Evening everyone, I'm Matt and I've been a long time reader of this forum but not a poster. I'm just after some advice from anyone on here who has owned both an 899 and a 1299 please. I've owned all sorts of bikes in the past including most recently a 2012 BMW S1000RR alongside my 899. Sadly I had my first big accident last summer and the S1K RR was written off. Luckily I escaped lightly with damaged pride and a broken collar bone. I'm on my 2nd 899 Panigale and I really love the bike. It's such a great handling bike and probably the best handling bike I've ever owned. I previously had the 848 which wasn't even close in terms of ridability or response. The 899 is the first bike I've owned which I've felt confident enough to lean right over and remove the 'chicken strips' on the roads. Previously I have only done this on track days, it's the only place I get the bike to run the tyre at full lean. This is not really relative, just trying to give an example of how comfortable I feel on the 899. I'm now looking to change the 899 for next year, and would look at the new 959 but I quite fancy a change. I was rather hoping that the new bike launch from Ducati would include an 899/959 R or Evo model, but sadly not. Now the new 1299 is out with much better road manners than the old 1199 I'm told, I'm considering taking the plunge and buying a 1299s. My finances will allow me to stretch to the 's' model as I'll be doing it over Ducati Trioptions. The monthly payment isn't much different between the standard 1299 and the 's' model. The lighter wheels and LED headlight are also fantastic upgrades I think. I miss the power of the S1KRR a bit, although I would say I'm no slower on the road with the 899. I'm just wondering if anyone else has moved on from an 899 to a 1299? And how they've found the difference. I've been out on the 1299, but as with most test rides at a dealer. You don't really get enough time to feel comfortable and the £2k excess kept me much more causious than I would be with my own bike! I'd love to have the 1299 with all the goodies and the singled sided swingarm. But I really don't want to give up the sweet handling the 899 offers. Any advice or opinion very welcomed. Thanks all, Matt B
Thanks Chaps. How did you find the handling between the 899 and 1299 triari? I know the 200 section rear tyre will slow the steering a little, but it's the stability and confidence at full lean that I'm worried about. Cheers
I have also gone from 899 to 1299 i wrote about it here: http://ducatiforum.co.uk/threads/2016-ducati-1299-base-review.37272/ In answer to your post above it's no slower steering and it gets into corners better than the 899. You won't be missing the power thats for sure.
I'm still too young with the bike but the short ride I have had tells me it's a step in the right direction. Psychologically I thought it would feel heavier than the 899 due to the larger engine but it feels lighter and a lot more flickable. At the end of my tenure with the 899 I was starting to really rag it and wanted more. I took an extended test drive on a 1299 in all manor of weather (by luck more than planning). Went A & B roads, motorway, small villages, town center and shitty roundabouts just so I could feel for it in all the places I'd likely ride. Normally I'd gripe about getting stuck in traffic but I did that day so it was good to learn how it behaved when having to crawl, the down shifter was really useful and it doesn't hunt as much I thought. What i do like on the 1299 is that it commands respect which I missed from the old 848 I had. That was very much on/off on the throttle and I felt like it wanted to throw me off like a bronco half the time and I missed that sense of fear. Keeps you sharp!
Thanks for the replies chaps, it's very much appriciated. Great thread and write up burndownthediscos. Thanks for pointing me towards it. All sounds good so I think my decision is made. I'll be visiting the dealer today and looking at a bike. Cheers all...!
