Well today was the day that I picked up the diavel. After a smooth handover from Bryan at MR I took her out for a ride. First I had to get used to the new riding position and get used to the new peg positions. Took a few miles but slowly started to get used to it. These first few miles were riding through Winchester. The only grumble was finding neutral at lights. Constantly flicking between 1st and 2nd, never hitting neutral. In the end I gave up, but it did improve slightly throughout the day as the miles went by. once clear of Winchester I headed over to Salisbury on roads well ridden on my 848. The diavel is so much more comfortable, and a generally less stressful ride, but F-me its quick. Stick to 6k rpm I was told. Stick i did not. Well I tried to! Quite a few times I was stuck behind cars mincing along at 40, sit in 3rd, wait for the gap and I'm off. No down change just go, the torque pushing you along. On the 848 I'd have to make sure I was in the right gear and plan things a bit more. Not with this. my route took me into Salisbury, the across to westbury via Warminster, on to devises, Marlborough and tidworth. Some of the roads around here aren't the best, but the diavel took them in her stride. Surfaces that would have had me bouncing out of the seat on the 848 were bearable, but the suspension still needs work. The front feels pretty hard, and I've wound the rear preload in, then out 10 clicks, but at times it can feel a bit soft. Handling wise I actually prefer it to the 848. The wide bars male the bike feel quite light, and pretty easy to turn. You have to pay attention though, as a few times it caught me out( being lazy) and the front pushed wide. It's just not as pinpoint accurate as the 848. One thing I didn't realise was how much the fairings on the 848 did for me. The lack of them now certainly makes me more aware of speed. throughout the ride I played with the riding modes. Urban makes the bike seem asthmatic, I doubt I'll use it much unless I get caught in heavy rain say. There's not much difference between sport and touring other than the throttle response is a bit less sudden. I think sport will be the setting of choice. I've left DTC and ABS at default settings. once home I was sad to put it away, I just wanted to carry on hooning around. I covered just over 110 miles and felt fine. On the 848 I'd have been a sweaty mess after some of the traffic I'd been in and ready to stop. Looking at the bike sat in the garage tonight I know I made the right choice. This bike is spot on for what I want out of biking at the moment. Mods wise I don't think I'm going to do any. It doesn't need it. The exhaust is loud enough, seats comfy enough and for once the mirrors work! The termi full system does sound the nuts though:wink:
No chance. They set the bike off. I think if they were powder coated it'd make the bike look heavy. They're gonna be a bitch to keep clean though!
Love new bike days. Enjoy. Watch the brakes. I live on a hill and broke as I'd brake on my 916 for the bend at the bottom. Needless to say the 1198 brakes are bloody amazing by comparison and thus grabbing a handful came as a bit of a shock.
Very nice Matt. Glad you're enjoying it. re helmets, I find my Arai Chaser louder than my old Shoei X1000 (although I prefer the fit of the Arai) but a decent set of ear plus is probably the way to go. The trouble is the noise will depend on how the air hits the lid as it comes off the bike and you'll never know if its going to be quiet enough without buying it. I get more noise on the 848 than I do on the Speed Triple with a pixie hat fairing....its just the difference in how the air hits you.
I agree ref the helmets, it totally depends on the bike. For example my X-Spirit 2 works brilliantly on my Daytona 675, but on my dads Triumph Thruxton it's not great. I hate my Arai Chaser, it is really noisy and, well I just hate it. Nice bike, I was in MR 2 weeks ago, did you trade your 848 in? wasn't the white and red one was it?
Yep traded the 848 in but that Evo wasn't mine. I do use ear plugs sometimes, but if I'm out for a while I like to have the iPod with noise cancelling earphones. the helmet is 3 years old, so could be due for a change anyway.
Nice one, on the white wheels though, my 1990 900ss had white wheels, for a year only... red was easier after that.
wheels look great, just give them a good few coats of polish, then clean with a rag and wd40, I like the colour contrast of white wheels on a red bike, very nice, enjoy
