Harley's Ducati

[Lcarlson]

I struggle with the concept of bikes that are only meant to ride, and have zero function beyond being ridden. The Diavel is in that category for me. An expensive toy, with zero utility. Doesn't help that I've only ever encountered a couple on the road, and both of them were ridden by people who were 100% terrible riders.

I know the market exists, I just don't know who that market is. Is it another toy for the garage? is it the chosen ride of the DINKs of the world? Does it get garaged next to the Jet-ski, SG and Ski-boat?

While I understand the appeal of raw power in a brutal package, I can't really wrap my head around who it's for.

I bought a new Diavel in 2012, and kept it for about three years, eventually coming to pretty much the same conclusion. It was a ferocious machine with thrilling acceleration, but it was not a good daily rider. The motor was unhappy at anything below 4000 rpm, which meant that I could ride it around our local roads all day and never see fourth gear. Other than during balls-to-the-wall acceleration, the motor didn’t really have a sweet spot, and didn’t feel good at sustained interstate speeds either. Handling was OK for “sort of a cruiser.” I’m glad I had it for a while, but in retrospect it was kind of a waste of money.

FWIW, I recently acquired a mid-class bike and found a balance and versatility that puts the Diavel to shame, with fine suspension and a motor that’s all sweet spot, at about half the cost.

[Tusayan]

FWIW, I recently acquired a mid-class bike and found a balance and versatility that puts the Diavel to shame, with fine suspension and a motor that�s all sweet spot, at about half the cost.

I think the best and most versatile Ducati built in this century is the ST4S, available for about $5K.

[kirb]

I struggle with the concept of bikes that are only meant to ride, and have zero function beyond being ridden.
While I understand the appeal of raw power in a brutal package, I can't really wrap my head around who it's for.

That person is me. I have several bikes, I like quirky stuff, they all don't have to do everything. I actually prefer the least crossover as possible.

I need to tour, I like a hooligan bike. The Stelvio is my touring rig with the wife, the Diavel (fly-n-ride used) is the hooligan. I won't go into the other bikes as it not to the point here.

I had a Griso that I sold- it was very much like the Diavel in it's narrow focus. I don't mind that as I ride A LOT and some of it is around town or under and hour. I don't need to carry everything everywhere. I have a small Chrome over shoulder sling that I haul cigars in. I bring the NTX if I need a gallon of milk.

The Diavel will go if the FTR1200 is anything like the prototype.

[LowRyter]

....................




and

I wonder if that motorcycle would make ass look fat?



This is the first thing that crossed my mind when I saw the photo

[Chuck in Indiana]

Good point.

[JohninVT]

I test rode a Diavel when they were introduced.  It was a worthless machine.  Messed up ergos, junkyard styling and a rear tire so wide it ruined the handling.  No normal human can control 160hp without electronic nannies and they kick in pretty much anytime you try to access more than 120-130hp.  I can't think of a public road in New England I could ride a Diavel on that an 1100 Monster wouldn't be faster on.   

I don't particularly love the looks of the FXDR.  I've never actually met anyone who has attended a flat track event or claimed to follow the sport the way people do baseball or auto racing so I don't understand Harley's constant design cues.  Pretty much every Harley with "flat track" styling has the weird bobbed rear that reminds me of the Storz Harley kits from the 80's.

What I am jazzed about is the Street Fighter.  Gimme one of them with the cool half orange, half black paint scheme the VR1000's had please.   

[Kev m]

I don't particularly love the looks of the FXDR.  I've never actually met anyone who has attended a flat track event or claimed to follow the sport the way people do baseball or auto racing so I don't understand Harley's constant design cues.  Pretty much every Harley with "flat track" styling has the weird bobbed rear that reminds me of the Storz Harley kits from the 80's.

The FXDR is supposedly designed after their drag bikes, not flat track (unless I missed that).

[JohninVT]

I wonder if that motorcycle would make ass look fat?



This is the first thing that crossed my mind when I saw the photo

The first thing that crossed my mind was, "Holy cow...is that swingarm deflecting 3-4" to the right or is it just the perspective on the photograph?"

[twowheeladdict]

The FXDR is supposedly designed after their drag bikes, not flat track (unless I missed that).

What I read also.

[bigbikerrick]

LowRyter, That Super Magna rocks! I love those bikes. I have owned 3 Magnas, one a super. Honda put some cool technology in that bike. The coolant would run through the frame tubes, it had a 6 speed transmission, a V 4, the coolest  looking exhaust on the planet, and shaft drive. I wish I still had my Super Magna. After the Super, the 3rd generation  , chain driveMagna, although a decent all around bike, doesnt even compare.
Rick

[jas67]

LowRyter, That Super Magna rocks! I love those bikes. I have owned 3 Magnas, one a super. Honda put some cool technology in that bike. The coolant would run through the frame tubes, it had a 6 speed transmission, a V 4, the coolest  looking exhaust on the planet, and shaft drive. I wish I still had my Super Magna. After the Super, the 3rd generation  , chain driveMagna, although a decent all around bike, doesnt even compare.
Rick

Coolant through the frame tubes?   That's kinda scary long term.     That'll rust the frame through from the inside out over the decades.

[Kev m]

Coolant through the frame tubes?   That's kinda scary long term.     That'll rust the frame through from the inside out over the decades.

Not if the coolant is changed periodically. I mean doesn't coolant contain corrosion inhibitors and you only get corrosion on coolant passages when it's not flushed/refilled on a regular basis.

[Rough Edge racing]

Not if the coolant is changed periodically. I mean doesn't coolant contain corrosion inhibitors and you only get corrosion on coolant passages when it's not flushed/refilled on a regular basis.

 It's an issue on some cars/trucks with sections of metal tubing used for the heater or external water passages...we can assume bikes get better maintenance than cars where many owners never change the coolant ...We might assume Honda had given through to this and the frame tubes have a corrosion inhibitor inside or made from corrosion resistant material.....
 Didn't the Honda V4's have severe cam wear issue that took Honda several attempts over the years before it was fixed?

[oilhed]

I think the best and most versatile Ducati built in this century is the ST4S, available for about $5K.

WRONG!   ST3 all the way!  3 valve, wet clutch, sane HP   

[Madtownguzzi]

Law Abiding Bikers thoughts on the new FXDR starts at 6:45 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCCbwxndjSo 

[LowRyter]

Law Abiding Bikers thoughts on the new FXDR starts at 6:45 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCCbwxndjSo

Harley is really "pushing envelope".   All that bike needs are "high rise T-Bars". (WTF are T-bars?)

[TimmyTheHog]

Harley is really "pushing envelope".   All that bike needs are "high rise T-Bars". (WTF are T-bars?)

Something like this.



A lot of Dyna/Sporster riders out these...

I don't find an appeal to it, and same goes for Ape Hanger, but obviously there is a huge market for them.

[twowheeladdict]

Harley is really "pushing envelope".   All that bike needs are "high rise T-Bars". (WTF are T-bars?)

Can't believe you actually watched the video.  Just looking for more to criticize?   A lot of prejudice on this forum.  I for one am glad there is such a variety of motorcycles to experience.   I have experienced most styles of bikes from 2-strokes to 6 cylinders.  From off road to sport to touring to cruiser.  Still would like to ride a pro street chopper.  The closest to a chopper was the Yamaha Raider.

[Tusayan]

WRONG!   ST3 all the way!  3 valve, wet clutch, sane HP   

Both had the wet clutch in later versions. The supposed serviceability advantages of the ST3 did not materialize in my experience, both are equally labor intensive to maintain.  Mine is an ST4 (not S) which is good for me too, better to ride than my previous ST2 at the expense of losing the relatively simple  2V per cylinder service.  I love it and rode about 100 miles of two up twisties on it today.

Regardless, my main point was that if you're looking for an impressively versatile performance Ducati the one that lost the plot in trying to look like a Harley or whatever is not the one.

[oilhed]

Yup!  ST2, ST3, ST4, ST4S.... The best Ducatis ever and now they are gone.

[jas67]

Yup!  ST2, ST3, ST4, ST4S.... The best Ducatis ever and now they are gone.

What about the new SuperSport?

[Tusayan]

That one's more like what it's named, an SS, meaning no hard bags and no decent passenger accommodations. My ST4 is ridden more than 50% of the time with a passenger, and handles the added weight with minimum effect on handling.

[twowheeladdict]

Since we have moved on to Ducati, the only two I would consider putting in my garage would the the Multistrada Pikes Peak edition, and the Desert Sled.  I like the looks of the SS bikes, but the riding position is too aggressive for this glasses wearer and there is such a thing as riding too fast for your vision.   

[Rough Edge racing]

 I have a 96 900 Monster...Carbureto r bike , I love carburetors.. I paid $3000 for it two years ago...spent $600 on an Ohlins rear shock and a few hundred on maintenance items..Many people have ridden this bike and the reaction is always the same, their face hurts from grinning in their helmet " Man, this sucker is blast to ride, light, fast handling,good power, slick gearbox and the wonderful exhaust sound...After an hour or so the seat gets too hard, limited steering lock and it's not the best for mall crawling....For some ,bikes are for ripping around on back roads for a few hours, others like to ride for long distances, some like vision distorting acceleration, some like to just look cool on an exotic bike dressed in fancy leathers..

[Kev m]

Ahem, no, the answer is obviously an air-cooled Monster or a Scrambler!

[jas67]

Ahem, no, the answer is obviously an air-cooled Monster or a Scrambler!

I love mine (796)!     Bought it new four years ago, and have no intention of getting rid of it.   Many other bikes have come and gone but, the air-cooled Monster stays.

The other constant, has been Guzzi V7 (modern-era smallblock).    I've had several, but, have always had at least one V7 in the stable for going on 7 years now.

[Toecutter]

I know its a constant... I'm not so young and naïve as to think otherwise.

But brand bashing and moto-superiority never cease to make me roll my eyes.

...and it's *always* justified by the perpetrator, with the loosest of excuses.

They're bikes. We like bikes. We all like bikes. Some of us like different bikes. Some of wear shirts and hang signs and get tattoos of the bikes we like. Get over it.

[LowRyter]

Can't believe you actually watched the video.  Just looking for more to criticize?   A lot of prejudice on this forum.  I for one am glad there is such a variety of motorcycles to experience.   I have experienced most styles of bikes from 2-strokes to 6 cylinders.  From off road to sport to touring to cruiser.  Still would like to ride a pro street chopper.  The closest to a chopper was the Yamaha Raider.

Yes, I watched the video and quoted what the guy sez.  I thought it was humorous.  Perhaps the video was meant in jest too?  He did say the bikes was $22k.   I didn't know what T-risers were and knowing it now, seems even funnier than when I wrote it.


Hey someone writes a thread and folks comment on it.  I did say I like the Big Harley Glides better than the Indian and Victory tourers but not as much as the Cal 14.    Maybe those are all bad comments?

[Kev m]

I noticed that one of my local dealers said they were having demos this weekend. Last year this same weekend (after the dealer meeting) they had the factory demo truck and the whole selection of new bikes. I wasn't going to go, but Sunday morning dawned and it looked beautiful and I felt like it was a good excuse to sneak out.

Sadly when I arrived, seconds before the dealership was supposed to open I realized my mistake. There was no factory truck (I also knew one of the factory demo fleets was going to be at another dealer across the bridge closer to Philly but I was too lazy to continue on).

Seems this dealer was still having demos, but out of their current stock which meant no FXDR which is a shame because I'd like to at least try it, even though I'm certain it's not for me.

Still I took the opportunity to ride a couple of bikes again, and one new one - a civilian M8 RK, a Fat Bob, and a new Sport Glide. The Fat Bob is probably most relevant to this thread because it's the closest in design to the FXDR in a lot of ways.

Anyway, I rode an M8 Civilian RK again (which cemented how much different/better for me the Police model is).

But before that I rode the Fat Bob again (with visions of bagging it out) followed by a Sport Glide.

Funny even I've talked multiple times about wishing the Fat Bob had mid-mounts (like some people are saying about the FXDR). I didn't notice it last year when I first rode the Bob that even with all my talk of mid-mounts on a Fat Bob the seat is so far forward I think mid-mounts would be a problem without a much taller seat and bar risers to even out the riding position. I really like the less conventional look of the Fat Bob, but I just don't think it would work out for me without too many silly changes - seat, bars, controls at least for floor boards, exhaust to make room for controls and luggage, the luggage itself etc.

I realized the only reason I'd buy a Fat Bob would be:

1. USD forks with dual discs
2. Looks of the tank and fenders (and the tank is too small at 3.6g anyway).
3. Size/weight, especially the 16" wheels.
4. Better lean angles.

The Sport Glide was wonderful. Didn't feel cramped and again even though it technically has forward controls it doesn't feel like I'm all stretched out or anything, though I would still want to change to floorboards.

The small fairing worked SURPRISINGLY well.

The brakes were adequate, but it would still bother me to have a single. Which would mean I'd probably have to drop $$$$ on the forks and brakes from the Fat Bob. Either that or just get the frick over it lol.

But yeah, everything else seemed pretty damn right on the bike.

I want to like the Heritage over it for the windshield, but I can't stand the bags and the spoke wheels on the Heritage and the Sport Glide also has USD forks. The Wheel/Tire sizes are even better on the Heritage though. Plus the Heritage has the passing lamps.

So yeah, IF I was buying an M8 tomorrow, it would be the Sport Glide. Agreed!

But for now I have no reason to give up my RK. They'll have to step up the Sport Glide or Heritage's game to get me to do that.

[twowheeladdict]

Yes, I watched the video and quoted what the guy sez.  I thought it was humorous.  Perhaps the video was meant in jest too?  He did say the bikes was $22k.   I didn't know what T-risers were and knowing it now, seems even funnier than when I wrote it.


Hey someone writes a thread and folks comment on it.  I did say I like the Big Harley Glides better than the Indian and Victory tourers but not as much as the Cal 14.    Maybe those are all bad comments?

It is from the east LA Latino motorcycle culture.  High T-bars and and a fairing.  Some people of European ancestry copy it because they think it makes them look bad azz.  It is not just a Harley thing.  You could do it on your Euro cruiser and look bad azz too.