im thinking of parting with my 1098s and looking for a sport classic with the half fairing . anyhows im finding im riding much to fast on the 1098s and want something that gives the thrills below the ton. so im wondering are they easy to wheelie,whats the handling like, would I end up lusting for more power etc etc.....any advice would be great.
If you want a wheelie bike then just keep your 1098. They handle fine as a roadbike but this is so subjective that you'll never get a proper reply unless you actually try one. They have basic suspension (though the S has better rear shocks) which can be easily upgraded if you need to, brakes are more basic but work fine with a bit more input in most circumstances. If your after a trackbike for the road you'll have that already so I think you'd need to ask yourself why you'd want one of these instead. I've seen so many of these with 'improvements' it makes me wonder why the buyers didn't just get a half faired SS1000 instead. (they wont be as comfy as your bike either)
The red faired version is prettiest bike to come out of Bologna in last 20yrs imho. but had radical riding position on a bike that was primarily aimed at the older enthusiast. I wanted one till I had a sit on it. I've since seen higher adjustable clip-ons fitted on them, which is all they need + a set of conti reps or 2:1. Brakes are fixed piston on wheel side to keep calipers slim for spoked wheels so I was told.
Higher clip ons wont always fit properly on an S as they may foul the fairing, theres a spacer holding them down from the top yoke which can be removed if need be. I never bothered and a bigger clutch slave was the only mod I made to ease the riding position, lever pull is an issue after a bit with such a stretched ergo.
Thinking of trying these on my S ....... anybody tried them on their S or PS ? BSR5035 - SEMIMANUBRI REGOLABILI 50mm RIALZO 35 mm - SPORT 1000 MONOPOSTO / PAUL SMART 1000 LE - SPORT CLASSIC
Standard bike is good (SC1000S), but for serious handling you will need to update the suspension, fit stickier tyres and decrease some weight. Getting the spring rates right are a must and adjustability to suit your style important if you want to flick this thing around. I've done the suspension, tyres and realistic weight paring on mine and have to say the handling is spot on. Good turn in, super stable mid corner, great traction. Riding position is "sporty", I can ride hard for a couple of hours and come off fresh. I have removed the spacer which raises the Clipons about 10mm. A well tuned DS1000 motor creates great mid-range torque which makes these bike fun to ride. At 100HP it will not stop your heart like the latest panigale but if road riding is your preference you will love this engine. You can use every last one of those HPs! Yes the bike will wheelie, the torque means it will come up just with the throttle in first or second gear. Brakes are good as standard, front is two piston....plenty to stand it on its nose with the lightness of this bike. I have had a set of 4 piston goldline brembos ready to install, but haven't bothered as the stock ones are fine. If all you want to do is hooligan around without the ferocity of your 1098 then maybe a hypermotard is a good bet. If you want the sportiness of a sportbike, style of a supermodel and exclusivity at the local bike meet then......
if I bought one I would over time adapt it to my needs.ie ohlins forks etc for sublime cornering etc. im lusting after the looks of the red faired sc and love the idea of torque and not necessarily hp.so basically a sublime cornering bike at lower speeds that I will enjoy over the long term that I can slowly evolve as funds allow.i do usually tend to become attached to my bikes and keep them longterm and would like something to grow old with.
Ys i see your point.Hanging on to your licence these days is getting harder and harder while trying to keep the adrenaline flowing.It's why i bought my black gt1000,same engine as is in the 1000s.Sounds good with staintune pipes so i'm happy to thunder round at lower speeds.No fairing so anything around 130 feels like 260 plus it wheelies if you want and light enough to flick in and out of corners on any line you like,just about stock standard.
You don't have to spend a fortune on aftermarket parts to have a lot of fun on UK roads with a Sport Classic. There are some great roads, all with decent series' of bends in the area where I live. The surface of most of these roads does leave something to be desired though. As has already been said, reducing the unsprung weight on the SC range does pay dividends regarding the handling & speed of turn. My bike has 5-spoke Marchesini wheels (relatively inexpensive, bought from ebay), and the standard fork springs have been replaced with progressive springs from Hyperpro (other fork springs are available...). The combined effect is of faster turn-in & much better control over bumpy roads. Like most Dukes, the SC range is geared too high. I started with a 14-tooth front sprocket which was a big improvement - I could get the bike into 6th gear at speeds below 70mph. When the chain & sprockets were changed, I switched to a 15-tooth front & a 42-tooth rear. This combination is just fine for me, and it's what I shall be staying with. Aftermarket pipes do allow the SC range to show off their lovely booming soundtrack. Termis, Keihan & Staintunes all sound great. I have the Termi kit with DP ECU & the modded airbox lid. Out yesterday on rolling A roads in the Vale of Belvoir, the GT1000 was so much fun to swoop around curves whilst playing tunes from the Termi pipes - thanks to the torque from the marvellous DS1000 engine and the gearbox that really is quite slick when the revs are above 4,000. The handling is secure, stable & the bike changes direction with ease. The whole experience was made even more enjoyable because I was completely comfortable during the entire ride - probably applies more to the GT1000 than the SC1000 or PS bikes. I've had my GT1000 for 5 years now, and I still enjoy every ride.
Spot on re feel and sound mate.Went for an early ride this morning after overnight rain,road patchy wet.I can only describe how this bike feels to ride if i compare it to riding a wide handlebar honda xr600.Or a suzuki tl1000.When you tip it into a corner in the wet it tells you where you are,would you really like to get to the cafe for breakfast? very enjoyable feeling
I sold my 1098S to get a Sport Classic 1000 mono and I never looked back My main issue with 1098 was too much power. I don't do track days (wouldn't risk tracking 1098 anyway) and on the road this bike didn't make much sense for me. Below are my thoughts (bear in mind that I'm not a particularly experienced or confident rider). Good - much more usable power - tons of grunt at low revs - steering is much heavier and requires much more effort... but I prefer it - TONS of fun - 1098 always felt like it wanted to go faster (especially in the city - Exhaust note! I've got Termi slipons so nothing too fancy (1098 had Termi full system), but my god they sound good! Whack the throttle open and it sounds like WW2 fighter plane - mods actually make sense. With 1098S I didn't NEED more power, better brakes, better suspension, less weight etc... the bike was so over the top for road riding, that whatever I did to it, was just cosmetics really. Modding SC makes much more sense (yes, I know - modding any bike makes sense and is fun, but you know what I mean - Turns heads everywhere. Never had a bike that would cause such reaction. Bad - coming from 1098, getting used to the brakes may take a moment. They're not bad as such, but they are no match for monoblocks. - Suspension is too spongy. I have to try using heavier weight fork oil. If it won't make much difference, I'll probably get a pair of Andreani forks. - on the first few rides I had to get used to having 70 or so hp less... 1098 always had power, tons of power... SC doesn't give you the same feeling, but after few rides you will get used to it and it's more than enough for road riding - tubed tyres... They don't bother me, but I haven't had a puncture yet - if I could buy everything I want for this bike it would probably cost me more that the bike itself... Wasp PUK, Zard full system, Andreani forks, Ohlins shock, Alpina wheels etc... the list is endless
thanks for the info.......im making the right decision. anyhows 1098s now sold as of half hour ago so will now be on the lookout . so it will either be a half faired sc or a paul smart .decisions decisions decisions. had one last ride on the 1098s and I just cant ride it slowly,im flat out everywhere as the bike is just so bloody good . it just demands throttle .
Don't second guess yourself,that's like going back to the same quack and asking for a second opinion Sell it and buy the gt1000,you sit upright and further back so after you burn off a bit of fuel the front gets light just about the same time you finally get up in the hills...they are kind of like a very civilized enduro bike to ride,even on straight roads,good luck whatever you do.
My Bella is off to her new home in Ireland. Good to meet you idrinkbeer, hope you enjoy her as much as I did!
arrived home sunday at 2 30 am after setting off fri night at 11 havnt had a chance to ride but managed to wash and admire.......then I washed and admired the duke.....still cant get over the good looks.
oh ment to say good to meet you david it was a pleasure. hope you manage 200mph and other dreams mate....many cheers.
