generously offered me a test ride on his after we finished this. Ha, perfect! More on the Nuda later.

The Monster so. Fark me. Really impressive bike. This is exactly what I’m looking for in my big naked, big power in a small package. A great riding position, plenty of useable power, fantastic handling, good components and giggles. I got all of those. Lots of them. The seat is super plush, its 3 inches thick. The power goes from 2k to 10K and then you change up. I like that. This kind of power band I can easily use and I don’t have 5 thousand unused RPMs staring at me, taunting my manhood. It’s all really geared for low-end torque and there’s dollops of it. Post riding research confirmed mys eat of the pants feel. The Monster is actually quicker than most super nakeds upto 100KMPH. Just loses out on horsepower after that. I was not surprised at all by this. It certainly felt quicker than the Tuono around town, if not the Brutale. And heaps more involving. DAT V-TWIN.

This bike has perked me up after the debacle of the Tuono and reminded me about the intoxicating nature of a big V-twin. I had never ridden a big Ducati before. I so fucken understand now. It’s a lot more money than I want to spend but it’s the only bike I’ve tested till now that really makes me want to blow my budget. And my load.

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MT-09 Ride Review

Test Riding 2016

Ducati Streetfighter 848 Review

Brutale 1090 vs Tuono V4R vs Monster 1200S

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Archives

You can Contact Me via my Facebook Page or Email

MT-09 Ride Review

Test Riding 2016﻿

﻿Ducati Streetfighter 848 Review

Brutale 1090 vs Tuono V4R vs Monster 1200S

Category

Archives

You can Contact Me via my Facebook Page or Email

Test Riding 2016

Ducati Streetfighter 848 Review