2015 Ducati 1299S – Red Rocket

Ever been strapped to a rocket? Well swing your leg over a Ducati 1299 Panigale and you’ll know the feeling. It’s blindingly quick in any gear at any speed. Crack the throttle open and it’s like you’re going into hyperdrive… your surroundings pass you in a blur. I’ve had the opportunity in the past to ride both the 899 and 1199, and have fallen in love with the Panigale. The whole bike has always felt comfortable to me and the razor sharp handling is addictive. I found the 899 lacked outright grunt, but I enjoyed the fact that I could really thrash the bike without the worry of landing up in too much trouble. The 1199 that I spent some time on lacked as a road bike, but came alive at the top. It was honestly like a two stroke (most manufacturers are sadly going this way) which made it terrible, unless you were giving it your all. The 1299 was a way for Ducati to make the big Panigale a great road bike by adding more midrange and feel.

The looks department can’t be faulted, it is after all Italian. The 1299 gets some cosmetic tweaks on what was already a gorgeous base to start with. The bike I had the opportunity to ride was an “S” which comes with full electronic suspension. Unfortunately I didn’t get much time to play with the suspension, but the ability to change settings is always a plus for someone who takes their motorcycle riding seriously. The gold Ohlins bits also look the business, and add to the overall presence of the bike, not to mention the light weight, forged Marchesini wheels which are wrapped in Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP tyres.

The L-twin motor makes 205hp, which I can easily believe. This bike will devour pretty much any of the other superbikes in a roll on. The 1285cc motor allows for a huge amount of torque, and Ducati claim a 15% increase in torque from 5000rpm to 8000rpm. The twin nature does make the bike feel slower than an inline four, but the numbers flashing past on the colour screen really show that this bike isn’t sticking around.  I found the fuelling rough between 0-10% throttle which could be due to it actually being rough, or because I’ve been spoilt with perfect fuelling on my daily bike. This did make pulling away from a robot a bit tricky, and stalling is not an option if you’re being noticed. Which you will be, because it’s a Ducati. To ride around this I was having to give it quite a bit more throttle input on pull away from each robot, but I soon got used to it. The fuelling on the fly was however smooth and consistent, which adding to my confidence in the bike. 

It must be noted that this bike isn’t meant for town riding. At the start I compared this bike to a rocket. This can also be used to explain the amount of heat the huge motor makes. Having the exhaust right under your ass doesn’t help either. I rode the bike in warm weather and felt like I was being roasted. I really wasn’t feeling it after the first 20 km, but then I got onto a mountain pass and everything was forgotten…

I can’t explain how this bike turns in and brakes. The big Brembo M50’s make this bike stop at a rapid rate, while the ABS (Also cornering ABS) keeps everything in check. The turn in is razor sharp and comparable to a 600cc supersport bike. Coming out of the corner and hard on the gas I could feel the traction control keeping the rear wheel in check. Once the bike was stood up and the throttle was opened 100% the bars lifted and hovered. The wheelie control is something I thought was a bit of a silly idea to keep accountants and doctors that ride on a Sunday out of the dirt, but it works. I liked how you are able to set it up. How high would you like to power wheelie? The front wheel comes back to the ground with a wiggle as the steering damper works its magic. How did we previously ride bikes without all these gizmos? Once you ride a bike with them, it’s difficult to go back.

The 1299S has three riding modes. Wet, for when your friend wants to take it for a spin. Sport, which is the middle of the road setting, and Race which is balls to the wall with everything cranked up to 10! I found riding the bike in sport mode during the “commuting” sections the best, as race was a bit too snappy and wild. Once I got to where I wanted to be, I select Race mode on the fly and the bike transformed! The suspension stiffens up, and the bike becomes very angry. The clocks turn into a laptimer and the RPM readings become dominant. 

The gearbox on this bike was silky smooth and featured a quickshifter up, and down. The bike makes a nice pop going up the gearbox and blips on the way down. It’s much nicer and more bolt-action than the BMW’s sloppy setup. For the downshifter to be engaged, the bike needs to be totally off the power and you just stomp down on the shifter. It takes some getting used to but works very well. I did however find the location of the gear shifter just a bit too low, but I’m sure that can be adjusted. The pegs have also been changed to more grippy items, which are great. The old pegs were slippery numbers that made you question your foot location mid corner.

For a standard exhaust this bike sounds the business. Aftermarket exhausts are sadly incredibly expensive, but to be honest I doubt anyone would want a bike much louder than this. On the fly coming through a mountain pass this bike growls and pops… It’s spectacular. The fairings are a bit bigger on the 1299 than the 899 and 1199, but I found the screen to be too low. This isn’t an uncommon issue for me, especially with my 2.01m frame. 

Now for the million dollar question… would I have one in my garage…? It is a definite yes. The pricing however means it’s something I’ll only be able to afford if I won the lotto. The base model comes in at under R240 000, while the S version is just shy of R280 000. Comparing that to the BMW and R1 means it’s not far off the modern high tech bikes. It is also important to remember when you buy a Ducati you’re buying exotica. These bikes are very special.

Thanks once again to Anston Collins and Ducati Cape Town for letting me loose on one of their machines, it’s a great privilege. 

Thanks to Helderberg Bike Blog for the pictures.

BMW S1000XR – The Bahnstormer

All I can say is POWER!!!! This bike does what it says on the tin. I’ve been very excited to experience this bike since I started seeing reviews of it. Baron Von Grumble, who’s Vlogging I enjoy watching, seemed to have a total hoot on the bike. I made a booking with Donford BMW and popped around for a quick 40 minute ride around Stellenbosch and up Helshoogte.

Climbing on the bike it’s nice and high, which is great for me. BMW do offer a lowering kit from the factory, but the standard was very comfortable. Start the bike and it barks into life. It has a nice exhaust tone, and the styling isn’t too bad either. Its obvious competitor is the Ducati Multistrada. These are big, powerful touring bikes with superbike motors modified for more mid-range grunt. Both bikes are jam packed with technology and comfort features.

The motor pulls hard and you’re quickly in speeding fine territory. However, to me the motor lacks emotion compared to the Multistrada's L twin. The BMW motor is stonking, but clinical. I also found the bike buzzing between 4-8k rpm which on the road will become irritating. This bike has serious induction noise and you can hear it while riding. Some people have remarked that this was a huge turn-off of the XR, but it didn’t bother me too much on my short test ride.

Flicking through the gears using the quickshifter (up and down) sounds good with a pop coming from the exhaust, but doesn't feel as "bolt-action" as other bikes. It felt to me like there are too many rubber links in the gear-shifter which takes away from the good mechanical feel. It was the first up and down quickshifter I have used and once I got my head around it, it allowed for more concentration for braking and cornering. Personally I prefer a simpler, more connected gear shift even if this means removing the auto-blipper and downshifter. 

Using the clutch for gear shifts is also not as smooth as it could be. The bike is obviously adjusting for the shift but this results in a jerky change going up and down the gearbox. This almost forces the rider to use the quickshifter as opposed to having the use of it when you want.

The brakes lacked feel which messed with the confidence I had in them. It almost felt like they weren’t consistent. The braking was strong and good although I struggled to judge where to add more or less braking force. The traction control did a god job to keep things in check while bombing into and out of corners. You can really feel the traction control working out of corners. I rode the bike in Dynamic and Pro-Dynamic modes which are the two “faster” settings. Dynamic is for good road conditions (Sport mode), and Pro-Dynamic is for track conditions (Race mode). The bike has wheelie control which gets the front up and hovers it just above the ground. Depending on the rider settings, the front will allow for higher lift.

The bike handles well and has a great electronics package. The suspension on this bike is electronic and it felt more planted that the Multistrada on all road conditions. The switch gear is better on this new BMW, the switches feel like better quality but I still get a bit confused about their layout from time to time. To me this is still not up to standard, but that is my view.

Wind protection and riding position are great on the S1000XR. This is a great road bike, and I have a feeling that most riders would be faster on this bike through a tight mountain pass than on most superbikes. It has plenty low down grunt and pulls smoothly all the way through the rev-range. The high riding position and wide bars make it easy to chuck around.

The issues I had with the bike were once again, lack of space for my feet. This is more my problem than the bike's though. I disliked the finish of the bike. The rear sub-frame, like all the BMW’s, looks like scaffolding which someone has temporarily welded in place. On a R200 000 plus bike I expect more. 

Overall a great experience and a difficult choice between the 2015 Multi and the S1000XR. They both have their own pros and cons. A perfect bike seems to be sitting somewhere in between.

2015 Ducati Multistrada

If someone told me ten years ago that Ducati would be building seriously desirable bikes that have everyday practicality and ease of use, I would have told them to keep quiet and sit in the corner. However in 2015 this Italian motorcycle brand is churning out some seriously stunning bikes. The new Panigale in both forms, 899 and now 1299 are stunning, easy to use bikes. Gone are the days of hoping your Ducati would swing when you pushed the starter button. These bikes have really come a long way which is possibly due to the Audi influence, but we won’t mention that to the red blooded Ducatisti.

Over my motorcycling years I have been incredibly fortunate to have ridden some very special exotica, and whenever I hop on a bike I try to get over my excitement and be critical about the machine I’m on. I read so many good reviews on bikes where they only state what an amazing bike it is, and seem to point out the faults with the outgoing model, only as the new one is coming in. This is possibly due to journalists being held captive by manufacturers that won’t invite them to the next launch if they have nasty things to say. But back to my actual point.

In 2003 Ducati released the 1000DS Multistrada with the idea that expanding into the “dual sport” market would bring them some new customers. Pierre Terblanche designed a bike which to me was one of the ugliest bikes ever made. The “split screen” Multistrada never really caught on possibly due to the fact that Ducati isn’t a name to be trusted for crossing continents. In 2010 Ducati reinvented the model and gave the bike better looks, and a stonking 1198 motor borrowed from their superbikes.

A few days ago I got a call from Anston asking if I wouldn’t mind helping run in the latest DVT Multistrada. I jumped at the opportunity as always and popped down to grab some saddle time. Since the newer shaped Multistrada looks miles better than the old, and has proved itself with some trophies at Pikes Peak, I was actually really excited to try this brute out.

On arriving at Superbike Solutions, Anston handed me the keys pointing out that it was an S model. Having done some late night research on YouTube the night before I knew all about the extras fitted to the bike. When asking him how far I could go I was told the tank is full, bring it back empty. I popped the key in my pocket, got shown around all the goodies and was on my way. 

The route I had planned was a bit of a hit and miss due to the weather. I headed out to Franschhoek with a friend with the idea of doing the usual circular route to include several stunning mountain passes. Once in Franschhoek the weather was a little damp and drizzly. Rather than risking the notoriously dangerous Franschhoek pass on someone else's bike, we headed out towards Riebeek West.

For a big lump of Italian beauty this bike really loves the twisty stuff. Coming from a sport bike background the height made judging where exactly the wheels were difficult, but my confidence grew very quickly once the kilometres started piling on. The bike feels incredibly light and nimble once rolling, and this is due to the weight being kept down low. The claimed wet weight is 235kg, which can be felt wheeling the bike around the garage. 

Moving onto the braking, the Multistrada stops on a dime. Grab a handful of the front and the bike sorts it out for you. The braking is strong, and has really good feel. Often strong brakes lack on-road feel, but this bike keeps the rider connected. The brakes are the same Brembo M50 callipers up front, on huge 330mm disk as found on the Panigale. The ABS is not intrusive and is a must have on any modern road bike in my opinion.

The 1200 L-twin Testastretta motor is liquid cooled and new for 2015. When I say new, what I really mean is the DVT is new. The DVT or Desmodromic Variable Timing which works by changing the camshaft relative to the crankshaft and allows an engine to be tuned for low end grunt as well as high-rpm pull. There is more horsepower throughout the rev range and a claimed 10hp at peak, bumping up the claimed maximum to 160hp. 

The engine is punchy, smooth and the electronics package allows the rider to adjust various settings and modes on the fly. The L-twin sounds great as always, with a few pops and crackles on the over run.

The electronics package comes with four different rider modes. These are:       

• Sport riding mode, which provides the rider with full power and torque.  The suspension is adjusted and the traction and wheelie controls are set to a minimum. The ABS is also set to a lower setting and the cornering ABS is maintained.

• Touring mode softens up the bike while retaining maximum power. The throttle response is less direct and the traction and wheelie control are bumped into higher settings. The suspension is set for carrying additional weight and the ABS is also more intrusive.

• Urban mode restricts the output of the bike to 100hp and the suspension is set up for more agility. The ABS, traction and wheelie control are all in a high setting to avoid any spills while pulling up to you favourite coffee shop to pick up girls.

• Enduro is the final setting and is supposed to be used for off road. I’m not going to go into it as I feel this bike is not about that sort of riding, and I personally don’t know why Ducati have bothered with it. But that rant is coming later.

Onto the positives about the bike. I got to spend a good 300km’s on the bike and found my 6ft7 frame to be fairly comfortable. The cruising speeds on the open roads were comfortable with ample wind protection once the screen was in the fully upright position. The seat was a tad low for me, but it was on the lowest setting. This can be adjusted but I forgot to ask about it. The foot position is great with plenty of leg room. I could have honestly have done triple the mileage without a single complaint. 

The headlights are phenomenal, the S comes with LED headlights which emit a seriously bright, white light. The headlights also move according to the corners to help with night riding. I didn’t get to experience any riding in the dark, but morning traffic made way for me which means these lights work!

I must commend Ducati on their switchgear and layout. Everything is where it should be. I was never looking for a switch or pressing the wrong thing. The riding modes are easy to use and toggle through. Cruise control works like a bomb, and so do the heated grips. The information cluster is easy to read and has all the information you would ever need. The bars are nice and wide which help manoeuvring the bike around town and have a comfortable position for long open road stretches.

So here are some dislikes. In touring mode, I found the suspension to be a bit too wobbly. Granted I was doing the speed limit plus plenty of VAT for a bit and the bike developed a slight weave. Nothing scary or unpleasant, but just a comment to pick up on. The centre stand was in the way of my foot and kept rubbing the heel of my boot. This however can be removed fairly easily and if it was my bike, I would. Modern bikes need quickshifters, BMW add it to all their bikes, and I personally love them. Maybe I’m a spoilt brat, but I feel this bike was missing one. I also felt like the bike was missing a steering damper, I might be wrong but feel that this would aid in making the bike more surefooted when really pushing on. These are really small niggles, on what is a VERY good bike and can be sorted out easily.

Ducati are determined about this bike being a four in one bike, which to me puts a dampener on things. It is a touring bike, it is a sport bike, it is an urban bike, but it is not an enduro bike. This is nothing to be ashamed about. Dual sport bikes to me always have a fundamental flaw. They are all too fat to be taken off-road, and do not excel at one particular thing (Road/Dirt). To me they are a Jack of all trades, but master of none. Ducati, keep this bike as a sport tourer. It’s excellent. For those that want an off-road bike, buy a scrambler.

Thanks to Anston from Ducati Cape Town for this great experience. One more bike to add to my ever growing list!

Thanks to Redandblack for the photos.