At what point does this come though? I think that's why the S1000RR gets labelled as souless, without character, clinical etc, as it is so easy to ride fast by an average/normal rider. Certainly on my S1000R ('only' 160hp) i feel much quicker than on my 1198s, but it takes nowhere near the amount of input and is much less of a challenge to ride well. Still a lot of fun though, so the question remains why would i bother with it (the 1198s) and all it's quirks and idiosyncrasies - i presume the 1098R even more so. Despite feeling faster it also at the same time feels safer, as if it's got your back with all its electronic aids, whereas the 1198 feels like i must of pissed it off in a past life.
The 1098R has a very raw, but intoxicating, power delivery. It’s TC is pretty agricultural by today’s standards. I don’t even bother with it. If you’re cack handed with throttle inputs, the 1098R will spit you off. But it feels very rewarding when you hook up with it. I circulate quicker on my V4S but I lean on the electronics. Both bikes are amazing fun but I have to remember I’m rock climbing without ropes when I jump on the 1098R.
I can't fault your reasoning in any way . A mate has the BMW and it's just flawless ..... it's the " sensible " choice if you're after that level of performance . It's the only machine out there that might possibly sway me from another Ducati . I've had an R90s and a K100s in the past , and I liked them well enough at the time , and owning , maintaining and repairing them is a breeze .... but .....
Thank for the tip Old. It seems they only do them for a couple of Dukes. Actually there's very little room between the bars and the fairing as standard on these bikes. So no room for raisers .
Agree with @Mary Hinge , the R is a bitey beast with ridiculously raw power delivery and gobs of torque. The TC is useless - I only switched it on once and it was impossible to ride so it has been off ever since. I am deffo quicker around Brands Indy on my 749R - probably because I can be more cak handed on the throttle without fear of the consequences! Planning to do the GP circuit on the big R next Monday....
I had a 250 Bultaco Sherpa as on off-road toy in the 70s. I replaced it with a 325, thinking the extra torque would make it easier to ride. Wrong... Where you could just use full throttle with the 250, you had to meter the power with the 325, making it much more difficult - for someone with my skill level anyway. So yes, I can well understand that a manageable bike can be faster round a track for an ordinary mortal.
Tbf my 916sps was mega raw, impossible to keep the front down on, and scared me far more than the 1000r blade which has way more power that I had next. You could yank the throttle in 3rd at 30 and the blade would drive forward. On the sps it would just throw the front wheel skywise. I’d still like an R even tho I know I couldn’t ride it very well.
If they don’t do them for your bike, that’s the end of it but Helibars aren’t really risers as such. They leave the inner end of the bar in the stock position but the angle is more horizontal and rearward, so your hands are positioned an inch and a half or so higher and further back, which for me makes all the difference. You’d have to really know your onions to be able to tell the bars are non stock by looking at them. I certainly wouldn’t know.
If you were desperate for more comfort, you could restrict turning circle by adjusting the lock stops so it won’t foul anything. Just need to be careful on tight turns!
Just out on my Norwegian 1098R - 29 degrees is not the weather for it! Short run to Sherburn to meet Rob who is due in 30 mins Time for an ice cream
As I understand it, One of the things they did with the 999 was to give it a longer swingarm in order to tame the 916/996/998 tendency to wheelie
Scorchio today. Getting stuck in traffic arounf the Leeds Festival site was a nightmare in that heat. Why the fook do people want to hang around in fields listening to shoite music?
