I have been looking at upgrading my 1000DS 06 plate ,for something quieter and a bit smother at the bottom end. In a perfect world the 1200 would be ideal and is my dream bike ,not ridden one though .I can just about stretch to a 2010 basic model got a bit of money coming my way ,no doubt it will be a better bike than the 1000ds but does it retain anything from the 1000 not the best bike at slow /traffic/town ridding ,does the 1200 vibrate much or is that gone (mirrors,bars,unforgiving if your in the wrong gear into an island etc). I have just been out on a kawasaki versys 1000 , a very sure footed easy bike to ride, traction control ,ABS,fully kitted out ,givi trecker luggage,custom gel seat,scottoiler,heated grips etc. 2012 £7000.A lot of bike for the money , but not a very exciting bike to ride and a lot of vibration at high speed from the engine ,so wont be changing my 1000 for it. After riding it you don't get the buzz you get from winding the 1000 up on open roads :biggrin: So after pros and cons off the 1200 and what I should be looking for,any updates that should be done.
I generally hate it when people say this but please do a search, all your questions have been answered, countless times! However all big V-Twin bike vibrate, nature of the beast I'm afraid!
It is nature of the beast, but twins are a lot more finicky about setup than fours - correct chain tension and lube, and a fresh set of plugs can smooth a twin out by a considerable amount.
Its a long time since i have ridden a 1000ds so cant compare the two. I wouldnt say the 1200 vibrates badly, for a vtwin i would say its pretty good, you get a reasonable view out of the mirrors. for me pros are excitement and comfort, cons maybe the switchgear which is a bit fiddly and its quite thirsty about 35 to 40mpg. Its gonna feel sublime compared to the kawasaki, i guarantee that.
Hi Odbod, I have just bought a 2010 Multi 1200S Touring having owned a 1000DS for 6 years. I had fitted Termis and a cat bypass pipe to the 1000 which made a big difference making it much more tractable and easier to ride in town as well as sounding great! I loved it and did not find vibes a problem. I then had a 650 Kawa Versys, big mistake, although it had a great engine, just not for me. Now the 1200S is a whole different ball game. With all the upgrades it is smoother, although still a little bit lumpy at slow speed, obviously a lot faster but not intimidating to ride. Clutch is much lighter, although I had an uprated slave cylinder on the 1000. I still miss the dry clutch rattle and its a shame the 1200 is water cooled, but the electronic suspension and rider modes are fantastic, plus it is a lot prettier! I looked at buying a basic model but I think a non ABS model would be very hard to sell on and as panniers are about £ 600 (which I needed) it made sense to go for the S. If you liked the 1000 you will love the 1200 - I don't think anything else compares -who wants a GS? Go for it & good luck
I'm going to try a tiger 1050 out , but I am seriously looking for a 1200 base model ,got soft panniers on the 1000 always found the hard panniers a bit awkward to use. I do like my 100ds , had the cat removed and ECU remapped at Coventry Ducati
Having recently moved from a 996 ST4S to a 1200sport the difference is stellar. The Multi is as smooth as silk across the whole rev range. Having said that, my 1200 Explorer is even smoother and more flexible. You will love the MS1200 I guarantee it.
Not ridden a tiger, but had the same engine in my sprint, the triples are the best of both worlds, bottom end grunt and top end smoothness, however they suffer from vibrations, especially if you are in the wrong gear, i dont think my multi is and better or worse than the sprint i had previous, but it is a lot more fun to ride, and for me at 6'4" better riding position