Joined Aug 2013
63 Posts | 0+
Ipswich, UK
Well I relented and had a test ride on a Hyperstrada 821 yesterday, thanks Ducati Colchster, UK.
The seating position was on a nice comfy seat. Legs nicely low and the bars close. There was a nice little screen and the "clocks" or digital display was low and nearly out of sight. There is little to get in your way of the view head. With the engine already started and having been told of how to change the traction control. With the nice low twin rumble from the exhaust I start to head out.The clutch / throttle is different as journalists said, so I took it very easy outside the shop and took off no problem.
It was 100 yards from the shop to the first set of lights, and doing a normal set off I stalled. Then I remembered about the above. Started the engine, its sweet
, and tried again. No problem. Note to self, dont rush the take offs on this bike. The clutch is very light and the Fly By Wire is obviously light too, as there are no cables to pull on.
About town the bike is light, with a low COG and easily flickable. The engine is a gem, idles at 1.2K and it needs 2K to chug about, over 3 it can be given a handful and not "do a Harley" and rock the bike instead to going forwards. Then rev counter says up to 12K but you can change at any time and still make very good progress. It does not need revs!!! I think the red line was just over 10K. So a very nice engine, well done Ducati. It has enough go about it, that down shifts are not required to overtake. But if you do then cars go backwards at a fair rate and the you look down to see a licence loosing number displayed on the clocks.
The bike seems to tip into the conrners and you need to keep it up with the steering. But once you get back into the "big trail bike" stance and handling then the bike just works. Brake before the corners, lean the bike and power out. Lovely, just how bikes should be.
Now the brakes. WOW. What more can I say? They stop, the have feel. You down really need the rear because of the engine braking. Maybe things might change on a sunny summers day, but on a cool November day its just required on hill stops. I did not get the ABS to kick in. I didnt try it too many times as the brakes are THAT good.
After trying to get the headlight switch sorted - Ducati use the flasher to put it onto hi beam and then you push it down to lock it on. It would not lock. I played with it a bit. Then I left it, but later I saw a little blue light. The switch does not click into place, but it does put it onto high beam and release the switch. I put the headlight onto low beam and aplogise to all the motorists going the other way for the last couple of miles.
I stop at the garage to put £10 into the bike, as the low petrol light was on. I would pay so much more for this This is the first bike in ages I have filled up with a hole the same size as the cap, not the little "you can only get the unleaded nozzle in here" bits of metal.
I take a couple of pictures for my work desktop - that is why I go to work. Not for the mortgage, food money, bills, etc. Its for the bikes in my life
Now the exhaust sound, its a lovely low rumble which shouts when you use the go control I had to ask back at the shop, but this was not a termi, it was standard. Good I have save myself a few hundred quid!
I had felt the front go to the end of the fork travel a couple of times when "giving it some" in the lower gears. I give it a bit of clutch to see, and I found out this bike has TC but not wheelie control When I returned to the shop they confirmed this too.
I then went onto roads with a bit of grass, and tree remnants, in the middle of the road to try out the traction control. In second doing about 30 I whacked open up the throttle, the little red TC light was flashing on and off as the back tyre squirmed for traction. It worked and I was very quickly doing 60 on this NSL road I slowed down again as these roads you had to do about 10 mph around the corners, just enough to stop when someone was coming the other was. I played for a bit and got very impressed with the TC in Touring mode.
I did notice my lid was more noisy than on my naked bike, as the air is pushed more over the helmet from the screen.
The clouds came with the wind and there was a massive downpour. But equiped with ABS and TC I took a few more chances than I would have on my other bikes. But no issues with the bike, apart from my inaptly names waterproofs !!! This bike had about 2K on it. The bike is nice and stable, responsive and controllable on the throttle, brakes and handling. I do not have any issues. Apart from trying to get off the lights quickly and stall it again. Another note to self - oh, I already had that one! D'oh!
The tank is small and when it needs to be gripped it seems a bit smaller than what you think. Just an observation, like the old big trails bike I have previously owned.
I got back to the shop soaked though to the skin, cold, but as happy as a happy thing ( dog with two dicks, etc ) with a great big grin. I had a nice chat with the lad in there ( when they look younger, what does that say about me ? )
I just need the shares for next year to keep heading in the upwards direction. Then I will have one in red please!
I do know its a lot to spend on a bike, but I am worth it. Why not other bikes? Well this fits in with what I need, light, powerful, flickable and good for my knee.
Back onto the GSR600 I immediately noticed the following : knees up parallel to the road, there is a stretch to bars making my gut nearly touch the tank, wooden brakes - like they were not working, no suspension squash under braking or it seemed like it, an engine with no mid range, or power... lol. It was turbine smoothness, but no soul. very predictable handling, like its on rails.
But after a few more miles in the rain I was used to the GSR600 again. For a few more months I hope.
The seating position was on a nice comfy seat. Legs nicely low and the bars close. There was a nice little screen and the "clocks" or digital display was low and nearly out of sight. There is little to get in your way of the view head. With the engine already started and having been told of how to change the traction control. With the nice low twin rumble from the exhaust I start to head out.The clutch / throttle is different as journalists said, so I took it very easy outside the shop and took off no problem.
It was 100 yards from the shop to the first set of lights, and doing a normal set off I stalled. Then I remembered about the above. Started the engine, its sweet
, and tried again. No problem. Note to self, dont rush the take offs on this bike. The clutch is very light and the Fly By Wire is obviously light too, as there are no cables to pull on.About town the bike is light, with a low COG and easily flickable. The engine is a gem, idles at 1.2K and it needs 2K to chug about, over 3 it can be given a handful and not "do a Harley" and rock the bike instead to going forwards. Then rev counter says up to 12K but you can change at any time and still make very good progress. It does not need revs!!! I think the red line was just over 10K. So a very nice engine, well done Ducati. It has enough go about it, that down shifts are not required to overtake. But if you do then cars go backwards at a fair rate and the you look down to see a licence loosing number displayed on the clocks.
The bike seems to tip into the conrners and you need to keep it up with the steering. But once you get back into the "big trail bike" stance and handling then the bike just works. Brake before the corners, lean the bike and power out. Lovely, just how bikes should be.
Now the brakes. WOW. What more can I say? They stop, the have feel. You down really need the rear because of the engine braking. Maybe things might change on a sunny summers day, but on a cool November day its just required on hill stops. I did not get the ABS to kick in. I didnt try it too many times as the brakes are THAT good.
After trying to get the headlight switch sorted - Ducati use the flasher to put it onto hi beam and then you push it down to lock it on. It would not lock. I played with it a bit. Then I left it, but later I saw a little blue light. The switch does not click into place, but it does put it onto high beam and release the switch. I put the headlight onto low beam and aplogise to all the motorists going the other way for the last couple of miles.
I stop at the garage to put £10 into the bike, as the low petrol light was on. I would pay so much more for this
This is the first bike in ages I have filled up with a hole the same size as the cap, not the little "you can only get the unleaded nozzle in here" bits of metal.I take a couple of pictures for my work desktop - that is why I go to work. Not for the mortgage, food money, bills, etc. Its for the bikes in my life
Now the exhaust sound, its a lovely low rumble which shouts when you use the go control
I had to ask back at the shop, but this was not a termi, it was standard. Good I have save myself a few hundred quid! I had felt the front go to the end of the fork travel a couple of times when "giving it some" in the lower gears. I give it a bit of clutch to see, and I found out this bike has TC but not wheelie control
When I returned to the shop they confirmed this too.I then went onto roads with a bit of grass, and tree remnants, in the middle of the road to try out the traction control. In second doing about 30 I whacked open up the throttle, the little red TC light was flashing on and off as the back tyre squirmed for traction. It worked and I was very quickly doing 60 on this NSL road
I slowed down again as these roads you had to do about 10 mph around the corners, just enough to stop when someone was coming the other was. I played for a bit and got very impressed with the TC in Touring mode. I did notice my lid was more noisy than on my naked bike, as the air is pushed more over the helmet from the screen.
The clouds came with the wind and there was a massive downpour. But equiped with ABS and TC I took a few more chances than I would have on my other bikes. But no issues with the bike, apart from my inaptly names waterproofs !!! This bike had about 2K on it. The bike is nice and stable, responsive and controllable on the throttle, brakes and handling. I do not have any issues. Apart from trying to get off the lights quickly and stall it again. Another note to self - oh, I already had that one! D'oh!
The tank is small and when it needs to be gripped it seems a bit smaller than what you think. Just an observation, like the old big trails bike I have previously owned.
I got back to the shop soaked though to the skin, cold, but as happy as a happy thing ( dog with two dicks, etc ) with a great big grin. I had a nice chat with the lad in there ( when they look younger, what does that say about me ?
) I just need the shares for next year to keep heading in the upwards direction. Then I will have one in red please!
I do know its a lot to spend on a bike, but I am worth it. Why not other bikes? Well this fits in with what I need, light, powerful, flickable and good for my knee.
Back onto the GSR600 I immediately noticed the following : knees up parallel to the road, there is a stretch to bars making my gut nearly touch the tank, wooden brakes - like they were not working, no suspension squash under braking or it seemed like it, an engine with no mid range, or power... lol. It was turbine smoothness, but no soul. very predictable handling, like its on rails.
But after a few more miles in the rain I was used to the GSR600 again. For a few more months I hope.
