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[Fixed1979]

Can I have one please? I don't wanna ride it. I just wanna stare at it in my garage. It's soooooo gorgeous.

Spoiler

I wanna ride it.

It's actually not that pricey. Only $30k. I mean when a Superleggera costs double that or an HP4 costs $5k less. It's not crazy when put in their company.

Wow, maybe just because I'm a Merc fan...but shit, I like it.

I'm not sure where you live but for USA pricing for this thing is listed at 46k and the HP4 is just a bit over 20k...not even the same ball park. With exchange plus all the dealers extra charges that's almost 60k here in Canada. I could bring myself to get to HP4 level pricing, but this is a different beast all together.

 

[U n i o n 0015]

Can I have one please? I don't wanna ride it. I just wanna stare at it in my garage. It's soooooo gorgeous.

Spoiler

I wanna ride it.

MV makes a beautiful bike, but the F4 is aging and is due for replacement. I believe this bike is being built so that they can meet WSBK homologation requirements. And they're not doing well in SBK with it, either...the F3 on the other hand, is doing great in Supersport. Hopefully they start turning things around and produce bikes that are both beautiful and perform well.

 

[Fallout-NL]

On the contrary, I think that's a timeless design. Makes me wish Ducati still made the 916 (albeit in a slightly updated package).

You simply don't improve upon perfection.

 

[Jackson]

On the contrary, I think that's a timeless design. Makes me wish Ducati still made the 916 (albeit in a slightly updated package).

You simply don't improve upon perfection.

I feel like Ducati has been subtly updating the 916 with the only main deviation being the 999's weird art deco steam engine design.

916<996<998<Deesmosedici RR<1098<1198<Panigale.

No?

Sure the Panigale is a massive deviation of engineering, but looks wise it's a modern 916. I guess you could say the "angled look" happened with the 1098 and the Panigale gets more of its looks from that than the 916.

 

[U n i o n 0015]

On the contrary, I think that's a timeless design. Makes me wish Ducati still made the 916 (albeit in a slightly updated package).

You simply don't improve upon perfection.

I wasn't talking about the design, which I agree is gorgeous. I'm talking about the riding dynamics of the F4, which has grown pretty long in the tooth. A&R actually just posted a rumor today that an all-new new F4 might be coming at EICMA.

 

[Fallout-NL]

I feel like Ducati has been subtly updating the 916 with the only main deviation being the 999's weird art deco steam engine design.

916<996<998<Deesmosedici RR<1098<1198<Panigale.

No?

Sure the Panigale is a massive deviation of engineering, but looks wise it's a modern 916. I guess you could say the "angled look" happened with the 1098 and the Panigale gets more of its looks from that than the 916.

Yeah they definitely scrambled to get back to the earlier design after the 999 (which I quite liked actually). But even though the 848 and 899 are obviously beautiful bikes (and they take their most important design cues from the 916), they aren't as iconic as the original. I'm talking about what Ford did with the Mustang you know, just bring back the original with an engine that won't fail when the oil galley plug grinds itself up on the crank .

Spoiler

Hmm, I wonder... would it be possible to fit a 749 or an 848 engine in a 916 frame?

/edit: Yes it is.

I wasn't talking about the design, which I agree is gorgeous. I'm talking about the riding dynamics of the F4, which has grown pretty long in the tooth. A&R actually just posted a rumor today that an all-new new F4 might be coming at EICMA.

Ah, sure. That makes sense.

 

[Dougald]

Another year, another insurance renewal.

It's actually 4 years ago today I finally passed my Module 2 test and obtained my full 2-wheel license. Now I can't imagine not having a bike.

 

[maxheadwound]

Another year, another insurance renewal.

It's actually 4 years ago today I finally passed my Module 2 test and obtained my full 2-wheel license. Now I can't imagine not having a bike.

how much did it set you back... and did you have to put up a fight

 

[Dougald]

Quite a good deal actually, £160 with Bennetts for comprehensive insurance with my Wife as a named rider, plus another £55 for helmet/leathers, legal, accident and breakdown cover (I was paying £65 for just the legal and accident cover before). About £70 less than my renewal quote was.

Bennetts are also pretty good in that a lot of "mods" that other insurers make you declare like bar ends or heated grips are covered as standard. I only had to declare the belly pan and crash protectors on my bike, and it didn't add to the premium.

 

[thesoapster]

So I got to demo the new R1 this afternoon. It's very cool. Insanely quick.

The handling was what impressed me the most. With almost no effort you can lean into a turn (it's almost videogame-like). It felt like I was turning a bicycle, there was no weight to manage. The electronics on this thing are insane. The chassis is so stiff and solid it makes you feel so confident. The whole package makes you feel way better than you actual are. My Panigale felt like a thuggish, analogue brute against this dainty digital swan. The TFT screen had some cool tricks like it would show brake pressure and lean angle and g-forces. Stuff you really can't look at while riding haha. The clutch handle was super light stock and the front brake handle was ultra sensitive stock. I'm talking like pulling it even 1% was doing BIG braking. If you ever panic-braked you'd be bucked off easily.

Downsides... The exhaust note was terrible (but I'm used to Ducati grunts). I think it was worse than any Japanese bike I've heard (can be fixed with aftermarket... sure). Also this is not a DD bike at all. Not that most supersports are, but I was unconformable pretty quickly due to the ride position and I rode 7 hours on my supersport on Saturday and didn't feel as bad as I did on this. Also while the front is kinda cool, it's not a pretty bike. Nor is the fit & finish up to par for my tastes. It felt a bit cheap. Also, I'm 6'0 and I tippy-toe it at lights because it stretches my legs out wide, way wider than I'm used to. Which I didn't like when sitting at a light, but riding it felt great, you could tuck super nicely in, way better than my bike. I felt comfy tucked (which is a good thing at the speeds it can do so effortlessly).

Overall, amazing bike. Everything felt effortless. Being a litre bike it's weird staying in 1st and not caring around town lol. My 900cc acts way more like a 600cc than a litre in that regard. I dunno if I'd buy it, but I think EVERYONE should demo it. I had plenty of smiles and laughs my whole ride (and maybe poo'ed my pants a little when I opened it up in 3rd on the highway).

Cool writeup. When I saw that the seat height had been raised I had a feeling the whole thing would be more aggressive. I definitely need to give one a try at some point...I figure I will be selling my R1 before I move some time from now, assuming I move to Seattle area or maybe Bay Area, so the bike hunt will be on. I do have to say my R1 (also a crossplane) with Akrapovic pipes sounded much nicer to me than the 1199 I rode ...I like that low-to-mid bark sound that's also present on V4s.

 

[Fallout-NL]

Crossplane R1s are indeed some of the best sounding bikes on the market.

 

[maxheadwound]

Quite a good deal actually, £160 with Bennetts for comprehensive insurance with my Wife as a named rider, plus another £55 for helmet/leathers, legal, accident and breakdown cover (I was paying £65 for just the legal and accident cover before). About £70 less than my renewal quote was.

Bennetts are also pretty good in that a lot of "mods" that other insurers make you declare like bar ends or heated grips are covered as standard. I only had to declare the belly pan and crash protectors on my bike, and it didn't add to the premium.

cheers at least when my one comes up the end of the year I have an idea.

We should be out riding not sitting in front of a pc lol

 

[Fallout-NL]

Yeah it's tragic.

 

[Dougald]

I just "volunteered" to go collect some equipment for some work I'm doing tomorrow

What a shame I had to go on the Street Triple

 

[maxheadwound]

I just "volunteered" to go collect some equipment for some work I'm doing tomorrow

What a shame I had to go on the Street Triple

haha

 

[Fixed1979]

haha

Alright, that's now my favorite shirt.

 

[Fallout-NL]

Most excellent

 

[Watevaman]

Alright, that's now my favorite shirt.

had to find where to buy it:

here

 

[thesoapster]

haha

Very good haha

 

[GONZO]

Changed the oil and cleaner her all up. She's ready for the new season!

 

[opticalmace]

Siiickkk. That thing looks great.

 

[Drinky Crow]

stator failure ALREADY on the tuono -- i haven't even hit 2k miles! arrrrrrgh, fuckin' italian bikes.

...guess i shouldn't be using a bike with a race engine for seattle commutes. :-(

 

[GONZO]

Thanks Optical.

Sorry to hear about the Tuono Drinky. At least it will be covered under the warranty. I've ridden Italian bikes for the last 7 years now. They can be a pain in the ass, but the best way to deal with them is to put as many miles on them as possible before the warranty runs out. That way all the bugs get sorted and you're not left with the bill.

 

[Jackson]

They can be a pain in the ass, but the best way to deal with them is to put as many miles on them as possible before the warranty runs out. That way all the bugs get sorted and you're not left with the bill.

Lol QFT.

My Panigale had hot start issues early on.

 

[Watevaman]

What a beautiful machine GONZO. If I ever had an eye-tal-yawn bike it'd probably have to be an MV.

I gotta give the ZRX a bath soon. Been putting off buying the ABBA stand until I next need a chain lube/adjustment, which will whenever I wash it.

 

[Drinky Crow]

Thanks Optical.

Sorry to hear about the Tuono Drinky. At least it will be covered under the warranty. I've ridden Italian bikes for the last 7 years now. They can be a pain in the ass, but the best way to deal with them is to put as many miles on them as possible before the warranty runs out. That way all the bugs get sorted and you're not left with the bill.

so far the warranty has covered a new fuel pump and a new stator. i mean, i understand: this is a race engine (with a slightly different cam profile) and commuting with it probably classifies as abuse. but that v4 sound makes my day!

i'm gonna get it to 10k and then trade it for a vfr800 or vfr1200. so far, the fixes have been week turnarounds, but this is pretty annoying for a 2000/mi month dude like me.

 

[GONZO]

thanks for the compliment Watevaman. Drinky I totally get where youre coming from. I have 15500 miles on my brutale and its a 2014. Ive gone through 3 sprag clutches, two gear position indicators and one gas tank. But the bike runs like a bat outta hell now. Though i think Im going back to Ducati after this

 

[Dougald]

New CB125F:

Seems like a bit of a step-back from the CBF125 to me, the CBF was nicer looking, had fatter tyres, and could do 70mph (though apparently the ride is better on the CB125F). Apparently Honda claim 145mpg, though. I'd still have a used CBF over this

 

[maxheadwound]

stator failure ALREADY on the tuono -- i haven't even hit 2k miles! arrrrrrgh, fuckin' italian bikes.

...guess i shouldn't be using a bike with a race engine for seattle commutes. :-(

wow that is not good. Now if this happened to me I would have had to travel or get a way to get the bike to a shop that is about 2hours away. It would drive me nuts.

Man but I feel for you. Its not nice to have a new bike and something goes wrong. I hope they sort you out pronto and you are back up and running. Keep us posted about the customer service experience

 

[Poindexter]

I've had my bike since September 21. 15,000 miles later and all sorts of shit has fallen off. Haha. I'm just taking these opportunities to upgrade parts. Nothing has been really critical or a mechanical issue. Its just a pain in the ass.

 

[Dougald]

I swear having to drive past a Harley dealership every time I leave the house is either a sign or a test of my willpower

 

[Fallout-NL]

Get a Buell, Doug. Do it

 

[Drinky Crow]

dealer thinks i may have a lemon. debating keeping it (it is a fuck awesome bike that makes me feel like a riding god), or getting my money back for a 2016 tuono 1100 (early reviews are insanely glowing), or straight-across trading for a fully decked out vfr800 (reliable, better comfort, and more than 90 miles a tank)...

 

[Drinky Crow]

i rode a friend's ulysses and really liked the engine character! as of this moment, though, maaaan, i am so tired of having bikes out of commission...

 

[GONZO]

dealer thinks i may have a lemon. debating keeping it (it is a fuck awesome bike that makes me feel like a riding god), or getting my money back for a 2016 tuono 1100 (early reviews are insanely glowing), or straight-across trading for a fully decked out vfr800 (reliable, better comfort, and more than 90 miles a tank)...

If the dealer is offering your money back for a 2016 I would totally go that route. That bike is better in every single way. And considering the 2015 Tuono is the best performing super naked that's saying something.

 

[Drinky Crow]

If the dealer is offering your money back for a 2016 I would totally go that route. That bike is better in every single way. And considering the 2015 Tuono is the best performing super naked that's saying something.

yeah, i'm pretty sure i'm gonna go that route when i chat again with them this afternoon. early reports include an updated oem stator part, better comfort, improved gas mileage...

 

[Fallout-NL]

Yeah, all that sounds pretty good.

 

[Poindexter]

Gas mileage. Lol. My bike ticked up to 40.7 mpg today for a brief second and I got excited. My wife's ford fiesta is more efficient

 

[Drinky Crow]

the tuono averages 23. :-(

 

[opticalmace]

I get about 50 MPG (US) on my 250. Shite compared to a CBR250 though, those get like 70+.

 

[Watevaman]

I hover around 30-35 (US) on the ZRX. A long way from the 55 or so I'd get on the 500, but it's more than twice the size and just thirstier.

 

[A Fish Aficionado]

I never kept track of mpg on my ex250, but those hit the reserve on the freeway moments were hairy.

 

[Drinky Crow]

lol lcd display died en route after picking the bike up from the dealer lol

LOL

<boom>

 

[maxheadwound]

If the dealer is offering your money back for a 2016 I would totally go that route. That bike is better in every single way. And considering the 2015 Tuono is the best performing super naked that's saying something.

I will second that... if they give your money back and sort you out with a new bike that is awesome. That is one of the best naked bikes out there and the 2016 has some super improvements

 

[Dougald]

Having dealt with one too many lemons in my time I would just get the newer bike.. plus new bike!


On mileage, I average about 55mpg from my Street Triple, I don't ride like a maniac, but I'm not exactly hypermiling either. Of course you have tiny gallons in the US so that would probably be about 45mpg there. I reckon I could easily hit 60-70mpg on long motorway trips. The Bonneville used to give me a pretty consistent 65mpg.

I only put premium in my bikes (~98 RON) and find that the extra cost gives me about the same increase in mileage, and when you can only go ~120 miles on a tank it's worth it. I picked up the habit from the weak-willed Bonneville, the extra additives in the premium stuff always seemed to help when starting the bike cold. Petrol is expensive enough here anyway that a couple extra quid a tank isn't going to make much difference.

 

[Fallout-NL]

Both my Buells and the 1100 get about 50 / 52 mpg (US).

lol lcd display died en route after picking the bike up from the dealer lol

LOL

<boom>

Time to take them up on that offer

 

[maxheadwound]

The BM is coming up to the 600 mile service and I do most of the time 12 mile runs a day. It is a bit hard to not give it gas and I am getting around 53mpg's. Not too bad. I also found a route home that is nice and fast and loads of twisties.

 

[Damaged]

dealer thinks i may have a lemon. debating keeping it (it is a fuck awesome bike that makes me feel like a riding god), or getting my money back for a 2016 tuono 1100 (early reviews are insanely glowing), or straight-across trading for a fully decked out vfr800 (reliable, better comfort, and more than 90 miles a tank)...

Have spoken to a few people at work who have played with the new 1100 and they seem to really rate it over the old tuono, hoping to be getting my test ride in soon but they keep selling the bloody thing before I get a chance

 

[Drinky Crow]

Both my Buells and the 1100 get about 50 / 52 mpg (US).




Time to take them up on that offer

yup. rolled it into the shop and the service manager was all "this is NOT normal, think you got a friday afternoon bike". talked to the owner and he's calling aprilia/piaggio early next week. they don't have the display in stock (obvs), BUT i don't care as i have an off-road class this weekend and will be using the tiger all week anyway.

gotta say, it's an easy bike to ride WITHOUT a display. the engine and transmission are very "talkative"!

if it all works out, i'm going back-and-forth on a new vfr800 deluxe and the 2016 tuono. i'd KINDA like to see a few more reports on the new model, which will come in in july. with the vfr, even though it's 2/3rds the performer the tuono is, it's impeccably finished and indestructable. (also i want a comfortable sport bike NOW while the weather is rad. and i suck at waiting.)

 

[Drinky Crow]

Have spoken to a few people at work who have played with the new 1100 and they seem to really rate it over the old tuono, hoping to be getting my test ride in soon but they keep selling the bloody thing before I get a chance

i don't know HOW they could make the bike better than the '14/'15 -- there's few bikes that do PRECISELY what you ask of them and let you tweak them electronically the way you can with the tuono -- plus being moderately comfortable and streetable. especially now that they've addressed the stator issues. (the plastic tank is what it is.) i'll probably just bum my pal's ninja 300 for the track while i wait for the 2016 to get in...