Reviews on your new bikes

oblong said:

1199S ABS

I love the bikes handing and ease of use in traffic. The pros are very clear.

I'm hoping Ducati will be sorting out the false N issue.
I'm hoping Ducati will supply a device that allows you get more curve options in race mode. Yamaha has this for some bikes.

The false neutral is a major issue for me.

I can live with the poor quality paint if they sort out the mechanical issues people are having.

Overall its my first Ducati and I love the bike. If there are no fixes for these issues before the end of the year I will for sure be selling it. I can't let my passion make excuses for faulty major mechanical issues.

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Might as well sell now. This is your first Ducati. There will always be a love hate relationship. It's about passion. ducati makes it a Motorcycle riding a sport.

Many have covered the same likes and dislikes I have in my short half day of ownership.

The one thing not mentioned that I'm having trouble with is the height of the turn signal switch. I don't have short fingers yet I find myself having to adjust my hand on the grip and stretch my thumb to hit the cancel button. Maybe I just need to get use to it.

Hotshoe said:

I'm at 620 miles on an 1199s, the service light is on and the tach just lost the orange warning area that begins at 6k. A little disclaimer, this is my first Ducati and I've only ridden a KTM 525 EXC supermoto for the last five years. Before that, Japanese bikes, so my opinions may not hold a lot of weight here.

On the plus side:
1) I love, love, love the sounds this thing makes. I feel like I'm playing a musical instrument when I ride it, the kind mom wouldn't aprove of. Every so often there's this cool little backfire between upshifts, sounds like an F1 car. .

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I love this sound!!

Hotshoe said:

...there's this cool little backfire between upshifts, sounds like an F1 car.

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JONAH said:

I love this sound!!

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My riding buds love this sound even more than I!

husker1 said:

I've done about 300 miles on mine in about a week. I had an 1198S before this and a GSXR750 before that. Suspension set to P; Termis (silencers only)

Main positives (in no particular order)
1. Riding position and reach to handlebars is much better; makes steering and low speed handling a lot easier (not that it's getting a lot of low speed manoeuvering)
2. Smoother power low down the rev range - the 1198S would wheelie just about everywhere in the first three gears
3. The gearbox is superb; the quick-shifter is much less jerky than previous Ducati offerings; the clutch is light
4. The dash is excellent and much more readable in all lighting conditions
5. Riding modes and customisation thereof
6. The traction control is a lot less intrusive and much smoother when it kicks in
7. The bike is so light and flickable; turn-in is a lot better
8. Very stable in corners
9. Looks great - I'm getting so many people looking at it at petrol stations, shops etc.
10. The brakes are excellent
11. I've had only a tiny bit of smoke and not used a lot of oil so far; I think the stock seat is pretty comfy
12. The sound, esp with the Termis
13. Slightly longer tank range

Negatives - nothing major (IMO)
1. Pretty thirsty, but better than the 1198 was, but hey - it's a superbike!
2. Hitting the high beam button more often than I'd like to...this is probably me, and will just need more skill
3. Paint is soft and requires protection
4. It's a bit of a pain to check the oil level
5. It can get quite hot, but again, no worse than the 1198S was
6. Getting so much attention - hopefully, none of it will be the bad kind
7. The rev counter on the dash can be a bit distracting, as it oscillates between rev speed numbers a lot
8. Worrying that next year's bike will be better...

All in all, I am delighted with the bike and it is a great leap forward from the 1198 (which I liked an awful lot)

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Husker1,

For your paint issues if you have some fine scratches try to get this. I think it my be available in the UK. Consumer - Wash from Meguiar's UK

1. Meguiar's Scratch X2.0 this is to remove fine scratches from the paint. Use a microfiber to apply small tight circular motion slight pressure not alot and remove with a microfiber. Do a small area at a time.

2. Once you finish the bike with the above use Meguiars Ultimate Liquid or paste wax. Use applicator given to apply and microfiber to remove the wax. You can wax the entire bike at one time and remove when complete.

3. To maintain between use Meguiars Ultimate Quick detailer and a microfiber.

This process removed all fine scratches from the paint and protected the surface with a thin polymer shield. The depth of Ducati red in my case looks amazing! I will also get the 3M clear guard film on the front and top of the tank to really keep it protected.

Litespeed
Thanks for the advice. Will give it a try. The 3M stuff is great, BTW.

oblong said:

Push harder from 5th to 6th and it = N

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As I say, I've hadn't had any problems (yet), but maybe I've not ridden it as you have (I've only had mine for about 10 days). Some seem to mention it, others not.

Maybe a poll?

Only rode it home from the dealer 150 miles and had to refuel once, but here are my impressions:
This is my first Ducati, but 3rd L Twin. I purchased the Base w/ABS.

Pros:
Narrow
Light
Superb mid corner stability
Great twin rumblings, vibrations and sound!
Dash is very easy to read.
Gearbox is as good as any I have ridden.
Traction control worked as I had hoped, meaning, only feeling is the light on the dash.
ABS worked great doing some hard front brake testing.

Cons:
HEAT! See my post in http://ducati1199.com/ducati-1199/850-heat.html

Wants:
Even more information on the dash. Like 24 hour time, distance to empty, etc.
Less flickering between small and large numbers on the tach when holding steady speed.

Misc:
Noticed some hesitation in sport mode. Didn't notice it in Race mode. I'll be reconfiguring sport mode to have 195Hi.
Loud, I can't believe this passed any noise testing. It sounds like my old VTR1000F race bike with 2 Brothers pipes on it. I love it, but my neighbors might not

Chris

why do folk want more info on the dash?? personally i think there,s more than enough and once ive set it up i really only need to see the revs, speed, gear selctor, and temp.And actually when im on a "good" ride i only wanna see the speedo, i can get the rest of the info from how the bike is feeling
I might check the time if im stopped an the other info is good to set up whilst stopped but i really dont need it on the riding dash

JONAH said:

why do folk want more info on the dash?? personally i think there,s more than enough and once ive set it up i really only

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For me, the screen is very legible, and more information is helpful. I have ridden bikes with nothing at all, some with just a tach, some with tach and speedo, some with fuel gauge, some with temp gauge, I have yet to be overwhelmed with information, so more is better. You may feel differently, but I like a lot of info especially if it is displayed properly.

Chris

Best bike I have every had, period!!

So that has meaning, had the ZX10, Yam R1, 1098, 1198, Street fighter, Hyper just to name a few as of late.

I am a racer, track day guy so the purpose of the bike is to go fast and have fun on the track and back roads.

It is the most settled, planted and quick turning bike to date. I had 40K in my 1198 and it was not quite as good.

I ride the bike with FLAT link with 25mm ride sag rear and 22 comp with 19 rebound. The front is 23 comp and 19 rebound with 40mm rider sag.

Has a 9.17kg rear spring, its a little soft for me so I have a 10.0kg on the way, surprisingly enough I think the valving is going to be OK as it is. What I find a little crazy is how the bike comes set damping wise in any mode, since i have only used race mode i will talk about that. I don't care what track your on with the damping set as delivered, the rebound is not fast enough period!! It would be dangerous. And for me the compression was crazy to the point of hydraulic lock. So not sure where they came up with that?


Typically I don't break bikes in by the manual, ether on the dyno or the track after a 100 miles or so. But my intuition is telling me different this time, this engine is totally crazy with the huge pistons and short stroke and it worries me a bit. So I am breaking it in on the back roads keeping below 7k and being kind of hard on it without lugging the engine.

The ABS kicks ASS!! The traction control is smooth and precise, ( ABS 2) (TC 3) Great controlled wheelies out of tight corners while leaving a black mark.

I freakin love the dash, the bike is for the most part comfortable on back roads, no heat issue if riding the bike as designed.

I have removed the flapper cable and it improved the low RPM response and the bike runs a ton better.

I love the bike, probably my last superbike, just wont need anything more.

The only problem might be if I cant pass the BWM down the straight at the Ridge on June 17th, I don't think this bike is all that fast, time will tell.

Ride safe!

1198 pics, soon 1199...

doctorj said:

Best bike I have every had, period!!

So that has meaning, had the ZX10, Yam R1, 1098, 1198, Street fighter, Hyper just to name a few as of late.

I am a racer, track day guy so the purpose of the bike is to go fast (SNIP)

I ride the bike with FLAT link with 25mm ride sag rear and 22 comp with 19 rebound. The front is 23 comp and 19 rebound with 40mm rider sag.

Has a 9.17kg rear spring, its a little soft for me so I have a 10.0kg on the way, surprisingly enough I think the valving is going to be OK as it is. What I find a little crazy is how the bike comes set

damping wise in any mode, since i have only used race mode i will talk about that. I don't care what track your on with the damping set as delivered, the rebound is not fast enough period!! It would be dangerous. And for me the compression was crazy to the point of hydraulic lock. So not sure where they came up with that?

Typically I don't break bikes in by the manual, ether on the dyno or the track after a 100 miles or so. But my intuition is telling me different this time, this engine is totally crazy with the huge pistons and short stroke and it worries me a bit. So I am breaking it in on the back roads keeping below 7k and being kind of hard on it without lugging the engine.

The ABS kicks ASS!! The traction control is smooth and precise, ( ABS 2) (TC
3) Great controlled wheelies out of tight corners while leaving a black mark.

I freakin love the dash, the bike is for the most part comfortable on back roads, no heat issue if riding the bike as designed.

I have removed the flapper cable and it improved the low RPM response and the bike runs a ton better.

I love the bike, probably my last superbike, just wont need anything more.

The only problem might be if I cant pass the BWM down the straight at the Ridge on June 17th, I don't think this bike is all that fast, time will tell.

Ride safe!

1198 pics, soon

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You have an S, right?

CHarles foxtrot said:

You have an S, right?

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Yes, S / ABS

doctorj said:

Yes, S / ABS

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I came back to delete my stupid question.

But thanks!

great review Doctor
thanks !!

doctorj said:

Best bike I have every had, period!!

So that has meaning, had the ZX10, Yam R1, 1098, 1198, Street fighter, Hyper just to name a few as of late.

I am a racer, track day guy so the purpose of the bike is to go fast and have fun on the track and back roads.

It is the most settled, planted and quick turning bike to date. I had 40K in my 1198 and it was not quite as good.

I ride the bike with FLAT link with 25mm ride sag rear and 22 comp with 19 rebound. The front is 23 comp and 19 rebound with 40mm rider sag.

Has a 9.17kg rear spring, its a little soft for me so I have a 10.0kg on the way, surprisingly enough I think the valving is going to be OK as it is. What I find a little crazy is how the bike comes set damping wise in any mode, since i have only used race mode i will talk about that. I don't care what track your on with the damping set as delivered, the rebound is not fast enough period!! It would be dangerous. And for me the compression was crazy to the point of hydraulic lock. So not sure where they came up with that?


Typically I don't break bikes in by the manual, ether on the dyno or the track after a 100 miles or so. But my intuition is telling me different this time, this engine is totally crazy with the huge pistons and short stroke and it worries me a bit. So I am breaking it in on the back roads keeping below 7k and being kind of hard on it without lugging the engine.

The ABS kicks ASS!! The traction control is smooth and precise, ( ABS 2) (TC 3) Great controlled wheelies out of tight corners while leaving a black mark.

I freakin love the dash, the bike is for the most part comfortable on back roads, no heat issue if riding the bike as designed.

I have removed the flapper cable and it improved the low RPM response and the bike runs a ton better.

I love the bike, probably my last superbike, just wont need anything more.

The only problem might be if I cant pass the BWM down the straight at the Ridge on June 17th, I don't think this bike is all that fast, time will tell.

Ride safe!

1198 pics, soon 1199...

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Great write up DoctorJ

One question...What do you have to say regarding headshake under hard acceleration and highspeed weeving?? I've read about this from testers...any way to tune that out if youre getting it??

superfly999 said:

Great write up DoctorJ

One question...What do you have to say regarding headshake under hard acceleration and highspeed weeving?? I've read about this from testers...any way to tune that out if youre getting it??

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Thats a great question, this is a setup problem, another wierd thing Ducati did, I think so that a first impresion was crazy fast steering.

I have lowered the ride height in the rear and this helped with weaving, I am not experiancing headshake at all. I am running the steering damper very loose.

Untill I get to PIR on June 1st I wont realy know what ride height setting is going to work best but this is the setting that will cure this.

doctorj said:

Thats a great question, this is a setup problem, another wierd thing Ducati did, I think so that a first impresion was crazy fast steering.

I have lowered the ride height in the rear and this helped with weaving, I am not experiancing headshake at all. I am running the steering damper very loose.

Untill I get to PIR on June 1st I wont realy know what ride height setting is going to work best but this is the setting that will cure this.

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Very good I figured raising the front ride height to add a bit of trail would help with it a bit...lowering the rear adds trail but looses swing arm angle...I'm sure once people start tracking these 1199s youre going to get lots of set-up advice...Good luck on the track and let us know what you think

I took delivery of my 1199S yesterday, so I figured I'd post my impressions from my first 200 miles. First though, a little about me for context. My other bike is an ST4S and I'm hooked on the twins. Prior to that, I rode an R1 for several years and a whole list of other bikes further back. I consider myself a decent rider. I use all of the tire, but I am by no means the fastest guy on road. This bike will almost certainly not see a track as long as I own it. While it would be a blast, that's simply one more expensive hobby I don't need. Obviously, much of this is subjective, so take it as you will. In no particular order"¦

Smoke - By bike smoked a little bit when I picked it up from the dealer, but it hasn't smokes since. It's still full of oil.

Turn signals - The 1199 turn signal switches are different than traditional ones in that they barely move when you activate them. I'm only now not hitting them a second (or third) time, even though I've already turned them on. Likewise, if you press the button to cancel them, and they are already off, it brings up riding mode menu on the console. It's a minor annoyance that others have complained about as well.

Transmission - So far, it's been great. No false neutrals, shifts smoothly, etc. I did have the display register neutral once when the bike was still in first gear. That's been the only anomaly.

DQS - Pretty cool. It worked smoothly when shifting in the 5-6k range. It was trippy shifting without using the clutch lever. It just didn't feel right. It's probably not a feature I will use a whole lot, but it works as advertised.

Engine - I'm observing the 6000rpm until 600 miles break in recommendation, so I can't too much about the engine yet. It has enough power in that range for normal driving, but it's not going to wow anybody. You can "feel" something good is waiting just around the corner, but I haven't seen it yet. Soon! It does jerk and surge a little if you try to maintain a steady RPM below around 5000, but seems to be smooth above that. It's not really designed for that and it probably shouldn't be unexpected, so I'm okay with it. I am hopeful that it improves with a future software update.

Seat/comfort - Let's just say it's a sport bike. As far as sport bikes go, I think it's very comfortable, and I'm totally happy to get off it for a bit after 90 minutes or so. It's similar to my old R1 and much more cushy than a friend's ZX6R that I've ridden or any other Ducati sport bikes I've sat on. I don't mind the stock seat and I'd rather keep it low than raise it up for comfort and increase the load on my wrists. The rear shock assembly pokes uncomfortably into my left leg with my leg down.

Console display - This part is cool! The 1199 has the first digital dash on a motorcycle that I actually like. I still prefer an analog tach, but this one works for me. Some have complained about the "strobe" effect as the display highlights different numbers on the tach. I don't really notice this though, as my eyes tend to focus on the RPM ramp instead of the number. I may be unusual there. The display on my wife's Monster is all but unusable on a bright day, especially when wearing polarized glasses. This one does not suffer that problem. The switches to toggle the various features and modes are a quick learn. All in all, I find this console very functional.

Sound - Okay, this is the one of the best parts for me. I have the stock system and I LOVE the exhaust note. It's mechanical music. It's not that it's loud, although it's by no mean quiet. The bike just sounds good. My wife is teasing me (I think) about buying her Termis for her Monster, as the 1199 drowns it out.

Heat - The bike does get hot. I expected it from reading forums and other reviews, but I was still surprised that it's very noticeable at 75+ (120kph+). It's manageable by moving your knees just away from the tank so air can blow through, but that's not how I normally ride. I usually rest my knees against the tank. The only part that gets warm is my knees, by the way. It's definitely air coming off the radiator. Now I did ride late last night. The temp was in the 50s (low teens C) and the warmth was nice, so I guess it could be a situational blessing. I've found this is the bike's only real fault for me.

Brakes - They work, well. I think I giggled the first time stopped fast. I was playing around a little later and found stoppies to be effortless. Grab a handful in a panic and you will go over the top. My bike does not have the ABS option. That said, I found them to have good feedback and be very easy to control. The rear brake pedal is too high. I need to see how adjustable it is. If it's not, it will be one of the few hardware changes I make to the bike.

Mirrors - They're actually usable, which is not something you can always say about sport bike mirrors. They do vibrate a little, so you probably won't be able to identify that police cruise a quarter mile back. You can see what's behind you though and rely on them for lane changes.

Lights - Without a doubt, the LED headlights are the nicest I've ever used on a bike. They light up the road well. The high beam switch is unusual and will take some getting used to. You toggle high/low beam by pressing the high beam flasher switch down instead of pulling it in.

Overall fit/finish - Good so far. Everything looks nice and is in place. Nothing has come loose.

Driving characteristics - The 1199 rides like you might expect. It likes to go on the highway and it will get you in trouble, if you're not careful. Although I'm not pushing it much yet, I find I'm very confident with it in the turns. It's also reasonably civilized in city traffic. Stop and go driving will work your wrists and forearms. Duh! And I will certainly avoid city driving on hot days. I think it's at least as comfortable as most sport bikes, maybe more so. I know all the reviews are saying the BMW has it beat on this, and it probably does. I've never ridden one, so I cannot compare. You never really forget you're on a race bike when you ride the 1199.

My opinion of the bike - The more I ride it, the more I like it. I have zero regrets.

Hopefully someone finds this worthwhile. Happy riding!

Just wanted to thank everyone who has received their bikes and are taking time to write reviews. Real people with real world reviews are priceless. THANK YOU to all.