Ducati 1299s vs BMW S1000RR vs Yamaha R1M

R1 would a familiar transition for you as you come from R6 and BMW is about the same. If you want something "different" then get the Ducati.

I was questioning the same choices of bikes. My previous (still in the garage) was a 2007 R1, far from stock, Brembo HP brakes front/rear, BST wheels, Ohlins all around, BrakeTech CMC rotors, AIM MXL Pista dash, Bazzaz TC, etc. Dream to ride, but I wanted something newer. As others have stated, go to the forums of all the bikes, and you will most likely get answers for that specific bike, and a few that are haters that will tell you to go away, say 90% for, and 10% to get something else.

When I shopped, I looked at the R1M, Aprilia RSV4 RF, 1299 S, BMW S1000RR, BMW HP4, and a few more. I really wanted the R1M. Sound is killer for it, and I liked my Yamaha before, been rock solid. My BST wheels wouldn't move over to it, so that was a kick in the pants, so I branched out and looked at the other bikes. I have ridden them all, and my wife now rides an 2016 Aprilia RSV4 RF.

The R1M, I couldn't get it, nearest one was 300 miles away when I was looking, and they didn't want to move on the price. They were asking a premium for it, and I wasn't going to do that. I rode a buddies, and it felt good all around, handled well, and my only complaint were the brakes. After an aggressive run down a 40 mile twisty road, the brake were fading a bit. He even had swapped the fluid and put different pads on, but it was still having a bit of fading (could be me being used to my CMC rotors/Ferodo Pads, but it was still noticeably different at the end of the road compared to the beginning.)

RSV4, I liked it, I looked at the 2014 model at the time, it did everything I wanted, except the dash just felt old. (2017 mode... totally hot, and I maybe would be riding it if it was available at the time). It handled well, and the power band was VERY similar to the 07 R1, really liked high revs, a bit of a dog down low, but felt great. A real beast winding it out in the RPMs, and just giving it hell. The smooth top end power just pulled, felt like a rocket up top, brakes and suspension felt good too.

BMW, I'll lump both the HP4 and the "standard" in the same group. It's an i4 motor, felt great all over the rev range... but they are ugly. Looks like someone slapped it upside the head and gave it a black eye. I had found a lightly used (700 mile) 2013 HP4, and was looking at the 2015 S1000RR. I rode the HP4. Just felt amazing. Really did. Handled awesome, felt no issues with brakes, just all over felt phenomenal. The S1000RR was right there with it, felt a tad heavier, but the HP4 was the closest I had found to the my 2007 R1 in terms of handling (the 07 R1 weighed 387 pounds wet in street clothes, and with BST wheels and CMC rotors, it felt like a 250 in the corners). The S1000RR was at the top of my list, but did I mention it was ugly. It also was missing character. It was great all over... but it just felt sterile, normal. I felt I could easily go fast on it, it wasn't going to kill me, and could be a lot of fun, but it was just missing something, like eating the same food for every meal... I felt it was going to get old and I'd have to keep tweaking something on it to make it special.

I rode my 2015 1299S. It felt similar in weight for handling to the HP4, but was "smaller" overall. Mid-corner, I didn't like the feel of the 1299, corner entry was fine, but felt heavy "holding" in the corner, so much, that I actually stopped and checked tire pressure. Power... I felt it was just lacking. I keep riding it and questioning why it felt so down on power, then my wife chimed in on the Sena headsets asking "are we in a race, you keep leaving dark marks coming out of the corner and blasting it". The power was there, but it didn't have any "bang we're on a rocket ship" moments like the RSV4, S1000RR, and my old R1 (anything under 8k RPM was a dog, but above 8k, it was a rocket). I quickly figured out, the torque and power of the 1299 is just there, it's anywhere in the RPM range, it just freaking pulls. With that said, I hit, and still do, the rev limiter all the time, it just doesn't rev like an i4 or a v4 does, but man it pulls. And it's freaking sexy. Like super model out of Leo DiCarpio's league sexy. I also did NOT like the 1299 S at first, and even posted up a long explanation of it, and finally after moving my CMC rotors to it did it finally get rid of the mid-corner weighted feel, and felt like I was riding something lighter and better than the 07 R1.

So, for me... all the bikes had ample power, ample handling. I have a Ducati, BMW, and Yamaha dealer close, so support isn't an issue. Now the Ducati dealer does Aprilia and MV Agusta as well. So really it came down to this question:

Which gives me the bigger chubby...

I liked the look of all of them, except the BMW... still can't get over that front end. Riding comfort, all felt similar to me, comfortable enough for 300 miles of riding in a day, or the track without any changes, still going to be sore riding any of them. The R1M looked good, but it was only available in blue, and well... all my gear is red/white/black. Didn't really match well. The RSV4 I think is sexy. But... the 1299 S... just something to lust over, and saying, "I own a Ducati" is something that people get, they know the brand, they know it's exotic, there is something about the ownership of the name over the others. The 1299 S gives me a chubby, I ride it, and I smile every damn time I twist my wrist. The Akra exhaust screams, and the front wheel wants to come up and I am gone. I see it in the garage and I just smile. I clean it, I smile. I work on it, and I smile. Really the ONLY time I don't is thinking about how much money I have spent on it, then I look at it, ride it, and say, "What gifts can I buy you..."

I own a 1299s for weekend blasts only. I don't want to risk taking it on a track. That said, I've ridden a base 1299 and a R1M on track. Ridden BMW numerous times, and its a great bike, just feels a bit bulky and outdated and I don't like the looks (esp the exhaust). 1299 felt better than the R1M in my opinion.

I bought the 1299s because:

- Its the best looking (hands down, turns heads and sounds awesome)
- Its pretty easy to ride with all the electronics
- Its an animal if you turn it them all off!

I'm never going to get the full potential out of it on the road (or track for that matter) but I love it. If the average Joe asks "what bike do you have?" and you reply "Ducati".., most of them think that's pretty cool. if you reply Yamaha R1M, they just look at you blankly. Its totally a show-off thing, i'll admit.

If you were meeting a hot chick for the first time, what bike would you want to show up on?

nuff said!

I was never a brand loyal guy but since I bought my first Ducati is kind of hard to move to another brands.. I don't know if it's normal or not [emoji3]Actually I was looking to buy a nice sport naked and for me Ducati lacks in that point since the end of the Streetfighter.. Monster R is not the same.. hopefully Ducati will understand that and will come out with a nice Panigale naked [emoji3]so my best option was the new Aprilia Tuono which is a blast but I couldn't get over to own another brand than Ducati [emoji3]
As many have said all them are great bike but only one is special and that is Panigale [emoji6]I found very old people looking at me and asking me to rev the bike [emoji3]


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Street friendly, torquey powerband the 1299 is the best bike hands down, and it's also the lightest

AZC said:

So I'm looking to buy my second bike and out of all the amazing bikes out there I've narrowed it down to 3 favorites, the Ducati 1299s, BMW S1000RR and the Yamaha R1M. I really cant decide between the three. I love the looks on all three and they are all incredibly fast. I live in Denmark and here it's not that easy to get permssion to take such bike on a test ride. You have to be over a certain age with a minimum of x years driving experience etc. I know this is a Ducati forum but why would you choose one over the other? I apprecialte your thoughts especieally if you have tried riding two or all three of them. It will be used for street riding.

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i will try and be as non biased as i can with answering your question as i have 2 of the bikes you are considering.

1. ducati beautiful looking with an attitude. it never rides the same twice. if you get a bad one you are screwed quality control is terrible. If you get a good one you are on the money just have to be fully engaged on each ride.

2 bmw the bike is incredible. some people say boring but the machine is that good. the looks are debatable as i would never get an s1000rr now but the hp4 in 2014 is as goodlooking as the ducati and gets more looks believe it or not. the bike doesnt make mistakes and the engine may be the best engine on anybike.

3 yamaha i never rode one but i hear its the best electronic package out on any bike including the ape. the rest i cant comment on.

intangibles. ducati and bmw have clutchless up and down shifts yamaha doesnt. out of the crate you will spend lots more on the ducati. i know you dont have to but you will.

so if i were you i wouldnt get the bmw unless it was an hp model. id go with the r1M. the reason is you dont see many. the dash and tail are the same as the ducati and you get all that carbon and it competes with the R not a base ducati at 21k or so you are in the 35k league of bike by ducati. also it is very de-tuned. if get a full exhaust and a tune you save like 20 lbs and get a 20 hp boost.

now if it were me i would get the ducati as i will never buy anything yamaha as long as the pay rossi

Best answer is go and ride them all and buy whatever puts the biggest smile on your face.

I own an 1199 and R1.. And I wouldnt get the R1M over the Duc.. And I wouldnt get the BMW over either..

On your list I'd get the ducati.. But take a look at the ZX10-RR..

b9009b said:

But take a look at the ZX10-RR..

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Yeah but it's a face only a mother could love, a little like the RSV4 great from the side but the front is a shocker.

R1M's are really soft now. Local dealer here has two of them. 5K off msrp.
Why spend the extra $$ when it's so close to regular R1. Semi active suspension is not as good as BMW's.

double0 said:

This kinda question is probably one of the worst questions to ask on any forum, let alone a Ducati forum with one of those options being a Ducati.

Bikes are mostly purchased based on personal taste, not much on performance since they are all more than capable bikes. I buy bikes strictly based on looks.... nothing else. Performance don't mean ..... Like I said, they are all great and more than capable bikes. Panigale is in a league of its own as far as looks go. Hands down, Panigale would be my choice every single time and twice on Sunday's. Not because I'm brand loyal since all 3 of my bikes are different brands.

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100% Agreed! I see this question asked on other forums too and take a guess what the answers are lol Ive been very lucky to have owned many bikes through my years of riding and not once did i buy a bike because it was better than the other. Theyre all so close that unless you're looking to squeeze every second out of your laps they wont make a difference for the street. I own an 1199 100% based on the looks and i honestly go into the garage at least a couple times a night before i go to bed lol

double0 said:

Performance don't mean .....

.

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I will call BS on that.

If it had 50 less HP I would never ride a duc


I ride the bike because of its performance and nothing else.


I do understand your point, a better rider on a small bike leaves the less driver in the dust.

I think to doubleo's point, it don't mean .... cause they are all so close performance it really doesn't make a difference to us mere mortals. Especially on the street it makes even less of a factor.

Choosing a bike, or almost anything in life that isn't a necessity

I always fine these type of thread interesting as there are so many ways to look at an issue like this. Here is mine, FWIW.

Unless you earn your livelihood racing bikes, you don't NEED the highest performing bike. That choice becomes an analytic process.

If you WANT a bike, the choice is an emotional one. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't have to ask others what turns me on. Good looking. (women, even my ex-wife, comment the Panigale is a beautiful machine, I have enough vanity I enjoy that). Innovate design (I'm a lifelong gear head and cutaways of a Desmo system always make me stop and look). Red. Performance (has to be more than I can ever use or it is boring). Sounds b****in. Lots of other little things, maybe some I am not conscious of. Bottom line is choosing something that makes you feel good and satisfies some inner desire.

Having come to learn I won't live forever, and having to make choices about what to do/never do, the question I ask myself---

When I am laying on my death bed will I be thinking "damn, I wish had bought that Ducati"

outhouse said:

I will call BS on that.



If it had 50 less HP I would never ride a duc





I ride the bike because of its performance and nothing else.





I do understand your point, a better rider on a small bike leaves the less driver in the dust.

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He's making a relative statement based on the fact that the bikes are all fairly close. Not a 50 hp difference.


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It would have to be within 10 hp for me. I think all these bikes are. But it gets tricky there because how were they rated by the mfr? So I will look to the magazine shootouts when they measure all the hp and performance times on the same day and dyno. Plus lap times - within 2 seconds - this is the most important performance metric. Can't be ugly either but then none of these bikes are. Some might disagree on the BMW's nose but I find it endearing. The new 1299R isn't ugly but it does make my eyeballs twitch around a bit much. I find looking at it enough will get them to settle down and think maybe I could see myself on the bike but the price is another obstacle.

Thanks for all your input it definitely helps a lot to kinda get an idea on what to expect from the bike, pros and cons etc.
mrailing speciel thanks to you. Enjoyed reading your experience on the different bikes!

I'm leaning towards getting a Ducati and the main reason for that is the look on that bike. It's like everytime I look at it I find something new or another detail that just makes me think "man that machine is beautiful".

I would not be able and not even come close to squeeze out all the performance these bikes have. The reason I'm not 110% sure is because several people have told me that the R1M handles better than the Ducati and you feel a lot more confident on it and also because the R1M probably have the best electronics.. But just like now when I'm listing the pros the R1M has over the Ducati I cant stop thinking in my head "but the Ducati is soo good lookin"

I'm sorry if some of my sentences doesn't make any sense. It's not my main language

So to conclude, I'm definitely leaning towards the Ducati 1299s

You're not alone man we all got in love with those sexy lines


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I understand you perfectly.... you won't regret buying the Duke. Its a brilliant bike.

To be fair dude if by your own admission you won't get close to using the max performance of the bikes then the 'slightly' better handling and the electronics are is immaterial. I tracked my 1299s recently and the damn thing just turned gripped, sticked and buggered off. I had DTC and DWC set to 4 and only got interventions at the same two places on the track each time. And I never felt like it was doing anything, so smooth. Despite being hamfisted at times everywhere else, the bike never intervend. I never felt scared or the bike feeling like it was going to launch me to the moon. God knows what it's like if you can use! The bike is so good it's safe! The only downside I suppose is it pushes you to go faster!

I'm sure the Evo update takes the Pani up to the R1's slightly better level which will not be needed!

Enjoy what ever you buy but if I bought an R1 that damn righthand foot peg plumbing nightmare would make me cry myself to sleep!

PS your English is better than my English. I worked with some of your airforce guys when they were on exchange with us. Utterly crazy, with perfect English.