All of this... Pretty much word for word was my thoughts on the day! I sat on a 959, turns out u can't see the pipes when your on it ;-) so I'm over it, and agree the Akrapovics looks great, I did however have a bigger issue in that my size 11 feet were all over the exhausts even in normal riding pose, that would annoy me more than the look, it's the reason I didn't buy a monster 1200. I did get some nice ideas for my bike, love the official Ducati tail tidy and the levers (but wow, pricey!)
Sorry, first post, but heading up to the show tomorrow for a good look at the 959 I was in Ducati Aylesbury yesterday to talk 959's, and the dealer said they will have an official option for the underslung exhaust like the 899, but it won't be road legal and is £2600 for the pipes, and then a further £400 for the associated bodywork, so £3k in total Akra exhaust, as shown on the above pic, is a circa £1600 option
Yep, that's the badger! But he Akrapovic pictured only saves about 1.5KG, and doesn't sound much different to stock, so worth plumping for the Akrapovic if u want noise and the added power
I saw it yesterday at the show it wasn't as bad as I was expecting, but it still spoils the looks of the bike compared to the 899 and 1299. Would I buy one, it would all depend on how much it would cost to get it to look as it should, and then how close to the cost of a 1299 it would be after paying for the exhaust and the panels. I thought the XDiavel was a great nice looking bike and if I wanted to go down the more comfortable route because I ache a lot more than I used to do, then I would be interested.
I'm not sure the new Diavel riding position will be that comfortable. Feet forward is fine and and upper body forward is fine, but both at the same time very quickly becomes seriously hard work on the thighs, pelvis and back if Sporters are anything to go by. (But then my back's shagged and it starts hurting just looking at a Sportster). I liked the comfort of the original Diavel but didn't like the looks. I much prefer the looks of the new Diavel but I'm not at all sure about that riding position. Looks like the exhaust scuppers it but I wonder if it'll be possible to fit more conventionally positioned after market pegs?
Why do we get hung up over the weight of an exhaust. OK its not the prettiest thing to grace a ducati. But a 1.5kg saving is no breakfast and a good shit. I weigh 13.5 stone and that can fluctuate 3lb on any day, come on a gram here and a gram there is just bollox. I for one am a twin convert ever since my TRX 850 in 1997, and for me the ultimate is a ducati and always will be. Some think the 959 is ugly just because of the exhaust. Go sit on it, adopt the riding stance and you won't even notice the colour, let alone the exhaust which is behind you. Are you buying a bike to stand next to at a bike meet or a bike to ride and enjoy for yourself. Nige
Went to the show today. I thought the styling of the 959 is great ( love the 1299 style rear) but I could not get on with the exhausts. The akras were only marginally better IMO & I say that because you have to pay good money for them . If I'm parting with that kind of £££ then I expect considerably better ( eg underslung Akras which I simply love). Thought the XDiavel looked great but the riding position took me back to being a 6 yr old on a Raleigh Chopper. Enduro Multi looked great in grey but odd in the red IMO. The Yamaha MT-10 looked like a one night stand between the new R1 & a BMW S1000R. The Triumph Thruxton R was a great looking bike & not normally my thing . Some bang tidy crack there too...yum yum...
Are you buying a bike to stand next to at a bike meet or a bike to ride and enjoy for yourself. You mean like banging an ugly bird..
In the test pics of the 959 in this week's MCN (sorry MCN haters) the cans didn't look too bad. I'm guessing they were the OE items? They look like parallel shotguns and they seem to hang at a natural angle. Better actually, than the big fat OE Streetfighter cans. Is it just the Akros that are splayed? That's what doesn't work for me, the fanned arrangement and the fact they're too low, like they've been bent downwards to accommodate the passenger pegs. They look like a limp wristed hand gesture. If so its not often Akros are more minging than originals.
