Where to start...
The looks:
I had very high expectations of the 848 even before I walked into the shop. In photos the 848 is the most amazing looking bike on the market. In person, its is just awe inspiring. From every angle, every line looks perfect. In pearl white its stunning.
The sound:
Its definitely something different. I'd imagine a pit bull makes similar sound just before it rips your face off. You can feel the sound with your entire body, not just your ears. Every person I passed gave me a 2nd look.
The engine:
Having ridden exclusively jap bikes before it took some getting used to. Having so much torque down low and constantly running out of revs up high makes for a completely different riding style. You get used to it though, at least after hitting the rev limiter a couple of times.
There are more problems though. Sitting on the bike you no longer get to hear the amazing sound the engine makes but you can feel it with your bum and your hands. The vibrations do take some getting used to. It was quite uncomfortable at first and my hands even went numb for a while when cruising down motorway.
Comfort:
Well is a sporty setup for sure. I thought the daytona 675 was hard to use on the road but the 848 is in a different league. The seat is rock solid. The bars are low, probably as low as the daytona - the lowest in the 600 class I tested when I was first looking for a big bike. All levers are tiny. I had to use just 2 fingers on clutch and brake. The rear brake, I don't think I ever managed to find it. I'm sure it was there. At full lock, my hands would hit the fairings.
The mirrors are not usable. I thought my CBR mirrors were pretty crap but the 848 mirrors might as well not be there. I'm quite tall, 192cm, which means I sit up high. The mirrors would not rotate up enough so even if I moved my arms out of the way all I could see was the ground behind me.
Other:
Brakes had a good feel to them. Feels like my Honda has a better initial bite but still very good and linear. Steering is very light, almost too light going over bumps. I'd prefer a dampener for the peace of mind. Overall, very nimble bike that just wants to be flicked round in corners, but then, so is every 600 supersport.
Conclusion:
Ducati have a different philosophy on what a bike should be like. Its great in its own way but, unfortunately, not for me.
Thanks for the guys at Motormart for letting me have a go. The open/demo day was great.
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Originally Posted by MotoGirl
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