Triumph Speed Triple or Ducati Monster anyone?

Discussion in '7th Generation 2010-Present' started by E.SLC., Mar 28, 2015.

  1. E.SLC.

    E.SLC. New Member

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    Hi All,

    I was talking to my friend and he suggested a Triumph Speed triple or Ducati Monster 1200?

    Does anyone have any experiences (2nd bike for example) with Speed Triple or Ducati Monster 1200?

    I currently have a 2010 Honda VFR 1200 (with upgrades and Dohn Guhl ECU reflash) and 2011 Honda CBR 600RR and was thinking about selling/trading one (most likely VFR since it's simply boring to me) to get something more exciting, fun to ride, with good torque, good sounding, more upright riding position.


    Thank you
     
  2. superpsu

    superpsu New Member

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    They are both good bikes from the reviews I've read. I owned a Ducati Monster 620 i.e. Dark and loved it. However, the cost to maintain the bike was rather expensive. It all depends on what you like in styling and whether you prefer V-twins or triples. I would personally take both for a test ride and decide which one you gravitate towards.
     
  3. iamzombie

    iamzombie New Member

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    Buy a Duke 1290R :)
     
  4. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Run your 1200 without the muffler for a really cool sound and for great excitement drain the fluid from your brake lines.
     
  5. greybeard

    greybeard New Member

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    The price of the Ducati's first valve adjustment should be very simulating.
     
  6. Allyance

    Allyance Insider

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    The Speed Triple was one writers for Motorcyclist favorite bike, you might search their web site for articles on it. I wish I had the money to maintain a Ducati, I always felt Italian bikes were works of art, especially the welding.

    The reason the Ducati valve adjustments are so expensive is because of their design. Where just about evry other engine relies on springs to close the valves, they use the cam and manually close them, meaning you have more to adjust!!

    Italian machines are exotic, I was on my way to work the other morning, and they were unloading two new Lamborghini's, gull wing doors open, engines running, unbelievable sound. ( they also sell Ferrari & Maserati!)(Walnut Creek, CA)
     
  7. REEK

    REEK New Member

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    The Triumph triple motor is probably one of the dynamically impressive motors I've had the pleasure of riding. The triumph will treat you right and make your heart race every time you throw a leg over it. yet the Duc is a Duc, a high maintenance mistress that excites all senses riding or standing still but you pay for it. Depending what you're after, they're probably 2 diametrically different bikes to consider. you just gotta ride em both, then consider the cost of ownership.

    I know, this has been really not much help. good luck with your decision.
     
  8. TOE CUTTER

    TOE CUTTER Mullet Man

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    I am no fan of Triumph so I must say Ducati.
     
  9. skimad4x4

    skimad4x4 "Official" VFRWorld Greeter

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    A while back I took the Speed Triple and Street Triple bikes out for back to back test rides and whilst both bikes were great fun to ride I ended up buying a Street Triple. Whilst there is more power per kg on the Speed Triple the lower weight of the Street Triple made it a far more enjoyable ride - its also 20% cheaper. Neither Triumph (or the Ducatti) is a real replacement for your current faired bikes. An hour thrashing down a motorway on a Street Triple will leave you physically wrecked - you get not protection from the wind as on a stock bike you are the fly screen and in the wet they are horrible and the relatively short wheelbase makes for poor high speed stability. They are classic around town street fighter bikes which can also storm through alpine roads bringing a big smile every time. If you want another faired bike then you may want to test ride the Daytona.




    SkiMad
     
  10. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    There are Ducati forums up the wazoo. All Ducatis do not have desmodromic valve trains.

    Googling the cost of getting the valves done, buying shims and belts is addressed and then the bullshit starts. This all the way from a shitloads of "I do my own" , to estimates of 600-1250 pesos.

    On top of that ya need special tools and guess who has them?

    This may be why some Duc dudes are becoming harleydoods.
     
  11. tyarosevich

    tyarosevich New Member

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    If you are even thinking about buying a street triple, you owe it to yourself to try to test ride one before you buy anything else. They are great bikes: nimble as hell, good power, great throttle mapping (something I remember in particular). Just flickable little bikes. I'd recommend it over a monster any day, all day. The latter is a fine bike, but lacking that all around synergy that makes the street triple so great.

    *edit back at the poster, I meant to say the street triple, as I have not ridden the speed triple.
     
    Last edited: Mar 30, 2015
  12. Tpoppa

    Tpoppa New Member

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    I care more about handling and corner speed than all hp. If I were to get a naked bike it would be the Street Triple R.
     
  13. Rider14

    Rider14 New Member

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    If you are looking at naked bikes, you are looking in the right direction. Add the Aprilia Tuono to the list, plus the MV Augusta Brutale bikes. Surprisingly inexpensive for used Aprilia's and MV's, and the maintenance on the Aprilia (at least the older Tuonos) is minimial.

    -Dan
     
  14. V4 Matt

    V4 Matt New Member

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    I can second the Tuono. Killer V-4 engine and the most planted, sharpest handling bike I've ever ridden.
     
  15. kurtfriedrich

    kurtfriedrich New Member

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    I own a Ducati Monster 1100 Evo and a Triumph 675 Daytona. (My duc is a 2 valve, and it does not need valves adjusted often. Even the new 4v's only need it every 7500 miles.)
    I have also test driven the 4v Monster 1200.

    Anyhow, I would not tell you which one to get unless you typed in a whole lot more about what you want out of the bike. What kinds of roads, how many miles per trip, miles per year, how much over the speed limit, ever on the track, what you like and what you don't like about bikes.
     
  16. Veefer Madness

    Veefer Madness New Member

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    You won't be able to get Monster guys to agree on what is a good Monster much less get consensus on what you've asked, on a VFR forum...however, Steet triples are better street bikes than Speed triples, and I'm sure those new Monsters are nice and everything, but they are butt ugly and if you're going to be naked you better be beautiful.
     
  17. Tpoppa

    Tpoppa New Member

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    OOC, why is Ducati always changing the engine size on the monster? By now they must have stuffed about 20 different displacements into the monster.
     
  18. kurtfriedrich

    kurtfriedrich New Member

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    I think they view the monster as a style of bike. Then they try and offer different price points, hence a 696, 796 and 1100 all offered at the same time.
    Then they advance the technology over the years, 900>1100>1100evo
    Occasionally they decide to go for max hp and will offer one with the then current superbike 4v engine (the S4R),
    Now they seem to be facing the EPA issues and are phasing out all air cooled engines. The only 2v air cooled left is the Scrambler, which is mfg in the Thailand or somewhere over there.
    No more air cooled monsters.
     
  19. Tpoppa

    Tpoppa New Member

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    Right, but they have had sooooo many.

    398, 600, 620, 695, 696, 748, 795, 796, 803, 821, etc, etc, etc...and that is just the small Monsters. No other manufacturers seem to fiddle with displacement as much as Ducati.
     
  20. 12bravo

    12bravo New Member

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    I haven't ridden the EXACT bikes you have noted but I did have a Duc ST4s for about 20K miles. An absolute rush to run it, everywhere you go, never did any pipe stuff and just ran it stock engine-wise.

    A buddy of mine just got his KTM 1290 Super Duke R. If you are in the market and can afford one, BUY one.

    The Ducs rock, but as noted already you have REALLY gotta have someone around who KNOWS Ducs for tuning it up, Dealer or private shop.

    The Triumphs are easy to work on I believe, but as my buddy said who just traded his Tiger for the 1290R said: never buy them new, or take a bath on it.
     
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