Reports on my Demo day test rides :)

Really good write-ups. Thanks.
I enjoy reading write-ups about other bikes people don't own. They are often really interesting.

 

Interesting seeing though you ride an 848. I took an 899 for a test ride last Tuesday expecting it to prove an expensive half hour and didn't get it. I have had a 916, 748sp, hyper 1100s and my current 848 streetfighter and can't see me buying anything other than another Ducati however, the 899 felt completely alien, had to rev the balls off it to pull away and until I got it on an open A road it felt all wrong with none of the bottom end to midrange grunt even my sf has.

It sounded fantastic, looks fantastic and I really wanted to like it but unless I change my riding habits to Sunday A road blasts and track days, it genuinely didn't do as much for me as the streetfighter does and I was glad to get back on my own bike. Maybe I need to ride one for longer.

 

Nice write up ET.. if you like the 899, I agree with Richie; try a boggo 1199. It is a tad lighter, has even more torque, flipping loud with standard cans and is just as easy to ride. I did and have ended up with both bikes (am very lucky)…. love taking the 899 out for 100 mile ride or so, the 1199 tho'…just don't want to get off. Both are brilliant fun, excellent ride…beautiful bikes. Had an 848 evo, before these, and in my opinion the difference between the 899 and 848 is vast!!

 

Can't bloody afford to! I might like it too much.

 

Well you did better than me, I rang DMC to book a slot on the 899. So rocked up on Saturday at noon license in hand big grin etc etc.
They dont have a demo 899 at DMC!! WTF Unfortutanty the lad I spoke to had gotten confussed with next weekend when the Ducati UK roadshow truck is there with its demo bikes. So I was a week early!! Or not depenig on your view

I wanted a couple of hours on the 899, not a follow my leader sedate group ride with DUK.

On a plus point I spent an hour in Amari Supercars next door rubbing myself over some very exotic metal

 

Was it in wet mode, as in race you don't need to wring its neck at all.

 

It was in sport mode for the first 10 minutes, the managed to switch it to race mode and to be fair it was a lot better. I really want to like it and it is a lot different to the sf so perhaps a longer test ride is in order. I have to replace the sf with something sooner or later.

 

Nice write ups El T, looking forward to you riding the 899 down to Norfolk soon then!

 

Nice review, deposit down on one yet then ?

I 'need' one of these but finances dictate I cannot have one at the moment. Got the Blade just last year and it really is easy to ride albeit the footrests are even higher than my 848's were so not great for my aging knees. Sat on an 1199 and it felt more like a tourer than the 748/848 bikes with the weight on the wrists.

Need to have myself a test of an 899 I think.

 

Thanks for the write up El T - good to hear a back to back comparison of the Diavel and 1200 Monster.

As a 5'2 1/2 weed, I can also vouch for the shortarse friendliness of the Diavel, having test ridden one last year. For any fellow shorties considering the 11 degree testastretta, the Diavel is definitely lower than the 1200 Monster (which when I sat on it at the Birmingham show last year was definitely too tall for me to consider riding).

 

Two Easter eggs, and a curly wurly-that's my best offer.

 

Must be keen, it was 8500 other day

 

Was the height of the 899 OK or were you on tippy toes?

 

So is £8000.01