What impresses me significantly is the ability to ride through traffic and on highways steering only with counter steer. A push on the bar and she turns easily without having to lean much. I have never ridden a bike where I could use the counter steer only to move through traffic like I do on the SS. Some pics of your all out touring setup will be handy.
SSS Delivery Report including Ducati Tail Bag, Comfort Seat and Passenger Grips
Picked up my SSS in the white colour two days ago. Extremely pleased, as this is my first Duc, and so far, it has met or exeeded my expectations, with a few small inconsequential exceptions.
Pics to follow, as I know that this is worthless without [email protected]
Options I went for are heated grips (dealer has no idea when they are due, probably by summer
), comfort seat, passenger grips and tail bag.
I've only put on 100 or so urban kilometres, but my initial impressions are very good.
Here is the good:
Handling is top notch. Very confidence inspiring in the corners and the Ohlins on standard settings is already better than anything I've ridden previously. I'm 75 kg's plus gear so I think I am pretty much what the standard settings are targeted at. Very comfortable ride over the bumps and feels good for spirited street riding.
Clutch feel/modulation is very good.
Throttle response/fueling also very good. I find Sport great for solo, Touring is what I've used for two short pillion rides.
Low speed handling seems pretty effortless, which surprised me as I'm a naked bike guy so used to slightly wider bars. Even with pillion on board low speed handling seems way above average, helped by the great clutch feel for slipping during those tight maneuvres.
Motor seems great for street riding. Plenty of grunt but not so much that you always feel like you are holding back. Coming from triples and fours I am getting used to needing a few more revs from the standing start.
Sexy to look at. Lots of nice parts that are a cut above the Japanese bike stuff I'm used to. The Jap stuff is good and functional, but this bike takes the function and adds aesthetics.
For me, the stock exhaust is loud enough and provides a very entertaining sound track, especially on the overrun, and burbling and popping as you slow down. Love it. I live in a townhouse complex and get on with my neighbours so I will stick with stock for now. Might change the cans to something better looking when the aftermarket eventually provides. I would've loved the Akra cans but couldn't abide the ridiculous ask.
Comfort seat is comfortable, according to my preferred pillion. She also likes the passenger grips. She doesn't use them much but likes knowing they're there. Which makes my life easy. And they don't look awful, so life is good.
Tail bag is ridiculously expensive IMO, but I thought I'd give it a go, as I've never owned one. It seems to be a very nice piece, but I was surprised (and so was my salesman on the day of delivery) at the fact it is simply occy strapped on. I thought it would interface with the four strappy things under the seat. I haven't experimented and played around with that so maybe that does work. In any case, the occy straps do the job. Capacity is good. I put a six pack of Ballast Point Sculpin IPA's in there easily and I reckon I could put another six cans in if I took them out of the box. So, the all important beer run mission is a goer with the tail bag. Bag also comes with rain cover, and two different shoulder straps things if you want to carry it off the bike.Never having had a tail bag before I was challenged swinging my leg over on the mount and dismount, until I figured that I can step on the left peg and swing my leg over. I assume the sidestand can handle that. Overall, nice piece that looks good on the bike, but maybe a bit on the pricey side.
Now for the negative, mostly small stuff:
Mirrors do vibrate, but I can live with it. Well documented on this forum.
Also well documented, neutral tough to achieve when stopped, but from reports this should improve. I have only once been able to achieve neutral from first at a traffic light. What seems to work for me, and my bike, is up to second, nudge down to neutral. Works 75% of the time I've found. If this is what I have to live with I can cope. Most bikes have mechanical idiosyncracies.:wink2:
Fairing panel gaps seem a bit variable. I'm not losing any sleep over it, and if this is what you have to put up with to own such an awesome machine, I can live with it.
Bozo who prepped the bike crossthreaded one bolt that holds the cowl onto the seat. I thought it was a bit stiff and sure enough when I got it out it was damaged. It's easy to make the mistake of crossthreading when you are inexperienced, but when you do it you KNOW SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT, so a bit disapointing. I had another bolt in my garage that I can use and it doesn't seem that the female part in the seat has been damaged so no big deal, but still, you do wonder where else on the bike something's not right.:surprise:
So, very chuffed with this bike. Most I've ever spent on a bike, but I feel it is worth it, and no regrets. This is definitely a bike near the top of the niche it's aimed at. Well done Ducati.
I have taken some pics and will post them soon.
Pics to follow, as I know that this is worthless without [email protected]
Options I went for are heated grips (dealer has no idea when they are due, probably by summer
), comfort seat, passenger grips and tail bag.I've only put on 100 or so urban kilometres, but my initial impressions are very good.
Here is the good:
Handling is top notch. Very confidence inspiring in the corners and the Ohlins on standard settings is already better than anything I've ridden previously. I'm 75 kg's plus gear so I think I am pretty much what the standard settings are targeted at. Very comfortable ride over the bumps and feels good for spirited street riding.
Clutch feel/modulation is very good.
Throttle response/fueling also very good. I find Sport great for solo, Touring is what I've used for two short pillion rides.
Low speed handling seems pretty effortless, which surprised me as I'm a naked bike guy so used to slightly wider bars. Even with pillion on board low speed handling seems way above average, helped by the great clutch feel for slipping during those tight maneuvres.
Motor seems great for street riding. Plenty of grunt but not so much that you always feel like you are holding back. Coming from triples and fours I am getting used to needing a few more revs from the standing start.
Sexy to look at. Lots of nice parts that are a cut above the Japanese bike stuff I'm used to. The Jap stuff is good and functional, but this bike takes the function and adds aesthetics.
For me, the stock exhaust is loud enough and provides a very entertaining sound track, especially on the overrun, and burbling and popping as you slow down. Love it. I live in a townhouse complex and get on with my neighbours so I will stick with stock for now. Might change the cans to something better looking when the aftermarket eventually provides. I would've loved the Akra cans but couldn't abide the ridiculous ask.
Comfort seat is comfortable, according to my preferred pillion. She also likes the passenger grips. She doesn't use them much but likes knowing they're there. Which makes my life easy. And they don't look awful, so life is good.
Tail bag is ridiculously expensive IMO, but I thought I'd give it a go, as I've never owned one. It seems to be a very nice piece, but I was surprised (and so was my salesman on the day of delivery) at the fact it is simply occy strapped on. I thought it would interface with the four strappy things under the seat. I haven't experimented and played around with that so maybe that does work. In any case, the occy straps do the job. Capacity is good. I put a six pack of Ballast Point Sculpin IPA's in there easily and I reckon I could put another six cans in if I took them out of the box. So, the all important beer run mission is a goer with the tail bag. Bag also comes with rain cover, and two different shoulder straps things if you want to carry it off the bike.Never having had a tail bag before I was challenged swinging my leg over on the mount and dismount, until I figured that I can step on the left peg and swing my leg over. I assume the sidestand can handle that. Overall, nice piece that looks good on the bike, but maybe a bit on the pricey side.
Now for the negative, mostly small stuff:
Mirrors do vibrate, but I can live with it. Well documented on this forum.
Also well documented, neutral tough to achieve when stopped, but from reports this should improve. I have only once been able to achieve neutral from first at a traffic light. What seems to work for me, and my bike, is up to second, nudge down to neutral. Works 75% of the time I've found. If this is what I have to live with I can cope. Most bikes have mechanical idiosyncracies.:wink2:
Fairing panel gaps seem a bit variable. I'm not losing any sleep over it, and if this is what you have to put up with to own such an awesome machine, I can live with it.
Bozo who prepped the bike crossthreaded one bolt that holds the cowl onto the seat. I thought it was a bit stiff and sure enough when I got it out it was damaged. It's easy to make the mistake of crossthreading when you are inexperienced, but when you do it you KNOW SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT, so a bit disapointing. I had another bolt in my garage that I can use and it doesn't seem that the female part in the seat has been damaged so no big deal, but still, you do wonder where else on the bike something's not right.:surprise:
So, very chuffed with this bike. Most I've ever spent on a bike, but I feel it is worth it, and no regrets. This is definitely a bike near the top of the niche it's aimed at. Well done Ducati.
I have taken some pics and will post them soon.
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Ohhhhmmmmmmmmmm...:wink2:You guys need to get into yoga
Does second hand yoga count? Being into a girl who is into yoga :grin2:You guys need to get into yoga
my feelings have been 33% more hurt in this thread
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